Murder at Hotel 1911
An Ivy Nichols Mystery
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- €15.99
Publisher Description
A hotel clerk prone to panic attacks turns amateur sleuth when one of her guests drop dead—an atmospheric murder mystery with all the trappings of an Agatha Christie classic.
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ivy Nichols, the narrator of Keown's solid debut and series launch, takes the job of night clerk at the period-themed Hotel 1911, which was once the estate of her long-missing mother's wealthy Chattanooga, Tenn., family, many of whom suffered from mental illness. Ivy, who's prone to panic attacks, believes that working in the former family home may give her some insight into her own condition. As a bonus, her best friend, George Anghelescu, is the hotel's acclaimed chef. But when a guest, the loud and unpleasant Amelia Swain, dies of an allergic reaction at dinner, the police suspect George of murder, and Ivy determines to save him from a homicide charge. Plenty of people had motive, but who had the opportunity? Was the ill-tempered Amelia actually the target, or was someone trying to ruin George? The intriguing cast of characters includes the hotel's general manager, the upright Mr. Fig, who knows a lot more than he lets on. Readers will look forward to Ivy's story unfolding in future installments. Keown is off to a good start.
