Trick or Treat Through 31 Days of Toy Terror: Mayor Manor from LEGO Icons: Midnight Valley Collection by LEGO

   Happy Halloween 2026! Ever since today's set was leaked this past summer, I knew it was going to be the October 31st review for Trick or Treat Through 31 Days of Toy Terror. While I don't collect LEGO as heavily as I do action figures, I do love them and pick up sets fairly often. Usually I prefer the modular buildings and such but I'm absolutely a sucker for the spooky stuff and today's review, Mayor Manor, is the beginning of a new annual series from LEGO that is essentially a Halloween village. LEGO has been releasing a winter/ Christmas village theme for quite a few years now and the Midnight Valley Collection is the spooky counterpart of that concept. This set was officially released on September 1st but a few retailers and independent toy stores got the set in early. I built mine over a couple evenings in September and I'm quite thrilled with how it turned out. Besides just being spooky, the concept of the Midnight Valley Collection also seems to be focused on builds with distorted and asymmetrical construction. Mayor Manor might just look like your classic rundown haunted house but it's actively being twisted apart by a tree growing up through the right side of the model. That's a pretty cool design decision and it makes the set far more interesting than it could have been. Mayor Manor isn't one of the modular buildings; it's simply a façade. It looks excellent, though, and should be easier to store on a shelf. 

   Rather than a standard review of the Positives and the Negatives, with building brick sets I'm trying to capture a little bit of what the building experience is like, giving you a glimpse of the set as it's being constructed about every 10 steps or so. I hope you enjoy that as I may be doing more brick building reviews on the site as I've been attracted to not many LEGO sets but also to some of the other companies putting out brick built sets like Lumibricks and Pantasy. Ready to dive inside the spooky Mayor Manor on this Halloween night? Then join me after the break...

The Facts:

Set Name: 11383 Mayor Manor

# of Pieces: 1,420 pieces plus manual

Figures Included: Mayor, Maid, Butler, and Suit of Armor

Non-Scalper Price: $120 dollars

The Butler:

* The first thing you do with this set is assemble the Butler. What does he do? Why he buttles, of course. The denizens of Mayor Manor, and I believe for Midnight Valley as a whole, are not intended to be monsters. Instead, they're just meant to be odd and somewhat strange. With glow in the dark faces, these strange citizens are perfectly suited for the perpetual midnight of Midnight Valley. The Butler looks somewhat austere and is dressed in a fancy tux while toting what might be a jade teapot on a silver tray. Classy!

* Be careful with that priceless heirloom! The reverse print for the Butler's head has a very worried face, as if he's about to spill the refreshments. 

* The back of the torso does have some printing, just showing off some white seams on the tuxedo piece. 

 

* Mayor Manor doesn't use a baseplate. Instead, the building stands alone with smaller plates positioned around the outside edges. The first part we're building is the center of the house. Part of the story of Mayor Manor is that the key to the city has gone missing. Well, it turns out that a rat has absconded with it, taking it to his layer. He even has a cheese wedge piece with printing on it to make it look like an actual wedge of cheese. The set came with two keys and two wedges, so you do get a few extra pieces of those desirable parts. 

* While there are multiple colors at the base (which will mostly be hidden soon enough), here you can see the main colors of the set: The olive green for the grass outside Mayor Manor, grey for the house, and brown for the wood elements and the tree growing up into the house. 

*  The set uses a lot of little parts to show the damaged and uneven surfaces. Take a look at the steps with uneven parts and a root growing up on the side. 

* Here's a closer look at the front steps and the base of the tree growing up into the house. There's also a little green flower piece which will be hidden. This set has lots of little flower buds in the building steps that are eventually hidden, perhaps reflecting how nature is running rampant inside of this structure. 

* The base floors inside are a tan color. The rat's nest gets covered up but the presence of jumper plates means that the floor panel is easily removable, even once the set is fully built. That's pretty cool; I just love knowing that the key to the city is hidden underneath there!

* The first floor is going to feature a cute little oval rug made from shades of purple and blue. Also notice that little white splotch on the floor? That's going to be some dribbled wax for a candle built later...

* The roaring fireplace is quite nicely designed with some ornate detail and multiple little clear orange pieces to simulate the look of flames. It's one of the best LEGO fireplaces I can recall. 

* Here's a shot of the exterior left with the chimney being built up. You can see the candle on the mantle (dripping on the floor) and an odd white flower piece in the chimney build which will be completely covered. 

* The front wall and more of the wall behind the hearth is starting to come together. There's also more detail on the crumbling steps.

* The large double doors on the front of Mayor Manor are entirely brick build rather than using pre-fabricated door pieces, giving them a very elegant and crafted appearance. Those brown ingot pieces and the gold door knobs really make for a classy look. 

