Thank you for this ARC copy! This was my first book by this author and it was enjoyable. Evelyn is a young, sort of spoiled socialite that finds herself entagled in some murder investigations, including an attempted murder on her father. The FMC is funny and determined, but I did find her to be mildly annoying. I had a hard time focusing in the second half of the audiobook, but I would be willing to give other books in this series a try. A reliable 3 star read!

The Socialite’s Guide to Death & Dating by SK Golden
Release Date: 10/10/23
Format: audio
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

What a great second installment in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series! This series is so fun and I am so grateful for the advanced listening copy from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley!

I have grown to love Evelyn Murphy and her silly and headstrong ways so much. She is flawed and spoiled but also has such a good heart and is always determined once she sets her mind to solving a murder! I actually laughed out loud multiple times listening to this audiobook and was on the edge of my seat genuinely wondering who was committing the crimes!

I really loved where Golden went with this book and the continued depth she gives to our heiress main character. It would be so easy to just make her vapid and shallow but I found myself rooting for her so much as she fights her “teeny tiny bit of” agoraphobia and her fraught relationship with her father.

Narrator Amara Jasper does such an amazing job at capturing the vibe and era of these novels and especially the airiness of Evie! I highly recommend listening to this book to get the full immersive experience.

And that ending?! I cannot wait for book three in this charming series!

This is a classic whodunnit style mystery novel with suspense and romance.
Hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy is forced to confront her agoraphobia when multiple murders happen too close to home at the Pinnacle. They’re thrown into a tailspin when a guest is found dead with a needle in his arm and it’s not long before another body turns up, as well as an attempted murder. Detectives may be on the case but their only hope at solving it rests in the hands of Evelyn.
The narrator was fun, lively and dynamic. Excited to see where this potential series goes. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This comes out 10/10.

Evelyn Murphy is an absolute treat as a lead character. There are so many dimension to Evelyn. Yes she’s a spoiled socialite but she also a survivor, a good friend, capable of great empathy and compassion. Most of all she’s a champion for justice, is great at inquiry and a lover of mystery books . A noted agoraphobic and only child of a mogul, She tackles the world with a unique insight. After attending a party at thePinnacle(her father’s hotel where she lives)Evelyn and her new beau Max, decide to head to his apartment in Yonkers. In the Pinnacle’s garage, Evelyn discovers Judge Baker in his car with a heroin needle protruding from his body. Even more shocking is the discovery of his female companion in the trunk. A. female companion whose reaction appears to link Evelyn to the crime.
Evelyn is quickly considered a person of interest. Thankfully her father arrives and uses his clout to gain her release. At home, the two get into a heated argument. Evelyn’s father Mark Murphy disapproves of Max and threatens to disown her if she doesn’t break things off. Max can’t help but defend Evelyn. Afterward they each retire to their bed chambers. The next morning Evelyn discovers her father semi conscious with a syringe protruding from his body. Later the police discover at the same crime scene, a maid dead in her father’s closet.
From there the author guides us through tales of greed, classism and gender bias. All while developing a slew of unforgettable characters and potential suspects that will leave you trying to figure out who done it and why.
While you may expect a socialite to be vapid, Evelyn is a woman before her time. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. I hope that there will be another book in the series soon.

The Socialite's Guide to Murder is the second Pinnacle Hotel murder mystery by S.K. Golden. Due out 10th Oct 2023 from Crooked Lane Books, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. 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, which she's trying to mitigate with therapy and by forcing herself outside. It's all lace curtains and silk stockings, social calendars and parties, until circumstances thrust her into the middle of another 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 friends. She does develop over the course of the book, and it's an actively ongoing series.

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. There are a number of anachronisms, and often the dialogue seems to be cosplaying 1958 and not actually set during the time period. I am also not sure how accurate the availability of psychiatric treatment and therapy was for general anxiety in the late 1950s in the USA and couldn't find much resource info with a cursory search. All that being said, however, it *is* an entertaining and readable book with a good plot and pace.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 10 hours, 4 minutes and is narrated by Amara Jasper. She has a well modulated rich alto voice and does a number of character voices distinctly and well. Her British accent(s) are not always flawless, but the characters are competently rendered and certainly don't distract from the read. I found her voice soothing to listen to and suited to the read overall.

Three and a half stars. Escapist comfort reading. There are two books in the series so far, so it would make a nice choice for a short binge/buddy read.

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

I originally was very unsure about rather or not I woudl be able to get past my dislike for the mfc but then before I knew it dislike turned to admiration. I admired how the mfc characters put others above her self and was able to hold her composure male dismissive moments. Can't wait to read the next.

