A MIDNIGHT PUZZLE by Gigi Pandian

4 stars

A run romp of a mystery, part of a 3 book series but feel free to dive in here as I did. The mystery centers on a family of magicians, the Raj’s, and a reputed family curse that leads the eldest child to be killed by magic. Tempest Raj, the current eldest child of her father’s family, has seen this supposed curse in action in the death or disappearance of relatives on stage.

Tempest herself has taken leave of stage magic to join her father’s construction business and has transitioned into a talented designer of magical, whimsical, hidden elements in home construction: from hidden doors and staircase to secret entrances to tucked away rooms. Tempest delights in the work, but not in their latest client, the antagonistic Julian Rhodes who has a pattern of harassing and suing his contractors, the Rajs included.

Working late night on a project, Tempest gets a text to meet her client at an old theater she’s leased and where she’s hoping at some point to stage a one-woman production about her family curse tracing back to Edinborough. But when Tempest gets there, along with her mentor and long-time family friend Nicodermus the Necromancer, they find former client Julian Rhodes impaled and dead on the theater’s front door. Even worse, there’s a note on the door in Tempest’s handwriting inviting him inside.

Turns out there’s a whole cast of characters around the Raj family and Julian Rhodes who all are worthy suspects, even including the police investigator who’s worked on previous attacks targeting the family.

As Tempest delves more into their back stories, she emerges the prime investigator into Rhodes’ death and uses her intuition and knowledge of stage illusions to cleverly sort out the murder.

Thanks to Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.