annieb123
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle is the third UF mystery by T.L. Huchu. Released 29th Aug 2023 by Macmillan on their Tor imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.
Oddly paced, often almost twitchily frenetic in places, it's nevertheless very well written and engaging. It follows on from the first books in the series and, as such, would be a challenge to read as a standalone. Main character Ropa can communicate with (and indeed compel) spirits. She gets drawn into an artifact disappearance at the magical conference at which she's an intern.
It's marketed as a YA fantasy, but it's perfectly good for an all ages (YA+, not for little kids) read. It has a huge cast, and readers who haven't kept track of the previous books should be prepared to flip back and forth some. The author/publisher have provided a handy dramatis personae list at the front of the book with characters/titles and relationships, and also principal settings, institutions, and other necessary info which will help.
The world building is *stunning* and cohesive and wonderful. There is, however, quite a lot of reverse snobbery and making fun of traditional academia; Ropa is something of a Jack-the-Lad and seemingly has a malleable and very pragmatic moral code. It's LGBTQIA+ friendly, without being preachy, which is cool. The denouement and resolution are not finished in the book and strongly foreshadow the next book in the series.
Four stars. Very well written if quirky. There are three books extant at the moment, with the fourth due out in 4th quarter 2024. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home use, or as a long buddy read or book club series project.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.