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Pennyfoot Hotel #3
Service for Two
During a funeral service for Dr. McDuff, mourners find the body of a murdered stranger in the casket, and Cecily Sinclair, owner of the Pennyfoot Hotel, sets out to assist the police in their investigations. Original.
203 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1994
49 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Kate Kingsbury
92 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 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 4, 2019
I enjoyed Kate Kingsbury’s “Pennyfoot Hotel” series so much in 2013, that I read the first two mysteries in one month. I stopped for six years, because the next volumes are hard to get. I finally requested three and four as reading challenge prizes, a year apiece! When I saw the pristine, vibrantly-coloured paperback, “Service For Two”.... I waited. I did not want to be stuck without the next sequel either! Fortunately, “Eat, Drink, And Be Buried” arrived as a prize this year and I could indulge in its prequel. I have a good memory and being firm about waiting to read in order, serves me well. A little refresher brought back the personages and layout in my mind, of their southern shore town in Edwardian England; privacy for the wealthy.
The mysteries are original; this one in particular, from 1994. Three ladies lend modernity that is relatable and pleasing for us. Cecily is the widowed hotelier proving to be a great businesswoman, her friend Madeline, confidently practices esoteric arts, and kitchen clerk, Gertie Brown refuses to marry Ian; unless she can keep her job part-time. Believing the key to loyalty is treating staff like family, especially an eighteen year-old with family scattered in London: Cecily is hosting Gertie’s & Ian’s wedding.
With this thread of camaraderie and warmth is a perplexing, disturbing puzzle. A funeral for the beloved doctor of Badgers End, clashes with an unknown body! The title is well-crafted with double meaning: not about food as we surmise but about dual funerals. There are numerous suspects and motives. Seeking out secret places below stairs, invites us into the deliciously atmospheric sort of mystery that we don’t see enough of! Should anyone wonder: yes, it was rewarding to love this much-anticipated outing and to grant it five stars!
The mysteries are original; this one in particular, from 1994. Three ladies lend modernity that is relatable and pleasing for us. Cecily is the widowed hotelier proving to be a great businesswoman, her friend Madeline, confidently practices esoteric arts, and kitchen clerk, Gertie Brown refuses to marry Ian; unless she can keep her job part-time. Believing the key to loyalty is treating staff like family, especially an eighteen year-old with family scattered in London: Cecily is hosting Gertie’s & Ian’s wedding.
With this thread of camaraderie and warmth is a perplexing, disturbing puzzle. A funeral for the beloved doctor of Badgers End, clashes with an unknown body! The title is well-crafted with double meaning: not about food as we surmise but about dual funerals. There are numerous suspects and motives. Seeking out secret places below stairs, invites us into the deliciously atmospheric sort of mystery that we don’t see enough of! Should anyone wonder: yes, it was rewarding to love this much-anticipated outing and to grant it five stars!
February 6, 2022
Service for Two by Kate Kingsbury is the third book of the Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mystery series set in Edwardian England. Cecily Sinclair owns and runs the seaside Pennyfoot Hotel. She promised her late husband on his deathbed that she would keep running the hotel (in his family for generations). She loves the hotel, feels like all who work there are one big extended family.
The hotel is abuzz with an upcoming wedding and Valentine's Day Ball. Cecily flouts convention by hosting a wedding reception for kitchen maid Gertie to footman Ian.
When she learns of evidence linking the Pennyfoot hotel to a murder, she's fearful that Inspector Crenshaw will seize the opportunity to close down the hotel. She begins investigating, rejecting warnings from hotel manager Baxter with her customary "Piffle!". To identify the killer, Cecily ropes "Bax" into daring schemes, from searching a man's lodgings, to an illicit card game in the basement.
Then Cecily enlists the help of her psychic friend Madeleine to get a confession that will lead to justice but not incriminate the Pennyfoot. Pleasurable entertainment, as much about the conventions and restrictions of the era as solving a crime. I look forward to the many books (adventures) to come.
Fun to see how Cecily and Baxter interact. He also made a deathbed vow: to always protect her. He takes his vow very seriously, disturbed by her independent ways (smoking cigars, investigating crimes).
The hotel is abuzz with an upcoming wedding and Valentine's Day Ball. Cecily flouts convention by hosting a wedding reception for kitchen maid Gertie to footman Ian.
