An excellent follow-up to the first book in the series. Especially enjoy how thoughtfully Evelyn’s journey with panic attacks/agoraphobia is portrayed.

The Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series gives me all of the cozy vibes and makes me laugh every single time. S.K. Golden knows how to write an over-the-top character, and though I know she won't be everyone's cup of tea, I myself am a huge fan of Evelyn. In the second installment of the series, The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating, Evelyn very quickly finds a dead body, and thanks to a new detective, instantly becomes a suspect. Things basically go downhill from there as her father comes for a visit and is less than impressed with her new suitor, Malcolm. The end made me SO SAD, and Golden better remedy it in the next book or I am going to be one very upset fan. 😤

Amara Jasper who narrated the audiobook for the first book, came back to narrate The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating and it was weird because I actually thought it was a different person at first! Thankfully it was not, and I think Jasper is the bee's knees when it comes to being the voice of Evelyn. She puts her heart and soul into the narration, making it an even more fun experience than it already is. The whodunnit surprised me and I am very quickly becoming a huge fan of Detective Hodgson. I can't wait for more books to come out for this series, and I would recommend this if you love cozy mysteries and extravagant female narrators. You definitely need to read the series in order to get maximum enjoyment as well.

The ebullient Evelyn Murphy has moved forward on dealing with the world outside her beloved, familiar and safe Pinnacle Hotel home. Her boyfriend Mac Cooper has been encouraging her into taking trips outside. And it's just such a situation that has Evelyn and Mac heading to the hotel garage before driving out to his apartment in Yonkers, after Evelyn finished brilliantly organizing and hosting a big fundraiser at the hotel.

Evelyn gets quite the shock when she finds one of the fundraiser guests, Judge Baker dead in a car, with a needle in his arm. If that weren't bad enough, there's a young woman in trunk of that car, who screams immediately upon seeing Evelyn.

The police naturally think Evelyn had something to do with the murder and imprisonment of the young woman. Detective Hodgson (from book one) and his new, younger partner, Detective McJimsey, arrive, and McJimsey immediately begins being a jerk to Evelyn. Though initially a suspect, she's soon cleared, with the police turning to Mac as the murderer. And Hodgson is booted out after his supposed ineffectuality, prompting Evelyn to hire him to investigate, on her dime, not just the Judge's murder, but the other people also turning up dead, including Evelyn's long-time day maid, Florence, and the attack on her father, who is back in town unexpectedly.

If it were just hotel business, Evelyn would be fine with her father's sudden appearance, but he's back to force her to break things off with Mac. Problems are piling up for our protagonist, but between making sure she's always got the perfect outfit on for the occasion, and working with Hodgson, and still meeting with her analyst, Evelyn handily finds clues pointing towards the actual killer.

The story ended on a bit of a sad note, but that worked for me. Evelyn has mental health issues which she's had since her mother's murder years earlier, so she's no stranger to sadness. Despair, on the other hand, is not something Evelyn will likely have any truck with, between caring for her dog Presley and now also cat Monroe, enjoying time with her boyfriend and his sister Poppy, caring for and respecting the hotel's hardworking staff, holding her own against the bullying of a police officer, and making significant strides towards dealing with her trauma. I particularly enjoyed Evelyn's growth over this book, and the hints of just how formidable Evelyn can be, and become, when dealing with her father, and potential suspects.

I liked that Evelyn has decided to dig into her mother's murder. This will no doubt be dealt with in future entries in this series, as well as the growing friendship between her and Hodgson. Mac's departure was tough on Evelyn, but I suspect there will be some sort of fix, designed by them together, of their relationship, despite her father's prohibition.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story; in fact, I enjoyed it more than book one, which was a fun start to Evelyn's story. I hope there are more antics on the way.

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

I enjoyed this more than the first book, and I felt that the characters were more developed this time around. A great read and perfect for historical mystery fans.

