This cute novel reads like Elle Woods or Cher Horowitz were born in the 1950s playing her favorite murder mystery game Clue! Adorable characters full of secrets and a little frivolity. The Socialite’s Guide to Murder is the first in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series and I can’t wait for more!
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. She’s always been good at finding things. Fifteen years earlier, she discovered her mother dead in a Manhattan alleyway. 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. 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 their brake lines, and now the stakes have become dangerously high. Evelyn’s knack for sleuthing—and her playful imagination—are always hard at work, so 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...
Discussion Guide (spoilers ahead!)
What did you think of Evelyn’s character? How do her upbringing and mother’s murder impact her current situation?
Evie entertains herself at the hotel, which ultimately means she becomes quite the busybody. How does her meddling help her find things?
At one point or another almost every character looks like the murderer. Who did you think murdered Billie Bell?
Our imaginations can take us anywhere. Even with agoraphobia Evie is able to transport herself almost anywhere. How does your imagination help you?
If you liked this book, you should check out A Good Girl's Guide to Murder next!