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The Grand Babylon Hotel
Nella, daughter of millionaire Theodore Racksole, orders a dinner of steak and beer at the exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel in London. Her order is refused, so Theodore promptly buys the chef, the kitchen and the whole hotel. But when hotel staff begin to vanish and a German prince goes missing, Nella discovers that murder, blackmail and kidnapping are also on the menu. A rollicking murder mystery from one of the finest writers of the last century.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1902
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About the author
Arnold Bennett
960 books311 followersEnoch Arnold Bennett was an English author, best known as a novelist, who wrote prolifically. Between the 1890s and the 1930s he completed 34 novels, seven volumes of short stories, 13 plays (some in collaboration with other writers), and a daily journal totalling more than a million words. He wrote articles and stories for more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, worked in and briefly ran the Ministry of Information during the First World War, and wrote for the cinema in the 1920s. Sales of his books were substantial, and he was the most financially successful British author of his day.
Born into a modest but upwardly mobile family in Hanley, in the Staffordshire Potteries, Bennett was intended by his father, a solicitor, to follow him into the legal profession. Bennett worked for his father before moving to another law firm in London as a clerk at the age of 21. He became assistant editor and then editor of a women's magazine before becoming a full-time author in 1900. Always a devotee of French culture in general and French literature in particular, he moved to Paris in 1903; there the relaxed milieu helped him overcome his intense shyness, particularly with women. He spent ten years in France, marrying a Frenchwoman in 1907. In 1912 he moved back to England. He and his wife separated in 1921, and he spent the last years of his life with a new partner, an English actress. He died in 1931 of typhoid fever, having unwisely drunk tap-water in France.
Many of Bennett's novels and short stories are set in a fictionalised version of the Staffordshire Potteries, which he called The Five Towns. He strongly believed that literature should be accessible to ordinary people and he deplored literary cliques and élites. His books appealed to a wide public and sold in large numbers. For this reason, and for his adherence to realism, writers and supporters of the modernist school, notably Virginia Woolf, belittled him, and his fiction became neglected after his death. During his lifetime his journalistic "self-help" books sold in substantial numbers, and he was also a playwright; he did less well in the theatre than with novels but achieved two considerable successes with Milestones (1912) and The Great Adventure (1913).
Studies by Margaret Drabble (1974), John Carey (1992), and others have led to a re-evaluation of Bennett's work. The finest of his novels, including Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives' Tale (1908), Clayhanger (1910) and Riceyman Steps (1923), are now widely recognised as major works.
Born into a modest but upwardly mobile family in Hanley, in the Staffordshire Potteries, Bennett was intended by his father, a solicitor, to follow him into the legal profession. Bennett worked for his father before moving to another law firm in London as a clerk at the age of 21. He became assistant editor and then editor of a women's magazine before becoming a full-time author in 1900. Always a devotee of French culture in general and French literature in particular, he moved to Paris in 1903; there the relaxed milieu helped him overcome his intense shyness, particularly with women. He spent ten years in France, marrying a Frenchwoman in 1907. In 1912 he moved back to England. He and his wife separated in 1921, and he spent the last years of his life with a new partner, an English actress. He died in 1931 of typhoid fever, having unwisely drunk tap-water in France.
Many of Bennett's novels and short stories are set in a fictionalised version of the Staffordshire Potteries, which he called The Five Towns. He strongly believed that literature should be accessible to ordinary people and he deplored literary cliques and élites. His books appealed to a wide public and sold in large numbers. For this reason, and for his adherence to realism, writers and supporters of the modernist school, notably Virginia Woolf, belittled him, and his fiction became neglected after his death. During his lifetime his journalistic "self-help" books sold in substantial numbers, and he was also a playwright; he did less well in the theatre than with novels but achieved two considerable successes with Milestones (1912) and The Great Adventure (1913).
Studies by Margaret Drabble (1974), John Carey (1992), and others have led to a re-evaluation of Bennett's work. The finest of his novels, including Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives' Tale (1908), Clayhanger (1910) and Riceyman Steps (1923), are now widely recognised as major works.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
July 24, 2023
A delightful “lark”: a humorous Edwardian mystery, told in short chapters, each ending on a cliff-hanger or surprising revelation (written for serialisation). It sounds clichéd, but is so well done, that it merely adds to the charm.
Theodore Racksole is an American millionaire “who owned one thousand miles of railway, several towns, and sixty votes in Congress”. He and his daughter, Nella, visit The Grand Babylon Hotel in London, which he buys on a whim because the head waiter refuses to serve steak with a bottle of Bass beer.
Consequences and drama
After this extravagant fit of pique, Racksole decides he rather likes the idea of actually running the place, frequented as it is by European royalty and other curious characters. But there is more intrigue than he first realises, which he and Nella are soon uncovering and trying to solve. Racksole is rich, but money does not make him as omnipotent in London, where he is unknown, as it did in the US.
There is death, disappointment, disguise, political scheming, minor royals, kidnap, assassination, message drops, secret passages, secret passwords, foreign travel, chases, assignations, love, rejection, and anything else you might expect from the genre, all crammed into just over 200 beautifully written pages.
Plausibility isn’t its strong suit, and I wonder about Nella’s motivation in particular, but it’s a tribute to Bennett’s writing that it mattered not a jot to me. I kept turning the pages with joy and anticipation. My only regret is that it wasn’t longer.
Bennett's fondness for grand hotels
Arnold Bennett spent a lot of time at The Savoy, in London. So much so, the chef perfected and named the writer's favourite dish, a rich creamy omelette using smoked haddock and cream, so an eggy version of kedgeree. Many decades later, it's still on the menu at The Savoy Grill (and elsewhere).
Image: Omelette Arnold Bennett (Source of photo, including Felicity Cloake's recipe.)
Quotes
At times, it has a feel of Oscar Wilde:
* “That air of profound importance of which only really first class waiters have the secret.”
* “The calculated insolence of the words was cleverly masked beneath an accent of humble submission.”
* “An amiable scorn blended with an evident desire to propitiate and please.”
* “The functions of a head waiter are generally more ornamental, spectacular, and morally impressive than useful.”
* “His indifference was so superb, so gorgeous, that Racksole instantly divined that it was assumed for the occasion.”
* “The difficult task of retaining one’s own dignity while not interfering with that of other people.”
* “The clever and calculated insolence of his tone cut her like a lash as she lay bound in the chair.”
* “It is astonishing how well a secret can be kept when the possessors of the secret are handled with the proper mixture of firmness and persuasion.”
* “A prince is never seriously ill until he is dead. Such is statecraft.”
Other lines are more Wodehousian:
* “Like all people who have lived easy and joyous lives in those fair regions where gold smooths every crease and law keeps a tight hand on disorder, she found it hard to realise that there were other regions where gold was useless and law without power.”
