I really enjoy this series and it was a delight to be back for another adventure with Kitty in Murder at the Island Hotel. The titular island is very atmospheric and its stark nature had shades of And Then There Were None. The group of guests was a great selection of suspects and the inclement weather was perfectly pitched, with the terrible storm lashing the hotel and the island to accompany the discovery of a dead body.

I like the way that Helena Dixon uses a contemporaneous style and language for the narration which perfectly fits into the timeframe while always ensuring the narrative is clear for a modern reader. The story is in the golden age style so there's plenty of time for tea alongside the detecting. It was enjoyable to have Alice accompanying Kitty for a change, although Matt still makes an appearance.

The mystery is solid, with plenty of clues and red herrings. I did not guess whodunit and was surprised by the ending. It was a great read and I liked checking in with familiar characters. The book can easily be read as a standalone, but I recommend the whole series for golden age cozy lovers. I will definitely be reading more from Kitty and Helena Dixon.

“ A gorgeous island off the English coast, a beautiful hotel perched on the cliffs, a group of glamourous friends… and a suspicious death? Kitty Underhay’s invitation didn’t mention murder!”

Once again perfectly set, great character development and just the right level of jeopardy in the plot. Great series

1936, Kitty is invited to review a hotel before it opens to the general public. The luxury hotel is set on an island, no expense has been spared and the atmosphere is opulent. However, the owner is found dead in a locked room with a gun in his hand. A hand that could never have pulled the trigger...
Murder at the Island Hotel is the 15th book to feature Kitty and her husband Matt, a private investigator team in the 1930s.
Kitty goes back to her hotel roots to give feedback on a new hotel venture, The magnificent island hotel is the epitome of elegance aimed at an exclusive clientele. Sir Norman and his fiancee are the owners but he is found dead and Kitty is sure it is murder. But the room was locked and there are no obvious motives or suspects.
Kitty sets to works straight away while she waits for the police and her husband to arrive on the island. Her investigations produce new information about finances and relationships that could have caused murderous intent. But she isn't quick enough to prevent a second death...
There is a great atmosphere created as she endures the stormy weather and the turmoil within the hotel. The mystery is well sustained despite the limited setting and range of suspects. There are historical details about gender and class attitudes which felt authentic and added depth to the plot and characters.
Murder at the Island Hotel is another enjoyable instalment in this cosy historical murder mystery series.

An island, closer to home is Bird Island and it is there that Kitty Underhay, or Mrs Bryant as she is now known and her faithful servant and helper Alice find themselves.

Kitty and Alice go to see if the newest hotel is up to being included in the local Hoteliers Association. It all seems too good to be true, and when they are cut off by storms and a body turns up it seems the only answer is for Kitty and Alice to find out the truth.

In this the fifteenth novel in the series, this is very much a theme on the locked room murder mystery and with an overt nod to the great Agatha Christie and Burgh Island. With the clues and the red herrings, I was somewhat pleased with myself when I saw a vital clue and worked out the culprit. Sitting back to watch Kitty, Alice and with some help from Kitty’s husband Matt and the local police force, it was obvious that all was not what is seemed.

Set in the 1930s, these characters and all the stories have a charm about them that you cannot help but enjoy as you wonder exactly how many dead bodies they can keep stumbling across. As the books have progressed, of course so have the main characters lives and it is always nice to see the back stories fleshed out more. Time of course waits for no man and the inevitably about what is happening in this period, is surely bound to start featuring in the books.

Perfect for fans of historical cosy mysteries.

I enjoyed this mystery book and found I couldn't put it down. I almost read it in one sitting g as it was so good. I love these types if books as they are such a pleasure to read. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

this series keeps evolving and exploring more the relationship between Kitty and Matt.

This mystery was well done, even though there were a few red herrings, it's not difficult to suss out the murderer.

I love that the Chief Inspector has a major role, with Kitty and Alice taking a backseat and being more spectators. I enjoyed the story and the cast of characters and will continue to read this series for a long time.

A cozy mystery whodunit that will keep you guessing until the very end. This is a cute series of books that doesn't take itself too seriously. The characters continue along from book to book and the theme stays the say with a formulaic execution of a mystery that works. It's the perfect break from heavier literature when you are just looking for a bit of light fun. This author also does a magnificent job of setting the picturesque scenes by showing but not telling. I will continue along with the series without hesitation.

