A cozy mystery set in a grand hotel in NYC in 1958, this book follows heiress Evelyn. most people think she's an eccentric Marilyn knock off, but in actuality she's an agoraphobic rich woman afraid to leave the hotel. When a guest is murdered, Evelyn decides to solve the case.

This first installment in the Pinnacle Hotel Mysteries series is a charming look at late 1950's New York City with a sleuth who suffers from agoraphobia and never leaves the luxurious Pinnacle Hotel. This is made easier by the fact that her father owns the hotel.

Outstanding plot with truly memorable characters.

Highly recommended!!

S. K. Golden's "The Socialite's Guide to Murder: A Pinnacle Hotel Mystery" offers a delightful and gripping debut in this charming series set against the backdrop of the Pinnacle Hotel in 1958. Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy, confined by agoraphobia, discovers that her sanctuary is marred by scandal and murder. When a theft occurs at a party for artist Billie Bell and Evelyn's best friend, Henry Fox, is accused, she embarks on a mission to prove his innocence, only to stumble upon Bell's lifeless body. Golden weaves a captivating narrative filled with intrigue, romance, and unexpected twists as Evelyn, joined by her secret crush Mac Cooper, unravels the mystery. The plot thickens with secrets within the hotel's walls, leading to a dangerous pursuit outside the comfort of Evelyn's haven. The author skillfully combines Evelyn's sleuthing prowess with a playful imagination, culminating in an elaborate party where every guest becomes a suspect. "The Socialite's Guide to Murder" is a delightful blend of historical charm and suspense, keeping readers on the edge until the very end, wondering who among the glamorous lineup is the true culprit.

The Socialite's Guide to Murder is like if Eloise grew up to wear designer clothes that mimic Marilyn Monroe. Meet hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy. In some ways, she lives a charmed life with a rightfully spoiled purse dog, a penthouse overlooking Central Park, and a seriously enviable closet. Everything she needs she can find in the sprawling Pinnacle Hotel she calls home... which is a relief given Evelyn's anxiety and "teensy weensy" case of agoraphobia.

It's 1958, and Evelyn's life is turned upside down when an artist's painting is stolen before its unveiling at the Pinnacle. Evelyn is intrigued by the concept of it disappearing in a crowded room and can't help but investigate. She's known for her ability to find lost things, and a combination of cleverness and confidence helps her worm into all kinds of situations, coming out triumphant. With an ingenue's charm and daddy's money to clear her path, Evelyn dives in with enthusiasm. When she finds the artist dead, there's no way Evelyn can stop her detective work until the culprit is caught and the Pinnacle feels safe again (even though the detective repeatedly tells her to stay out of it).

Evelyn is a character that grew on me despite the image she projects. In the end, it was my care for her that drew me most to the story, from her romantic subplot to her mental health journey to a reclaiming of her identity. While few people expect much from her and she's used to getting her way, Evelyn is thoughtful and kind to those who cross her path. There are definite blind spots in her view of the world, ones that lead her into both comedic and dangerous situations. But you have an opportunity to see her grow as she noses about the hotel for clues, and you see her examine (some) of her priorities and come out a happier person by the time the case is closed. I am curious to see where her investigations lead next and how her life continues to develop. I will definitely read more from the series in the future. Thanks to Crooked Lane for my copy to read and review!

Unfortunately this one just didn't do it for me. I got about 30% in and just wasn't interested in it.

The Socialite's Guide to Murder...

If I could ever imagine a book title made after what I aspire to be.. it would be this one.

Do I want to murder someone? Not necessarily, but you know how these thrillers go, I would definitely love to have a fictional character named after me, and this one would be it.

S.K. Golden, did a magnificent job orchestrating characters that will keep you on your toes and begging for more. I completely consumed myself within the pages of this book and my attention was captivated until the very last word.

Don't believe me? Check out this teaser:

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...

I was really excited for this one but it fell really flat for me. I found it really difficult to connect with the main character. Evelyn is the daughter of a very rich hotel owner. She has her own apartment in the hotel and gets to do as she pleases. She is dating a famous movie star and almost never leaves the hotel (why would she when she has everything she needs right there?). Evelyn was walking back to her apartment when she stumbled upon a dead body, she's been known to find difficult things so she decides she is going to solve the murder herself.

The Socialite's Guide to Murder is the first Pinnacle Hotel murder mystery by S.K. Golden. Released 11th Oct 2022 by Crooked Lane Books, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in late second quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a refined and engaging cozy mystery with a young wealthy girl/woman who lives her life within the confines of her father's very posh hotel due to her agoraphobia. It's all lace curtains and silk stockings, social calendars and art exhibition openings, until circumstances thrust her into the middle of an investigation.

The writing style is simple and direct. The characters are well rendered, albeit often fairly superficial. Main character Evelyn is a spoiled little rich girl, but nevertheless stands by her friend when he's accused of theft. She does develop over the course of the book, and the second volume in the series is due out in 4th quarter 2023.