* “She stood like a statue of scorn.”
* “The deck was as white and smooth as her own hand… All the brass-work, from the band round the slender funnel to the concave surface of the binnacle, shone like gold. The tapered masts stretched upwards at a rakish angle… The rays of sun fell on her caressingly, like a restorative. All around the water was changing from wonderful greys and dark blues to still more wonderful pinks and translucent unearthly greens; the magic kaleidoscope of dawn was going forward in its accustomed way, regardless of the vicissitudes of mortals.”
Nevertheless, Bennett is his own man, with his own voice.
Theodore Racksole is an American millionaire “who owned one thousand miles of railway, several towns, and sixty votes in Congress”. He and his daughter, Nella, visit The Grand Babylon Hotel in London, which he buys on a whim because the head waiter refuses to serve steak with a bottle of Bass beer.
Consequences and drama
After this extravagant fit of pique, Racksole decides he rather likes the idea of actually running the place, frequented as it is by European royalty and other curious characters. But there is more intrigue than he first realises, which he and Nella are soon uncovering and trying to solve. Racksole is rich, but money does not make him as omnipotent in London, where he is unknown, as it did in the US.
There is death, disappointment, disguise, political scheming, minor royals, kidnap, assassination, message drops, secret passages, secret passwords, foreign travel, chases, assignations, love, rejection, and anything else you might expect from the genre, all crammed into just over 200 beautifully written pages.
Plausibility isn’t its strong suit, and I wonder about Nella’s motivation in particular, but it’s a tribute to Bennett’s writing that it mattered not a jot to me. I kept turning the pages with joy and anticipation. My only regret is that it wasn’t longer.
Bennett's fondness for grand hotels
Arnold Bennett spent a lot of time at The Savoy, in London. So much so, the chef perfected and named the writer's favourite dish, a rich creamy omelette using smoked haddock and cream, so an eggy version of kedgeree. Many decades later, it's still on the menu at The Savoy Grill (and elsewhere).
Image: Omelette Arnold Bennett (Source of photo, including Felicity Cloake's recipe.)
Quotes
At times, it has a feel of Oscar Wilde:
* “That air of profound importance of which only really first class waiters have the secret.”
* “The calculated insolence of the words was cleverly masked beneath an accent of humble submission.”
* “An amiable scorn blended with an evident desire to propitiate and please.”
* “The functions of a head waiter are generally more ornamental, spectacular, and morally impressive than useful.”
* “His indifference was so superb, so gorgeous, that Racksole instantly divined that it was assumed for the occasion.”
* “The difficult task of retaining one’s own dignity while not interfering with that of other people.”
* “The clever and calculated insolence of his tone cut her like a lash as she lay bound in the chair.”
* “It is astonishing how well a secret can be kept when the possessors of the secret are handled with the proper mixture of firmness and persuasion.”
* “A prince is never seriously ill until he is dead. Such is statecraft.”
Other lines are more Wodehousian:
* “Like all people who have lived easy and joyous lives in those fair regions where gold smooths every crease and law keeps a tight hand on disorder, she found it hard to realise that there were other regions where gold was useless and law without power.”
* “She stood like a statue of scorn.”
* “The deck was as white and smooth as her own hand… All the brass-work, from the band round the slender funnel to the concave surface of the binnacle, shone like gold. The tapered masts stretched upwards at a rakish angle… The rays of sun fell on her caressingly, like a restorative. All around the water was changing from wonderful greys and dark blues to still more wonderful pinks and translucent unearthly greens; the magic kaleidoscope of dawn was going forward in its accustomed way, regardless of the vicissitudes of mortals.”
Nevertheless, Bennett is his own man, with his own voice.
August 13, 2015
If you are looking for an amusing and easy to read novel with lots of mystery, political conspiracy, espionage and interesting characters all bound together with a splash of romance and humor then The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett can be a satisfying choice. Written in 1902, this is a pretty fast paced novel with plenty of silly action and has a certain charm of simplicity that is common with the plots and mysteries of the books from the early 1900s.
At the beginning of this story, the reader is introduced to the protagonists, Theodore Racksole, an American millionaire and his daughter Nella while they are dining at the luxurious Grand Babylon Hotel in London. When Nella’s order of a filleted steak and a bottle of Bass beer is turned down by the pretentious head-waiter of Grand Babylon, in a spontaneous reaction Theodore Racksole purchases the entire hotel from it’s current owner. After acquiring the hotel a string of strange happenings occurring at its premises start to intrigue Racksole. The disappearance of some of the hotel staff; the death followed by the disappearance of the dead body of a guest at the hotel; the mysterious case of a missing Prince who was supposed to be a guest at the hotel all makes Racksole start suspecting about some foul play. When the Racksole’s decide to investigate about what is happening at their hotel they soon gets embroiled in a big political and criminal conspiracy, leading to a thrilling adventure spanning across the Europe.
Despite the plot being highly preposterous, ‘The Grand Babylon Hotel’ with it’s narrative style matching a fantasy – For me this style of narration was the plus point of this book - can occupy the reader with a leisurely reading experience and the pandemonium that the author generates with his narrative keeps the entertainment level pretty high. Recommended for fans of lightweight adventure mysteries from the early 1900s; fans of modern fiction may find the level of adventure and mystery a bit flat. For me ‘The Grand Babylon Hotel’ was an amusing read.
Actual rating: 3.5/ 5
At the beginning of this story, the reader is introduced to the protagonists, Theodore Racksole, an American millionaire and his daughter Nella while they are dining at the luxurious Grand Babylon Hotel in London. When Nella’s order of a filleted steak and a bottle of Bass beer is turned down by the pretentious head-waiter of Grand Babylon, in a spontaneous reaction Theodore Racksole purchases the entire hotel from it’s current owner. After acquiring the hotel a string of strange happenings occurring at its premises start to intrigue Racksole. The disappearance of some of the hotel staff; the death followed by the disappearance of the dead body of a guest at the hotel; the mysterious case of a missing Prince who was supposed to be a guest at the hotel all makes Racksole start suspecting about some foul play. When the Racksole’s decide to investigate about what is happening at their hotel they soon gets embroiled in a big political and criminal conspiracy, leading to a thrilling adventure spanning across the Europe.
Despite the plot being highly preposterous, ‘The Grand Babylon Hotel’ with it’s narrative style matching a fantasy – For me this style of narration was the plus point of this book - can occupy the reader with a leisurely reading experience and the pandemonium that the author generates with his narrative keeps the entertainment level pretty high. Recommended for fans of lightweight adventure mysteries from the early 1900s; fans of modern fiction may find the level of adventure and mystery a bit flat. For me ‘The Grand Babylon Hotel’ was an amusing read.
