i requested this book initially in an attempt to go outside my comfort zone and delve into a genre i wasn't used to reading so i was pretty slow to start reading this book. what i didn't expect was to be completely immersed in a compelling mystery that had me flipping pages after i got through the first chunk. i loved the main character and i thought her agoraphobia was handled well.

This was a quick, cute read and I enjoyed it. I’ll definitely pick up the next one. I especially appreciate that Evelyn's agoraphobia is handled with kindness; Golden neatly avoided the "Grey Gardens" trap that is so easy to fall into.

Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is a wealthy young and attractive woman, who lives in the penthouse at Pinnacle Hotel in New York City. Her father owns the hotel, and Evelyn spends her time listening to gossip amongst staff about the guests, and helping the occasional person find a misplaced item. She also poses with her best friend and actor Henry Fox for supposedly candid shots, helping him maintain the fiction that he is heterosexual. Evelyn has her own secret: she has a flirty relationship with Mac Cooper, a bellboy/waiter and dog walker for Evelyn's beloved dog Presley.

When an artist who plans to reveal his latest painting at a party at the hotel discovers the painting was stolen, Henry is accused of theft, but pretty quickly Evelyn proves his innocence. Then the artist is found stabbed, and Evelyn begins investigating in earnest. She enlists Mac's help, with him picking locks and her searching through files and interrogating guests, and we get a better sense of Evelyn and what is keeping her from leaving the hotel.


At the book's outset, Evelyn seems like nothing more than a flirt who loves fashion, styling herself after Marilyn Munroe, and too silly, inconsequential and spoiled to have a single, intelligent thought in her platinum blonde head.

And though she has a vivid imagination, is stubborn when she has a plan, is kind to others, and has an unwillingness to hear some truths about herself from her analyst, she's smart, is always dressed to kill, is suffering from agoraphobia and PTSD after an incident that occurred when she was six-years old: she found her mother murdered outside a toy store, and grew terrified of leaving the safety of the Pinnacle afterwards.

She's also remarkably happy to help Henry masquerade as her boyfriend, and is unwilling to believe Mac is defined solely by his past. And, she loves reading Agatha Christie (she's reading "Hickory Dickory Death" during her own investigation) and has the amusing plan of revealing the murderer at an Hercule Poirot-style gathering.

Evelyn is delightful, and I had a lot of fun watching her sleuth, and really enjoyed the humourous tone of this mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Very cute mystery set in 1958 New York, but I was a little underwhelmed. Could appeal to YA readers

THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER by S. K. Golden is set at the Pinnacle Hotel near Central Park in New York in 1958. As such, it is both historical fiction and a mystery, but it also includes elements of romance and a definite sense of farce. Think of The Play that Goes Wrong or perhaps Noises Off. The main character, Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy, is a young woman who is the sheltered and spoiled daughter of the hotel's widowed, very rich, and absent owner. Miss Murphy is seemingly adored by the hotel staff including the manager, Mr. Sharpe; front desk attendant Mr. Burrows; her maid Florence; and bell boy Mac Cooper. Mac is also her partner in investigating an art theft and subsequent murder. They are aided by Amelia, the young child of hotel guests, and by Presley, Miss Murphy's precious dog. It's all a bit sweet, full of laughs, and "over the top," including Miss Murphy's well publicized affection for Henry Fox, a famous actor, even though they consider their friendship to be purely platonic. There are plenty of confusing twists and confounding theories about whom the real murderer is. Also with a hotel setting, Nita Prose's The Maid is the better written story, but fans of light and humorous mysteries will enjoy THE SOCIALITE'S GUIDE TO MURDER and subsequent adventures at the Pinnacle Hotel.

Unfortunately, I never got into the characters. The mystery did keep me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an hones review.

