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A Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery #1
Lo strano caso dell'omicidio al Seaview Hotel
Riuscirai a smascherare l’assassino... in tempo per l’ora del tè?
Dopo la morte del marito Tom, Helen Dexter si trova davanti una scelta deve decidere se prendere in mano da sola le redini del Seaview Hotel, l’attività di famiglia, oppure venderlo e tentare un nuovo inizio. Non vorrebbe rinunciare a tutto ciò che lei e Tom hanno costruito, ma la gestione dell’hotel richiede forza e passione, cose che attualmente lei non ha.
A restituirle un po’ di energia e fiducia è la prenotazione di una bizzarra cover band di Elvis Presley che deve esibirsi in zona. Tom era un fan sfegatato di Elvis, e Helen lo interpreta come un segno del destino.
Nel frattempo, l’agente immobiliare Benson spinge per comprare la proprietà più in fretta possibile. La stessa pressione viene da un membro della band, Brian, che dice di agire per conto di un “amico”. Quando Helen rifiuta entrambe le offerte di acquisto, strani eventi iniziano a verificarsi e a far crollare la reputazione del Seaview Hotel. Il giorno dello spettacolo Brian scompare e il suo corpo viene ritrovato senza vita in un lago, e come se non bastasse una serie di recensioni negative inizia a sommergere l’albergo. Helen comincia a pensare che questi strani fatti siano collegati, ma non intende cedere ai con l’aiuto del fidato levriero Suki decide di indagare sulle vite dei suoi ospiti e smascherare l’assassino. Sperando di non essere la prossima vittima.
Un mistero da risolvere con una fantastica dose di humour
Appassionante come Agatha Christie
Divertente come La signora in giallo
«Un cosy crime con note ironiche, personaggi accattivanti e un finale del tutto inaspettato.»
«Una storia divertente e contemporanea. I libri di Glenda Young sono autentici e brillanti.»
Glenda Young
È nata a Ryhop, in Inghilterra. I suoi romanzi sono stati selezionati ai Dead Good Readers’ Awards 2022. Lo strano caso dell’omicidio al Seaview Hotel è il primo libro pubblicato con la Newton Compton.
Dopo la morte del marito Tom, Helen Dexter si trova davanti una scelta deve decidere se prendere in mano da sola le redini del Seaview Hotel, l’attività di famiglia, oppure venderlo e tentare un nuovo inizio. Non vorrebbe rinunciare a tutto ciò che lei e Tom hanno costruito, ma la gestione dell’hotel richiede forza e passione, cose che attualmente lei non ha.
A restituirle un po’ di energia e fiducia è la prenotazione di una bizzarra cover band di Elvis Presley che deve esibirsi in zona. Tom era un fan sfegatato di Elvis, e Helen lo interpreta come un segno del destino.
Nel frattempo, l’agente immobiliare Benson spinge per comprare la proprietà più in fretta possibile. La stessa pressione viene da un membro della band, Brian, che dice di agire per conto di un “amico”. Quando Helen rifiuta entrambe le offerte di acquisto, strani eventi iniziano a verificarsi e a far crollare la reputazione del Seaview Hotel. Il giorno dello spettacolo Brian scompare e il suo corpo viene ritrovato senza vita in un lago, e come se non bastasse una serie di recensioni negative inizia a sommergere l’albergo. Helen comincia a pensare che questi strani fatti siano collegati, ma non intende cedere ai con l’aiuto del fidato levriero Suki decide di indagare sulle vite dei suoi ospiti e smascherare l’assassino. Sperando di non essere la prossima vittima.
Un mistero da risolvere con una fantastica dose di humour
Appassionante come Agatha Christie
Divertente come La signora in giallo
«Un cosy crime con note ironiche, personaggi accattivanti e un finale del tutto inaspettato.»
«Una storia divertente e contemporanea. I libri di Glenda Young sono autentici e brillanti.»
Glenda Young
È nata a Ryhop, in Inghilterra. I suoi romanzi sono stati selezionati ai Dead Good Readers’ Awards 2022. Lo strano caso dell’omicidio al Seaview Hotel è il primo libro pubblicato con la Newton Compton.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2023
153 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
December 22, 2025
Trama/Plot ⭐⭐
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐
Diciamo che si lascia leggere. La trama non è molto coinvolgente, la parte mistery è molto annacquata. Buoni i personaggi principali, ma i secondari sono bidimensionali e in alcuni casi lasciano perplessi, come quello che viene inizialmente descritto come un tipo losco e probabilmente ammanicato con una qualche organizzazione mafiosa che cerca di acquistare l'hotel e poi viene fuori che si comporta come un ragazzino cretino e impaurito dal paparino...
***
Let's say it's easy to read, but not a masterpiece. The plot isn't very engaging, the mystery part is very watered down. The main characters are good, but the secondary ones are two-dimensional and, in some cases, they left you perplexed, like the one who is initially described as a shady guy and probably connected to some mafia organization trying to buy the hotel, and then it turns out that he behaves like a stupid kid scared of his daddy...
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐
Diciamo che si lascia leggere. La trama non è molto coinvolgente, la parte mistery è molto annacquata. Buoni i personaggi principali, ma i secondari sono bidimensionali e in alcuni casi lasciano perplessi, come quello che viene inizialmente descritto come un tipo losco e probabilmente ammanicato con una qualche organizzazione mafiosa che cerca di acquistare l'hotel e poi viene fuori che si comporta come un ragazzino cretino e impaurito dal paparino...
***
Let's say it's easy to read, but not a masterpiece. The plot isn't very engaging, the mystery part is very watered down. The main characters are good, but the secondary ones are two-dimensional and, in some cases, they left you perplexed, like the one who is initially described as a shady guy and probably connected to some mafia organization trying to buy the hotel, and then it turns out that he behaves like a stupid kid scared of his daddy...
August 5, 2021
My thanks to Headline and NetGalley for a review copy of the book.
Murder at the Seaview Hotel is the first in a cosy mystery series set in Scarborough. We meet 48-year-old Helen Dexter who has just a few months ago lost her beloved husband Tom to cancer. After having spent a couple of months with her sister-in-law in Scotland, she has just returned to Scarborough and to the Seaview Hotel, a ten-room Bed and Breakfast she ran with Tom. Although Tom had made her promise she would continue the venture before he passed, Helen is having doubts and in fact considering whether she should sell and start life afresh. But almost as soon as she returns, she receives a phone call from a band of Elvis impersonators and performers, Twelvis, who are coming into town for a performance and wish to book rooms at the Seaview Hotel. Tom was a huge Elvis fan and even dressed as Elvis himself, throwing Elvis parties at the Hotel. Taking this as a sign, Helen accepts the booking, and calls her cook Jean (who will only serve full English breakfasts) and cleaning lady Sally back to work. Reopening the place and running it without Tom by her side is a difficult prospect but Helen prepares to face it.
But besides the call from Twelvis, Helen also receives a call from Bensons, a real estate agent with an offer to buy the property—but this is no ordinary offer, rather, the agent is browbeating, even threatening Helen into making a quick decision. Then, one of the Twelvis band, the most unsavoury of the lot, Brian (who is also a lech), makes her a similar offer on behalf of a ‘friend’. Helen is shaken by the nature of these offers but makes her refusal very clear. But while she wants to brush them off, things get worse when she gets a threat to her dog Suki in the mail, and then Suki is targeted as well. Also, negative reviews of the Hotel (all fake of course) are increasingly appearing online—clearly a bid to force Helen into selling. It looks like someone will stop at nothing to get their hands on the property.
