The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

A fantastic premise, The Hitchcock Hotel is mostly a locked-room mystery with a nod to the master of suspense himself.

Seventeen years ago, something came between a group of university friends. This particular weekend though they are reunited as one of the group, Alfred, has bought an old house in their university town. He renovated it into The Hitchcock Hotel, a homage to his favourite director, which is now celebrating its first anniversary. In inviting the group there, he hopes to enact a bit of revenge on those who wronged him. But who is it who wronged him and what did they do? That’s the question, or at least the first question.

In inviting the group there, he hopes to enact a bit of revenge on those who wronged him. But who is it who wronged him and what did they do? That’s the question, or at least the first question.

Immediately this book drew me in.

Hitchcock? Check.

Spooky house? Check.

Characters with more secrets than they can handle? Check.

Wrobel does a fantastic job building scenes and characters. You feel like you are there, watching everything happen like a bird on the wall (see what I did there?). You also sometimes feel you know these characters and could be a silent member of the group.

We are given points of view from every character and because of that we don’t know which way to turn. It’s a masterful technique that makes the whodunit aspect even better. However, it can seem a bit long-winded. For those who like mysteries to move a bit more quickly, the multiple points of view might be a bit annoying, but they are necessary. After I finished, I realized I had to get to know these characters to really understand and appreciate the ending.

It also made me want to go back and see if there were any small details I didn’t notice, much like I would do with a Hitchcock film. It’s all in the details. So, whether you’re looking for a mysterious read, or just want to see how many Hitchcock films are referenced definitely pick up The Hitchcock Hotel.

Stephanie Wrobel is the author of Darling Rose Gold, a USA TODAY and international bestseller that has sold in twenty-one countries and was shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Wrobel grew up in Chicago and now lives in London. This Might Hurt is her second novel. Visit her at StephanieWrobel.com and connect with her on Twitter @StephWrobel and Instagram @StephanieWrobel.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 24, 2024
Paperback 9″ x 6″ | 352 pages
ISBN: 9781668002209

Katie Ingram

Katie Ingram is a freelance journalist and the author of Breaking Disaster: Newspaper Stories of the Halifax Explosion.She’s also a part-time instructor with the University of King’s College School of Journalism.