Zeb Wyckham does not like his family. The only reason he answered his uncle’s summons to the Wyckham’s grand country house is because, after losing his job, he couldn’t think of a good excuse to say no. If he’d known what was waiting for him at Lackaday House, Zeb would’ve tried a lot harder to find out a way to turn down the invitation. KJ Charles’s novel, All of Us Murderers, is a highly entertaining tale of madness, second chance love, and the possibility of redemption—but only if Zeb can survive a murderer.
Zeb is used to disappointing his family. His inability to stop fidgeting or concentrate on things that bore him get under his brother and cousin’s skin. (A few decades later, Zeb would almost certainly be diagnosed with ADHD.) Getting fired from every job he’s ever had definitely doesn’t help. The fact that he’s gay puts him beyond the pale. The snide comments and insults start almost immediately, though his Uncle Wynn seems willing to give Zeb a chance. Until Zeb finds out what Uncle Wynn is planning, he’s more likely to bolt because his ex-lover, Gideon Grey, is Wynn’s new secretary. Dealing with his relative’s scorn is second nature; dealing with Gideon’s hatred is almost more than he can bear, especially since it’s clear that Zeb still has feelings.
The atmosphere shifts from emotionally uncomfortable to sinister when Wynn announces that he has changed his will. Instead of letting Zeb’s snooty brother, Bram, inherit as planned, Wynn reveals a previously unknown cousin who needs to be taken care of. If one of the men invited to Lackaday—Zeb, Bram, cousin Dash, or cousin Hartley—marries Elise, they will inherit Lackaday House. Everyone except Hartley is appalled. (Hartley is an opportunistic shit.) Bram is furious. He’s out of the running because he’s already married. Zeb decides that he has to get out of Lackaday, buy Wynn refuses to have Zeb driven back to town. He’s trapped.
And that’s when people start dying.
It was a delight to follow the good-hearted Zeb as he untangled Gordian knots of misunderstanding and family secrets. Charles spins an incredible mystery, and I was absolutely charmed by Zeb and Gideon’s relationship. I am a sucker for soulmates finding their way through the bullshit that kept them apart. The only (very minor) quibble I have about All of Us Murderers is that the ending is rushed. Charles built things up to a fever pitch in the isolated Lackaday House and the monstrous Wyckhams, so much so that I thought it was a little too easy for Zeb and Gideon to finally break free.