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All of Us Murderers
The lush Gothic drama of Crimson Peak meets the murderous intrigue of Knives Out with an LGBTQIA+ love story to die for from award-winning author KJ Charles.
WHO WILL SURVIVE LACKADAY HOUSE?
When Zeb Wyckham is summoned to a wealthy relative's remote Gothic manor, he is horrified to find all the people he least wants to see in the world: his estranged brother, his sneering cousin, and his bitter ex-lover Gideon Grey. Things couldn't possibly get worse.
Then the master of the house announces the true purpose of the gathering: he intends to leave the vast family fortune to whoever marries his young ward, setting off a violent scramble for her hand. Zeb wants no part of his greedy family―but when he tries to leave, the way is barred. The walls of Lackaday House are high, and the gates firmly locked. As the Dartmoor mists roll in, there's no way out. And something unnatural may be watching them from the house's shadowy depths…
Fear and paranoia ramping ever-higher, Zeb has nowhere to turn but to the man who once held his heart. As the gaslight flickers and terror takes hold, can two warring lovers reunite, uncover the murderous mysteries of Lackaday House―and live to tell the tale?
WHO WILL SURVIVE LACKADAY HOUSE?
When Zeb Wyckham is summoned to a wealthy relative's remote Gothic manor, he is horrified to find all the people he least wants to see in the world: his estranged brother, his sneering cousin, and his bitter ex-lover Gideon Grey. Things couldn't possibly get worse.
Then the master of the house announces the true purpose of the gathering: he intends to leave the vast family fortune to whoever marries his young ward, setting off a violent scramble for her hand. Zeb wants no part of his greedy family―but when he tries to leave, the way is barred. The walls of Lackaday House are high, and the gates firmly locked. As the Dartmoor mists roll in, there's no way out. And something unnatural may be watching them from the house's shadowy depths…
Fear and paranoia ramping ever-higher, Zeb has nowhere to turn but to the man who once held his heart. As the gaslight flickers and terror takes hold, can two warring lovers reunite, uncover the murderous mysteries of Lackaday House―and live to tell the tale?
343 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2025
399 people are currently reading
33863 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Charles
65 books12.1k followersKJ is a writer of romance, mostly m/m, historical or fantasy or both. She blogs about writing and editing at http://kjcharleswriter.com.
She lives in London, UK, with her husband, two kids, and a cat of absolute night.
Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
Sign up to the (infrequent) newsletter at http://kjcharleswriter.com/newsletter
Please **do not** message me on Goodreads as I no longer check the inbox due to unwanted messages.
She lives in London, UK, with her husband, two kids, and a cat of absolute night.
Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
Sign up to the (infrequent) newsletter at http://kjcharleswriter.com/newsletter
Please **do not** message me on Goodreads as I no longer check the inbox due to unwanted messages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 987 reviews
October 7, 2025
Happy release day to another KJC smash 🎊
Whooooo boy, the end of this one really had me white knuckling my way through all that tension. I was STRESSED.
Zeebadee, recently fired from his latest job as a clerk, is contacted by his Cousin Wynn, a man who is basically a stranger to him, and is invited to come visit and spend some time with him at Lackaday House. Almost immediately upon his arrival Zeb discovers that there is more at play in the house than he realised, when he arrives to discover his (genuinely terrible) brother, sister in law and cousin alreay there alongside his ex-lover.
In respect to this book in the context of the larger catalogue of KJCs works, I think that this one sits closer to Death in the Spires, in that the romance is really more of a subplot to the main mystery, compared to many of her other works which can be more romance forward. Although that being said all the normal trademarks I associate with KJC books are present; vibrant characters, rich historical settings, sexy chemistry and a bit of spice. All of it makes a very satisfying reading experience.
I did admittedly take a little while to find my feet here, you are dropped into the middle of some established and very messy interconnected relationships, that all have their own histories and while that background is progressively revealed as the story unfolds you do need to trust the process a little.
I LOVED the tone and setting of this book, the Edwardian setting in a massive Gothic Mansion? So atmospheric. I also love the boom of British occultism that occured in the late Victorian era so the occult overtones here had me hook, line and sinker.
Zeb was a real stand out character for me. I thought that his ADHD representation was wonderful and it really made me appreciate the struggles people went through when so little was understood about the condition during this time, and the only solution people bothered with was to scold and beat the child. Despite the challenges and cruelty he has experienced Zebs heart of gold and capacity for kindness were really his defining traits (making the moments when he displayed a quiet confidence and self assurance to assert himself when necessary all the more satisfying).
I really do love a good second chance romance and thought that the trope here was used well between Gideon and Zeb. I’ll admit through that while I came around to Gideon by the end of the story it took me a while to get there, potentially because I felt so protective of Zeb as a character. However, as we learn more about what went wrong between Gideon and Zeb and the things that went unsaid I found myself forgiving and rooting for them to get together, but he was one of the KJC love interests that I struggled to vibe with more so than others.
*Insert my generic ride or die disclaimer for everything KJC writes and my inherent biases this causes*
A fun historical gothic mystery/thriller where the tension continues to ratchet up right to the end! I had a great time. 4.5 rounded up ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Whooooo boy, the end of this one really had me white knuckling my way through all that tension. I was STRESSED.
Zeebadee, recently fired from his latest job as a clerk, is contacted by his Cousin Wynn, a man who is basically a stranger to him, and is invited to come visit and spend some time with him at Lackaday House. Almost immediately upon his arrival Zeb discovers that there is more at play in the house than he realised, when he arrives to discover his (genuinely terrible) brother, sister in law and cousin alreay there alongside his ex-lover.
In respect to this book in the context of the larger catalogue of KJCs works, I think that this one sits closer to Death in the Spires, in that the romance is really more of a subplot to the main mystery, compared to many of her other works which can be more romance forward. Although that being said all the normal trademarks I associate with KJC books are present; vibrant characters, rich historical settings, sexy chemistry and a bit of spice. All of it makes a very satisfying reading experience.
I did admittedly take a little while to find my feet here, you are dropped into the middle of some established and very messy interconnected relationships, that all have their own histories and while that background is progressively revealed as the story unfolds you do need to trust the process a little.
I LOVED the tone and setting of this book, the Edwardian setting in a massive Gothic Mansion? So atmospheric. I also love the boom of British occultism that occured in the late Victorian era so the occult overtones here had me hook, line and sinker.
Zeb was a real stand out character for me. I thought that his ADHD representation was wonderful and it really made me appreciate the struggles people went through when so little was understood about the condition during this time, and the only solution people bothered with was to scold and beat the child. Despite the challenges and cruelty he has experienced Zebs heart of gold and capacity for kindness were really his defining traits (making the moments when he displayed a quiet confidence and self assurance to assert himself when necessary all the more satisfying).
I really do love a good second chance romance and thought that the trope here was used well between Gideon and Zeb. I’ll admit through that while I came around to Gideon by the end of the story it took me a while to get there, potentially because I felt so protective of Zeb as a character. However, as we learn more about what went wrong between Gideon and Zeb and the things that went unsaid I found myself forgiving and rooting for them to get together, but he was one of the KJC love interests that I struggled to vibe with more so than others.
*Insert my generic ride or die disclaimer for everything KJC writes and my inherent biases this causes*
A fun historical gothic mystery/thriller where the tension continues to ratchet up right to the end! I had a great time. 4.5 rounded up ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
June 29, 2025
It's a great story, combining elements of locked room murder mystery, gothic horror and some romance.
The writing is immersive, the mystery and the twists are satisfying and the atmosphere chilling.
The relationships dynamics are really interesting, either between the awful family members or between the ex lovers finally reunited. The drama felt real and the second chance at love is truly earned.
I also loved the few spicy scenes, they served the story and were very well written.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!
The writing is immersive, the mystery and the twists are satisfying and the atmosphere chilling.
The relationships dynamics are really interesting, either between the awful family members or between the ex lovers finally reunited. The drama felt real and the second chance at love is truly earned.
I also loved the few spicy scenes, they served the story and were very well written.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!
October 17, 2025
This was not what I was expecting. The cover is so, so pretty. It reminds me of the old Nancy Drew books, so I guess I figured it was going to be some cozy mystery. It is definitely not Nancy Drew-esque at all.
There are still a lot of great ideas here, though. Once the mystery starts to unfold, it's a somewhat unique and interesting story. I enjoyed the first third of the book, especially the atmosphere, because I thought it was going somewhere. A hundred pages later, it still hadn't really gone anywhere.
While it started strong, I felt that the book was a lot of "tell, don't show." The family drama is very repetitive. Fight after fight, page after page about how indecisive Zeb is, but none of it feels particularly impactful, either. The relationship between Zeb and Gideon is similar, in that I think it has the marks of an interesting pairing, but I didn't feel any chemistry because they basically jumped from A to B without any growth in between.
I don't regret reading the book, but I don't think the story or characters were built up very well.
There are still a lot of great ideas here, though. Once the mystery starts to unfold, it's a somewhat unique and interesting story. I enjoyed the first third of the book, especially the atmosphere, because I thought it was going somewhere. A hundred pages later, it still hadn't really gone anywhere.
While it started strong, I felt that the book was a lot of "tell, don't show." The family drama is very repetitive. Fight after fight, page after page about how indecisive Zeb is, but none of it feels particularly impactful, either. The relationship between Zeb and Gideon is similar, in that I think it has the marks of an interesting pairing, but I didn't feel any chemistry because they basically jumped from A to B without any growth in between.
I don't regret reading the book, but I don't think the story or characters were built up very well.
October 14, 2025
imagine your entire evil plan you’ve masterminded gets demolished because of one neurodivergent twink who is so nice to everyone that the murderers just don’t have it in them to hurt the sweet boy
this is one of the best books i’ve read all year like these sweet horny idiots literally survived to be final girls together forever bc they are so good at communicating xoxo
this is one of the best books i’ve read all year like these sweet horny idiots literally survived to be final girls together forever bc they are so good at communicating xoxo
August 29, 2025
A bunch of horrible people sitting around in a spooky house will never not make for an intriguing read. Bonus points when it's all one family and I can't even decide who the worst person is. It's definitely not the protagonist Zeb, but he is considered the Wyckham family failure anyway and so he joins the family meeting at the gothic Lackaday House only reluctantly. There he meets his estranged family members and, surprisingly, his former lover Gideon, and also a cousin who certainly didn't exist before. Everyone was invited to sort out an inheritance and to compete for the hand of said cousin. Most characters are greedy for the house and the money and the wife, but the three main candidates are actually too old, too (already) married or too gay for the position. Zeb couldn't care less about his family and so he is suffering through shared meals and pretentious talks and the not so passive aggressive behavior of everyone at all times. A series of very strange events doesn't help to lighten the mood either and so everyone is having a bad time at Lackaday house. For some reason I expected this to be more of a horror novel, but for the most part it is a mystery with some slightly creepy moments thrown in. There are people claiming they saw a ghost and there are some rude writings on the walls that vanish from one moment to the next, but I as the reader was never scared. (Wouldn't recommend this book if you have arachnophobia, though.) Still, the gothic atmosphere was strong and the house surrounded by impenetrable fog a chilling setting. This book is marketed as a genre mix anyway and so I just went with everything I got. I was reading for a while when I wondered about when the romance was supposed to come in, but then I was hit with a full chapter of smut almost immediately. I liked Zeb and Gideon together, but I couldn't really grasp Gideon as a character. I know almost nothing about him, especially in comparison to all the other shady characters in here. I also think that this book lacked depth in general. It is very much an enjoyable and rather quick read, but a lot of reveals missed the impact that they easily could have had. Still, I would recommend this book without any reservations if you're interested in a historical m/m romance in a somewhat creepy setting. I can also imagine reading from this author again in the future and I understand that her previous books are very well-beloved. That's not hard to believe at all after reading her newest release.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2025
Some things that are true about K.J. Charles:
1. She is very, very funny:
3. She's deadly serious about history, and under "Things KJC Is No Fan Of" we can also add "Enormous fortunes made in the slave trade."
