As soon as this arrived in store we placed it front and center on one of our displays. It fits perfectly with all of our customers looking for spooky, thrilling reads for the fall. We will be certain to recommend this to all of our customers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie Wrobel and Simon and Schuster Canada for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know a ton about Hitchcock overall, but now I feel like I know a bit more. This felt dark but not quite as murdery as I thought it was going to be. Great idea with a great ending twist but was a bit slowly paced (on purpose for Hitchcock I believe) than I wanted.

3.5 stars 🌟

Let me start out by saying I was DYING to read this book from the moment I heard of it. I love Hitchcock films so much that it inspired my home decor. I have at least five of his film posters up on my walls, lol. I don't love the man, but I love the work. I will devour anything Hitchcock related. So, suffice to say, I was very eager to enjoy The Hitchcock Hotel.

Unfortunately, being a superfan doesn't always work in your favour when you have such high expectations. It felt kitschy as direct film and plot references were woven into the story. Don't get me wrong, it was fun coming across those nods to some of his lesser-known films (i.e., Rope or Suspicion). Personally, I just think I would have preferred the writing style to reflect the spirit/themes of his films rather than the obvious planting of references. The reason why The Birds was SO good was because, for 2/3 of the film, you can't help but feel this inexplicable sense of dread. You just KNOW that the shit is going to hit the proverbial fan at any moment. That suspense lingers long after the end of the film, too. I wish this book had more of that feeling.

Either way, though, The Hitchcock Hotel was very entertaining and easy to read (my first on my new Kindle, too!). Although not always relevant to the storyline, I enjoyed hearing the backstories of the characters' friendships as they began in college. Shoutout to Third Eye Blind! There was a good story woven in there to explain why certain characters wound up dead in the present storyline. I wasn't quite expecting that ending, either.

Overall, I loved the overarching appreciation of Hitchcock and the character building. But I also wanted more - specifically a bigger suspense factor. It's not my favourite book of the year thus far, but probably one I'll remember for a while!

Shoutout to Netgalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a fan of Hitchcock movies then this is the book for you. I absolutely loved the concept of an eerie Hitchcock hotel complete with a murder of crows in an aviary, as well as replicas and actual props from the movies. Wrobel does a fantastic job setting the scene with her rich description of place as well as the development of complex characters.

Read this if you enjoy:
-lock room mysteries
-psychology thrillers
-unlikeable characters harbouring many secrets and lies
-Hitchcock movies and references throughout
-multiple POVs and dual timelines
-creepy, isolated Hotel
-twists and turns with a highly satisfying ending

My rating: 4 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for this eARC that will be published September 24 2024.

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this solid thriller read. Interspersed with references to several of Hitchcock’s movies, the story is told in dual timelines and from multiple points of view. It is a locked room mystery involving a group of former college friends who gather at The Hitchcock Hotel.

Run by one of the college friends who is obsessed with Hitchcock’s films, the hotel is themed around the director’s films. It is full of replicas from his idol’s movies, including an actual murder of crows.

The action took a bit to get started but I was kept invested by the twists and turns and by the goings-on of the unlikeable characters and the atmospheric setting. There were secrets, betrayal, and revenge. I enjoyed the great reveal at the end and the satisfying epilogue.

Recommended for thriller lovers, especially those who like Hitchcock’s films.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

'The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture. That's a cardinal rule.' - Alfred Hitchcock

Let me start by saying that I am A HUGE Hitchock fan (as a filmmaker; as a person it appears he was a misogynist and a sadist...). Referenced to as the Master of Suspense, I became obsessed with his movies such as Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window, Marnie and Vertigo, to name a few. As a lover of all things Hitchcockian, I was very excited to receive an egalley from Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley, and I had very high hopes for this novel about a man who has invited his estranged college friends to stay for the weekend at his own Hitchock Hotel, intentions unknown.

Firstly, I loved the way the book was set up, with Acts as if it were a movie or a play with a Hitchcock-related quote at the start of it. Alfred (aptly named), is the owner of a hotel in New England that resembles the Bates house from Psycho, and who has a Hitchock obsession that even I can admit is not healthy. He's also got a past full of secrets and so do his old friends, and it's apparent he is holding something over them but the question is what.

Just like any good suspense, the tension builds and builds. There are multiple lies and secrets between the characters. And just when you think you know who the big baddie is, more layers are peeled back to surprise the reader. I'll admit some of the revelations shocked me. A solid thriller novel, perfect for thriller fans who want more than a whodunnit and for spooky season.

