The Nefarious Nights of Willowweep Manor

Willowweep Manor #2

by Shaenon K. Garrity, Christopher Baldwin (Illustrator)

Haley must return to Willowweep to solve the mystery behind her friends vanishing in this hilarious sequel to the “well-paced and humorous…delightfully spirited” (Kirkus Reviews) young adult graphic novel The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor.

Haley is summoned back to the Willowweep pocket universe to deal with a huge another pocket universe is collapsing, and the survivors are seeking refuge in Willowweep. Haley and herfriends discover that the newcomers are from a mystery-themed universe complete with a blustery colonel, a sweet old spinster, and a butler.

But shortly after their arrival, strange things start happening to Willowweep…the once-Gothic pocket universe is transforming into a whodunit! As the tropes of a detective story start to multiply, a murder rocks Willowweep. And when she searches for the culprit, Haley begins to suspect that one of the newcomers is trying to eradicate Willowweep. One by one, all her friends disappear, and it’s up to Haley to get to the bottom of this mind-boggling mystery. Can she grow past her Gothic romance roots to become a new kind of heroine?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Comics, Humor, Science Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc from NetGalley

Fine enough? I don’t think it was as good as the first book.

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chaos.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I preferred this sequel a little more than book one. It's sillier, but takes the whole thing up a couple of notches in my mind since it has now combined in an Agatha Christie Miss Marple style 1920s mystery.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It may be a half-step off the first volume, but this sequel still charms with its silliness and nonsense as it sends up murder mysteries. I might have liked it more if I were a fan of murder mysteries.

[Fizah(Books tales by me) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline was different and somewhat interesting, but I found it hard to care about the new characters.

[Jaida °•In my heart Is a christmas tree farm°• · Rating 4 out of 5]

.ᨒ↟ 𖠰𖥧˚.ᨒ↟ 𖠰𖥧˚.ᨒ↟ 𖠰𖥧˚.ᨒ↟ 𖠰𖥧˚

This graphic novel duology is basically just a parody of gothic romance novels with every stereotype. It was kind of like Jane Eyre and an Agatha Christie novel had a baby (minus everything I hated from Jane Eyre)

“𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.”

I liked the ending and I enjoyed this one more than I enjoyed the first one.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haley ~ I still liked her because she was funny. I think I might have liked her a little bit more in the first book when she was doing that Gothic heroine thing instead of whatever she's doing in this one LOL.

Montague ~ I like him. He was a little bit awkward though but other than that I liked him quite a bit and I do think that he's a good love interest for Haley.

Cuthbert ~ he was still hilarious like almost everything he said was just really funny and so I still really liked him. He was still probably my favorite character.

Laurence ~ he was okay he was just really brooding and a little boring but he was better in this one though.

Wilhelmina ~ she was really annoying. I did not like her.

Sybil ~ didn't like her at all.

Crickers ~ he was hilarious like Cuthbert and I liked their friendship.

Maybury ~ I liked the plot twist involving him. I really liked that I just can't say it because obviously it's a plot twist so obviously it's a spoiler.

Miss Meadowsweet ~ she was insanely weird.

Shotcroft ~ he didn't have much time actually on page so he was kind of boring. He didn't really have that many lines either so I don't really have much to say about him.

Miss Harewood ~ she was a little boring, kind of like shotcraft but she did have more page time than him. She was just still a little boring I don't know.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
🪞 Gothic Romance Parody
🪞 Graphic Novel
🪞 Murder Mystery
🪞 Romance
🪞 Sci-fi

𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀
~~~~~~~
“Back in my village, I recall, there was a young man who never got to sleep in a proper hour. One of those modern types. That wasn't good for his health, not one bit, before long he didn't know night from day or a raven from a writing desk. Naturally, he snapped and went on a killing spree. And 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 why you always get a good night's sleep.”

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁
~~~~~~~
❤️‍🔥𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲| two kisses,

🤬𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲| B-stard, blast,

🗡️𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲| Murder, Stabbing, fighting,

🏳️‍🌈𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤| Wilhelmina and Sybil are dating or something and they kiss once

