Murder at the Grand Hotel: A Miss Marple Mystery by Lucy Foley

This is an authorized Miss Marple mystery set at a resort in the Swiss Alps in 1950. If you like a twisty plot, a clever mystery and a dramatic historical setting, then put this new mystery on your list of books to read. Especially if you’re fine reading about some rather unlikeable, often greedy characters. The chapters are narrated by several of the characters, though they aren’t sharing everything they know.

Gold and revenge are what draw several people to the Alps. The luxurious hotel and spa make an atmospheric backdrop, with skiing, a toboggan race, horse-drawn sleighs, plenty of hot chocolate, even waiters on ice skates. There is a sense of danger and anticipatory dread, especially after the weather and a blocked train tunnel isolate the hotel staff and guests. Enter Miss Marple and a handsome visiting detective to solve the inevitable crime. The White Octopus Hotel has a similar setting, and could be a good readalike if you enjoy science fiction or time travel.

Brenda