This read like a classic whodunnit full of unreliable characters, misleading encounters, spooky tension, and a truly ominous setting.

The Hitchcock Hotel follows the story of a man who, down on his luck after expulsion from college, works his way to a dream of owning an Alfred Hitchcock themed hotel. On the one year anniversary of the hotel’s opening, he invites his college friends to stay for a weekend reunion that ends in catastrophe.

I had so much fun with this story. Every POV was met with revelations, ideas and contradicting thoughts and motives, until the bottom falls out of the weekend with a murder. Who had the motive to kill? Where were you at midnight? What was that sound on the third floor? With every page turned, you are hit with another doozy. Chapters left in bold statements that physically keep you from putting this book down.

This was an absurdly fun ride in the likes of Freida McFadden with a twist at the end that will leave you saying “what did I just read?” Paced wonderfully and unputdownable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of The Hitchcock Hotel. It was a fun ride! Below is my honest review.

What a super fun mystery novel! I loved the theme and the atmosphere. Hitchcock might not have been the best guy, but his movies were always top notch, and this novel really captured that style and modernized it.

The characters were complex, with fleshed out personalities and deep histories both together and as individuals. The story was paced well, with reveals being just when they needed to be. And while I guessed a bit of the twist, the ending still got me on some of the major points, which is hard for mysteries to do for me anymore, so I was thrilled!

All in all, really fun, great characters, great atmosphere, great pacing, great story. Highly recommended.

I am a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan, so when this came up I jumped to read it! Luckily I was approved because I was ready to offer my first born for the chance! lol
This was such a fun book! I hope something similar opens, I'll be the first customer! The references were fantastic, and there are some minor spoilers, but if you haven't watched the movies yet that's on you, you've had plenty of time!
Alfred Smettle opens a hotel entirely dedicated to Hitchcock. He's the slightly odd man out of a group of six from college. You know the kind, he doesn't quite fit in, but he's always there and loyal. He invites the other five for a reunion to celebrate the one year anniversary. His friends reluctantly show up but aren't quite thrilled. None of these characters are likeable, including Alfred. Though honestly that makes no difference to me. Just when you figure it out another twist shows up! Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy :D

Thank you to Stephanie Wrobel and Berkley Publishing for my copy of this book! It was about a group of friends all meeting for a reunion weekend at a hotel that one of them recently opened. Alfred is the founder, owner, and manager of the Hitchcock hotel, a victorian mansion dedicated to Alfred Hitchcock himself. There are movie props, constant movie showings, and even an aviary full of crows.

To celebrate the first anniversary of the hotel, Alfred invites his former friends from Film Club for a reunion. Even though he hasn’t spoken tot hem in sixteen years, he knows they will come. How could they not after what the did to him? And Alfred isn’t one to forgive or forget. The weekend will end as any good Hickcock film does, with a dead body.

Thoughts: The premise of this book was so much fun. I’m not a huge Hitchcock fan,but I loved all the references and the idea of this hotel. Alfred is horrible, as well as all the other characters actually were. It’s hard to root for any of them, especially once you learn about each of their pasts. They are all so self-righteous, and there are no characters you want to escape unscathed.

The concept and plot of this book are amazing, however the story was very underwhelming. I wanted her to go much darker, but it was all very Scooby Doo and surface level. The reveal was so obvious and there were far too many things that just seemed to fall into place. 3-stars for this one.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The ending was good and was a nice plot twist, but the rest of the book I couldn’t get into it.

“What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out” - Alfred Hitchcock

I had high hopes for The Hitchcock Hotel as I had enjoyed Wrobel’s debut Darling Rose Gold and was intrigued by this plot and creepy book cover. What transpired was a a slog of a read until the halfway mark. Wrobel should have paid more attention to Hitchcock’s writing methods because the dull bits needed to be cut out.

I don’t particularly enjoy books about college age protagonists, and the first half the book was spent introducing the six main characters ad nauseum. None of them are very sympathetic so I didn’t really have anyone to get behind. While some of this explanation is necessary for the plot, the simple writing didn’t work for me, causing me to contemplate not finishing the book.

However, I persevered and was pleasantly surprised with the second half of the book. The mystery was clever, included many red herrings, and twists and turns. I did guess the big twist, but maybe that is because I read a lot of books in this genre. I give the first half 2.5 stars and the second half 3.75 stars.

Warning: This book includes spoilers for many of Hitchcock’s films!

3.25/5 stars rounded down

Expected publication date: 9/24/24

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley publishing for the ARC of The Hitchcock Hotel in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super fun read, full of lots of twists and thrills, and even some laugh out loud moments. I loved the clever play on Hitchocockian themed and would totally love to stay in a hotel like this— murder mystery aside!

OH MY.

I just finished reading The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel, which I received early thanks to Net Galley and the publisher, and it was fantastic.

The Hitchcock Hotel is a mystery that'll keep you guessing. Alfred, a fan of Hitchcock who was named after the director, invites his college friends to his Alfred Hitchcock themed hotel. Right from the start, you know he's up to something. You know his friends are not his friends anymore. They share a past. Alfred is up to no good. Things go downhill throughout the book.

