The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel
Release Date: 9/26/24
Format: ebook/audio hybrid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really loved the premise of this book! I’m not a huge Hitchcock fan, so a lot of the references probably went over my head, but this thriller definitely had a good backdrop. Where it lost me, unfortunately, was the pacing!

I normally love the whole “hey let’s get the college crew back together and unearth all our dirty secrets” type of thriller but I just felt like this novel unfortunately didn’t have great momentum. It took up until the 55% mark for much to happen and even then, it was hard to stay engaged.

I don’t think this is a bad book by any means, but in the large sea of thrillers out there I unfortunately don’t think I’d be quick to recommend this story. Would be open to reading other books by this author in the future though!

As a Hitchcock movie fan, Wrobel's latest book was a must-read. It did not disappoint as it seamlessly blended Hitchcock's visual style with a plot that engaged the reader.

I liked it. I didn’t love it but I still can say I enjoyed my time reading it. I am a Hitchcock fan since I was a teenager. So for me this was a must read. Our main character opens up a Hitchcock themed hotel. That was enough for me to know that no matter what I was reading this book. He makes the hotel look like the psycho house, which is my favorite Hitchcock movie. He invites some friends to experience his new hotel And things quickly turn sinister. There’s a lot of twist and turns in the story and each character has a backstory and it’s interesting. I did feel that it was a bit drawn out and repetitive at times and I felt that the story could’ve moved along a little quicker, which would have made it a bit more interesting instead of getting caught up in the minutia of every little detail. That being said any Hitchcock fan should read this and it is a good mystery and fun seeing how it turns out.

Six college friends reunite at the request of Alfred, the proud owner of a Hitchcock themed hotel. Alfred had a rough go of it after college, so everyone reluctantly attends to assuage their varying degrees of guilt. Some arrive while battling demons, some just want to get home to their kids, and nearly all of them are desperate to keep their secrets hidden. Alfred, meticulous host that he is, has plans for all of them. As we learn what really happened all those years ago to set Alfred down his dark path, everyone must decide what price they are willing to pay for the truth, and just how far they are willing to go to survive. The pacing was excellent and the plotting tight.

This has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I absolutely LOVED it!!! A perfect blend of suspense and thriller, Wrobel, pays ode to the genius of Hitchcock while giving us a completely new story with perfect atmosphere and great twists. She also did a great job of highlighting the darker elements of Hitchcock’s character while giving us wonderful references to his beloved movies. The characters were compelling and I loved the layers to this plot! So good!

Alfred Smettle is a huge Hitchcock fan, in fact, he may be the most dedicated fan ever. What started as a shared pastime with his mother, Alfred’s fascination with the acclaimed director's work grew, driving him to start a film club in college and eventually open an entire Hitchcock-themed boutique hotel (complete with a raven-filled aviary). Now, on the first anniversary of the hotel’s opening, Alfred has invited his former college roommates, and fellow film club members, back for a special 16 year reunion. In homage to Hitchcock himself Wrobel has packed the weekend with secrets, affairs, historical grudges, and of course, murder. The cast of characters, from Smettle himself to the local investigating officers, are fresh iterations of classic tropes and the interwoven plot lines are expertly delivered. This locked-room mystery is a delight.

I was so excited when I received The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel. I loved Darling Rose Gold tremendously. What a spooky setting and gave off Norman Bates vibes with Alfred! A group of old college friends are all asked to meet at their old friend Alfred's Hitchcock Themed Hotel to relax and reminisce about old times. This cast of characters all have something going on in their personal lives and are all hiding secrets from each other. Looming in the background is Alfred's housekeeper who is devoted to Alfred and determined to get the truth out of the group about something that happened in the past. So many strange occurrences occur throughout the first couple days and the book keeps you in suspense about who is doing what and who is to blame. It was very well crafted and spooky. Very delightful and thematic. I would highly suggest adding this to your TBR list if your a mystery/thriller junkie!