Meanwhile on the day of the performance, one of the Elvises (not hard guessing which one) goes missing, and later is found dead in a lake—strangled, in fact. The police begin to investigate, but the murder is doing nothing to help the Hotel’s reputation which gets further hit, with people cancelling bookings.
Alongside, we also follow Helen’s personal life—meeting her friends, the glamorous Marie, who is married to a crook, Darran Clark, and Bev and Sue who have been acting rather strangely lately. Her staff Jean and Sally are warm and supportive, and Sally’s little daughter Gracie loves Helen very much as well. Also Elvis One, James ‘Jimmy’ Brown is taking an interest in Helen, and Helen herself likes him though finds it hard to cope with her feelings, given that she has only recently lost Tom.
This was a fun and pleasant read with likeable characters, a charming setting with some fun elements, and a fairly enjoyable mystery.
I took to Helen almost from the start, and enjoyed following her journey with the hotel and of course the mystery at hand. Her situation of living every day without Tom and learning to cope, and yet at the same time finding it difficult to move on was something I could relate to. On the other hand, while I liked her and rooted for her, there were some things she did which seemed rather foolish, like continuing to leave Suki the dog outside cafes unattended when she went in—even if it was just to order coffee, when Suki had been poisoned in just a similar scenario, why would she continue to do that? Also going in to face a possible murderer on her own wasn’t the most sensible thing either.
I enjoyed the Scarborough setting in the book—the author weaves in local sights and landmarks, the Grand Hotel and Peasholm Park among them, as also Anne Bronte’s grave, which gave one a great feel of the place; for those familiar with the town, this would be all the more enjoyable. The other background element of the story—the Elvis impersonators added a fun touch to the story—costumes and performances (of which Helen also finds herself a part), plus the Elvis jukebox and Elvis-themed parties that the Seaview used to have when Tom was there. A few more references to songs would have enhanced the background further.
The mystery element in the book I found to be quite enjoyable. While nothing extraordinary or out of the box, it gave us enough threads and possibilities to explore. The victim’s past, his dodgy connections, and also his own somewhat sleazy character. And there was enough of a surprise element in the solution.
I’ve written about Helen but not the other characters—them too I found quite interesting and likeable, each with their own story—since this is a first in series, there is plenty of detail. Marie, Bev and Sue, Helen’s friends each have issues in their lives, seem to have secrets as well, which we discover as we go on—but they are there for Helen as well. Her staff, Jean and Sally are warm and likeable—Jean’s fixed ideas on breakfast which Helen tries to change, and Sally’s life—her studies towards earning a business degree besides working and looking after her daughter are additional storylines we explore. Then there is also Jimmy’s story, which has complications of its own. Gav, a jack of many trades, who fixes among other things security cameras for Helen, and wants a constant flow of food as he works was also a fun character.
The book I thought was a great introductory one, giving one several elements and threads to look forward to. We have Helen’s plans to improve the hotel’s ratings, redecorate and do better with the business (which includes Jean expanding her menu); then there is her relationship with Jimmy. Also Marie reveals some plans at the end of the book, and I would love to see how they pan out. Then there are also Sally and Gav’s stories. And of course whatever mystery Helen finds herself thrown in the midst of next. This is a series which I am very much looking forward to following.
4 stars
Murder at the Seaview Hotel is the first in a cosy mystery series set in Scarborough. We meet 48-year-old Helen Dexter who has just a few months ago lost her beloved husband Tom to cancer. After having spent a couple of months with her sister-in-law in Scotland, she has just returned to Scarborough and to the Seaview Hotel, a ten-room Bed and Breakfast she ran with Tom. Although Tom had made her promise she would continue the venture before he passed, Helen is having doubts and in fact considering whether she should sell and start life afresh. But almost as soon as she returns, she receives a phone call from a band of Elvis impersonators and performers, Twelvis, who are coming into town for a performance and wish to book rooms at the Seaview Hotel. Tom was a huge Elvis fan and even dressed as Elvis himself, throwing Elvis parties at the Hotel. Taking this as a sign, Helen accepts the booking, and calls her cook Jean (who will only serve full English breakfasts) and cleaning lady Sally back to work. Reopening the place and running it without Tom by her side is a difficult prospect but Helen prepares to face it.
But besides the call from Twelvis, Helen also receives a call from Bensons, a real estate agent with an offer to buy the property—but this is no ordinary offer, rather, the agent is browbeating, even threatening Helen into making a quick decision. Then, one of the Twelvis band, the most unsavoury of the lot, Brian (who is also a lech), makes her a similar offer on behalf of a ‘friend’. Helen is shaken by the nature of these offers but makes her refusal very clear. But while she wants to brush them off, things get worse when she gets a threat to her dog Suki in the mail, and then Suki is targeted as well. Also, negative reviews of the Hotel (all fake of course) are increasingly appearing online—clearly a bid to force Helen into selling. It looks like someone will stop at nothing to get their hands on the property.
Meanwhile on the day of the performance, one of the Elvises (not hard guessing which one) goes missing, and later is found dead in a lake—strangled, in fact. The police begin to investigate, but the murder is doing nothing to help the Hotel’s reputation which gets further hit, with people cancelling bookings.
Alongside, we also follow Helen’s personal life—meeting her friends, the glamorous Marie, who is married to a crook, Darran Clark, and Bev and Sue who have been acting rather strangely lately. Her staff Jean and Sally are warm and supportive, and Sally’s little daughter Gracie loves Helen very much as well. Also Elvis One, James ‘Jimmy’ Brown is taking an interest in Helen, and Helen herself likes him though finds it hard to cope with her feelings, given that she has only recently lost Tom.
This was a fun and pleasant read with likeable characters, a charming setting with some fun elements, and a fairly enjoyable mystery.
I took to Helen almost from the start, and enjoyed following her journey with the hotel and of course the mystery at hand. Her situation of living every day without Tom and learning to cope, and yet at the same time finding it difficult to move on was something I could relate to. On the other hand, while I liked her and rooted for her, there were some things she did which seemed rather foolish, like continuing to leave Suki the dog outside cafes unattended when she went in—even if it was just to order coffee, when Suki had been poisoned in just a similar scenario, why would she continue to do that? Also going in to face a possible murderer on her own wasn’t the most sensible thing either.
I enjoyed the Scarborough setting in the book—the author weaves in local sights and landmarks, the Grand Hotel and Peasholm Park among them, as also Anne Bronte’s grave, which gave one a great feel of the place; for those familiar with the town, this would be all the more enjoyable. The other background element of the story—the Elvis impersonators added a fun touch to the story—costumes and performances (of which Helen also finds herself a part), plus the Elvis jukebox and Elvis-themed parties that the Seaview used to have when Tom was there. A few more references to songs would have enhanced the background further.
The mystery element in the book I found to be quite enjoyable. While nothing extraordinary or out of the box, it gave us enough threads and possibilities to explore. The victim’s past, his dodgy connections, and also his own somewhat sleazy character. And there was enough of a surprise element in the solution.
