2.5 stars

I was excited for this one, as the concept sounded fresh and interesting, but I felt the execution left a lot to be desired. I was expecting more mystery and suspense, given the Hitchcock theme. The characters also weren’t memorable or unique, but unlikeable and annoying. The twist at the end did take me by surprise, but it couldn't make up for the generic/formulaic nature of the rest of the story.

This was really an incredible story that kept me engaged the entire time. I'm a huge Hitchcock fan and I loved all the references and themes. I didn't figure out the twists and found the characters so interesting

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. The Hitchcock Hotel is located in a small college town called Reville and is owned by Alfred Smettle. Alfred (a huge Hitchcock fan) moves back to his college town and opens the Hitchcock Hotel. On the hotel's first anniversary, Alfred invites his five colleagues back to celebrate his hotel. The five college friends bonded over film class at Reville College taught by Professor Scott.. Alfred wants to reunite his friends for a Hitchcock-filled weekend but does he have other motives?
Hitchcock Hotel is a locked room mystery, light on the horror and slow burn as puzzle pieces are slowly revealed. My Hitchcock background knowledge is pretty lacking. While the book did increase my Hitchcock movie knowledge, I am sure I missed some of the references. I did not guess the twists. Hitchcock Hotel would make a good spooky season read.

What a miss, other than the gorgeous, perfect cover I didn’t find a lot to love inside. 2024 continues to be a year of clunkers for me. This is really a campus mystery, set in a hotel for really not much of a reason. The setting is mostly lost in endless backstory, as is most everything else. After three nights of reading waiting for something to kick in to gear, I looked down at my reader and I was 60% through the book.

There’s lots of unnecessary description like, she sat down at the dark oak table, set with red linen napkins and gold plates…etc etc. early on there’s a ton of odd brand name dropping as well for absolutely no reason. “He put on his Nike t-shirt” “she used a CVS receipt as a bookmark” . There are also a lot of Hitchcock tidbits tossed in, but they also mostly don’t figure into the plot.

The dialogue and character’s behavior stretch any sort of believability as well. As we move along very slowly the book morphs from a thriller to a fairly straightforward procedural. By the time the ending came around I was feeling more Lifetime TV Mystery than Hitchcock film.

Brilliant concept with underwhelming execution, as someone who has always been deeply interested in Alfred Hitchcock's filmography, the title (and the premise) of The Hitchcock Hotel immediately has my attention. Unfortunately, I find its incorporation of the cinematic elements, while cheeky and on-the-nose, is primarily surface level, and the character/plot fails to provide the engagement and suspense I'm anticipating.

The main issue for me lies with the stereotypical depiction of its cast, the absence of emotional depth and memorable personality makes keeping tabs on the interwoven web of grudge/secret a boring, emotionally-uninvolving chore, instead resulting in me being more aware of moments when characters behave illogically for the sake of plot (it is never convincingly explained why no one attempt to leave the hotel when the situation becomes dire). I also find the choice of its ultimate culprit to be very conventional and anticlimactic, which in itself is a bit of a bait-and-switch when the novel is paying homage to the master of suspense.

Overall, I think I have too high of an expectation for The Hitchcock Hotel, because other than some Hitchcockian name drops, at its core this novel is a typical murder mystery following the template to a T. Passable for as a breezy distraction, but nothing more.

Absolutely loved this one!! The friendships, dynamics, character building - *chefs kiss*

Alfred Smettle has always shown a liking to old movies, particularly those from his namesake, Alfred Hitchcock.
His admiration led him to opening the Hitchcock Hotel filled with all things Hitchcock providing a full experience. In celebration of the hotel's one year anniversary, Alfred invites 5 of his friends from college to spend a weekend at his hotel.
The friends reunite and secrets both new and old unfold.