As a fan of Hitchcock's work, especially Rope, I had a lot of fun with this one! It was incredibly twisty and I did not see the final surprise coming. I didn't love the characters, but we weren't really supposed to, were we? Overall, I gave this one 4 stars and will be looking into more of Worbel's work.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC! <3

The best thing about this book was that it reignighted my love of watching Hitchcock. Reading this…meh. Love the idea and even some of the storyline was great. But as the protagonist said, Hitchcock did tote on the differnce between a mystery and a “thriller” (he used suspense). Hitchcok said, “The secret Hitchcock maintained, was to let the audience in on the secret, the ticking bomb. In that way, instead of five seconds of surprise, you’ve created five minutes of suspense.” Maybe Wrobel should have taken this advice to heart?

** “If you had to commit the perfect murder, how would you do it?” **

Stephanie Wrobel delivers a uniquely themed novel with “The Hitchcock Hotel.”

When Alfred Smettle celebrates the one-year anniversary of opening his Alfred Hitchcock-themed hotel, he decides to celebrate big by inviting his group of five friends from college — a group he has become estranged from, and hopefully to build some buzz around his floundering hotel (“How might I create a buzz around this hotel? I mused night after night. A buzz that’s uniquely Hitchcockian?”)

Chef Zoe, hedge fund manager Grace, business owner Samira, bodyguard TJ and luxury brand heir Julius begrudgingly agree to attend the weekend. But it soon becomes apparent that past secrets and bad deeds are still circling around amongst the group. Will murder spice up the weekend? Will forgiveness be found?

Wrobel does a great job of creating a twisty plot filled with shocking surprises. She creates an entirely unlikable cast of characters that readers will love to hate. She even fills “The Hitchcock Hotel” with a few good themes, like the impact of secrets; the need for power; and the results of betrayal.

One complaint: the story was bogged down at times with an excessive amount of course language and mature, intimate moments.

Fans of authors like Ruth Ware will enjoy “The Hitchcock Hotel,” which is due out Sept. 24.

Four stars out of five.

Berkley provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I found the blurb intriguing and the references to Hitchcock's movies are an added bonus as he was a master in making intriguing movies with a very dark side.
This is an intriguing novel, a closed groups of people who meet at the hotel of form university mate who's a huge fan of Hitchcock.
It's not going to be a relaxing sojourn as a Hitchcock film is usually populated by killers and corpse.
It's an entertaining and gripping read. It's a bit slow at times and it wasn't hard to guess the culprit.
I enjoyed it and it's recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the digital advance reader copy.

Alfred has fulfilled his dream of creating a Hitchcock-themed boutique hotel in his college town. He has good memories from his college years, but he also has a lot of not-so good memories, mostly from his senior year and his five so-called closest friends at that time.

Now he's ready to bring those old friends together for a private weekend at his hotel, and not everyone will survive.

The premise is fun. Wrobel provides plenty of Hitchcockian trivia, which you can enjoy whether you're a hardcore fanatic or just a casual enthusiast of the suspense master's films.

This definitely kept me turning the pages, and it made for an enjoyable early-autumn read, but it's also mostly forgettable.

The characters' behavior strains credulity (which isn't terribly unusual in these sorts of fast thrillers). Plus, the writing occasionally felt stiff and stilted, particularly at the end when the murderer confesses. The emotion fell flat.

However, this is a solid little read with enough touches of creepiness and secrets to keep a thriller fan happy for a weekend, so, if the book blurb intrigues you like it did me, and you want to escape for a bit into a murder mystery, then pick this one up.

*language, sex

The Hitchcock Hotel is a suspenseful tale that cleverly blends mystery with psychological tension. Wrobel's writing is engaging, and she crafts an intriguing atmosphere that perfectly captures the eerie charm of the hotel setting. The characters are multifaceted, particularly the protagonist, whose inner struggles make her relatable and compelling.
However, the pacing occasionally faltered, with some chapters feeling drawn out while others rushed to important revelations. While the plot twists were surprising, a few seemed to stretch believability, leaving me questioning certain character motivations.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the eerie ambiance and captivating storyline kept me glued to the pages, making it an enjoyable read that left me pondering its deeper themes long after I finished.

