‘A debut novel I couldn’t put down - with an ending I didn’t see coming’ - Review of Birmingham author’s debut mystery novel

The Mask of Merryvale Manor is a historical psychological mystery and coming-of-age novel set in England at the cusp of the 1960s. It follows Ben, who at fourteen is taken in by his wealthy aunt and uncle at their sprawling family estate, Merryvale Manor. 

Surrounded by glamour and privilege, Ben is drawn into the elite lifestyle by his sophisticated cousins. But five years later his world begins to unravel when the body of a woman is discovered on the estate, triggering a murder investigation. 

As the Drummond family’s status and influence come under scrutiny, Ben is forced to confront the darker realities behind their wealth and charm and to decide how far he is willing to go to belong to their world.

Kirsty-Louise’s thoughts: 

Now, this was a book I couldn’t put down. The Mask of Merryvale Manor, the debut novel for Birmingham journalist Pete Sherlock, was an interesting, well-written post-war mystery with elements of well-researched folklore and commentary on class and politics weaved in.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator of the main protagonist Ben as he wrestled with a complex identity crisis. Could a man who grew up with a penniless mother really feel at home among the toffs in a manor house as they take him in? Does he fit in with their politics? They seem to think so, while his girlfriend Clara had a very different picture of who he was as a person from their time together at Cambridge.

But most importantly, can he lie for them? Lie to fit in with the only family he has left? It seems Benjamin likes to play in the grey, which does make it hard to anticipate what he does next.

I enjoyed the ‘Ooser’ figure as a running theme in the story. The idea of this beast presiding over the chaos that unfolds and the story behind it was fascinating. My mind was immediately cast back to rituals like Cersei Lannister’s “walk of atonement” in Game of Thrones when I was picturing it in my head.

I will say that the mystery of who the victim was seemed to take a while for the characters to grasp what seemed obvious to us as readers – the stereotypical ‘promiscuous women must be punished’ trope was no stranger here and it was the only real option any reader could see. The killer on the other hand, I did not see coming. I had several guesses along the way but not one was correct – maybe clouded by my own real-world biases on that front.

Overall, I would recommend Pete Sherlock’s debut novel and it will be joining my paperback collection to enjoy again in the future. I gladly look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

4.5 stars!