In 1953, Elizabeth Grady is staying in her mother’s resort, She is tasked with helping the guests and obtaining entertainment acts. she hopes to help save her mother’s business. A guest is found dead in the resort’s lake. The deceased had a copy of The Communist Manifesto in his cabin. The authorities think he was a spy. Elizabeth needs to catch the killer to save the resort.

I loved this book! The setting and time of the book was a nice refreshing change. The characters were great and I loved the mystery. Recommended!

Delany's latest series, set at a 1950s Catskills resort straight out of Dirty Dancing, is an intriguing read with a great setting and cast of characters.

Two elements initially drew me to Deadly Summer Nights – that gorgeous cover & the fact that Vicki Delany wrote it. I’m delighted (and not surprised) to report that the story inside is just as good as it looks like it would be. The author easily transports readers to a Catskills resort in the 1950s as she vividly sets the scene and the era through her descriptions and characters. The stirrings of the Red Scare (which hit close to home for Elizabeth and her eclectic band of family, friends & coworkers) further add to the atmospheric mood of the well-plotted mystery. Elizabeth’s no-nonsense approach to life, the byplay of reality vs assumptions (cleverly seen in several different areas of the book), and even a hint of romance potential kept me invested in Deadly Summer Nights from beginning to end.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)

I enjoyed reading this first book in a new cozy series. Elizabeth's mother has inherited a Catskill summer resort. She is managing the resort for mother and determined to keep everything running smoothly. When a guest is found dead and the Sheriff thinks there is a communist plot at the resort she sets out to solve the crime and protect the reputation of the resort. I really enjoyed the characters and the Resort setting. The mystery was good and the solution made sense. I look for word to reading the next book in the series. Enjoy

Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany is a historical cozy mystery that I have been putting off for far too long! I loved the setting of 1953 in the Catskills, and our leading lady Elizabeth was a wonderful character to have as the main and only point of view. There are lots of both witty and funny moments as Elizabeth finds herself wrapped up in the murder at the resort, and I really enjoyed the humor that permeated the book. I did get a little lost in all the Communist talk and wasn't a huge of that as a storyline, but otherwise, I enjoyed every moment down to the reveal of the killer. I was completely surprised by the end and getting there was an interesting journey (in a good way!).

I thought the audiobook was a great way to go for this one, and it is narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck who I haven't listened to before, but I enjoyed thoroughly. I'm not really sure what age I would picture Elizabeth as, but whatever it is, Van Dyck was perfect for it. She was really fun to listen to and brought such a brightness to the story and all of the characters. I really hope she will continue to be the narrator for this series and I loved how her voice fit for the time period as well. There was an adorable English bulldog named Winston who I hope will make appearances in every book to come, and Deadly Summer Nights was a great start to a new cozy series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was book one in a new series (A Catskill Summer Resort Mystery) by Vicki Delany. I always love it when I find a series at the beginning, it is much easier to keep up with the books that way.

It took me a while to get into the book because it takes place in the 50's and I had to look up certain things while reading (e.g., what is an egg cream? because it didn't sound appetizing). Once I was in the 50's frame of mind, the story was great. There was a lot of misdirection and I did not guess who the killer was.

Looking forward to reading book #2 when it releases in March.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS BY VICKI DELANY?
Deadly Summer Nights by Vicky Delany appealed to me based on the Catskills element. The back cover copy compares the resort this book is set at to the one in Dirty Dancing which is a superb movie. Given my current time limitations, audiobook seemed like the way when it came to experiencing this cozy mystery. Also? I read one cozy mystery, liked it, and decided to keep going with the genre.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Set in 1953, Deadly Summer Nights follows Elizabeth Grady who is about to help her mother run Haggerman’s Catskill Resort. You see, Elizabeth’s mother just bought the resort and this is her first year running it. Elizabeth wants to focus on setting up entertainment acts and running a tight ship for the guests. A wrench is put into her plans when a guest is found dead on the grounds. To make matters worse, the guest has a copy of the Communist Manifesto in his room, so the police think he was a Russian spy. To keep the resort financially solvent, Elizabeth is determined to find the killer.