Actual rating: 3.5/ 5
July 9, 2021
This is a delightful confection, an Edwardian mystery that was originally serialized. It's a pity that's gone, as far as I know, or perhaps moved to platforms in which I don't participate. Some great literature has been serialized, among the works those of Proust and Dickens, as well as some I-need-the-next-installment-now! ones, including Tales of the City.
Arnold Bennett was a British writer I'd never heard of before reading Cecily's and Laysee's reviews and now, because I so enjoyed this one, I look forward to reading more of his work.
I've seen it referred to as a "cozy" and not sure that does it justice. True there's no explicit violence but Bennett's writing is elevated, superb: this has a touch of elegance, humor and more intricate plotting than a cozy. It begins with an American buying the finest hotel in London because the kitchen will not serve the table a steak and Bass ale and soon after surfaces a conspiracy and twisty crimes in service of a plot to kill -- someone.
Racksole, the owner, and his daughter Nella, who is a very modern young woman for that time, are well-written. The supporting characters are too, and the plot moves and morphs at a quick pace. It's got intrigue, suspense and atmosphere via details of the hotel and Ostend that place the reader at every scene but never bog down the book.
This is the work of a serious writer with great chops, a light delight, engaging, entertaining and a page-turner. It's easy to imagine serial readers waiting eagerly for the next installment. A few times I put it down for the day after reading one of the brief installments, in order to recreate the feeling of being made to wait. Not the same because I had a choice, but still fun to experience: charming, like the book.
Arnold Bennett was a British writer I'd never heard of before reading Cecily's and Laysee's reviews and now, because I so enjoyed this one, I look forward to reading more of his work.
I've seen it referred to as a "cozy" and not sure that does it justice. True there's no explicit violence but Bennett's writing is elevated, superb: this has a touch of elegance, humor and more intricate plotting than a cozy. It begins with an American buying the finest hotel in London because the kitchen will not serve the table a steak and Bass ale and soon after surfaces a conspiracy and twisty crimes in service of a plot to kill -- someone.
Racksole, the owner, and his daughter Nella, who is a very modern young woman for that time, are well-written. The supporting characters are too, and the plot moves and morphs at a quick pace. It's got intrigue, suspense and atmosphere via details of the hotel and Ostend that place the reader at every scene but never bog down the book.
This is the work of a serious writer with great chops, a light delight, engaging, entertaining and a page-turner. It's easy to imagine serial readers waiting eagerly for the next installment. A few times I put it down for the day after reading one of the brief installments, in order to recreate the feeling of being made to wait. Not the same because I had a choice, but still fun to experience: charming, like the book.
March 25, 2025
I’ve never read anything by this Edwardian writer but this is not exactly what I expected. He has decided to take a try here at a Prisoner of Zenda type story where obscure middle European princes are in dire need of help because of dastardly threats surrounding them. It’s not really giving much away, but of course the good guys will prevail.
Most of the action takes place behind the scenes in a posh London hotel that has just been purchased on the lightest of whims by an ultra rich American for his beautiful and lively daughter. The pair are the best things about the book. Muppets could have played the rest of the parts in a movie—prince nincompoop and shady hotel employees. The story itself is complete nonsense but that shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying the book.
Most of the action takes place behind the scenes in a posh London hotel that has just been purchased on the lightest of whims by an ultra rich American for his beautiful and lively daughter. The pair are the best things about the book. Muppets could have played the rest of the parts in a movie—prince nincompoop and shady hotel employees. The story itself is complete nonsense but that shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying the book.
October 14, 2020
The Grand Babylon Hotel is my second book by Arnold Bennett and once again, I was very well entertained.
Published in 1902, Bennett modeled the Grand Babylon Hotel after the luxurious Savoy Hotel in London. It was hard not to be awed by the magnificence of this hotel which was built in 1869 to cater for Royalty. We were told that it “stood an easy first among the hotels of Europe - first in expensiveness, first in exclusiveness, first in the mysterious quality known as ‘style.’ ” Owned by Felix Babylon, it was run by three formidable employees: Miss Spencer, efficient Bureau Chief of the hotel; Rocco, the renowned chef; Jules, the snooty Head Waiter. The Grand Babylon Hotel was also resolutely opposed to all things American. This attitude, perhaps, precipitated a wild string of events following the arrival of an American millionaire, Theodore Racksole, and his daughter, Nella (Helen).
The Racksoles ordered filleted steaks and a Bass beer for dinner, which was not on the menu. Jules had made up his mind not to entertain such an order. The contest of wills between Jules and Racksole was captured with subdued humor. The cost of the dinner turned out to be very extravagant – the price of the Grand Babylon Hotel. In twenty minutes, Racksole had become its new owner.
Felix warned Racksole of the hidden challenges of running a hotel for royalty as it “must necessarily also shelter nameless and numberless plotters, schemers, evil doers, and workers of mischief.” However, Racksole intended his new purchase to be a source of amusement. He could not be more mistaken. Then followed high level intrigue involving two German princes, a Bosnian King, a coveted princess, and several shrewd and mercenary business dealers and hotel employees.
The Grand Babylon Hotel has a captivating plot, fast action, and sufficient suspense. It offered satisfaction that justice was finally served. I derived some vicarious thrill in experiencing how powerful it can be to be wealthy. The Racksoles confronted the diabolical scheming with spunk, a sense of adventure, and reckless optimism. “What a lark!” they whooped when pursuing the enemy.
The Grand Babylon Hotel makes for great escapist reading. Sit back with a bottle of Shiraz from the hotel’s wine cellar (purportedly the finest in England, if not in Europe) and enjoy the ride!
Published in 1902, Bennett modeled the Grand Babylon Hotel after the luxurious Savoy Hotel in London. It was hard not to be awed by the magnificence of this hotel which was built in 1869 to cater for Royalty. We were told that it “stood an easy first among the hotels of Europe - first in expensiveness, first in exclusiveness, first in the mysterious quality known as ‘style.’ ” Owned by Felix Babylon, it was run by three formidable employees: Miss Spencer, efficient Bureau Chief of the hotel; Rocco, the renowned chef; Jules, the snooty Head Waiter. The Grand Babylon Hotel was also resolutely opposed to all things American. This attitude, perhaps, precipitated a wild string of events following the arrival of an American millionaire, Theodore Racksole, and his daughter, Nella (Helen).
The Racksoles ordered filleted steaks and a Bass beer for dinner, which was not on the menu. Jules had made up his mind not to entertain such an order. The contest of wills between Jules and Racksole was captured with subdued humor. The cost of the dinner turned out to be very extravagant – the price of the Grand Babylon Hotel. In twenty minutes, Racksole had become its new owner.
