Murder at the Hotel Orient is the spicy whodunnit you’ll be thinking about for weeks. It’s brilliant paced, cleverly put together and introduces a protagonist certain to become legendary.
I truly think a star is born with this stellar debut. It’s smart, sultry and sensational with a uniquely spicy whodunnit that blends Golden Age mystery, intrigue and scenes that might just make you blush. The mix of noir and romance (slow-burning and inclusive) is a heady one that will have you intoxicated.
Sterling is the type of protagonist that is instantly iconic. She is one of the most beguiling protagonists of recent years. I loved how her dedication to this place that transformed her never wavers. The secrets she keeps will be protected no matter the cost and that respect carries her a lot of favour. She is clever, driven, passionate and utilised her wits in wonderfully inventive ways. Her voice is utterly captivating and has this wonderful sense of humour that I thoroughly enjoyed. She’s deeply flirtatious and sometimes unserious, other times deadly serious to protect those she loves. The grief she is experiencing over the course of the book is also explored really well. It’s this raw wound she tries to mask for much of the book but it is also the driving force in her search for truth. Alessandra Ranelli deals with this in a nuanced manner and connects it with other grief she is living with that gives depth to this intriguing character. As a reader, you feel privileged when she lets you into her world and starts to unveil even a few of her secrets.
Her story is fascinating and I enjoyed the trajectory she goes on throughout this story. We get snatches of her backstory but there is a sense of layers there still to be discovered particularly with the wider family history. She oozes sex appeal and I love how Ranelli explores her sexuality unapologetically. This is something Sterling has learned to be confident in and take the spotlight firmly for herself. I also really loved the queer representation in this book and how celebrated it was. Don’t get me wrong, it’s just as messy but it’s refreshing to see.
That spicy side of the whodunnit is an interesting twist on the Golden Age crime love letter that forms much of the book. It’s a brilliant puzzle box of a book with twists and turns that will leave you reeling. Ultimately this is a story about people and their innately messy, complex lives and dynamics. The relationships here are complex and compelling with plenty of heat and dialogue that sparks off the page. It’s hot and sexy and fun but also a really cleverly plotted book. I enjoyed the way certain elements were woven into the plot that fleshed out this world and revealed new layers to the story.
The setting is incredible and made even more so by the way it draws on a real life location. I mean a love hotel where everyone has to use an alias and someone just got murdered? That’s a hook and a half right there. Instantly the setting has that allure of something outside of the norm, it breaks conventions just by existing. There are endless fascinating tales within these walls, epitomised by the cast of fascinating characters all of whom stay in your mind long after the final page. The setting is also a mystery lover’s dream with plenty of secrets to uncover and classic tropes utilised in unexpected ways.
Murder at the Hotel Orient is a ingenious whodunnit with a captivating hook and a story that delivers on every one of your expectations. I hope to enjoy many more of Sterling’s adventures and think Ranelli has a smash-hit on her hands. Curl up and enjoy your stay.
Murder at the Hotel Orient is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis
In modern Vienna, the infamous Hotel Orient glitters at the heart of the city, luring lovers inside for an evening of debauchery. Behind its velvet curtain, cameras are forbidden, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide.
For those seeking illicit liaisons, Sterling Lockwood is the perfect concierge. Sultry and poised, she’s the ultimate keeper of secrets, including her own.
But when dawn breaks and two of the anonymous guests are found dead in their suite, Sterling must break the Orient’s sacred code of discretion, turning detective to find a killer and clear her own name.
Alongside Fernando, her quick-witted friend and bellhop, Sterling steps beyond the hotel’s stained-glass doors, venturing from grand coffee houses where power whispers between porcelain cups, to dimly lit bars where the curious seek rapturous oblivion, and risking everything to solve an impossible case.
A spicy whodunnit with Golden Age style, set in a timeless location inspired by a real Viennese no-tell love hotel.
