'The Socialite's Guide to Murder' set in 1958 was richly layered for me. Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy has had an unsolved and traumatic experience which has shaped her life in difficult ways. In many ways she is a caricature of herself, struggling to find meaning and worth. She is kind, indulged, brutally insecure and loyal. Other reviewers have labeled this a YA story, and I vehemently disagree. She lives in her father's New York hotel and suffers from agoraphobia. The other characters in the book are definitely adult with adult issues and choices. An author is doing a reveal of his latest work in an art show at the hotel and ends up murdered. Evie's involvement in investigating the crime is engaging in a deep way. I hope this will become a series. The characters have stuck with me and I want to know more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my won.

This is such a lighthearted, fun, whodunnit, cozy mystery! Evelyn is glamorous, wealthy, and has everything she needs right inside the Pinnacle Hotel. The hotel is her refuge - she never leaves - but a back-to-back theft and murder leave her searching for clues to regain peace and safety in her hotel home.

This book gives Clue vibes - every guest is a suspect - and Only Murders in the Building vibes - comedy of errors meets dangerous sleuthing. It is funny, entertaining, glamorous, and keeps you guessing until the end.

This was such a quick read for me, and I really didn’t solve the crime until Evelyn figured it out too! (My only wish is that Evelyn would have surprised me too with her crime solving, but I truly didn’t figure it out until nearly the end.) If you are a fan of Marilyn Monroe, the late 1950’s, the game of Clue, and / or the show Only Murders in the Building, this is a must read!

Rated as 4 stars, but definitely deserves 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced ebook of The Socialite’s Guide to Murder by S. K. Golden!

Thank you NetGallery and Ms.Golden for a chance to read and review "The Socialites's Guide to Murder."
I would definitely categorize this book as a cozy mystery. It follows in the footsteps of Agatha Christie with a dose of humor added in. I enjoyed this novel and I believe that readers of the book "The Maid" by Nita Prose would also find this book delightful.

Spoiled NYC princess lives in Daddy's hotel on the edge of Central Park and solves murder mysteries.

It is 1958 and Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy has not left the Plaza, I mean Pinnacle, Hotel in fourteen months. Her agoraphobia keeps her tethered to her opulent surroundings but she passes the time cosplaying Marilyn Monroe. Evie flirts with bellboy Mac, carries her Pomeranian Elvis in her roomy 1950's handbag and generally sticks her adorable nose into every nook and cranny of the hotel.

This Suite Life crashes to a halt when a valuable painting is stolen from right under said adorable schnoz. The crime is investigated by Det. Hodgson, a tall Black man in his midforties (in 1958? This seems a little sus. And is never mentioned again). Evie doesn't believe it when the head of security is hauled off to the hoosegow. She will Hercule Poirot it herself!

Evie is not terribly sympathetic. She is tired of being dismissed as a lightweight but her character development didn't move that needle much. Her anxiety disorder comes and goes when the plot demands it, which is annoying. And for goodness sake, stop canoodling with the bellboy and then tipping him $5! Ick.

This apparently is the first in a planned series. It might get more traction marketed as YA because it very much is "Serena and Blair and the Case of the Purloined Portrait." Or you know what, just revisit Eloise, the OG hotel girl.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

“A delightful tale of glamour and murder at a luxury hotel in 1958 New York. Evelyn Murphy is the perfect sleuth for the occasion—charming, wealthy, and agoraphobic. She almost never leaves the hotel. With an endearing optimism, Evelyn takes matters into her manicured hands to find the killer and protect her home, her friends, and her little dog, Presley. A wonderful romp of a mystery!”

Evelyn Murphy has everything she needs in her father's hotel. Since she discovered her mother dead, she has become very good at finding things. Trouble is lurking in the Pinnacle Hotel, and this Marilyn Monroe-loving socialite is the one to get to the bottom of it.

This was fun. A spoiled socialite main character might not sound like she would be a relatable person to follow, but Evelyn was. She is selfish, clueless about how the world looks, and just interesting. There are glimpses at her vulnerability, hinting at the brain she hides from everyone around her. She knows who she is and what she wants, and nothing gets in her way. Well, not for long, anyway.

The plot was also interesting. Nothing too difficult to follow and perhaps a little easy to guess at, but just enough red herrings to keep you guessing if you're right or not. I don't agree it is a Hercule Poirot level mystery, but entertaining for a relaxing weekend.
Overall, this was a fun read and I would recommend it to readers looking for something a little different.

The socialite's guide to murder is a beautiful cozy mystery. The e-arc was provided from netgalley and I wanted to thanks crooked lane books for the copy.

I could say that I flew through the pages. Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy's story begin a little bit slow paced. It begins with a robbery of a painting and unfolds from there.

I'm not going to spoil the fun and the development of the many characters, specially for Evelyn. I'm gonna say that her personality clashes with everyone and she hide behind her status and fame but has a few dark and hidden places on her soul.

After the murder I live for the romance between her and Mac (the bellboy) and I'm not even a fan of romance.

It has some elements of elegant mysteries like Agatha Christie's work and taking place at the Pinnacle hotel it has many characters to present (also suspects)

It was fun, cute and based on the fifties so it has a lot of this old Hollywood vibes on it.

What a nice presentation for Miss Murphy, detective at large.

A light murder mystery with a charming main character. A successful com combination of humour, mystery, and romance set in a colourful lavish setting. This novel reads like a movie, with an interesting array of characters and a quick paced plot. No deep themes but what a great opportunity to escape normal every life if even for a few minutes. Add this title to you beach bag for the summer!

loved the way that s.k golden built their world, and the language that they used throughout 'the socialite's guide to murder.' a pretty quick and easy read that was entertaining and something that i would re-read whenever i need a one sitting book.

