The students on the Island all go by the name of a famous mystery writer, as part of their membership in their University's mystery club (an homage that pushes narrative of the novel and keeps readers on their toes). The story kept me guessing until the final reveal, which I suspected but had no real reason to suspect (just that you wonder about each person). The characters were well crafted, each one seemingly unique and charismatic in their own way. The women were polar opposites of each other, but I felt were treated a bit too feminine. At first, Agatha (so named after the Queen of Mystery herself) seemed one of the more complex characters. She was excited by the Island, she showed smarts, but her character quickly fell into the role of housemaid and cook and then eventually into a 'hysterical' woman; while the men appeared calm and collected. That was maybe the only drawback of the novel. I liked the dual storylines between the Island and the Mainland. The Island feels isolated and claustrophobic, while the Mainland feels like a race against some unknown force of evil. It appears to be Ellery up against a murderer on the Island (or is he?) in conjunction with Kawaminami (formerly Doyle) verses the truth of what took place on the Island the year before. Both are trying to find out about the past, something about it is haunting them, but are they on the right track or missing something else? I found the students at times to be very likable and at other times to be pompous, selfish, and plain narcissistic. However, while they fight for their lives on the Island you are rooting for them to work out the case, the cause, the motive, and perhaps save their lives. Even as you begin to realize that their fates were likely sealed the moment they accepted to stay on the Island. Their trust in each other starts out solid, but as bodies begin to pile up accusations fly and fear sets in, completely shattering any sort of ability to work together. The book is not overly long and the pacing is rather quick, as you follow this group of students on their deadly quest. I can definitely see why this book is a cult favourite, with the twists, the format, the isolated Island, and the nods to the great mystery writers of the past. Thank you to Netgalley and Pushkin Vertigo for approving me for an eArc of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.
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