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Pennyfoot Hotel #8
Chivalry is Dead
The Pennyfoot hides many secrets and its downstairs staff keeps a tight lip, even when the Edwardian aristocrats are spotted dallying with damsels in the boudoirs, or gambling in the forbidden card rooms hidden below the floorboards. Should now and then one of the hotel guests fall prey to a dastardly murderer, however, it is up to Cecily Sinclair to restore order before Scotland Yard steps in and shuts down her infamous seaside hotel.
CHIVALRY IS DEAD
Excitement is rife in the English village of Badgers End. A jousting tournament is to be held at the Pennyfoot Hotel in honor of St. George’s Day. The downstairs staff is busy with the preparations, while upstairs Cecily makes sure her guests are aware of the festivities. What she has to hide, however, is the death of a footman, killed by one of the jousting lances. Someone got ahead of the competition and Cecily must find out who that is, before terror reigns at the tournament.
The twenty-first and final Pennyfoot book, MULLED MURDER, one of Kingsbury’s beloved Christmas editions, was published in November 2013 by Berkley Books.
CHIVALRY IS DEAD
Excitement is rife in the English village of Badgers End. A jousting tournament is to be held at the Pennyfoot Hotel in honor of St. George’s Day. The downstairs staff is busy with the preparations, while upstairs Cecily makes sure her guests are aware of the festivities. What she has to hide, however, is the death of a footman, killed by one of the jousting lances. Someone got ahead of the competition and Cecily must find out who that is, before terror reigns at the tournament.
The twenty-first and final Pennyfoot book, MULLED MURDER, one of Kingsbury’s beloved Christmas editions, was published in November 2013 by Berkley Books.
215 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2013
About the author
Kate Kingsbury
93 books572 followersKate Kingsbury grew up in London, England, and at a very early age began telling stories to her school friends during the London Blitz of WW II while huddling in bomb shelters. Kate moved to the U.S. in the early sixties, and had passed her 50th birthday when she published her first book. Writing as Doreen Roberts, (her real name at the time) she published 26 romance novels for Harlequin/Silhouette. In 1991 her first Pennyfoot Hotel book was published and since then Kate has written 35 mysteries, including the Manor House mysteries, the Bellehaven House mysteries(written as Rebecca Kent) and the Raven's Nest mysteries, (written as Allison Kingsley.) Her new series, The Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries debuted in January, 2017 with Dead and Breakfast, featuring a B & B on the Oregon coast. She has one son, Regan, and lives with her husband, Bill, in the beautiful state of Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 31, 2017
The boredom of smart children can be dangerous!!!!!
I give this 10 stars
Cecily Sinclair has a lot going on preparing for a jousting events on the Hotel grounds, when a little girl got bored and no one having time for her questions.
People started disappearing, death started occurring, then ransom note appears, what is going on?
There are suspects, but nothing is adding up. Cecily is going in circles trying to piece the puzzle together.
I didn't sleep much wanting to find out who, how, why and when it happened.
YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!!!!!
I love this series.
I give this 10 stars
Cecily Sinclair has a lot going on preparing for a jousting events on the Hotel grounds, when a little girl got bored and no one having time for her questions.
People started disappearing, death started occurring, then ransom note appears, what is going on?
There are suspects, but nothing is adding up. Cecily is going in circles trying to piece the puzzle together.
I didn't sleep much wanting to find out who, how, why and when it happened.
YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!!!!!
I love this series.
August 23, 2024
This is another installment about Cecily Sinclair and her Pennyfoot Hotel. The rich and snobby come to the hotel because the staff are discreet and don't report any of the goings on by the toffs. However, murder seems to strike the staff or guests, and Cecily works hard to solve the murders before word spreads and her hotel's reputation is shot. Getting ready for the St. George Festival which includes an amateur jousting match is on the ticket. However, even before the tournament someone is killed with a lance.
I enjoyed this one, though part of the way through, I figured out part of the solution. Fun read. Couldn't put it down.
I enjoyed this one, though part of the way through, I figured out part of the solution. Fun read. Couldn't put it down.
June 25, 2018
My favorite book in the series
I’ve read quite a few in the pennyfoot hotel series, and really enjoyed the plot in this one.
I loved reading how Cecily and Baxter are finally at a crucial point in their relationship and found the murder mystery in this book to be well thought out and a surprise at the end.
I’ve read quite a few in the pennyfoot hotel series, and really enjoyed the plot in this one.
I loved reading how Cecily and Baxter are finally at a crucial point in their relationship and found the murder mystery in this book to be well thought out and a surprise at the end.
April 25, 2025
Cute little mystery with a nice twist - could’ve been like 100 pages shorter. BUT I don’t wanna be a hater, tbh this was a fun beach read :)
December 12, 2009
I have written before of the inadequacies of Kingsbury and her portrayal not only of the time but of the ability to write an effective mystery. What do we need for an effective mystery? A body perhaps. Well we get that, but late in the game and we get a kidnapping also.
A kidnapping where the victum, the napped, we at first do not have sympathy for but in the scene before the disappearance we do look fondly at the child.