The character drama between old college friends was so intriguing. Learning each of their back stories and what part each plays in the story gave off Lucy Foley vibes and I LOVED that! There were a few twists that had me at the edge of my seat for the last 20% of the book. All of the Hitchcock references throughout brought me back to my childhood sneaking in to watch Alfred Hitchcock presents with my parents. Such a fun modern spin on a classic.

I loved the plot line of this themed hotel, Hitchcock would be proud! Stephanie Wrobel has written a page turning thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I'm a big Hitchcock fan, so the blurb sold me on it. And the cover is fantastic! A Hitchcock fanatic with an agenda, a locked room mystery, a reunion gone wrong? Count me in!

The first act opens with a crow and comes to a full circle with a murder of crows. Alfred Smettle, the creepy owner of a Hitchcock-themed hotel, invites his five estranged college friends for a weekend stay to celebrate the anniversary of his hotel. The hotel is in the White Mountains, near Reville, the university they all attended, and gives off "Shining" and "Psycho" vibes. The hotel is full of memorabilia plus an aviary with fifty crows no less!

We meet Danny, Alfred's creepy middle-aged housekeeper, Zoe - an alcoholic chef, TJ, a bodyguard, Julius - a rich man and the clown of the group, Samira - who is married and runs a successful sex toy business, and Grace - a successful hedge fund manager. Alfred plans to right old wrongs when inviting his friends over, but as the saying goes, "Man Plans, and God Laughs". Odd occurrences occur, and pretty soon, there is a body as appropriate to a Hitchcock set.

I loved the book, the setting, the Hitchcock references, the foreshadowing, and the slowly built suspense. The crows and the Hitchcock-esque vibes added to the creepy atmosphere. The book is organized like a movie script, and I liked the Hitchcock quotes inserted between the acts. Wrobel paints the Hitchcock Hotel with vivid strokes, making it a place readers will yearn to visit on one hand, and a place they should stay clear of on the other hand.

The book alternates between Alfred's first-person POV (I loved the Norman Bates vibes), and the guests' third-person POV, including flashbacks to their college days. The cast is well-drawn, and each character has his or her style. All have secrets, some more serious than others, and none of them are likable.

The book was well-written, cleverly plotted, and full of twists and turns. The pacing is slow in the beginning but gains momentum as the plot unfolds. This lets the reader get familiar with the setting and the backstories of the characters and allows the suspense to build up into the action. The book is not overwhelmingly scary, but then scary is overrated.

While I did suspect the identity of the perpetrator, I didn't guess the motive, and I didn't see some of the twists coming. I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend the book to fans of the genre who don't mind flawed and unlikable protagonists and like their revenge served cold.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this slow build, Hitchcock influenced suspense! I found some of the twists predictable and some not as much so, but this locked room mystery was a wild ride regardless! None of the characters were particularly “likable” but I liked all the possible motives present that keep the reader guessing.

Thank you NetGalley and Stephanie Wrobel for the ARC of The Hitchcock Hotel. If you enjoy a fast read thriller and Alfred Hitchcock, the book is for you. Alfred Smettle is an odd young man raised by a mother who loves Alfred Hitchcock movies and shares the love with her son. He goes to college and is accepted into a group that share or tolerate his Hitchcock obsession. When he is disgraced and suspended from school, none of his friends support him, setting up a simmering need for revenge. His opportunity comes 16 years later when he invites them all to a private weekend at his year old Hitchcock Hotel in their old college town. There are twists and turns and we learn that none of these people are without sin.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! This book has so many twist and turns. Some I saw coming, and others I didn’t see coming! That being said, most twists were predictable, but I was not expecting the ending! I wasn’t a big fan of the flashback chapters as much as it kept taking me out of the main creepy hotel setting, but I understand why those were needed to tell the story. This was a great Agatha Christie “who done it type book” mixed with creepiness of Norman Bates style!

