Murder at Hotel 1911: An Ivy Nichols Mystery

Ivy Nichols is proud of her job at Hotel 1911 and is determined to keep working at the reception desk despite her panic attacks. The hotel keeps her connected to the family she’s long since lost and allows her to work closely with her friend George, whose role is in the kitchen. The hotel receives a new guest when Amalia Swain comes with an attitude and an important warning: she has a severe allergy to shellfish. But when Amalia is found dead, George is the main suspect, with everyone believing that he made a mistake in the kitchen. Ivy knows that George would never make a mistake, but when no one believes her, she has more to fight than panic attacks. She must search for clues and uncover the identity of the real killer to prove her friend innocent.

Audrey Keown delivers a charming debut that is a brilliant kick-off to a series with this addicting cozy, a mystery that surrounds a hotel, and an amazing protagonist. The hotel is an important character in itself as it presents a grand history to the story and gives a connection to Ivy’s own familial past. The writing is lovely and gives elegant descriptions of the hotel that take you back to 1911, as Keown has a true talent for capturing the essence of the story. Everyone believes that Ivy’s friend George is guilty, which is the drive that pushes Ivy to solve the case herself. Ivy is a charmingly flawed character that captures the voice and struggle of someone living with panic attacks in a genuine and honest way. It’s refreshing to see such an honest character at the helms of an investigation and explore a genuine approach to living with anxiety. She’s a grounded character that is driven, compassionate, and clever, which adds fun and lightness to the story as she takes the lead. Murder at Hotel 1911 is a great whodunit mystery that has a Clue flare and a charming setting, in a mystery that gives a much-needed voice to the struggles of anxiety and panic attacks.