Interesting and easy to read first book in a new historical mystery series. I liked the idea of a bit of a spoiled socialite who lives in a hotel, spends her daddy's money, and then decides to solve a murder that occurs in the hotel. The mystery is intriguing and there's enough red herrings to keep you guessing. And the secondary characters really add to the story.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Welcome to 1958 New York City and the posh world of Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy. She is the pampered daughter of the very, very rich owner of the hotel. Within the walls of the hotel she lives a very interesting life style. There is a rooftop hotel, boutique shops to help her fill her closet (an entire room in her penthouse suite), hairdressers to keep her brown hair dyed platinum and perfectly styled a la Marilyn Monroe. She also has an adorable pup named Presley. Many would see her only as a spoiled, ditzy rich young woman. They would do so at their peril. Sure she knows how to enjoy life but she also has a sharp mind and is nosy. It isn't much of a leap from finding a hotel guest's lost handbag and various crimes that are bound to occur in a large upscale hotel to solving the theft of a work of art and, later the murder of the artist. Aided by her friends, Henry Fox and Mac the bellhop, she sets out to find the killer. The detective on the case thinks Henry makes a good prime suspect and we all know that's not possible. This is her home and her friend so of course it's her investigation, too.
I enjoyed the setting of 1958 and the attention to detail. Evelyn was sometimes a tad bit annoying but I soon realized that she had good reason to have agoraphobia and, when she was forced outside due to the case, she was well supported by friends like Mac. As for the mystery, it kept me entertained straight to the last page. For a debut mystery this hit the ground running and I'm looking forward to see what is in store for Evelyn in her next investigation.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished a socialites guide to murder by S.K Golden

It’s 1958 and heiress Evelyn is happy as clam in her hotel. She has a fake boyfriend, Henry, who is a movie star! She has her little dog Presley, she lives the life most only dream of.

Then one day an artist is showcasing his latest masterpiece at the hotel. During the party someone steals it. Evelyn, who is good at finding things, sets out to solve the mystery. Then the artist, Billy is found murdered and the missing painting is just the start of the epic adventure.

With the help of Mac, a bellhop at the hotel and her secret lover, Evelyn sets herself on a dangerous path that could see her and the people around her in mortal danger. Still battling agoraphobia and panic attacks which leave her unable to go outside the hotel, she pushes through to save an innocent man from going down for crimes she knows he didn’t commit.

I have 4 words for this book….. TOO CUTE FOR WORDS. I love Evelyn. She may be spoiled and a little spoiled but she has a heart of absolute gold and she sees people for who they are not their status. Beautifully written and hard to put down, the whole book had this cozy mystery feel to it but still had the grit to hold the attention of mystery lovers. Set in the 50s, it was a real fun way to enjoy a good mystery in a historical fiction setting.

Loved the hotel. Really enjoyed all the extra things we learned about it too. Found the whole book an absolute delight.

I love that Mac and Evelyn end up together and not hiding, that really shows you that she didn’t see his status or his past but the man standing before her. Sigh… I am a sucker for romance.

5 stars! Thank you Netgalley and Crooked lane books for my review copy

This is marketed as a debut (unless S.K. Golden is a pseudonym, of course), as well as the first book in a series, and I have to say that it shows.

Reader beware: wealthy white debutante, with attendant problematic behavior and perspective; closeted gay best friend (see: period setting); agoraphobia and PTSD; car accident; parental neglect; closed door sex.

The premise for the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series is that our heroine and narrator, parlays her position as ‘spoiled rich daddy’s girl’ to get away with behavior that’s at best socially unacceptable; that she does this partly as a coping mechanism for unresolved childhood trauma; and that between that, an obsession with Agatha Christie novels, and her natural ingenuity, she’s in the best position to solve murders.

I have to say, however, that having her solve one murder at daddy’s hotel is somewhat believable; having it be a series of murders all in the hotel, would be taking the ‘small town murder sleuth’ to an even more unnatural extreme.