4. She's very good at twisty plots, and I say this although I identified the chief villain less than a tenth of the way into "All of Us Murderers," because what I didn't see coming was -- everything else: a phrase that covers a lot of territory here.
A few words about Zeb(edee! what a name) and Gideon and their relationship. Initially I expected Zeb to be something of a shrinking violet, because he enters the narrative much in the manner of a cliched Gothic heroine: he arrives alone at a creepy, isolated mansion with no clear idea of what he's about to encounter there. He is a bit beaten down in some respects, thanks to a lifetime of rebukes for being unable to sit still, for being disorganized, for showing up late, for dressing badly, etc., etc. He has never actually quit any of his jobs, because he's always been sacked. But morally speaking he's a tough cookie, and it's not much of a spoiler to remark that his essential decency gives him and Gideon the chance to save their lives.
We see Gideon through Zeb's eyes, so his interiority is less front-and-center than Zeb's, but also KJC is never guilty of riding the miscommunication trope to death; the two start having honest conversations early on about their history and their ugly breakup. Emotionally, Gideon is Zeb's opposite number, orderly, buttoned-up, and, before Zeb came along, sexually repressed. He's also honest, thoughtful, clever, and patient. Over the course of the book we learn more and more about how the pair's individual histories and their strengths and weaknesses intersect, how they were split apart, and how, now that they've met again, they can join to each other in new and better ways. I've read so many "We were both at fault" conversations in romances where in fact one party seems far more in the wrong than the other does, but the balance of fault between Gideon and Zeb is believably close to even.
"Copper Script," which KJC published just a couple of months ago, is a lot of fun -- but, I reluctantly had to admit, not fully realized. "All of Us Murderers" is her in top form, and she is incomparable.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
1. She is very, very funny:
the disgraceful state of his black trousers suggested very accurately that he’d spent some time kneeling in them
He classified it (from experience) as the kind of book that led one to toss oneself off to heated imaginings and feel thoroughly ashamed afterwards.
He spoke with unusual sharpness. That might have got him listened to, or it might just have been the fact that he was the one with the money.2. She's no fan of TERFs, though I'm sure this is completely unconnected to the fact that one of the books-within-the-book includes a character named Lady Ravenclaw [alas, changed in the published version, for the avoidance of fools], who comes to a bad end.
3. She's deadly serious about history, and under "Things KJC Is No Fan Of" we can also add "Enormous fortunes made in the slave trade."
4. She's very good at twisty plots, and I say this although I identified the chief villain less than a tenth of the way into "All of Us Murderers," because what I didn't see coming was -- everything else: a phrase that covers a lot of territory here.
A few words about Zeb(edee! what a name) and Gideon and their relationship. Initially I expected Zeb to be something of a shrinking violet, because he enters the narrative much in the manner of a cliched Gothic heroine: he arrives alone at a creepy, isolated mansion with no clear idea of what he's about to encounter there. He is a bit beaten down in some respects, thanks to a lifetime of rebukes for being unable to sit still, for being disorganized, for showing up late, for dressing badly, etc., etc. He has never actually quit any of his jobs, because he's always been sacked. But morally speaking he's a tough cookie, and it's not much of a spoiler to remark that his essential decency gives him and Gideon the chance to save their lives.
We see Gideon through Zeb's eyes, so his interiority is less front-and-center than Zeb's, but also KJC is never guilty of riding the miscommunication trope to death; the two start having honest conversations early on about their history and their ugly breakup. Emotionally, Gideon is Zeb's opposite number, orderly, buttoned-up, and, before Zeb came along, sexually repressed. He's also honest, thoughtful, clever, and patient. Over the course of the book we learn more and more about how the pair's individual histories and their strengths and weaknesses intersect, how they were split apart, and how, now that they've met again, they can join to each other in new and better ways. I've read so many "We were both at fault" conversations in romances where in fact one party seems far more in the wrong than the other does, but the balance of fault between Gideon and Zeb is believably close to even.
"Copper Script," which KJC published just a couple of months ago, is a lot of fun -- but, I reluctantly had to admit, not fully realized. "All of Us Murderers" is her in top form, and she is incomparable.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
June 26, 2025
4,5 ⭐
A gothic mansion filled with possibly sinister entities, a gloomy Dartmoor setting, truly delightful family reunions, inheritance built on blood...and sweet and hot romance.
Honestly, the ingredients couldn’t have been better for me - except for the second-chance romance. This trope rarely works for me. On one hand, there must be a valid reason for the characters to separate in the first place, and at the same time, the reason can’t be grievous enough to make me not root for the reconciliation.
But damn did it WORK, and work incredibly well!
Wow, was I swept off my feet by Zeb and Gideon, their chemistry was a very comfortable one, and the way they navigated their previous misunderstandings was heartwarming. These two truly gave off the good old “made for each other while being opposites” vibe.
Zebedee Wyckham isn’t usually the kind of character I tend to gravitate towards, but somehow, he won me over completely, and I would fight for him (not spiders though, sorry Zeb). He’s a fidgety, scatterbrained motor-mouth that’s utterly relatable to everyone with ADHD, and being in his head made me grin, laugh, and hurt in sympathy. His struggles with self-worth after being put down constantly by everyone, starting with his aforementioned delightful family, seriously pulled at my heartstrings.
And Gideon Grey, organized, reserved, inexperienced Gideon. He and Zeb shouldn’t have worked in theory, but oooh boy I can’t imagine them NOT being perfect for each other.
And that gentle exploration of a new kink?? So hot! I wouldn’t mind peeping in on the continuation of that lol 👁️👄👁️
I’m almost disappointed I didn’t get more of them as a couple - almost because for me, the balance between the mystery/suspense and the romance was perfect - which might mean there will not be enough romance for some readers, mind you. But the pace wasn’t slowed down by an overabundance of romantic scenes, the mounting tension kept the story going, and yet, Zeb and Gideon together were such a highlight that I loved their every moment.
The mystery regarding the mansion and the inheritance of a powerful Wyckham family? I’ve never been to an escape room, but reading this book was very much like being in one. I felt trapped with Zeb and Gideon, and I wanted out, I wanted them to get out, and it made my heart pound like crazy at times. Most of the storyline isn’t unpredictable but there were enough little gasp-worthy moments that kept me completely hooked.
The ending came a bit too abruptly for my tastes and I deflated like a balloon, though to be fair, most of it was definitely relief. And the epilogue made me cackle, so cheeky! 🤭
To sum it up, All Of Us Murderers is a new contender for my favorite KJ Charles novel (though I still haven’t read many of them), up there with Death in the Spires ❤️
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for accepting my request and letting me read this as an e-ARC!
A gothic mansion filled with possibly sinister entities, a gloomy Dartmoor setting, truly delightful family reunions, inheritance built on blood...and sweet and hot romance.
Honestly, the ingredients couldn’t have been better for me - except for the second-chance romance. This trope rarely works for me. On one hand, there must be a valid reason for the characters to separate in the first place, and at the same time, the reason can’t be grievous enough to make me not root for the reconciliation.
But damn did it WORK, and work incredibly well!
Wow, was I swept off my feet by Zeb and Gideon, their chemistry was a very comfortable one, and the way they navigated their previous misunderstandings was heartwarming. These two truly gave off the good old “made for each other while being opposites” vibe.
Zebedee Wyckham isn’t usually the kind of character I tend to gravitate towards, but somehow, he won me over completely, and I would fight for him (not spiders though, sorry Zeb). He’s a fidgety, scatterbrained motor-mouth that’s utterly relatable to everyone with ADHD, and being in his head made me grin, laugh, and hurt in sympathy. His struggles with self-worth after being put down constantly by everyone, starting with his aforementioned delightful family, seriously pulled at my heartstrings.
And Gideon Grey, organized, reserved, inexperienced Gideon. He and Zeb shouldn’t have worked in theory, but oooh boy I can’t imagine them NOT being perfect for each other.
And that gentle exploration of a new kink?? So hot! I wouldn’t mind peeping in on the continuation of that lol 👁️👄👁️
I’m almost disappointed I didn’t get more of them as a couple - almost because for me, the balance between the mystery/suspense and the romance was perfect - which might mean there will not be enough romance for some readers, mind you. But the pace wasn’t slowed down by an overabundance of romantic scenes, the mounting tension kept the story going, and yet, Zeb and Gideon together were such a highlight that I loved their every moment.
The mystery regarding the mansion and the inheritance of a powerful Wyckham family? I’ve never been to an escape room, but reading this book was very much like being in one. I felt trapped with Zeb and Gideon, and I wanted out, I wanted them to get out, and it made my heart pound like crazy at times. Most of the storyline isn’t unpredictable but there were enough little gasp-worthy moments that kept me completely hooked.
The ending came a bit too abruptly for my tastes and I deflated like a balloon, though to be fair, most of it was definitely relief. And the epilogue made me cackle, so cheeky! 🤭
To sum it up, All Of Us Murderers is a new contender for my favorite KJ Charles novel (though I still haven’t read many of them), up there with Death in the Spires ❤️
Huge thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for accepting my request and letting me read this as an e-ARC!
October 25, 2025
This book is a blend of romance (sex scenes! the romantic relationship is very important and is the lever of the story), mystery (I was promised a murder, right there in the title!) and a gothic novel (which, to be fair, often combines romance and mystery). I have really loved some of the author's previous romances, and this author can write in a way that is very pleasing to me. But this book just did not work for me. It's not really a romance, it's not really a mystery (the first murder is way past the 50% mark, and the plot is not that good), and the gothic moody-ness is not very creepy and it failed at all of it.