I’ve written about Helen but not the other characters—them too I found quite interesting and likeable, each with their own story—since this is a first in series, there is plenty of detail. Marie, Bev and Sue, Helen’s friends each have issues in their lives, seem to have secrets as well, which we discover as we go on—but they are there for Helen as well. Her staff, Jean and Sally are warm and likeable—Jean’s fixed ideas on breakfast which Helen tries to change, and Sally’s life—her studies towards earning a business degree besides working and looking after her daughter are additional storylines we explore. Then there is also Jimmy’s story, which has complications of its own. Gav, a jack of many trades, who fixes among other things security cameras for Helen, and wants a constant flow of food as he works was also a fun character.
The book I thought was a great introductory one, giving one several elements and threads to look forward to. We have Helen’s plans to improve the hotel’s ratings, redecorate and do better with the business (which includes Jean expanding her menu); then there is her relationship with Jimmy. Also Marie reveals some plans at the end of the book, and I would love to see how they pan out. Then there are also Sally and Gav’s stories. And of course whatever mystery Helen finds herself thrown in the midst of next. This is a series which I am very much looking forward to following.
4 stars
September 26, 2025
5⭐️ = Very Good.
Audio.
This was an excellent start in this cosy, yet believable ( in a funny kind of way) series.
The characters were wonderful and I smiled all the way through - yes, even when there was murder afoot!😃
It was set in Scarborough, in the UK, and having been there myself, I could visualise the beach and seafront.
Murder revolving around an Elvis convention…who would have thought it?
I think this would appeal to many overseas readers ( overseas from me here in UK, that is 😁).
Audio.
This was an excellent start in this cosy, yet believable ( in a funny kind of way) series.
The characters were wonderful and I smiled all the way through - yes, even when there was murder afoot!😃
It was set in Scarborough, in the UK, and having been there myself, I could visualise the beach and seafront.
Murder revolving around an Elvis convention…who would have thought it?
I think this would appeal to many overseas readers ( overseas from me here in UK, that is 😁).
July 23, 2021
4.5 rounded up to 5
In the charming seaside town of Scarborough, a murder is mothing 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 group 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.
Set in the beautiful seaside town of Scarborough, one of my favourite holiday destinations. When one of the twelve Elvis impersonators is found dead, we are taken on quite a journey to find out what had happened.
.
This is a cosy murder mystery filled with lots of lovely characters. This is an easy book to read. The pace is steady with a couple of sub-plots thrown into the mix. There's some humour as we learn of Helen's backstory. This looks like the start of a great new series.
In the charming seaside town of Scarborough, a murder is mothing 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 group 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.
Set in the beautiful seaside town of Scarborough, one of my favourite holiday destinations. When one of the twelve Elvis impersonators is found dead, we are taken on quite a journey to find out what had happened.
.
This is a cosy murder mystery filled with lots of lovely characters. This is an easy book to read. The pace is steady with a couple of sub-plots thrown into the mix. There's some humour as we learn of Helen's backstory. This looks like the start of a great new series.
June 12, 2021
I loved this warm, humorous and involving whodunnit with its host of engaging characters and atmospheric Scarborough setting. It’s not just the mystery that makes it a page-turner, it’s also the heroine, Helen’s life. She’s having to fight and I was right there in her corner. I loved the hint of romance, as well as the promise of new beginnings for Helen and her business. I warmed to her tribe too: from motherly Jean to glamorous Marie. They're like a fantastic extended family, the sort who’ll feel like old friends as the series progresses. I can’t finish without mentioning Helen’s greyhound, Suki who gets just as involved with the peril as her owner! She was a lovely addition to the story. Many thanks to Headline for the advance copy!
July 25, 2024
3'5⭐
YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM
Reconozco que al principio me costó entrar un poco en el libro, porque la pena y el duelo de Helen me estaban afectando y deprimiendo, lo cual, en realidad, habla muy bien sobre la capacidad de la autora para transmitir los sentimientos de sus personajes y hacerte empatizar con ellos.
No obstante, pese a que, evidentemente, la pérdida de su marido permea en gran medida la vida de nuestra protagonista, no es una historia triste ni melancólica, sino que esos elementos se equilibran bien con el misterio y con un aura esperanzadora acerca del futuro. Aunque debo decir que, pese a que Helen me cae bien y quiero que sea feliz y siga adelante, tal vez habría esperado al menos al segundo libro de la serie a introducir un posible futuro interés amoroso, puesto que en este la pérdida de su marido es aún bastante reciente y sigue afectándola mucho. Yo habría preferido que el personaje dispusiera de más tiempo para asimilar su pena antes de plantear siquiera nada nuevo. Pero bueno, supongo que la autora no quería renunciar al componente de romance que suele haber en los cozy mysteries, y supongo que necesitaba el elemento esperanzador para equilibrar los momentos más tristes del libro.
Me ha gustado mucho la ambientación en Scarborough, una localidad británica costera que, habiendo visitado yo misma en el pasado, puedo asegurar que está muy bien descrita. Además, me ha hecho rememorar mi estancia allí y recordar los lugares que visité (sí, yo también cogí una de esas barcas a pedales en forma de dragón por el lago del Peasholm Park), por lo que he sentido una conexión con la historia que no esperaba. Conexión incrementada porque me alojé en casa de una señora mayor con el pelo fucsia que regentan un B&B repleto hasta el último rincón de merchandising de Elvis Presley. Os juro que no miento, pero cuando llegué a la parte de la convención de imitadores de Elvis, yo tampoco me podía creer la cantidad de coincidencias😂.
En fin, al margen de eso, creo que la autora tiene un estilo ameno y directo con el que perfila en pocas líneas a los personajes de forma muy clara. Y, al tratarse de un hotelito pequeño y familiar (cosa que quizá la cubierta española no acaba de transmitir, pese a tener un diseño muy atractivo), la atmosfera es supercálida y agradable. Debo decir que, además, me ha encantado la dinámica de Helen y sus dos trabajadores. Transmiten una sensación de familia muy acogedora.
Por último: el misterio. Me ha parecido sólido y se mantiene bien el suspense hasta el momento de la gran revelación final, así que ninguna queja al respecto. Quizás Helen peca de imprudente demasiadas veces en lo que se refiere al cuidado de su perro después de varios incidentes ya de por sí sospechosos, pero qué le vamos a hacer (la perrita sufre un poco pero al final todo acaba bien, don't worry).
YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM
Reconozco que al principio me costó entrar un poco en el libro, porque la pena y el duelo de Helen me estaban afectando y deprimiendo, lo cual, en realidad, habla muy bien sobre la capacidad de la autora para transmitir los sentimientos de sus personajes y hacerte empatizar con ellos.
No obstante, pese a que, evidentemente, la pérdida de su marido permea en gran medida la vida de nuestra protagonista, no es una historia triste ni melancólica, sino que esos elementos se equilibran bien con el misterio y con un aura esperanzadora acerca del futuro. Aunque debo decir que, pese a que Helen me cae bien y quiero que sea feliz y siga adelante, tal vez habría esperado al menos al segundo libro de la serie a introducir un posible futuro interés amoroso, puesto que en este la pérdida de su marido es aún bastante reciente y sigue afectándola mucho. Yo habría preferido que el personaje dispusiera de más tiempo para asimilar su pena antes de plantear siquiera nada nuevo. Pero bueno, supongo que la autora no quería renunciar al componente de romance que suele haber en los cozy mysteries, y supongo que necesitaba el elemento esperanzador para equilibrar los momentos más tristes del libro.
