This was marvellous: exactly what I was hoping for, but at the same time, so surprising and utterly unexepected. I've loved every single word Charlie Adhara has written in her entire career, and her latest masterpiece is no exception: the plot was wholly compelling and its protagonists? Nobody does characterization like she does, nobody.

First things first: the story. Murder mysteries are one of my favourite genres, but murder mysteries combined with paranormal elements? *That* is my absolute jam and the one thing I'd happily read for the rest of my life. I've loved every single mystery Adhara has concocted for Cooper and Oliver, but I still remember the Maudit Falls mystery being one of my favourites. I was very excited to be back there, and I was not disappointed, at all. The murder mystery was totally riveting and it kept on the edge of my seat the whole time; and, as usual, all the twist-and-turns and reveals came as a complete shock to me. The mysterious, secretive atmosphere of Maudit Falls and of all the characters (and potential suspects) that populate this book were equally riveting. I loved how this book has a bit of Agatha Christie-esque/Cluedo vibe going on, with the usual fixed set of suspects, and I also loved the small-town vibe of Maudit Falls, with its charm and myths and all the quirky, gossip-y side characters that made the story even more interesting.
And, although the wholly compelling mystery was a definite bonus, the absolute best thing of this novel (and of any Charlie Adhara novel) were the protagonists, Eli and Julien, and their relationship.
I'm 100% sure Charlie Adhara is some sort of character magician: I clearly remember thinking that, thinking "wow, this is some good stuff she's written", while reading Cooper and Oliver's story. I don't know how she does it, but all of her characters are so complex and multi-dimensional, layered and flawed and realistic, and Eli and Julien were no exception, especially combined with her usual flawless and beautiful writing.
I've wanted to read more about Eli since the first time he appears on page, an unrepentant flirt, snarky and strong, but also strangely vulnerable at the same time. I knew I was going to adore whatever Charlie Adhara had plotted for him, but I was not expecting the sheer degree of wonder I'd feel as soon as his many, many layers were being peeled off and the sheer amount of love I'd also feel for his counterpart MC, Julien.

Eli was, as I'd expected, an utterly fantastic protagonist: he's a peculiar combination of flirty and insecure, of flighty and indifferent and eagerly selfless. He's really magnetic, charming and funny, and I could totally see why half of the characters in the book were madly in love with him. I adored every single side of him and although he was a biiiit too quick to judge in some instances, I got why he reacted in that way, and just the thought of the pain and trauma he's been through made me feel somewhat murderous.
Julien, on the other hand, was a complete surprise, a wholly wonderful one at that. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe a bit of a Stern Brunch Daddy or somebody overly responsible to counteract Eli's more flighty disposition, or maybe the complete opposite of that, a bumbling but sweet love interest who'd love Eli half to death. What I actually got was a ridiculously endearing, utterly complex and contradictory character that managed to completely own my heart. He's hilarious, in a self-deprecating way that was 100% delightful; he's insecure and flawed, for sure, and fast-approaching a midlife crisis, but he's also absurdly charming and sexy and lovely; he's also a very, very good liar and an obfuscator and a tiny bit ruthless, and I was not expecting him to keep up with Eli's lies and obfuscation so well.
And their relationship? Inject it into my veins, please and thank you. I adored every single one of their interactions: I loved their chemistry and their sexual tension, and the banter and the sleuthing they shared was totally top-notch. I'm so damn curious to see what will happen next with them. I'm also so looking forward to discover more about the underlying mystery and theme of this series: some of the things that were left hanging are intriguing, to say the least.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.