We have in the Pennyfoot a dozen characters all fighting for time on stage. There is our prime sleuth, the owner, and her love interest, now manager of the hotel. She has two friends who real are one dimensional despite any efforts the author takes to make them more robust. Below stairs we have the chef and chief housekeeper. The chief maid, the groomsman, and two undermaids. Then the village doctor and fumbling, always, constable.
Thankfully with all these people that Kingsbury tries to give some clue at sometime, not to mention the guests, like the Colonel who almost always contributes a clue, Kingsbury took the failed subplot of her sleuths son out of the picture but had to mention him several times. Distraction from giving the heroine time to think of her boyfriend, rather the manager.
Oh there was a mystery, right. One of the new hotel employees is dead. Oh and the kidnapping. Aren't they all just after thoughts? Yes they are. The Pennyfoot is supposed to be a former manor house. It would have either more staff, or less clientele. And the ill used cameo of Broadway great Jerome Kern, that was just over the top.
Again, not ever. Thankfully I am down to my last one. I learned my lesson, just because the first book of series is good, don't go and buy everything under the sun.
A kidnapping where the victum, the napped, we at first do not have sympathy for but in the scene before the disappearance we do look fondly at the child.
We have in the Pennyfoot a dozen characters all fighting for time on stage. There is our prime sleuth, the owner, and her love interest, now manager of the hotel. She has two friends who real are one dimensional despite any efforts the author takes to make them more robust. Below stairs we have the chef and chief housekeeper. The chief maid, the groomsman, and two undermaids. Then the village doctor and fumbling, always, constable.
Thankfully with all these people that Kingsbury tries to give some clue at sometime, not to mention the guests, like the Colonel who almost always contributes a clue, Kingsbury took the failed subplot of her sleuths son out of the picture but had to mention him several times. Distraction from giving the heroine time to think of her boyfriend, rather the manager.
Oh there was a mystery, right. One of the new hotel employees is dead. Oh and the kidnapping. Aren't they all just after thoughts? Yes they are. The Pennyfoot is supposed to be a former manor house. It would have either more staff, or less clientele. And the ill used cameo of Broadway great Jerome Kern, that was just over the top.
Again, not ever. Thankfully I am down to my last one. I learned my lesson, just because the first book of series is good, don't go and buy everything under the sun.
October 1, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't guess the killer in this one which made me happy. I enjoy the interaction between Cecily and Baxter. Their friendship is building to something more I think. I love the relationship of Mrs. Chubb and Gertie. They aren't related but its almost like mother/daughter between them. Doris and Daisy are also a nice addition to the story. I kind of find the staff to be like a family. I don't like Phoebe, it seems with each book I dislike her more and more. She looks down her nose on people and judges them when she has no right to. I'm just waiting for Madeline to really put her in her place. I felt sorry for young Cynthia her parents were typical of the upper class aristocracy of the time. Too busy with themselves to deal with the child. Although I did find it odd they had no nanny or governess. I look forward to the next book.
March 8, 2014
Okay; so the mystery was easy to figure out and the plot had some gaping holes, but I've decided that for this particular series I am more interested in the lives of the characters and the mystery is just to move the plot along, Will Baxter ever let Cecily know his true feelings? What will become of Gertie and her twins? Will Mrs. Chubb stop yelling at the servants?
If you warn the "mystery" in a cozy mystery there are better ones out there; if you are in the mood for "cozy", this is a very pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon.
If you warn the "mystery" in a cozy mystery there are better ones out there; if you are in the mood for "cozy", this is a very pleasant way to spend a lazy afternoon.
February 9, 2017
Such a fun series! Another solid book by Kate Kingsbury. I was gobsmacked by the ending. Say it isn't so! Just when things were beginning to look promising for Cecily and Baxter!!
October 7, 2013
Oh great. Now the general ridiculousness of these books is joined by the repurposing of plot points and/or characters. At this point it is apparent that the only thing the author cares about is slowly, oh so slowly, advancing the completely chemistry-free relationship between Cecily and Baxter. Unless you really care about those two (I don't) find something else to read, now.
February 1, 2012
An easy, enjoyable read.
March 14, 2013
Kate Kingsbury is one of my favorite current mystery authors. I've enjoyed all the Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries I've read, and I'm keeping an eye out for the books I'm missing in the series.
September 25, 2014
good cozy
April 14, 2015
Delightful
Another great story. These mysteries are very clever and charmingly draws you into the time period where great changes were being made
Another great story. These mysteries are very clever and charmingly draws you into the time period where great changes were being made
June 26, 2015
Completely predictable. Disappointing.
If it wasn't for the interesting kitchen staff I'd stop reading the series. I have little interest in Mrs. Sinclair and Baxter.
If it wasn't for the interesting kitchen staff I'd stop reading the series. I have little interest in Mrs. Sinclair and Baxter.
May 19, 2016
Enjoy the series and this plot was interesting. More novella length to me at a bit more than 200 pages. Easy to read quickly, but not memorable
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews