Murder at The Seaview Hotel

Glenda Young

The first in a page-turning new cosy crime series from Glenda Young, this unputdownable whodunnit is perfect for fans of Julia Chapman's sixth Dales Detective Agency, Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club, Betty Rowlands and Helen Cox. In the charming Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, a murder is nothing to sing about... After the death of her husband Tom, Helen Dexter is contemplating her future as the now-sole proprietor of the Seaview hotel. There's an offer from a hotel chain developer to consider, but also a booking from a group of twelve Elvis impersonators, a singing troupe called Twelvis. Tom loved Elvis and for Helen this is a sign that she should stay. But the series of mysterious events which follow, suggests that the developer is not going to give up easily. Then, shortly after Twelvis arrive, one of the group disappears. His body is found floating in a lake, with his blue suede shoes missing. Could the two be connected? With the reputation of the Seaview on the line, Helen isn't going to wait for the murderer to strike again. With her trusty greyhound Suki by her side, she decides to find out more about her guests and who wanted to make sure this Elvis never sang again.

Murder at the Seaview Hotel was, I admit, an impulse buy. Walking around Scarborough Waterstones, I spied this tome on display. Always a sucker for books set in the places I'm visiting, I had to have this book. Sometimes impulse buy books are a shocking choice that end up in the charity book pile, but happy to say that this one was good. Full of humour and a story that kept rolling on to the end, Glenda Young has produced a lovely book.

Helen Dexter is a hotelier whose just lost her husband. They loved working the hotel together. Tom, her late husband, loved Elvis and they often held party evenings in their small bar. Since Toms death, Helen hasn't opened. Then she gets an unbelievable offer to buy the hotel and she's tempted. In the meantime, she gets a booking by a bunch of Elvis impersonators, called Twelvis. Yep, twelve Elvis impersonated in a group. Helen's life changes overnight when a murder occurs.

The main characters are very relatable to. Each has a flaw in their lives which endears you to them. The style of writing is simple yet has enough substance to produce a story where you feel for the outcome of the story. There can be no greater praise to the writer.

Any fans of cozy murders will love this book along with Scarborough lovers and I guess Elvis fans. There's a lot of humour, and whilst the story isn't particularly deep, it's an enjoyable romp that's well worth the time. In fact I'm already looking forward to the next in the series. Five stars all the way.