La morte va in scena al Seaview Hotel

A Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery #2

by Glenda Young

Una troupe in difficoltà, uno spettacolo da preparare, e un omicidio da risolvere...
Helen Dexter ha aperto un nuovo capitolo della sua vita come unica proprietaria del Seaview Hotel. Ma le cose cominciano a complicarsi quando all’hotel approda una troupe di attori in cerca di tranquillità per provare la pièce che potrebbe salvare il teatro cittadino dalla chiusura. Helen percepisce immediatamente le forti tensioni tra i membri della compagnia, ma non immagina certo che possano esplodere fino a condurre alla tragedia. Invece, la situazione precipita quando la carismatica leader del gruppo viene trovata morta. Ma da questa rappresentazione dipendono troppe cose, e gli attori non possono rinunciare allo spettacolo. Mentre cerca di far luce sul delitto, Helen si ritrova ad aiutarli e a prendere parte alla pièce. Come se non bastasse, comincia a ricevere delle telefonate minatorie, e un’incombente ispezione sulle condizioni generali dell’albergo rischia di metterne a repentaglio il futuro.
Affiancata dal fidato levriero Suki, Helen dovrà usare tutte le sue capacità per aiutare la troupe, smascherare l’assassino e salvare il Seaview Hotel.
Al Seaview Hotel tutto è pronto per un nuovo omicidio.
«Un cosy crime con note ironiche, personaggi accattivanti e
un finale del tutto inaspettato.»
«Un giallo ricco di humour, con una protagonista irresistibile e un’ambientazione di grande atmosfera.»
«Un giallo classico davvero adorabile.»
«La trama è solida e la voglia di svelare il mistero continua a tenerti incollato alle pagine.»


Glenda Young
È nata a Ryhope, in Inghilterra. I suoi romanzi sono stati selezionati ai Dead Good Readers’ Awards 2022. La Newton Compton ha pubblicato Lo strano caso dell’omicidio al Seaview Hotel e La morte va in scena al Seaview Hotel.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Cozy

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2022

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery #2

Helen Dexter has started a new chapter in her life as sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel. But things take a dramatic turn when an acting troupe book into the hotel to rehearse a play they hope will save a much loved theatre from closing down. Helen immediately picks up on tension between the actors, but there is worse to come when the charismatic leading lady is found dead. Helen is also receiving threatening phone calls and her car has been vandalised. But Helen is determined to uncover the identity of the killer.

Although this book can be read as a standalone, I would have preferred to read the previous book first as I feel that I've missed out on some of the background story. This was an interesting story set in Scarborough. The members of the Dawley's Theatre Company are a mix of likeable and unlikable characters. This is a well written murder mystery.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #GlendaYoung for my ARC of #CurtaincallAtTheSeaviewHotel in exchange for an honest review.

[Glenda Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the interest of transparency, I'm the author of this book and I hope you really enjoy reading it! It's a lot of fun.

[Manuela Raimo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto molto carino 🤩

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secondo caso ambientato a Scarborough, la località balneare dello Yorkshire, in particolare nel Seaview Hotel di Helen Dexter, che cerca la quarta stella per il suo hotel. In questo secondo caso, l'hotel ospita una compagnia teatrale con attori relativamente famosi che si sta preparando per una nuova produzione. Purtroppo, l'attrice principale viene uccisa (fortunatamente non al Seaview, ma altrove), mentre Helen deve affrontare lo strano comportamento di Jimmy, che è tornato dalla crociera con i Twelvis, ma è sfuggente. Helen contribuirà alla risoluzione del caso anche questa volta.

[Lizzie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a year since the death of her husband Tom, and Helen Dexter found herself sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel, in the seaside town of Scarborough.

With the possibility of the Modernist Theatre on the sea front closing down, theatre manager Taylor Caffrey is putting on a play in two weeks’ time that he hopes will save the theatre, providing the play is a success, if not the Modernist faces the bulldozers.

The theatrical group have booked eight rooms at the Seaview Hotel, but only seven breakfasts for you to cook, Helen tells Jean, her award-winning cook, as one room is for props. Then taking a deep breath says, ‘one of the troupe is a vegan’. Vegan? Jean sucked air through her teeth.