I was reading it and thinking "Wait, this is a preaching book", and it is, at heart, that. Its main message seems to be: look at these horrible people doing bad things to women and minorities and see our good, moral ADHD rep main character react to it, sympathize, make a speech (disguised as dialogue) about it and how he feels about it and have the plot work for it to be a kind of superpower working in his favor. Polish and publish. (It feels a lot like the author got outraged about William Beckford, which is fair enough, and wanted to get even by showing how horrible similar people and their descendants would be like… But they are made up people and it's all very overdone and not believable…)
Maybe it is a character flaw of mine but I hate preaching books (maybe childhood trauma, there were lots of moralistic old novels around when I was a kid, both late 19th century kids' books and novels morally appropriate for portuguese Estado Novo book publishers, and it was all so cloyingly well meant and educational but so untrue and restrictive…) of any kind, even if its objective is "good" and moral, like giving "good rep" or making readers aware of historical injustices. Zeb our main character, is a sanctimonious, shallow character, and I know I am supposed to love him and think him so brave and good and all, but I just do can't love him and I kept finding flaws in his actions that the author probably did not intend me to find —the biggest one is, if the past romance was so important, not contacting his former lover, not worrying about him (forgetting about his family circumstances till he mentions it !) particularly when he now has plenty of money and acknowledges he is guilty of his lover losing his job, knowing his lover and his family were in dire circumstances that was just callous and heartless - I am not rooting for nor convinced by this romance rekindled! He was ignoring this man, not worrying about him, not pursuing or trying to fix his situation for a whole year and would keep ignoring that if circumstances did not push his lover back into his path. I am sorry I am me, but I am not going to go gooey about this man and how much he loves his love interest. Also, needing to be reminded that staff are people too and staff could be acting out the ghostly events because they are actually people also made me dislike Zeb a lot. Even Zeb using a rosary as a fidget spinner with no concern of cultural appropriation or disrespect annoyed me (and it would be out of character, since he is so unaware of the evils and prejudices against all kind of people, but not to turn of the 20th century english catholics. It is wrong, a rosary is not a toy, using religious significant artifacts as toys or acessories is wrong and you can not convince me otherwise…)
The plot is wonky, and it is set up so we get the denouement in a monologue, all in one scene, from an outsider explaining everything and tying everything together somewhat forcedly. It is my opinion that for all the author's skills at writing and historical settings and setting up characters, her plots and mysteries tend to be weak and this reinforces it. It's not strong as a mystery novel
The romance is not very romantic either, and that should have been its strong point. There are no scenes of them originally falling in love or breaking up or what their relationship actually was, we are just told it was like that, they got past history, and that is it. The love interest seems to be there to react wonderfully to Zeb's apologies (and seriously, I was wishing better for him, particularly after finding out about the money… Just go and find somebody better who worries and cares even when you are not there) and fill space.…
The book gives a lot of examples of how badly women were treated at that tim but instead of feeling sensitive it feels almost exploitative. Every single woman character seems to be a victim of some kind and it is suffocating, like a cheap way to create pathos, because every woman suffers something horrible at sometime in her life. This is not empowering at all. (Maybe one female character does not, but her personality remains out of focus unfortunately and we do not get her as empowered woman getting agency on her life). A woman dies because well, and that will be spoilers, oh it is hinted she deserves it somehow and is payback…
.
In all, it's a big mishmash of genres and ideas and concerns and it did not feel "together" or deep enough for me. But the author has certainly done much better, so if you like this (or even if you do not like this), it is worth checking her more traditional romance plots.
PS - the final line is a shoutout to goodreads, which OK, it is funny for a goodreads reviewer. But even that fell flat with me (2.3 average rating for the creepy ancestor author is unrealistic. I went and checked because that is how my brain works, wanting to check numbers and Beckford is sitting at 3.35 and the top reviews for Vathek are actually interesting and critical...)
I was reading it and thinking "Wait, this is a preaching book", and it is, at heart, that. Its main message seems to be: look at these horrible people doing bad things to women and minorities and see our good, moral ADHD rep main character react to it, sympathize, make a speech (disguised as dialogue) about it and how he feels about it and have the plot work for it to be a kind of superpower working in his favor. Polish and publish. (It feels a lot like the author got outraged about William Beckford, which is fair enough, and wanted to get even by showing how horrible similar people and their descendants would be like… But they are made up people and it's all very overdone and not believable…)
Maybe it is a character flaw of mine but I hate preaching books (maybe childhood trauma, there were lots of moralistic old novels around when I was a kid, both late 19th century kids' books and novels morally appropriate for portuguese Estado Novo book publishers, and it was all so cloyingly well meant and educational but so untrue and restrictive…) of any kind, even if its objective is "good" and moral, like giving "good rep" or making readers aware of historical injustices. Zeb our main character, is a sanctimonious, shallow character, and I know I am supposed to love him and think him so brave and good and all, but I just do can't love him and I kept finding flaws in his actions that the author probably did not intend me to find —the biggest one is, if the past romance was so important, not contacting his former lover, not worrying about him (forgetting about his family circumstances till he mentions it !) particularly when he now has plenty of money and acknowledges he is guilty of his lover losing his job, knowing his lover and his family were in dire circumstances that was just callous and heartless - I am not rooting for nor convinced by this romance rekindled! He was ignoring this man, not worrying about him, not pursuing or trying to fix his situation for a whole year and would keep ignoring that if circumstances did not push his lover back into his path. I am sorry I am me, but I am not going to go gooey about this man and how much he loves his love interest. Also, needing to be reminded that staff are people too and staff could be acting out the ghostly events because they are actually people also made me dislike Zeb a lot. Even Zeb using a rosary as a fidget spinner with no concern of cultural appropriation or disrespect annoyed me (and it would be out of character, since he is so unaware of the evils and prejudices against all kind of people, but not to turn of the 20th century english catholics. It is wrong, a rosary is not a toy, using religious significant artifacts as toys or acessories is wrong and you can not convince me otherwise…)
The plot is wonky, and it is set up so we get the denouement in a monologue, all in one scene, from an outsider explaining everything and tying everything together somewhat forcedly. It is my opinion that for all the author's skills at writing and historical settings and setting up characters, her plots and mysteries tend to be weak and this reinforces it. It's not strong as a mystery novel
The romance is not very romantic either, and that should have been its strong point. There are no scenes of them originally falling in love or breaking up or what their relationship actually was, we are just told it was like that, they got past history, and that is it. The love interest seems to be there to react wonderfully to Zeb's apologies (and seriously, I was wishing better for him, particularly after finding out about the money… Just go and find somebody better who worries and cares even when you are not there) and fill space.…
The book gives a lot of examples of how badly women were treated at that tim but instead of feeling sensitive it feels almost exploitative. Every single woman character seems to be a victim of some kind and it is suffocating, like a cheap way to create pathos, because every woman suffers something horrible at sometime in her life. This is not empowering at all. (Maybe one female character does not, but her personality remains out of focus unfortunately and we do not get her as empowered woman getting agency on her life). A woman dies because well, and that will be spoilers, oh it is hinted she deserves it somehow and is payback…
.
In all, it's a big mishmash of genres and ideas and concerns and it did not feel "together" or deep enough for me. But the author has certainly done much better, so if you like this (or even if you do not like this), it is worth checking her more traditional romance plots.
PS - the final line is a shoutout to goodreads, which OK, it is funny for a goodreads reviewer. But even that fell flat with me (2.3 average rating for the creepy ancestor author is unrealistic. I went and checked because that is how my brain works, wanting to check numbers and Beckford is sitting at 3.35 and the top reviews for Vathek are actually interesting and critical...)
November 5, 2025
This was so good. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It snuck up on me for sure. The gothic atmosphere was great and I loved the MC, Zeb, soooo much!
The Mystery was also quite entertaining and it got intense and claustrophobia-inducing towards the end. A slow burn, but well worth the wait.
💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
The Mystery was also quite entertaining and it got intense and claustrophobia-inducing towards the end. A slow burn, but well worth the wait.
💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
October 18, 2025
~3.5~
The truth is monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.
The above quote by the master of horror encapsulates this book so well.
Pros:
- atmospheric, with an undercurrent of mystery and despair
- superb cast of unhinged characters
- ADHD/neurodivergence rep
- pitch-perfect dialogue, sharp descriptions, nuggets of wisdom wrapped in deceptively simple language - all the things that make K.J. Charles stories such a joy to read
Cons:
- the romance was the weakest link - mind you, I liked Zeb and Gideon, but their entire relationship happened off page; what we get here is forgiveness for something that should have brought the men together, not torn them apart (Gideon was terribly unfair to Zeb imo)
- singular POV (so limiting!) - why, oh why, couldn't we get Gideon's POV too?
- family arguments that went round and round and round
- pure chaos reigned in the last couple of chapters, leading to an omniscient-style epilogue that was fun & quirky but lacked intimacy & connection
- Zeb running off at the end to save Bram felt like a plot device to generate tension - Zeb may have been impulsive, but he wasn't stupid, and that was an incredibly stupid thing to do
- while I appreciated the madness of believing in the "birthday curse," I couldn't wrap my head around
Rounding down because I was expecting a more unsettling, creepy tale, which this really was not.
The truth is monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.
The above quote by the master of horror encapsulates this book so well.
Pros:
- atmospheric, with an undercurrent of mystery and despair
- superb cast of unhinged characters
- ADHD/neurodivergence rep
- pitch-perfect dialogue, sharp descriptions, nuggets of wisdom wrapped in deceptively simple language - all the things that make K.J. Charles stories such a joy to read
Cons:
- the romance was the weakest link - mind you, I liked Zeb and Gideon, but their entire relationship happened off page; what we get here is forgiveness for something that should have brought the men together, not torn them apart (Gideon was terribly unfair to Zeb imo)
- singular POV (so limiting!) - why, oh why, couldn't we get Gideon's POV too?
- family arguments that went round and round and round
- pure chaos reigned in the last couple of chapters, leading to an omniscient-style epilogue that was fun & quirky but lacked intimacy & connection
- Zeb running off at the end to save Bram felt like a plot device to generate tension - Zeb may have been impulsive, but he wasn't stupid, and that was an incredibly stupid thing to do
- while I appreciated the madness of believing in the "birthday curse," I couldn't wrap my head around
Rounding down because I was expecting a more unsettling, creepy tale, which this really was not.
October 8, 2025
Re-upping for release day and spooky season!
4.5 ⭐️
A return to form after a bumpy last outing. This was a creepy, atmospheric, taut gothic murder mystery, with a low-key but lovely second-chance romance providing some relief from the astounding awfulness of the other characters and the disorienting circumstances they find themselves in. Although, "murder mystery" is misleading: yes, there was an on-page murder (with the rest of the characters' fates enumerated in a brisk, chatty epilogue), but this is really more a psychological thriller -- not a whodunit, but a WHAT THE FUCK???
While Evie notes in her excellent review that this resembles Death In the Spires in the mystery: romance ratio, I was more struck by the way it's a pastiche of many of KJC's preoccupations. Yes, we get a heavy focus on the mystery (although I would still call this a romance rather than a mystery-with-romantic-subplot, because the romance is central to the mystery plot and how it plays out), but we also get the Gothic themes and setting that KJC played with in A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing A Scoundrel; the masking, suffocating fog that featured so strongly in An Unseen Attraction; the impoverished gentleman whose spiteful family members left him in straightened circumstances, à la Any Old Diamonds; the, for lack of a better term, progressive but not doctrinaire politics that animates Seditious Affair and the Will Darling trilogy (centering around Zeb's reckoning with his family's historical involvement in the slave trade); the horrific birth family (basically all KJC books; does anyone do horrific birth families better than KJC?); and the upright, clever outsider as a foil to the corrupt upper classes (ditto).
Yet as noted above, and unusually for KJC, this is a second-chance romance -- the only one other one I recall is Jackdaw, though by all means, correct me in the comments. Unlike Jonah and Ben, whose idyllic romance was shattered by a shocking betrayal, Zeb and Gideon's relationship was much more fraught; and its collapse, though sudden and unexpected, is also the sum of many small annoyances and struggles, in which Zeb's ADHD (obviously undiagnosed, per the historical setting) was an important factor. I really appreciated how Zeb and Gideon didn't just lust back into each other's arms. Their honesty and acceptance of their own -- and the other's -- faults and fuck-ups in their earlier relationship felt genuine, vulnerable, and real: a solid basis for building something new, rather than a papering over of what was. I also loved the reveal about what Zeb is up to when he's working away in the library: an absolute delight wrapped in an (unspoken) fuck you to his miserable, abusive family. What's not to like?