This was a great addition to the series Evelyn strives to leave the hotel and finds a dead body. With the list of suspects who could it be.?
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another entertaining and solid mystery in this historical series. Humour, vivid historical background, plenty of twists and surprises
The FMC is likeable and well plotted
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This mystery was a bit of a disappointment for me. I did not care for Evelyn's character. She was whiny, dramatic, self-centered, and clueless about life outside the hotel. She couldn't do anything for herself except cook and do her job. On top of it all she suffered from Agoraphobia. This was an interesting twist because in order to figure out clues she had to leave the hotel. I did enjoy reading about the mindfulness techniques she used to help calm herself down. That was an interesting addition because it is a hot topic in our current time period. I found the story to be a slow-burn and I lost interest about halfway through the book. Luckily, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Amara Jasper (4 stars) so I could speed it up to get to the reveal at the end. The reveal was actually a big surprise to me! The ending was the worst part of the book. Poor Evelyn!

This has some significantly frustrating elements to it, but overall it’s a cute and entertaining read.

I liked the heroine of this book, which goes a long way toward covering up other flaws. The mystery itself is fine, and I thought the pacing was excellent.

On the downside, there are some anachronisms in this that seemed entirely avoidable, and the “I’m semi-agoraphobic” thing is absolutely ridiculous and misleading. Why not just say she has anxiety and that being in unfamiliar locations makes it worse? It’s legitimate but a long way from agoraphobia. The religious stuff is grating too, and feels out of place in a book like this and is likely agenda pushing by the author. Ick.

Still, I enjoyed the humor and the pluck of our heroine,and while I wasn’t crazy about the ending to her personal plot line, her relationship to other characters is interesting enough that I might read another.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane and Dreamscape Media for the eARC and audio arc. Just like the first in the Pinnacle Hotel series this book (and the character of Evelyn) captivated and charmed me. This was a quick read that kept me intrigued trying to find out whodunnit. I also loved seeing Evelyn’s character progression and I cannot wait to read the next in series! These books are endearing and so satisfying. I love the setting and the cast of characters, a fun mystery and excellent on audio!

The Socialite’s Guide To Death And Dating is the second book in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series by American author, S K Golden. Evelyn Murphy, daughter of the owner of the Pinnacle Hotel in New York City, has already, some weeks earlier, solved one murder when she and her beau/assistant, Malcolm Cooper (Mac) come across a body in a car in the Pinnacle’s parking garage.

Judge Cliff Baker is found in the driver’s seat of his cherry red Cadillac Coup de Ville with a needle in his arm, but Evelyn notes no track marks on his skin. When the police turn up, they assume a heroin overdose, but Evelyn isn’t convinced: why would a man with a successful career and a young, pregnant wife take such a risk. Even more puzzling is the frightened, scantily-clad young woman locked in the trunk of his car.

Dealing with Detective Hodgson is difficult enough, but when his younger colleague, Detective McJimsey decides to arrest Evelyn for the murder, she calls in the big guns: the attorney general and the chief of police see that she is released pronto.

Mark Murphy is annoyed with his daughter’s recent activity, but is even more disturbed by the company she’s keeping. Mac is a former bellhop, way below her station, and he issues Evelyn an ultimatum: break it off with Mac or be disinherited, and therefore penniless. He makes his dislike for Mac plain, and it is reciprocated when Mac stands up to him about his treatment of his daughter. Evelyn diagnoses overtiredness and defers further discussion until the next day.

But less than twenty-four hours after Judge Baker is found, there are three corpses: a dead judge, a dead prostitute and a dead maid; and Mark Murphy is in the hospital recovering from an attempt on his life. Worse still, Mac has been arrested for the murders. Evelyn is determined to get him out on bail and find the real killer, but Daddy has her money tied up tight, even her mother’s inheritance.

As she questions the Pinnacle staff, the Judge’s widow and his family, and those who knew the dead women, the list of potential suspects grows alarmingly: the valets are disgruntled with Mark Murphy’s budget cuts and his anti-union stance; the widow’s stepson seems a bit too friendly with his very regnant step-mother; and the doctor is too conveniently on the spot.

