The Hitchcock Hotel
A Novel
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3.4 • 9 Ratings
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
From the USA TODAY and nationally bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold comes a dark, suspenseful novel about a hotelier in New England planning a reunion with his oldest friends, the founding members of a campus film club devoted to Alfred Hitchcock.
Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. He is the founder, owner, and manager of The Hitchcock Hotel, a sprawling Victorian house in the White Mountains dedicated to the Master of Suspense. There, Alfred offers his guests round-the-clock film screenings, movie props and memorabilia in every room, plus an aviary with fifty crows.
To celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary, he invites his former best friends from his college Film Club for a reunion. He hasn’t spoken to any of them in sixteen years, not after what happened.
But who better than them to appreciate Alfred’s creation? And to help him finish it.
After all, no Hitchcock set is complete without a body.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wrobel's diverting if somewhat lethargic latest (after This Might Hurt) introduces Hitchcock aficionado Alfred Smettle, owner of the eponymous hotel, a bed-and-breakfast (complete with a crow-filled aviary) in New Hampshire's White Mountains. To celebrate the first anniversary of the hotel's grand opening, Alfred invites five friends from his university film club for a four-day stay. Few members of the group—which includes security specialist TJ, entrepreneur Samira, hedge fund manager Grace, recently disgraced restaurateur Zoe, and luxury clothing heir Julius—have remained close in the 16 years since they graduated, but each has their own private reason for accepting Alfred's invitation. The group's mild interest in reuniting turns to unease as the weekend wears on and buried secrets from their university days rise to the surface, calling into question why, exactly, Alfred has summoned them. Eventually, somebody dies. Wrobel front-loads the narrative with too much exposition, but once the secrets are out, she delivers a fun third act. Hitchcock fans will delight in the copious easter eggs, but others will find this unremarkable.
Customer Reviews
Lots of timelines to keep up with
The novel takes time to establish its rhythm, with certain sections—particularly focused on character development and past timelines—feeling somewhat sluggish. While a few twists help maintain momentum, the story truly gains traction toward the end. To keep readers fully immersed, a more dynamic and engaging pace would have been beneficial, but still a compelling read.