Me ha gustado mucho la ambientación en Scarborough, una localidad británica costera que, habiendo visitado yo misma en el pasado, puedo asegurar que está muy bien descrita. Además, me ha hecho rememorar mi estancia allí y recordar los lugares que visité (sí, yo también cogí una de esas barcas a pedales en forma de dragón por el lago del Peasholm Park), por lo que he sentido una conexión con la historia que no esperaba. Conexión incrementada porque me alojé en casa de una señora mayor con el pelo fucsia que regentan un B&B repleto hasta el último rincón de merchandising de Elvis Presley. Os juro que no miento, pero cuando llegué a la parte de la convención de imitadores de Elvis, yo tampoco me podía creer la cantidad de coincidencias😂.
En fin, al margen de eso, creo que la autora tiene un estilo ameno y directo con el que perfila en pocas líneas a los personajes de forma muy clara. Y, al tratarse de un hotelito pequeño y familiar (cosa que quizá la cubierta española no acaba de transmitir, pese a tener un diseño muy atractivo), la atmosfera es supercálida y agradable. Debo decir que, además, me ha encantado la dinámica de Helen y sus dos trabajadores. Transmiten una sensación de familia muy acogedora.
Por último: el misterio. Me ha parecido sólido y se mantiene bien el suspense hasta el momento de la gran revelación final, así que ninguna queja al respecto. Quizás Helen peca de imprudente demasiadas veces en lo que se refiere al cuidado de su perro después de varios incidentes ya de por sí sospechosos, pero qué le vamos a hacer (la perrita sufre un poco pero al final todo acaba bien, don't worry).
June 29, 2024
Lo he acabado por saber qué pasaba al final, pero no por estar "enganchada" al libro.
Al final cero investigación, pistas falsas que no llevan a ningún lado y unos motivos ridículos. No voy a decir que ha sido una pérdida de tiempo ya que algo me ha entretenido.
Pero lo peor peor de todo es la malísima corrección que tiene.
Reseca en lugar de resaca, empeñar pensamientos en lugar de empañar (me reía yo sola imaginando a los pensamientos en el Monte de Piedad), espalada en lugar de espalda...y así he visto mas de una docena. Mas los que se me habrán pasado.
En fin, que para mí lo peor del todo ha sido el sufrimiento de la corrección.
Al final cero investigación, pistas falsas que no llevan a ningún lado y unos motivos ridículos. No voy a decir que ha sido una pérdida de tiempo ya que algo me ha entretenido.
Pero lo peor peor de todo es la malísima corrección que tiene.
Reseca en lugar de resaca, empeñar pensamientos en lugar de empañar (me reía yo sola imaginando a los pensamientos en el Monte de Piedad), espalada en lugar de espalda...y así he visto mas de una docena. Mas los que se me habrán pasado.
En fin, que para mí lo peor del todo ha sido el sufrimiento de la corrección.
January 6, 2024
Quattro stelline sono forse esagerate per un libro semplice e leggero di questo genere, ma è stata una lettura così carina che mi sento di essere generosa e passare sopra a certi difetti che sono imperdonabili in un giallo (sono solo un paio di cose, ma stonano).
La protagonista è Helen Dexter, vedova da qualche mese. Helen gestiva insieme all'amatissimo marito Tom un piccolo hotel familiare a Scaraborough, e ora si trova a prendere una dolorosa decisione: portarlo avanti da sola, o cedere alla generosissima somma che le è stata offerta per venderlo?
Mentre l'albergo è ancora chiuso, riceve una richiesta urgente (quasi un'implorazione) di prenotazione da parte di una cover band di Elvis che deve esibirsi proprio a Scarabourough: dodici persone che riempirebbero l'albergo.
Sembra quasi che dall'Aldilà Tom, grandissimo fan di Elvis, che amava dare feste a tema Re del Rock'n Roll, voglia darle un'indicazione. Così Helen accetta, contatta le sue vecchie e fidate dipendenti, e riapre l'albergo per gli Elvis.
Che sono tutti simpatici e gentili (specie l'Elvis numero 1, che le fa sfarfallare lo stomaco), tranne uno, un po' viscido... e che verrà ritrovato morto la sera dello spettacolo, in un laghetto.
E poi continuano ad accadere strane cose: ai rifiuti di vendere di Helen seguono recensioni all'albergo tanto negative quanto false, arrivano biglietti e pacchi minacciosi, e qualcuno si intrufola nel suo giardino, forse la stessa persona vestita di scuro che gira intorno all'albergo con fare circospetto.
I personaggi sono tanti, ma riescono tutti ad avere una personalità abbastanza distinta da non mandare in confusione (Delitto all'ora del vespro, sì, parlo con te),e ognuno riesce a diventare familiare e credibile. Non c'è mai vera tensione, ma sempre la curiosità di scoprire quali sono i misteri che si celano dietro la vicende; l'atmosfera è rilassante, e la catena di amicizie intorno a Helen scalda il cuore e ti fa desiderare di trovare altrettanto supporto e affetto, nei momenti di tempesta.
La scrittura è scorrevole, e nella sua semplicità riesce a essere molto descrittiva ma senza appesantire la narrazione; l'autrice dipinge Scaraborough con vero amore, tanto da farmi venir voglia di partire per lo Yorkshire e visitarla.
Ultima nota: secondo me il libro è più apprezzabile da un pubblico femminile, ma non è detto!
La protagonista è Helen Dexter, vedova da qualche mese. Helen gestiva insieme all'amatissimo marito Tom un piccolo hotel familiare a Scaraborough, e ora si trova a prendere una dolorosa decisione: portarlo avanti da sola, o cedere alla generosissima somma che le è stata offerta per venderlo?
Mentre l'albergo è ancora chiuso, riceve una richiesta urgente (quasi un'implorazione) di prenotazione da parte di una cover band di Elvis che deve esibirsi proprio a Scarabourough: dodici persone che riempirebbero l'albergo.
Sembra quasi che dall'Aldilà Tom, grandissimo fan di Elvis, che amava dare feste a tema Re del Rock'n Roll, voglia darle un'indicazione. Così Helen accetta, contatta le sue vecchie e fidate dipendenti, e riapre l'albergo per gli Elvis.
Che sono tutti simpatici e gentili (specie l'Elvis numero 1, che le fa sfarfallare lo stomaco), tranne uno, un po' viscido... e che verrà ritrovato morto la sera dello spettacolo, in un laghetto.
E poi continuano ad accadere strane cose: ai rifiuti di vendere di Helen seguono recensioni all'albergo tanto negative quanto false, arrivano biglietti e pacchi minacciosi, e qualcuno si intrufola nel suo giardino, forse la stessa persona vestita di scuro che gira intorno all'albergo con fare circospetto.
I personaggi sono tanti, ma riescono tutti ad avere una personalità abbastanza distinta da non mandare in confusione (Delitto all'ora del vespro, sì, parlo con te),e ognuno riesce a diventare familiare e credibile. Non c'è mai vera tensione, ma sempre la curiosità di scoprire quali sono i misteri che si celano dietro la vicende; l'atmosfera è rilassante, e la catena di amicizie intorno a Helen scalda il cuore e ti fa desiderare di trovare altrettanto supporto e affetto, nei momenti di tempesta.
La scrittura è scorrevole, e nella sua semplicità riesce a essere molto descrittiva ma senza appesantire la narrazione; l'autrice dipinge Scaraborough con vero amore, tanto da farmi venir voglia di partire per lo Yorkshire e visitarla.
