The Great Hotel Murder

“This twisty whodunit from Starrett, best known for his writings about Sherlock Holmes, stars an eccentric amateur sleuth.” —Publishers Weekly When a New York banker is discovered dead from an apparent morphine overdose in a Chicago hotel, the circumstances surrounding his untimely end are suspicious to say the least. The dead man had switched rooms the night before with a stranger he met and drank with in the hotel bar. And before that, he’d registered under a fake name at the hotel, told his drinking companion a fake story about his visit to the Windy City, and seemingly made no effort to contact the actress, performing in a local show, to whom he was married. All of which is more than enough to raise eyebrows among those who discovered the body. Enter theatre critic and amateur sleuth Riley Blackwood, a friend of the hotel’s owner, who endeavors to untangle this puzzling tale as discreetly as possible. But when another detective working the case, whose patron is unknown, is thrown from a yacht deck during a party by an equally unknown assailant, the investigation makes a splash among Chicago society. And then several of the possible suspects skip town, leaving Blackwood struggling to determine their guilt or innocence―and their whereabouts. Reissued for the first time in over eighty years, The Great Hotel Murder is a devilishly complex whodunnit with a classical aristocratic setting, sure to please Golden Age mystery fans of all stripes. In 1935, the story was adapted for a film of the same name. “An ingenious plot with enough complications to keep the reader guessing . . . The Great Hotel Murder makes good reading.” —The New York Times

A hotel clerk prone to panic attacks turns amateur detective in this elegant and atmospheric murder mystery. If you want to spend a night amid the luxury and charm of the early 20th century, book a room at Hotel 1911. You'll find 28-year-old Ivy Nichols behind the reception desk. The hotel is Ivy's only link to the family that abandoned her when she was a small child. Now, plagued by panic attacks, she pedals her sea-green Schwinn bicycle to work every evening, hoping desperately to hold on to her job. When wealthy, imperious Ms. Swain arrives at the hotel and belittles Ivy, the young woman seeks consolation in the welcoming kitchen of George, the hotel's chef. Despite her tormentor's barbs, she dutifully informs George that Ms. Swain has a deadly allergy to shellfish. So when Ms. Swain collapses at dinner and dies, the police suspect that the chef made a tragic, inexcusable error. Desperate to save George's career, Ivy sets out sleuthing. She learns that numerous people in and around the hotel had motives to contaminate Ms. Swain's plate. Among them are Jeffrey Swain, the victim's son and heir; painter Rose Jewett; and British expat Hemal Sandeep. Even after the police find traces of shellfish in George's kitchen, Ivy is determined to clear her friend's name. But the stress of the investigation, in a hotel filled with suspects, threatens to precipitate another terrifying panic attack...or something more deadly.

A 1920s cruise ship is bound for murder in this cozy mystery by the author of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. Novelist Dunsten Mollock has no intention of going on a cruise just yet. He has come to the pier simply to see off his sister and brother-in-law, who are about to embark on a transatlantic cruiser for a European honeymoon. But when Mollock forgets to give his sister a copy of his new book, he finds himself accidentally bound for Europe. But that’s not the only surprise. Only two days after departing New York, a beautiful countess is discovered strangled in her cabin. Fortunately, Mollock’s friend Walter Ghost is on board. The astute scientist, explorer, and former intelligence officer always appreciates a good puzzle. He just needs to solve this one quickly and find the killer before someone else gets scratched off the passenger list . .

An atmospheric, entertaining new mystery series introducing a plucky Canadian heroine and set in the world’s most famous hotel. It’s 1968. London is in full swing and the Savoy Hotel is at the height of its legendary glitz and glamour, welcoming the rich, famous and aristocratic into its rarified world of perfection. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are squabbling in the American Bar while Noël Coward drinks champagne. Royals wait upstairs in luxurious suites for discreet encounters. In short, all is as it should be at the Savoy. If only it weren’t for the dead body in Room 705. Could it be murder at the Savoy? Impossible! Who could have done such a thing? Suspicion falls upon Priscilla Tempest, the quick-witted Canadian head of the Savoy press office who has a penchant for champagne, the wrong sort of men—and trouble. When it is discovered that Priscilla had been with the deceased—a notorious international arms dealer—the night before he was found dead, she is questioned by Scotland Yard Inspector Robert “Charger” Lightfoot and is suddenly under the unforgiving eye of her boss, the Savoy’s straitlaced general manager, Clive Banville. Her job on the line, her life in danger, Priscilla must elude the police and the general manager’s duplicitous wife, ward off the amorous advances of a famous drunken actor, and discover whether that really was a member of the royal family seen leaving the victim’s suite shortly before his body was discovered. Death at the Savoy is an intoxicating blend of mystery, suspense and humour. And it’s just the beginning!

In this star-studded sequel to Murder at the Universe, Daniel Edward Craig pokes good-humored fun at the celebrity-crazed Los Angeles culture. Dedicated hotelier Trevor Lambert takes a job at Hotel Cinema, a multi-million dollar rejuvenation of an Old Hollywood motor inn. It's a fabulous opening party until Tinseltown's hottest star, Chelsea Fricks, takes a fatal dive from her penthouse balcony. Was it a reckless publicity stunt or did fame drive her to suicide? Chelsea's stab wounds tell another story. Suddenly Hotel Cinema is the setting of a hilarious Hollywood murder mystery, starring Chelsea's former pit bull publicist; a star-struck detective; tasteless tabloid reporters; and Trevor's incompetent boss, who breaks every rule in the hotel handbook. Cristal champagne is flowing. Business is booming. But when the hotel staff are targeted as murder suspects, the party turns into a publicity nightmare.

At Bertram’s Hotel the intrepid Miss Marple, on holiday in London, must solve a deadly mystery at the end of a chain of very violent events. An old-fashioned London hotel is not quite as reputable as it makes out to be.… When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she’s looking for at Bertram’s Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service, and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly-polished veneer. Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day.…

Jim Eldridge, author of the Museum Mysteries, turns his pen to Wartime London's grandest hotels.September 1940: the height of the Blitz. The Savoy Hotel boasts London's strongest air raid shelter with all the luxury expected from one of the capital's most prestigious hotels. It prompts the arrival of a disgruntled crowd from the East End, demanding they be allowed entry and respite from the endless bombing raids. They are given permission to enter and are stunned by the opulence that greets them. The all-clear sounds the next morning and London comes slowly back to life, but not everyone can dust themselves down and carry on. One of the hotel's guests has been discovered dead, stabbed in the back. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are called in and the finger of suspicion falls firmly upon the East Londoners, but not everything is as it seems in these sumptuous surroundings.

Greece, 2017. A country on its knees due to the on-going economical crisis. An atrocious domestic crime. A missing billionaire. A murder/mystery hotel with an agenda of its own. Captain Papacosta and Lieutenant Ioli Cara are faced with the most complexed case of their careers. Stakes are high as their own, police officers Alexandro and Valentina, are trapped in the hellish hotel. Lives are on the line and the body count is on the rise. 14 guests... 13 guests... 12 guests...Join the investigating duo on their final journey of suspense, mystery and murder across the turquoise Aegean sea.Grab your copy of this new, highly-anticipated, wildly-acclaimed Greek Island Mystery and dive into the riveting end to the series today!Note: The book can be read as a stand-alone.