A hotel dedicated to Alfred Hitchcock mixed with a reunion of friends – this story has all the makings of a fantastic suspense novel.

I really don’t know if there is much new that can be done in the suspense/thriller genre. The same tropes appear over and over again – the originality is in the presentation and the characters. The talent is in the surprise. The Hitchcock Hotel is a classic who-done-it; a group of old friends gather together for a reunion of sorts. Predictably, someone must die. Who, how and by whom are the questions that need to be revealed.

Wrobel had a great cast of characters; all might not be as hunky-dory as the synopsis might lead you to believe; everyone has secrets and a motive, but what about means and opportunity? The Hitchcock Hotel is a guessing game. Wrobel does a great job of keeping her cards close and her ideas move you from one suspect to another. It truly is a character-driven story.

Like all great who-done-its; the reveal is unexpected. It always helps to have an I-didn’t-see-that-one-coming experience. While there were certain parts of the story that dragged, it was a good reading experience.

*4 Stars

I really enjoyed this book, I think if you were a fan of Hitchcock you may enjoy some of the nuances of the book that I probably missed. I have seen a few Hitchcock movies, but not enough to know the ins and outs of them. Alfred invites five former college roommates/friends to his hotel, he had purchased an old 1800's house that is located in the town where they all went to college, it has a creepy vibe and history. Alfred renovated it into a hotel with a Hitchcock theme. All five of the friends come at is request (ok some came because they were forced by him due to past dealings) and are each shown to a room to settle in, Alfred's second in command, Danny (who is actually an older woman), helps him with dinner and cleaning. Alfred lets them all stay for free along with supplying their meals and entertainment (assuming you like Hitchcock movies that is). The five friends, Zoe (a recovering alcoholic), TJ (a heavily muscled man who appears very nervous), Grace (a wealthy successful woman), Julius (a spoiled very rich boy who takes great pleasure in taunting and making fun of Alfred) and Samira (who runs a wildly successful sex toy business) settle in as best they can, most of them still asking themselves why they are there. The book switches to the past to college, when they all met and all eventually ended up living together. Grace and Alfred ran a side business for students that wanted a paper written, Alfred was the guy who took the info, Grace wrote the paper, it was a lucrative venture, until it wasn't. The backstory of each person and their interaction with Alfred is gone over during these interludes to the past. In the meantime, weird things are happening around the house, one lady finds grass on her pillow (the previous owner was rumored to have been fed grass), all their cell phones go missing, one of them believes she is being poisoned. I really liked how the ending went, the bad person explained what happened and why. Overall a very good book and I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Berkley for the ARC.

Whether you are a Hitchcok fan or not, The Hitchcock Hotel is a fun read.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of this book. Although I’m no super fan of Hitchcock by any means, but I am a fan. It’s hard not to be. He created some of the most iconic movies of all time. Plus fandom in general interests me. How obsessed people can get with a particular celebrity or fictional world. While I am a super fan of books in general, I can’t say I’ve experienced fandom on that same level and it fascinates me.

Just like the synopsis says, Alfred is not your average Hitchcok fan. He is a walking encyclopedia of Hitchcock knowledge and has amassed an impressive collection of memorabilia for his hotel. Golly, I would like to stay in his hotel. It just sounds so cool!

Right from the start we get the creepy vibes. The first chapter is told from the point of view of a crow and it’s perfect. In chapter two we meet Alfred. Alfred is a weird dude to say the least. As the story opens, we see him preparing for his guests to arrive with obsessive attention to detail. He’s invited all his former best friends from college to stay for the weekend. He’s told them it’s to celebrate the hotel’s anniversary but it becomes obvious quickly he has another agenda, we just don’t know what that is. The friends haven’t seen each other in a very long time. Something happened back in college, but again, we don’t know what.

We meet each of the characters as they arrive. Chapters from their point of view help us get to know each of them better. One after another, we come to realize each of them has their own reason for attending the reunion and all of them have secrets they’d like to keep. I loved all the Hitchcock quotes and passages from things written about Hitchcock sprinkled throughout the book, such a fun inclusion. If you are a Hitchcok fan, you will love it.

The pace was so great. Details are revealed slowly, keeping the suspense going for the reader. There are lots of twists and turns that keep the story moving along, while building the tension up and up. I read it quickly because I had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next!

Overall, a super fun and quirky read.

[3.5⭐️]

If nothing else, this book made me want to check out the entire Hitchcock filmography. As someone who loves a good horror/mystery/thriller, it's wild that I've never seen a single Hitchcock movie! I feel like there's some Easter eggs I likely missed, but I don't think it impeded my reading experience at all.