When she learns of evidence linking the Pennyfoot hotel to a murder, she's fearful that Inspector Crenshaw will seize the opportunity to close down the hotel. She begins investigating, rejecting warnings from hotel manager Baxter with her customary "Piffle!". To identify the killer, Cecily ropes "Bax" into daring schemes, from searching a man's lodgings, to an illicit card game in the basement.
Then Cecily enlists the help of her psychic friend Madeleine to get a confession that will lead to justice but not incriminate the Pennyfoot. Pleasurable entertainment, as much about the conventions and restrictions of the era as solving a crime. I look forward to the many books (adventures) to come.
Fun to see how Cecily and Baxter interact. He also made a deathbed vow: to always protect her. He takes his vow very seriously, disturbed by her independent ways (smoking cigars, investigating crimes).
November 29, 2017
I got to 35% and DNF'd this one. Just didn't care for it, not my style at the moment.
November 22, 2024
Not quite as good as the previous two, but certainly not bad enough to stop me reading more of this series.
October 29, 2017
This is a Edwardian era mystery set in a hotel in a sea side town. This is the third book in the Pennyfoot series but my first book. It didn't require you to read the the first two to enjoy this one.
After the beloved town doctor passes away his funeral is interrupted by the constable who reveals that the body in the coffin to be another man and he has been MURDERED. And the widowed owner of the Pennyfoot and her assistant need to solve the murder before it is linked back to someone at her hotel.
There are a bunch of interesting subplots that get us to a conclusion
After the beloved town doctor passes away his funeral is interrupted by the constable who reveals that the body in the coffin to be another man and he has been MURDERED. And the widowed owner of the Pennyfoot and her assistant need to solve the murder before it is linked back to someone at her hotel.
There are a bunch of interesting subplots that get us to a conclusion
February 17, 2015
What can I say, but other fun cozy mystery at the Pennyfoot Hotel. This time an unknown man is murdered and jewel thieves are running amuck. It was interesting to see how Cecily's many plans for trapping the killer turned out. I really like this series because of the wonderful characters and the cozy hotel setting. Also
January 9, 2013
It is a cozy mystery based in Edwardian England and has the best mystery of the series so far. I like the characters in this "light" and easy to read series and they are why I keep coming back. Hoping for more of the out-of-print series on kindle.
October 22, 2024
3.5 Cecily Sinclair is busy running the Pennyfoot Hotel with her manager Baxter amd they are attending the funeral service for the local Dr who passed away. When the coffin is opened up for all to see they see a stranger who has been stabbed and the body of the beloved Dr missing. The body eventually is recovered in a local pond when a young boy has fallen through the ice and has to be rescued. Meanwhile one of the maids is betting married and the hotel is busy getting ready for the wedding and the Valentines Ball. Cecily and Baxter want to find our more about the victim in the coffin and when they do they are ion hot pursuit of some jewel thievies.
November 16, 2017
Greedy thieves!!!!!!!
Wow, Cecily Sinclair should be a detective. Baxter, her hotel manager is more or less her side kick, helping her with her schemes to catch the bad people who think they can get away with stuff at the Pennyfoot Hotel.
I like Madeline, the free spirit that freaks people out.
Not only is there gambling in the bottom of the Hotel, there is other things happening with robberies of guests, hotel has things missing and the menu found near a dead body.
I am going to let you read the details and know you will love this book.
Wow, Cecily Sinclair should be a detective. Baxter, her hotel manager is more or less her side kick, helping her with her schemes to catch the bad people who think they can get away with stuff at the Pennyfoot Hotel.
I like Madeline, the free spirit that freaks people out.
Not only is there gambling in the bottom of the Hotel, there is other things happening with robberies of guests, hotel has things missing and the menu found near a dead body.
I am going to let you read the details and know you will love this book.
June 16, 2024
This is not my favorite one of the series. It just seemed a little slow, though I did like the wrong body showing up in the casket and being unveiled at another person's funeral. Cecily is a spitfire for a woman in the Edwardian Era. She has a lot of spunk. I would like to see the vicar, Algernon, act like a man and not a wuss. And, I'd love to see Phoebe get told off for putting on airs. She's a pain in the neck.
I will keep reading the series as I do have all of them.
I will keep reading the series as I do have all of them.
