Thank you NetGalley! I love children’s mystery books. This was set in the perfect place, a hotel. What a fun read with colorful characters. I loved the illustrations

This title was utterly adorable with both the content and the illustrations. I didn't realize this was part of a series but I am so glad it is. I can't wait to see if any more titles are published.

This book was pure charm, so much so that I ordered a physical copy straight away. With brilliant illustrations, a sumptious colour palette and a big dose of Paris chic, it was a joy to spend time at the hotel. The plot felt cosy but with a high-stakes mystery that had a humorous resolution. A hug in a book and totally joyful - for the older end of the picture book market.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel is a fun and mouth-watering read for children, sure to be a hit with its audience for the cake alone!
The Incredible Hotel is a prestigious hotel that runs like clockwork. Chef Stephan enters a cake baking competition hosted by the hotel, and he prepares a recipe to enter with. Bit just as the competition starts, his recipe has disappeared! Stephan has to compete without it and finds ingredients along the way to add to his new recipe in the teachings of friendship, loyalty, fairness, self-judgement, equality, love, fun, competitiveness, understanding and self-worth. The mystery element is fun and intriguing to children, and the illustrations are eye-catching, fun, and colourful with plenty going on.

We've gone through this book several times. There's reading the story, of course, but there's also doing the "look at this!" and just enjoying the illustrations.
The characters in the mystery are fun and easy to relate to, the investigation nudges the reader to examine everything and come to reasonable conclusions. Now I have to get copies of this and also The Incredible Hotel in print so it's easier to read together!
The illustrations by Isabelle Follath are finely detailed, intricate, imaginative, colorful, and fun.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, hospital, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books | Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thank you to the author, Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book set at The Incredible Hotel, and with the memory of the fantastic first one, we sat down to read this one with great anticipation - and it did not disappoint! We meet up with Chef Stefan again, with the story centering around a baking competition and a mystery, and a lesson in not judging a book by its cover. Many of the characters from the first book reappear here, but the spotlight this time is on Miranda the bellhop, who solves the mystery and is promoted to hotel detective. She saves the day, and Chef Stefan wins the baking competition with an amazing creation. The illustrations are magnificent, filled with innumerable small details that leave you with new things to discover with each reading. Highly recommend!

Book Review: A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel by Kate Davies & Isabelle Follath

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing "A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel" by Kate Davies, illustrated by the incredibly talented Isabelle Follath, and wow, what an enchanting experience! As a follow-up to The Incredible Hotel, this delightful picture book takes us back to the whimsical world of the hotel where a prestigious baking competition is about to unfold.

The story kicks off with the much-anticipated World Baking Competition, where talented bakers, including our friend Stefan, are gearing up to impress the esteemed Chef Tartine. Everything seems to be going smoothly until—drumroll, please—the morning of the event arrives and Stefan discovers that his prized chocolate cake recipe has mysteriously vanished! Talk about a baking nightmare! Thankfully, the clever and resourceful Matilda, Stefan’s best friend and the sharpest detective in Delaunay, is on the case. Who could have pulled off such a dastardly deed? With fingers pointing in all directions, including Mr. Starch, the hotel manager, there’s no shortage of suspects or theories.

Now, let me tell you, this book was nothing short of AMAZING. The illustrations were absolutely beautiful! Isabelle’s artwork adds so much depth and character to each page, making it incredibly engaging. As I flipped through the pages, I found myself getting lost in the details—each fabulous illustration is like a treasure chest filled with clues and surprises. I love how every time you look closely, you discover something new. It’s like a puzzle waiting to be solved!

This enchanting tale is not just for kids; it’s a delightful experience for adults too! The combination of whimsical text and captivating illustrations creates an atmosphere that you can’t help but get lost in. With a strong and principled female lead like Matilda, it also sends a wonderful message about friendship and problem-solving.

In short, if you’re looking for a charming story that will entertain readers of all ages while tickling your detective instincts, A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel is a must-read! I can’t recommend it enough—it’s a delightful adventure that will leave you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel is a beautifully illustrated children's book.

There is an upcoming baking competition and Chef Zagat's recipe goes missing on the morning of the competition.

Text is by Kate Davies; illustrations were created with watercolour and pencil by Isabelle Follath. There really is a lot going on with the amount of detail in the illustrations.

I would highly recommend this book for young readers.

Looks like the original publication date was Sept 7, 2023. 39 pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Childrens Books (publisher) for approving my request to read the advance read copy of A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel in exchange for an honest review.

This picture book has intricate, whimsical illustrations that are lots of fun to explore. The story itself is rather bland, however, since the mystery is extremely predictable and all conflicts get resolved immediately, without any time to build suspense. I wasn't impressed with this book as a whole, but I would still recommend it to people who are interested in the marvelously detailed, humorous illustrations.

Captivating, heart-warming, and a wonderful mystery uncovered by the sharp bellhop, Matilda. I'd highly recommend this children's book for children as well as adults. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.Captivating, heart-warming, and a wonderful mystery uncovered by the sharp bellhop, Matilda. I'd highly recommend this children's book for children as well as adults. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This little story is perfect as part of your bedtime routine. There is a mystery at The Incredible Hotel, the chefs top secret recipe for chocolate has disappeared and he needs it to bake his cake for the competition! Who has taken it? Follow Matilda the bellhop to solve the mystery of the missing recipe. The illustrations are an absolute delight and the story is easy to follow.