Felix warned Racksole of the hidden challenges of running a hotel for royalty as it “must necessarily also shelter nameless and numberless plotters, schemers, evil doers, and workers of mischief.” However, Racksole intended his new purchase to be a source of amusement. He could not be more mistaken. Then followed high level intrigue involving two German princes, a Bosnian King, a coveted princess, and several shrewd and mercenary business dealers and hotel employees.
The Grand Babylon Hotel has a captivating plot, fast action, and sufficient suspense. It offered satisfaction that justice was finally served. I derived some vicarious thrill in experiencing how powerful it can be to be wealthy. The Racksoles confronted the diabolical scheming with spunk, a sense of adventure, and reckless optimism. “What a lark!” they whooped when pursuing the enemy.
The Grand Babylon Hotel makes for great escapist reading. Sit back with a bottle of Shiraz from the hotel’s wine cellar (purportedly the finest in England, if not in Europe) and enjoy the ride!
November 17, 2020
You can call this a cozy mystery. I wonder if that term was used back in 1902 when this was first published in book form. It had earlier come out in serial format in the magazine The Golden Penny. It’s light. It’s good natured. There are mysteries to be solved. Each step is spelled out so explicitly and so clearly that the reader need scarcely think. To tell you the truth, I was at first going to give the book two stars, but by the end I was into the swing of it and liked how it ended. It’s not really believable, but it is cute and sweet and happy.
An American millionaire and his daughter are visiting London. Father and daughter are very close. She is used to getting whatever her heart desires. He is loaded with money, so why not?! She is a spoiled kid but not obnoxious. She is of marriageable age. Her get-up -and-go attitude gives her an appeal. Clearly Bennett is contrasting American and European women, but in a consistently humorous way.
So the two, father and daughter, go out to dinner at the luxurious Grand Babylon Hotel of the book’s title. Arnold Bennett modeled this fictitious hotel on London’s Savoy Hotel. The hotel details add a touch of interest. What the daughter really wants for dinner, American as she is, is a steak and Bass beer. Well, in the hotel’s posh salle à manger the arrogant head waiter refuses. The result? The American millionaire requests to speak with the hotel proprietor, Mr. Babylon himself. The two get along just fine. They agree on a price and in the blink of an eye the hotel is sold to the American and the steak and beer are served. That is the start of the story. It sets the tone for what lies ahead. Someone ends up poisoned, a regent prince disappears and mysterious packages enter and leave the hotel. There are strange things going on.
By the end, all is crystal clear and tied up with a pink bow. There is a kiss at the end which I did guess, but also a fun twist regarding the hotel itself. This I liked even more. It was a surprise; I had not guessed it. This final touch pushed me to give the book three rather than two stars.
The audio version of this is available free of cost at Librivox. Anna Simon does the narration. She mumbles a bit. It is necessary to pay close attention, if like me you insist on not missing a word. The narration is OK, so I have given it two stars. At Librivox there is a sliding scale that allows listeners to adjust the speed to one’s exact preference.
Link to the audio version at Librivox:
https://librivox.org/the-grand-babylo...
This is decidedly the lightest of Bennett’s books.
************************
*Anna of the Five Towns 4 stars
*Riceyman Steps 4 stars
*Helen with the High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion 4 stars
*The Old Wives' Tale 4 stars
*The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns 4 stars
*Buried Alive 4 stars
*The Grand Babylon Hotel 3 stars
An American millionaire and his daughter are visiting London. Father and daughter are very close. She is used to getting whatever her heart desires. He is loaded with money, so why not?! She is a spoiled kid but not obnoxious. She is of marriageable age. Her get-up -and-go attitude gives her an appeal. Clearly Bennett is contrasting American and European women, but in a consistently humorous way.
So the two, father and daughter, go out to dinner at the luxurious Grand Babylon Hotel of the book’s title. Arnold Bennett modeled this fictitious hotel on London’s Savoy Hotel. The hotel details add a touch of interest. What the daughter really wants for dinner, American as she is, is a steak and Bass beer. Well, in the hotel’s posh salle à manger the arrogant head waiter refuses. The result? The American millionaire requests to speak with the hotel proprietor, Mr. Babylon himself. The two get along just fine. They agree on a price and in the blink of an eye the hotel is sold to the American and the steak and beer are served. That is the start of the story. It sets the tone for what lies ahead. Someone ends up poisoned, a regent prince disappears and mysterious packages enter and leave the hotel. There are strange things going on.
By the end, all is crystal clear and tied up with a pink bow. There is a kiss at the end which I did guess, but also a fun twist regarding the hotel itself. This I liked even more. It was a surprise; I had not guessed it. This final touch pushed me to give the book three rather than two stars.
The audio version of this is available free of cost at Librivox. Anna Simon does the narration. She mumbles a bit. It is necessary to pay close attention, if like me you insist on not missing a word. The narration is OK, so I have given it two stars. At Librivox there is a sliding scale that allows listeners to adjust the speed to one’s exact preference.
Link to the audio version at Librivox:
https://librivox.org/the-grand-babylo...
This is decidedly the lightest of Bennett’s books.
************************
*Anna of the Five Towns 4 stars
*Riceyman Steps 4 stars
*Helen with the High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion 4 stars
*The Old Wives' Tale 4 stars
*The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns 4 stars
*Buried Alive 4 stars
*The Grand Babylon Hotel 3 stars
July 10, 2018
First published in 1902, this first appeared as a serial in the, “Golden Penny.” Having finished this, I do think it probably worked better as a serial, rather than a novel. It is something of a melodramatic farce, with characters rushing about all over the place and, obviously, Bennett needed to have cliff hangers to keep readers interested.
It begins with American millionaire, Theodore Racksole, and his daughter, Nella, staying at the Grand Babylon Hotel in London. Nella’s request for a steak and beer are not appreciated by Jules, the snobbish, icy waiter. Indeed, the hotel itself seemed to have an aura, which informs guests, “no one had originally asked you to come; no one expressed the hope that you would come again.” Still, Racksole is not a man to take rejection well and, when his daughter’s request is declined, he responds by buying the entire hotel.
It is soon apparent that odd things are going on in the hotel. There is a missing Prince, kidnappings, strange deaths and vanishing bodies. Nella throws herself into danger, attempting to discover what is going on and Racksole also becomes involved. The story largely revolves around the hotel, but also involves trips to the Continent, dubious hotel employees and a little romance. It is an interesting period piece, but to be read more out of curiosity than for enjoyment.
It begins with American millionaire, Theodore Racksole, and his daughter, Nella, staying at the Grand Babylon Hotel in London. Nella’s request for a steak and beer are not appreciated by Jules, the snobbish, icy waiter. Indeed, the hotel itself seemed to have an aura, which informs guests, “no one had originally asked you to come; no one expressed the hope that you would come again.” Still, Racksole is not a man to take rejection well and, when his daughter’s request is declined, he responds by buying the entire hotel.
