The hotel was her refuge, but scandal is afoot-and a killer stalks the halls in this charming series debut perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Ashley Weaver.
It's 1958 and Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy has not left the Pinnacle Hotel in fourteen months. She suffers from agoraphobia, and what's more, it's her father's hotel, and everything she needs is there. Evelyn's always been good at finding things, she discovered her mother dead in a Manhattan alleyway fifteen years earlier. Now she's finding trouble inside her sanctuary. At a party for artist Billie Bell, his newest work is stolen, and Evelyn's fake boyfriend (and real best friend), movie star Henry Fox, is accused of the theft. But just as Evelyn sets out to prove Henry's innocence, she finds Billie Bell dead.
The murder weapon links the crime to the hotel's chief of security. But why would he use a knife with his initials on the handle? With her beloved home in disarray, Evelyn joins up with hotel employee (and her secret crush) Mac Cooper to get to the bottom of the case.
As Mac picks locks and Evelyn snoops around the hotel, they discover the walls around them contain more secrets than they previously knew. Now, Evelyn must force herself to leave the hotel to follow the clues-but when she and Mac set off to chase a lead, their car crashes and they barely escape with their lives. Someone snipped Evelyn's brake lines, and now the stakes have become dangerously high.
Evelyn's knack for sleuthing-and her playful imagination-are always hard at work, and she throws an elaborate party at the hotel where every guest is a suspect. But will the killer emerge from the glamorous lineup? If not, Evelyn just might find herself…next in line for murder.
Industry Reviews
Praise for The Socialite's Guide to Murder:
"A sprightly series launch . . . Golden channels the spirit of the late Hugh Pentecost's Beaumont Hotel."
-Publishers Weekly
"[A] decorous whodunnit festooned with period trappings."
-Kirkus Reviews
"[For] readers who enjoyed other hotel-set mysteries with young amateur sleuths, like Nita Prose's The Maid."
-Library Journal
"Effectively evokes the social milieu of the late 1950s."
-Booklist
"A witty, lighthearted mystery novel."
-Foreword Reviews
"If you love cozy mysteries and charming characters, you will love this book."
-Manhattan Book Review, 5-star review
"The humor, insight, and sharp wit make this a light and refreshing read."
-Historical Novel Society
"It's as if Eloise is all grown up and a sassy, savvy sleuth at the Plaza hotel! Hotel owner's daughter Evie Murphy is smart and daring in this delightful Golden Age mystery"
-Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Royal Spyness mysteries
"The Socialite's Guide to Murder is nonstop entertainment-at turns witty, charming, touching, and spellbinding. An enticing treat for cozy mystery fans."
-Kelly Oliver, award-winning and bestselling author of the Fiona Figg Mysteries.
"This book has all the things I love in a mystery novel - a unique sleuth, a quirky cast of suspects, and a twisty whodunnit. Throw in scandal, secrets and a luxury hotel setting, and I'm hooked. The Socialite's Guide to Murder is an engaging debut that had me turning the pages quickly to find the answers."
-C. J. Archer, USA Today bestselling author of the Cleopatra Fox Mysteries
"An endearing heroine, a luxury hotel, and a bevy of suspects pepper this delightful debut title by S. K. Golden . . . A fun romp in a glitzy setting with a spunky sleuth!"
-Nancy J. Cohen, award-winning author of the Bad Hair Day Mysteries
"A delightful tale of glamour and murder at a luxury hotel in 1950s New York City. Evelyn Murphy is the perfect sleuth for the occasion-charming, wealthy, and agoraphobic. She almost never leaves the hotel. With an endearing optimism, Evelyn takes matters into her manicured hands to find the killer and protect her home, her friends, and her little dog Presley. A wonderful romp of a mystery!"
-Dianne Freeman, author of the Agatha and Lefty award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries
"A rip roaring historical mystery, jam-packed with wit and glamour and endearing characters. Murder has never been this fun!"
-T.A. Willberg, author of the Marion Lane series