I have a hate-love-hate relationship with most book blurbs, because they are supposed to sell the book to potential readers, and often what’s actually between the covers has little to do with what the blurb promised. This blurb, on the other hand, spits out plot points all the way to the 77% mark. Which, for a detective story, is definitely too much.

Anyway…

We are introduced to Evelyn through her privilege. Not just that, as far as she’s concerned, she’s pretty much the center of the world (even if her world is just The Pinnacle), but how she relates to her things, and how so much of her life revolves around her appearance.

It’s clear that a lot of Evelyn’s “quirky” ditzy persona is, at least in part, the result of early trauma from finding her mother’s body, and the fact that the murderer has not been caught. Also, she’s only 21, so at least she sounds very young and very naïve because she is.

Then there are the daddy issues (as shown by her almost desperation to have the men in her life, from the hotel manager, Mr Sharpe, to detective Hodgson, “like her”), that move her to do some spectacularly stupid things, just so she can “prove to both those men” that she’s not stupid.

The thing is, devoting paragraphs to what she puts on, from panties to jewelry and every step in between, makes sense–once, to set up her personality. But when you are doing it with almost every wardrobe change all the way to the end, what I realize is that Evelyn hasn’t really grown as a person–because, lest we forget, it’s Evelyn who is narrating.

She’s is not an “unlikable heroine” in the usual sense, but she’s a spoiled young woman who spends (her father’s) money like water, and doesn’t seem to care much about the people around her, other than Henry and Malcolm, maybe a bit about Amelia (a child who’s staying at the hotel with her parents); but even when it comes to those she does care about, it’s all centered in how they fulfill a role in her life.

Evelyn is, basically, shallow. Smarter than she’s given credit for, but shallow.

And since we see all the other characters through Evelyn’s eyes, what we get is a very shallow picture; not exactly flat, but not quite engaging or alive. All the people around Evelyn seem to be characters in the story she’s telling herself.

This means that the entire romance plotline failed for me.

(Plus, having her think, about one of the other characters, that he is “handsome for a man barreling toward fifty”, my impression of both Evelyn and the author is not a positive one–if we want to talk about attractive traits, ageism is not one.)

I do have to say, however, that the scenes where Evelyn is confronting her trauma are truly moving; in those, she’s a whole person, rather than a cliché.

Now, to the mechanics of the story as a mystery.

The book honestly needed tighter editing.

The author plays it straight, giving the reader all we need to figure out what happened; this is good in some ways, but in this case meant that I figure out the killer and their motivations well before Evelyn. Also, a failure to set up a “closed room” scenario for the murder means that the pivotal revelation at the climax didn’t really stand out for me.

There were some rather large errors in key scenes that made them confusing rather than impactful. For example: when Evelyn finds the corpse, much is made that he’s “looking at her”–at the same time that much is made of the fact that she can see the knife wound on his back, down to location and size. You cannot do both those things at the same time with someone whose head is still attached.

The Socialite’s Guide to Murder is 5.50 out of 10 for me.

Step into a delightful new series that will make you smile until the last page!
Evelyn, the quirky, glamorous, spoiled daughter of the owner of the Pinnacle Hotel, resides on the top floor with her Pomeranian Presley!

Combine her with a fabulous cast of characters, including her best friend, a handsome movie star and a murder. What more could you ask for?