It is soon apparent that odd things are going on in the hotel. There is a missing Prince, kidnappings, strange deaths and vanishing bodies. Nella throws herself into danger, attempting to discover what is going on and Racksole also becomes involved. The story largely revolves around the hotel, but also involves trips to the Continent, dubious hotel employees and a little romance. It is an interesting period piece, but to be read more out of curiosity than for enjoyment.
January 8, 2018
Really a very charming book written in the early 1900's.
The Grand Babylon Hotel - luxury and elegance, mystery and romance in London. Light hearted tale with enjoyable characters, a pleasant easy story with an almost fairy tale quality.
I listened to an audio version and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
The Grand Babylon Hotel - luxury and elegance, mystery and romance in London. Light hearted tale with enjoyable characters, a pleasant easy story with an almost fairy tale quality.
I listened to an audio version and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
March 2, 2021
This was a nice read. Three stars. 🙂
This novel was originally published in serial form in 1901…15 parts written in 15 days! It was sold (syndicated) to newspapers in England. Most of the chapters closed with a cliffhanger...like OMG!...how did that happen?...That person really died?... How did so-and-so escape? Stay tuned for next week’s chapter. The gambit was quite successful for Arnold Bennett. I guess he abandoned his day job with this and other successes underneath his belt, and took to writing on a full-time basis.
Story line is that a millionaire from the US goes to England with his young daughter (early 20s) and buys the Grand Babylon Hotel for 400,000 pounds which I guess was a drop in the bucket to him. Taken from the back cover of my Penguin edition: “Focusing on Theodore Racksole’s discovery of the world inside the luxury hotel he purchased on a whim, “The Grand Babylon Hotel” records the mysterious comings and goings of the eccentric aristocrats, stealthy conspirators and great nobles who grace the corridors of the Grand Babylon. Full of daring escapades, tantalizing cliff hangers and intriguing characters, every episode is indeed, as Bennett intended, ‘absolutely sublime in those qualities that should characterize a sensational serial’.”
I found two typos in the Penguin edition. Who should I contact to complain?
• ‘absurd’ was spelled ‘abusurd’ 🤨
• ‘purpose’ should have been ‘propose’ [I purpose, if agreeable to yourself, to stay on in the hotel as a guest for the present.] 🤨
And Bennett used a big word I did not understand—morganatic as in ‘morganatic marriage’. I have better things to do with my time than looking up words in the dictionary let me tell you! 🤨 (It means “relating to or denoting a marriage in which neither the spouse of lower rank, nor any children, have any claim to the possessions or title of the spouse of higher rank.“)
Reviews:
• https://bookaroundthecorner.com/2018/...
• https://muse.jhu.edu/article/679239/s...
• http://lifewordsmith.blogspot.com/201...
• https://inreferencetomurder.typepad.c...
This novel was originally published in serial form in 1901…15 parts written in 15 days! It was sold (syndicated) to newspapers in England. Most of the chapters closed with a cliffhanger...like OMG!...how did that happen?...That person really died?... How did so-and-so escape? Stay tuned for next week’s chapter. The gambit was quite successful for Arnold Bennett. I guess he abandoned his day job with this and other successes underneath his belt, and took to writing on a full-time basis.
Story line is that a millionaire from the US goes to England with his young daughter (early 20s) and buys the Grand Babylon Hotel for 400,000 pounds which I guess was a drop in the bucket to him. Taken from the back cover of my Penguin edition: “Focusing on Theodore Racksole’s discovery of the world inside the luxury hotel he purchased on a whim, “The Grand Babylon Hotel” records the mysterious comings and goings of the eccentric aristocrats, stealthy conspirators and great nobles who grace the corridors of the Grand Babylon. Full of daring escapades, tantalizing cliff hangers and intriguing characters, every episode is indeed, as Bennett intended, ‘absolutely sublime in those qualities that should characterize a sensational serial’.”
I found two typos in the Penguin edition. Who should I contact to complain?
• ‘absurd’ was spelled ‘abusurd’ 🤨
• ‘purpose’ should have been ‘propose’ [I purpose, if agreeable to yourself, to stay on in the hotel as a guest for the present.] 🤨
And Bennett used a big word I did not understand—morganatic as in ‘morganatic marriage’. I have better things to do with my time than looking up words in the dictionary let me tell you! 🤨 (It means “relating to or denoting a marriage in which neither the spouse of lower rank, nor any children, have any claim to the possessions or title of the spouse of higher rank.“)
Reviews:
• https://bookaroundthecorner.com/2018/...
• https://muse.jhu.edu/article/679239/s...
• http://lifewordsmith.blogspot.com/201...
• https://inreferencetomurder.typepad.c...
March 2, 2012
In 1902 Arnold Bennett told the world an extraordinary tale of events at london’s most prestigious hotel: The Grand Babylon Hotel.
A hotel founded in 1869 by Félix Babylon, the son of a successful Swiss hotelier, to offer the finest service and the utmost discretion to royalty and the creme de la creme of European society.
He succeeded in creating the hotel of his dreams.
He had a peerless team to support him: Jules ran the dining room, Rocco ran the kitchen, and Miss Spencer ran the reception desk.
Bust everything changed when multi-millionaire American Theodore Racksole, and his daughter Nella, come to stay. It is Nella’s birthday and her proud father tells her she must have exactly what she wants for dinner. She asks for fillet steak and a bottle of Bass for dinner. Not what is expected of a young lady, and Rocco refuses to cook and Jules refuses to serve.
Her father is not amused, and he goes straight to the top. When he gets there he offers to buy the hotel. His offer is accepted: Félix had been wanting to do other things, and could see that Theodore really understood the philosophy, and the hard work, that underpinned the hotel’s success.
But he gives Theodore a warning: that a hotel that offers service and discretion to the great and the powerful would also attract plotters, schemers, and evil-doers.
He was right.
An equerry is found murdered. His body disappears. A prince fails to arrive for an important meeting in the hotel …
The new owner realised that his hotel was indeed full of dubious characters - and that many of them were on the payroll.
Father and daughter decided that they had to get to the bottom of things.
They find secret plots, shady dealings, kidnappings, secret passages, narrow escapes, heroic rescues, shocking confessions – action and drama at every turn.
And just a hint of romance …
I liked the hero and heroine. I must confess that hadn’t been sure about him at first, but I soon sure that he was a good, honourable, straightforward man who was more than ready to support his words with actions. And that she was most definitely her father’s daughter.
I liked the settings too: the story took in every corner of the hotel, and it travelled back and forth across the English Channel to continental Europe as well.
It was all highly improbable, but the construction of the plot was very clever, and I can’t fault the logic at all.
The style was simple and straightforward, the story was compelling, and so I turned the pages quickly.
It felt to me like a children’s adventure story for grown-ups – not great literature, but a great entertainment.
