Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my gifted copy of The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating.

This was the second book in a series and a cozy mystery which is a genre that I am not super into. I tried to get into this one several times but it didn't work for me.

Giving this one a four start even so, because it was my responsibility to read a little more into the synopsis to stay away from genres that I know I am not into.

The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating is a delightful cozy mystery. Evelyn finds herself in the midst of another murder at the Pinnacle Hotel. This one finds her in more hot water as she touched the murder weapon. As expected Evelyn can't help but get herself involved, especially as her father also ends up involved. Filled with the same fun in the 50's vibe as the first one this one shouldn't be missed.

I started listening to this book as I worked my way through a ton of pending audiobooks I had on my virtual shelf. The narrator did a great job of bringing the author's protagonist to life. She sounded like a spoilt, petulant girl, but when push came to shove, she rose to the occasion and listening to her do it her way was highly entertaining.
I ended up listening to this book at a stretch and was mildly sorry I had not read the previous book in the series. I only took away the fact that there was a murder in the previous installment, and this rich heiress managed to help the police figure things out, much to their chagrin.
The end result of the plot is not one that anyone can actually guess because the hints and clues are provided to just reinforce our acceptance of what we see unfold.
It is 1958 in New York, and Evelyn wants to run her father's hotel with as much efficiency as she can. The fact that she has agoraphobia and the death of her mother haunts her is not something she dwells on constantly, but they do hinder her from being entirely functional all the time. When a high-ranking judge is found dead in the hotel's parking garage, Evelyn feels the need to get to the bottom of things, especially as her beau is in the police's crosshairs.
I really enjoyed the turns the story took and would recommend it to fans of historical mysteries.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own listening experience.

“The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating” by S.K. Golden is a delightful mystery novel set in New York City during 1958. Hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy, despite her progress in overcoming agoraphobia, still finds comfort within the walls of her father’s hotel. When a big fundraiser with New York’s elite takes place, Evelyn’s life takes an unexpected turn. She stumbles upon a dead body in a car, and soon, the police investigation entangles her in a web of secrets and danger. With her boyfriend, Malcolm Cooper, accused of the attacks, Evelyn must unravel the mystery before she’s forced to check out of the hotel—for good.

The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating is the second book in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series, following hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy and her boyfriend and coworker Mac as they help solve another murder case in the hotel.

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

I liked the premise of the book but sadly did not enjoy it. I think if I had read it I might have had an easier time getting into it. The narrator's voice and tone did the naive and spoiled heroine justice, portraying her really well. But to me, it was at times insufferable. There is a comedian Leah Rudick who often does bits about rich out-of-touch women in her videos - that is exactly what that narrator sounded like to me.

If you like a murder mystery with a bit of pizzazz, you will enjoy it.

This is the second book in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series, but the first that read.

The book is set in the New York of the 1950s, and the main character, Evelyn Murphy, is the daughter of the hotel owner, whois used to all the good things in life and getting her own way. Although she is a little ditzy, she is smart and completely loveable and someone the reader roots for.

This is a fun mystery and is very readable. I can't wait for the next installment in this series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating is book 2 in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery Series & after reading the first book a few months ago I was anticipating this one. Similar to the first book it was a fun, quick mystery though the stakes were slightly higher in this one.

There is something about this series that I find fun. Once again, we're reminded to never underestimate Evelyn, who seems to be ditsy but isn't- who has a kind heart, loyalty and determination. She certainly has been through some tough stuff in her past & we get to learn a little more about her which I loved. Plus bonus points since she mentions her faith (this is not a christian book, but I did just like seeing that represented at some points). I can't wait to see where all we've been learning takes her in further books. We follow along as Evelyn takes the reigns and investigate (and as she works through the "little bit" of agoraphobia she has, which I love seeing represented).

I do like that we get to see more interaction with Evelyn & her Father that I'm sure will continue to be explored in further books because there is a lot there to unpack, the new romance she has going & all that comes with that and the ending. The ending of this one definitely had me more curious about what the next one will entail compared to how book one ended. Everything is wrapped up in terms of mystery- so don't worry, no ambiguity in that particular arena if you're like me and can't stand that type of thing, haha.

Being back at the Pinnacle was a good time and the perfect way to spend my weekend when I listened to it. As a fellow NY-er I appreciate/enjoy reading about stories that take place in NY in a diff time frame than the present (it takes place around 1958) and whether its one I was around for or not I find it somehow interesting and nostalgic in a sense when done properly.