I won't say anymore about the plot. I don't want to give away any of the twists and turns. I did not see the final reveals coming though. This book is not all what I predicted. It kept me guessing. It kept me in suspense. This book felt very much like an Alfred Hitchcock inspired movie. Here's hoping someone turns it into one because it would be wonderful.

Stephanie Wrobel is an excellent writer. She gets into the heads of all of the characters and you feel like you are apart of the story. What'll happen next? I did not want to put this book down.

I also loved the Hitchcock references. Not all of them are spelled out. Many of them are, but there are some subtle ones too. I'm sure I didn't catch them all because I haven't seen every Hitchcock movie. I have seen a few of them though and he's one of my favorite directors. So yes, thats another reason I loved The Hitchcock Hotel.

Overall, The Hitchcock Hotel builds the suspense and slowly builds up the terror. This is an excellent mystery novel. I enjoyed it a lot.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley and Net Galley for providing a digital copy of this book for review. The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel releases on September 24th, 2024.

I quite enjoyed this book! A thriller, whodunnit, dual-timeline Hitchcockian banger. Rope is my favorite Hitchcock film and this story was a nice companion to it. If you like a character-focused mystery and are familiar with Hitchcock I would recommend this for sure.

“Let us begin with an establishing shot. ”
Here are reasons to read the Thriller book:

Themed Hotel - Alfred has always been a huge Hitchcock fan. So he creates a hotel experience based around the director.
College Friends - For his one year anniversary, he invites his college friends for a free weekend experience
Secrets - But there are a lot of secrets in this group - as usual
One less - and this weekend ends with one less friend

While this book does come out for another month, I love this author and the theme, so I was super excited to read it. And it did not disappoint. In fact, it left me wanting to do a re-watch of some Hitchcock films. The book is very fast paced, and you never know who or what to expect. It is different from her other body horror books and is not that graphic. But if you are a fan of that Hitchcock suspense, you can get it here.

If you're a Hitchcock enthusiast, this book is a must read.
The story is cold, cunning and calculated, much like the master himself. There are devious characters doing devious things. Secrets upon secrets and plenty of on the edge of your seat mystery and suspense. And, despite all this, I'm actually upset the Hitchcock Hotel isn't real because I wouldn't absolutely stay there-crazy characters and all.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Snack-Size Review] The Hitchcock Hotel, by Stephanie Wrobel

Quick Bite: The Breakfast Club, but it’s 20 years later and they are all trying to kill each other.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

What It’s About: Alfred Smettle was a loner, a loser obsessed with Alfred Hitchcock, when he finally found his people - a group of five other students who became his best friends and chosen family. But everyone is messy in their early 20’s, and hurts, betrayals, and one [spoiler] all happen senior year. Now it’s 16 years later, and Alfred has opened the Hitchcock Hotel, a B&B themed around his hero. What better place for a reunion, and maybe some revenge?

A Word From The Nerd: There are going to be thousands of reviews comparing this book to some of Hitch’s classics, and deservedly so. Lots of secrets, backstabbing, unlikeable characters, and one final-act twist that explains everything. I felt like the pacing was just a little too uneven though, too much held back and hinted at for too long. But that final quarter made the long journey worth it.

The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and literally any one of the meals at the hotel, they all sounded amazing.)

Now thissssss is how you do locked room mystery. Every character sucks and it makes it SO much better because it heightens your suspicions and anyone could be the killer.

Stephanie Wrobel’s books have been hit or miss for me but this is my favourite by a landslide. Keep in mind I’m a sucker for locked room mysteries and atmospheric creepy hotels so it was the perfect storm for me.

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel is a book about six college freinds that spend the weekend at Alfred's themed hotel that is based on the life and works of Alfred Hitchcock. The group has not seen each other for over 16 years and now it the time that Alfred is going to seek his revenge on them for not standing by his side when he was expelled his senior year of college. No one wanted to go in the first place but Grace some how conveniced them that it would be fun to see each again. They all have secrets of their own that if the others found out it would ruin their lives forever. When Alfred is found dead in the supply closet they are all to happy about it however, the killer is the one person you will not expect. This was a fast read and like My Darling Rose Gold is hard to put down. I loved the concept of book and how Alfred turned a house into a themed hotel with a theater and bird aviary. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Berkley for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

The Hitchcock Hotel starts with the reunion of a college friend group that has estranged for years after an incident. They have all changed since then in their own ways and have coke back together on this weekend getaway carrying their own respective baggage so to speak.

The Hitchcock Hotel is run and owned by one member of this college friend group Alfred. Alfred loves everything Hitchcock and part of what united this group of friends was a movie club inspired by a movie analysis class they all took.

I loved the idea of this book, it sets itself to be a murder mystery within a group of friends and Alfred will seek revenge on the group due to them doing something terrible to Alfred. There are twists and turns in this book that I wasn’t expecting and I love the concept for the story so much. I enjoyed it and did not see the twists coming! It was not the story I was expecting but I found this as a fun thriller I would recommend at the end of the day. The ending felt a little rushed but ultimately this read like a Hitchcock film.

