A dark and stormy night, a locked-room mystery, an opera singer named Irene and and writer named Arthur are just some of the teasers in this new story arc.This felt slow to me compared to the last few volumes, and I probably should have taken a brief break between the last one and this one. It was also not as creepy and disturbing as the last story arc. As in previous story arcs, characters that were only briefly seen or met at the end of the last volume bring about the inciting incident that starts this story arc.The character development of the secondary characters in this volume felt weak. I'm used to the antagonists and secondary characters in this series having a stronger presence.It appears that Yana Toboso is having a bit of fun with the Penny Dreadful form and I look forward to see what the author has in store for us with this very obvious Holmes-inspired story.Oh, and I love the inverness cape and deerstalker that Ciel is donning on the inside cover flap. This arc was simply masterful!! I read it in one sitting through and through! By the time I finished it the sun had already risen, my eyes were swollen but I was one very gratified reader!! Toboso Yana sensei definitely brought her absolute best to this one. I felt like I was reading a great Victorian England murder mystery! Not to mention a very celebrated murder mystery writer cleverly made a cameo in this arc. Ohh, my Victorian England murder mystery loving self's muscles were tingling with excitement and anticipation as I went from page to page. All the trappings that a good murder mystery should have were not left out. The dinner party with an array of invited guests, a stormy night, the first mysterious murder and the rush to discover the murderer and why before the merciless killer claims another victim! Yet all of this was done without the usual trappings coming off as cliche or exhausted and while at the same time Ciel and Sebastian being the amazing duo that they ever are when they dive into a case. Not to forget the last and most important ingredient of a good murder mystery, THE TWIST! And boy wasn't it a twist!! Even I, who usually sees through some of the best twists, did not see that coming! By the time the arc ended my mind was so blown I had to take a minute. It was just so nicely neatly wrapped. The perfect end to a very cleverly coined, cheeky, creepy, gruesome and fun murder mystery within the dark yet hilarious manga that is Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). Hats off to you Toboso Yana sensei. It was an arc that would be hailed by the very best in both genres of manga and mystery writing.
What do You think about Black Butler, Vol. 9 (2012)?
Popular shonen manga series, has all the cliches but still very enjoyable.
—karla