Ultima nota: secondo me il libro è più apprezzabile da un pubblico femminile, ma non è detto!
February 15, 2023
I'm giving this five stars, not because it's so thought provoking or enlightening, but because it is exactly what I look for in a cozy mystery. It has fun and relatable characters in a great setting, a good mystery and a soupcon of romance.
July 20, 2025
Últimamente no he estado leyendo mucho, pero despacio y con buena letra he disfrutado mucho de este librito que compramos en la feria del libro. Me gusta que la historia tarde en desarrollarse y no empiece ya con el asesinato sino que te cuente un poco más de la protagonista y que esté tan bien descrito te hace imaginarte perfectamente el sitio. Ahora quiero ir a Scarborough a darme un paseito por la playa mientras soy feliz con la brisa en la cara y tomarme un chocolate caliente viendo el mar. Me ha hecho mucha gracia que el libro gira mucho en torno a la música de Elvis y aún así solo mencionan una canción y el resto dicen tipo: “ay si esta canción era la favorita de Tom”. Amor, cual? si solo me dices que reconociste los cuatro acordes del principio. Pero ni estos pequeños detalles hacen que una chica no disfrute de un buen misterio y un romance de por medio. Eso que ya sabéis que soy team Priscilla pese a todo, pero bueno, a veces hay que apoyar al rey del rock…. supongo.
Un buen libro para desconectar de este mundo rápido y consumista en el que parece que te tienes que leer 14 libros al mes y comprarte otros 30 para ser la persona más divertida y culta del mundo. Por los libros de 5€, el misterio, las viudas, elvis y por mí que soy la mejor.
Un buen libro para desconectar de este mundo rápido y consumista en el que parece que te tienes que leer 14 libros al mes y comprarte otros 30 para ser la persona más divertida y culta del mundo. Por los libros de 5€, el misterio, las viudas, elvis y por mí que soy la mejor.
November 8, 2023
Dopo la morte del marito, Helen si ritrova a gestire da sola il loro albergo anche se sente di non potercela fare.
Lo tiene chiuso finché un giorno non riceve una telefonata: un uomo la implora di poter prenotare tutte le stanze per il suo gruppo di emulatori di Elvis, i Twelvis, in quanto in tutto il paese non ci sono stanze libere.
Helen si lascia ammorbidire, prende il tutto come una sfida, accetta di ospitarli. Nel mentre riceve continue offerte di acquisto del suo hotel: da un agente immobiliare, da uno dei Twelvis e da anonimi che cercano di intimorirla con recensioni negative. Finché… l’omicidio di un suo ospite.
Quale pessima pubblicità peggiore?
Ci sono tanti misteri che si incrociano in questo libro, tanta tensione, tante ipotesi. Ogni pezzo del puzzle alla fine va al suo posto e ci da un quadro chiaro della storia.
Sinceramente non è uno di quei libri ad alta tensione, anzi è quasi divertente leggere dei misteri per il modo in cui sono narrati e per l’assurdità di alcuni personaggi, però mi ha tenuta attaccata. Volevo continuare a leggere per risolvere il mistero che si celava dietro l’omicidio e dietro le proposte di acquisto, le minacce, le recensioni negative online.
Ci sono libri che bisognerebbe consigliare come gialli confort: fanno sentire a casa.
Mi è piaciuto molto anche lo stile di scrittura.
Lo tiene chiuso finché un giorno non riceve una telefonata: un uomo la implora di poter prenotare tutte le stanze per il suo gruppo di emulatori di Elvis, i Twelvis, in quanto in tutto il paese non ci sono stanze libere.
Helen si lascia ammorbidire, prende il tutto come una sfida, accetta di ospitarli. Nel mentre riceve continue offerte di acquisto del suo hotel: da un agente immobiliare, da uno dei Twelvis e da anonimi che cercano di intimorirla con recensioni negative. Finché… l’omicidio di un suo ospite.
Quale pessima pubblicità peggiore?
Ci sono tanti misteri che si incrociano in questo libro, tanta tensione, tante ipotesi. Ogni pezzo del puzzle alla fine va al suo posto e ci da un quadro chiaro della storia.
Sinceramente non è uno di quei libri ad alta tensione, anzi è quasi divertente leggere dei misteri per il modo in cui sono narrati e per l’assurdità di alcuni personaggi, però mi ha tenuta attaccata. Volevo continuare a leggere per risolvere il mistero che si celava dietro l’omicidio e dietro le proposte di acquisto, le minacce, le recensioni negative online.
Ci sono libri che bisognerebbe consigliare come gialli confort: fanno sentire a casa.
Mi è piaciuto molto anche lo stile di scrittura.
October 11, 2024
Novela negra al mas puro estilo Miss Marple que aunque no tenga su nivel en la trama lo cierto es que está bien escrita y se hace muy adictiva, una vez que empiezas ya no puedes parar, así que le daría un 3,5 aunque le pongo las cuatro estrellitas porque no todas las novelas consiguen entretener hoy en dia.
August 28, 2024
I loved where this was set and I read it while I was on holiday in Scarborough so it was nice to read about all the places that I had visited. I did feel like the writing style wasn't really me and the constant talk of her dead husband put a massive downer on things but overall I enjoyed it. It was a nice cosy read to get stuck into on the beach. I'll probably read the next one when I'm back in Scarborough again
September 19, 2021
Very enjoyable characters with a crazy plot, using Elvis impersonators,set in my favourite seaside town of Scarborough. What’s not to like. A good yarn indeed.
December 1, 2025
Riaprire un albergo chiuso dal dolore non è semplice, farlo accogliendo dodici imitatori di Elvis lo è ancora meno. Ma è proprio da qui che prende il via Lo strano caso dell’omicidio al Seaview Hotel, primo capitolo della serie cozy crime di Glenda Young, un giallo leggero che mescola ironia, atmosfere da località marina e una protagonista impossibile da non amare.
Helen è una donna che attraversa il lutto come si attraversa il mare d’inverno: un passo alla volta, rabbrividendo e sperando allo stesso tempo di poter tornare un giorno alla normalità infatti, rimasta vedova da poco, vive sospesa tra la voglia di ricominciare e il dolore che ancora la accompagna. Il Seaview Hotel è tutto ciò che le resta del marito, ed è proprio lì, tra le sue stanze vuote, che si sente al sicuro… e in trappola allo stesso tempo.
Spinta dalle amiche, dalla sua inseparabile cagnolina Suiki e da una nuova prenotazione, decide di riaprire le porte dell’hotel, in arrivo dodici Elvis per un concerto a Scarborough sembrano infatti il momento perfetto per ripartire. Ma tra recensioni online misteriosamente negative, tentativi di intimidazione e un insistente potenziale compratore, Helen sente che qualcuno vuole toglierle l’unica cosa che le è rimasta e che è determinata a difendere con tutta sé stessa.
Quando uno dei dodici Elvis, quello più ambiguo e coinvolto in quell’oscura offerta d’acquisto, viene trovato morto, la ripartenza di Helen si tinge di giallo. L’indagine non è mai particolarmente complessa, come da tradizione del cozy crime, ma resta comunque avvolta nel mistero fino alla rivelazione finale.
A mio avviso, il vero cuore del romanzo non è il crimine, ma Helen.
