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Hotel Mysteries #3
Murder at Claridge's
October 1940. The Blitz bombing raids continue mercilessly, but when the body of a kitchen porter from Claridge's hotel is found, it is clear that he has not been the victim of a he was strangled. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg has to find out exactly who he was, and what he was doing at Claridge's under a false identity. Armed with those facts, he might get an insight into why he was killed, and by whom.
But the investigation is complicated by the fact that so many of the hotel's residents are exiled European royalty. Clandestine affairs, furtive goings-on and conspiracies against the Coburg must tread very lightly indeed .
But the investigation is complicated by the fact that so many of the hotel's residents are exiled European royalty. Clandestine affairs, furtive goings-on and conspiracies against the Coburg must tread very lightly indeed .
318 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2022
21 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Jim Eldridge
160 books152 followersJim Eldridge is the author of many books for children, including titles in the My Story series, the Warpath books, and How to Handle Grown-Ups. He has had 250 TV scripts broadcast in the UK and internationally for children's and teen television, and is also the creator and writer of Radio 4's long-running comedy-drama series, King Street Junior.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
May 9, 2022
My thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Murder at Claridge’s is the third of the historical Hotel Mysteries series by Jim Eldridge and the second that I’m reading and reviewing (I also read and enjoyed book 2, Murder at the Savoy, last year). The series is a police procedural set in 1940s London amidst the blitz and we follow Chief Inspector Edgar Saxe-Coburg of Scotland Yard (not serving in the war because of a damaged lung), younger brother of a peer, as he and his partner Sargent Lampson solve cases, as well as deal with problems of daily life. Edgar is married to Rosa Weekes, a jazz pianist and singer, who during the war is volunteering with the St John’s Ambulance. Lampson has lost his wife, and is dealing with a teenaged son who seems to be getting out of hand, though he is helped by his parents in caring for the boy. Chief Inspector Coburg finds his social position both a blessing and a curse for while it helps open doors and aid investigations when the upper echelons of society are involved, it has also earned him a nemesis in Inspector Lomax, a working-class man who believes Chief Inspector Coburg has got to where he is only because of his social status (rather than any talent), and is resentful (somewhat justifiably so) when cases involving the upper crust are taken from him and handed to Coburg.
And this is what unfolds in this book at well. A kitchen hand is murdered, in fact garrotted, just outside the entrance to the kitchens of the Claridge’s. Inspector Lomax is called to the scene and begins his investigation in a rather heavy-handed manner, pronouncing the kitchen too hot and questioning the staff superficially before moving the body out. Meanwhile Coburg and Lampson who are dealing with the case of a domestic violence victim who finally couldn’t take it anymore, are put onto the Claridge’s murder by the Superintendent, for Rupert D’Oyly Carte prefers the case be handled by Coburg since a lot of European royalty is living at the Claridge’s. Needless to say, this worsens things with Lomax, who once again makes allegations of nepotism, and such. Alongside, we have some gangsters, Hooky Morton and Roly Fitt engaged in a battle over black-marketing and their goons switching sides, which leads to some other deaths, and then another murder similar to but seemingly unconnected with the Claridge’s murder on which once again Lomax is called in. Also, Lampson is working out a plan to get his son away from the bad company he seems to have fallen into (which also throws up the promise of some romance for Lampson) while Rosa wishes to do more than just her volunteering work so that she can help people much more than she has been doing.
This was an enjoyable read for me, just like the previous book in the series I read. I find I really get along with Eldridge’s writing; the book moved well and kept me reading, both in its pace and plot. I also quite like the characters, Coburg and Rosa, Lampson (and his family), and Coburg’s older brother the Earl of Dawlish (though in this book, he only has a minor role—one telephone call).
The historical setting and detail are nicely done, and I think the author manages to combine real (events and characters) and fictional elements in a successful way. Being set in the blitz, one really gets a feel of what life would have been like in those times—on the one side we have people leading (or at least attempting to) what one might call are normal, ordinary lives, but at the same time, one never knows when one encounters the worst either—buildings disappearing and colleagues or friends dying right before one’s eyes, spending every night in a shelter, rationing every little thing, but worst of all, living without a sense of security at all times (This is something one sees across the books). Besides the atmosphere of the blitz, we also get an idea of the broader politics of the time (which has a role to play in the story as well)—from the various European governments that operated out of London at the time, to the fraught relationship with the French (which I hadn’t realised continued even when they were allies) as the British continued to support the Vichy regime led by Marshall Pétain while also giving space to De Gaulle and his ‘government’ for the support they received. I hadn’t realised quite how complicated things were in this sense at the time. I also enjoyed meeting the real-life characters that make an appearance like Peter Fleming, brother of Ian, whom I last ‘met’ in Wuhan, while Oswald Mosley and D’Oyly Carte are mentioned as in the previous book.
The mystery or rather mysteries in the story are interesting and keep one engaged all through. We have several threads going on from the Claridge’s murder to the other similar death that takes place, the gang fight of sorts that is going on, as well as the domestic violence case that Coburg and Lampson are working on and some other illegal activities they end up uncovering. Some of these are connected, and others not and there is more than one twist or development that I didn’t see coming at all.
