Book Review: Death At Morning House By Maureen Johnson

Welcome back, book bees! Today, we’re switching things up from our romance and fantasy reviews to bring you a mystery review! Maureen Johnson’s latest novel, Death at Morning House, hooked us in with two murder mysteries: one that happened in 1932 and one in the present.

If you’re like us, then you may recognize Maureen Johnson for her Truly Devious series. (We hope to hear more news about book six soon!) Death at Morning House is a standalone book with a new protagonist, but one we root for all the same.

It’s never too early for a thrilling murder mystery. So, here are three of our favorite things about Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson!

Book Overview: Death At Morning House

Content Warnings: murder, death, child death, drowning, violence, fire, discussion of eugenics

Summary: The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first.

Catching Clues

We’re starting to get the hang of mystery novels, if we do say so ourselves. As we read Death at Morning House, we clocked some important details relating to the murders. Did we successfully solve the whodunit before the big reveal? No. But we did notice and remember a few clues, so that’s a win for us. The best part about reading a mystery is feeling suspicious of what we read, even when it may not be relevant. From missing supplies and accessories to certain characters’ preferences, we kept a mental note of everything.

The Parallels

Maureen Johnson’s Death at Morning House has a historical element to it, as we get flashbacks to the Morning House from 1932. We gain much-needed context about the Ralston family and what actually happened to the youngest son Max and oldest daughter Clara. At the same time, Marlowe and her coworkers try to figure out what happened to Dr. Belinda Henson as well as the former tour guide Chris. Both deaths are related in both time periods, and we were definitely caught by surprise by the two killers.

Marlowe’s Instincts

Marlowe isn’t a detective by any means. She just really likes to solve brainteasers. So once she catches on to Dr. Henson’s disappearance and the possible reasons for her murder, there’s no stopping her brain. She connects most of the clues that we caught and a lot of the ones we had missed. Marlowe also finds an ally in Riki, whose risky plans complement hers perfectly. And with great observations and survival instincts, Marlowe’s a protagonist we couldn’t help but love.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson is out August 6th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!

What are your thoughts on Maureen Johnson’s latest mystery, Death at Morning House? Are you looking forward to reading it? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

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