Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

“The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage: A Fictional Playground with Frustrating Gaps”

Derek Landy’s The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage starts with an intriguing premise: the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones find themselves on a planet shaped by the fictional stories its visitors have experienced. The idea of a world mirroring childhood tales or made to look like a perfect copy of reality, much like The Land of Fiction or The Android Invasion, holds great potential. However, the story struggles to capitalise on its unique setting, leaving much of it unexplored.

The initial mystery—centered around a haunted cottage, strange lights, and smugglers—is abandoned midway through the story, giving way to a chase through various fictional landscapes. While this second half offers entertaining moments, with nods to Harry Potter, The Shining, Dracula, and more, the lack of a cohesive plot undermines the narrative. It feels more like a collection of references than a well-structured adventure.

Both the Doctor and Martha are written in an overly simplistic manner, reduced to surface-level traits and catchphrases. The depth and nuance that define their dynamic on-screen are sorely lacking. Similarly, the supporting characters’ conversations are repetitive, adding little to the plot and making the dialogue feel circular.

The alien antagonist, while conceptually interesting, is underdeveloped, leaving its motivations and backstory vague. Its creations, the Un-Men, are a fun concept but barely utilised, appearing only briefly and without much impact.

The story’s resolution, involving the Doctor trapping the alien inside the TARDIS to overwhelm it with infinite imagination, is clever in theory but lacks the build-up necessary for a satisfying conclusion.

📝Verdict: 4.82/10

While the concept of a world shaped by fiction offers a playground for creativity, The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage squanders much of its potential. The references to literary classics and childhood favourites provide fleeting fun, but the lack of depth in plot, characterisation, and worldbuilding makes this story feel more like a missed opportunity than a memorable adventure.