Last Case at a Baggage Auction was an incredibly fun, suspenseful read that genuinely kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I love stories about haunted, possessed, or otherwise cursed objects, so I was immediately intrigued by the concept of this terrifying gramophone and its addictive music, but I wouldn't have guessed at the unique direction Eric took this in! I won't spoil anything, of course, but the reveal as to what exactly was wrong with these records fascinated me, and I loved the fantastical, eerie journey that Charlie, our narrator, sets out on.

I don't get to read a lot of historical fiction set in the mid-1900s, but I really enjoyed the setting and some of the little details that were thrown in to really give it that 50s/60s atmosphere. The characters are complex and most of them tend to be likable without meaning to be; they're flawed folks, for sure, but they're relatable, too. Gail, Charlie's girlfriend, was easily my favorite character and quite the unsuspecting heroine, though I have to say, I also had a big soft spot for Vic, the elderly Hungarian man who runs the local indie bookshop Charlie frequents. (What can I say? I'm a sucker for old booksellers!)

All of that aside, Last Case was just one hell of a fun, engaging read. I flew through it but still left feeling perfectly satisfied with the way everything wrapped up despite what an involved story Eric managed to fit into this short number of pages, and I can't wait to read more from this author. I highly recommend this story to anyone else who also loves the "cursed object" trope, and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!