Gigi Pandian’s latest mystery, Under Lock & Skeleton Key, is the first in the new Secret Staircase Mystery series. Expected to be released on March 15, 2022, by Minotaur Books, Under Lock & Skeleton, Key introduces readers to Tempest Raj and her family. Returning home after a disastrous show, Tempest is present when a body is discovered in a sealed wall. The body is her former stage double, leaving Tempest wondering if the Raj family curse is after her next.
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Under Lock & Skeleton Key. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
Synopsis from Goodreads
An impossible crime. A family legacy. The intrigue of hidden rooms and secret staircases.
After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.
When Tempest visits her dad’s latest renovation project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. Fearing she was the intended victim, it’s up to Tempest to solve this seemingly impossible crime. But as she delves further into the mystery, Tempest can’t help but wonder if the Raj family curse that’s plagued her family for generations—something she used to swear didn’t exist—has finally come for her.
Positives
All of the delicious foods made by Grandpa Ash for Tempest and her friends. A few delicious-sounding recipes have been included in the book.
Grand Mor is a grandmother that many people would like to have. She’s a talented artist and musician and has plenty of stories to share with the people around her.
Negatives
The book could do with a bit more editing; of course, I read an ARC which could lead to that impression.
My Opinions
Tempest Raj is a magician home from a disastrous show in Las Vegas, one where she lost almost everything she had.
Under Lock & Skeleton Key pays homage to many great classic mystery writers. Tempest and Ivy often refer to books they have read to help guide their investigations, and it felt as though they needed to refer to those books a bit more a few times.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. But it felt as though the writing was a bit clunky. Some parts were repetitive; how many times does the rabbit hutch have to be described? Other parts didn’t feel like they were explained enough. I understand that Tempest is a magician, as is her friend Sanjay, and thus some “secrets” need to remain, but when reading a mystery, a reader wants to understand the thought process of the investigators. Or at least this reader does.
Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.
This book sounds interesting, but I had similar repetition issues with the other book by Gigi Pandian that I read, so I’m not planning to pick this one up. It sounds like the characters at least were an enjoyable part of the story!