In terms of the mystery: no spoilers, but to my mind, this was an excellent blend of explicable motives and inexplicable madness. The menace was turned up to 11 throughout, the family members were just realistic enough to make their hideousness even more, well, hideous, and the whole thing was excellently plotted and executed. If/when this gets a second read (and it will, although it's too tense for me to dive back into an immediate re-read), I have no doubt I'll pick up on a lot more little hints and easter eggs throughout.
A delightfully creepy, heart-pounding read with two MCs I'd happily bitch with over a beer (although preferably not in a ghastly murder house). Normal KJC order restored!
I got an ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 ⭐️
A return to form after a bumpy last outing. This was a creepy, atmospheric, taut gothic murder mystery, with a low-key but lovely second-chance romance providing some relief from the astounding awfulness of the other characters and the disorienting circumstances they find themselves in. Although, "murder mystery" is misleading: yes, there was an on-page murder (with the rest of the characters' fates enumerated in a brisk, chatty epilogue), but this is really more a psychological thriller -- not a whodunit, but a WHAT THE FUCK???
While Evie notes in her excellent review that this resembles Death In the Spires in the mystery: romance ratio, I was more struck by the way it's a pastiche of many of KJC's preoccupations. Yes, we get a heavy focus on the mystery (although I would still call this a romance rather than a mystery-with-romantic-subplot, because the romance is central to the mystery plot and how it plays out), but we also get the Gothic themes and setting that KJC played with in A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing A Scoundrel; the masking, suffocating fog that featured so strongly in An Unseen Attraction; the impoverished gentleman whose spiteful family members left him in straightened circumstances, à la Any Old Diamonds; the, for lack of a better term, progressive but not doctrinaire politics that animates Seditious Affair and the Will Darling trilogy (centering around Zeb's reckoning with his family's historical involvement in the slave trade); the horrific birth family (basically all KJC books; does anyone do horrific birth families better than KJC?); and the upright, clever outsider as a foil to the corrupt upper classes (ditto).
Yet as noted above, and unusually for KJC, this is a second-chance romance -- the only one other one I recall is Jackdaw, though by all means, correct me in the comments. Unlike Jonah and Ben, whose idyllic romance was shattered by a shocking betrayal, Zeb and Gideon's relationship was much more fraught; and its collapse, though sudden and unexpected, is also the sum of many small annoyances and struggles, in which Zeb's ADHD (obviously undiagnosed, per the historical setting) was an important factor. I really appreciated how Zeb and Gideon didn't just lust back into each other's arms. Their honesty and acceptance of their own -- and the other's -- faults and fuck-ups in their earlier relationship felt genuine, vulnerable, and real: a solid basis for building something new, rather than a papering over of what was. I also loved the reveal about what Zeb is up to when he's working away in the library: an absolute delight wrapped in an (unspoken) fuck you to his miserable, abusive family. What's not to like?
In terms of the mystery: no spoilers, but to my mind, this was an excellent blend of explicable motives and inexplicable madness. The menace was turned up to 11 throughout, the family members were just realistic enough to make their hideousness even more, well, hideous, and the whole thing was excellently plotted and executed. If/when this gets a second read (and it will, although it's too tense for me to dive back into an immediate re-read), I have no doubt I'll pick up on a lot more little hints and easter eggs throughout.
A delightfully creepy, heart-pounding read with two MCs I'd happily bitch with over a beer (although preferably not in a ghastly murder house). Normal KJC order restored!
I got an ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2025
As always KJC impresses me with how damn cleverly she writes and as things were revealed I kept getting shocked at the next level of arse-holery to occur. We have a house party with secrets - Zeb and Gideon are chaos x order, set in a spooky Gothic mansion amongst the Dartmoor mists. Oh and some wonderful ADHD representation, especially for the historical time period.
The beginning felt a bit slow (may be due to me listening on audio and not taking in every nuance) - but it picked up nicely. That epilogue, though? Unexpectedly cute (not a word I usually associate with KJC).
Sonny Archer’s narration was a lovely surprise - never heard of him before, but he really brought Zeb to life with all his quirks. Gideon didn’t fully win me over, but the emotional pining and helplessness at their situation during that first intimate scene was very touching.
With a very apt title, this is a classic KJC mix of longing, tension, and impeccable historical detail, with a second-chance romance, all wrapped up in a moody, murdery atmosphere.
The beginning felt a bit slow (may be due to me listening on audio and not taking in every nuance) - but it picked up nicely. That epilogue, though? Unexpectedly cute (not a word I usually associate with KJC).
Sonny Archer’s narration was a lovely surprise - never heard of him before, but he really brought Zeb to life with all his quirks. Gideon didn’t fully win me over, but the emotional pining and helplessness at their situation during that first intimate scene was very touching.
With a very apt title, this is a classic KJC mix of longing, tension, and impeccable historical detail, with a second-chance romance, all wrapped up in a moody, murdery atmosphere.
August 19, 2025
Kiedy pochłaniam książkę w dwa dni z haczykiem, to o czymś świadczy. "All of Us Murderers" to niesamowicie klimatyczny list miłosny do gotyckiego dreszczowca/kryminału, z którego KJ Charles usuwa absolutnie nieznośne motywy typowe dla gatunku (jak to, że bohaterowie dają się zabić, bo nie potrafią ze sobą rozmawiać - tutaj jeden drugiego rozsądnie zaprasza na spacer, żeby wyjaśnili sobie nieporozumienia, dzięki czemu zaczynają współpracować) i dodaje garść pieprzu, który w przerwach na wątek romantyczny pozwala złapać oddech między kolejnymi wyrzutami stresującego napięcia (choć przyznam, że po ostatnim kryminale autorki, nie spodziewałam się tak mocnych sekwencji łóżkowych, nie jestem pewna, czy potrzebowałam ich tutaj tak wiele i w takim stężeniu).
Poza tym jest cudownie dreszczykowo, powieść idealnie przenosi do zatęchłej atmosfery starego domostwa, w którym dzieją się dziwne rzeczy. Jeszcze straszniejsi są za to ludzie, którzy do niego przyjeżdżają - Charles prezentuje tutaj odpychającą bandę wrednych indywiduów i poza głównymi bohaterami, nikt tu nie jest pozytywny, za to ich elitystyczny, pełen uprzedzeń banter wzbudza autentyczny dyskomfort. Intryga jest przeciekawa, pełna twistów, a co najważniejsze - totalnie ma sens i poszczególne jej elementy wynikają z siebie nawzajem. Nie czytałam Charles wiele (jeszcze), ale niesamowicie doceniam to, że nawet w tak lekkiej formie poświęca mnóstwo czasu na wiarygodną kreację postaci i relacji między nimi, nie uciekając w tanie klisze. Na przykład: chociaż główny bohater uchodzi za słabego i bezbronnego, autorka nie robi z niego chłopca do bicia, który przyjmuje wszystkie werbalne ciosy od rodziny bez słowa (po to, żeby wzbudzić w czytelniku jeszcze większe współczucie), tylko obdarza go charakterem i inicjatywą, która pozwala mu się odgryźć i walczyć o swoje. I duży plus za intrygujący portret osoby z ADHD.
----------
When I devour a book in just over two days, that says something. All of Us Murderers is an incredibly atmospheric love letter to the gothic thriller/mystery genre, from which KJ Charles removes the utterly unbearable tropes typically associated with it (like characters getting themselves killed because they simply can’t talk to each other—here, one sensibly invites the other for a walk to clear up misunderstandings, and as a result, they start working together). She also adds a touch of spice, which, during the romantic interludes, lets you catch a breath between bouts of tension (though I’ll admit, after the author’s last mystery book, I wasn’t expecting that much spice —I’m not sure I needed all of it here).
Aside from that, it has a wonderfully chilling vibe—the novel perfectly transports you to the musty atmosphere of an old house where strange things are happening. Even scarier are the people who come to stay there—Charles presents a repulsive bunch of nasty individuals, and apart from the main characters, no one here is remotely likable. Their elitist, prejudiced banter creates genuine discomfort. The mystery is fascinating, full of twists, and most importantly—it's logical and makes total sense.
I haven’t read much of Charles' books (yet), but I deeply appreciate that even in such a light form, she devotes serious attention to crafting believable characters and relationships, without resorting to cheap clichés. For example: although the main character is seen as weak and vulnerable, the author doesn’t make him a punching bag who silently takes every verbal blow from his family (just to make the reader feel sorry for him); instead, she gives him personality and initiative that allow him to push back and stand his ground. Also a round of applause for intriguing portrayal of a person with ADHD.
Poza tym jest cudownie dreszczykowo, powieść idealnie przenosi do zatęchłej atmosfery starego domostwa, w którym dzieją się dziwne rzeczy. Jeszcze straszniejsi są za to ludzie, którzy do niego przyjeżdżają - Charles prezentuje tutaj odpychającą bandę wrednych indywiduów i poza głównymi bohaterami, nikt tu nie jest pozytywny, za to ich elitystyczny, pełen uprzedzeń banter wzbudza autentyczny dyskomfort. Intryga jest przeciekawa, pełna twistów, a co najważniejsze - totalnie ma sens i poszczególne jej elementy wynikają z siebie nawzajem. Nie czytałam Charles wiele (jeszcze), ale niesamowicie doceniam to, że nawet w tak lekkiej formie poświęca mnóstwo czasu na wiarygodną kreację postaci i relacji między nimi, nie uciekając w tanie klisze. Na przykład: chociaż główny bohater uchodzi za słabego i bezbronnego, autorka nie robi z niego chłopca do bicia, który przyjmuje wszystkie werbalne ciosy od rodziny bez słowa (po to, żeby wzbudzić w czytelniku jeszcze większe współczucie), tylko obdarza go charakterem i inicjatywą, która pozwala mu się odgryźć i walczyć o swoje. I duży plus za intrygujący portret osoby z ADHD.
----------
When I devour a book in just over two days, that says something. All of Us Murderers is an incredibly atmospheric love letter to the gothic thriller/mystery genre, from which KJ Charles removes the utterly unbearable tropes typically associated with it (like characters getting themselves killed because they simply can’t talk to each other—here, one sensibly invites the other for a walk to clear up misunderstandings, and as a result, they start working together). She also adds a touch of spice, which, during the romantic interludes, lets you catch a breath between bouts of tension (though I’ll admit, after the author’s last mystery book, I wasn’t expecting that much spice —I’m not sure I needed all of it here).
Aside from that, it has a wonderfully chilling vibe—the novel perfectly transports you to the musty atmosphere of an old house where strange things are happening. Even scarier are the people who come to stay there—Charles presents a repulsive bunch of nasty individuals, and apart from the main characters, no one here is remotely likable. Their elitist, prejudiced banter creates genuine discomfort. The mystery is fascinating, full of twists, and most importantly—it's logical and makes total sense.
