For fans of The Maid and The Grand Budapest Hotel comes this thrilling (and sexy) debut mystery inspired by a real love hotel, which legend claims has existed forever, luring lovers inside for a night of debauchery.
In modern Vienna, American ex-pat Sterling Lockwood is the loyal concierge at the infamously secretive Hotel Orient, where cameras are banned, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide. After the double murder of two guests, including a tech mogul building an Austrian surveillance state, Sterling must turn detective. But finding the truth will require breaking the Orient’s sacred code of secrecy while keeping a few secrets of her own.
The police struggle when modern investigative technology proves useless at the old-fashioned hotel. Because clients use aliases, pay cash, and stay mere hours, all suspects have vanished. Sterling agrees to assist alongside her best friend and colleague, Fernando, if only to avoid arrest and the suspicion regarding her own movements that night. As enemies close in from all around, she risks everything to solve a case haunted by the past, in a city with a fetish for nostalgia.
Don't be shy darling, ring the bell...
Genre: Mystery
In modern Vienna, American ex-pat Sterling Lockwood is the loyal concierge at the infamously secretive Hotel Orient, where cameras are banned, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide. After the double murder of two guests, including a tech mogul building an Austrian surveillance state, Sterling must turn detective. But finding the truth will require breaking the Orient’s sacred code of secrecy while keeping a few secrets of her own.
The police struggle when modern investigative technology proves useless at the old-fashioned hotel. Because clients use aliases, pay cash, and stay mere hours, all suspects have vanished. Sterling agrees to assist alongside her best friend and colleague, Fernando, if only to avoid arrest and the suspicion regarding her own movements that night. As enemies close in from all around, she risks everything to solve a case haunted by the past, in a city with a fetish for nostalgia.
Don't be shy darling, ring the bell...
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is one of the most assured and original debuts I've read in some time. If Natasha Lyonne did Only Murders in the Building it might look something like this. Sterling Lockwood is a wonderfully refreshing investigator, and I look forward to seeing where her next case takes her." - Tariq Ashkanani
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is a heady cocktail of a book - sexy, intriguing and laugh-out-loud funny - like a naughtier version of the film Clue. This mystery is full of satisfying twists and turns, the setting is evocative and vividly realised, and in Sterling Lockwood, it features probably one of the most fabulous protagonists ever to sashay across the pages of a novel. A supremely entertaining piece of escapism!" - Gareth Brown
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is a sharply plotted nod to the Golden Age classics but with a fresh, modern edge. Our protagonist Sterling crackles with intelligence, wit and untamed sexuality as she races to clear her name whilst unravelling the mystery of the elegant, menacing hotel itself. Smart, suspenseful and a little bit naughty, Alessandra Ranelli is an author to watch. Highly recommended." - M W Craven
"Intricately plotted, with surprises behind every door, Murder at the Hotel Orient is as witty as it is mysterious, with the most swoon-worthy cast of characters I've encountered in ages. An electric debut! Not only did I devour it, I'm Sterling Lockwood's biggest fan!" - Tiffany Crum
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is a scintillating and sexy murder mystery set in a real life Viennese love hotel, with a fantastic protagonist in the unstoppable Sterling Lockwood. Twisting and turning through velvet-curtained rooms, dark streets and the grandeur of Austria's capital, this novel made me laugh and gasp in equal measure. So check in and meet the Concierge - you won't regret it, as long as you can stay alive." - David Goodman
"A clever and satisfying thriller in a wonderfully decadent setting. Sterling Lockwood is an unforgettable heroine." - Elly Griffiths
"A delightful treat of a novel, imaginative, classy, and utterly seductive. Concierge Sterling Lockwood is a total heartbreaker, and the timeless Vienna she inhabits is a masterclass in noir that Ranelli teases to life with consummate style and humour. A stunning and highly original debut from a talented author to watch." - Gilly MacMillan
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is both cozy and hot! This spicy who-dunnit is filled with lovable characters, witty dialogue, and clever twists. It's a joy to read." - Natalie Marlow
"Transports the reader to a time and place with details so vividly portrayed that you can taste them." - Christopher Moore
"Sultry, sinister and smart. Sterling Lockwood is going to steal your heart - just don't trust her with it." - Stuart Turton
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is a heady cocktail of a book - sexy, intriguing and laugh-out-loud funny - like a naughtier version of the film Clue. This mystery is full of satisfying twists and turns, the setting is evocative and vividly realised, and in Sterling Lockwood, it features probably one of the most fabulous protagonists ever to sashay across the pages of a novel. A supremely entertaining piece of escapism!" - Gareth Brown
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is a sharply plotted nod to the Golden Age classics but with a fresh, modern edge. Our protagonist Sterling crackles with intelligence, wit and untamed sexuality as she races to clear her name whilst unravelling the mystery of the elegant, menacing hotel itself. Smart, suspenseful and a little bit naughty, Alessandra Ranelli is an author to watch. Highly recommended." - M W Craven
"Intricately plotted, with surprises behind every door, Murder at the Hotel Orient is as witty as it is mysterious, with the most swoon-worthy cast of characters I've encountered in ages. An electric debut! Not only did I devour it, I'm Sterling Lockwood's biggest fan!" - Tiffany Crum
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is a scintillating and sexy murder mystery set in a real life Viennese love hotel, with a fantastic protagonist in the unstoppable Sterling Lockwood. Twisting and turning through velvet-curtained rooms, dark streets and the grandeur of Austria's capital, this novel made me laugh and gasp in equal measure. So check in and meet the Concierge - you won't regret it, as long as you can stay alive." - David Goodman
"A clever and satisfying thriller in a wonderfully decadent setting. Sterling Lockwood is an unforgettable heroine." - Elly Griffiths
"A delightful treat of a novel, imaginative, classy, and utterly seductive. Concierge Sterling Lockwood is a total heartbreaker, and the timeless Vienna she inhabits is a masterclass in noir that Ranelli teases to life with consummate style and humour. A stunning and highly original debut from a talented author to watch." - Gilly MacMillan
"Murder at the Hotel Orient is both cozy and hot! This spicy who-dunnit is filled with lovable characters, witty dialogue, and clever twists. It's a joy to read." - Natalie Marlow
"Transports the reader to a time and place with details so vividly portrayed that you can taste them." - Christopher Moore
"Sultry, sinister and smart. Sterling Lockwood is going to steal your heart - just don't trust her with it." - Stuart Turton
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