Murder at Endsley Castle

by Alia Tawil

In a witty and suspenseful whodunit, a dedicated fashion historian turns amateur sleuth when an internship at an English castle becomes an unexpected education in murder.

Dress historian Edie Westwood has left Manhattan for her dream job in cataloging sartorial treasures in medieval Endsley Castle. Though dressing in century-old styles has made Edie a curiosity, her obsessive eye for detail is about to prove critical—because a mystery awaits at the castle.

A local tour guide’s strange death and final cryptic words plunge Edie into the center of a murder investigation, and as she soon learns, Endsley is no stranger to deadly secrets that date back centuries. When Edie’s room in the castle is broken into and murder shakes the charming village of Newswick once more, her ambitions shift from investigating sartorial history to uncovering the deadly mystery—and fast.

Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of fashion, an irresistibly attentive paramedic bodyguard, and near-forensic attention to detail, Edie must connect the threads between crimes and unravel the truth before it unravels her.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 9, 2027

Reviews

[Jacqueline Firkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and fashion-forward murder mystery in which a fashion historian arrives at an English castle to catalogue the family’s antique clothing but finds her research halted when two murders grab her attention: a local man found in the road on her way to the castle and a woman poisoned on the estate centuries earlier. While cozy murder mystery fans will find lots of beloved genre tropes here—an atmospheric estate near a gossipy small town, an upstairs/downstairs cast of vaguely suspicious characters, and plenty of things that go bump in the night—Tawil puts her own spin on things with her heroine’s trade, giving us an amateur sleuth whose wardrobe is triumphantly anachronistic and whose keen observations about clothing and its history provide useful clues for solving both murders. With my career as a costumer and professor whose courses have included history of dress and décor, I found the sewing and fashion history references delightful, and I loved the celebration of what clothing tells us about the people who wore it. I also loved the heroine’s pride in her trade and interests, and the ways Tawil wove details about fashion history into the unfolding plot.

A joyful introduction to an engaging new series, with a memorable heroine, a cast and setting perfect for a BBC series, a clever use of fashion history that’s both educational and entertaining, and a dual murder mystery plot that’ll have readers guessing right up until the big reveal.

[katnisseverdeen · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

What a fun read and great introduction to the characters!

What I loved: slow burn romance, historical setting without historical values, a trip through history, small town charm (an air of midsomer murders!)

What I wished was different: more depth in the characters. Like I also went to fashion school and can appreciate the historical garments, but it started to get repetitive (bordering on, I had to push through and thought about not finishing!). I want more idiosyncrasies of Edie and Tanner. Does she sing 80s pop in the shower? What music is stuck in her head? Does she have ANY other hobbies and interests?? Because I’ve got no idea. Same with tanner. Does he collect airplane figurines, was he a scout, etc! I think having these details would have us connect more with Edie since the rest of her life is just a little hard to relate to.

However, even if I had to push through, I’m glad I did. The romance is charming and gentle, and I think modern mystery novels sometimes spell out absolutely everything and do so much hand holding. This one was more like a true Agatha Christie where they want you to piece it together. Really had that ring to it (which is great!!!). Just more of a winding unfurling slow burn rather than a fast paced page-turner.

Can’t wait to see more from this author and get into the characters. I think the staff at the manor - and all the secret passageways - will make for some delightful digging.

[Entisar Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edie Westwood traded Manhattan for her dream job cataloging sartorial treasures in medieval Endsley Castle, and I loved her instantly, an obsessive fashion historian who dresses in century old styles and notices every stitch. When a tour guide died with cryptic last words, I was pulled right into the mystery alongside her. Her room was broken into, another murder shook the village of Newswick, and I devoured every clue as her encyclopedic knowledge of fabrics and her near forensic eye became her sharpest weapons. The attentive paramedic bodyguard added a charming, swoony touch. It reads like a Marple or Jessica Fletcher story with a delightfully nerdy twist, though the detailed fashion deep dives slowed the pace early on and the stakes took time to build. Still, it’s a witty, cozy page turner that kept me guessing right to the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a pretty fun read! I absolutely love when authors write about what they know and have characters who are truly passionate about something I wouldn't have thought of. In this case, it’s Edie’s love for fashion and history, and her descriptions of what she sees, whether antique furniture or others' sartorial choices, are full of detail. Granted, she is a bit odd, wearing historical clothing she created herself and even opting to incorporate archaic language. But I found it kind of charming? The mystery itself isn't too convoluted, and I ate up the castle-with-hidden-secrets setting.

It's apparently the first in a series, and I would absolutely pick up Alia Tawil's future books. Maybe the next one will explore why Tanner and Cameron are feuding? Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Cecilia Romano · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A castle, a mystery, and plenty of intrigue? Such a fun combination!

Murder at Endsley Castle was an entertaining read with the kind of mysterious atmosphere that makes you want to keep turning the pages. I love a good mystery that allows me to escape into a completely different setting, and the castle backdrop made this one especially appealing.

There is something about a mystery set in a grand, atmospheric location that adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy castle mysteries, suspense, and a story that keeps them curious about what might happen next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Catherine Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many murders are we talking about!?! I’ve never had so much fun with so many murdered characters!
Edie is whip smart and weird. I’m all in. There is a good amount of fluff and silliness but buried is depth and reminder of the human experience. This is a great book to escape with, but there is also personality and connection to give a little deeper read.
I love that we don’t solve all the mysteries (like holt and tanner), and that we are left to imagine some parts of Edie’s past and personality. Overall this was a fun mystery read.