This will likely appeal to fans of Ashley Weaver and Anna Lee Huber, although this series is set in America in the late 1950s and not Victorian England.

Three and a half stars. Escapist comfort reading.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This traditional-style theft/murder mystery is good, frothy fun, and has a fresh appeal thanks to the bubbly main character.

The story is set in the Pinnock Hotel in 1958 and main character Evelyn Murphy is superficially a ditsy Marilyn Monroe fan and spoilt heiress, but has hidden depths, such as her anxiety-driven agoraphobia and her penchant for insatiable curiosity and noticing oddities. In other words, she makes an ideal amateur detective – quirks and all!

There are plenty of nods to the great Agatha Christie, as Evelyn attempts to use what she has learnt in classic detective novels to uncover the nefarious goings-on in her hotel home, along with her natural charm and copious amounts of cash.

I did easily guess the murderer’s identity early on, but I enjoyed Evie’s investigation anyway, and kept reading for her budding romance and building friendships with Mac, Henry, Amelia and Poppy.

This is a clean-cut fun easy-read with (mostly) believable characters which develop well. It is ideal for fans of light-hearted mystery novels and I would definitely check out future books in this series to see what Evie gets up to now that she’s had all of that personal growth!

UGH. I totally thought I was reading about a book set in the 1920s or something then I think someone mentioned Elvis or something and it all made sense. I wanted to strangle the MC sometimes for being so freaking spoiled. It's the Suite Life of Zach and Cody with more annoyance.

DNF - Though, this story didn’t work for me & my reading preferences, I would have watched this in a movie format. I think that the overtly gaudy approach to life that the main character has would be so fun to behold in film (or tv series). The diamonds & luxuries would play out well with a visually themed approach & would allow for Evelyn’s character to come across as exuberant rather than excessive in nature. Ultimately, this would work well for readers who appreciate a very beach read style mystery. I appreciated the time period but found that some of the linguistics didn’t fit & people often used words that didn’t flow in their own personal dialect. Overall, there is an audience for this & I know they will find it & love it for what it is.

Evelyn was such a fun main character to spend time with, and she made an excellent amateur sleuth as well. Hotel settings and art theft are two of my favorite mystery tropes, and they worked together well here. The romantic subplot was also delightful. I liked how thoughtfully the author portrayed Evelyn's agoraphobia.

I loved the story in this one but the main character just annoyed me constantly through out the book. I neally dnf'd it on more then one occasion.

I really wanted to enjoy this mystery novel. However, I could not get into the main heroine. I thought that she was vain, spoiled, and selfish. She made foolish choices and never seemed to atone for them. Therefore, she was very annoying, and I disliked her intensely. I do recommend this for fans of The Secret Life of Anna Blanc!

CW// may be spoilers ahead

Evelyn Murphy is the daughter of the owner of the prestigious and distinguished Pinnacle hotel in New York. Set in the 1950's, during a party of Manhattan's elite, and the unveiling of an up and coming artist's masterpiece, the painting set to be revealed is stolen, and the police have several suspects. We follow as Evelyn and her bell boy lover extraordinaire work together to piece this puzzle back together of who has stolen the painting, in this Agatha Christie-esque mystery.

Evelyn was a really heart-warming, complex and wholesome character, she has a penchant for finding things, and thrives off being able to help and support others in finding what has been lost to them. After finding her mother dead in an alleyway at the age of 6, she's since been invested in jumping in to crack cases before the police, much to their dismay. This need to crack cases only intensified with the knowledge that her mother's murderer was never brought to justice. Ever since, she's had an intense distress and anxiety about leaving the comfort of the Pinnacle in fear of being the next target, but when she comes across the body of Billie Bell, the artist himself, this trauma and anxiety rears it's ugly head once more.

The more you get to know Evelyn throughout the book, the more you come to lover her and see just how clever, warm and kind she is. She's just a very warm and funny character with a little Pomeranian side kick, just to round it all off. She's also incredibly feisty, precocious, and sharp and FMC for everyone to root for. She strives and is fully determined to show those who constantly discredit, and belittle her abilities (often men) how wrong they are. It was an absolute pleasure to read in the first person narrative of such a headstrong, funny and delightful protagonist.

This novel also highlights some really important topics like sexism in the 50's. homophobia, anxiety, agoraphobia, and female empowerment and strength of which is embodied in Evelyn.

Overall, this was such a fun and cosy read, with a wide range of characters, full of detail, immersive with lots of twists and turns to keep you engaged throughout. I really enjoyed stepping into the 1950's with Evelyn, and seeing her character development and confidence grow as she faced her trauma and fears and really let herself and her intelligence shine.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- I ADORE the cover on this one!

<b>The Socialite's Guide to Murder</b> is the first book in a new series set in the Pinnacle Hotel in New York City in 1958. The main character Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is an agoraphobic with a knack for finding lost things. When a painting goes missing and a murder takes place, she decides to investigate...

I enjoyed this one a lot. I agree with other reviewers that is read more like a young adult novel, but that didn't bother me. It is written well. Easy to read. Well paced. Had a solid plot and a mystery that kept me guessing. Quirky and likable characters, and an adorable dog. I look forward to seeing what these characters get up to in book two.