I really like this series but HATE the causal sexism and misogyny of that era! I love that Evie is a strong capable woman even though she often pretends not to be as she struggles with her demons. I can't wait to see how she grows and moves past some of her trauma once her mother's murder is solved! I can't wait for the next one in the series!

#TheSocialitesGuidetoDeathandDating
#NetGalley

First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an audio ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
Now, I'm not much of a mystery reader, but one set predominantly in a hotel and taking place in the 1950s sounded interesting!
Unfortunately, this book comes with the thing that make me not a mystery reader: The obnoxious young sleuth who constantly sticks their nose where it doesn't belong. I knew it was coming, given the description, but still. It seemed worth the risk at the time!
The other characters were... Fine. They didn't leave much of an impression, save the father, whose impression was not a good one. The writing was fine. Not great, just fine. There was way too much description of the main character putting on and taking off her makeup. Her having anxiety was interesting, at least. I've never seen it addressed in a historical context, just danced around. Points for that!
Three stars for The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating!

Note: There was no indication that I saw on the actual NetGalley page that suggested that this was a sequel. I wouldn't have picked it up had I known.

Set in New York City in the late 1950s, "The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating" is a comedic murder mystery, starring protagonist Evelyn Murphy, the wealthy and agoraphobic socialite owner of the luxurious Pinnacle Hotel -- and an amateur detective. Fresh from solving an earlier murder (which appears to be the plot of the prequel to this book), Evelyn is confronted with a fresh crime wave in and around her hotel, including kidnapping, murder, and attempted murder. When Evelyn senses early in the investigation that the police are on the wrong track, she takes it upon herself to use her money and investigative skills to solve the mystery on her own once again.

This novel is well written and tells an entertaining (albeit grisly) story. The audiobook was excellently performed by Amara Jasper, who absolutely nailed the personalities of each character.

The story seemed superficial at times, but that is understandable, as this is meant to be a light read (or listen). And I always appreciate mysteries where the resolution is not overly predictable but not implausible either -- and this story fits that bill.

Overall, I rate "The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating" 4.25 stars. The novel's ending sets itself up nicely for a sequel, and if one should arrive, I will certainly give it a listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the free audiobook for review! All opinions are my own.

Hotel Heiress, Evelyn Murphy, has met her fair share of people living at her father's Pinnacle hotel. Unfortunately for her this also includes several dead bodies.

Luckily, she also fancies herself a bit of a detective. The only problem is, she was the one who found the dead body and is now a suspect for the murder.

Now she must clear her name and find out who the real killer is before they can strike again.
_

I really enjoyed this story! It was a fun, light take on a murder mystery. It had major Scooby-Doo/Clue/Knives Out vibes which I thoroughly enjoyed!

I liked the characters, their quirky names, and the 1950s feel. It was a quick and easy read and the perfect pallet cleanser.

The mystery kept me guessing and when I thought I had it all figured out there was a twist and I wound up surprised to find out who the actual killer was.

The reason this one isn't five stars is because I listen to the audiobook and the narrator's voice for Evelyn was a bit two over the top and annoying. It didn't stop me from listening but I think I would have preferred to read this one over listening to the audiobook.

Read if you like:
🔍 Light Murder Mystery
🔍 1950's
🔍 Jinkys! Scooby-Doo vibes
🔍 Whodunnit
🔍 Hotel Heiress
🔍 Forbidden Love
🔍 Agoraphobia

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this audiobook ARC

Thanks to Dreamscape & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Evidently this is the second outing for sleuth Evie Murphy. Not sure how the first book was, but there seems to be some culture clash in this title. Evie is without doubt the most progressive rich white girl in all of 1958 NYC. I'm OK with that, but a) it's not particularly believable and b) it doesn't put much of a dent in her lifestyle in which she buys whatever she wants, whenever she wants (including friendship, people's time, etc.). She's kind of annoying, and that's what dragged this book down for me. I felt a little bit bad for her, since her father is pretty much a business automaton (also kind of a creep, like most rich white dudes of yore), and I'm sure the next book will be Evelyn solving her mother's mysterious unsolved murder, since the ending of this one intimated that heavily. Meh.

The voice actor skewed a bit too old for a young adult spitfire amateur sleuth with piles of cash, but she was great with male voices. I'd love to hear her do something more age-appropriate.

