In the Hall with the Knife - Review

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Genre:  Young Adult / Mystery

Format: Hardback

Pages: 298

I was really excited about this book when it first came out last year because Clue is not only one of my favorite movies, but also my favorite board game. And, honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. Luckily I seem to have broken my rut in books letting me down because In the Hall with the Knife really didn't disappoint. It was fun a read that I just devoured over the last two days. No, this book isn't a thinker that keeps you guessing, but it stayed true to all the bits I loved about the movie.

The book starts us off at a remote boarding school, Blackbrook Academy at the end of the winter semester. A big storm isolates our main characters into the Tudor House, the part of the campus built on a hill. I thought the author did a wonderful job with the setting of the school, you get that sort of classic boarding school vibe. I like that the winter weather added a bit of extra drama to the story, especially once the murder happens.

Because of course, the killer has to in the house, it's Clue after all. 

As for the mystery aspect, there is a lot going with this plot that goes far past just the murder of the Headmaster. There is of course the mystery surrounding Orchid Mckee, which still isn't completely solved. While you kind of piece her story together I still have questions on that front. Peterfreund does bring in one of my favorite troupes the "evil twin". I really liked her take on the good twin, bad twin story, and I'm eager to see how their story plays out in the next book. 

The murder itself I will say I spent most of the book assuming it was one character just from how we are introduced to that character. But, then we start to learn more about Tudor House when it was a reform school. Which is when I started learning another way. I know a few were disappointed by the reveal, but personally, I felt it was very in the vein of the movie. I didn't feel like it needs some grand moment. I'm honestly good at the way the author did the wrap-up.

I totally still have questions about a lot of things, but none of them are about the murder of the Headmaster. 

One of the reasons this book is so easy to read is that the characters are fun. Blackbrook is your typical high school setting, but with genius making up the hierarchy. There honestly wasn't one of the main characters that I didn't enjoy. I really liked that each chapter was done from a different POV. In fact, it's one of my favorite things authors do with an ensemble cast. I feel like you get to know them a little better then you see the story unfold from their eyes, and it keeps the plot from running to stale. You get invested in their side stories and it's High School so everyone is hiding something, and of course, all of them are more than the face they put forward.

The plot moved a quick pace and never really lagged at any point. This is one of the reasons it was easy to read. I kept wondering how much we would get to find out about Orchid. What happened with Finn and Peacock? Was something going to happen between Mustard and Finn? It made it easy to read and lose time until I realized five hours had passed.

And, of course, we the classic line at the end.

So yeah, I really fun summer read that I'm glad I decided to snag from my local library. I'm super excited or the next book in the series, In the Study with the Wrench.

Buy, Borrow, Skip: I say either buy or borrow. This one a fun book, and I could myself reading it again. 

HAPPY READING!!