Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "Murder At The Island Hotel" in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 15th book in the wonderful Miss Underhay series. I have enjoyed all the books in the series and this book is equally well craft. It has the feel of a locked room mystery, set on an island, in a storm.

The story begins as always with the Torbay Herald - this time it's February 1936 and we learn that the Bird Hotel will be opening on Bird Island come Easter. Sir Norman Whitter is the proprietor. Kitty Bryant has been asked by her grandmother - who since retiring from the Dolphin Hotel has become the head of the Torbay Hoteliers Association - to screen the application of Sir Norman to join the association. When Vera Appleton-Finch from the Somerton Hotel comes down with shingles and can't accompany Kitty, she asks Alice her dearest friend to accompany her. If there is something that Alice doesn't know about the hotel trade, it's not worth knowing. Kitty says it will be a nice little holiday, they'll stay in a posh hotel - what could possibly go wrong?

Sir Norman has invited a small group over to the island to test the hotel out before they open to the public. Most are theatre friends of his finance Miss Marie Monbiere who is an opera singer. Paul Browing is a fellow actor, Lambert Pike is their theatrical agent, Selena Headingly is an actress, Alec Standish an actor and Colin Frobisher a financier. There are only 2 staff at the hotel - husband and wife - Ethel and Albert. On the surface everything seems delightful but there is something strange, a tension in the air.

There is of course, a murder at the hotel behind a locked door. Kitty promises that she doesn't go looking for these things, they just happen when she is around. Was it murder, or was it a suicide? Everyone on the island has a motive. The phone lines are down but after several attempts Kitty is able to get through to the police station. But there is a fierce storm making a boat crossing from Chief Inspector Greville and Inspector Lewis impossible and they have to wait for the waters to calm. Matt and Doctor Carter arrive with the police.

Then another body is found, was it another murder or suicide? Everyone is being less than truthful in questioning, providing very confusing information. Facts are omitted, deliberate lies are told. Money is found, but where did it come from and why? There are shocking twists regarding insurance, wills and family matters. Kitty and Alice naturally will put the pieces of the puzzle together and solve the crimes. Bringing about the end of a most exciting mystery. The ending has an official looking envelope arriving for Matt - what will their next adventure hold?

1930s, multiple-murder, family, local-law-enforcement, unputdownable, relationships, historical-novel, investigations, secrets, lies, private-investigators, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, suspense, suspicion, island-life, Devonshire, actors, fraud, smoke-and-mirrors, closed-circle-mystery, hotelier*****

This is hardly an unbiased review as I really love the Missy Underhay series. This time Missy and her pal Alice are off to a new hotel on a nearby island which is set to open soon. Hardly a day goes past when their host becomes the body in the office. They are able to contact the police and Missy's PI husband Matt. And the sleuthing begins in earnest! Great read with a truly incredible twist!
I requested and received an uncorrected advance review ebook copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

Firstly just loved the setting, 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! Like no crime novel I’ve ever read. The pages almost turn themselves and when I was finished I couldn’t stop thinking about the story’s incredible twists, turns, and surprises.

Kitty Bryant is delighted to be able to take her closest friend, Alice Miller, with her to a soon to be opened hotel just off the Devon coast. There on behalf of the local hoteliers organisation it's clear to see no expense has been spared to provide guests with a luxurious and relaxing experience.

The other guests, all friends of the owner, Sir Norman Whittier and his fiancée, opera singer turned playwright Marie Monbiere, are there to rehearse a new play. Everything seems to be in place for a successful opening until a body is discovered. With the weather closing in and the phone line patchy at best it's up to Kitty and Alice to look closely at what happened. As they wait for the police and Kitty's husband Matt to arrive can they work out who is responsible for spoiling everything or will another guest have their final holiday.

The 15th book in this wonderful series is Christie-esque in it's location and some of its characters but still quintessentially Kitty. It was great to have Alice take a more central role and her friendship and investigative skills added another pleasurable level to a very enjoyable read. There were some great twists and turns as well as more than one cliffhanger so now I need book 16 as well!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bookouture, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a fun addition to a great series. Recommended.

I loved this murder mystery on an island! It is Spring, 1936 and Kitty is invited to the soft opening of the new Bird Hotel on a small island nearby.
She, her best friend and group of actors will be guest for the weekend as the hotel gets ready for it's grand opening. It's not long however, before there are hints of discord and the hotelier is found dead in his study. Cut off from the mainland, the two set up to investigate as they wait for assistance.

This is actual number FIFTEEN in a series so I am excited to go back. No need to read the others first though - grab this right away and venture out to Bird Island, you won't be disappointed! #bookouture #murderattheislandhotel #helenadixon