Was this the best mystery book I've ever read? No. But it was a solid read and, as someone who prides themselves in always being able to clock the twist(s) and just overall guessing what's going to happen, I can genuinely say I didn't see that coming.

I’m disappointed. I’ve always enjoyed Hitchcock films so I was excited to read this. Fantastic premise. Unfortunately, I felt like the book didn’t live up to the premise. A big issue that I had with it was the writing. It just didn’t pull me in like I want for a thriller. My other issue was the characters. I didn’t find any very engaging. I did think the atmosphere of the hotel was good.
If you are just looking for a good hotel book, I could recommend it for that.

I would like to thank Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was a fun read but a bit slower at times. I love multiple POV, but I don't really like it when it's in third person.

The end had me gasping. I was expecting a plot twist at the end but this was very unexpected for me without being improbable.

I must start by thanking both NetGalley as wellas the publisher Berkley Hardcover for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A classic where everyone has a reason, who-done-it, full of twists. Set in a Hitchcock themed hotel, if you know his movies, you may enjoy this even more..

The Hitchcock Hotel captures your attention from beginning to end.

Whether or not you are a fan of Alfred Hitchcock ( I am) you cant help but get immersed in this creepy atmospheric book.

Alfred Smettle's passion is Hitchcock and he opens his hotel with that theme in mind and invites his friends for a reunion.

What could go wrong.

Secrets, twists and turns turn up the tension with every chapter and I was mesmerized and could not put the book down.

The characters are not the most likeable but that adds to the story.

Stephanie Wrobel has mastered the lock door mystery and her tribute to Hitchcock was perfect.

I would book a stay at this hotel : or would I?

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada/Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review The Hitchcock Hotel.

A fun, twisty love letter to Alfred Hitchcock, the Hitchcock Hotel is a sweet treat of a novel that will kept you guessing til the very end.
For a more in depth review please find my spoiler free YouTube video attached: https://youtu.be/kPp9OFnWfx4?si=GBurMCYGgStI8I0o

Well this was fun! I am not a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock, but I have seen quite a few of his films over the years. I loved all the small details, and the big ones, in homage to the great director.

This is a locked room mystery, with 6 college friends and a housekeeper in a hotel. It has been quite a while since some of these friends have seen each other, and there is certainly no love lost here. As always with a going of old friends, there are deep dark secrets from the past, and hidden agendas all round. What could possibly go wrong?!

I am not going to tell you anything else, you just need to read this fun mystery and enjoy it. I learn a few things about Hitchcock along the way. It was cleverly written, and kept me guessing. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters but that made it all the more fun.

Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster Canada for the advanced copy to read. Publishes on September 24th.

As a Hitchcock super fan I loved the concept of this novel and if there was a Hitchcock hotel I would check it out! The locked room mystery made for a fun read especially with the Hitchcock references. Overall, the pacing was good but I did find myself skimming over some parts more than others to get to the end which wrapped up a little quick. I will be picking up more of Wrobel’s book. Now off to rewatch Rope!
Thank you to Stephanie Wrobel for the entertaining book and to NetGallery and Simon and Schuster for the digital ARC.

This was a fun thriller - not a great one but I enjoyed it. I'm a big Hitchcock fan and I enjoyed all the Hitchcock nods throughout.

As a Hitchcock fan, I absolutely loved the references in Stephanie Wrobel’s “The Hitchcock Hotel”, which served as an ingenious reminder of why a Hitchcock rewatch is overdue. This mystery thriller centers around a hotel inspired by the master of suspense, setting the stage for a gripping tale that blends classic Hitchcockian elements with a modern twist.

The story begins with an invitation extended to a group of college friends, luring them to the isolated Hitchcock Hotel by their former college friend and the hotel's owner under nefarious pretenses. From the outset, it's clear that each character harbors dark secrets, making them all deeply unlikeable yet fascinatingly complex.

Wrobel excels at creating an atmosphere thick with tension, using the hotel's shadowy corridors and eerie silence to evoke a palpable sense of dread. The twists and turns are reminiscent of Hitchcock's best work, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

“The Hitchcock Hotel” is a must-read for fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. Its clever nods to Hitchcock, combined with an intense, character-driven narrative, make it an interesting addition to Stephanie Wrobel’s writing arsenal.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Stephanie Wrobel for the opportunity to read and review “The Hitchcock Hotel” prior to its publication date.

More like 2.5 stars. I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the author's two previous novels so I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately I couldn't get into this one at all, it was slow and none of the characters were likeable.