I finished this book, but it wasn't great and I doubt I'd pick up another by this author. 2 stars

New York, 1958. Even though Evelyn Murphy has made progress conquering her agoraphobia by leaving the Pinnacle, she still feels most comfortable in her father's hotel. With Malcolm Cooper, her new boyfriend and fellow employee at the hotel, Evelyn feels prepared for whatever happens next. In this case, it’s throwing a big fundraiser with the who’s who of New York City.

This was a fun addition to the series - an interesting but thrilling romp through late 50s NYC where we see our heroine grow as an individual and a sleuth. I can't wait for the next one!

Such a cute and cozy mystery series!

A death at a hotel owned by the Murphy family and Evelyn Murphy(socialite) decides to solve it. Honestly I was not a huge fan of Evelyn in the beginning of the book but as the story went on you discover her story and quirks, I absolutely loved her. Already can’t wait for the next book!

This is such a fun mystery set at a fabulous hotel in the 1950’s with the owner’s socialite daughter at the center. It is funny, light, full of twists, and left me wanting another book in the series! I love the cast of characters that kept me entertained.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't t sure what to expect from this book. I was three chapters in when I realized there was a previous book with the same characters. That book provides more context to the characters but you could probably get by without reading it. I did stop this book and go back to the first one though. Imagine a cozy mystery set in late 1950s New York. It was so much fun! I do so hope there will be another one (we are left set up with the possibility).

I don't know if it's because I did the audio for this second book and not the dead tree copy, or because it was free, or just because the author is getting better, but I actually liked it more than the first book. It seems this isn't going to be a cozy mystery series that never lets its heroine grow as a character or keeps her stagnant just to preserve the ViBeS. Evelyn grows a lot in this book, on several fronts, and the author also introduces some things that presumably will be longer term conflicts that can keep the series going without wringing the premise dry. Primarily, Evelyn's rocky relationship with her father, but also solving the death of her mother, and resolving whatever is going on with Mac.

She also gets a partner of sorts in this one, and I am very much in favor of this new dynamic. Grumpy veteran and cheery ingenue is a pairing that works well, and Golden uses it admirably.
The mystery was interesting and put together in an interesting way.

There is also now a dog (Presley) AND a cat (Monroe).

I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this, and will definitely be continuing in the series, and definitely by audio.

DNF @ 20%

I didn't read the first book (I wasn't aware this was a #2 until logging it here) and am note sure if that made a difference. I didn't feel like I was "missing something" or out of the loop but perhaps I would have liked it more with prior foundation *shrug*

I tend to like period stories, especially "old New York" and socialites... if they have a brain. Evelyn is ditzy and too braggy for me "my dad is the most important man in the world" "don't you know who I am" "I have to sit on that seat in my white outfit." I found her extremely dim and annoying. The narrator also has a nice voice but didn't seem age appropriate.

Thanks netgalley for my ARC ALC.

This was another cute story in the Pinnacle Hotel mystery series.

Evie, the lead, is a spoiled, air-head type that seems to be aware of that fact and doesn’t let it get in her way. This book was a bit more action packed than the first book but I thought it could’ve been condensed down a lot more.

I listened to this as an audiobook and enjoyed the narration!

I think this book could be read alone but would recommend reading the first book first! I think that this is a murder mystery series that would be good for an older crowd or someone that likes the mystery but without the gore and scariness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy does not like leaving her family's hotel the Pinnacle so it takes a lot for her boyfriend Malcolm (Mac) to convince her to leave it to visit his apartment in Yonkers. When she finds the dead body of Judge Baker in his car and a woman is discovered in his trunk she starts asking questions. When her father is almost killed she decides to solve the case. She enlists the grudging help of Detective Hodgson and together they try to figure it out. Will they figure it out before someone else is killed and Mac goes to jail for the crimes?

The narrator did a good job sounding like the spoiled heiress that everyone thinks Evelyn is.

Fighting her recently diagnosed agoraphobia, hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy decides to finally venture out with Malcom Cooper, her new boyfriend, to his house. Evelyn stumbles upon a dead body in the parking garage of her father's hotel. Detective Hodgson and new partner Detective McJimsey arrive at the scene. Just in time to find a woman alive in the trunk of the dead man’s car. Evelyn and Mac find themselves on all sides of the law when they get swept up in a whirlwind of an investigation. To top it all off, Evelyn must try and convince her father to let her continue to date Mac. Can the two solve the murder and can their relationship survive? A very entertaining mystery that is sure to be enjoyed by many.

Narrated by Amara Jasper. Jasper brings a whole new level to this story with a variety of voicings. Evelyn is brought to life with her bubbly, sassy demeaner. This was a pleasant and entertaining listening experience.