As a now-respected member of the hotel community, Kitty is invited to the opening of the new Bird Island Hotel off the Devon coast. Taking her maid and best friend Alice with her, even the weather bodes ill as they cross to the island. A storm is brewing, and would you believe it, before you can say 'where's my brolly?', the storm breaks, the island is cut off and the hotel owner is found dead. Soon enough there is a second body. Cripes!

I love this series, having read every single book. In this, Kitty and Alice try to find sense amongst the many clues, helping the local police until her husband Matt arrives. As ever, I'm sure the clues are there but I just read these for the period setting, the wonderful array of characters and, of course, the ongoing stories of the central characters. A tale of jealousy, financial woes and family secrets in a classic whodunnit setting of an isolated island makes for such a wonderful escape into another world, and Helena Dixon never fails to satisfy.

This instalment does end, however, with an ominous letter arriving for Matt - what is it? who is it from? We'll have to wait until book 16 to find out.... I can't wait.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Kitty and Alice have been asked to certify the newly renovated hotel on the island and they are delighted to do so. The hotel is luxurious and posh. Sir Norman and his fiancée have also invited a group of fellow actors as a trial run.

The weather is not very welcoming but everyone settles in. When Sir Norman is found murdered Kitty gets into Police mode because there is no way for the police to cross the seas to get there.
The murderer has to be one of the guests and Kitty by a sense of deduction eliminates her suspects one by one.

A typical cost mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie, especially with the very British weather and surroundings adding charm to the read.

I was a little dubious starting this as I have not read books 1-14, but it was lovely! Very Agatha Christie: private detective, lonely island resort, horrible storm, guests with tons of secrets, dead bodies. Seriously, you can't get a better golden age-style mystery than this. The best part? I have 14 more books to read!

Murder at the Island Hotel by Helena Dixon is a fun cozy mystery. When I requested this book on NetGalley I had no idea it was number 15 in a series. You could pretty quickly figure out it was part of a series, but it was fine to read as a stand alone book. I thought the characters were well developed and the pacing was great. I enjoyed the team of Kitty and Alice, and I appreciated the way the author kept it historically accurate that two women “detectives” wouldn’t be immediately invited to be partnered with the police. The I way the characters related to one another felt reasonable when considering the time period. In the past I’ve been disappointed with many so called “cozy mysteries,” but I would happily read more of the mysteries in this series!


Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable cozy crime book from a great series and as is to be expected from this talented author one not to miss.

In this book Kitty and her friend and maid Alice travel to a nearby island as ambassadors for the local hoteliers association. Once there the odd assortment of pre opening guests include actors rehearsing a play and an elderly gentleman who has bought the hotel. With an odd atmosphere the ladies cannot wait to return home however a suspicious death and the onset of a storm finds them looking for the killer themselves.

This is a well written with characters that lovers of this series have come to understand and look forward to meeting again. As always the plot is well thought out and this book features more of Kitty and Alice’s friendship. The artwork in the cover is eye catching and would draw potential readers to it.

Highly recommended for lovers of this genre.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

2🌟
Not entirely sure why but I found it really hard to get stuck into this book. I kept picking it up and giving it my best shot but never got very far and wasn't very motivated to continue reading it. Felt like a standard crime novel where someone gets killed in a locked room and there are multiple options. It also reminded me of a book I read some time ago where the characters were also on an island with treacherous conditions and then someone got murdered.

I really enjoy this historical mystery series. Kitty and Matt make a great team working as private investigators to solve crimes. I love how Chief Inspector Greville also works with them, you would think they were on his payroll. He is smart, but some of his mannerisms and a hoot. Kitty doesn't get to sit in on the interviews this time, but she and Alice work behind the scenes talking to the various suspects and the two employees. This is a locked room mystery, definitely a nod to Agatha Christie. As the story rolls out, there are plenty of suspects, all with their own motives. I thought I had it figured out, but was not right, especially when a second death occurs. This one has a twist that was perfect and the ending was wonderful. I am already looking forward to what is next for Miss Kitty Underhay and the rest of the wonderful cast of characters. A well written and developed mystery that I recommend.