I haven’t read much of Charles' books (yet), but I deeply appreciate that even in such a light form, she devotes serious attention to crafting believable characters and relationships, without resorting to cheap clichés. For example: although the main character is seen as weak and vulnerable, the author doesn’t make him a punching bag who silently takes every verbal blow from his family (just to make the reader feel sorry for him); instead, she gives him personality and initiative that allow him to push back and stand his ground. Also a round of applause for intriguing portrayal of a person with ADHD.
November 3, 2025
This was a surprising disappointment by KJ Charles. I was so excited for this story, I mean the cover of this book is incredible. Sadly the inside of it was not. A convoluted mystery (???) that felt like it didn't know whether to be a mystery novel or a romance novel. Pacing was off, I felt no chemistry between the main characters and just the general structure wasn't very good. I was choosing to listen to music on my commutes rather than the audiobook of this which was very telling.
September 27, 2025
I'm not a creepy, gothic novel fan, but I see a new K.J. Charles and I'm instantly interested. But boy did this book have me on the edge of my seat, especially near the end.
This is the kind of book that's best read without knowing too many plot points, so I would stay away from reading too many detailed reviews. I will only say that this book was more confusing and twisty than I expected, and it wasn't until the second half of the book that I got my bearings straight. I'll spoiler tag anything remotely spoilery ahead.
The romance was a weak point for me, if I'm being honest. I don't love romances where there are two MCs with a past, and these two have already have quite a history together. I much prefer books where we see the couple develop their relationship for the first time on-page as I have an easier time connecting to the romance that way. The couple grew on me here, but I still don't think they are an epic match.
I loved the ADHD rep in this story. I adore neurodiverse characters, and I love that K.J. Charles never hesitates to bring more atypical romance MCs into her books. It felt incredibly real, and I think the ADHD addition added to the richness of the plot greatly.
The gothic elements got creepier and more detailed as the book progressed. You start to get the morbid picture of where things are headed as you get further into the story, and I became more engrossed as the plot thickened. It reminded me a lot of . If you have watched that movie, you'll get an idea of where things are headed with this book.
Overall, All of Us Murderers is not my typical kind of read, but I think K.J. Charles really pulled off an engrossing mystery that kept me up at night.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram
This is the kind of book that's best read without knowing too many plot points, so I would stay away from reading too many detailed reviews. I will only say that this book was more confusing and twisty than I expected, and it wasn't until the second half of the book that I got my bearings straight. I'll spoiler tag anything remotely spoilery ahead.
The romance was a weak point for me, if I'm being honest. I don't love romances where there are two MCs with a past, and these two have already have quite a history together. I much prefer books where we see the couple develop their relationship for the first time on-page as I have an easier time connecting to the romance that way. The couple grew on me here, but I still don't think they are an epic match.
I loved the ADHD rep in this story. I adore neurodiverse characters, and I love that K.J. Charles never hesitates to bring more atypical romance MCs into her books. It felt incredibly real, and I think the ADHD addition added to the richness of the plot greatly.
The gothic elements got creepier and more detailed as the book progressed. You start to get the morbid picture of where things are headed as you get further into the story, and I became more engrossed as the plot thickened. It reminded me a lot of . If you have watched that movie, you'll get an idea of where things are headed with this book.
Overall, All of Us Murderers is not my typical kind of read, but I think K.J. Charles really pulled off an engrossing mystery that kept me up at night.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram
June 30, 2025
WOW.
Look, I love KJ Charles' fluffy romances (fluffy here means there is a moderate number of murders and other criminal shenanigans included, mind you) but I think I love her the best when she straddles the line between romance and other genres (mystery, horror) because at that moment the playground gets much more interesting.
The over-the-topness of Gothic fiction allows KJC to fill the novel to the brink with incredibly nasty people and their interactions are so much fun. Our MCs are of course the only vestige of human decency in the house. This is a second chance romance which I usually don't go for but Zeb and Gideon are so good for each other, they communicate well and the reasons for the first break up are understandable while not making the reunion impossible. Zeb is a tremendously well done character. I liked reading the novel through his POV.
Also, this is so meta, I love it. The allusions to the Gothic and Zeb's awareness of genre conventions are breaking the fourth wall and winking at the reader constantly. I think this book is a fine representative of the very niche subgenre "two reasonable people stumble into a Gothic novel, are distinctly unimpressed and would like to go home if it is all the same to you, thank you very much."
The only objection I can possibly have is that the atmosphere could have been milked a bit more, the rationality of the MCs kind of prevented me to get really terrified of the house itself.
I received the ARC through author's Discord and Netgalley and I'm leaving a voluntary, honest review.
Look, I love KJ Charles' fluffy romances (fluffy here means there is a moderate number of murders and other criminal shenanigans included, mind you) but I think I love her the best when she straddles the line between romance and other genres (mystery, horror) because at that moment the playground gets much more interesting.
The over-the-topness of Gothic fiction allows KJC to fill the novel to the brink with incredibly nasty people and their interactions are so much fun. Our MCs are of course the only vestige of human decency in the house. This is a second chance romance which I usually don't go for but Zeb and Gideon are so good for each other, they communicate well and the reasons for the first break up are understandable while not making the reunion impossible. Zeb is a tremendously well done character. I liked reading the novel through his POV.
Also, this is so meta, I love it. The allusions to the Gothic and Zeb's awareness of genre conventions are breaking the fourth wall and winking at the reader constantly. I think this book is a fine representative of the very niche subgenre "two reasonable people stumble into a Gothic novel, are distinctly unimpressed and would like to go home if it is all the same to you, thank you very much."
The only objection I can possibly have is that the atmosphere could have been milked a bit more, the rationality of the MCs kind of prevented me to get really terrified of the house itself.
I received the ARC through author's Discord and Netgalley and I'm leaving a voluntary, honest review.
November 4, 2025
A / 5 stars.
All of Us Murderers is a fabulous mixture of murder mystery and gothic horror, a superbly crafted homage to the gothic novel that expertly captures the essence of the genre while at the same time having some fun with its conventions. It’s clever, witty and atmospheric, with superbly drawn, vibrant characters, a charming romance, a rich historical setting, and laser-focused social commentary – plus a brilliantly written dysfunctional family comprising a handful of the most despicable individuals you’ll ever love to hate.
Twenty-eight-year-old Zebedee Wyckham hasn’t seen his much older cousin Wynn since he was a child and has, quite honestly, rarely thought of him since. The Wyckhams aren’t exactly a close, loving family, so receiving an invitation to visit Wynn’s country home, Lackaday House on the edge of Dartmoor, came as a complete surprise – and not an especially welcome one. Zeb had politely prevaricated – the prospect of travelling hundreds of miles to see any of the relatives he does know, let alone one he doesn’t, is not an especially appealing one – but then circumstances arose which made it a good idea for Zeb to be somewhere other than London for a while, so he’d accepted the invitation.
Zeb makes a couple of very unwelcome discoveries as soon as he enters the house. Firstly, he is greeted, very coldly, by his former lover, Gideon Grey, whom Zeb had no idea was now employed as Wynn’s secretary, and even worse, his other family members – his estranged older brother, Bram, and his unpleasant wife, Elise, his utter toss-pot of a cousin, Hawley, and another older gentleman who is introduced as his second cousin Colonel Dash - are also present. And things just go downhill from there when Wynn announces his plan to change his intentions with regard to the disposition of his house and fortune after his death. Bram had always been told he would inherit the lot, but Wynn has decided that he is going to leave everything to whoever marries Jessamine, the granddaughter of his lost love (who was also his step-sister - it’s a very convoluted family tree!) and even though Bram is already married and Zeb wants nothing to do with it, Wynn’s mind is irrevocably made up.
So Zeb makes up his mind to leave. He doesn’t want the house or the money (or to spend a fortnight cooped up with his family!), but when Wynn begs him to stay for the rest of the allotted time, he reluctantly agrees. The tension slowly ratchets up as Zeb is faced with having to navigate his way through increasingly fraught encounters with his relatives, the discovery of an old family curse and the Wyckhams’ darkest secrets – and all of it in the face of Gideon’s obvious animosity and disapproval. But Zeb realises he has more to worry about than his unpleasant family and disdainful ex when he starts hearing mysterious footsteps, feeling cold spots, and seeing faceless apparitions in monks’ robes. At first he’s inclined to dismiss it all as some kind of stupid prank – but then events take a more sinister turn, and Zeb realises, with dawning horror, that they’re all trapped inside this isolated, faux-gothic mansion surrounded by high walls and dense fog with only the treacherous moorland beyond.
Zeb is the book’s sole narrator, and I loved his engaging and witty narrative voice. His (obviously undiagnosed given the time period) ADHD means he’s been underestimated and belittled all his life and he is clearly a bit ground down by all the criticism and rebukes directed at him for being fidgety, disorganised, badly-dressed, too chatty, and for not being able to hold down a job. At the beginning of the book, he seems almost cast in the role of the clichéd gothic heroine who arrives at a spooky mansion in the middle of nowhere with no real idea of what she’s going to find there, but it quickly becomes clear that Zeb is no shrinking violet. Despite years of being dismissed and called useless, he’s a generous, kind and thoroughly decent human being who wants to see the best in people no matter what, and his strength of character is obvious from the start. I loved watching him growing more sure of himself and asserting himself with quiet confidence, and I loved even more that it’s his kindness and essential decency that tip the balance for him and Gideon at a crucial moment.
Gideon is harder to warm to at first because he treats Zeb so coldly and seems so willing to believe the worst of him, but once he and Zeb start talking and we get the full picture as to why they broke up, it becomes easy to see why Zeb fell for him. Gideon is the opposite of Zeb in many ways – orderly, buttoned up and (until Zeb came along) sexually repressed – but he’s also clever, honest, thoughtful, and patient, prepared to admit when he’s made a mistake and to do the work needed to put it right.
Zeb and Gideon’s second-chance romance is full of longing and a sense of genuine regret for what might have been. They’ve been apart for a year when this story begins, and Zeb is sure Gideon still hates him for the way things ended between them. He doesn’t really blame him – it’s his fault Gideon lost his job (they both did) - although he can’t help wishing Gideon had given him the opportunity to explain. Their first meetings at Lackaday House are formal and antagonistic, and Gideon makes it very clear that he wants nothing to do with Zeb, but as they become drawn further into the mystery of whatever is going on they start to have some honest conversations about their history and their break-up and to arrive at a new understanding of their own and each other’s faults and mistakes. The little things Gideon does to help Zeb – like the magic box – are so thoughtful and show how much he cares, and I appreciated the way the two of them navigate their way through what happened with maturity and grace. A good second chance romance should show the characters growing back together and learning how not to make the same mistakes again, and this one definitely does that; Gideon and Zeb have properly considered their past actions and choices so they can arrive at a solid foundation for building something new rather than just picking up where they left off and simply hoping for the best.
All of Us Murderers is chock-full of the ingredients you’d expect to find in a gothic romance – a creepy and remote old house, a family curse, ghosts, unwelcoming servants, dreadful family members and a kind and morally upstanding hero who triumphs over adversity to win true love (and escape with his life!) The mystery is satisfyingly twisty and the slowly growing atmosphere of dread and unease as the strange and supernatural events start to escalate is extremely well done, culminating in a clawing sense of panic as Zeb – and we – realise that there’s no way out. The more menacing elements of the story are finely balanced out by the subtle, witty humour and the warmth and affection of the romance, which inject some much needed lightness into the tale, and I loved the reveal as to what Zeb’s been up to when he’s been beavering away in the library. The author’s gift for creating well-rounded secondary characters is on full display here in Zeb’s group of reprehensible relatives, all of them perfectly awful without being cartoonish (special mention goes to Elise) and gets the reader thinking about exactly who the villains really are in all of this.