On arrival, Chester Ford, playwright, director, lead actor introduces his Dawley Theatre Group of merry men and women. Or as Helen quickly finds out, maybe not so merry. The star of the show Miss Carmen Delray is clearly not happy with Chester or the hotel.

But tensions between the guests is not Helen’s main concern, getting the hotel a fourth star is top of her list and she has heard on the grapevine that the hotel inspector is in the area.

The death of one of the actors, puts pressure on the group and the urgent need for a replacement. With the survival of the Modernist at stake, Helen finds herself roped in to helping. This also gives her a chance to study the other actors to see if she can get any idea who could be a killer.

If this wasn’t enough to keep her occupied, Helen has been receiving threatening phone calls, that make no sense to her. But then her car is vandalised.

With an intriguing mystery, this is the second book in this series, and I loved it. The characterisation is brilliant, and I enjoyed the personal relationships not only between the theatre group, but also the hotel staff. In my youth I worked in a seaside hotel, and it brought back so many memories reading it. Highly recommended. More please.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Two from this author in the cosy mystery series.
And what a book that I just could not put down, as we join Helen Dexter the landlady of the Seaview hotel Scarborough along with her greyhound Suki, the business is doing splendidly for early September and a Theatre group will soon be arriving to rehearse for the play Midnight with Maude.
The Dawleys Theatre company are a mixed bunch, and Helen and her ladies do everything they can to make them all welcome, not expecting to have a murder of one of the casts to deal with, she hopes it doesn't effect her chances of getting another star rating on her hotel.
Jimmy Brown is also arriving back so will see how the romance pans out.
This author never fails me in her writing as she has a clever way of making you feel included in the story with all the characters this is a fabulous second book, and I will certainly recommend to all readers. Loved it.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good cozy mystery I thoroughly enjoyed. it's a slow burning novel and I appreciated how the relationships amongst the actor are slowly discovered.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Helen is an interesting character and I liked her.
Even if it's the second in this series it can be read as a stand-alone as there's a lot of backstory
I can't wait to read other books in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the Helen Dexter series is an enjoyable as the first. While I think people could enjoy this as a standalone book, I am glad that I read the first in the series. There are definitely things about the characters I appreciated knowing before this second book, especially the main characters. It makes their personalities make more sense.

Glenda Young has plotted such a good mystery, and I'd say the mystery is better than the first book. The plot does centre around performers, this time of the theatre. If you'd read the first book, you will know it was Elvis impersonators. And like the first book, it's a group of people staying, not random guests. I guess having a group of guests at the hotel, rather than strangers, adds something extra to the mystery. It adds layers of personal relationships. It would be good to see a change of that in the series, but if the conclusion of this book is a lead-up to book three, it looks as if the third book will involve another group.

As is with all cosies, the characters make or break the book. And the characters in this series are wonderful. I enjoy Helen, Jean, and Sally. They feel so familiar already, and I like their daily catchups in Helen's downstairs apartment, where everything feels so cosy. Jean is a characters that really draws you in. She's got that down-to-earth feeling, and she feels like the rock of the group. One thing I'd like to change is Helen's continual looking at her reflection in the mirror, with her constant thoughts of not too bad for her age, or you'll do. It gives the impression that she thinks her appearance is more important than her character, and I'd like to hope that would change.

Still, I enjoyed this second adventure with the gang of the Seaview Hotel, and I hope there will be more.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am afraid I am not a fan of this book at all. There was a lot of seemingly irrelevant descriptive detail, and I found it all rather silly and tedious. I gave up a quarter of the way through.

[Jen Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this just before we went to Scarborough for the weekend. Extremely cosy, cosy crime. Gentle seas, gentle people, relatively gentle murder really.

[Adam Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s very rare that i read the second book in a series immediately after the first, but I found the first so enjoyable I went immediately to this one.

A great, light cosy read - a little OTT in the explaining and plotting at times but fun nonetheless. A great advert for Scarborough too - it left me wanting to visit.

Looking forward to the third in this series, for a little bit more of the characters (and dog!).

[Kat Cumming · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Book club read!)

📚 Helen Dexter is a landlady for her B&B in Scarborough which she runs alongside her two good friends, Jean and Sally. A few days after a theatre group begin their stay at the hotel, one of the guest's bodies is found on the beach.