La sua fragilità, la sua ostinazione, le sue amiche che la sostengono senza invaderla, il suo rapporto con una Scarborough che profuma di mare, vento freddo e palazzi Liberty un po’ sbiaditi, ma ancora fieri. GlendaYoung costruisce una comunità viva, fatta di vicini ficcanaso, collaboratrici fedeli e ospiti improbabili, ed è proprio quel microcosmo a restituire a Helen una forma di quotidianità che sa di guarigione.
C’è anche un accenno di romanticismo, lieve, mai stucchevole, che si intreccia con il suo percorso emotivo: un piccolo spiraglio di luce che si apre tra lutto e rinascita. E quando tutto sembra mettersi nuovamente a posto, una nuova prenotazione fa capolino… preludio evidente al secondo volume, che promette di spingere Helen ancora oltre nel suo cammino.
Lo strano caso dell’omicidio al Seaview Hotel è un romanzo carinissimo, di quelli che scaldano mentre intrattengono, un cozy crime semplice nella struttura del giallo, ma ricchissimo di atmosfera e di umanità. Perfetto per chi ama le ambientazioni marittime, gli hotel pieni di vita e le protagoniste che, nonostante tutto, decidono di ripartire con coraggio e determinazione.
Helen è una donna che attraversa il lutto come si attraversa il mare d’inverno: un passo alla volta, rabbrividendo e sperando allo stesso tempo di poter tornare un giorno alla normalità infatti, rimasta vedova da poco, vive sospesa tra la voglia di ricominciare e il dolore che ancora la accompagna. Il Seaview Hotel è tutto ciò che le resta del marito, ed è proprio lì, tra le sue stanze vuote, che si sente al sicuro… e in trappola allo stesso tempo.
Spinta dalle amiche, dalla sua inseparabile cagnolina Suiki e da una nuova prenotazione, decide di riaprire le porte dell’hotel, in arrivo dodici Elvis per un concerto a Scarborough sembrano infatti il momento perfetto per ripartire. Ma tra recensioni online misteriosamente negative, tentativi di intimidazione e un insistente potenziale compratore, Helen sente che qualcuno vuole toglierle l’unica cosa che le è rimasta e che è determinata a difendere con tutta sé stessa.
Quando uno dei dodici Elvis, quello più ambiguo e coinvolto in quell’oscura offerta d’acquisto, viene trovato morto, la ripartenza di Helen si tinge di giallo. L’indagine non è mai particolarmente complessa, come da tradizione del cozy crime, ma resta comunque avvolta nel mistero fino alla rivelazione finale.
A mio avviso, il vero cuore del romanzo non è il crimine, ma Helen.
La sua fragilità, la sua ostinazione, le sue amiche che la sostengono senza invaderla, il suo rapporto con una Scarborough che profuma di mare, vento freddo e palazzi Liberty un po’ sbiaditi, ma ancora fieri. GlendaYoung costruisce una comunità viva, fatta di vicini ficcanaso, collaboratrici fedeli e ospiti improbabili, ed è proprio quel microcosmo a restituire a Helen una forma di quotidianità che sa di guarigione.
C’è anche un accenno di romanticismo, lieve, mai stucchevole, che si intreccia con il suo percorso emotivo: un piccolo spiraglio di luce che si apre tra lutto e rinascita. E quando tutto sembra mettersi nuovamente a posto, una nuova prenotazione fa capolino… preludio evidente al secondo volume, che promette di spingere Helen ancora oltre nel suo cammino.
Lo strano caso dell’omicidio al Seaview Hotel è un romanzo carinissimo, di quelli che scaldano mentre intrattengono, un cozy crime semplice nella struttura del giallo, ma ricchissimo di atmosfera e di umanità. Perfetto per chi ama le ambientazioni marittime, gli hotel pieni di vita e le protagoniste che, nonostante tutto, decidono di ripartire con coraggio e determinazione.
July 30, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy. This is the first book from Glenda Young that I’ve read, and I literally can’t wait for her next in this series.
It’s definitely a cosy ‘who done it’. Helen owns Seaview Hotel in the seaside town of Scarborough and is just getting over the loss of her husband at a very young age. Re-opening the B & B after his death; she receives a series of unexpected threats and events which appear to be the workings of a multi-national company wanting to buy her hotel.
But after taking a booking of 12 Elvis impersonators one of them is murdered. Throughout the book your suspicions are aroused thinking it could be him or he could have done it.
The characters are likeable and humorous and supportive of Helen. I secretly didn’t want to think Jimmy (number 1 Elvis) was involved in the murder, but he has a secret which makes you think it could be him. There was a little romance which I hopes blossoms in future books.
I found the convention entertaining especially after one of the Elvis has gone missing and Helen has to step up. The book flowed and before I knew it the murder was solved and the book finished, with all the loose ends being nicely woven into the story.
A great read and highly recommended.
It’s definitely a cosy ‘who done it’. Helen owns Seaview Hotel in the seaside town of Scarborough and is just getting over the loss of her husband at a very young age. Re-opening the B & B after his death; she receives a series of unexpected threats and events which appear to be the workings of a multi-national company wanting to buy her hotel.
But after taking a booking of 12 Elvis impersonators one of them is murdered. Throughout the book your suspicions are aroused thinking it could be him or he could have done it.
The characters are likeable and humorous and supportive of Helen. I secretly didn’t want to think Jimmy (number 1 Elvis) was involved in the murder, but he has a secret which makes you think it could be him. There was a little romance which I hopes blossoms in future books.
I found the convention entertaining especially after one of the Elvis has gone missing and Helen has to step up. The book flowed and before I knew it the murder was solved and the book finished, with all the loose ends being nicely woven into the story.
A great read and highly recommended.
July 18, 2025
Siento mucho escribir una opinión tan negativa, pero mi experiencia con este libro no ha dado para más.
Soy consciente de que la premisa no prometía mucho, pero pensaba para mis adentros “bueno un misterio ligerito para el verano con el que te vas a reír un poco”. Spoiler: no.
No pasa nada coherente en el libro de principio a fin. Varios instaloves sin desarrollo ninguno, soluciones absurdas y sacadas de la manga para las pistas que no tenían nada que ver con el crimen… Y bueno, crimen con la justificación más ridícula que he leído en la vida.
Se podría considerar más que un cozy crime, una novela sobre la protagonista y su vida diaria reabriendo su hotel, porque eso tiene más peso en la novela que el propio crimen.
Luego intenta meter dramas personales con los que podría haber empatizado, pero como los pone ahi de repente y luego no los vuelve a sacar, pues como que me da muy igual.
Y el final, ya no es que el/la culpable y el móvil sean ridiculos, es que la escena donde se descubre todo lo es más. Y como no mencionar la escena final donde reaparecen todos los personajes en amor y compañía como en los dibujitos animados.
Soy consciente de que la premisa no prometía mucho, pero pensaba para mis adentros “bueno un misterio ligerito para el verano con el que te vas a reír un poco”. Spoiler: no.
No pasa nada coherente en el libro de principio a fin. Varios instaloves sin desarrollo ninguno, soluciones absurdas y sacadas de la manga para las pistas que no tenían nada que ver con el crimen… Y bueno, crimen con la justificación más ridícula que he leído en la vida.
Se podría considerar más que un cozy crime, una novela sobre la protagonista y su vida diaria reabriendo su hotel, porque eso tiene más peso en la novela que el propio crimen.
Luego intenta meter dramas personales con los que podría haber empatizado, pero como los pone ahi de repente y luego no los vuelve a sacar, pues como que me da muy igual.