All of Us Murderers is a masterful blend of mystery, romance and suspense that is delightful yet nail-biting in the very best of ways. It is, without question, KJ Charles at her best and is very highly recommended.
All of Us Murderers is a fabulous mixture of murder mystery and gothic horror, a superbly crafted homage to the gothic novel that expertly captures the essence of the genre while at the same time having some fun with its conventions. It’s clever, witty and atmospheric, with superbly drawn, vibrant characters, a charming romance, a rich historical setting, and laser-focused social commentary – plus a brilliantly written dysfunctional family comprising a handful of the most despicable individuals you’ll ever love to hate.
Twenty-eight-year-old Zebedee Wyckham hasn’t seen his much older cousin Wynn since he was a child and has, quite honestly, rarely thought of him since. The Wyckhams aren’t exactly a close, loving family, so receiving an invitation to visit Wynn’s country home, Lackaday House on the edge of Dartmoor, came as a complete surprise – and not an especially welcome one. Zeb had politely prevaricated – the prospect of travelling hundreds of miles to see any of the relatives he does know, let alone one he doesn’t, is not an especially appealing one – but then circumstances arose which made it a good idea for Zeb to be somewhere other than London for a while, so he’d accepted the invitation.
Zeb makes a couple of very unwelcome discoveries as soon as he enters the house. Firstly, he is greeted, very coldly, by his former lover, Gideon Grey, whom Zeb had no idea was now employed as Wynn’s secretary, and even worse, his other family members – his estranged older brother, Bram, and his unpleasant wife, Elise, his utter toss-pot of a cousin, Hawley, and another older gentleman who is introduced as his second cousin Colonel Dash - are also present. And things just go downhill from there when Wynn announces his plan to change his intentions with regard to the disposition of his house and fortune after his death. Bram had always been told he would inherit the lot, but Wynn has decided that he is going to leave everything to whoever marries Jessamine, the granddaughter of his lost love (who was also his step-sister - it’s a very convoluted family tree!) and even though Bram is already married and Zeb wants nothing to do with it, Wynn’s mind is irrevocably made up.
So Zeb makes up his mind to leave. He doesn’t want the house or the money (or to spend a fortnight cooped up with his family!), but when Wynn begs him to stay for the rest of the allotted time, he reluctantly agrees. The tension slowly ratchets up as Zeb is faced with having to navigate his way through increasingly fraught encounters with his relatives, the discovery of an old family curse and the Wyckhams’ darkest secrets – and all of it in the face of Gideon’s obvious animosity and disapproval. But Zeb realises he has more to worry about than his unpleasant family and disdainful ex when he starts hearing mysterious footsteps, feeling cold spots, and seeing faceless apparitions in monks’ robes. At first he’s inclined to dismiss it all as some kind of stupid prank – but then events take a more sinister turn, and Zeb realises, with dawning horror, that they’re all trapped inside this isolated, faux-gothic mansion surrounded by high walls and dense fog with only the treacherous moorland beyond.
Zeb is the book’s sole narrator, and I loved his engaging and witty narrative voice. His (obviously undiagnosed given the time period) ADHD means he’s been underestimated and belittled all his life and he is clearly a bit ground down by all the criticism and rebukes directed at him for being fidgety, disorganised, badly-dressed, too chatty, and for not being able to hold down a job. At the beginning of the book, he seems almost cast in the role of the clichéd gothic heroine who arrives at a spooky mansion in the middle of nowhere with no real idea of what she’s going to find there, but it quickly becomes clear that Zeb is no shrinking violet. Despite years of being dismissed and called useless, he’s a generous, kind and thoroughly decent human being who wants to see the best in people no matter what, and his strength of character is obvious from the start. I loved watching him growing more sure of himself and asserting himself with quiet confidence, and I loved even more that it’s his kindness and essential decency that tip the balance for him and Gideon at a crucial moment.
Gideon is harder to warm to at first because he treats Zeb so coldly and seems so willing to believe the worst of him, but once he and Zeb start talking and we get the full picture as to why they broke up, it becomes easy to see why Zeb fell for him. Gideon is the opposite of Zeb in many ways – orderly, buttoned up and (until Zeb came along) sexually repressed – but he’s also clever, honest, thoughtful, and patient, prepared to admit when he’s made a mistake and to do the work needed to put it right.
Zeb and Gideon’s second-chance romance is full of longing and a sense of genuine regret for what might have been. They’ve been apart for a year when this story begins, and Zeb is sure Gideon still hates him for the way things ended between them. He doesn’t really blame him – it’s his fault Gideon lost his job (they both did) - although he can’t help wishing Gideon had given him the opportunity to explain. Their first meetings at Lackaday House are formal and antagonistic, and Gideon makes it very clear that he wants nothing to do with Zeb, but as they become drawn further into the mystery of whatever is going on they start to have some honest conversations about their history and their break-up and to arrive at a new understanding of their own and each other’s faults and mistakes. The little things Gideon does to help Zeb – like the magic box – are so thoughtful and show how much he cares, and I appreciated the way the two of them navigate their way through what happened with maturity and grace. A good second chance romance should show the characters growing back together and learning how not to make the same mistakes again, and this one definitely does that; Gideon and Zeb have properly considered their past actions and choices so they can arrive at a solid foundation for building something new rather than just picking up where they left off and simply hoping for the best.
All of Us Murderers is chock-full of the ingredients you’d expect to find in a gothic romance – a creepy and remote old house, a family curse, ghosts, unwelcoming servants, dreadful family members and a kind and morally upstanding hero who triumphs over adversity to win true love (and escape with his life!) The mystery is satisfyingly twisty and the slowly growing atmosphere of dread and unease as the strange and supernatural events start to escalate is extremely well done, culminating in a clawing sense of panic as Zeb – and we – realise that there’s no way out. The more menacing elements of the story are finely balanced out by the subtle, witty humour and the warmth and affection of the romance, which inject some much needed lightness into the tale, and I loved the reveal as to what Zeb’s been up to when he’s been beavering away in the library. The author’s gift for creating well-rounded secondary characters is on full display here in Zeb’s group of reprehensible relatives, all of them perfectly awful without being cartoonish (special mention goes to Elise) and gets the reader thinking about exactly who the villains really are in all of this.
All of Us Murderers is a masterful blend of mystery, romance and suspense that is delightful yet nail-biting in the very best of ways. It is, without question, KJ Charles at her best and is very highly recommended.
October 18, 2025
Zev is a bit down on his luck, having lost his job, when he accepts the invitation of a distant family member to attend a house party. Of course, he couldn't have been more surprised when he arrived and none other but his ex-lover, Gideon, was his distant cousin's private secretary.
The book had a bit of an Agatha Christie vibe without the whodunit mystery. It did have creepy staff members, a wanna be gothic mansion, a lot of mist and random supposedly paranormal occurrences. While all of this is happening, Zev and Gideon manage to have some very nice adult conversations about what happened to their relationship. This was the complete opposite of miscommunication; these guys managed to communicate a lot and find their way to each other, in both sweet and sexy ways.
It started a bit slow, and it took me until around 30% to be fully invested. It helped that it's a shorter book, and by then the plot had already advanced. By the end, I was completely hooked and wanted to know how it all would unravel.
The book had a bit of an Agatha Christie vibe without the whodunit mystery. It did have creepy staff members, a wanna be gothic mansion, a lot of mist and random supposedly paranormal occurrences. While all of this is happening, Zev and Gideon manage to have some very nice adult conversations about what happened to their relationship. This was the complete opposite of miscommunication; these guys managed to communicate a lot and find their way to each other, in both sweet and sexy ways.
It started a bit slow, and it took me until around 30% to be fully invested. It helped that it's a shorter book, and by then the plot had already advanced. By the end, I was completely hooked and wanted to know how it all would unravel.
October 17, 2025
Genuinely quite good wow
October 20, 2025
the story was decent but the overall plot was really messy, the end was rushed and the smut scene are really badly written (probably by someone who doesn’t know how gay sex works) but it was a surprisingly fun read
June 22, 2025
Rating: 4.25 stars
Take some gothic horror, add spoonfuls of mystery, sprinkle in a second-chance romance, stir well and spread across Edwardian era southern English countryside and you got yourself some good food in the form of All of Us Murderers! Bone apple tea
Zeb's visit to his uncle who he hasn't seen since he was a child is about to be a nice, relaxing, fun time that he really needs. Except for when he shows up at Lackaday House, there's a surprise family reunion with his estranged cousin, brother, and sister-in-law all there being as terrible as always, perhaps even more so when they start fighting over a large family inheritance. To make matters worse, the house itself is large, empty, and ominous, and there are talks of ghosts roaming the halls and a family curse looming over them all. To top it all off Gideon, Zeb's ex, is yet another unexpected prescence at the family gathering and he's not afraid to show how unhappy he is to see Zeb again. Zeb's dream of a relaxing jaunt to the countryside's turning into an absolute nightmare.
This was such a great read! The gothic setting was fantastic and the mystery was highly intriguing. I really enjoyed the messy family dynamics and how KJC never fails to add social commentary to her novels. The romance aspect was also excellent but definitely secondary to the mystery, similar to most other KJC books. While I personally prefer a bit more romance, All of Us Murderers was well balanced.
Zeb was a wonderful and slightly chaotic MC and I thought the ADHD rep was very well done. It hurt to see how everyone dismissed him as flighty, irresponsible, and incapable but I loved his growing self-worth and how kind he was.
Zeb and Gideon were great together! I'm not usually the biggest fan of second chance romance but theirs really worked for me and the spicy scenes had me fanning myself! I do so love how great KJC is with kink in histrom - it always feels way filthier than in contemporary books and the dirty talk and kink was most excellent in this one!
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All of Us Murderers is out October 7
Take some gothic horror, add spoonfuls of mystery, sprinkle in a second-chance romance, stir well and spread across Edwardian era southern English countryside and you got yourself some good food in the form of All of Us Murderers! Bone apple tea
Zeb's visit to his uncle who he hasn't seen since he was a child is about to be a nice, relaxing, fun time that he really needs. Except for when he shows up at Lackaday House, there's a surprise family reunion with his estranged cousin, brother, and sister-in-law all there being as terrible as always, perhaps even more so when they start fighting over a large family inheritance. To make matters worse, the house itself is large, empty, and ominous, and there are talks of ghosts roaming the halls and a family curse looming over them all. To top it all off Gideon, Zeb's ex, is yet another unexpected prescence at the family gathering and he's not afraid to show how unhappy he is to see Zeb again. Zeb's dream of a relaxing jaunt to the countryside's turning into an absolute nightmare.
This was such a great read! The gothic setting was fantastic and the mystery was highly intriguing. I really enjoyed the messy family dynamics and how KJC never fails to add social commentary to her novels. The romance aspect was also excellent but definitely secondary to the mystery, similar to most other KJC books. While I personally prefer a bit more romance, All of Us Murderers was well balanced.
