A Midnight Puzzle
Book 3 of the Secret Staircase Mysteries - available now!
Sleuth Tempest Raj returns in A Midnight Puzzle, where an old theater reveals a deadly booby trap, family secrets, and one puzzle of a mystery.
Secret Staircase Construction is under attack, and Tempest Raj feels helpless. After former client Julian Rhodes tried to kill his wife, he blamed her "accident" on the home renovation company’s craftsmanship. Now the family business—known for bringing magic into homes through hidden doors, floating staircases, and architectural puzzle walls—is at a breaking point. No amount of Scottish and Indian meals from her grandfather can distract Tempest from the truth: they’re being framed.
When Tempest receives an urgent midnight phone call from Julian, she decides to meet him at the historic Whispering Creek Theater—only to find his dead body, a sword through his chest. After a blade appears from thin air to claim another victim, Tempest is certain they’re dealing with a booby trap… something Secret Staircase Construction could easily build. Tempest refuses to wait for the investigation to turn to her or her loved ones. She knows the pieces of the puzzle are right in front of her, she just has to put them together correctly before more disaster strikes.
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Hardcover: Books-A-Million | Target
““Pandian triumphs again with her excellent third whodunit featuring magician-turned-sleuth Tempest Raj [and] continues to channel golden age masters including John Dickson Carr and Clayton Rawson with this fiendishly clever, intricately constructed whodunit. It’s another home run from a major talent.” ”
OTHER Praise for A Midnight Puzzle
"Another fabulous locked room mystery from Gigi Pandian, who’s ably channeled the diabolical puzzles of John Dickson Carr mysteries into her own quirky style."—CrimeReads, “The Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2024”
“This locked-room mystery is a fun read for cozy fans.”—Library Journal
"Be warned, this book will have you turning pages well past midnight."–Vivien Chien
"[A] uniquely fascinating world." –Donna Andrews
"A Midnight Puzzle has troublesome relationships, family secrets and—of course!—a bamboozling impossible crime.” –Catriona McPherson
"The best in modern locked room mysteries. The mysteries are excellent, the clueing superb, and the characters engaging. A wonderful combination of Golden Age mystifying with modern storytelling." —Douglas G. Greene, John Dickson Carr biographer and mystery historian
“The pacing and writing elevate A Midnight Puzzle to a must-read…” –firstCLUE
“Pandian freshens the many classic tropes she employs with her use of young, interesting and diverse characters… utterly charming.” — Robin Agnew, Aunt Agatha’s