Give me the movie version of this now. You have to read this!!! I feel the Psycho movie vibe all the way through very single page.

I wanted to like Hitchcock Hotel but the plot seemed cliched, with unlikeable characters. Very so so.

4,5 Wow. This book was fantastic! I loved the dual timeline in this book. Learning so much about all of the characters and seeing how each one of their minds worked was fascinating. Not to mention this book had twist after twist! I’m a sucker for an academic thriller AND a thriller with a creepy hotel and this one had both? Say less! The ending of this book caught me completely by surprise and I loved it so much! I definitely recommend this one!

Thank you Berkley for supporting my request to review The Hitchcock Hotel! I love the cover art and want to say how well done it is, eye catching.

The plot is subtle, letting the story unfold and then coming together for a solid resolution. What readers need to know is that the role of Hitchcock is not overt but more how Wrobel organizes her themes and character: a plot around a theme of betrayal and revenge, complex and flawed characters filled with individual motives and secrets similar to Hitchcock's own characters (not always likable), and the use of manipulation common in many of his movies (gaslighting, playing into fears of the characters/audience). Fans might look out for the use of character names, hints from the movies referenced, and specific nods to gothic themes developed in Rebecca (one of Hitchcock's best if you ask me!).

This is a complex story that is more slow burn resentment and mystery mixed with present day friend reunion, a reunion filled with tension and secrets, and snapshots that give insight into why the reunion is fraught with tension and explains lingering secrets and hurts. Within the story is a subtle theme and question about what the perfect murder would look like... for me the plot explores this while also weaving in how past hurts can haunt the present, how college life is a time of complex friendships and pressures and feelings, and plays with the idea that you can't escape past bad behaviors, even if you think you have... Not a thriller per se, more mystery and suspense focused on characters' stories and themes on betrayal.

Inspired by Richard Hannay's spirit, I found myself in a similar predicament with a book that failed to captivate my imagination.


Synopsis:

A Hitchcock fanatic with a vindictive motive invites his old college friends for a weekend stay at his secluded themed hotel.


Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. Named after the Master of Suspense, he is the founder, owner, and manager of the Hitchcock Hotel, a newly renovated Victorian house in the mountains of his old college town. Here, he offers memorabilia, movie props, film showings, and an aviary with fifty crows.


To celebrate the hotel's first anniversary, he invites his former college friends and film club members for a reunion, even though he hasn't spoken to them in sixteen years. To make his creation complete, the Hitchcock hotel needs a body, the only question is whose.



Review


To save you from the upcoming scathing review, I'll start with the positives of the book, of which there are few. There were parts of the mystery that I enjoyed that felt much like an old Hitchcockian film, which is the purpose. I cared way more about the past storyline than the one in the present. Perhaps the strongest part of the novel rests in the commentary about storytelling and fabricating stories. Early in the novel, someone mentions that people always want to share their stories, especially the creepy ones. In films, novels, and even everyday life, people want to share and often exaggerate the truth or fabricate it completely. And that is all the positive things I can say about the book.


Now, let's move on to the rant.

The Mundane Prose and Pacing
As a reminder, the novel takes place over one weekend but is told in 352 pages. I have no complaints about the novel length if it is appropriately paced. However, this novel is so slow and dull. You would expect something fast-paced with tons of twists and turns, but this is not it. Part of the issue lies in the way the past storyline is integrated into the present. Most of the past is just randomly thrown in the middle of a situation as if the character were reflecting; however, the reflection lasts pages and pages. Then, when it's time to jump back into the present, you are so jarred and out of place, that it is difficult to maintain the current plot. The past storyline would have fit better if the story had been told with dual timelines in alternating chapters. Instead, the reader is often left with whiplash at the out-of-place reflective memories.
The Writing Style
Holy crap. Where do I even start with this complaint? I have read Wrobel's previous book, Darling Rose Gold, and enjoyed it; however, it did read like a young adult novel. In her third novel, it feels like she is writing yet another young adult novel but uses big SAT words if you know what I mean. Secondly, there are so many parentheses. Why? What purpose do they serve? An occasional parenthetical phrase is appropriate, but there were so many that it took me out of the story. Now, for Alfred's sections, it makes sense as he often thinks in the manner of a filmmaker. However, every single character uses them; thus rendering the perspectives similar. All the perspectives read so similarly that I was thankful for the chapter headers that told whose perspective we were reading from.
Hitchcock Overload
Based on the novel's title, I was certainly expecting some Hitchcock references and red herrings based on Hitchcock's works; however, the author felt like she was trying too hard. There was so much fan service, and I would wager that your average Hitchcock fan does not know all about Hitchcock's life but primarily about his films. It reads as though she wants people to know that she knows all about Hitchcock and has done her research. In doing so, she loses the beauty of suspense that Hitchcock so profoundly reflected.

Ultimately, I think this novel is a bust. If you a massive Hitchcock fan or are looking for a cozy mystery, Wrobel's novel might work for you. However, if you are looking for a thriller look elsewhere. I give this novel 2 stars and would not recommend it.


Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.