Zeb was a wonderful and slightly chaotic MC and I thought the ADHD rep was very well done. It hurt to see how everyone dismissed him as flighty, irresponsible, and incapable but I loved his growing self-worth and how kind he was.
Zeb and Gideon were great together! I'm not usually the biggest fan of second chance romance but theirs really worked for me and the spicy scenes had me fanning myself! I do so love how great KJC is with kink in histrom - it always feels way filthier than in contemporary books and the dirty talk and kink was most excellent in this one!
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All of Us Murderers is out October 7
October 22, 2025
I liked this a lot! It was exactly what I was in the mood for. (I still like her non trad-published stuff better, but I'm glad she's getting more recognition and more people are reading her!) Also, I'm rating this 4.5 stars, so what I am even saying?? I think I just need to re-read Think of England or A Seditious Affair again for the hundredth time.
[4.5 stars]
[4.5 stars]
October 10, 2025
Readable fluff. Nothing about it was bad, but I could feel the shadow of a steamier, more gruesome version of this story hovering just out of sight. Unfortunately it never quite manifested.
Zeb was an odd(ly uninspiring) protagonist and, on-page, his love interest Gideon was a cardboard cutout with a, quote, “patrician nose.” That said, as the book went on and I thought more about how Gideon might be I started to get more invested. (“Gideon, why do you care so much about this rumpled spineless failson nepobaby other than the fact that he’s the first man who sucked your dick, and as it turns out he has enough cash to keep you in the lifestyle you’d like to become accustomed to? …Actually, no, makes total sense, for sure ride off into the sunset with him.”) I actually think this story would have been a lot more fun with Gideon as the MC. Then when he saves Zeb despite Zeb’s dumb eleventh-hour “I have to save my rapist thief asshole brother because I’m totally unable to cut any apron strings” move, you’re like ah, Gideon’s gothic weakness coming to the fore, at least he’s made it out alive but his dark fate is having doomed himself to a life with *this* guy. That would have been great!
Unfortunately the romance didn’t really work for me within the actual book. Thematically it was a little bit too hopeful and (frankly) verbal consent-forward compared to the rest of the story - I think you could argue that the idea is their relationship is this sweet refuge which contrasts with the rapey gothicness of the rest of it, but in practice much of the romance (and all of the sex scenes) felt more like an unnecessary distraction from the over-the-top murder-iness that was simultaneously going on. The characters kept trying to have loving moments and I just kept thinking “you’re about to murdered and you need to escape!” and flipping quickly to the next page. (By comparison, my recollection is that the romance in KJC’s other gothic-inspired romance, A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel, handled this better - maybe just because there was actual conflict and actual secrets being kept between the MCs throughout the course of that book, so their storyline didn’t feel quite so out of left field.)
The gothic guests-trapped-in-a-spooky-mansion-by-a-host-with-suspicious-intentions thing never went beyond “typical” imo. KJC didn’t make any interesting or unexpected enhancements, gothic/mystery genre-wise, and as with A Nobleman’s Guide her writing just doesn’t give “gothic” - it never has and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon. And the “evil host” twist was underwhelming since I read The Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh so recently - that book wasn’t great but it did “this guy is a creep, do not attend his parties” at such a committed level from chapter 1 on, and KJC’s execution unfortunately pales in comparison.
The book’s ending was also underwhelming - after all that time spent on describing how much they suck, the villains all die off-page! Look, I’m coming to a gothic mystery for some spooky horrific fun, and the idea that I don’t get to read about these creeps getting their violent and bloody just desserts while the protagonist watches…. come on!! It seems to me like KJC’s romance-writing instincts got the better of her. (Also, not great that the one dramatic on-page character death + subsequent funny-creepy body-carrying-around-and-dropping involved the one female guest. I would have preferred that the character just be straight evil, frankly - representation! - but especially after her late-breaking character redemption scene it didn’t make sense that she was the only one who had her death emphasized so much on the page.)
I also found Zeb’s “ADHD” potrayal to be a little annoying, and consistent with this recent trend of infantilization within the romance genre (& etc.) where the story kind of goes, “this person is neurodivergent by which I mean incompetent but no worries because their love interest is willing to do the annoying extra work any person would have to do to deal with them, isn’t that such a cute ending for them both?” My dramatic complaining moment, please disregard if irrelevant to you: maybe the attributes you consider to be symptoms of “”neurodivergence”” are actually the attributes that make me better than you! Oh, you pride yourself on being able to grind away at a task you hate? Why would anyone want to be good at that?? You waste your valuable brainspace on dumb shit like remembering where you put your keys because you put them in a different place every time? Just put them in one convenient spot like every person with common sense!! You’re telling me you’re comfortable sitting still and silent and concentrating without feeling the urge to fidget or move around, like you’re a weirdo corpse robot or something??? That all sounds like it sucks for you, maybe you have the real mental illness!! If so, sorry about that!! Figure it out bitch!! Okay……. Dramatic complaining moment officially over lol.
I did love the cover of this book, and the formatting etc. of the physical edition. I was belatedly worried that reading it would be a Copper Script situation but luckily that wasn’t the case. I do have to say my (not so) conspiracy theory is that this book got the exact same editing treatment as Copper Script and all of KJC’s recent work (which is to say, basically none), and it just happened to have come together decently without that. I would like to see what KJC could do with a murder mystery or a gothic novel with some editing by someone coming at it squarely from those genre parameters. I think this would have been a much better, and definitely more interesting book if (a) someone had said “we don’t need this much romance novel content in this gothic novel, let’s just cut it” and/or (b) it took Zeb seriously as a weak, unreliable gothic protagonist, rather than treating him first and foremost as a romance novel protagonist. (E.g., Zeb going back for Bram when he did really didn’t make any sense for his KJC-romance-novel characterization, but I would have loved to see a version of his character where it did. Unfortunately I think the book just wasn’t willing to take Zeb anywhere dangerous in terms of his characterization - he had to be preserved for that HEA, after all.)
And my parting thought - given that the book’s title is All of Us Murderers, I think the fact that Zeb and Gideon don’t murder anyone on-page is a real missed opportunity!
Zeb was an odd(ly uninspiring) protagonist and, on-page, his love interest Gideon was a cardboard cutout with a, quote, “patrician nose.” That said, as the book went on and I thought more about how Gideon might be I started to get more invested. (“Gideon, why do you care so much about this rumpled spineless failson nepobaby other than the fact that he’s the first man who sucked your dick, and as it turns out he has enough cash to keep you in the lifestyle you’d like to become accustomed to? …Actually, no, makes total sense, for sure ride off into the sunset with him.”) I actually think this story would have been a lot more fun with Gideon as the MC. Then when he saves Zeb despite Zeb’s dumb eleventh-hour “I have to save my rapist thief asshole brother because I’m totally unable to cut any apron strings” move, you’re like ah, Gideon’s gothic weakness coming to the fore, at least he’s made it out alive but his dark fate is having doomed himself to a life with *this* guy. That would have been great!
Unfortunately the romance didn’t really work for me within the actual book. Thematically it was a little bit too hopeful and (frankly) verbal consent-forward compared to the rest of the story - I think you could argue that the idea is their relationship is this sweet refuge which contrasts with the rapey gothicness of the rest of it, but in practice much of the romance (and all of the sex scenes) felt more like an unnecessary distraction from the over-the-top murder-iness that was simultaneously going on. The characters kept trying to have loving moments and I just kept thinking “you’re about to murdered and you need to escape!” and flipping quickly to the next page. (By comparison, my recollection is that the romance in KJC’s other gothic-inspired romance, A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel, handled this better - maybe just because there was actual conflict and actual secrets being kept between the MCs throughout the course of that book, so their storyline didn’t feel quite so out of left field.)
The gothic guests-trapped-in-a-spooky-mansion-by-a-host-with-suspicious-intentions thing never went beyond “typical” imo. KJC didn’t make any interesting or unexpected enhancements, gothic/mystery genre-wise, and as with A Nobleman’s Guide her writing just doesn’t give “gothic” - it never has and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon. And the “evil host” twist was underwhelming since I read The Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh so recently - that book wasn’t great but it did “this guy is a creep, do not attend his parties” at such a committed level from chapter 1 on, and KJC’s execution unfortunately pales in comparison.
The book’s ending was also underwhelming - after all that time spent on describing how much they suck, the villains all die off-page! Look, I’m coming to a gothic mystery for some spooky horrific fun, and the idea that I don’t get to read about these creeps getting their violent and bloody just desserts while the protagonist watches…. come on!! It seems to me like KJC’s romance-writing instincts got the better of her. (Also, not great that the one dramatic on-page character death + subsequent funny-creepy body-carrying-around-and-dropping involved the one female guest. I would have preferred that the character just be straight evil, frankly - representation! - but especially after her late-breaking character redemption scene it didn’t make sense that she was the only one who had her death emphasized so much on the page.)
I also found Zeb’s “ADHD” potrayal to be a little annoying, and consistent with this recent trend of infantilization within the romance genre (& etc.) where the story kind of goes, “this person is neurodivergent by which I mean incompetent but no worries because their love interest is willing to do the annoying extra work any person would have to do to deal with them, isn’t that such a cute ending for them both?” My dramatic complaining moment, please disregard if irrelevant to you: maybe the attributes you consider to be symptoms of “”neurodivergence”” are actually the attributes that make me better than you! Oh, you pride yourself on being able to grind away at a task you hate? Why would anyone want to be good at that?? You waste your valuable brainspace on dumb shit like remembering where you put your keys because you put them in a different place every time? Just put them in one convenient spot like every person with common sense!! You’re telling me you’re comfortable sitting still and silent and concentrating without feeling the urge to fidget or move around, like you’re a weirdo corpse robot or something??? That all sounds like it sucks for you, maybe you have the real mental illness!! If so, sorry about that!! Figure it out bitch!! Okay……. Dramatic complaining moment officially over lol.
I did love the cover of this book, and the formatting etc. of the physical edition. I was belatedly worried that reading it would be a Copper Script situation but luckily that wasn’t the case. I do have to say my (not so) conspiracy theory is that this book got the exact same editing treatment as Copper Script and all of KJC’s recent work (which is to say, basically none), and it just happened to have come together decently without that. I would like to see what KJC could do with a murder mystery or a gothic novel with some editing by someone coming at it squarely from those genre parameters. I think this would have been a much better, and definitely more interesting book if (a) someone had said “we don’t need this much romance novel content in this gothic novel, let’s just cut it” and/or (b) it took Zeb seriously as a weak, unreliable gothic protagonist, rather than treating him first and foremost as a romance novel protagonist. (E.g., Zeb going back for Bram when he did really didn’t make any sense for his KJC-romance-novel characterization, but I would have loved to see a version of his character where it did. Unfortunately I think the book just wasn’t willing to take Zeb anywhere dangerous in terms of his characterization - he had to be preserved for that HEA, after all.)
And my parting thought - given that the book’s title is All of Us Murderers, I think the fact that Zeb and Gideon don’t murder anyone on-page is a real missed opportunity!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
tbr-fiction
August 27, 2025first impressions: if there's one thing I've learned, the queer people yearn for a gothic romance (murder-mystery)
September 18, 2025
3.5! This does a lot of Classic Gothic™️ things, and also subverts a lot of them in ways that are very satisfying, if not necessarily shocking.