✝️ 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆| ghosts,

⚠️𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿| Blood, drugging

[Mai · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first graphic novel in this series parodied the genre of Gothic romance. This one parodies the genres of both Gothic romance and murder mystery. For even more fun, Shaenon Garrity lifts a supporting cast of characters from the Clue franchise. I found myself laughing out loud in parts. This story is a really fun, sometimes absurd, wholly entertaining read.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my god. This was so much fun. I loved the first one, but this one was equally as fun. It played on the mystery genre this time and mixed it with gothic literature. It was just so fun.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The highly-anticipated sequel to the Willowweep Manor YA graphic novel.
🐶
Haley hates living in the real world after being able to travel to a pocket universe. When she gets the chance to go back, she’s thrilled. This time another pocket universe is collapsing and the survivors are seeking refuge in Willowweep. They’re from a mystery-themed universe so automatically upon their arrival there’s a murder and the new and old cast of characters must solve the crime!
🔪
I got such Clue vibes from this book, which made me love it as much as Haley’s gothic romance world. Outlandish, hilarious and over-the-top events make this an unforgettable novel. The Maverick reading list committee added the 1st in the series when I was Chair so I’ll always have a soft spot for these titles. Nefarious Nights releases August 12!

CW: murder, blood, death

[Cristy (Quinnbook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this sequel, from beginning to end you’ll cheer for our protagonist and the inhabitants of Willowweep Manor. Haley is back at school and delivers a fantastic oral report about her previous adventures. Unfortunately nobody seems to take her seriously. As she leaves school she is meet with Montague, one of the Willowweep inhabitants.

When they finally pass the portal together they are meet with everyone and now they’ll have more unexpected visitors. One thing I love about books is all the different genres and especially when those genres are combined in a unique way. This sequel had so many funny and tragic moments that it was like watching a detective movie unfold its secrets. Can’t wait to continue this amazing saga and follow along our heroine Haley as she becomes an expert in everything bookish.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a fun adventure off into the land of mystery. enjoyed this way more than the first one. Gothic romance is not my preferred read although for a graphic novel it wasn't horrible. returning to willowweep this time where the brothers make new friends that flee their universe because it was being erased. gone for eternity no where for them to go. new rooms appear. old ones disappear. of course cannot have a good mystery without a good old who done it murder. I would say there is sort of 2 stories going on at once but very easy to follow and they do intertwine nicely. some laughs, quite a few chuckles and still a rather happy ending. if there is a book 3 I'll definitely be reading it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally read The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor in 2021, just months after it had been released. I loved it, and it has been one I remembered very fondly ever since. I have been so incredibly excited since I heard that four years later, we were finally getting a sequel. I reread the first book in preparation, and now that I have the library copy of the Nefarious Nights of Willowweep Manor (I intend to own both eventually, but books are expensive and I am poor) I had to read it immediately.

It was so fun! The characters continue to be a delight, with some fun new characters introduced. I love the way it continues to play with gothic story tropes, and I thought adding murder mystery tropes to the mix was such a fun way to continue the story without getting too repetitive. The mystery itself had some really fun twists and turns too. I love that it leaves off with another open enough ending for another book, and I hope we get another (ideally sooner than four years from now, but I'm prepared to wait!).

It's just such a blast of a story, and I'm so glad to have read it. I would recommend it for sure, but be sure to check out the first book first.

[piper monarchsandmyths · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series is super fun and charming! i liked seeing how they took on murder mystery tropes and combined them with the gothic elements already in-universe. also okay setup for more books in the future, i’m here for it!!

[Molly]

Hilarious, ridiculous, sublime. No notes.

[Donna Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 this was just as good as the first one! I love the quirky characters and the story was really good.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a thorough deconstruction of the Gothic novel in the first book in the Willowweep Manor series, Haley is back at the manor, ready for more adventure. This time, we get a hilarious deconstruction of all the tropes of the Mystery novel, with Haley frankly admitting how out of her depth she is.

There is both a satisfying ending as well as plenty of plot threads left dangling for more of this universe (and others) and I look forward to more of this series.

[Jill D Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Love this series!

[Hannah Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor is one of my all time favorite graphic novels. When I found out there was going to be a sequel, I was beyond excited. I was even more excited when I was approved for the ARC! Being back in the bizarre world of Willowweep was such a delight. I didn’t think the story could get much better, but it was expanded upon wonderfully. All of our favorite characters are back with new side characters that are just as lovable. I loved the commentary on cross genre stories. The author took all the tropes of a gothic story and paired it brilliantly with the tropes of a classic mystery novel. As always, this book made me laugh out loud. It was such a good time. I really hope the series continues. I would love to see the story cross over with the fantasy genre. There’s so much potential for more tales in this series. I adored this. Immediately preordered and added to my all time favorites shelf!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Review ✨ The Nefarious Nights of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity, Illustrated by Christopher Baldwin

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Welp, I didn't realize this was the second book in the series so it sort of starts at a run, but I feel like I more or less caught up quickly. The main character heads off to a pocket universe, Willowweep, that she's apparently already saved once in the first book. This gothic universe collides with newcomers from a mystery-themed universe and a classic whodunit commences.