A hotel founded in 1869 by Félix Babylon, the son of a successful Swiss hotelier, to offer the finest service and the utmost discretion to royalty and the creme de la creme of European society.
He succeeded in creating the hotel of his dreams.
He had a peerless team to support him: Jules ran the dining room, Rocco ran the kitchen, and Miss Spencer ran the reception desk.
Bust everything changed when multi-millionaire American Theodore Racksole, and his daughter Nella, come to stay. It is Nella’s birthday and her proud father tells her she must have exactly what she wants for dinner. She asks for fillet steak and a bottle of Bass for dinner. Not what is expected of a young lady, and Rocco refuses to cook and Jules refuses to serve.
Her father is not amused, and he goes straight to the top. When he gets there he offers to buy the hotel. His offer is accepted: Félix had been wanting to do other things, and could see that Theodore really understood the philosophy, and the hard work, that underpinned the hotel’s success.
But he gives Theodore a warning: that a hotel that offers service and discretion to the great and the powerful would also attract plotters, schemers, and evil-doers.
He was right.
An equerry is found murdered. His body disappears. A prince fails to arrive for an important meeting in the hotel …
The new owner realised that his hotel was indeed full of dubious characters - and that many of them were on the payroll.
Father and daughter decided that they had to get to the bottom of things.
They find secret plots, shady dealings, kidnappings, secret passages, narrow escapes, heroic rescues, shocking confessions – action and drama at every turn.
And just a hint of romance …
I liked the hero and heroine. I must confess that hadn’t been sure about him at first, but I soon sure that he was a good, honourable, straightforward man who was more than ready to support his words with actions. And that she was most definitely her father’s daughter.
I liked the settings too: the story took in every corner of the hotel, and it travelled back and forth across the English Channel to continental Europe as well.
It was all highly improbable, but the construction of the plot was very clever, and I can’t fault the logic at all.
The style was simple and straightforward, the story was compelling, and so I turned the pages quickly.
It felt to me like a children’s adventure story for grown-ups – not great literature, but a great entertainment.
July 30, 2018
I had read only his The Old Wives' Tale, and my review states it is mostly characterization with a small amount of plot. The Grand Babylon Hotel is the opposite - mostly plot with a small amount of characterization. I remarked to myself more than once how different these two titles are and yet definitely the same author. The wit is the same. The cellar steps were happily not difficult to discover, for in moving a pace backwards Prince Aribert had a narrow escape of precipitating himself to the bottom of them.
At least one other reader has suggested this is farce, and a good description. I normally would not appreciate farce, as I think my sense of humor doesn't generally run in that direction. It may be that this was old enough - and short enough! - that it appealed to me. There were definitely a few ludicrous situations. I thought almost "keystone cops" a time or two. It is a definite villain or two being chased by a millionaire and his daughter, one outsmarting the other often enough, the one getting into trouble often enough. I knew the victorious music was surely to heard in the next chapter. And so I happily kept reading.
The last thing I noted is that Arnold Bennett and Thomas Hardy were friends. It's hard to imagine Bennet with his fairly light works, and Hardy with his oh so dark ones ever having enough in common to find something to talk about. But there you have it. It may just be that each so understood the work of authorship that it provided the stuff that makes a friendship.
I can't give this 5 stars, though it certainly provided enough enjoyment. I certainly am more than willing to hand them out, but I like the books to have a bit more heft, either for emotional content or something to contribute to my personal growth or knowledge. This had neither, but I most certainly enjoyed it and it's getting 4-stars.
At least one other reader has suggested this is farce, and a good description. I normally would not appreciate farce, as I think my sense of humor doesn't generally run in that direction. It may be that this was old enough - and short enough! - that it appealed to me. There were definitely a few ludicrous situations. I thought almost "keystone cops" a time or two. It is a definite villain or two being chased by a millionaire and his daughter, one outsmarting the other often enough, the one getting into trouble often enough. I knew the victorious music was surely to heard in the next chapter. And so I happily kept reading.
The last thing I noted is that Arnold Bennett and Thomas Hardy were friends. It's hard to imagine Bennet with his fairly light works, and Hardy with his oh so dark ones ever having enough in common to find something to talk about. But there you have it. It may just be that each so understood the work of authorship that it provided the stuff that makes a friendship.
I can't give this 5 stars, though it certainly provided enough enjoyment. I certainly am more than willing to hand them out, but I like the books to have a bit more heft, either for emotional content or something to contribute to my personal growth or knowledge. This had neither, but I most certainly enjoyed it and it's getting 4-stars.
October 10, 2019
Entertaining tale of skullduggery with a bit of romance, set in a grand London hotel.
March 22, 2011
Is this really the same Bennett that wrote "The Old Wives Tale"? Wow. Well, nothing deep in this book! It was fine, I really enjoyed the beginning, the little tussle between the head waiter and the millionaire that starts the craziness that follows was quite funny. As a light adventure/mystery, its not bad, but not awesome either. I far prefer Bennett's more serious novels.
August 28, 2021
From 1901
First serialized in a magazine called The Golden Penny, then published as a novel.
I read this before, when I was 32. I loved it then. I thought the soap opera set up hilarious.
An American millionaire and his spoiled daughter impulsively buy a fancy European hotel, only to find it full of criminals disguised as waiters and secretaries. Princes are kidnapped and bodies disappear. A secret note is delivered in a cream puff.
First serialized in a magazine called The Golden Penny, then published as a novel.
I read this before, when I was 32. I loved it then. I thought the soap opera set up hilarious.
An American millionaire and his spoiled daughter impulsively buy a fancy European hotel, only to find it full of criminals disguised as waiters and secretaries. Princes are kidnapped and bodies disappear. A secret note is delivered in a cream puff.
August 22, 2020
3.5 stars
A rather unusual amalgam of the country house mystery melded with the espionage tale, set in a super-exclusive London hotel.
The actual mystery itself is not of great import but the characters that work through the plot are charming, the setting is beautifully rendered, and, after much excitement, the conclusion bestows on the reader a warm sense of satisfaction. Nella Racksole is a most delightful and accomplished character, a woman well ahead of her time as far as mystery sleuths go, and her adversaries and allies are interesting too.
I particularly recommend this to my fellow wine aficionados who will find a wonderful panegyric on the vinous treasures hidden in the cellars of the Grand Babylon Hotel about 3/4 through the book. Well worth reading just to get to that.
A rather unusual amalgam of the country house mystery melded with the espionage tale, set in a super-exclusive London hotel.
The actual mystery itself is not of great import but the characters that work through the plot are charming, the setting is beautifully rendered, and, after much excitement, the conclusion bestows on the reader a warm sense of satisfaction. Nella Racksole is a most delightful and accomplished character, a woman well ahead of her time as far as mystery sleuths go, and her adversaries and allies are interesting too.