Y el final, ya no es que el/la culpable y el móvil sean ridiculos, es que la escena donde se descubre todo lo es más. Y como no mencionar la escena final donde reaparecen todos los personajes en amor y compañía como en los dibujitos animados.
August 18, 2024
3.5 ⭐ - un cozy mystery in piena regola con una ambientazione davvero suggestiva. Un vecchio hotel che riapre i battenti dopo un periodo di pausa e ospita alla riapertura una band di sosia di Elvis? I'm in.
April 23, 2025
4.25⭐️! Really enjoyed it and would recommend it. A fun mistery with a little bit of romance. I did guess the ending and was a bit disappointed by it but still had a pleasant time.
July 24, 2022
This is not the easiest cosy mystery to rate, as it was good and bad. The beginning is slow. We get to learn a lot about out main character, Helen Dexter, but the story drags. We even eventually get to the excitement of the murder and then it starts to drag again. Towards the end there's more excitement but once scene feels like it's a Benny Hill skit, which made the scene a bit ridiculous. It did spoil the conclusion a little, and I felt like the author had a half-baked conclusion to begin with.
What I did enjoy about this book is the characters, those I assume will stay as the main cast and those who are there just for this book. I did like the idea of the group of twelve Elvis impersonators called Twelvis. That was a bit of comic relief, which was much needed. The addition of the sub plot about a big company wanting to buy Helen's hotel, and the subsequent occurrences relating to that, were a bit overdone, in my opinion . They didn't seem likely. It's an attempt to throw some drama into the novel but it felt a bit distracting. I did enjoy Miriam, the lady who owns the hotel next door. She adds tension to the novel, and I suspect she'll be there for future novels. I hope so, because she's definitely a character this series needs. It needed a spark at times, something a little more lively, and Miriam provided that, with her needling at Helen and her superior attitude.
With a stronger mystery and a little more work on the investigating side of things, this series could definitely improve. I thought it was a bit weak on the mystery side this time but it did give us an opportunity to learn more about the characters. They are a special bunch and I'm looking forward to more in this series.
What I did enjoy about this book is the characters, those I assume will stay as the main cast and those who are there just for this book. I did like the idea of the group of twelve Elvis impersonators called Twelvis. That was a bit of comic relief, which was much needed. The addition of the sub plot about a big company wanting to buy Helen's hotel, and the subsequent occurrences relating to that, were a bit overdone, in my opinion . They didn't seem likely. It's an attempt to throw some drama into the novel but it felt a bit distracting. I did enjoy Miriam, the lady who owns the hotel next door. She adds tension to the novel, and I suspect she'll be there for future novels. I hope so, because she's definitely a character this series needs. It needed a spark at times, something a little more lively, and Miriam provided that, with her needling at Helen and her superior attitude.
With a stronger mystery and a little more work on the investigating side of things, this series could definitely improve. I thought it was a bit weak on the mystery side this time but it did give us an opportunity to learn more about the characters. They are a special bunch and I'm looking forward to more in this series.
September 15, 2025
Una telenovela perfecta para las sobremesas de sábado de Antena3. No tiene mucha enjundia. Una historia un poco sosa, el desarrollo se hace muy rápido después de unos melosos capítulos. La historia no tiene más, cómica de lo plana que es. El móvil del crimen, es de los más ridículos que se han podido ocurrir, casi parece que se le ocurrió mientras escribía porque la trama no daba más de sí. En fin, he leído por ahí que se llama a estas cosas cozy crime, así que supongo que será cozy, pero no me he sentido muy cozy, que Helen sea más tonta que un burro con GPS y que la mitad de subtramas no tengan ningún desenlace ni una explicación medio racional… Aun así se nota el cariño de la autora a su pueblo, algo que siempre es de reseñar (y motivo por el que se ha salvado la 3ª estrella).
Como añadido, menuda guarra la Helen que se dedica a besarse con el Jimmy aún con las camisas de su difunto marido en el armario.
PD. Menudo abuso del pretérito anterior, creo que nunca había leído tantos hubo, hubieron, hube en mi vida.
PPD. El traductor podría echar un ojo a las faltas de ortografía y las comas.
Como añadido, menuda guarra la Helen que se dedica a besarse con el Jimmy aún con las camisas de su difunto marido en el armario.
PD. Menudo abuso del pretérito anterior, creo que nunca había leído tantos hubo, hubieron, hube en mi vida.
PPD. El traductor podría echar un ojo a las faltas de ortografía y las comas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2025
GUARDA CASO
"Si nascondeva sotto gli occhi di tutti, insomma."
Un romanzo veramente elementare, sia a livello di trama che di scrittura, con la cui protagonista non sono riuscita ad entrare per nulla in connessione. Ma la pecca più grande de "Lo strano caso dell'omicidio al Seaview Hotel" è indubbiamente la soluzione del mistero. Se così possiamo definirlo, dato che
"Si nascondeva sotto gli occhi di tutti, insomma."
Un romanzo veramente elementare, sia a livello di trama che di scrittura, con la cui protagonista non sono riuscita ad entrare per nulla in connessione. Ma la pecca più grande de "Lo strano caso dell'omicidio al Seaview Hotel" è indubbiamente la soluzione del mistero. Se così possiamo definirlo, dato che
October 5, 2025
yo cuando leo peak: daaaaaaaamn voy a llorar es precioso
me parece un libro muy bonito, la mayoría del tiempo no eres consciente de que estás leyendo una novela policíaca, es decir, aprofunda mucho en la vida de Helen, sus sentimientos, el amor que siente por Tom y cómo afronta su pérdida, y como afecta su día a dia.
El resto de personajes también tienen su propia historia, su propio futuro, ya sean empresarias, amantes de elvis, amantes de los gatos, o lesbianas. Y todas estas historias acaban uniéndose en un desenlace maravilloso.
Al principio no me entusiasmaba mucho la idea de una secuela, creía que la historia de Helen ya estaba relativamente cerrada. Principalmente por el hecho de que Helen ya está bastante avanzada en el proceso de superar a Tom, y que en parte parece estar ya preparada para enamorarse de otra persona.
Pero después de pensar un rato, hice una lista de todas las cosas que se han quedado "sin resolver", que todavía tienen que suceder y desarrollarse: el proyecto de Gav y Marie, el crucero de Jimmy, la renovación del Seaview y la obtención de la cuarta estrella, todo son historias sin atar que imagino que la autora tiene planeado cerrar en el siguiente libro al que apunta en el último capítulo.
Tras hacer esta lista mentalmente, quizás la secuela sí podría interesarme. La única duda que tenía al respecto era el desarrollo emocional de Helen, que ha sido algo muy importante en esta historia, pero que pensaba que quizás no podría extenderse más para ocupar la segunda novela, y que perdería parte de la esencia de esta.
Pero tras pensar un poco me dí cuenta de que es una estupidez, pueden pasar mil cosas para que Helen siga creciendo como persona. Puede que ya esté más segura de si misma respecto a llevar el Seaview Hotel sin Tom, pero aún no lo ha puesto a práctica con clientes que no sean los Docelvis, y puede que eso le devuelva parcialmente su inseguridad. Puede que esté, por así decirlo, "superando" a Tom, pero no ha entrado en una relación todavía. Ha admitido que le gusta Jimmy, ¿pero está dispuesta a empezar una relación seria con él?
