Would you believe it if I said this is my first Maureen Johnson?

Well, it was quite a fun ride!
I really liked the narrative style of switching between the 1900s with the Ralston kids and the current time with Marlowe and the gang. The premise is intriguing - a huge mansion with an eccentric family with six kids, two of which die within hours in mysterious circumstances.

This book goes about exploring and uncovering the lives of the Ralstons while at the same time going on a journey with Marlowe and her time as a volunteer tour guide for the island's mansion. If it wasn't bad enough that people think she's a fire setter (not in a good way), she's mourning what could have been a great relationship and stumbling upon secrets and mysteries of the Morning House - both past and present.

This was an overall great read, with good pacing and an engaging cast. I loved Marlowe, Riki and Liana but the rest of the characters, especially Tom and April felt slightly underdeveloped or shoved to the side. Either way, it was fun to see the cast dynamics.

At its core, the book explores one of my favourite themes - the truth is not objective and the story changes depending on who tells it.

I blazed through this book honestly, and am excited to read more by the author.


Note: I received an e-arc of this copy thanks to the publisher but this has not affected my review in any manner.