All of Us Murderers is a tricky book to sink into. For starters, I found the en media res opening unpleasantly jarring. The book tosses you headlong into a complicated tangle of preexisting relationships, leaving the various characters’ animosity feeling unearned and their presence in the story unexplained and slightly implausible. Even more than that, though - I think I object to STARTING a spooky house book the moment the character arrives and looks up at the big spooky house. You just can’t do that. Work up to it. Buy me dinner first. You know?
I’d say it gets easier from there, but it kind of doesn’t. This is a book about nasty, terrible people sitting around a nasty, terrible house, being generally awful to one another. (To be clear: this is not a negative for me. I quite like reading about nasty people doing terrible things.) The central premise of the plot is unpleasant, as well: it’s quickly revealed that the adult men of this family are intended to compete to marry their young cousin in order to secure the inheritance. It’s hard to pick a least favorite character among this truly unsavory batch of assholes.
I did enjoy the romance subplot by the end, but it suffered from the same problem as all of the other interpersonal relationships - it’s an extant relationship with a lot of history that we, the reader, are unfamiliar with. I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of second-chance romance at the best of times, but in this particular case the reconciliation felt particularly unearned: after their opening hostility, the characters eventually just talk, clearing up a pre-story conflict that we didn’t know about. And then they’re just sort of… fine. I did like them, though. The friction between their personalities was very believable, and I loved the way this book explored and focused on Zeb’s difficulties with ADHD.
The book ramps up to a really tense and satisfying ending, and although I might have preferred to see a little more of it on-page, I have no other real complaints. The mystery and delicious atmosphere carried.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
All of Us Murderers is a tricky book to sink into. For starters, I found the en media res opening unpleasantly jarring. The book tosses you headlong into a complicated tangle of preexisting relationships, leaving the various characters’ animosity feeling unearned and their presence in the story unexplained and slightly implausible. Even more than that, though - I think I object to STARTING a spooky house book the moment the character arrives and looks up at the big spooky house. You just can’t do that. Work up to it. Buy me dinner first. You know?
I’d say it gets easier from there, but it kind of doesn’t. This is a book about nasty, terrible people sitting around a nasty, terrible house, being generally awful to one another. (To be clear: this is not a negative for me. I quite like reading about nasty people doing terrible things.) The central premise of the plot is unpleasant, as well: it’s quickly revealed that the adult men of this family are intended to compete to marry their young cousin in order to secure the inheritance. It’s hard to pick a least favorite character among this truly unsavory batch of assholes.
I did enjoy the romance subplot by the end, but it suffered from the same problem as all of the other interpersonal relationships - it’s an extant relationship with a lot of history that we, the reader, are unfamiliar with. I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of second-chance romance at the best of times, but in this particular case the reconciliation felt particularly unearned: after their opening hostility, the characters eventually just talk, clearing up a pre-story conflict that we didn’t know about. And then they’re just sort of… fine. I did like them, though. The friction between their personalities was very believable, and I loved the way this book explored and focused on Zeb’s difficulties with ADHD.
The book ramps up to a really tense and satisfying ending, and although I might have preferred to see a little more of it on-page, I have no other real complaints. The mystery and delicious atmosphere carried.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 25, 2025
Can anyone tell me why the author might put a character from Harry Potter in this? I spent last night researching Lady Ravenclaw and as far as I can see, she's only from that series. But also, her story of being murdered by her husband is also in this book? It's such a bizarre thing to have in a Queer book in 2025?
October 25, 2025
Clever, creative, mysterious, sweet, and romantic. If this was written by anyone else I probably would've given it 5 stars, but compared to other KJ Charles books, this one is only just very good, but not amazing. Second chance is also not my favorite trope, but it was well done here.
June 18, 2025
Set in Edwardian times, the story follows our main character, Zeb, as he arrives at a remote mansion at the invitation of his uncle, only to discover that other guests are present, such as his estranged (and terrible) brother, his artist (and terrible) cousin, and his former lover, who isn’t terrible but hates Zeb after the mess of their break-up. After their host makes a surprise announcement about the vast family inheritance, Zeb has to navigate increasingly difficult relations with his family, a tense relationship with his ex, unfriendly staff, an impressionable young woman, a family curse, ghosts and dark family secrets, while they’re all isolated in this gothic mansion surrounded by misty moors. It’s, in other words, a veritable feast of gothicness and if you’re into that, as I am, you’ll love every minute.
I’ve read everything KJ Charles has written, and this is a new favourite. Her pacing is phenomenal as always. I finished this early in the morning because I couldn’t, and didn’t, put it down. It flows magnificently. Zeb’s narration is witty and engaging. There is humour to balance out the bleak moments but also some descriptions of seemingly supernatural incidents that had me shivering with dread (and loving it). The story is brimming with a gothic atmosphere, with the eerie and the inexplicable and the slow descent into madness. The side character cast is another KJC strength, and it shows here in full form: every secondary character is sharp and vivid, distinct from each other, as vibrant as real people. And, boy, they’re all horrible. KJC has written her share of appalling relatives, but this lot takes the cake. Be prepared for absolutely atrocious familial relations.
In the midst of dread and uncertainty, the relationship between Zeb and his ex, Gideon, is the balm we need. There’s palpable longing and raw desire between them, and once they work through their past issues, they’re sweet and lovely, providing some much needed solace.
This is primarily a mystery novel and the mystery of what was happening in the house was well-constructed and kept me absorbed throughout. Without being too spoilery (I hope), I’ll say that I love that it was Zeb’s kindness and empathy that made a difference.
One of my disappointments these days is that I find a lot of the novels published recently are utterly bland and without teeth. Even if not described as ‘cozy’, coziness has seeped into them. Which is why this novel thrilled me: besides the joy in revelling in a gothic story, this is a real and unflinching look at some appalling people and how they abused their immense privilege. It gives the (delightfully eerie and suspenseful) story real substance.
Many, many thanks to the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’ve read everything KJ Charles has written, and this is a new favourite. Her pacing is phenomenal as always. I finished this early in the morning because I couldn’t, and didn’t, put it down. It flows magnificently. Zeb’s narration is witty and engaging. There is humour to balance out the bleak moments but also some descriptions of seemingly supernatural incidents that had me shivering with dread (and loving it). The story is brimming with a gothic atmosphere, with the eerie and the inexplicable and the slow descent into madness. The side character cast is another KJC strength, and it shows here in full form: every secondary character is sharp and vivid, distinct from each other, as vibrant as real people. And, boy, they’re all horrible. KJC has written her share of appalling relatives, but this lot takes the cake. Be prepared for absolutely atrocious familial relations.
In the midst of dread and uncertainty, the relationship between Zeb and his ex, Gideon, is the balm we need. There’s palpable longing and raw desire between them, and once they work through their past issues, they’re sweet and lovely, providing some much needed solace.
This is primarily a mystery novel and the mystery of what was happening in the house was well-constructed and kept me absorbed throughout. Without being too spoilery (I hope), I’ll say that I love that it was Zeb’s kindness and empathy that made a difference.
One of my disappointments these days is that I find a lot of the novels published recently are utterly bland and without teeth. Even if not described as ‘cozy’, coziness has seeped into them. Which is why this novel thrilled me: besides the joy in revelling in a gothic story, this is a real and unflinching look at some appalling people and how they abused their immense privilege. It gives the (delightfully eerie and suspenseful) story real substance.
Many, many thanks to the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 7, 2025
This started slow for me but it quickly picked up and it was quite exciting! The location is a creepy old manor on land that is surrounded by a 12 foot wall, trapping in the guests. As the fog rolls in there is no way in or out of this horrid place or escaping its evil owner.
Zeb Wyckham is surrounded by horrible people at his cousins Gothic manor. His cousin has introduced a distant relative, a young woman named Jessamine, who he wants to inherit the manor and all of his money. In order to do that he wants one of his current guests to woo her and they will become the heir once they marry Jessamine. Zeb is in no way interested in this arrangement since he is a gay man but he also wants nothing to do with Wyckham money since all of his relatives, alive and dead, are and were horrible people. He is trapped in this house for two weeks and of all the people who he is trapped there with is his ex, Gideon, who is now his uncles secretary.
Gideon and Zeb did not end their relationship well and it led to them both being fired from their previous job. Gideon is angry at Zeb and very cold towards him at first. Luckily there was conversation and these men talked through everything bringing them closer than before. They discover a crude trick is being played on all the visitors to the manor and it is leading to murder.
The story was creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt trapped with the characters and wasn’t sure how it would end. I enjoyed Zeb’s character and I loved that he had ADHD and that Gideon understands this part of him where no one else can.
The epilogue was extremely rushed and that was very disappointing. I wish we saw more of the events after than what we were told in hindsight.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc
Zeb Wyckham is surrounded by horrible people at his cousins Gothic manor. His cousin has introduced a distant relative, a young woman named Jessamine, who he wants to inherit the manor and all of his money. In order to do that he wants one of his current guests to woo her and they will become the heir once they marry Jessamine. Zeb is in no way interested in this arrangement since he is a gay man but he also wants nothing to do with Wyckham money since all of his relatives, alive and dead, are and were horrible people. He is trapped in this house for two weeks and of all the people who he is trapped there with is his ex, Gideon, who is now his uncles secretary.
Gideon and Zeb did not end their relationship well and it led to them both being fired from their previous job. Gideon is angry at Zeb and very cold towards him at first. Luckily there was conversation and these men talked through everything bringing them closer than before. They discover a crude trick is being played on all the visitors to the manor and it is leading to murder.
The story was creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt trapped with the characters and wasn’t sure how it would end. I enjoyed Zeb’s character and I loved that he had ADHD and that Gideon understands this part of him where no one else can.
The epilogue was extremely rushed and that was very disappointing. I wish we saw more of the events after than what we were told in hindsight.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc
June 20, 2025
4.5 stars, I really enjoyed this! It was a fun read and I had a good time with it. I could have read this in one sitting, KJ Charles never fails to draw me into a story.
As someone who loved Death in the Spires, I loved that this leaned a bit a fair bit into the gothic horror rather than just solely romance - the gothic ambience was done so well. My dog snuck up behind me at one point and I actually jumped when I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye.
The characters were perfect, the family dynamics were messy, there was fantastic ADHD rep (and rep for severe arachnophobia), I am seen. And I did adore the dynamic between Gideon and Zeb. I'm not usually a fan of second chance romances in any form, but this was done really well. I loved their development and communication.
(And for what it's worth, as someone who has read some B-tier Edwardian gothic novels, this does everything so well and really captures the real essence of the genre. And the epilogue was perfect.)
The biggest thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
As someone who loved Death in the Spires, I loved that this leaned a bit a fair bit into the gothic horror rather than just solely romance - the gothic ambience was done so well. My dog snuck up behind me at one point and I actually jumped when I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye.
The characters were perfect, the family dynamics were messy, there was fantastic ADHD rep (and rep for severe arachnophobia), I am seen. And I did adore the dynamic between Gideon and Zeb. I'm not usually a fan of second chance romances in any form, but this was done really well. I loved their development and communication.
(And for what it's worth, as someone who has read some B-tier Edwardian gothic novels, this does everything so well and really captures the real essence of the genre. And the epilogue was perfect.)
The biggest thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
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