HOW DID I LIKE DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS?
Well, I am trying this whole new to me genre and figuring out what I like and what I do not like. Deadly Summer Nights was a mostly okay read for me. I enjoyed the setting immensely. Also, the side characters were quirky and interesting. The Red Scare bits were not engaging for me. Also, I had such a hard time staying focused on this book. So, your mileage may vary.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Vicki Delany’s Deadly Summer Nights is narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck. It is 8 hours and 35 minutes long. This is one of those books where I kind of wish I was listening to it at a faster speed. However, I am trying to reprogram myself to enjoy audiobooks at their intended speed. However, this one just didn’t keep my attention. Also, I didn’t feel a clamor to get back to it when I was not listening. So, overall, this was an okay experience and if I do read the next one, I am in the air as to whether that will be via audio or physical book.

Elizabeth Grady never pictured the life she's living now as the life she'd have. She is running Haggerman's Catskills Resort for her mother. Yes, her mother. Olivia Peters. You probably know her. The woman who didn't really raise Elizabeth, that was left to her Aunt Tatiana, as Olivia pursued fame but who in her waning years has been left a resort from one of her admirers. Due to financial irregularities, AKA spendthrift exes, Haggerman's is Olivia's only option and Elizabeth is determined to make it succeed, with her mother as the figurehead whose glamorous allure will hopefully draw in the guests with lengthy bookings. Plus her mother can also book acts the other resorts can't with her connections. Just look at the rather controversial yet undoubtedly funny comic they've just booked who could be the next Lenny Bruce. Or so Elizabeth keeps saying to the guests who are taking umbrage with his show. Little did she know when she left the city behind that almost all of her work would be dealing with guests, not dealing with the bills, like she should be. And one guest is about to cause a very large headache. Because he's turned up dead. What seems to be a tragic accident soon has the local sheriff calling the Feds in. Harold Westenham had maps of London and Washington, D.C. on the walls of his remote cabin as well as a copy of The Communist Manifesto. To Elizabeth it looks like the poor man was doing research for a book, an opinion backed up by his nephew when he arrives at Haggerman's. But the arrival of the Feds as well as a dead body puts everyone on edge. Elizabeth has to keep her head. People die at resorts all the time. Sure, they may not be murdered, but it happens. She just has to keep a lid on the crime and keep the guests happy and quell the rumors of Communism. Of course what makes guests happier than free drinks and time with Olivia? Elizabeth will need to solve this case fast if she's to save Haggerman's and not have a whopping bill for alcohol.

I have never gotten to live the summer resort dream of the Catskills or the Poconos made famous in such fare as Dirty Dancing and the second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Now I have been to resorts there for Moonlight Rising, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan convention. But the Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania only delivered on the buffet, and as for the Friar Tuck Resort in Catskill, New York, it most likely hadn't been remodeled since Frank Sinatra signed the photo above registration to the owners. So the places I went to were far beyond their prime and the culture that Deadly Summers Nights propagates to say the least. Yet it is a nostalgic culture I wish I could have been a part of for even a few days. Or maybe I'm just nostalgic for vacations? Therefore I thought this book would be my best bet to slip into this world from the comfort of my couch. Instead it proved an infuriating read. This book is tailored to fans of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with a heavy helping of Gilmore Girls and a dollop of Dirty Dancing but without any of the sparkle and vivacity of the originals. Here's the thing, if you're going to do an homage to the oeuvre of Amy Sherman-Palladino the quirky characters and the quaint locales aren't enough. She is known for her rapid fire dialogue and her witty banter. No matter your feelings on her as a person, you have to occasionally, begrudgingly admit that she can write. She has six Emmy Awards afterall. So what do you have when you have all the elements and none of the talent? You have a book you slog through because just having the framework built doesn't matter if you don't deliver on the content. As for the whole Communist angle? It was so obviously a false trail that I was actually yelling at the book one of Miss Scarlett's famous lines from Clue: "Communism is just a red herring."

Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany is about a mom and daughter duo trying to run a summer resort at the Catskills.

Will Elizabeth figure out who killed Harold Westenham?

Elizabeth Grady
Elizabeth Grady is our main character, along with the point of view character, and she is a great character. She is the hotel manager and basically runs the place. At the same time, her mom Olivia Peters, a Russian ballerina that changed her name from Olga to Olivia, is the draw to their hotel for people to come to them instead of any of the other Catskills hotels in the area. Elizabeth is a widower who lost her husband to the war. As a character, I like Elizabeth a lot, and I feel bad for her about some things that her mom makes her do. Then again, it's what moms do best. Elizabeth seems to be an awesome person who has a good head on her shoulders and is trying to make this hotel venture work for both of them.