**ARC Vua NetGalley**

Between the title, the beautiful cover and the description, before I even opened to the first page I was intrigued by this one. A cozy mystery set in the 1950s? It certainly sounds like something I would love. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I really struggled to get into this one as much as I would like. I'm not entirely sure why--- the writing was fine, it was rather unique, etc... I just couldn't bring myself to be drawn into the story as I'd hoped. It did perhaps read a bit younger than was intended, so perhaps that was the disconnect for me, but again... I'm not sure. Regardless, it was an enjoyable read... just not quite the wow that I'd built it up to be in my head. If you'd like a unique cozy read, this is certainly one to check out for yourself.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

I thought this was an interesting historical mystery, that I would recommend to anyone who thinks it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

A funny, entertaining and compelling historical mystery that kept me turning pages. i loved the well researched and vivid historical background, the fleshed out characters, and the humour.
The solid mystery kept me guessing.
This is the first in a series and i hope to read another book soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

The socialite of the title, is Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy, the daughter of the owner of the Pinnacle Hotel in Manhattan. Her penchant for finding missing items, such as a diplomat’s daughter or a supposedly stolen necklace lead to the search for a murderer when that murder occurs in her home and sanctuary – her father’s hotel where she lives in a top-floor suite designed and decorated just for her.

And her little purse dog Presley. Mustn’t ever forget Presley.

As a socialite, Evelyn lives to be seen, especially with her society page boyfriend, actor Henry Fox. Which is a bit of a problem, because Evelyn hasn’t left the Pinnacle in months. She can, but she can’t. When she was a little girl, she found her mother’s dead body just outside the hotel. The trauma has been drawing her in ever since, to the point where agoraphobia keeps her from leaving her sanctuary – the Pinnacle.

But Evelyn’s whole world teeters on a tightrope. Her romance with Henry Fox is a ruse, concocted of her need to be featured in the society columns and his need to keep the world from discovering that he’s gay. They’re the best of friends.

Howsomever, Evelyn is also friends with Mac Cooper, one of the bellhops at her father’s hotel. Mac walks the dog, keeps Evelyn up with all the hotel gossip, and is entirely too good at more than a little bit of kiss and canoodle.

So when a high-profile artist is murdered in the hotel, Mac is the perfect person to help her stage distractions, pick the locks of rooms the police have closed off, and generally assist her with her own investigation into the crime. Because Henry Fox is the prime suspect, at least until the ham-fisted police latch onto someone even better – the hotel’s head of security.

But Evelyn isn’t going to let things rest. The sanctity of her sanctuary must be restored, and she’s just the woman to do it. All she has to do is juggle Mac, Henry and whatever other secret Henry is keeping long enough to figure out whodunnit.

Escape Rating B: The Socialite’s Guide to Murder isn’t quite a cozy, but it is a light and bubbly mystery that has much of the same appeal. The Pinnacle, while not a small town, does a surprisingly good job of functioning as one for the purpose of the story.

Evelyn as a heroine embodies both the “poor little rich girl” and “bird in a gilded cage” tropes. What’s a bit different is that her cage is completely self-imposed. There’s a lot of trauma hiding behind her ditzy, spoiled persona. She’s aware that the ditziness is an act, although she’s a bit oblivious about just how spoiled she is.

Which is reflected in her relationship with Mac. They may be, probably are, falling in love with each other. And it is more than a bit frothy and bubbly, but there’s an undertone to it that gave me more than a bit of pause while reading. There’s a rather vast power imbalance between them as she’s paying him $10 or $20 every single time he does something for her. $10 doesn’t sound like that much, but it’s the equivalent of $100 in today’s terms. It adds up to a lot of money. She’s initially not at all sure whether he’s her friend because he likes her or because she’s paying him and it doesn’t feel like she worries about it nearly enough.

(If that shoe were on the other foot it would be an extremely squicky situation. It’s not less squicky because of the role reversal even if it’s intended to feel that way.)

Once I was able to let my willing suspension of disbelief set all of that aside, the mystery itself is a lot of fun. I did guess that the initial art heist that kicks things off wasn’t exactly what it seemed, but the murder that followed had plenty of tasty red herrings to fish for and tempting would-be clues to sent this reader on many an enjoyable wild goose chase.

The setting of the mystery within the confines of this great and grand hotel was a treat. It still felt like a cozy in a setting that isn’t really cozy at all. More like elegant and opulent, and it was a pleasure to read the way it all worked and how Evelyn’s world came together.

So the mystery is appropriately puzzling, the setting is different in a delicious way and the heroine and her little dog are fun to follow. If you like your mysteries with more than a bit of bubble and froth The Socialite’s Guide to Murder is a lovely little read.

And for anyone who enjoyed The Three Dahlias, Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy the amateur sleuth would fit right into their crime solving shenanigans – once she is able to leave the Pinnacle. Maybe in the next book in the series.