* From the inside you can see the right side of the door frame and the insides of the floor. To attach the right side of the house at such an odd angle, ball socket pieces are used here. The balljoints themselves will be attached to other half and will connect the house securely together at an odd angle. That's definitely an uncommon LEGO technique. 

* Here's the right door, built and ready to be attached. With the use of nearly everything being brick built rather than using larger, preformed pieces, the set definitely takes more steps and more parts than the LEGO sets I remember from childhood. The detail is excellent, though, really differentiating the architecture from other sets. 

* The stained glass window on the left uses blue and yellow transparent 1x1 plates which are attached into a larger window/ door piece with a grated insert. It's a cool look, giving a glimpse at some of the manor's original charm. The windows have ornate decoration around the edges, too. 

* The top of the first story is coming together now with the tops of the stained glass window and the doorway now in place. There's also the wall of the right exterior which will hold the sets signature giant tree in place. 

* The tree is built in stages, too, with a multitude of uneven parts giving it a gnarled and aged appearance. 

* Now the tree is attached with branches and roots curving all around. There are also a few grayish green leaves and such growing on the old tree, adding a touch of beauty to the scene. 

* As we begin to build the right side of the house, the side that has been warped by the growth of the large tree, we are starting from a few small plates again. We'll build a large chunk of this side and then attach it to the main house. 

* Inside the foundation of the right side of the manor is another little white flour and a printed round acorn tile. That title will be completely covered, but an extra acorn is included with the set. Is this perhaps the remains of the acorn that this giant tree grew up from so long ago?

* The right side of the house came together pretty quickly. There's another stained glass window, some more flooring, and a portrait of the beloved manor cat looking not at all happy to be dressed in a ruff, a bow, and a small top hat. All of the images in this set are printed tiles rather than stickers, so that's a nice touch. 

You can also see the ball joints that will attach to the corresponding sockets on the main house. 

* Now the right side of the house is attached to the main structure and the exterior details for the first floor are largely completed, giving us a glimpse at how the house looks to be warped from the growth of the giant tree. 

The Mayor

* The Mayor is the second figure in the set and she's definitely my favorite minifigure included. Her outfit is really ornate with an interesting print and a large fur collar. I'm glad to finally have a figure with a fur collar as I've only seen this piece in my collection when it's used as a birds nest. Her ornate staff has a very fancy jewel at the end and her hair looks braided and tied up, giving her just a bit of a Bride of Frankenstein vibe going on. 

* The Mayor's head glows in the dark and she has two faceprints: One smiling and one looking a bit more stern, perhaps being a bit irritated by something going on in the manor or in the town of Midnight Valley.

* The Mayor also has a bit of backprinting, giving some more shape to her dress on the rear. 

* This luxurious chair is a neat little build that's its own little series of steps . There are quite a few pieces here in this small piece of furniture, though it does make it looks quite plush and cozy. 

* The chair can attach to the little rug in front of the fireplace, allowing the Mayor to sit down and relax from her duties of managing Midnight Valley. An extra leg pieces is included, allowing the Mayor to look as if she is sitting down. That's a clever solution to the problem of characters wearing dresses and robes not being able to sit!

* While the packaging doesn't advertise this as a minifigure, the suit of armor in the downstairs of Mayor Manor is indeed a minifigure. It's fully articulated and has chest armor, a helmet with plume, and a halberd made from a classic spear. There's no faceprint on the head, though. 

* The downstairs is pretty situated now with two stained glass windows, a portrait of the cat, the suit of armor, a table with two chairs, the luxurious red chair, a small end table with a beverage, the rug, the fireplace, a portrait of the Mayor holding the now missing key to the city, and a dripping candle. I'm surprised the floor doesn't have more tile, leaving so many exposed studs, though perhaps that's bias on my part due to being more familiar with the modular sets. 

* Now we're starting to work on the second floor. The basic floor build is constructed separately before being attached. 

* Both the main floor and the floor on the damaged right side of the building are attached here, along with continued work on the chimney and the bases of the second floor window exteriors. 

* The left side gets more attention now. The second floor windows on the sides aren't as ornate as the first floor windows although they do have some nice exterior designs. Some various plants and weeds have also taken root in the yard, most significantly a gorgeous pumpkin. 

* Here's more of the second floor exterior windows, particularly that center window coming together. I thought this might be a balcony here but, no it's a large window made from a few smaller pieces. Currently, only the bottom two pieces are there, but that will soon change. 

* Flipping the set around so the inside is visible, we can now see the second floor coming to life. There's a writing desk with a candle, a quill and inkwell, a sketch of Mayor Manor itself, and a tile that shows off various weird designs (a piece reused from the Harry Potter spell books). The lovable orange cat is also here, complete with a fishbone. There's also an interesting effect under the desk: A cup tipped over with some sort of green liquid spilling out. Maybe the cat knocked the goblet over?

