Murder at the Seaview Hotel: A murderer comes to Scarborough in this charming cosy crime mystery

Glenda Young

Aug 2021 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

'I loved this warm, humorous and involving whodunnit with its host of engaging characters and atmospheric Scarborough setting' CLARE CHASE

'Just the heart-warming tonic readers need right now. Endearing characters, intriguing twists and one very cute canine' HELEN COX

Meet Helen Dexter - proprietor of the Seaview Hotel, and now, with the help of her trusty greyhound Suki, amateur detective . . .

This unputdownable whodunnit is perfect for fans of Julia Chapman's Dales Detective Agency, Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club and Betty Rowlands.
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In the charming Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, a murder is nothing to sing about . . .

After the death of her husband Tom, Helen Dexter is contemplating her future as the now-sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel.

There's an offer from a hotel chain developer to consider, but also a booking from a group of twelve Elvis impersonators, a singing troupe called Twelvis. Tom loved Elvis and for Helen this is a sign that she should stay.

But the series of mysterious events which follow, suggests that the developer is not going to give up easily. Then, shortly after Twelvis arrive, one of the group disappears. His body is found floating in a lake, with his blue suede shoes missing. Could the two be connected?

With the reputation of the Seaview on the line, Helen isn't going to wait for the murderer to strike again. With her trusty greyhound Suki by her side, she decides to find out more about her guests and who wanted to make sure this Elvis never sang again.
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What readers and reviewers are saying about Murder at the Seaview Hotel:

'This cosy crime mystery will leave you all shook up!' The People's Friend

'An engaging murder mystery . . . an original and amusing hook which Glenda Young skilfully uses . . . to spin some intriguing plot twists' The Recs

'A wholly entertaining mystery . . . a fun plot and plenty of wry humour' 5* reader review

'Keeps you guessing . . . right till the end. A fantastic read that I didn't want to put down, beautifully written and amazing plot and characters' 5* reader review

'I cannot rate this cosy mystery highly enough. Wonderful characters, beautiful setting and an excellent story' 5* reader review

'A terrific tale' 5* reader review

'A fantastic start to a new series . . . definitely a book you cannot put down' 5* reader review

Helen and Suki return in Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel - out now!

Love Glenda Young's cosy crime? Don't miss her acclaimed Ryhope-set sagas, Belle of the Back Streets, The Tuppenny Child, Pearl of Pit Lane, The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, The Paper Mill Girl and The Miner's Lass.

Ratings and reviews

Picked up this book to have a quick read for the evening before a trip away. 3 days later, I finished it (which is quick for me). The author has my sense of humour and had me laughing out loud. If somebody doesn't make a great British 'who dunnit' comedy of this story, it would be a great shame.

Cozy-style murder mysteries aren’t something I’ve ever read, even as little a time as a month ago, but it’s about the only genre I can read at the moment. I’m eating them up like there’s no tomorrow. I used to love Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Jonathan Creek, Rosemary and Thyme, Murder She Wrote… you get it, there’s a really long list when you start thinking… So, back to Murder at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young. Two things about it grabbed me. First, it’s set in Scarborough, which is one of my favourite places in the world and second, it features a rescue greyhound called Suki. The writer definitely has similar tastes. And in fact, my only niggle about the entire book is that even after conferring with my husband, we cannot work out how the Seaview Hotel is supposed to fit into the landscape with the descriptions given. Artistic license, perhaps? It’s a very contemporary piece, compared with Miss Marple, say, but not at the lightweight end of cozy mysteries, which allowed more room for character development. I made the connection with who the murderer probably was but that was later on in the book, with plenty of detail and ideas to distract me in the meantime. There weren’t a huge number of twists, turns and red herrings, in my opinion, but I liked it better for that as I could sink into the narrative and laugh at the Elvises, Suki’s obsession with shoes and find real empathy for Helen who’d floundered after losing her husband, and loving her support crew for being realistic and with their own issues. I can't wait for book 2 to come out. I am voluntarily leaving this review after receiving an ARC from Headline Books on Netgalley.

very enjoyable, a gentle read ideal bedtime reading

About the author

Glenda Young credits her local library in the village of Ryhope, where she grew up, for giving her a love of books. She still lives close by in Sunderland and often gets her ideas for her stories on long bike rides along the coast. A life-long fan of Coronation Street, she runs two hugely popular fan websites. For updates on what Glenda is working on, visit her website glendayoungbooks.com and to find out more find her on Facebook/GlendaYoungAuthor and Twitter @flaming_nora.