Hay muchas cosas que podrían suceder, y todo esto deja claro que Glenda Young es una escritora fantástica, me encanta.
me parece un libro muy bonito, la mayoría del tiempo no eres consciente de que estás leyendo una novela policíaca, es decir, aprofunda mucho en la vida de Helen, sus sentimientos, el amor que siente por Tom y cómo afronta su pérdida, y como afecta su día a dia.
El resto de personajes también tienen su propia historia, su propio futuro, ya sean empresarias, amantes de elvis, amantes de los gatos, o lesbianas. Y todas estas historias acaban uniéndose en un desenlace maravilloso.
Al principio no me entusiasmaba mucho la idea de una secuela, creía que la historia de Helen ya estaba relativamente cerrada. Principalmente por el hecho de que Helen ya está bastante avanzada en el proceso de superar a Tom, y que en parte parece estar ya preparada para enamorarse de otra persona.
Pero después de pensar un rato, hice una lista de todas las cosas que se han quedado "sin resolver", que todavía tienen que suceder y desarrollarse: el proyecto de Gav y Marie, el crucero de Jimmy, la renovación del Seaview y la obtención de la cuarta estrella, todo son historias sin atar que imagino que la autora tiene planeado cerrar en el siguiente libro al que apunta en el último capítulo.
Tras hacer esta lista mentalmente, quizás la secuela sí podría interesarme. La única duda que tenía al respecto era el desarrollo emocional de Helen, que ha sido algo muy importante en esta historia, pero que pensaba que quizás no podría extenderse más para ocupar la segunda novela, y que perdería parte de la esencia de esta.
Pero tras pensar un poco me dí cuenta de que es una estupidez, pueden pasar mil cosas para que Helen siga creciendo como persona. Puede que ya esté más segura de si misma respecto a llevar el Seaview Hotel sin Tom, pero aún no lo ha puesto a práctica con clientes que no sean los Docelvis, y puede que eso le devuelva parcialmente su inseguridad. Puede que esté, por así decirlo, "superando" a Tom, pero no ha entrado en una relación todavía. Ha admitido que le gusta Jimmy, ¿pero está dispuesta a empezar una relación seria con él?
Hay muchas cosas que podrían suceder, y todo esto deja claro que Glenda Young es una escritora fantástica, me encanta.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2021
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.
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.
June 13, 2021
Oh how I love a challenge and this remarkable historical saga author has changed genre, this is her first cosy crime mystery and I just couldn't wait to get stuck in.
Scarborough Seaview Hotel is run by recently widowed Helen Dexter with her racing greyhound Suki she made a promise to Tom her late husband who was a big Elvis fan.
there's a big show coming to town with all Elvis impersonators and a phone call saying they want to book Helen's all ten rooms at the hotel, they are the Elvis six Twelvis so it going to be pretty busy for her and her trusty staff. And there's someone out there wants the hotel but it's not for sale has she made a terrible mistake in not selling? Oh Boy so much is about to happen to Helen that is going to grip you into this book. and what is going on with her two best friends Bev and Sue? something is going on only time will tell. this book has everything with sharp witty humour added at every opportunity, It is weekend that Helen will never forget that gives her hotel a bad name. Helvis is in the building and does not let nothing get in her way.
I must admit I loved every chapter, getting to know all the characters its a fantastic start to a new series from this author it's definitely a book you cannot put down a Cosy cuddle up book, well done Glenda Young I so look forward to more from Helen and Suki at the Seaview Hotel Sunny Scarborough. 5 stars.
Scarborough Seaview Hotel is run by recently widowed Helen Dexter with her racing greyhound Suki she made a promise to Tom her late husband who was a big Elvis fan.
there's a big show coming to town with all Elvis impersonators and a phone call saying they want to book Helen's all ten rooms at the hotel, they are the Elvis six Twelvis so it going to be pretty busy for her and her trusty staff. And there's someone out there wants the hotel but it's not for sale has she made a terrible mistake in not selling? Oh Boy so much is about to happen to Helen that is going to grip you into this book. and what is going on with her two best friends Bev and Sue? something is going on only time will tell. this book has everything with sharp witty humour added at every opportunity, It is weekend that Helen will never forget that gives her hotel a bad name. Helvis is in the building and does not let nothing get in her way.
I must admit I loved every chapter, getting to know all the characters its a fantastic start to a new series from this author it's definitely a book you cannot put down a Cosy cuddle up book, well done Glenda Young I so look forward to more from Helen and Suki at the Seaview Hotel Sunny Scarborough. 5 stars.
August 5, 2021
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 Peasholm Park lake, with his blue suede shoes missing. 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.
A new author to me & a new series. A well written book that had lovely characters with plenty of depth & a story that flows well. I loved the mix of emotions from laughing to crying. I loved Helen who was still coming to terms with Tom’s death from cancer & now she had to decide if she could continue to run the b & b. I loved her resolve & backbone, nothing like a strong Yorkshire lass. I also loved the support she received from her three besties & also Jean & Sally. The Twelvis were a hoot & I hope they are back from the cruise in future books. The location was so well described & it made me want to go to Scarborough again. An engrossing read & I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
A new author to me & a new series. A well written book that had lovely characters with plenty of depth & a story that flows well. I loved the mix of emotions from laughing to crying. I loved Helen who was still coming to terms with Tom’s death from cancer & now she had to decide if she could continue to run the b & b. I loved her resolve & backbone, nothing like a strong Yorkshire lass. I also loved the support she received from her three besties & also Jean & Sally. The Twelvis were a hoot & I hope they are back from the cruise in future books. The location was so well described & it made me want to go to Scarborough again. An engrossing read & I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
August 9, 2021
This very cosy crime mystery is a departure from author Glenda Young's highly successful sagas. Like them, it is set in north-east England, in Scarborough, and the author sets the scene well with atmospheric descriptions of the holiday town and its seaside hotels. Despite its cosy crime theme, this is very much a character driven story, with Seaview Hotel owner and reluctant amateur detective Helen Dexter still dealing with her grief at the loss of her husband. Her story is complemented by those of a host of interesting, often colourful characters, including the twelve Elvis impersonators who arrive to stay - one of whom who ends up dead. The ensuing mystery carries the plot along as Helen's journey through despair to acceptance of her widowhood is made more bearable by the distraction of trying to solve the murder. Humorous and intriguing, but it's the emotions that make this story work so well.
August 14, 2021
I loved this book. Written around my local area in the Old Town of Scarborough so all the locations used are on my doorstep. Helen's walks with her dog are my walks. Seaview is at the top of my road!! Apart from that, the book is also great. A real quirky, fun story, well written and enjoyable. I've pre-ordered the sequel already.
October 30, 2025
Los personajes me agradaron, la mayoría del tiempo me la pasé interesado queriendo descubrir quién era el culpable pero la revelación fue anti climática, no la sentí impactante y el culpable apareció de la nada, esto fue lo que más me quedó a deber pero debo decir que si me gustaría leer más de esta autora.
March 9, 2025
3.75🌟
a great cosy mistery!! i really appreciated the setting in Yorkshire as i’ve recently come back from a semester near york, it was like returning to those landscapes through the descriptions :)
i had some suspicions on the identity of the killer but i didn’t expect that!
a great cosy mistery!! i really appreciated the setting in Yorkshire as i’ve recently come back from a semester near york, it was like returning to those landscapes through the descriptions :)
i had some suspicions on the identity of the killer but i didn’t expect that!
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