Quite a few of KJ Charles’ historical romances have a mystery subplot, but Death in the Spires is her first historical mystery ‘proper’. She’s taken pains to make sure readers know what to expect – that this novel is, first and foremost, a mystery and not a romance – so I’m echoing that here for anyone who hasn’t seen the disclaimers. There is a romantic sub-plot running through the story, but there’s no HEA (although there’s the tentative suggestion that there could be one somewhere down the line) and while it’s an important plot point, it’s not the main focus.

Our protagonist is Jeremy – Jem – Kite, a young working-class man from the Midlands who, in 1892, gains a scholarship to study mathematics at Oxford. On his very first day, he’s sought out by Toby Feynsham, the handsome, charming and generous – though spoiled – heir-apparent to a marquess, and the centre of a group of friends that becomes known as the Seven Wonders.

At that first meeting, Toby is clear about wanting to “collect the interesting people” rather than just “mingle with all the men one went to school with” and at first, Jem can’t quite believe his good fortune in being welcomed into such a bright, witty and popular group of people. There’s Toby’s brilliant, fierce twin sister, Ella, and her quiet yet determined roommate, Prue, who are both studying at the women’s college; Toby’s childhood friend, the louche and waspish Nicholas Rook, whose unrequited love for him is common knowledge (although is never spoken of); Aaron Oyede – the only Black student at the college, whose upper-class background does nothing to protect him from discrimination; and the supremely likeable Hugo Morely-Adams, whose principal defining characterisic is his ambition. Becoming friends with all of them and being known as one of the Seven Wonders is like a dream come true, and Jem’s three years at Oxford pass in a glorious whirl of academic success, sporting glory and wonderful friendship – until the fateful night just before Finals when everything falls apart and Toby is killed. The murder and events leading up to it have a profound effect on Jem, and he never really recovers from the shock, his once bright future crumbling into dust when he fails his exams.

The novel opens in 1905 when Jem, tired, downtrodden and just about making ends meet, arrives at his dreary office job one morning to discover that his boss has received a letter containing three lines:

Jeremy Kite is a murderer.

He killed Toby Feynsham.

Ask him why.

It’s been a while since the unsolved murder of Toby Feynsham has garnered Jem any attention, and although it’s not the only malicious letter about it he’s received over the years, this is the first one that has not been addressed to him directly. His boss is not impressed, either by the letter or by Jem’s reaction to it, and Jem decides to resign before he can be sacked. Badly disillusioned and fed up to the back teeth with the suspicion and rumour that continue to dog him, even so many years later, Jem realises there’s only one way he’s ever going to be able to shake the shadows of the past and forge a better future for himself. It’s time to find out what really happened on the night of Toby’s death – and which of their group killed him.

Death in the Spires is a compelling, twisty and atmospheric story featuring an interesting cast of characters and into which the author effortlessly interweaves bigger, topical themes of women’s agency and bodily autonomy, racism, homophobia and social inequality. The pacing is brisk, the prose crisp and insightful. The wit and humour that generally characterise the author’s work are a bit thin on the ground here – which is an observation rather than a criticism – but as usual, she creates a fantastic sense of time and place, skilfully contrasting Jem’s time amid the dreaming spires – where optimism reigns and everything is a new adventure – with the sadness and melancholy of his present, where it’s almost always foggy, rainy and cold. Most of the story is set in Jem’s present day – 1905 – but there are some well-placed chapters that detail the key events from his time at Oxford, and the structure works extremely well, the flashbacks offering greater insight into the complex dynamics of the friendship group and helping to build an encroaching sense of disquiet.

Unlike some murder-mysteries where the characters take a bit of a backseat to the intellectual exercise of uncovering clues and theorising about the crime, those in Death in the Spires are pivotal and their interactions and strongly-crafted relationships are what give the story its emotional heft. Each of them is well-drawn and intriguing, and they have all been badly affected by Toby’s death – but they have secrets to keep, and none of them is pleased to learn of Jem’s determination to get to the truth. So while this is a whodunnit and Jem does find out who killed Toby (not without some risk to life and limb along the way), the resolution is about so much more than that. Jem and the others have been living with the consequences of the murder for a decade and only one of them seems to have been able to move past it; for the rest, it’s been ten years of suspicion and gossip and looking over their shoulders, so for them, it’s as much about finding hope for the future and a way forward as it is about uncovering the truth. And even then, the truth is not black and white and they – and we – are faced with the sorts of complicated questions about truth and justice and forgiveness that will resonate with anyone familiar with the author’s work.

Death in the Spires is a gripping murder mystery, and while the plot is complex, it’s neither difficult to follow nor explained to death. Jem – quiet, stubborn, broken but loveable Jem – is a wonderfully engaging protagonist, and one of my favourite parts of the story was watching him gradually finding himself again after ten years of drudgery and trying to fade into the background. This might not be genre romance, but different aspects of love – romantic, familal and platonic – are strongly woven into the story alongside themes of friendship, regret and healing, and we’re left with a sense of optimism for Jem and his friends.

KJ Charles has clearly found another niche, and I’d happily read more historical mysteries from her – although I’m grateful that she’s said she doesn’t intend to abandon historical romance any time soon. But while we wait for the next one of those, Death in the Spires is utterly captivating and a splendid way to get your KJC fix.