📚 I don't know if this book was about the murder, the hotel's 4th star, or Helen's beige love life. The extent of the character development is the materialisation of the word 'mug' on Helen's forehead.

📚 I enjoyed this book at the beginning, but became extremely bored around the 200 page mark. There was little development in plot between page 200 and 300 and the writing is very repetitive. This was a struggle to finish.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a bit tame for me, it didn't seem to go anywhere. There was a lot of chit chat amongst the 3 ladies running the hotel and a bit of banter within the drama group but nothing really seemed to happen! Oh yes there was a murder but I wasn't too bothered about the character or finding out who the murderer was. This book seems to have attracted a lot more stars than I'm giving it so perhaps it's just me and this just wasn't my kind of murder mystery!

[Jan Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying these cosy mysteries from Glenda Young. Can’t wait for the new one out next year.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Glenda’s work and I have been for a couple of years now. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed each of her saga novels, which are set in the village of Ryhope in what was then (and still is to some of us) County Durham. Glenda has also turned her hand to writing cozy crime. I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one- although I have the first book in the ‘Seaview Hotel’ series, which is called ‘Murder At The Seaview Hotel’, I haven’t actually read it yet. What a mistake to make. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’, which is the second book in the series, I knew that I couldn’t say no. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the main character, who is called Helen Dexter. In fact I warmed to her that much that I began to think of her as a friend of mine and I felt all protective of her. Helen is the owner of ‘The Seaview Hotel’ and she is also an amateur sleuth. Helen has a greyhound called Suki, who just sounds adorable. Helen was married but her husband sadly died and Helen has had to pick herself up and create a new life for herself. She isn’t strictly speaking in a relationship but she has somebody who is keen on her. Helen is a kind hearted and compassionate lady, who would do anything for anybody.
It took me a nanosecond to get into ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first couple of pages, I knew that I was reading something special and that I would find it rather difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time. I was right on both counts. I had initially picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to say that I had made a start on the story but I became so wrapped up in the story that I was still sat there reading a dozen chapters and an hour later. I loved the characters, I loved the storylines and I particularly loved the fact that the series is set in Scarborough- a place that holds many fond memories for me. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ and I had to say goodbye to Helen, Suki and the other characters. I soon cheered up when I realised that it was only going to be a temporary goodbye because I had the first book in the series to catch up on. ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ was a gripping read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ is superbly written but then I think that to be true of Glenda’s books in general. Glenda has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Glenda’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Glenda certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, this story hit the ground running and maintained a steady pace throughout. For me, this book was a perfect example of what cozy crime should be like- drama, mystery and intrigue but without the blood, guts and gore. There were several twists and turns to the tale and I thoroughly enjoyed them all.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Glenda’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery is an enjoyable read, introducing the world of actors behind the scenes in a murder mystery with lots of other action. As with the first absorbing book, Helen Dexter is now the sole owner of a small hotel in Scarborough with Jean producing memorable breakfasts and Sally working hard cleaning the rooms. It is a cosy mystery in that there is a lot of background to the unfortunate discovery of a body on the beach. The obvious theme is the cast of a new play which is due to reopen a local theatre and save it from demolition. The characters introduced via this means and the almost closed setting of the hotel are an excellent basis for a murder mystery. The return of a man that Helen had met and become close to also runs throughout the novel, as does the probable arrival of an undercover hotel inspector able to award a coveted fourth star to the ratings, add to the depth of the book. Helen’s trials and tribulations keep the narrative moving and kept me reading late into the night.
The book opens with the arrival of the cast of “Midnight with Maude”, a new play. As they appear in a minibus together, their entrance is well managed. The leader of Dawley’s Theatre group is Chester Ford, who deploys an empty cigarette holder like a conductor’s baton. The group includes Paul, a shy lighting technician, Audrey Monroe, an older theatrical star and her daughter, costume expert Liza. Kate Barnes is an enthusiastic young actor and seems to be tense in the presence of Lee who arrives later. The star of the show is Carmen Delray, ex lead of a classic television series, who immediately finds fault with Seaview and indeed everything around her. Despite the tensions that Carmen causes, Helen offers to honour the block booking of virtually the entire hotel for rehearsals and with Jean and Sally offer extra food and the bar for the cast. She is drawn into the tempestuous groups dynamics as she agrees to act as prompt. Meanwhile she is anticipating the return of Jimmy with some trepidation, unsure of her feelings for him. She is receiving unsettling phone calls from a mystery caller, and she is anxious to make a good impression on the hotel inspector.
The discovery of a body on the beach and its identification as the leading actress shakes everyone up, especially for Helen as she vividly recalls the disappearance of a guest during the previous season. The cast become mutually suspicious and the whole play is threatened, while the press interest traps everyone inside the hotel. With everything else to cope with, even Jimmy seems to be unreliable, and Suki the greyhound is deeply unhappy.
This is a book that offers great entertainment and an involving story. I enjoy the hotel element of the story, the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, and Helen’s concerns about the press coverage on bookings. The characters, including the temperamental actors, the ongoing friends, and difficult neighbours, are all recognisable and well written. Even Gav, the man of many businesses, is a side character who contributes to the whole. The location is vividly described, including the tourist attractions, and I feel that I could almost find the places that the author describes so well. The atmosphere is far from a brutal murder mystery, and I enjoy the people watching that this book is full of in so many ways. I have greatly enjoyed the first two books in the series and am looking forward to reading the third later this year. I recommend these books to those who enjoy their mystery novels with a large amount of background and other issues to divert them.

