Book Review: You’ve Been Summoned

Reviewed by Kristine Eckart

An immersive mystery that keeps you on your toes

Lindsey Lamar creates a one-of-a-kind journey with You’ve Been Summoned. Combining a modern-day mystery with an unsolved case from the 1940s, this book establishes a glamorous but secretive atmosphere and storyline to delight the likes of a millennial Agatha Christie.

You’ve Been Summoned revolves around two sets of sisters. Jane and Sillian Parks, the present-day set of twins, are at the center of an eerie visit to Sophomore Manor with their circle of friends. However, as arguments arise between the visitors and a man with an axe makes a startling appearance, the event turns from a costume party to an unsettling stay at a mansion with a past. 

To make matters worse, Sillian goes missing and Jane’s twin senses are telling her that her sister is in danger. Will Jane be able to save Sillian from a terrible fate? And why did Sillian insist on having her party at Sophomore Manor?

“They were the architects of their fate. The captains of their own world.” 

Mary and Macie Sophomore, Hollywood’s darling twins from the 1940s, are focused on their careers. When teaming up with jazz icons Josh and James to gain publicity brings attention to the rising stars, the couples decide to get married and make this business arrangement permanent. But when their honeymoon period turns into a horror story, will Mary and Macie be able to escape?

“Our childhoods had finally arrived, just a few decades late. That made everything almost worthwhile.” 

Using diary entries from Mary Sophomore and a verbal account from Jane Parks, the novel transitions back and forth between the present day and the 1940s. The story of Mary and Macy resembles the story of Jane and Sillian enough for the reader to form theories on their connection but not in a way that would give away the ending or be too redundant. It also brings a sense of old Hollywood glamor to the present-day action in a wonderful nod to the iconic Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

The creative details are what truly shine. Everything from the list of liars and the list of case files that replace a traditional table of contents to the newspaper clippings to the character drawings, letters, and diagrams all serve as evidence to create an immersive and interactive experience for the reader. Complete with ink splotches, different handwriting, and torn pages, the reader is offered a variety of puzzle pieces to put together to solve the intriguing mystery. It will make you feel like you’re at a murder mystery party.

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