Books › At Bertram's Hotel
At Bertram's Hotel
First published 2006 · 346 pages
A perfectly preserved slice of Edwardian luxury where the tea is hot, the muffins are buttered, and the guests are hiding deadly secrets.
What it feels like
Reading this mystery feels like sinking into a plush velvet armchair in a room that smells faintly of beeswax and expensive tea, only to realize the door has been locked from the outside. It is a masterclass in atmospheric deception, wrapping the reader in a warm, nostalgic blanket of Edwardian gentility before slowly revealing the rot beneath the polished veneer. The pace is decidedly steady, taking its time to let you savor the buttered muffins and observe the eccentric guests before the tension begins to tighten. The prose is as crisp and observant as ever, offering wry commentary on a changing world. It will thoroughly delight fans of classic, slow-burn whodunits who prefer their danger served with impeccable manners and a sharp, psychological edge.
- Mood
- genteel
- cozy
- suspenseful
- atmospheric
- Tone
- observant
- wry
- nostalgic
- deceptive
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the illusion of nostalgia · facades of respectability · changing social orders · hidden darkness
- The writing
- Crisp and deceptively polite, utilizing sharp dialogue and keen social observation to peel back the layers of a curated world.
- The arc
- Starts in a warm bath of comforting nostalgia that gradually chills into creeping suspicion before resolving in a sharp, satisfying unmasking.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love settling into a plush armchair with a classic, atmospheric mystery where sharp wits matter more than fast action.
Content notes
- murder
- kidnapping
- gun violence
About the book
An old-fashioned London Hotel is not quite as reputable as it makes out... When Miss Marple comes up from the country for a holiday in London, she finds what she’s looking for at Bertram’s Hotel: traditional decor, impeccable service and an unmistakable atmosphere of danger behind the highly polished veneer. Yet, not even Miss Marple can foresee the violent chain of events set in motion when an eccentric guest makes his way to the airport on the wrong day...
Description from Open Library.
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