The Mystery/Victim
Elizabeth, Randy, and Velvet find the murder victim named Harold Westenham. He is a recluse guest who only went out when the cabin he was renting needed to be cleaned. Elizabeth has been tasked by herself and her mom to figure out who would have killed him since the chief is stating that not only is Harold, but Elizabeth and her mom are communists. To save their livelihood, Elizabeth is trying to figure out who could have killed him and why. She finds out a lot, and I have to say that I fell for a red herring until something happened that made me switch to another suspect that turned out to be the culprit. There are many red herrings, and I do love the way that Ms. Delany wove them in to make it seem like they had a better motive.

Five Stars
I am giving Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany five stars and recommending it to everyone that likes to read historical cozy mysteries. I don't normally read books set near D-Day, and I'm glad that I gave this one a chance. The timing is set far enough away that it allowed me to enjoy reading it without worrying about the war. I love this historical book, and I can't wait to read the next one. Ms. Delany has done a fantastic job, and I love everything. Sure, I had to look up some stuff, but I'm not sure what to think about an Egg Cream drink.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I will admit it took me a minute to get drawn into this one because it was set in a different time period and I am such a fan of her other books set in current times. But it's a good cozy mystery and the characters are very endearing( with the exception of some of the guests). A must read for sure!

Vicky Delany starts a new series with a sparkling cozy set in a Catskills holiday hotel in 1953. The manager has to keep her owner mother in her sights while managing staff and holiday families at the hotel. An author-college professor is found murdered and the local police chief cries communist plot. Our heroine has to keep her romantic and business relations in line while sleuthing to solve the murder before the scandal destroys her hotel business.

Great start to a new cozy series by Vicki Delany!

The Basics: It's 1953. Elizabeth Grady's mom inherited a resort in the Catskills two years before and Elizabeth is doing her best to run the place. It's not always easy -- especially when a guest is found dead and a copy of The Communist Manifesto is found in his cabin. Was a Russian spy lurking in the Catskills....is a nearby competing resort owner trying to close them down....or is another guest a murderer?

I enjoyed this story, although the constant 50's slang got a bit annoying at times. It just seemed a bit over-done. I loved the characters and it did invoke memories of some fun vacations when I was a kid. That was in the 80s and in the Ozarks....but the woodsy resort feel was at least similar in my mind. :) I was definitely reminded of the feel of the Trixie Belden books with a bit more adult vibe thrown in.

Very enjoyable story! I'm definitely sticking around to read more of this series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The Catskills Resort setting of this delightful cozy mystery is sure to appeal to anyone who has watched "Dirty Dancing" too many times to count. Elizabeth is a feisty protagonist. She runs the hotel, owned by her starlet mother, but is constantly underestimated by others. She uses this to her advantage as she investigates the death of a guest. The mystery is full of twists and turns and as satisfying as an egg cream on a hot summer day!

Deadly Summer Nights Earns 5/5 Manifesto Mayhems…Entertaining, Clever!

It’s 1953, Haggerman’s Catskill Resort, owed by Broadway and Hollywood famed dancer Olivia Peters, is one of several resorts offering all-inclusive summer fun for those wanting relief from the hustle, bustle, and heat of the city…but murder? Olivia’s daughter, widow Elizabeth Grady is the resort manager, and with her team are used to dealing with demands and complaints, clumsy employees, vendor issues, visits from the competition, and one of Olivia’s uber fans, but a dead man floating in the lake? No, that’s new. The victim was staying in a private cabin, not taking advantage of the amenities, and had strict orders for housekeeping and his meal deliveries, but he did meet Olivia who thought him a distinguished gentleman. But, when the local sheriff searches the victim’s room, they find some perplexing items: maps of London and Washington, D.C. and a copy of The Communist Manifesto. Their reputation, business, and lives are in jeopardy. But, Elizabeth has a plan!

Vicki Delany’s first book in her new Catskill Summer Resort Mystery series is an exciting reprising of the fears of the 50s over the “Red Scare,” but nothing is cut and dry. The murder mystery follows the traditional cozy formula that I enjoy with an early reveal of the crime, strong female lead and sidekicks, rich supporting characters, a clever amateur investigation techniques that often lead to a bit of peril, and an “I didn’t see that coming” arrest. WWII ended only eight years ago, the Cold War has citizens on edge, and the conflict in Korea has everyone war weary, and in this engaging page-turner, Delany capitalizes on those suspicions and fears with connections and motives slowly revealed, and the impact on managing the resort with all the gossip adds fuel to the rumor Haggerman’s is a “nest of communist activity.” Delany’s writing style is filled with vivid descriptions bringing to life the 50s resort environment, fashion, attitudes, and noticeable old school tech. Quite the flashback with switchboard operators, liberal smoking, and a strict dress code at the cocktail hour…a cocktail hour! Cheers to this entertaining gem!

