2.5 stars. There is an omnipresent presence in this book that is very annoying. It tells you to observe the characters and reveals things about them rather than allowing the characters and their actions to do this.

Spoiler

The author does not provide the opportunity for us to solve the mystery or at least make guesses.
I figured out the murderer almost at once; however, their reason for killing the victim was thrown at us in the big reveal at the end.