Hello, everyone! It has been quite longer than usual since my last post. I just haven’t much been in the mood for blogging. Most of my time has been spent on my pets, including three new 6-week-old kittens, and harvesting and processing vegetables from my garden. I hope to be a little more present on the blog in the coming week, though, because I’ve got a few reviews to get caught up on. The first review is for All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles, which was just published on Tuesday. I’m a huge fan of Charles. So, I was super excited to pick this one up!

The lush Gothic drama of Crimson Peak meets the murderous intrigue of Knives Out with an LGBTQIA+ love story to die for from award-winning author KJ Charles.

WHO WILL SURVIVE LACKADAY HOUSE?

When Zeb Wyckham is summoned to a wealthy relative’s remote Gothic manor, he is horrified to find all the people he least wants to see in the world: his estranged brother, his sneering cousin, and his bitter ex-lover Gideon Grey. Things couldn’t possibly get worse.

Then the master of the house announces the true purpose of the gathering: he intends to leave the vast family fortune to whoever marries his young ward, setting off a violent scramble for her hand. Zeb wants no part of his greedy family―but when he tries to leave, the way is barred. The walls of Lackaday House are high, and the gates firmly locked. As the Dartmoor mists roll in, there’s no way out. And something unnatural may be watching them from the house’s shadowy depths…

Fear and paranoia ramping ever-higher, Zeb has nowhere to turn but to the man who once held his heart. As the gaslight flickers and terror takes hold, can two warring lovers reunite, uncover the murderous mysteries of Lackaday House―and live to tell the tale?

***Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an advanced electronic copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience with my purchased paperback copy of the book.***

I’m always excited for a new KJ Charles release! All of Us Murderers had me intrigued from the start, and by the end, I didn’t want to put it down. The atmosphere was creepy, and all of the twists and secrets kept me on my toes. The main characters were endearing, and everyone else in the family was easy to love to hate.

As for the plot of All of Us Murderers, I don’t want to say too much because I would hate to spoil anything, but nothing in the house was as it seemed at first. I did figure out what was going on a bit early, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the story. This family had so many sordid secrets. Just when I thought all of their skeletons were out of the closet, a new one would fall out of a hidden compartment. lol. Watching everything unravel was incredibly tense and wildly entertaining, and I truly couldn’t get enough of it.

The main character in All of Us Murderers, Zeb, was such a sweetheart. He suffered from pretty severe ADHD, and it was interesting to see how people with the disorder were treated during this time period. He struggled to hold a job and was generally thought of as a waste of space by his family. Thankfully, Zeb wasn’t as awful as the rest of his family, who were desperate for money and power at the expense of everyone else. He was a gentle soul who’d been shaped by his hardships to have empathy for others. I liked his journey in the book as he found a bit of confidence in himself and his achievements. He was easy to root for, and I really wanted him to make it out of the godforsaken house alive.

One of the other highlights of All of Us Murderers was the second-chance romance. Gideon was a great love interest for Zeb. He was Zeb’s opposite in so many ways, the order to Zeb’s chaos. They fit together so well, and I thought their reconciliation was well-written. Their conversations about the miscommunication that initially broke them apart were gradual and realistic. I loved seeing them rely on each other more and more as the chaos built around them in the house.

Overall, All of Us Murderers was everything I could have wanted from a KJ Charles gothic mystery. The atmosphere, the secrets, and the romance were all on point. I honestly can’t think of anything I’d have changed. If you are looking for a locked estate mystery with creepy vibes and a wonderful second-chance gay romance, look no further. I can’t recommend this one enough! Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles. Have you read it yet? Be sure to check out other books by Charles, as well. They are all pretty great!