I particularly recommend this to my fellow wine aficionados who will find a wonderful panegyric on the vinous treasures hidden in the cellars of the Grand Babylon Hotel about 3/4 through the book. Well worth reading just to get to that.
September 29, 2019
"Follow that carriage !" commands the heroine as she jumps into a horse & buggy and gives chase. Did Arnold Bennett launch (1902) the classic line, "Follow that car !"
Some of the writing is charmingly witty, but it's still a creaky serial, written over 2 weeks in Bennett's early career, which hosts schemers, evil-doers, plotters and mischief-makers at a grand London hotel and involves a Balkan prince who may renounce a throne for love.
My year at the Chelsea Hotel, NYC, missed this pandemonium.
Some of the writing is charmingly witty, but it's still a creaky serial, written over 2 weeks in Bennett's early career, which hosts schemers, evil-doers, plotters and mischief-makers at a grand London hotel and involves a Balkan prince who may renounce a throne for love.
My year at the Chelsea Hotel, NYC, missed this pandemonium.
July 18, 2018
This feels like Bennett having a book-holiday as he leaves his more serious self behind for a romp of a novel which reminded me of The Prisoner of Zenda. With murders, kidnapping, blackmail, a feisty heroine, a romance, a Balkan princedom, dodgy waiters and an American millionaire who can't get what he wants to eat on the menu so buys the world-famous luxury hotel with a click of his finger, this is fun and fast-paced. A switch-off read with class.
July 13, 2024
Set mainly in London, this is a wonderful story about an American multi-millionaire who buys the fictional hotel of the title when his daughter's request for a dinner of steak and beer is declined by the head waiter, Jules. Theodore Racksole is the millionaire and Nella is his daughter, a spoilt young lady with an inquisitive nature and high spirits.
As it turns out, there's more to Jules than meets the eye. The same is true for the head cook, Rocco. Soon a dead body is found, then it disappears. A Prince booked into the hotel doesn't arrive, though a close relation of his does arrive. A mystery unfolds as Nella follows Jules's accomplice to Ostend in Belgium. The Prince is found and then events return to London and the River Thames. The Prince is heavily in debt and needs funds immediately so he can marry his sweetheart Princess.
This is an absorbing read. Part of the story resolves in a predictable way, but part does not. This is a recommended book.
As it turns out, there's more to Jules than meets the eye. The same is true for the head cook, Rocco. Soon a dead body is found, then it disappears. A Prince booked into the hotel doesn't arrive, though a close relation of his does arrive. A mystery unfolds as Nella follows Jules's accomplice to Ostend in Belgium. The Prince is found and then events return to London and the River Thames. The Prince is heavily in debt and needs funds immediately so he can marry his sweetheart Princess.
This is an absorbing read. Part of the story resolves in a predictable way, but part does not. This is a recommended book.
September 25, 2018
A harmless little novel that was originally published in serialized form. This works for its advantage and is its downfall, since there is a good chance some readers will get addicted to the story in their desire to know what happens next after the cliffhanger endings to the chapters, but nothing really pays off until the end and the series of events just seems disjointed.
Undoubtedly charming, maybe a good companion for tea and biscuits if one is so inclined, but not very memorable. Bennett probably had fun slapping this together, but all of it is mostly just silly in a disposable way. Maybe my reaction reflects more of the fact that I was expecting a slow cozy-ish mystery set in a hotel, not international intrigue nor a busy plot crammed with everything one can find in a mystery novel. In that sense, The Grand Babylon Hotel works as a satire of the genre, but did I have fun reading it or did it engage my attention at all times? Not particularly.
I don't know if it was the spirit that was missing or what, but something was definitely lacking and prevented me from liking this as much as I had hoped or as much as I usually enjoy these types of novels. Easy to put down, which is evident from the time I spent on finishing this slim poor thing.
Undoubtedly charming, maybe a good companion for tea and biscuits if one is so inclined, but not very memorable. Bennett probably had fun slapping this together, but all of it is mostly just silly in a disposable way. Maybe my reaction reflects more of the fact that I was expecting a slow cozy-ish mystery set in a hotel, not international intrigue nor a busy plot crammed with everything one can find in a mystery novel. In that sense, The Grand Babylon Hotel works as a satire of the genre, but did I have fun reading it or did it engage my attention at all times? Not particularly.
I don't know if it was the spirit that was missing or what, but something was definitely lacking and prevented me from liking this as much as I had hoped or as much as I usually enjoy these types of novels. Easy to put down, which is evident from the time I spent on finishing this slim poor thing.
November 22, 2015
American tycoon Theodore Racksole buys Europe's most exclusive hotel on a whim, but is warned by the seller that he will live to regret it. Soon, a mysterious death occurs and Theodore and his daughter Nella find themselves in danger in their own hotel.
Theodore Racksole ...... John Sessions
Nella Racksole ...... Matti Houghton
Aribert ...... Joe Kloska
Jules ...... Richard Katz
Miss Spencer ...... Fenella Woolgar
Felix Babylon ...... Stephen Greif
Reginald Dimmock ...... Gunnar Cauthery
Miss Ferguson ...... Jill Cardo
Servant ...... Inam Mirza.
Great Fun.
May 14, 2019
Mathew Arnold is one of those authors that made a huge splash in their day, lingered for a while and then has disappeared. This is a shame because Arnold knew how to write and construct a story. Interestingly, this isn’t even one of his best.
The pre Great War scare was the growth of espionage between the two European superpowers. The literature reflected this with the prolific writer LeQueux making it an art form. Well known writers had a go at writing the spy thriller –Agatha Christie, John Buchan, G.K. Chesterton, Joseph Conrad, and so on. The term then was not terrorist but anarchist.
For the money, Arnold turned his hand to writing a serial that was subsequently published as a novel. As a serial, it is fine – it has entertaining characters, improbable plots, and cliffhangers. As a novel it falls down: the cliffhangers every 3rd chapter are annoying, and reading it through, the improbable plots become just plain silly. There are inconsistencies that you observe much easier in a single read through, and the dialogue can be both pathetic and shrill at times. Arnold should have edited his book to remove these, but I am sure by then he was rapidly working through his next project.
The beginning grabs you and is comedic: deemed beneath the hotel’s standard by the maître de when a patron wishes to order a steak and beer, the response by the patron is to buy the hotel. The new owner, an American millionaire and businessman is much more hands on than the previous one, and thus discovers the stately atmosphere of the hotel is a front. Behind, and downstairs very queer things are happening indeed!!
It has all the clichés of these early thrillers – the abduction of a minor nation's prince, being captured and escaping, chases through streets and onto the exotic and wicked Continent, and a master villain spilling their entire plans of future world domination.