At first appearance, Evelyn seems to be exactly what her father describes: a spoiled, stupid socialite, whom some will see as nosy and entitled. When she gives priority to shopping and getting her hair and nails done, she does seem ditzy and shallow. Her father criticises her generosity: “…tipping that boy a dollar. A dollar, Evelyn, for opening a door? A quarter, at most, will do.” The lift boy opened the elevator doors, and Daddy swept inside.
My mouth fell open, staring after him aghast. “But Daddy, I can’t carry loose change! I’ll jingle!”
And her fixation on a particular red lambskin Archambeau handbag seems frivolous, but perhaps her perspective gives her different insights.

Evelyn suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, and is trying to overcome her fear of leaving the Pinnacle, where she has lived her whole life. Raised by a nanny since her mother was murdered when she was six, and with a father who parented her with his wallet, it’s no wonder she needs an analyst, although Dr Sanders ideas do seem quite advanced for 1958.

While this is the second book in this cozy mystery series, it easily stands alone; there’s plenty of humour and melodrama; there’s already a cute dog, Presley, and now a cat, Monroe; and the final pages promise an interesting third instalment when Laurence Hodgson and Evelyn try to track down Gwen Murphy’s killer. Amara Jasper’s narration of the audio version really enhances the reading experience. A very entertaining cozy.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.

The latest instalment of the Pinnacle Hotel murder mysteries follows Evelyn Murphy (hotel heiress) as she sets off on some sleuthing to solve a series of murders that she's come across.

Overall, it was a good read for a lover of the genre. I absolutely loved the 'Hotel' setting and 1950s New York aesthetic to the story. It gave off sort of 'Only Murders in the Building' vibes (and you just know I've totally been binging that!)

I did struggle actually getting through this at my usual pace ... I think this was mostly due to the format of the e-ARC which was somewhat distracting (i.e. having page numbers and footers appearing in the middle of random sentences). ' Also at times I found certain language and words overused and at times also not quite fitting for the time period and setting.

All in all though I felt it wrapped up and nicely and was satisfied with the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers and author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

A socialite who solves murders…again. Here are reasons to read the mystery book:

2nd in Series - In this second book in the series, we follow Evelyn who is the daughter of the man who owns the Pinnacle hotel

Party - It’s 1958 and Evelyn throws a party for the Mayor’s reelection.

Murders! - When she and her boyfriend find the Judge dead in the parking garage, with her father attacked later, she knows it’s up to her to figure out who did it.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series so i had to pick this one up as well. There does seem to be another book coming so that is exciting. Evelyn is an agoraphobe, which is a nice touch because it really makes you feel connected to her and what she struggles with. She could be portrayed as just another shallow rich girl, but her internal monologue successfully gives you insight into her regrets for not knowing the people who serve her as well as she wants. But all that aside it is a very good cozy mystery!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. This is the second title in the Pinnacle Hotel series featuring Evelyn who is the daughter of the owner of the luxury Pinnacle hotel in 1950's New York. This book is written in first person and Evelyn is only 21 and sometimes seems younger so readers should keep these facts in mind when deciding if this book is the right one for them. Although it takes place not too long after events in the first book, I think readers could start here and not be lost. When a body is found in a car belonging to Evelyn's father at a party attended by a who's who of NYC society, Evelyn and Mac find themselves in a bit of hot water. Determined to clear Mac's name and obtain his freedom, Evelyn decides to investigate and find out who really killed the young woman in the trunk. The mystery was nicely done and kept my attention throughout. I personally find Evelyn to be a very engaging character and don't mind that the entire book is told from her point of view. I already see growth in her over just the two books and am very curious to see where the author takes her next after the events of this book. Also, there is no such thing as too much Pressley. There is also some indication that the mystery around the death of Evelyn's mother will come up in a future title and I'm very curious to find out more about it; I'm hoping that it isn't dragged out too much.