3.75 stars

A new series set at a Catskills resort in the 1950s. Dramatic retired dancer and celebrity Olivia has inherited the resort and turned over the actual scut work and management to her daughter Elizabeth. The two have a prickly but ultimately close relationship. Elizabeth juggles staff management, guest relations, ordering of the gargantuan amount of meal supplies, and entertainment. Olivia provides the glamour and swoops in occasionally to distract guests when there's a problem.

And the problem is a dead body, probably murdered, of a reclusive guest. The local police chief is a joke -- possibly corrupt, looking for Communists under every rock. He assumes the murder victim was a Commie up to no good, despite no evidence the denial of the man's nephew. But a rumor like that could cause irreparable harm to the resort, so Elizabeth has to involve herself in the investigation.

Interesting and unique setting with likeable characters and a smoothly plotted narrative. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this mystery was pretty well done but it lacked in a couple key places for me. I loved the setting. Summer in the Catskills sounds lovely! I liked all of the characters and would enjoy getting to know them. I also loved the handsome rival resort owner. The book was set in the 1950's, an interesting twist on the cozy mystery, but parts of it felt a little too modern to me. Not in the setting but in the vibe of the characters if that makes sense? I forgot it was set in that time period until communism was brought into the mix. I also felt that the mystery itself was a little weak. I did however enjoy the book and will check out book two to see if those kinks are ironed out because it has potential!

Deadly Summer Nights takes place in the early 1950s. The setting is the Catskill Mountains at a resort similar one in the popular 1987 film, Dirty Dancing. I love the mystery of the murdered writer. He comes to the resort seeking solitude, which is unheard of in this particular area. When he's discovered floating face down in the lake, the local police call in the big guns. Now the local police and FBI are determined to pin the writer as a communist sympathizer, potentially ruining his family name and taking Haggerman's Catskills Resort down at the same time.

Elizabeth is a strong woman running a resort in a time when women were looked down upon as inferior to men. As the mystery begins to unfold, she learns firsthand just how much bias there is even though it's not unheard of for women in the Catskills to run the show, so-to-speak. Elizabeth has gathered a wonderful staff of family and friends to assist in the day-to-day operations of Haggerman's. Her mother, Olivia, is the star of the resort but without Elizabeth, Haggerman's would be another failing resort in the mountains. What they don't need right now is a suspected murder of a guest and flying accusations of communism.

The author delivered a powerful and robust mystery. Several characters were introduced as possible suspects and red herrings were strategically placed between the pages. I enjoyed the fact that this story is set pre-technology boom and there aren't smartphones, Google, or video cameras on every corner. This mystery took good old-fashioned detective and legwork to investigate and solve. The author did a great job keeping the book in line with actual happenings in the 50s. People smoked inside of buildings. Comedians were judged harshly on their inappropriateness. The clothing choices described are rarely talked about or seen anymore.

Deadly Summer Nights is engaging, dramatic, and filled with friendship, amateur sleuthing, and a wonderful mystery. The characters, development, and world building were superb. I felt like I was in the book with Elizabeth, Olivia, Velvet, Randy, and the rest of the group. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Remember the movie Dirty Dancing? That romantic drama was set in the same location as this cozy mystery series, just ten years later. Things don’t seem to have changed much in the Catskills summer resorts during that intervening decade, but that was kind of the point.


One of the real Catskill resorts during its glory days
Back in the 1950s, the time period of this series, the Catskills resorts were in their storied heyday, not just a place but an entire experience, a setting where middle and upper class New Yorkers could retreat from the city’s heat to a beautiful mountain location upstate, close enough that the husbands could come up on the weekends to visit their families but still work in the city on weekdays.

And the resorts were self-contained enough to keep the wives and children entertained and cosseted for as long as the family could afford. An entire summer if they could manage it. Kind of like a cruise ship, just without the shore excursions.

Elizabeth Grady, manager of Haggerman’s Catskills Resort, and her mother, retired Broadway star Olivia Grady, are new to the Catskills. The summer of 1953 is only their second season, and Elizabeth is determined to make a go of the only asset she and her mother have. No matter who, or what, gets in her way.

They seem to be on track to profitability this year – or at least they are until the dead body of one of their guests is pulled from the lake one night.

That a guest might die while at the resort is not unheard of. Many of their guests are neither young nor in perfect health. Families have come to the Catskills resorts for at least two generations at this point, and sometimes those generations pass while at the resort.