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I might be biased with this book since I run a crime fiction online bookshop (hint hint) and I also grew up in Scarborough, so really this is a match made in heaven! Plus, I loved the last book ‘Murder at the Seaview Hotel’ so I had high expectations of this outing and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved it. You can read this book as a stand-alone very easily but I really recommend reading the first one as well, especially since it's only one book to catch up with. I can imagine this series going on and on for quite a well - I do love when you get into a series from the start of it's publication journey.

I haven't been reading as much cosy crime of late but this series is now going to be an automatic purchase. There is something special about how Glenda manages to draw her characters - they all have so much depth and warmth to them. I do like how the actual setting in this one was limited mainly to the hotel as you then are thinking about alibis and timings and you get to see how the characters interact in a more observed setting - it's quite like the Golden age of classic crime in this respect. I loved the story - a drama troupe has hired out the hotel whilst they perform in Scarborough but alas the theatre isn't safe to be in at the moment (I am pretty sure this is based on the Futurist!) so they need to rehearse at the hotel. I loved how there were the themes of divas, cutthroat rivalry and getting to see more behind the scenes so to speak! Helen is a character I have started to cherish and I loved how she was getting a bit of confidence back since her husband passed away and there is even a bit of romance again.

Apart from the book being brilliant it is a pure comfort read for me as it allows me to experience being home without all the bumping into random people from school! The first time I took my now hubby down to Scarborough we meet three of my ex-boyfriends within 48 hours. I only had three boyfriends before Rory! Ah small-town life. What I can say is that Glenda knows Scarborough - her descriptions are authentic, the location descriptors are on point, the people are real and warm and all this is spread throughout her pages and it does exude what makes Scarborough special. Shame it's based on the north cliff - can you tell I lived in Southcliff?! What did make this book special is that it brought a very special memory back to life for me. My mum passed away nearly 20 years ago and every summer we would go the rose gardens on the Esplanade to see whether the water lilies had bloomed. I even wore jewellery on my wedding day that was based on water lilies and I must admit reading about the gardens again made me cry. But in a good way!