I listened to this one on audio and it was such a good way to experience this story- the narrator bought the characters to life and it made it even more enjoyable. If you're an audio lover, or looking to get into it- this one is a good one (I believe the narrator also does book one as well so if you want to get into the series, it still works!).

I'm looking forward to seeing what S.K. Golden comes up with next for these characters.

*Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced listening copy. All opinions are honest & my own.

I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did! I've never read a mystery set in this time period that wasn't based on a historical event. I really enjoyed the world building and the mystery was solid. I am looking forward to more in the series!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

When I started this book I had no idea it was a series. I have not yet read the first in this series but listening to the second book has made me want to read the first. But also that shows this second book can be read or listened to as a stand alone. I love this style of mystery that is a little silly but all makes sense, and I love a mystery set somewhere in the early 1900s. Overall this book was fast paced with a great narrator and I love every second of it!

Interesting plot. I first got a little annoyed at Evelyn Murphy's entitlement for being rich, so to speak, but she slowly grew on me and got my heart. I could not figure our who the culprit was up to the end.
The narrator of the audiobook was on point! Excellent voice expressions and intonation.

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook! Amara Jasper did a great job of narrating the book. It was easy to listen to, was very animated, and I loved that each character had a different voice.

A definite engaging book by this author. I love the interplay between the characters and the overall mystery behind dating and death. It leaves the reader pondering some of the questions they have in the back of their head about their dating practices. It's an engaging and engulfing book.

This has some significantly frustrating elements to it, but overall it’s a cute and entertaining read.

I liked the heroine of this book, which goes a long way toward covering up other flaws. The mystery itself is fine, and I thought the pacing was excellent.

On the downside, there are some anachronisms in this that seemed entirely avoidable, and the “I’m semi-agoraphobic” thing is absolutely ridiculous and misleading. Why not just say she has anxiety and that being in unfamiliar locations makes it worse? It’s legitimate but a long way from agoraphobia. The religious stuff is grating too, and feels out of place in a book like this and is likely agenda pushing by the author. Ick.

Still, I enjoyed the humor and the pluck of our heroine,and while I wasn’t crazy about the ending to her personal plot line, her relationship to other characters is interesting enough that I might read another.

This book was so fun, a smart sleuth who is just a little bit ditzy and spoiled - Evelyn is a Doris Day like character ... this was a fabulous palate cleanser read.
A poor little rich girl with a severe case of agoraphobia Evelyn Murphy is the event planner and social manager for her daddy's hotel, The Pinnacle in 1958 Manhattan.
She spends her davs within the Pinnacle hotel where she resides- both charming and annoying the staff with her special requests and ideas. When Evelyn tries to leave the hotel she makes it to the parking garage where she finds the body of a judge who was just attending her party in a compromising position. When her beloved but very much distant father visits Evelyn has an opportunity to show off her sleuthing skills.
Armed with her beloved tiny dog, Presley, and her boyfriend/personal assistant, Evelyn is sure she can solve the murder in the hotel and save her father's name. But things escalate quickly when her steady beau is arrested and the police officer Hodgens whom she trusts is suspended.
This book works as a stand-alone, I actually haven't read the first book yet, but I became intrigued about this series when I listened to @sararosett 's Mystery Books Podcast about the first book The Socialite's Guide To Murder and I will read the first book now.
This was fun !
I listened to the audio for this fun book and the narration by Amara Jasper was perfect to set the scene.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane and Dreamscape Media for the eARC and audio arc. Just like the first in the Pinnacle Hotel series this book (and the character of Evelyn) captivated and charmed me. This was a quick read that kept me intrigued trying to find out whodunnit. I also loved seeing Evelyn’s character progression and I cannot wait to read the next in series! These books are endearing and so satisfying. I love the setting and the cast of characters, a fun mystery and excellent on audio!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for my honest rating and review.

4/5

Like the first book, this cozy mystery was another fun read! These books are silly and not entirely realistic, but they really are fun. This one did seem to have more deeper moments and delved a little bit more into the MC’s mental health issues. We also got to know some of the background characters a little better, which I very much enjoyed! The ending of the book (no spoilers) indicates that there will be another book in the series, and I’m looking forward to reading it!!

I didn’t love this book, I didn’t hate this book.
The characters for the most part were pretty likable. I loved the setting of the book and the timeline of it. Some of the phrases were overused and were starting to get annoying. I think that was my biggest gripe with the book. I will say I didn’t figure out who the killer was until it was really starting to be revealed so it had a nice little twist. Overall, it was enjoyable, but I would never read it again nor do I think I’d reach for any others in the series.