But a murder is entirely other matter. Guests come to the Catskills to GET away from it all, not to be done away with as this one certainly was. This pot of scandal is further stirred when the local police chief searches the guest’s cabin, discovers a couple of maps and a copy of the Communist Manifesto, and calls the FBI in on suspicion that the “Reds” that Senator Eugene McCarthy is screaming about in Washington have made their way to the Catskills.

Elizabeth needs to find the murderer before the scandal takes her fledgling business right under the water along with the corpse. While her competition from the other resorts cheer on her business’ demise.

Some of them, at least, are absolutely salivating at the very though. After all, it will just prove what they’ve been saying all along, that running a business like Haggerman’s is simply not a suitable job for a woman.

Escape Rating A-: There is a lot to like in Deadly Summer Nights, and one thing that niggled at me a lot. I’ll get to that in a bit.

What I really liked about this story was the way that it dug a bit deeper into what the real world was like during the 1950s, as opposed to keeping reality at bay as the Catskills resorts were famous for doing in their heyday. Which were, after all, the 1950s.

Elizabeth is a woman running a business at a time when women were expected to stay home with the children and not “worry their pretty little heads” about such things as payrolls and suppliers and invoices and contracts. She’s every bit as competent and capable as any man around her and knows they’re being stupid and ridiculous but she plays as much of the game as she must in order to get by.

And she’s very good at asserting her authority when she has to – as she all too frequently does. That she can’t assert any authority over her mother is an entirely different matter. Most of us can’t manage that particular trick no matter how necessary we feel it might be.

I loved the way this story dealt with McCarthyism and the “Red Scare” of the 1950s. The police chief’s witch hunt is bogus and everyone knows it’s bogus. At the same time everyone has to take it seriously out of fear of very real consequences.

I also enjoyed the way that this series opener creates Elizabeth’s world, the resort and it’s annual three months of frenzy, the relationships between Elizabeth and her mother and her aunt, the way she treats her employees, how she deals with the guests, including the demanding divas, and the symbiotic relationship between the resorts and the towns that they are not quite a part of.

I have to say that the focus of the story is on the worldbuilding rather than the mystery, and that works for a series opener. The red herrings are certainly tasty, but Elizabeth has so many fish to fry on an average day that her investigation gets a bit lost in the chaos. I liked her more than enough to enjoy watching her work, whether on the murder or just keeping the resort afloat.

About that thing that niggled at me.

Although this review is being posted around the publication date of the book, I actually read it back in July. On the weekend I read this one of the last of the “Borscht Belt” comedians, Jackie Mason, passed away at the age of 93. I know this seems like a non sequitur, but it’s not. Because the “Borscht Belt” where Mason and so many others honed their stand up routines was just another name for the Catskills summer resorts where this story takes place. The Catskills resorts catered to a Jewish clientele, served Kosher food and gave a lot of Jewish comedians their start or bolstered their careers.

As is mentioned in the story, Milton Berle really did perform in the Catskills. The comedian who gets caught up in the murder investigation was probably based on Lenny Bruce, who also performed there during his all-too-brief but controversial career.

At first, I couldn’t figure out what was missing at Haggerman’s, until I realized that the context of who the clients were and who many of the owners were was entirely missing. If it was subtext it was so sub that I missed it. And I feel like a lot of the flavor of the area was lost.

Your reading mileage, of course, may vary.

But I really liked Elizabeth, her family and her resort, more than enough that I’ll be back for her next Catskills season in Deadly Director’s Cut, coming next March. Just at the point where winter’s doldrums will make reading about the summer sun seem like a real getaway!

Elizabeth Grady is starting the second summer running the Haggerman’s Catskills Resort, which her mother has inherited. She is hoping things will go smoothly this year, but that’s before she finds the body of one of their guests floating in the lake. The local sheriff thinks the victim was a communist. With rumors swirling around the resort, and guests threatening to leave, Elizabeth has to step in and figure out what really happened before the resort is ruined. Can she do it?

As much as I loved the book, I found the mystery to be rather week. We get too much about life at the resort for it to have the time to be fully developed. However, it’s hard to complain since resort life sounds fabulous. I’m not ready for summer to be over, and I enjoyed dreaming about spending time on the lake with nothing to do. The book is set in the 1950’s, and I felt like I was transported back in time as well. The characters are as charming as the setting, and I want to see more of them. I enjoyed this book enough that it won’t be my only visit to Haggerman’s.