Loved it!!!
A couple years ago I read a book by this author and I loved it - and I know it's an unopular opinion on that book.
So, I was already eager to learn a new book from this author, and then I noticed this would be linked to Hitchcock's works. My expectations were very high.
And I was not disappointed. I do have some reservations regarding some scenes that I felt were unnecessarily long, but I wouldn't say it damaged my experience with this reading.
I really liked it and I'll definitely read it again (this time with the audiobook) when the book is officially published.
I recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Stephanie Wrobel's writing in before, as well as for Hitchcock fans.

"I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Meet Alfred Smettle. He is an INSANE Hitchcock fan! To honor his favorite director he has created The Hitchcock Hotel, a medium size boutique hotel dedicated to Hitch, complete with themed rooms, pictures and rare paraphernalia. Located near the school Alfred attended, he offers his college roommates a free weekend to reunite and catch up.

It's only been 16 years but the group has spread far and wide. Some were unsure if they wanted to attend. Others come for reasons they keep secret. There is one thing for certain, not everyone will leave alive!

Totally Unique! Fabulously constructed! A mystery that celebrates the construction of Alfred Hitchock movies through and through

Read if you like: hotel settings, shady pasts, Alfred Hitchcock movies, dark academia

Alfred invites his estranged college best friends to his new Hitchcock-themed hotel. He has a plan for revenge in mind.

I really wanted to love this. I love Hitchcock and the references were fun but I felt like I slogged through this book.

The characters were all very unlikeable and the central mysteries (and corresponding twists) just weren’t very interesting.

I would have loved to learn more about Alfred and his relationship with his mother but it didn’t end up going anywhere.

I feel like there were good ideas here, they just weren’t full executed.

I absolutely loved this mystery--especially the unique, evocative, creepy hotel setting and the cast of eccentric characters. The mystery unfolded at the perfect pace and I was surprised at the ending. It definitely inspired me to rewatch some Alfred Hitchcock classics!

As someone who is a fan of Hitchcock films and enjoyed Wrobel's previous novels, This Might Hurt and Darling Rose Red, I thought this would be as immediately immersive and fast-paced as those. I really struggled to get into this story. I don't think I even made it far enough to get to the "twist" and I still made the call that it wasn't worth it. Unfortunately, this one did not work for me

The Hitchcock Hotel brings a group of college friends back together to celebrate the one friend who made each of their lives miserable in college. Alfred has opened his dream hotel based on Alfred Hitchcock Movies, and has invited his old friends back to celebrate the 1 year anniversary. As the weekend relieves lie and secret, one is found dead. Every chapter reveals why each friend should be a victim and the villain. Wait to the very end to see the truth come out - you will be shaking your head as you go online to start your own Hitchcock marathon! 4 stars - would recommend!

"The Hitchcock Hotel" intrigues with its unique premise: a hotel themed around Alfred Hitchcock, complete with film memorabilia and crows. The owner, Alfred Smettle, invites old friends for a suspense-filled reunion, aiming to celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary. The setup promises a thrilling blend of mystery and homage to Hitchcock's style.

The novel excels in atmosphere, rich with Hitchcockian references that fans will appreciate. However, the story soon shifts focus to past conflicts among the characters, which dilutes the suspense and detracts from the potential intrigue of the setting. While the plot includes some predictable twists, it mainly serves as a light, enjoyable read rather than a gripping thriller.

Overall, "The Hitchcock Hotel" is a decent choice for those looking for a novel with a strong cinematic flavor, though it may leave readers wanting more depth and unpredictability.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC

I have mixed feelings about this one. I was expecting a semi spooky thriller. This is more of a fast moving murder mystery. I enjoyed all of the Hitchcock references and the atmosphere. I couldn't wait to see how the crows were incorporated into the story. However, after a certain event happened, it became more about past drama and conflict between characters that I didn't care much about. I know we needed some reference to the past but it was too much for me. There were a few surprises, but I was able to predict most of the ending. Overall I think it was a decent popcorn read, but there was tons of wasted potential.