I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait for the next one. Maybe there might even be a new item on the breakfast this time - I'm going to suggest eggs benedict!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Dexter has started a new chapter in her life as sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel in Scarborough after her husband Tom died, she aided by her two stalwarts Jean the award winning breakfast cook & Sally cleaner, student & single mum. An acting troupe, Dawley's Theatre group book into the hotel to rehearse a play they hope will save a much-loved theatre from being closed down. Helen immediately picks up on tension between the actors, but there is worse to come when the charismatic leading lady is found dead. With so much at stake, it's clear the show must go on. Helen is roped into helping the troupe with their performance by becoming the prompt, giving her ample opportunity to discover who wanted their diva dead. However, the murder is not the only thing on Helen's mind. She's receiving threatening phone calls, her car is vandalised - and she's just learned of an impending visit from a hotel inspector which could change the fortunes of the Seaview Hotel.
This is the second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. Another well written, engrossing read, with strong characters & a very well paced story. I love Helen who after thirty years of marriage has picked up the pieces & is working hard to make a success of running Seaview & hopes it will gain a four star rating when the hotel inspector visits. She’s also become friendly with Jimmy an Elvis impersonator & is looking forward to him returning from working on a cruise liner. She also has a vulnerable side & isn't afraid to show her feelings. There’s a lovely mix of mystery, humour, along with a smidgen of romance & I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery, there are some red herrings as well as twists & turns. I was left guessing as to who the murderer was. There were also highs & lows for the three ladies at Seaview & I look forward to see how things develop & progress or not in the next book
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Jenny Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Dexter is the sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel in Scarborough. She is bly aided and abetted by Jean, a no-nonsense Yorkshire woman who is in charge of the cooking and Sally, a young single Mum who does the cleaning and anything else which needs doing. The three are firm friends and together they prepare to face the trials and tribulations presented by an acting troupe who are moving into the hotel for a fortnight while rehearsing for a play which is to be staged at a local theatre. Things take a turn for the worse when one of them manages to get themselves murdered, most inconvenient as a Hotel Inspector is in the area and likely to turn up for a visit at any time.

As a novel, I really enjoyed this book. It is a very easy read and there are some great characters. The hotel incumbents (the trio of hotel stalwarts) are well developed and each has their own distinct character (not forgetting Suki, the resident greyhound) but the theatre troupe provided the author with an opportunity to give full rein to her imagination and they are certainly an eclectic bunch. This is the second in a series featuring the inimitable Helen Dexter, but it reads perfectly well as a stand-alone book.

As a crime novel however it’s not great and would have got a much lower star rating had it been marked purely on that basis - there are no clues and no deduction although it is definitely cosy. In fact the whole book is on the twee side, which is not going to be everybody’s cup of tea.

Whilst I would not necessarily search out other books by this author, I would happily read another one if it came my way. Not recommended for people who want their reading material to be deep and meaningful.

[Serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sinceramente? Questo è il secondo romanzo che leggo dell'autrice e non riesco a capire se il suo stile faccia per me.
Anche qui ho amato l'ambientazione e l'atmosfera cozy, il modo in cui ha strutturato e caratterizzato ogni personaggio nei primi capitoli nella struttura del giallo classico. Questo è sicuramente il punto di forza: i personaggi sono tanti, eppure si riescono a distinguere bene l'uno dall'altro.

I "problemi" (o cose che non mi hanno convinto) riscontrati nella storia precedente però, li ho ritrovati qui. Le indagini inesistenti o quasi. Sì, Helen parla con gli attori, ma niente di impegnativo, a parte un paio di occasioni. La poli.zia non c'è e non si sa perché. Di solito quando ci sono detective amatoriali che sostituiscono la pol.izia, ne viene spiegato il motivo. Inoltre è assurdo che il tenente (ora non ricordo la qualifica esatta) informi Helen su ogni dettaglio dell'indagine. Capisco che sia un modo per spiegare al lettore come si sono svolti i fatti, ma la storia è narrata in terza persona, l'autrice avrebbe potuto sfruttarla per approfondire questa parte dal punto di vista delle forze dell'ordine. Perché non è credibile una simile situazione.

Tutte le insicurezza di Helen che credevo superate tornano a galla e quindi leggiamo dialoghi e situazioni già viste nel romanzo precedente.

Non so, sono piuttosto indecisa. Non so se leggerò un suo prossimo lavoro.

Quantità di refusi imbarazzante, a volte mancano anche pezzi di frasi. Newton, hai aumentato i prezzi, magari aumentiamo anche la qualità del contenuto?

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glenda Young is such an amazing storyteller that I always get excited when she has a new book coming out, whether it's her family sagas or cosy crime series. Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel is the second book in the Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery series set in Scarborough but it can totally be read as a standalone.

Helen Dexter runs a guesthouse in the picturesque seaside town of Scarborough and her latest booking is a group of actors who are performing in the town's theatre, in an attempt to save it from closure. As Helen observes the actors at close quarters, they aren't as friendly towards each other as they first appeared and one of them is about to be murdered. They all appear to have motive but Helen and her faithful greyhound Suki are determined to sniff out the murderer.

