It’s a whodunit from creator Mike Mignola. It’s The House of Lost Horizons, a Sarah Jewell Mystery, from Dark Horse.
The first of five issues in this mini-series starts off, not with a bang exactly, but with a small boat arriving at the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington state, in February 1926. It is a dark and stormy night. Marie-Thérèse and Sarah Jewell are visiting their friend Lilian. But wait, Lilian’s mansion is full of guests, and her lawyer has just been found dead!! And the phone lines are down from the storm!!
In this initial issue of this, Sarah’s own series, the houseguests, assembled for an auction of occult items, are all suspicious characters. Not the cosiest of stays when people keep dying, and more bickering emerges from the peanut gallery.
The script from Chris Roberson is well-paced, and plays with the familiar unfolding of ‘drawing room’ mysteries. Was it Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with a wrench? Roberson’s cast of auction attendees is a fun one; people with attitudes, with poker chips on their shoulders, unkind words to share, secrets to smother.
Leila del Luca illustrates the issue in a suitably clean line drawing style, with excellent views of the mansion, les accoutrements of society, the wardrobes, poses, and surroundings. Michelle Madsen is on colours, with letters by Clem Robins.
A wonderful alternative to add to your pull list!
Dark Horse, The House of Lost Horizons #1 (of 5), $3.99 for 22 pages of content.
Anthony Andujar Jr. 
Newsdesk