What a charming book! a cosy and cute mystery that left me laughing. The illustrations were so colourful and warm. I will have to add the physical version to my collection.

Thank you NetGalley, Kate Davies, Isabelle Follath and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own..

This is a beautifully illustrated mystery set it a hotel and is perfect for fans of Eloise!

We are told the story of a missing top secret recipe for a young chef at Hotel Incredible to use in the upcoming baking contest. His friend, a young bellhop, may don her detective cap and solve the mystery before time runs out!

The culprit is adorable and the ending is so sweet and colorful and you can’t help but smile. As the story takes place, each illustration takes you through the whimsical rooms of the hotel, getting to know its unique staff and interesting guests. It was a delight to read and explore with my daughters and we can’t wait to add this book to our home library!

A Mystery at the Incredible Hotel follows the journey of the missing secret recipe. Stefan, hotel chef, is voted on by the city to compete in a baking competition. When his secret recipe goes missing, the hotel bellhop/wanna be detective Matilda is on the case. This mystery came with twists, turns, and surprises. The illustrations are fun to watch, and the story is sure to keep readers engaged. Readers can talk about the different hotel jobs, make their guesses on who took the recipe, and talk about powerful messages from the text, like how its important to advocate for yourself and sometimes it's good to say no. Overall, I recommend this book for 2nd grade and up, and it would be great as a beginner book club pick.

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Chef Stefan and Matilda are back along with the rest of the Incredible Hotel staff. Life is going well and even more excitement comes into play when Mr. Starch announces that Stefan is the city's entrant in the World Baking Contest. On the day of the competition, his top secret recipe disappears. Matilda has the chance to practice her detective skills and find it along with other missing items. She saves the day and Stefan not only competes but wins. Again, the artwork is delightful. Do study the illustrations for all the details Follath includes to support the story.

Such a fun book! reminds me of The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson).
We love books that revolve around mysteries and my kids were curios all along the read. a loud.
The illustrations are beautiful as well.

What a fun well illustrated mystery. Chef Stefan is invited to participate in The World Baking Contest. He spends a month mapping out his recipe from beginning to end. The day has arrived and while other chefs are gathering supplies, he realizes his recipe is missing. Matilda, the bellhop, wants to realize her dream as a detective and she follows clues to find the recipe. Everything works out perfectly in the end for everyone.
This book was put together perfectly and the drawings are perfection. I love all the costumes and names of the characters. This is a great book for young children to help them solve a mystery by looking at the pictures and getting clues from the text. Will definitely be reading this to my class.

Such a cute followup to the precious book. What a great book. Our favorite part was when the puppies were born!!

This was a charming tale that centred around a cake baking contest., and yet when you look at the story from a wider perspective, you might notice that its key ingredients include, competition, friendship, loyalty, love, fairness, patience, equality, and recognising errors in one's own judgement. I thoguht the book charming, and fun.

The story was beautifully illustrated with sequences of events depicted across a page or two.

As part of an ongoing series, this book is suited to fans of the first book, those who enjoy stories about the Incredible Hotel and would like to encounter the regular cast of characters again, and most definitely fans of cakes and dogs. Overall, a very enjoyable read that I would return to again and again with children from toddler to maybe 7/8 years of age.

For me, the biggest 'selling factor' in children's books is always the cover design. I can't even explain why, but I rarely read a book without a captivating cover. In the case of Kate Davies' new book, I was sold at first sight—I immediately wanted to dive in and enjoy it! With such a beautiful cover illustration, how could the contents not be equally enchanting?

Though I'm more of a savory fan, I found myself craving cake after reading this book. Oh, how I would love just one slice of any of the top three cakes featured in the story. The Incredible Hotel is a magical and luxurious lodge where everything runs like clockwork. Chef Stefan is a vital cog in this hotel machine, crafting delicious dishes and dreaming of becoming a renowned chef. His big opportunity comes when the hotel holds a major baking competition, and Stefan is chosen to represent his city. But just as the competition is about to start, Stefan's secret recipe goes missing, dashing his hopes of winning. Where did Stefan's secret recipe go, and does he still have a chance to win the competition?

This children's book features enchantingly beautiful illustrations that blend the art of cooking with a touch of detective work. The details, the colors—everything is stunning! I could admire these pages forever. Alongside human characters, the book includes several furry friends who repeatedly surprise us with their antics. Together, the hotel's employees and visitors create a delightful company and environment that you'd love to spend time with. If this book became a cartoon or TV series, I'd be thrilled. It's a fun, cheerful, and simply wonderful book with magnificent illustrations!

A definite recommendation for young readers who enjoy detective stories and delicious treats! 😊

Thank you so much, NetGallery and Frances Lincoln Children's Books, for this wonderful reading experience and for the ARC copy!

Review in Estonian (Aug 22, 2024): https://brixieblog.wordpress.com/2024/08/22/a-mystery-at-the-incredible-hotel-kate-davies/