Add in a hotel inspector, a snooty neighbour, and a secretive new boyfriend and you've got a hugely entertaining tale. There's more drama and entertainment in this one book than in a week's worth of Coronation Street episodes. The setting is beautiful and Glenda's love of Scarborough shines through in her stunning, evocative writing.

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel is absolutely brilliant from start to finish. There is so much drama and entertainment crammed into this fantastic book that it's impossible to put down. I loved it and most definitely recommend it.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Martina Bertocchi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uno dei peggiori libri che io abbia letto ultimamente. Ci ho messo quasi un mese per leggere 313 pagine di tortura. Da traduzioni che non tengono conto della cultura (es. Rompiti una gamba, traduzione letterale di “brake a leg” per augurare buona fortuna) a frasi grammaticalmente sbagliate (es. le ultimi cose, era stato tu - doveva essere eri stata tu -, ecc.) a pezzi di frase mancante (…che il sergente Hutchinson - si sbagliasse è la parte che manca - che il gruppo teatrale…)
Questo libro è stato veramente tradotto, redatto ed editato? È passato attraverso la correzione di bozze? Non è la casa editrice di Gianminchietto Unoqualsiasi, è la Newton Compton! RIDICOLO.
Per non parlare della copertina (la mia edizione è tascabile, non rigida) che si è staccata dalle pagine del libro. Qualità scarsa, in tutto.
La storia, inoltre, fa schifo. Non muore nessuno fino a pagina 114. UN TERZO DEL LIBRO SPESO IN FUFFA. L’assassino si scopre tipo a pagina 280/290. Sapete cosa c’è in mezzo? NULLA DI INTERESSANTE. Mi sembrava di leggere i dialoghi di una cinquantenne media su Facebook dopo che ha guardato una telenovela spagnola doppiata in italiano scarso degli anni quaranta.
Un libro NOIOSISSIMO.
Avrei preferito dare quattro esami in un giorno piuttosto che leggere E FINIRE questo libro.
Non mi ha costretta nessuno.
TERRIBILE.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

I really wish Goodreads would allow us to give half-star ratings - this book is a solid 3.5 star book, not three stars, not four, but I have to choose, so I'll round up.

I like Helen, the MC, more in this book than in the first, but I still wish she'd learn to stand up for herself a bit more instead of letting people run roughshod all over her and her hotel. She has some solid friends to help her, and can even count on her cranky, jealous neighbor in a pinch. I wasn't fond of most of the acting troupe that took over the hotel, who were all stereotypical "theater people," but they were necessary to the story.

I wasn't at all sad to learn who the murder victim was, and my list of possible killers was rather lengthy. The red herrings threw me off several times, and the actual culprit *was on said list, just not near the top. The motive seemed a bit of a stretch to me.

The next book from this series was published just over a month ago, so I don't know if that's the end of the series or if more books will follow after that. I'll wait until I read/listen to that book to decide about looking for any additional books. Because of the Y author, I'll probably continue as long as the stories hold my interest.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scarborough landlady Helen Dexter is back in a second cosy crime mystery which see her hotel taken over by a theatrical production company hoping to revive their flagging careers with a brand new play. But when one turns up dead, Helen and her faithful greyhound Suki must investigate to discover who is playing a real-life murderer!
Though the murder mystery is stand-alone, the plot also relies heavily on moving Helen's story along - will Helen's love interest, Jimmy, come good? Will the hotel inspector award the Seaview 4 stars?
This is very cosy crime, and the plot is a tad plodding, but the recurring cast of characters from the first book should hold the reader's attention. There's Helen herself, Jimmy, her Elvis-impersonator love interest who seems to be hiding something, and her staff and friends, including down-to-earth cook Jean, faithful housekeeper Sally, glamorous Marie and Miriam, the envious hotelier next door.
As a keen murder-mystery reader, I'd have liked more clues scattered through the pages, and a bit more action - maybe another body or two? - but as a gentle cosy crime story, this works well,

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young

Blurb

In the charming Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, the stage is set for murder . . .

Helen Dexter has started a new chapter in her life as sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel.

But things take a dramatic turn when an acting troupe book into the hotel to rehearse a play they hope will save a much-loved theatre from being closed down. Helen immediately picks up on tension between the actors, but there is worse to come when the charismatic leading lady is found dead.

