Everything a debut novel should be and then some.The voice is completely assured from page one — you never feel the author finding their footing, which is rare in a first novel. Moira's narration is sharp and specific and genuinely funny without ever being smug, and the supporting cast is rich enough that I could see every single person in the village clearly. Isla is a particular delight — the gossipy best friend who turns out to be genuinely indispensable. The mystery structure is satisfying and fair, which I always appreciate. Everything you need to solve it is there if you're paying attention. I was not paying enough attention. I will be next time.

"Give Him Back His Name — and Give Me More Books" - I finished this at 2am and immediately went back to re-read the first chapter because I wasn't ready to leave Killrannoch. The cold case at the heart of Book 3 — a Victorian servant named Alexander McRae, erased from the official record by people who had the power to do exactly that — is the most emotionally resonant mystery K.D. Brinegar has written yet. Moira's archival detective work, following the gaps in old ledgers the way she follows the shape of a missing object, is riveting. The line "the thing that was removed leaves the shape of itself behind" stopped me cold. This series just keeps getting better.