Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder was a bizarre novel that easily could have been several hundred more pages. T.A. Willberg introduces us to a post-WWII London where Miss Brickett’s Bookshop is actually just a front for London’s most secret, underground, and innovative detective agency. Housed in tunnels rumored to have been built by alchemists in the 1300’s, Miss Brickett’s agents go about their work anonymously and, often, illegally – such is the nature of having advanced gadgets that can bind, distract, and detect.
Miss Brickett’s is an insular institution, but its small community is rocked when one of its own is found dead in a room where she wasn’t supposed to be. Apprentice Marion Lane, overhearing some things that she’s not supposed to, involves herself and her friend Bill in the investigation in order to find the real killer and clear her mentor’s name. Armed with gadgets, lies, and the three months of training they’ve had, the two set out to solve a murder while appearing to live their normal lives.
I was taken aback by this novel as, from the synopsis, I thought the novel would be more Historical Mystery than it was Fantasy. I hope you all know by now that I love a good historical mystery, and the intrigue of the war, secret detective agency, inside job, etc. totally sucked me in to trying this book. So, I thought it would add some gadgetry and secret agency to a heavier mystery plot.
However, this novel concentrated too much on the fiction to be called a historical mystery for my taste. The setting was mainly in Miss Brickett’s, and I thought it would have more to do with the outside world. In Miss Brickett’s, there are ropes that strangle themselves, shifting walls, special invisible ink, robotic snakes, and more, not to mention the entirely fictional series of tunnels in which the agency is housed. It was more like entering the world of Harry Potter than it was an intriguing mystery in 1950’s Britain.
The writing itself was really not bad in this novel. For a first time author, Willberg did a great job of building an entirely fictional world with no gaps big enough to bother a reader. I kind of wish she had supplied a map to Miss Brickett’s; I think that would have helped me a lot. There were some gaps in the description, which I didn’t find too troubling, and could have probably been resolved with a closer look at the subject, but that would have meant a higher word count… and not everyone wants to read The Stand from a first-time author.
Marion Lane was an okay character; she had a little of a tragic backstory that didn’t do much for me emotionally, but did play into the plot well. Marion isn’t overly emotional, she uses her brain, and she keeps a level head throughout her investigation. Part of this is probably her personality and another part is aided by the training she’s received at Miss Brickett’s. While Marion is a fine character, I wouldn’t describe her as an exciting heroine, just one who’s solving a stressful mystery.
Let’s move on to my biggest flaw with this book: THE ENDING. The plot was building steadily along (and gaining suspense, I’ll grant it that) until about 70-75% of the way through the book when the culprit was identified and it started getting pretty thin. It was good when it involved WWII secrets, hidden tunnels, secret maps, and suspicious partnerships – not so good when it all hinged on an inconsequential point of personal revenge. I found this and the resolution to be so anticlimactic that I was really disappointed, and I don’t say that too often. After all of the world-building and secrecy, I expected the conclusion to be more dramatic and impactful.
Now, don’t read this as a totally bad review, because it’s not. If world-building, fantasy, and mystery are your thing, this book is probably a good pick for you. I might even describe it as a little bit Steampunk. I was expecting the book to go the opposite direction, with more mystery than fiction, but it didn’t – and that’s due to either a bad synopsis or a lack of understanding on my part. The writing was good, the plot was solid, and it had a pleasant main character, even if she wasn’t earth-shattering. My only legitimate disappointment with this book is the ending, which I feel could have been improved. If you want to give it a try or learn more about the author, check out her website at https://tawillberg.com/.