Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder: A Historical Mystery (A Marion Lane Mystery Book 1)

It's 1958 in London, and Marion Lane is a first-year recruit for Miss Brickett's Investigations & Inquiries, a private investigative service that was started up after the end of WWII by Nancy, who had worked in Bletchley Park and wanted to continue helping her country. Things seem to be going well for Marion and the other first-year recruits, though there is some tension between two of them - Marion's best friend, Bill, and another recruit, David, though Bill won't tell her why.Then, late one night, a filing assistant who had been an early recruit to the agency received a letter warning that a particularly terrible thing is about to happen. Michelle White goes to investigate, only to find the room empty. But she isn't alone, and she is murdered. While there isn't much evidence available at the murder scene, it quickly becomes clear that whoever the murderer is, they must also work for Miss Beckett's.Despite not being assigned to the case, Marion finds herself being pulled into the investigation. Hesitant to get involved at first, Marion becomes determined to sort through all the evidence when her friend and mentor is accused of the murder.I loved the idea behind Miss Beckett's and the world-building that surrounds it. When Marion and Bill discover a map of an area of Miss Bckett's that is off-limits, referred to as The Border, their investigation into who actually killed Michelle White begins in earnest. The map they discover not only maps out the area beyond The Border, but that the hallways in that part of Miss Beckett's Investigations.The story starts off relatively slowly and doesn't really pick up speed until Marion's mentor, Frank, is accused of the murder. He was caught on camera entering the room where Michelle was discovered - the only person to have done so around the time she was murdered - so he MUST have done it, right? Well, I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say no, he didn't. After all, he's accused at about the 1/3 mark, and Marion's goal is to prove his innocence. It would definitely make her job of defending him against the false accusations a bit difficult. LOL.Despite that somewhat slow start, it did keep my attention and, once a suspect is identified, the speed, action, and mystery ramp right on up to full speed. The somewhat classic whodunit story is added to with the subterranean setting of Miss Beckett's and the somewhat James Bond-esque feel of the organization as a whole.In addition, Willberg's construction of Marion is absolutely wonderful. She is a strong young woman who has been living with her grandmother since her mother's death, but she is still dealing with the loss. That complicated character construction isn't just for Marion either. Willberg's characters, whether good or bad, are not just good or bad. They have aspects of both, much like any human being, based upon circumstances and past life experiences. That, more than anything else, is what made this mystery so compelling.That's not to say the mystery was ignored. It wasn't. The tension that built up as the story progressed was wonderful and while I kind of suspected the who as the reveal got closer, I certainly hadn't pieced together the whole thing.I'm looking forward to continuing this series and reading more Marion Lane mysteries. For this one, I did listen to the audiobook, which was narrated by Karen Cass. She did a great job and I would definitely listen to more audiobooks narrated by her.

Part Nancy Drew. A heavy dose of Harry Potter. A dash of MacGyver. An ounce of Lemony Snickett. As rousing as a good game of Clue (which the central characters also enjoy).I stayed up too late too many nights to finish this book and to solve the murder at the core of this book. I got some things right. I guessed one clue really early. When the villain was finally revealed I was happy that characters I liked were cleared.I hope that you will choose this book. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did.

“Marion Lane & the Midnight Murder” is set in a richly imagined world, and has all the individual parts for an intriguing, different, and exciting tale. But while T.A. Willberg has an interesting and creative story here, it was just okay and kind of underwhelming.We begin with the murder of Michelle White, an overnight filing clerk at Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries, a vague and confusingly hog warts-esque super secret underground detective agency (like, literally, as in a wacky maze of secret tunnels). Our protagonist, Marion Lane, has been an apprentice (Inquirer-in-training) there four months, learning to use funky gadgets and disarm trip wires and so forth. When blame falls on her mentor (and family friend), Marion throws caution to the wind in order to sets prove Frank innocent before the secret agency council/court can figure out what to do with him.Despite kickoff everything off, the actual murder of our filing clerk feels secondary, like it’s just a pretext for Marion to stumble into unraveling other concurrent mysteries and secrets surrounding Miss Brickett’s. Which involves a seemingly magic map, lots of sneaking around in forbidden tunnels and overhearing people’s conversations, a Ball…but not much in terms of actual investigation and active mystery-solving.Overall, I can’t say I found it particularly exciting or suspenseful. Instead, I’d describe Marion Lane & the Midnight Murder as plodding, convoluted, and a little boring. There were a lot of moving pieces and parts going on at one time, but for most of the novel, not enough actually happening. While everything does eventually come together in the end, things don’t really get moving until the last 3rd or so. I felt like we were building up to something more, I dunno, dramatic with the agency secrets bits as well, leaving the big reveal/ending for those as a bit anticlimactic.

This book caught my attention the moment the library processed it and put it out for view. I recommended it and sent it all around the state. I waited almost. Year to read and have the option of a sequel. It didn't disappoint.Interesting characters and a unique setting. Alchemist and post world war in hidden underground London. I enjoyed the unraveling of the backstory. Looking ahead to the next book I wonder if my little grey cells have some assumptions correct.This feels like a classic mystery and yet is fresh and unique. I deeply appreciate it isn't horrifically graphic nor overfilled with romance. It is juat the right balance of it all.

I really like this storyline. Marion is an apprentice in a detective agency. She puts her skills to the test to find a murderer and introduces us to an array of characters I hope we get to meet again.

I thought this book sounded interesting but it soon got bogged down by numerous characters (a scorecard would have been helpful) and an apathetic response to the murder of one of their own people. I stuck it out till the end to find out who the killer was but it wasn't easy.

It’s a good story. I wish there were more twists to it. At least the ending and the solution to the mystery were not as predictable.

Had a interesting story line but there was a lot of blasphemy which didn't make it pleasant to read. Will not be buying a book by this author in future

The author obviously has a great imagination but i think failed to translate that into a good book. Perhaps that's the issue .. so many plots and sub plots in one book which needed some serious pairing down / editing of ideas / plot lines!! Leaving a convoluted, ill thought out story with left field weirdness (mechanical eagles and snakes ..not to mention alchemy) which the reader is just supposed to swallow without question or context ...a troup of characters with little depth. Totally implausible so difficult to feel the characters or invest in the story . Like a poor Harry Potter (i did check whether this was a children's book) mixed with a post world war spy (ish) novel. Not for me.