*No Spoilers Ahead*
Death, roommates and blank reign in Gabriel Romaguera’s dark comedy Murder at Crimson Manor. The novel follows the life of a 19 year-old named Lexi who has just moved into new housing for the coming college year. She finds herself in a creepy, old house with three (technically four) roommates: Marc, a Puerto Rican introvert; Olivia and her sometimes live-in boyfriend, Narvan; and Jen, the loudest person Lexi has ever met. As time passes, tension between the roomates escalates to a point of no return and an unexpected death joins them together more than a 3am study sessions ever could.
Source: Amazon
Murder at Crimson Manor is hilariously dark, maybe even to a point of discomfort. I’m sure we’ve all been told that judging a book by its cover is wrong but seeing this novel’s cover immediately drew me to it. I am a pretty big fan of murder mystery/suspense type literature and this seemed right up my alley.
The author’s word choice and general tone of the novel creates an eerie atmosphere while at the same time developing a relatable environment that makes the reader feel as if the story could be about them. A bit more character development may have added more depth to the story but considering the length and general chain of events, the amount provided may have been just enough and didn’t take anything away from the story’s development and/or plot. I really enjoyed Marc’s character and his general aspect; his manner of speaking, his vocabulary and his constant use of pajamas. All in all, Murder at Crimson Manor is a very entertaining and light read with fun and relatable characters that will leave you unable to put down the book.
Dr. Gabriel Romaguera is a professor at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus. He also serves as counselor for the Popular Culture Student Association (PCSA).
If you would like to know more about the novel, a book presentation of Murder at Crimson Manor will occur February 21st at 10:30am at CH-326!
Source: Facebook
You can purchase the book here!