Evelyn Murphy is the daughter of the third or fourth richest man in the world. She lives in the penthouse of one of her father’s hotels and is used to a life of luxury. She is agoraphobic, but with the help of her therapist she has managed to take her dog Presley for an occasional walk in the park. She has made Mac, a former bellhop,her assistant and boyfriend. When she finally works up the courage to visit his apartment, they never get past the hotel’s parking garage. One of the cars in the garage contains the body of Judge Baker, killed by a drug overdose. There is also a woman locked in his trunk who has multiple arrests to her name. Murphy knows Detective Hodgsen from a previous murder investigation. His new partner, Detective McJimsey, is prepared to arrest Murphy as a suspect, so it helps to personally know the mayor and chief of police. Murphy’s father becomes the next victim of a similar attack, but survives. Mac, Murphy and her father had been arguing the night before when she revealed her relationship with Mac. Now Mac has been arrested for the attack, which also resulted in the death of a maid. There is only one thing for Murphy to do. With Presley firmly tucked into her shoulder bag she decides she has to solve the murder to save Mac. When Detective Hodgsen is fired in connection with the murder investigations she hires him as a private investigator to work with her. Together they must find a connection between her father and the judge that would explain the attacks. It was a time when Eisenhower was president and Elvis was all the rage. It is interviews with longtime staff and digging through endless newspaper articles that finally gives answers before a killer can strike again. Murphy may be concerned with manicures and salon visits, but she is also well educated and compassionate. She may seem superficial, but she is a character that is easy to fall in love with. She is known for her ability to find things and I hope that she soon finds another investigation to entertain her fans. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for my review.

The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating is the second book in the historical Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series by S.K. Golden. I have book one (The Socialite’s Guide to Murder), but it got lost in my towering TBR pile. I'm happy to say the mystery in this one stood alone, and I enjoyed it greatly; I will definitely be reading the preceding and subsequent volumes!

In 1958 New York, hotel heiress Evelyn Murphy (who suffers from agoraphobia), is learning to venture out from the Pinnacle, though she's more comfortable staying inside her father's hotel. Spending time with Malcolm (Mac) Cooper, her new boyfriend and fellow employee, gives her more confidence out in the world, this time throwing a big fundraiser at the Pinnacle. As the successful party is ending, Evelyn takes up Mac's invitation to visit his apartment in Yonkers. As they sneak in the garage to get her car, Evelyn discovers the body of Judge Baker, one of the revelers, dead in his car with a needle sticking out of his arm. Police Detective Hodgson and his new partner, Detective McJimsey, arrive on the scene to interview the witness, but before they can begin they're shocked by a new twist: a woman is found in the trunk of the car, and she screams when she sees Evelyn. As if that wasn't enough on her plate, her father demands that she end her relationship with Mac. The next morning, her father is discovered near death, also with a needle in his arm, and a dead maid is found close by. Mac is soon arrested for the attacks and jailed...can a recovering agoraphobic socialite possibly find the real killer? Well, Evelyn IS good at finding things!

I love historical mysteries, but I admit the main reason I wanted to read this book was because Yonkers was mentioned. My Dad's from Yonkers! (I miss you, Daddy.) I was having fun reading from the start, but horrible current events erupted, keeping me away from the story and instead glued to the news. However, a person can only watch so much death and destruction, and I managed to pull away to stop from going crazy and jumped back into my book. At first I found Evelyn to be rather ditsy and annoying, but I soon grew to love her! She had much more depth than I first thought. Besides being agoraphobic, Evelyn lost her mother to murder when she was a small child, and then her Nanny died. Her rich father barely spent time with her; he basically threw money at her...not exactly loving father material. Evelyn was actually quite smart, solving a murder in the first book. She was becoming more comfortable venturing out and dealing with anxiety attacks, and she was deeply in love with Mac and had a best friend in Poppy, who was a maid in the hotel and Mac's sister. And of course she had Presley, her Pomeranian-mix dog who was her security blanket; she went almost everywhere with Presley tucked into her purse. There were some exceptional supporting characters (besides Presley!): Mac was a sweetheart, Mr. Murphy was a seemingly uncaring father, and Poppy was a very supportive friend. My favorite supporting character, however, was Hodgson, the Black police detective. When he was fired from the police force, Evelyn hired him to help prove Mac's innocence. He got SO frustrated with Evelyn, and their interactions made me laugh. He was also a good man, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve. The mystery was excellent; I kept guessing the identity of the killer throughout the entire book, as there were many possible suspects, yet I never imagined who would end up being the culprit! I loved being surprised. There was something at the end of the book that upset me and made me cry, but I won't spoil that for others. I'll just wait for the next book and see how everything turns out!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I got to read this as both an audiobook and an ebook and enjoyed both. The voice of Evelyn is brought together perfectly by Amara Jasper who brings to life the well-meaning but pampered princes who is only just starting to figure out how the other half lives.
When the book opens, Evelyn is hosting a fancy dress fundraiser for the mayor at the Pinnacle she is talking to Judge Baker and his heavily pregnant wife Elena as well as Doctor Smith. After checking on some details for the party, Mac, her assistant and beau, convinces her to go with him to Yonkers now that everything seems to be running smoothly. They're in the Pinncale's garage (which Evelyn has never been in before) when she notices a shadow in a nearby car. Curious, she opens the door and discovers the judge with a needle in his arm, apparently dead of a heroin overdoes. Detective Hodges is on the case but with a new partner, Detective McJimsey. The latter is not impressed by Evelyn.
The mystery ends up being a little bit convoluted but I was especially impressed by the end of this story and look forward to reading the next in the series with bated breath.