🐦‍⬛ It’s #thrillerthursday and I’m here to tell you this upcoming release should be on your spooky season TBR! Thank you to @berkleypub for the sneak peek at this— it’s out September 24th!

🐦‍⬛ Read this if you love those thrillers that center around a college friend group with DRAMA— that comes to a head years later. Think ‘In My Dreams I Hold A Knife’ by Ashley Winstead. But instead of returning to campus, the former film club members meet up at an Alfred Hitchcock-inspired hotel!

🐦‍⬛ This is one creepy novel with some twists and turns you won’t see coming. I’m not a scary movie or Hitchcock fan, but I can only imagine it would be that much better if you are! Overall, I recommend it.

🐦‍⬛ Do you think you’ll be adding this to your TBR? Again, it comes out Sept. 24!

I saw where the author was trying to go with this but didn't find it to be scary or believable. I couldn't fathom why a group of adults (with careers and some with children) who could meet up and go anywhere, would choose to go stay at the creepy hotel owned by the group member they essentially bullied in college and then continue to bully him. It's clear there is more to the story and this book flashes back and changes POVs to give more background and insight but I just wasn't buying it and ended up DNFing it. The story was a bit cheesy rather than thrilling for me. If you're a big Hitchcock fan though you may enjoy the frequent links to him and discussions of his work!

I do not care if a group of old friends is invited to the most exclusive place on earth (all expenses paid, of course), the answer should be no. That is what my Spidey sense tells me after reading quite a few mysteries and thrillers. Of course, what fun would that be, so I will rephrase my statement. Do not go to a personal reunion if you and your friends have closets full of secrets, lies, and a sprinkling of murder inside.
On to The Hitchcock Hotel. If you are a fan of his work, you will find many references scattered throughout this book. I mean the hotel name of course clues you in to the theme. Alfred Smelte bought and restored an old house, turning it into what he hopes will be a successful hotel drawing Hitchcock fans from near and far. He decides to invite his former college friends to a reunion weekend. Seems like a wonderful thing to do right? See how everyone is doing years later. Wrong. Alfred has an agenda, and he wants his former friends to see that he is now successful, no thanks to any of them.
None of the characters are particularly likable. However, the multiple POV’s exposed what happened when they were in college. It also kept me guessing, wondering what Alfred had planned for his Frenemies.
Danny, the housekeeper was also quite a character. I could not decide if she was loyal to Alfred or had her own agenda as well.
I did not love how it ended, but I am struggling to put my finger on what was missing for me. Maybe it’s just that I did not feel connected to even one character, so it was hard to feel anything for what happened to them. That is not to say that I did not enjoy the ride. I wanted to know what they did back in college, who was hiding the most secrets, and who was not going to leave this wonderful reunion weekend alive.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! This was a great book! For fans of Alfred Hitchcock, this is a must read! The atmosphere was presented perfectly! I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what was coming next.

Ughhhh I spent such a huge majority of this book gnashing my teeth and cringing. I hated it so much!! 9/10, I don't even like murder mysteries but this one tapped into something crazy in me. I'd recommend this to anyone who thinks they're burnt out on thrillers. Lads, we're just missing the good ones, and this is one of them

I really enjoy a good murder mystery. Agatha Christie was one of my mom's favorite authors and I grew up reading books just like The Hitchcock Hotel. Stephanie did a great job capturing classic Hitchcock mixed with whodunit vibes. The twists kept me guessing almost the entire time. And I loved the Hitchcock information sprinkled throughout. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC. Give this a read when it publishes September 24, 2024!

This was so good!! At this point I’m convinced Stephanie Wrobel can do no wrong because she has me hooked every time. This was twisty and kept me interested the whole time!