Sharna Jackson, Mic Drop (A High Rise Mystery #2), Knights Of, January 2024, 352 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781913311032
Mic Drop is another mystery with sleuth sisters Nik and Norva that will go down well with readers who love the drama and humour of Only Murders in the Building. This time, Nik and Norva are on the scene when something goes horribly wrong while rising singing star, TrojKat, is filming the video for her new song on the roof of the Tri high-rise council estate building. TrojKat plummets to her death, and the tragic accident may not have been as accidental as all that.
As Nik and Norva work to uncover the truth, they start to realise that there was a whole roof-full of suspects watching as TrojKat gave her final performance.
Norva’s larger than life personality and willingness to go where angels fear to tread in search of answers is balanced with Nik’s determination to stick to the facts as an investigator, and her eye for details.
Like High-Rise Mystery, Mic Drop opens with the murder itself, and Nik’s description of finding the body. Reading the first few pages, however, should tell if this book is going to be too much for readers to handle or not; it doesn’t get more graphic than those pages.
Unlike the first book in the series, Mic Drop falters a little on the mystery front. When whodunnit is finally revealed, the trail of clues and red herrings could equally have swung to point the finger at any number of suspects. What the story lacks in mystery-craft, however, it makes up in drama and a riveting story of personalities.
The Tri high-rise building, and the community of people who live there, are a vivid part of the storytelling, and once again the social issues surrounding the council estate community play a part in Nik and Norva’s investigations.
Readers from 11 to 13 who love plenty of drama are going to enjoy this one, and there’s plenty of scope for more mysteries in the vibrant community of The Tri.
Reviewed by Emily Clarke