Four stars
This book comes out October 10, 2023
Follows The Socialite's Guide to Murder
ARC kindly provided by Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

DNF @26%

This just isn't the series for me - I get why people like it and I would probably recommend it to friends who like historical mysteries, but for me, its a no-go. The MC [and her attitude and behavior] drives me crazy and that makes the book very unenjoyable for me and I find myself picking up other things, or doing other things rather than reading it. I understand that not every book is for every person, but I will say, I am disappointed.

I was able to get the audiobook ARC, and I cannot say whether or not I really like this narrator simply because I have not listened to her narrate any other books, but for this book, she is not one of my favorites [though I realize it is just her interpretation of what she thinks the MC and cast are like - in that case, she nails the franticness and silliness of the MC perfectly]; I would listen to her narrate something else before fully deciding whether or not I liked her narration overall or not.

Thank you to NetGalley, S.K. Golden, Amara Jasper - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

How can an agoraphobic socialite investigate a murder? Well, she (Evelyn) has made progress in conquering her phobia and can now venture out of the Pinnacle Hotel where she resides - limited ventures. This is the second in a series set in New York City in the late 1950s. The premise is interesting and Evelyn is delightful as is her supporting cast.

We are back at the Pinnacle Hotel with everyone’s favorite heiress Evelyn Murphy and her assistant turned beau Mac.
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In this sequel we return to the world of Pinnacle Hotel with Evelyn and since we last left her she has improved on her agoraphobia not to much but just enough for Evelyn and is ready for Mac to ask her to go steady. That is until they find the body of Judge Baker in the car garage and Mac becomes prime suspect #1. Evelyn is on the case and ready to solve the murder and prove her beau innocence. If you are looking for a cozy romance to start you fall tbr this month then grab this book at your nearest bookstore.
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When I tell you I was trying to find out who was the killer in this book and I didn’t get it until the plot twist hit and I was flabbergasted. This was a cozy murder mystery it felt like I was along for the ride with Evelyn trying to clear Mac and getting mad when she was mad. I was getting confused at the clues being revealed.

this book was a 10/10 and I can’t wait to read more of Evelyn detective skills

This is book 2 in the Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series and although it can be read as a standalone, I believe it would best be enjoyed in order as you'll have a better understanding of Evelyn and all her endearing quirks.
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Not long after the events of the first book, Evelyn is once again caught in the middle of murder and mystery at the hotel. It's now 1958 and Evelyn is working at the hotel as a planner of sorts and has thrown a successful fundraiser. She and Mac have made their relationship official and they've planned to visit his apartment after the party. Their plans are thwarted when they find Judge Baker, a guest of the party, dead with a needle in his arm. It's all downhill from there as Evelyn's loved ones are both attacked and accused. This makes the stakes even higher and personal than the last case and this time she's mostly on her own to solve it.
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I love this cozy mystery series so much. Evelyn may be rich and slightly spoiled but she cares about her loved ones almost to a fault. I would love to see her end up happy as she definitely deserves it. The ending alluded to a plot for a possible next book and I'm really hoping I'm right. Considering adding to your Fall TBR if you're looking for more unique and fun mysteries.