May 31, 2025
This is the third book in the series. The village doctor has died and Cecily is attending the funeral with Baxter. They are shocked when the constable stops the funeral to examine the body in the coffin, which is confirmed to be someone else and someone who has been murdered. Because of potential ties to the hotel, Cecily feels that she must investigate. As she juggles managing the hotel and searching for clues, one of her staff has exciting news and everyone pitches in to make things happen.
October 31, 2019
This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time. Finally about two weeks ago I started it. It was a good cozy mystery. With a enjoyable background with its typical characters. Definitely worth reading.
December 27, 2017
2.5* bumped up to 3
December 15, 2017
This is a fun, easy read mystery series. I love the relationship between Cecily and Baxter. The story certainly has a twist that I wasn't expecting! A great series!
April 19, 2018
This is a really fun series. Love the location and the characters.
June 11, 2019
...just a fun series to read..👍
February 3, 2020
I enjoy this series; they are fun light reads, nothing violent or suspenseful-sometimes just what you need. Cecily and Baxter make a great team.
March 19, 2017
This series always entertains me with it's vivid characters and charming setting.
October 31, 2017
This series is more fun all the time.
March 19, 2017
I continue to enjoy this series. The mystery was interesting, although the meddling by Cecily to prove the murderer took such drastic measures, not sure how I liked that part. Her heart is in the right place but her methods need a bit of work.
December 12, 2009
Things just get worse as Kingsbury struggles to give her charming little hotel and community a voice. Wait, charming hotel, well we aren't learning much more about the hotel, well not much more that is believable. Part of the plot revolves around a secret passageway that the previous owner had built that traipses through the Library down to the cellars and out to the beach. The man was an Earl (A pretty exalted titled noble) and he had to worry about privacy at this big mansion of his?
Some of Kingsbury's choices don't work. Why do the lower classes have a cockney's film dialect rather than what we have heard so often in other portrayals of the time? Let us look back to the beginning. The local Doctor has died. A minor character who has helped out on the previous two mysteries. But the constable shows up during his funeral service, it is not the Doctors body in the casket.
That in itself would be a fine plot device, but it becomes weak later on as the motive to exchange the body seems weak. Further that motive is compounded with a reason for the hotel to be at risk, which makes our heroine want to sleuth. That is an excuse, she has successfully sleuthed twice before.
We also suffer from a lack of red herrings, and while this book does not suffer from long bouts of exposition, there is too much dialogue that has no bearing on the mystery, but a great deal on a side story of a wedding taking place. it shows a lack of focus, and a lack of craftsmanship.
In all the book suffers from bad plotting, and a poor immersion of Edwardian england. I have no feel for the time from what we have here. A series I am becoming disenchanted with and beginning to wish I had not purchased.
Some of Kingsbury's choices don't work. Why do the lower classes have a cockney's film dialect rather than what we have heard so often in other portrayals of the time? Let us look back to the beginning. The local Doctor has died. A minor character who has helped out on the previous two mysteries. But the constable shows up during his funeral service, it is not the Doctors body in the casket.
That in itself would be a fine plot device, but it becomes weak later on as the motive to exchange the body seems weak. Further that motive is compounded with a reason for the hotel to be at risk, which makes our heroine want to sleuth. That is an excuse, she has successfully sleuthed twice before.
We also suffer from a lack of red herrings, and while this book does not suffer from long bouts of exposition, there is too much dialogue that has no bearing on the mystery, but a great deal on a side story of a wedding taking place. it shows a lack of focus, and a lack of craftsmanship.
In all the book suffers from bad plotting, and a poor immersion of Edwardian england. I have no feel for the time from what we have here. A series I am becoming disenchanted with and beginning to wish I had not purchased.
September 3, 2013
The London aristocracy has discovered the pleasures of seaside holidays in Badgers End and it's Cecily Sinclair's job to keep them comfortable and entertained as the owner of the Pennyfoot Hotel. Detective work is not part of her duties, but Cecily is only too willing to help the local constable when death pays an unexpected visit.
Dr. McDuff's funeral became a fiasco when the mourners found a stranger's body in the casket. The man had been murdered. Cecily was further alarmed when the housemaid announced that she'd seen one of the victim's shady associates emerging from a card room in the hotel. Now Cecily must close the case, for at the Pennyfoot, murder is a most unwelcome guest.