Cannot wait for more!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts/opinions expressed are my own. 3.25 stars rounded down to 3. The Socialite's Guide to Murder is a very promising start to a series set during 1958 as the first signs of the swinging 60s that are to come are starting to appear. The story is told through the eyes (in first person) of Miss Evelyn Murphy, the early 20ish daughter of the owner of the Pinnacle, a luxury hotel in New York City. Evelyn hasn't left the hotel in 14 months and suffers from agoraphobia that is related to her mother's unsolved murder when she was a young child; she was the first person to find the body and has lived with a fear of the world outside of the hotel ever sense. She lives in a penthouse with her Pomeranian Pressley and tries to emulate her idol, Marilyn Monroe. She has a faux boyfriend, Henry Fox, a movie star who is in town to make his debut on Broadway. Evelyn and Henry like to stage photo ops of their relationship, and as such, they attend an art exhibit at the hotel. During the grad unveiling of some new work, it is discovered that the painting is missing; Evelyn is determined to find out who took it in part to clear the hotel's name and also the name of one of the bellhops, Mac, who she has developed a casual relationship with. I thought the mystery aspect of the story was well down and appreciated the time period as one that I haven't come across much in the historical mystery space. I did find Evelyn to be somewhat immature and very fashion obessed which may not be every reader's cup of tea, but I found a lot of promise to the character if the author allows for her to continue the growth she displayed during this book. The secondary characters were interesting, and there is what appears to be a slow burn mystery involving her mother's death that I expect to be resolved later in the series. Overall, I did enjoy this story and will be giving any future books a chance.

I went into this thinking this was an “historical” mystery (that’s how it’s listed), but in my opinion it’s more of a “cozy”. And I’ll preface this by saying I’m not a cozy aficionado.

Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is an heiress in 1958 Manhattan who lives in her father’s luxury hotel. She suffers from bouts of agoraphobia as she discovered her murdered mother in the hotel alley as a young child. She and the bellhop Mac (also her dog walker/romantic interest) investigate the art theft/murder of an artist in the hotel as she is “good at finding things”. While she is seen as pampered/ditzy by some (she tries to emulate Marilyn Monroe in her looks, etc.), she has a heart of gold.

I got the feeling that the author modeled Evelyn a bit on Cher (Clueless…putting her designer outfits together) and Elle (Legally Blonde…carrying her dog Presley around in her purse). She’s annoying at times but ultimately likable.

I’m giving this first outing of a new series a 3/5 (my amateur opinion), but other cozy lovers may rank it higher.

My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing the free early arc for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Evelyn Murphy, heiress of the Pinnacle Hotel in New York City, has a bit of a problem. Well, a few problems. One, she might have a bit of agoraphobia and hasn't left the hotel in fourteen months. Two, her best friend (and famous movie star) Henry has been accused of stealing artist Billie Bell's masterpiece painting at its unveiling. Three, she might be falling for her friend and dog-walker, Mac. Oh, and four, someone killed Billie Bell and she found the body... Now Evelyn, known throughout the hotel as being good at finding lost things, is determined to find out who killed Mr. Bell in order to protect her friends and the hotel itself.

This book gives off strong mid-century caper vibes and is lots of fun. Evelyn is a flawed protagonist and sometimes annoying, but she becomes more self-aware as the story progresses, even if we are often treated to longer than necessary descriptions of the outfits she is wearing. The secondary characters are fun, if a bit one-dimensional, and the setting of the hotel manages to feel a lot like a small town while being smack in the middle of New York City. This is a different kind of cozy mystery than the usual in some ways, but readers who enjoy the genre will find a lot of nods to the familiar tropes, as well as an amateur sleuth who feels fresh and different from the ones in many modern cozies. Good for people who enjoy the 1950s, lighter mysteries, and a little kitsch.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the chance to red The Socialite's Guide to Murder in exchange for an honest review!

This was a very light mystery with characters who seemed fluffy as well. Evelyn lived in the hotel
owned by her father. She did not seem to know or want to know how the world lived in 1958. She knew
only that she was posh, with plenty of money, no one questioning her moves and she had already solved
one mystery.

When a murder occurs within the hotel she along with the boy who handles luggage whom she secretly
has a crush on decide to investigate. At the same time Evelyn for purposes of show is the girl friend of
a man who is rich and famous but gay. Evelyn on his arm is a cover for that too. The arrangement is
mutually beneficial.

The best description was that it felt that it was not quite written for an adult audience.

The first book in a new series set in the Pinnacle Hotel in New York in 1958. Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy is the owner's daughter and, due to agoraphobia, she spends her whole time in the hotel. She has a cute little dog called Presley as company, a suite of rooms on the top floor, and absolutely everything she needs provided by the huge, top class hotel.

For company Evelyn has the hotel staff, occasional friends she makes with guests and Henry Fox, best friend and pretend boyfriend. She also has a great relationship with a bell hop called Mac Cooper. I loved Evelyn from the very start of the book. She is quirky, endearing and a curious mix of naivety and smartness. Her relationship with Mac is hilarious, as is her determination to win over the Detective who turns up to investigate a murder in her hotel.

Of course it is Evelyn and Mac who actually solve the murder, and the finale is an Agatha Christie type gathering together of all the suspects, where the culprit is dramatically announced to everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it was smart, funny and the characters were a delight. I shall watch out for book 2.

Evelyn Murphy lives in an exclusive New York hotel that is owned by her father. Preparations are underway for an exhibition by the artist Billie Bell. The highlight of the evening is the revelation of Bell’s latest masterpiece. When the painting goes missing, Evelyn, a fan of detective mysteries, decides she is the best person to investigate the theft. How hard can it be? She has read a lot of detective mysteries and she knows the hotel better than anyone else. She has the assistance of Mac Cooper, who is a waiter, bellboy, her dog Walker and a former thief. While she is unable to find the painting, she does find Bell’s body in one of the hotel’s hallways.

Evelyn’s life is one of privilege. Disagreement with her boyfriend? Buy him a Rolls Royce. Her designer clothes reflect her favorite movie star. Her dog Elvis must accompany her everywhere in his special carrier purse. She suffers from agoraphobia and has not left the hotel in fourteen years. As a child, she found her mother’s body in a nearby alley and the hotel has become her safe place. Even attempts to take Elvis for a walk cause a panic attack. Warned against her interference in his investigation by Detective Hodgson, she has to continue if she is ever to feel safe again, even if it means leaving the hotel.

S. K. Golden’s character conjures the image of Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. She is easy to underestimate at first look, but she is determined to succeed and prove herself. She initially comes across as shallow, but you will find yourself hoping for her success by the time she presents her solution. A Socialite’s Guide to Murder is a pure delight. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books or providing this book for my review.

When I started reading this book I wondered what in the world was I in for? A semi-ditzy young woman who idolizes Marilyn Monroe and lives full time in her father's hotel, rarely leaving the premises. As I got farther in the story, things clicked into place. The author very cleverly drops bits of Evelyn's background into the story like a trail of breadcrumbs. The characters are an interesting bunch, ranging from a Hollywood star who is Evelyn's best friend to the ten year old daughter of the French diplomat. I found it to be a slow, confusing start but by the end of the story I really liked Evelyn and her potential to grow. I would definitely read the next in this series to see how she's coming along!

The Socialite's Guide to Murder by S. K. Golden is the book that will transport readers back to the ritz and glamour of 1950's.

I really liked the premise of a rich young woman who lives in a hotel and solves murders. Brilliant.
However, it simply somehow failed to delived.
I quite liked the main heroine, I thought that she was a good person, caring, thoughtful and pretty decent human being. Nevertheless she has her moments of silliness and behaving like a spoiled brat which I didn't particularly care for. In one moment she is a smart, sophisticated woman in the other she is afraid what her daddy will say.

The book is also heavy on romance which didn't bother me, I am aboard if it doesn't deter from the mystery.
The mystery itself was well presented, with clues clearly set out. I liked how the ending has that Agatha Christie finish, however no one in my opinion can even come close to the queen of mystery.

The ending was the best part for me, getting to know the characters, familiarizing with the setting but I lost interest along the way and admittedly skimmed some parts.

In my opinion it would be a good choice for those readers who like both romance and a little bit of mystery but haven't had the chance to read much of similar books in this genre.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at around 10%. Perhaps others will like this book more than I did, but I was unable to connect to the characters or story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.