Amazing I just loved this book! It was so good to have Kitty and Alice back together again for another adventure together!

I started this book and couldn’t put it down, I just loved it!

I would highly recommend this book and would highly recommend all the books in the series, I look forward to a new Miss Kitty Underhay/Bryant book!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookoutre for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early!

Favorite Quotes:

You all look like you’ve lost a shilling and found a farthing.

...best shake your feathers.

It’s so frightening now. One of the people I am friends with, and was working with, has killed two people. All the time we carry on talking, eating dinner, exchanging pleasantries as if nothing had happened. It’s as if I’m trapped in a nightmare.


My Review:

This was a multi-layered and complicated murder scheme that the little pea in my brain would never have unraveled, even knowing there was a limited pool of suspects. The storylines were deviously clever and well-nuanced while giving nearly everyone present a plausible motive for the first murder, but then things became more muddled with a second death. I cycled through my theories for each person several times and ended up suspecting them all. Sigh, only a clever sleuth such as the brilliant Kitty Underhay Bryant could have puzzled this one out.

And score, I achieved a new entry for my Brit Words and Phrases List with rum go – which Mr. Google told me refers to a surprising or peculiar event. And there were quite a number of those on the pages of this book.

February 1936. Kitty Bryant and Alice Miller representing the Torbay Hoteliers' Association are inspecting the Bird Hotel with a view to include it on their approved list. Accompanied by a troop of actors they make their way across to Bird Island. But later owner Sir Norman Whittier, commits suicide or has he. Kitty investigates as a storm has cut them off from the mainland.
An entertaining and well-written cozy historical mystery with its cast of varied and likeable characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I still really like the Kitty Underhay series, and have enjoyed that some of the more recent books are in different locations with new characters. This one, while still good, just felt a little more formulaic to me, and wasn’t as engaging as some of the earlier books. The writing is still good, and it’s always enjoyable to catch up the main characters, just not the same draw as earlier in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own.

I can't believe I haven't sent this off? Forgive me.
To put it mildly, this is my favourite reading series and this, the 15th in the series, is the best so far. To be honest, there aren't many series which you can say that about. For this entry, Helena takes Kitty and her best friend Alice out onto a nearby island to look at a new hotel that's soon to open. Needless to say, a murder intervenes and, I'm so pleased to say, that Alice has plenty to do with this story. There are twists, turns, red-herrings and the most wonderful characterisation.
I really can't praise this book enough. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the reading copy.

Kitty Underhay Bryant is back with a new mystery to solve. While her husband Captian Bryant is busy with a trial, Kitty and her friend Alice agree to inspect a new hotel whose owner wants to join the Torquay Hotelier's Association. It's a soft opening with the only other guest being acquaintances of the owner and his fiancee. It should be a nice overnight trip that might only be marred by the uncertain weather. If only...

Murder at the Island Hotel is book 15 in the series and while I've been reading it for some time I don't think you necessarily have to start at the beginning to enjoy this one. The mystery is confined to this book and there is no mystery or big plot line that runs through the series.

Kitty and Matt are one of my favorite sleuthing couples. But I've missed Alice since Kitty has moved out of the hotel she runs with her grandmother. It was great that she had such a big part in this book. It was like the "old days" when Alice traveled as a companion with Kitty.

If you are a fan of locked-door mysteries, then you will enjoy this book. The island is barely inhabited and the only access is by boat but the weather is so bad that no boat can make the crossing once the guests are dropped off. Moreover, several of the guests are actors. So while many had a motive it is difficult to tell who is telling the truth and who is lying. The police (the likable Chief Inspector Greville and the less likable Inspector Lewis) have a difficult time deciding who did it. I never even had a good suspect.

I prefer to have an inkling of who the culprit is and I'm not a fan of the "sleuth" doing the big reveal and how they deduced it at the end. But there wasn't really any way to quickly wrap up the story and all the clues laid out did make sense.

It was still fun to spend a few days with the characters and as always I look forward to the next book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/03/murder-at-island-hotel-by-helena-dixon.html