Zeb Wyckham is called to the familial estate on the moors by his cousin, who has an unusual proposal: whichever of the assembled Wyckham cousins marries his half-sister’s young daughter will inherit the folly-strewn Gothic manse. Zeb quickly finds himself drawn into a web of deceit and distrust, with his former lover Gideon, now his cousin Wynn’s personal secretary, playing an enigmatic role in the deadly game.
All of Us Murderers is a fun Gothic romp that delights in its setting, taking a playful, sidelong look at the tropes: an inheritance tinged by wickedness, a curse and a deal with the Devil, a mansion honeycombed with secret passages and filled with characters holding simmering grudges. Everyone in Lackaday House harbors secrets and plots, and the shifting alliances promise foul deeds. Zeb is a bit of an innocent — good-hearted and trusting, and ashamed of his family’s ill-gotten wealth — and he stumbles several times in his efforts to extricate himself from the dreadful setting. The love story between Zeb and Gideon is earnest and resonant, particularly when set against the scheming ways of Zeb’s cousins, and the ending feels earned, particularly with the delightful tension built in the final chapters.
KJ Charles has a place in my TBR — her Will Darling books were recommended when I went to the local romance bookstore looking for gay historicals as part of one of my ongoing writing projects — and I look forward to enjoying more of her tales.
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