Review: The Undead Complex: An Undetectables Mystery by Courtney Smyth

Spoilers: None
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format Read: Print
Disclosure: None (purchased by me)
Rating: 4.25★ / 5

If you’re in the mood for an occult mystery set around a TV production in a creaking old mansion, complete with a matching doll’s house, you’ll have a great time with this.

Five months after their first case, the Undetectables (Diana, Mallory, Cornelia) are drawn into a new investigation: a murder in which the supposed victim turns up alive… and is an ex‑girlfriend of one of them.

In my review of the first book, The Undetectables, I mentioned that Smyth tried to pack a lot into that debut. Now that everything is established, the narrative moves with far more confidence. Smyth dives straight into the mystery-solving, and the pacing feels smoother. She’s created a lovely set of supporting characters, including an actress whom I can see as an homage to Fenella Fielding.

The trade‑off is that, because the plot keeps moving and keeps confounding Diana, Mallory, and Cornelia, it can feel as if we don’t get to hang out with them in the same way as we did in the first book. 

That said, there are some very emotional moments (on pages 399 and 507), and it’s structurally more assured.

If you enjoyed the first book and want more time with Diana, Mallory, Cornelia, and Theodore, I heartily recommend this. Alternatively, if the idea of an occult detective agency run by three friends — with some not-so-subtle yearning — appeals to you, start with the first book to get to know the characters and the background to their current situation, including why Diana can’t hear anything and why Theodore is acting strangely.

The third book, The Unfathomable Curse, is already out, and the final mystery, The Unsolvable Case, will be out in September.

Note: I rate on a four-tier scale: Loved (4.5–5★), Liked (3.75–4.25★), Mixed (2.75–3.5★), and Not for me (1–2.5★).