The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating by S. K. Golden, narrated by Amara Jasper, is the second book in the Pinnacle Hotel series, set in the late 1950s. However, it can be enjoyed as a standalone story. ( I did not read the first one)

The novel introduces us to Evie Murphy, a wealthy young woman who has lived her entire life within the confines of the Pinnacle Hotel, where she found her mother’s murdered body as a child. At the time of the story, there is a new murder and she decides to investigate.

I like the performance of the narrator of this audiobook. She did a brilliant job bringing the characters to life and their personalities. The tone was on point!

“The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating” falls into the cosy mystery genre, offering a mix of romance and intrigue. While the story mentions PTSD and agoraphobia, it doesn’t delve deeply into these themes. Instead, it provides an entertaining and light-hearted narrative that can be easily enjoyed while doing household chores.
If you’re looking for a cosy mystery with a vintage setting, “The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating” might be a pleasant choice.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the access to the audiobook.

The Socialite’s Guide To Death And Dating is the second book in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series by American author, S K Golden. Evelyn Murphy, daughter of the owner of the Pinnacle Hotel in New York City, has already, some weeks earlier, solved one murder when she and her beau/assistant, Malcolm Cooper (Mac) come across a body in a car in the Pinnacle’s parking garage.

Judge Cliff Baker is found in the driver’s seat of his cherry red Cadillac Coup de Ville with a needle in his arm, but Evelyn notes no track marks on his skin. When the police turn up, they assume a heroin overdose, but Evelyn isn’t convinced: why would a man with a successful career and a young, pregnant wife take such a risk. Even more puzzling is the frightened, scantily-clad young woman locked in the trunk of his car.

Dealing with Detective Hodgson is difficult enough, but when his younger colleague, Detective McJimsey decides to arrest Evelyn for the murder, she calls in the big guns: the attorney general and the chief of police see that she is released pronto.

Mark Murphy is annoyed with his daughter’s recent activity, but is even more disturbed by the company she’s keeping. Mac is a former bellhop, way below her station, and he issues Evelyn an ultimatum: break it off with Mac or be disinherited, and therefore penniless. He makes his dislike for Mac plain, and it is reciprocated when Mac stands up to him about his treatment of his daughter. Evelyn diagnoses overtiredness and defers further discussion until the next day.

But less than twenty-four hours after Judge Baker is found, there are three corpses: a dead judge, a dead prostitute and a dead maid; and Mark Murphy is in the hospital recovering from an attempt on his life. Worse still, Mac has been arrested for the murders. Evelyn is determined to get him out on bail and find the real killer, but Daddy has her money tied up tight, even her mother’s inheritance.

As she questions the Pinnacle staff, the Judge’s widow and his family, and those who knew the dead women, the list of potential suspects grows alarmingly: the valets are disgruntled with Mark Murphy’s budget cuts and his anti-union stance; the widow’s stepson seems a bit too friendly with his very regnant step-mother; and the doctor is too conveniently on the spot.

At first appearance, Evelyn seems to be exactly what her father describes: a spoiled, stupid socialite, whom some will see as nosy and entitled. When she gives priority to shopping and getting her hair and nails done, she does seem ditzy and shallow. Her father criticises her generosity: “…tipping that boy a dollar. A dollar, Evelyn, for opening a door? A quarter, at most, will do.” The lift boy opened the elevator doors, and Daddy swept inside.
My mouth fell open, staring after him aghast. “But Daddy, I can’t carry loose change! I’ll jingle!”
And her fixation on a particular red lambskin Archambeau handbag seems frivolous, but perhaps her perspective gives her different insights.

Evelyn suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, and is trying to overcome her fear of leaving the Pinnacle, where she has lived her whole life. Raised by a nanny since her mother was murdered when she was six, and with a father who parented her with his wallet, it’s no wonder she needs an analyst, although Dr Sanders ideas do seem quite advanced for 1958.

While this is the second book in this cozy mystery series, it easily stands alone; there’s plenty of humour and melodrama; there’s already a cute dog, Presley, and now a cat, Monroe; and the final pages promise an interesting third instalment when Laurence Hodgson and Evelyn try to track down Gwen Murphy’s killer. Amara Jasper’s narration of the audio version really enhances the reading experience. A very entertaining cozy.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.