There is even the possible introduction of a worn statement – Follow that carriage! Easily morphs into Follow that Car!!
And, at the end Arnold completes with another comedic touch that is wry at the least.
The characters are a mix of stereotypes, with our heroine annoying me the most, the wicked maitre de, the dastardly royal relative, and of course the suspicious and grasping Jews. It is very much a product of its times.
It is easy to pillory this book now – so many pastiches and copies and parodies have been done – but at this time, this book was part of a line of popular fiction over real threats to national security. When you compare this with The Secret Agent of Conrad, this is fluff, but it does still give us a window on the national fear that would morph into the Great War a decade or so later.
The pre Great War scare was the growth of espionage between the two European superpowers. The literature reflected this with the prolific writer LeQueux making it an art form. Well known writers had a go at writing the spy thriller –Agatha Christie, John Buchan, G.K. Chesterton, Joseph Conrad, and so on. The term then was not terrorist but anarchist.
For the money, Arnold turned his hand to writing a serial that was subsequently published as a novel. As a serial, it is fine – it has entertaining characters, improbable plots, and cliffhangers. As a novel it falls down: the cliffhangers every 3rd chapter are annoying, and reading it through, the improbable plots become just plain silly. There are inconsistencies that you observe much easier in a single read through, and the dialogue can be both pathetic and shrill at times. Arnold should have edited his book to remove these, but I am sure by then he was rapidly working through his next project.
The beginning grabs you and is comedic: deemed beneath the hotel’s standard by the maître de when a patron wishes to order a steak and beer, the response by the patron is to buy the hotel. The new owner, an American millionaire and businessman is much more hands on than the previous one, and thus discovers the stately atmosphere of the hotel is a front. Behind, and downstairs very queer things are happening indeed!!
It has all the clichés of these early thrillers – the abduction of a minor nation's prince, being captured and escaping, chases through streets and onto the exotic and wicked Continent, and a master villain spilling their entire plans of future world domination.
There is even the possible introduction of a worn statement – Follow that carriage! Easily morphs into Follow that Car!!
And, at the end Arnold completes with another comedic touch that is wry at the least.
The characters are a mix of stereotypes, with our heroine annoying me the most, the wicked maitre de, the dastardly royal relative, and of course the suspicious and grasping Jews. It is very much a product of its times.
It is easy to pillory this book now – so many pastiches and copies and parodies have been done – but at this time, this book was part of a line of popular fiction over real threats to national security. When you compare this with The Secret Agent of Conrad, this is fluff, but it does still give us a window on the national fear that would morph into the Great War a decade or so later.
December 28, 2013
From BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Drama:
Murder mystery by Arnold Bennett, adapted in two parts by Chris Harrald. An American tycoon buys a hotel and is cast into a world of Edwardian espionage and murder.
Murder mystery by Arnold Bennett, adapted in two parts by Chris Harrald. An American tycoon buys a hotel and is cast into a world of Edwardian espionage and murder.
April 3, 2022
Wonderful and charmingly written. We have a mix of genres that centre around the nefarious goings on in a posh London hotel, and encounter blackmail, kidnap, murder and much amusement to boot. I loved Bennett’s style of writing and am hoping to read more of his work.
March 19, 2020
An absolutely charming crime mystery novel from a innocent time that seems very far away these days.
June 30, 2018
I liked it at first but it became too silly for words. I think it's of its time and a bit of a lighthearted frolicking crime story much like our BBC offerings like Midsummer Murders or Shakespeare & Hathaway.
February 18, 2015
Arnold Bennett wrote this book 'for a lark' and it takes the form of a madcap chase from London to Ostend and back. The opening chapter is so promising, with Racksole's purchase on a whim of the capital's most luxurious hotel so that he can call the tune in the restaurant and insist on dining off a steak and a bottle of Bass, to the chagrin of the supercilious maître d'hôtel. With a cast of shady minor royalty and cardboard cut-out crooks from the melodrama, the novel should engage its reader, but the narrative is undisciplined and unwieldy. One wonders whether Bennett really had any idea where he and his plot were going next.
June 18, 2013
The second Bennett adventure I've read, the first being 'Buried Alive', and I thoroughly enjoyed it...
American millionaire Theodore Racksole is staying at The Grand Babylon Hotel with his daughter Nella and is a bit displeased with service one evening, so he complains to the manager and ends up just buying the hotel from him... Now this may seem a rather simple transaction for a millionaire but what about when murder and other crimes and conspiricies follow such a transaction?
American millionaire Theodore Racksole is staying at The Grand Babylon Hotel with his daughter Nella and is a bit displeased with service one evening, so he complains to the manager and ends up just buying the hotel from him... Now this may seem a rather simple transaction for a millionaire but what about when murder and other crimes and conspiricies follow such a transaction?
October 16, 2023
Predictable, but the BBC adaption is fun and bit funny. Honesty, I wanted the regular staff to just shot everyone
November 24, 2025
I needed a book from my shelves that involves food. Well, this story starts with ordering a steak and bottle of wine that are not on the menu and you end up with the main character buying the hotel..then a murder mystery breaks out.
It sounds better than how it went down, but it was an okay time...one to try for yourself.
It sounds better than how it went down, but it was an okay time...one to try for yourself.
May 30, 2016
"The Grand Babylon Hotel ... [was] written 'for a lark' and sold as a serial for £100. The novel was intended by its author to be 'absolutely sublime in those qualities that should characterize a sensation serial'. And it is.
"As action crowds on action (with cliff-hangers to close every chapter) crowned heads, petty princelings and plutocrats jostle with international conspirators and murderers in the public rooms and corridors of the greatest hotel in Europe.
"When THEODORE RACKSOLE, New York railroad millionaire, buys the Grand Babylon on a whim, he is warned by the vendor, M. FELIX BABYLON 'You will regret the purchase.' Returning to his table in the salle a manger, he imparts the news to his beautiful daughter, NELLA.
"And now read on."
~~back cover
An absolutely charming parody of the vintage British mystery genre! Convoluted, with none of it making much sense until the final chapter, nevertheless it's an enticing romp through that era of British supremacy and international intrigue.
"As action crowds on action (with cliff-hangers to close every chapter) crowned heads, petty princelings and plutocrats jostle with international conspirators and murderers in the public rooms and corridors of the greatest hotel in Europe.
"When THEODORE RACKSOLE, New York railroad millionaire, buys the Grand Babylon on a whim, he is warned by the vendor, M. FELIX BABYLON 'You will regret the purchase.' Returning to his table in the salle a manger, he imparts the news to his beautiful daughter, NELLA.
"And now read on."
~~back cover
An absolutely charming parody of the vintage British mystery genre! Convoluted, with none of it making much sense until the final chapter, nevertheless it's an enticing romp through that era of British supremacy and international intrigue.
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