This was lots of fun and makes me want to go back and read the first one! I loved how it played with genre in a sort of chaotic don't-let-the-universe-collapse sort of way. :)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: mystery meets gothic YA graphic novel
Setting: Willowweep pocket universe
Pub Date: August 12, 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ YA graphic novels
⭕️ mystery and gothic styles
⭕️ chaos

[Abigail Pankau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haley is still studying how pocket universes work with the assistance of Willowweep residents, when they receive a message from another universe. That pocket universe is disappearing, and the survivors are seeking refuge. Haley figures out they are from a murder mystery genre universe when one of them is found murdered, but Haley has no experience with mystery novels and can't solve this mystery on her own. When Willowweep residents start disappearing, she realizes that this pocket universe is now threatened. Can she figure out who's behind it all and stop them before it's too late?

A very fun YA graphic novel that’s a fully self-aware parody of mystery novels, with a slight gothic twist. It is nice to world-building and the ideas of the pocket universes expand. Very fun. Hope there will be more in this series.

[Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

it came together in the end . . but there was a lot of trust the process

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mysteries abound when Willowweep, a gothic pocket universe, takes in a group of refugees from a disappearing mystery universe. But when parts of Willowweep start to disappear as well, it's up to heroine Haley and romantic hero Montague to solve the mystery...if only they knew how mysteries worked. I love the Willowweep Universe so much. Especially Cuthbert and his new best person friend, Crickers (they're the same person and must be protected at all costs) and the dog Jerome and his sticky spot. This book was so delightful - just like it's predecessor. I can't wait for more! (Fingers crossed there will be more, someday!)

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adored how creative the premise was and this narrative is ripe for many, many installments! The cast of characters is so diverse, leaning into genre stereotypes yet never feeling boring. There's so many different personalities and dynamics at play here. I did find it a bit difficult to keep track of them all once the other universe's cast joined theirs, though. There's a perfect blend of mystery and comedy that keeps you engaged throughout. A genuinely fun narrative coupled with an inviting art style that will keep readers wanting more from this universe.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the arc!

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as much fun as the first entry in this series. This is probably because I have more of a fondness for the gothic tropes that the first book was gently mocking than the mystery genre that intrudes here. Specifically, golden age detective mysteries. I did think the mystery was fairly well written, and that an astute reader could figure out the solution on their own. That's essential to be a true homage to this type of story. The ending is just open enough to make me think more books, skewering other genres, are on the way, and I'm here for that.

[Badger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a dang delight. Even better then the first volume and absolutely sold me on a third. Our heroine Haley return to her beloved Willowweep Manor and soon finds herself in an unexpected genre: murder mystery. Hi-jinks ensue, new best friends are made, and secrets are revealed. I loved the silliness and and the whole-hardheartedness of every character's personalty. Truly so, so fun.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor was just as ridiculous and just as much fun. Smashing together the Gothic romance atmosphere of Willowweep Manor with Golden Age murder mystery vibes worked for me. While I do think the first book was better, this was still a good read—especially if you enjoy hilarious literary chaos.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to possibly the funniest graphic novel of 2021! In this one, the Willowweep universe takes in some refugee characters from a cozy 1930s mystery universe—something like if Agatha Christie were collaborating with P.G. Wodehouse. More characters, more genre. Still very funny!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!!!! It's just as fun as the first one! I love murder mystery theme. All of the new characters added to the story, and I really loved Jerome! They did add more to the background of the universe from the previous book. I hope there is a 3rd book!

[Michelle Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a unique and chaotic adventure. I got to visit with the amazing characters from the first book and meet some new and messy ones in this sequel. There was humor, fumbles, suspense and mystery in this one and I think it was a great sequel to the first book!

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, unfortunately was not a fan of this one. Didn’t care for the new characters and it was too long winded for me. Could have been half as long. No spoilers but the ending left a lot to be desired. The person(s) responsible weren’t a surprise at all….