* The bookshelf is quite nice. I love LEGO bookshelves and I think I could build them all day. Quite a few nice colors are included and a variety of pieces are included to give the books some variety. You can also see the two swords hanging on the interior sides of the second floor central window. 

* Here's a look from the left side, showing the completed window on that side and more of the chimney. Ingot pieces are used in different places to give the chimney a bit more visual character, keeping it from looking all the same. 

* This shot from the center shows more of the window, including one of my favorite features. Check out the columns to the right of the central window: One has been cracked and bowed in by the tree. The tree is still being built, sure, but we're still seeing the effects of it here. 

The Maid

* Now we have the third features minifigure: The Maid! She's wearing a nice, rather charming maid's outfit complete with a skirt piece and a feather duster. I think the feather duster was originally some sort of sea anemone from one of the underwater themes but I've seen it used for various flowers and even space themes. This is a pretty neat reuse for it, too. 

* The Maid has back printing that shows off the ties on her apron. 

* Both of the Maid's facial expressions on her glow in the dark head are rather pleasant. The first shows her giving a little smile while this one looks more pleased, perhaps even blushing a bit. 

* Now the center window on the second floor is largely complete with a small, decorative railing and lots of stonework all along the sides. 

* The most damage from the tree is apparent on the right side of the second floor, so there's a lot of detail in building up the uneven second floor here. Lots of little pieces are used to show how the growth of the tree is causing this section of the house to split apart from the main body. Lots of little slopes and root pieces are jutting out everywhere, giving the room there an uneven base to settle down on. 

* From the inside you can see the break in the floor. There's also a nicely rendered grandfather clock with a printed face that is set to midnight (something I believe all sets in this collection will feature) and a fancy candelabra on a little cupboard or shelf. 

* The second floor right side window is a little separate build that you build, then attach. It's similar to the left side window, though there are a few little differences such as the use of ingots for the base of the masonry around the window. 

* The top right window attaches on, looking like it's just a good gust of wind away from blowing out into the yard of Mayor Manor. The slope pieces on the sides also give the structure a cracked look, even allowing you to peer inside.

* The roof isn't just crooked but also damaged from years of weather and neglect. The roof panels feature missing shingles, tree limbs twisting through at odd angles, and unusual angles. 

* Here's the chimney completed. It's also uneven thanks to a simple hinge brick. 

* More of the roof is assembled here on the left and right sides, showing more of how the tree limbs have cracked through the top of the building, even flowering in places. The blue leaves on the tree really add a nice pop of color to the set while still retaining the gloomy, gothic atmosphere. 

* There were some empty spots for Technic pins on the front of the set; now you can see that those are for the attachment of larger limbs coming right out of the walls of Mayor Manor. 

* Here's a look from the front to show the tree head on as well as the Midnight Valley crest over the second floor main window. The roof base for the central turret is also being worked on here.

* Here's the turret, completed. There are some simple decorations on the turret and a little bat hanging in the belfry. 

* Now there's a little gargoyle added and the rest of the tree limbs attached to the massive tree showing this thing basically devouring the manor. If you've ever been impressed by the beauty of LEGO's Botanicals theme but you're not that interested in just having plants around, this is a cool set to scratch that itch while also having a structure to build. 

Front View

* Here's a look at the completed Mayor Manor set from the front. This is such a fun and unusual build and I really am excited to see how future sets accomplish buildings with asymmetrical, uneven builds. I also really like the way this set balances a gothic theme while not going overboard with overt crazy stuff. 

Left Side View:





 * Here's a long shot from the side that shows the uneven chimney from the base of the manor up to the roof. 

Right Side View:




* The right side is fairly plain. You do have the large root coming out from underneath the foundation but the exterior wall is pretty bland. 

Rear View:

* Lastly, here's a shot of the rear. While this isn't like a modular set with details like a bathroom or stairs to get to the top floor, the set still makes for a neat little display with lots of fun stories and details hinted at. Besides the damage to the second floor, this seems like a cozy place. A bit odd, sure, but not like a horrifying haunted house or anything. Just offbeat and kooky. 

   This is quite a good set. It's a neat theme that I'm really excited to see grow over the years and it scratches one of my LEGO itches: Spooky stuff. I love the design of the set, especially the exterior, and the unique concept. The figures are solid, the interior is fun, and overall the value is pretty solid. I would have liked to have seen a few more details inside like tiled floors and perhaps a staircase and maybe a couple more extras in the front like a small gate or a few more pumpkins, but it's hard to be too disappointed after how unique this set feels. It's a Great set and a really impressive first installment in Midnight Valley. I hope you enjoyed a look at this spooky manor and I want to personally thank you for making a stop here at Action Figure Barbecue's 31 Days of Toy Terror a part of your Halloween festivities. It's a real pleasure and a joy to be able to do this every year and I hope this year didn't disappoint. Have fun, get lots of candy, watch a spooky movie, and have a very Happy Halloween!