With so much at stake, it's clear the show must go on. Helen is roped into helping the troupe with their performance, giving her ample opportunity to discover who wanted their diva dead.

My Opinion

Whilst this book could be read as a standalone, I feel that it would be more beneficial to read this series in the order that it was released. This is an enjoyable cosy mystery. I liked the fact that this had a relatively slow plot - but still fast enough to keep the reader entertained. A nice, easy read with some great characters.

Rating 4/5

[Karmakosmik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sebbene non avessi proprio parlato benissimo del primo romanzo di Glenda Young ambientato nel fittizio albergo di Scarborough chiamato Seaview Hotel, devo ammettere che pur con i suoi limiti, l'autrice è stata comunque in grado di dare un'anima a questa piccola cittadina della costa inglese. Per questo motivo, ho deciso di dare una seconda chance alla sfortunata vedova Helen ed il suo fedele cane Suki. Questo "La Morte va in scena al Seaview Hotel" è praticamente la copia esatta del suo predecessore, con una compagnia teatrale al posto dei buffi sosia di Elvis, solo che questa volta Helen risulta essere più coinvolta e attiva rispetto alla ricerca dell'assassino. Poi, come da buon giallo per famiglie, c'è molto spazio a tutti i personaggi secondari, tra cui anche un piccolo mistero riguardante il bel Jimmy di cui Helen si era invaghita nel precedente libro. Nonostante un parte centrale un po' noiosetta che non sembra arrivare al dunque, questo romanzo mi è piaciuto maggiormente rispetto all'altro, forse perchè semplicemente sapevo già cosa aspettarmi.

[Eydie sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot right with this book but there's a lot wrong with it too. My first question is why did Helen not confront the two women in the red coats right away when she had no trouble confronting the two photographers immediately? She's a simpering high school girl about her problems with Jimmy instead of taking him by the ear and dragging the full story out of him right away. And she seems extremely naive for someone who is supposedly a successful business owner. She seems more like a person things happen to than a person who takes charge and makes things happen. On the other hand, the writing is good. On the other hand, I couldn't stand Carmen and didn't care when she got her comeuppance. I was pretty happy someone offed her. Maybe choose a victim that people will care about when they get murdered.

[Catsalive · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant, easy-reading, cosy mystery; a little slow on occasion but I enjoyed the gentleness of it. It's quite old-fashioned in a way, yet it's not a historical mystery. I haven't read the first in the series & I don't think I've missed anything by it.

The core team at the Seaview, Helen, Jean & Sally, are very likeable, & I enjoyed their daily chats. Helen Dexter, the owner, is recently widowed & is anxious for the success of her seaside hotel. I loved the setting in Scarborough & we get to see a bit of it as she takes Suki, her adopted greyhound, for walks.

A large party of actors have booked in creating a lot of extra work for the team, a secret hotel inspector is in the area, & a new love interest may be on, or off, the agendum. The murder of one of her guests is not going to help Helen's new enterprise thrive.

[Helen Arrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My 2nd visit to the Seaview Hotel, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first.
A visiting theatre group are staying and prepping for a show at the Modernist on the seafront, one of the group ends up dead on the beach, but who is the killer?
Helen is also receiving nasty anonymous phone calls, but who is trying to frighten her? I loved catching up with the characters again and seeing where they are in their lives, and I enjoyed the story following the theatre troupe, tracing the murderer, and catching up with Jimmy again!
The story goes at a steady pace, not too fast nor too slow, it kept my interest all the way through.
Although this is book 2 it can be read as a stand-alone as all relevant backstory is explained (but of course I’d recommend reading book 1 too 😊)
Looking forward to my 3rd visit.

[Lorraine Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great cosy mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and so jumped at the chance to read the second in the series, and I’m so glad I was able to read an advanced copy.

We join Helen who is the proprietor of a lovely seaview hotel, where a group of actors check in that will be acting in a play to save the local theatre.

But as always things don’t go as planned, and Helen has to step in, you see some of Helens love life with a few twists and turns. I love the seaside atmosphere, I feel like I’ve stayed at the seaview.

Even though it’s the second in the series it can be read as a standalone, but as they are such lovely books you’d be a fool not to start with the first. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.