Worse than the Others by Mackenzie Reed

Ames is an aspiring true crime YouTuber, so when she receives an anonymous invitation to a party at the infamous Haven Hotel, she can’t resist going. Because a girl died under suspicious circumstances at the hotel last summer, and this is Ames’s chance to find out what happened.

When she arrives, she finds that the other party guests are a group of friends from the nearby arts high school, and that none of them know who invited them to this party either. But within moments, one of their group is dead.

It’s soon made clear that there’s no way out of the Haven Hotel, not unless the secrets that the friends are hiding are exposed. It’s up to Ames to lead the investigation to find out which of the guests is worse than the others.

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PRE-READING

I'd enjoyed Mackenzie Reed's previous books well enough, but I'd found them a little lore-heavy, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this one. An invitation to a party at an infamous hotel, a group of teenagers with secrets, and a suspicious death sounded promising, but would I get caught up in the story?

POST-READING

Well, yes. Very much so. I was a third of the way through before I even looked up!

I think one of the things that works particularly well is that Ames is learning about the other guests and their secrets at the same time as we are. There's no sense that we're being expected to understand mysterious references or piece together a complicated backstory before the story has properly begun. We're investigating alongside her.

I did spot one twist coming, and I wasn't entirely surprised by another, but I read a lot of thrillers and I think this one strikes a really good balance between giving readers clues they can pick up on and actually telling us enough to understand what's happening. A mystery needs to give you something to work with, after all!

It's well paced, active and fun, with a cast of suspicious people and a hotel full of secrets. I'm highly recommending this one. My only real complaint? THERE IS NO MAP. I would very much like to know the layout of this hotel. How are we supposed to investigate properly?

RECOMMENDATIONS

If you enjoy this sort of twisty mystery, try Circle of Liars by Kate Francis. For something to watch, The Afterparty has a similarly enjoyable mix of murder, secrets and people who may not be quite what they seem.

MUSIC PAIRING

“I'll Be Watching You” — The Police. Because when everyone has something to hide, you can be fairly sure someone is keeping an eye on everyone else.

VIBE CHECK

• Colour palette: Midnight blue, deep burgundy, hotel-gold and the occasional flash of blood red.

• Soundtrack: Rain against windows, footsteps in empty corridors, a door closing somewhere out of sight.

• Season: A cold, dark winter evening.

• Mood: Suspicious, curious, tense and thoroughly entertained.

• Scent: Old carpets, polished wood and the faint smell of something expensive trying to disguise something unpleasant.

• Texture: Heavy curtains, cold door handles, smooth hotel furniture and the uncomfortable feeling that you really shouldn't be here.

TAROT CARD PULLED — THE HIGH PRIESTESS

The High Priestess is associated with secrets, hidden knowledge and the search for truths that haven't yet been revealed. She's a particularly good fit for a story in which everyone has something to hide and Ames must work out what really happened.

There's a difference between a mystery that keeps you guessing and one that leaves you wondering whether you've missed an entire conversation. The High Priestess knows there are things still to uncover, but she's also confident that the answers are there if you know where to look.

Worse Than the Others publishes on 9 February 2027. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.