Enjoyed this latest installment of the Pennyfoot, though at times I want Cecily to tell Baxter to get off his high horse.
Dr. McDuff's funeral became a fiasco when the mourners found a stranger's body in the casket. The man had been murdered. Cecily was further alarmed when the housemaid announced that she'd seen one of the victim's shady associates emerging from a card room in the hotel. Now Cecily must close the case, for at the Pennyfoot, murder is a most unwelcome guest.
Enjoyed this latest installment of the Pennyfoot, though at times I want Cecily to tell Baxter to get off his high horse.
June 22, 2016
Cecily and Baxter play detective -- again
In "Service for Two," Cecily and Baxter have more mysteries to solve. First of all, a funeral is interrupted when it is discovered that the coffin holds the wrong body.
There's a new doctor in town, a wedding to prepare, and a ring of jewel thieves. Oddly enough, the jewels are stolen from the homes of people while they are guests at the Pennyfoot, implying that the thieves have access to the hotel's guest list.
Baxter must pose as an expert poker player, although he has never played poker in his life, in order to chase down another clue.
In "Service for Two," Cecily and Baxter have more mysteries to solve. First of all, a funeral is interrupted when it is discovered that the coffin holds the wrong body.
There's a new doctor in town, a wedding to prepare, and a ring of jewel thieves. Oddly enough, the jewels are stolen from the homes of people while they are guests at the Pennyfoot, implying that the thieves have access to the hotel's guest list.
Baxter must pose as an expert poker player, although he has never played poker in his life, in order to chase down another clue.
November 25, 2016
Fun little book. I haven't read any of the others in the series, but I like Cecily, who's smart and strong, and her inn manager, Baxter. He's actually my favourite, reminds of Jeeves from Jeeves and Wooster.
The other characters are interesting too, Gertie, Ethel , and another favourite, Michel.
The investigation was well executed, and I like the light style of writing. The poker scene was priceless, I laughed out loud.
Looking forward to checking out more of these stories.
The other characters are interesting too, Gertie, Ethel , and another favourite, Michel.
The investigation was well executed, and I like the light style of writing. The poker scene was priceless, I laughed out loud.
Looking forward to checking out more of these stories.
February 7, 2017
I am loving this light, and easy to quickly read series. It's a great cozy, set in Edwardian England, and a Charming little Seaside Coast. I'm enjoying learning more about each of the characters, watching as their development unfolds. In this book there is a funeral and a wedding, with plenty of mystery to go around, plus lovely little subplots.
I'm thrilled that I still have 18 or more in this serious to go. It's a charming and fun to read series.
I'm thrilled that I still have 18 or more in this serious to go. It's a charming and fun to read series.
May 20, 2009
A Pennyfoot Hotel mystery unfolds as the owner/sleuth Cecily suspects the mysterious murdered man discovered in the coffin of what was to be the local doctor's is part of a crime that somehow involves her hotel. This was an entertaining departure from the genre of stories I have been reading, & since this is just one of many in the series, I will be reading others in the future.
October 3, 2013
I liked it, but I think I liked the first two books better. This ending seemed rather contrived and thrown-together, but overall I enjoyed the story and the progression of the character developments along with an introduction to some new characters that I think will stick around for awhile. I will definitely be reading #4 in the series.
November 8, 2016
It's 1907 and the local doctor has died.Unfortunately on the morning of her funeral service his coffin is opened to find a different body inside, and Dr. McDuff's body is elsewhere. Is there any connection to a spate of jewel thefts in London to the Pennyfoot Hotel.
A decent mystery with some likeable characters.
A decent mystery with some likeable characters.
April 20, 2013
A very good cozy mystery read. Not too simple; the heroine is not too stupid too live and the stories are complex enough to delight and enjoy. A very satisfying read, if you're looking for a comfort read, which we all need - maybe more than we would like to admit.
May 24, 2015
Another fun Mystery
I've read quite a few in this series out of order. The pennyfoot hotel always has something sinister brewing, while keeping its humor. This 3rd installment involves jewels, swapped corpses and a wedding.
I've read quite a few in this series out of order. The pennyfoot hotel always has something sinister brewing, while keeping its humor. This 3rd installment involves jewels, swapped corpses and a wedding.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews