Tag: secret stairway building

The Raven Thief review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the super fun Secret Staircase Mysteries by Gigi Pandian who also writes the series The Accidental Alchemist and Jaya Jones. I’d always been a fan of Nancy Drew and her never-ending times she’d find secret stairways or hidden panels, so this series is right up my alley. The characters are pretty amazing and I quickly felt like they were friends back when I read the first book. This book releases tomorrow, March 21, 2023, so don’t miss it if you read the first one! I’d honestly recommend reading in order for the most enjoyment.

My Goodreads review:

The Raven Thief (Secret Staircase Mystery, #2)The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This second in series was just as good as the first and in some ways even better. I liked the creepiness factor of the mysterious ravens hanging around and the descriptions of all the cool secret passageways and panels that Tempest’s dad put in all the construction he did. I’d love to have a secret room like hers!

There were quite a few suspects but eventually got suspicious of someone and it ended up being right. Although I still went down all the rabbit holes and enjoyed the ride to find out for sure if I was right. I love how misdirection always plays a part in these books, and it’s pretty awesome how Tempest figured everything out. She had her good pal Samjay helping along with bestie Ivy. Gideon got in on helping as well, so the four made a good team. It’ll be interesting to see what adventure they get into next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Minotaur Books via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Under Lock and Skeleton Key review

Tari Hann

This is the first book in the Secret Staircase Mysteries by a new-to-me and very talented author Gigi Pandian. Her storytelling is amazing, and I could actually picture the places and secret rooms she described. It’d be so cool to have a room like Tempest’s that was secretly accessible and super private. I’m looking forward to visiting with Tempest and her family again!

My Goodreads review:

Under Lock & Skeleton Key (Secret Staircase Mystery, #1)Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a such a cool mystery and I loved what the Secret Staircase Construction company did with buildings. I thought Tempest’s secret quarters in the house were especially awesome. I was glad to see she was able to make amends with an old friend now that she was home, and I just loved her grandparents. Grandpa was so funny how he was always wanting to feed people, must be a grandpa thing! I could definitely see why Nancy Drew was one of Tempest’s favorites since all Nancy did was find mysterious staircases, attics and rooms similar to what Tempest’s dad’s company built. Tempest’s former occupation of illusionist was a unique one for a cozy main character too.

The characters were great, and I enjoyed the whole search for the killer. It took a lot of winding paths to finally get to the answer which was something I sure didn’t see coming. I loved how Tempest came to her decision at the end and can see this being a fun and cool series I’ll want to read more in!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

View all my reviews