Name -Murder at Hotel 1911
Pages -272
Author -Audrey Keown
Publisher -Crooked Lane Books
Genre -Mystery & Thrillers
Rating -3/5
Review no. -05
Source -NetGalley
Synopsis -
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.
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.
Review -
This mystery novel centers around a woman, Ivy, who works as a front desk clerk at Hotel 1911, a period hotel in modern day. Mrs Swain is a rude and overbearing guest at the 1911 hotel. When she dies from her seafood allergy suspicion immediately falls on the chef, George. Ivy Nichols, a receptionist with secrets of her own, decides to investigate and clear her best friend, George’s name. She tries to uncover clues to what actually happened to Ms. Swain; was she murdered or was it a careless error by her friend, the chef, George?
The novel shows Ivy looking into each of the guests who were staying at the hotel, as well as some other people who are associated with the hotel, for clues to the death of Ms. Swain. She apparently is very good friends with George, the chef, but we don't see much character development on this angle, so it felt rather forced that we were to just assume it to be true.
While I found myself enjoying the novel for the first half, during the second half I kept thinking there wasn't much more plot to be explored, and what characters had been explored were shallow. I was wondering if I had missed something like a previous novel with these main characters where I could better understand who they were? Some back history was alluded to, but the little explanations there were did not clear anything up.There is a subplot about Ivy’s mother who was brought up in the house that is now the hotel and went missing many years ago. I have absolutely no idea what happened to her mother and am completely baffled by the last chapter of the novel. Perhaps I’m just too thick to understand all the inferences.
The novel shows Ivy looking into each of the guests who were staying at the hotel, as well as some other people who are associated with the hotel, for clues to the death of Ms. Swain. She apparently is very good friends with George, the chef, but we don't see much character development on this angle, so it felt rather forced that we were to just assume it to be true.
While I found myself enjoying the novel for the first half, during the second half I kept thinking there wasn't much more plot to be explored, and what characters had been explored were shallow. I was wondering if I had missed something like a previous novel with these main characters where I could better understand who they were? Some back history was alluded to, but the little explanations there were did not clear anything up.There is a subplot about Ivy’s mother who was brought up in the house that is now the hotel and went missing many years ago. I have absolutely no idea what happened to her mother and am completely baffled by the last chapter of the novel. Perhaps I’m just too thick to understand all the inferences.
Overall I was disappointed in this novel. It seemed like the author could have developed this intriguing premise a lot more, into a much more satisfying book.
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