I loved getting to know Evelyn Elizabeth, the Princess of the Pinnacle. She was fun to get to know, and watching her solve the evolving mysteries along with her Pomeranian, Presley, was charming and engaging!

The Socialite's Guide to Murder by S.K. Golden is the first book in the delightful Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series. It takes place in New York in 1958. The setting is a luxury hotel with elite guests and humorous staff. The book is interesting reading that is clean and easy to read. While the book may feel a bit flat for those that are accustomed to harsher content, this story is well suited for readers that enjoy novels that are free of graphic content.

If you're a puzzle fan, S.K. Golden's plot keeps you guessing till the very last page. It reminds me of the television show Murder She Wrote. It is a cute story with a heartwarming cast.

The Socialite's Guide to Murder by S.K. Golden is available on October 11th. (3.75 ⭐⭐⭐💫)

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to review this sweet story. Your kindness is appreciated.

This book was disappointing. I honestly went back and looked at the genre classifications, because once I started it, I thought for sure it was young adult. The writing is definitely simplistic, which I think was probably the writer’s goal with this novel, but it just didn’t resound with me.

The main character, Evelyn, is your typical 1950s New York socialite — shallow, vain, demanding, vapid. At least this is how she’s presented when we are introduced, and I thought for sure she would gain some depth and real character development as the story went on. She did not, though. She remained a wealthy heiress full of entitlement and relatively indifferent to the trouble she caused for others. As such, the character aspect of this book fell completely flat in my opinion.

The mystery of the novel was pretty good, I wasn’t able to predict the culprit(s) so that’s always a good thing! I did enjoy the details of the setting as well, including those of little Presley, who was my favorite character.

I didn’t love this story, but if you go into it without high expectations for character development, I think you might enjoy it more than I did! Thank you to SK Golden, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is a heiress and is living the good life in her father's luxury hotel penthouse. She is known by the staff as being able to find things that are lost. When a painting goes missing and the artist ends up murdered, Evelyn decides to solve the mystery. This is a light whodunit, with a historical setting in the 1950s. There are lots of characters who work or are staying at the hotel, which means a lot of suspects. Everyone seems a bit suspicious and we are kept guessing. In true whodunit style, Evelyn brings together all the suspects for the big reveal of how she figured out the mystery. Evelyn is portrayed as a spoiled rich girl with a heart of gold. The story touches on some personal traumas she has been through and as a result she has developed agoraphobia, which is why she struggles to leave the hotel. Everyone come across as a little bit of a caricature, but it added to the historic vibe of the book for me.

I had a good time reading this one. It is quick and light and a fun mystery.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the Arc..

An agoraphobic heiress solves a murder in her father’s hotel in 1950s New York City in this entertaining whodunnit. Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy, our would-be detective, undergoes significant personal growth while trying to stop a killer from killing again. There’s a wide-ranging cast of characters, insights into the art world and its parallel black market, and plenty of glitz and glamour as befits NYC in this period. Should appeal to fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mysteries, as well as readers of Kerry Greenwood and even Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Looking forward to further enterprises with this character.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel. I am rating this book based the stars due to lack of time to leave a full review. #NetGalley #TheSocialitesGuidetoMurder

This was a cute mystery and Evelyn as the main character was fairly winsome (while being poshly spoilt). I rooted for her. I wasn't too captivated by the things she was obsessed about (chiefly her clothes and celebrity fascination) but that she was interested to investigate when she perceives something wrong was admirable. SHe didn't let her own problems keep her from helping so she gets all the kudos from me. Her trusty sidekick, Mac was a winner and really added to my overall enjoyment of the story. Honourable mention to Presley the pooch in the positives column. The mystery itself was well done and while I would have enjoyed a tougher puzzle, the twists and misdirection were good. This is a great book for a relaxing weekend read. (and who doesn't need those?!)

While this read smoothly and quickly it felt a little like it was underwritten. How to explain... it felt like it wasn't quite for adults but maybe that's just me. There was nothing wrong with it and I would read another. There's clearly enough room for Evelyn to grow and for more mysteries to be had. Recommended.

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. Evelyn’s always been good at finding things, she discovered her mother dead in a Manhattan alleyway fifteen years earlier. 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. I had high hopes for this book. It was set in an interesting era and the mystery aspect of her mothers death sounded promising. I liked it but felt it had a lot of promise not quite lived up to. The author did a good job of keeping the suspense going until the end but once all was revealed it felt sort of anticlimactic. I am however hoping for more from this writer because I felt like there was a lot of potential inspite of a certain flatness. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

An interesting read, not an absolute favorite, was not an “I can’t put this down” but drawn in enough to finish. I’ll have to read more of this author. Thanks to the publisher and net galley for this ARC opportunity

This is a fun, light murder mystery. I love historical fiction as much as I love mysteries, but some of the historical aspects of this book—set in 1958 New York–wore a bit thin. However, the hotel setting and interesting characters served as a wonderful backdrop to the engaging mystery. Thanks to NetGallery for this ARC!

A light-hearted mystery with not much at stake and some half-heartedly fleshed our characters. Nobody is overly sympathetic or enigmatic, the plot is fairly straightforward and even if you’re kept guessing about the killer/thief, you find that you don’t care much about who was murdered or why. When the big reveal is announced, it feels worthy of a solid head nod towards the author but not much else. There just was no OOMPH, no stakes. It was enjoyable but not memorable.

3/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.