This is rather a packed book, really, with a lot going on from police work and the different mystery/investigation threads, to Rosa’s experiences volunteering and her wanting to do more, her performances as singer and pianist, Lampson’s troubles with his son, the antagonism with Lomax and his team and a whole lot more. In a sense, it is very much a reflection of real life, where it isn’t as though one case is all that a policeman (or any detective for that matter) handles, and where personal life doesn’t stop or take a backseat either, and I thought Eldridge did a great job of weaving all this in such that one can follow all the developments while keeping everything straight in one’s mind. But at the same time, if it makes sense, sometimes it did feel like there was a bit too much going on as well. Also, one other small niggle was that I’d have liked to get more of a ‘feel’ of the Claridge’s itself.
But overall, this is a good and engaging police procedural with likeable characters, and a solid historical background and detail. I’m excited to see where the next book in this series takes place, and what lies ahead for Coburg, Rosa, and Lampson!
4.25 stars.
Murder at Claridge’s is the third of the historical Hotel Mysteries series by Jim Eldridge and the second that I’m reading and reviewing (I also read and enjoyed book 2, Murder at the Savoy, last year). The series is a police procedural set in 1940s London amidst the blitz and we follow Chief Inspector Edgar Saxe-Coburg of Scotland Yard (not serving in the war because of a damaged lung), younger brother of a peer, as he and his partner Sargent Lampson solve cases, as well as deal with problems of daily life. Edgar is married to Rosa Weekes, a jazz pianist and singer, who during the war is volunteering with the St John’s Ambulance. Lampson has lost his wife, and is dealing with a teenaged son who seems to be getting out of hand, though he is helped by his parents in caring for the boy. Chief Inspector Coburg finds his social position both a blessing and a curse for while it helps open doors and aid investigations when the upper echelons of society are involved, it has also earned him a nemesis in Inspector Lomax, a working-class man who believes Chief Inspector Coburg has got to where he is only because of his social status (rather than any talent), and is resentful (somewhat justifiably so) when cases involving the upper crust are taken from him and handed to Coburg.
And this is what unfolds in this book at well. A kitchen hand is murdered, in fact garrotted, just outside the entrance to the kitchens of the Claridge’s. Inspector Lomax is called to the scene and begins his investigation in a rather heavy-handed manner, pronouncing the kitchen too hot and questioning the staff superficially before moving the body out. Meanwhile Coburg and Lampson who are dealing with the case of a domestic violence victim who finally couldn’t take it anymore, are put onto the Claridge’s murder by the Superintendent, for Rupert D’Oyly Carte prefers the case be handled by Coburg since a lot of European royalty is living at the Claridge’s. Needless to say, this worsens things with Lomax, who once again makes allegations of nepotism, and such. Alongside, we have some gangsters, Hooky Morton and Roly Fitt engaged in a battle over black-marketing and their goons switching sides, which leads to some other deaths, and then another murder similar to but seemingly unconnected with the Claridge’s murder on which once again Lomax is called in. Also, Lampson is working out a plan to get his son away from the bad company he seems to have fallen into (which also throws up the promise of some romance for Lampson) while Rosa wishes to do more than just her volunteering work so that she can help people much more than she has been doing.
This was an enjoyable read for me, just like the previous book in the series I read. I find I really get along with Eldridge’s writing; the book moved well and kept me reading, both in its pace and plot. I also quite like the characters, Coburg and Rosa, Lampson (and his family), and Coburg’s older brother the Earl of Dawlish (though in this book, he only has a minor role—one telephone call).
The historical setting and detail are nicely done, and I think the author manages to combine real (events and characters) and fictional elements in a successful way. Being set in the blitz, one really gets a feel of what life would have been like in those times—on the one side we have people leading (or at least attempting to) what one might call are normal, ordinary lives, but at the same time, one never knows when one encounters the worst either—buildings disappearing and colleagues or friends dying right before one’s eyes, spending every night in a shelter, rationing every little thing, but worst of all, living without a sense of security at all times (This is something one sees across the books). Besides the atmosphere of the blitz, we also get an idea of the broader politics of the time (which has a role to play in the story as well)—from the various European governments that operated out of London at the time, to the fraught relationship with the French (which I hadn’t realised continued even when they were allies) as the British continued to support the Vichy regime led by Marshall Pétain while also giving space to De Gaulle and his ‘government’ for the support they received. I hadn’t realised quite how complicated things were in this sense at the time. I also enjoyed meeting the real-life characters that make an appearance like Peter Fleming, brother of Ian, whom I last ‘met’ in Wuhan, while Oswald Mosley and D’Oyly Carte are mentioned as in the previous book.
The mystery or rather mysteries in the story are interesting and keep one engaged all through. We have several threads going on from the Claridge’s murder to the other similar death that takes place, the gang fight of sorts that is going on, as well as the domestic violence case that Coburg and Lampson are working on and some other illegal activities they end up uncovering. Some of these are connected, and others not and there is more than one twist or development that I didn’t see coming at all.
This is rather a packed book, really, with a lot going on from police work and the different mystery/investigation threads, to Rosa’s experiences volunteering and her wanting to do more, her performances as singer and pianist, Lampson’s troubles with his son, the antagonism with Lomax and his team and a whole lot more. In a sense, it is very much a reflection of real life, where it isn’t as though one case is all that a policeman (or any detective for that matter) handles, and where personal life doesn’t stop or take a backseat either, and I thought Eldridge did a great job of weaving all this in such that one can follow all the developments while keeping everything straight in one’s mind. But at the same time, if it makes sense, sometimes it did feel like there was a bit too much going on as well. Also, one other small niggle was that I’d have liked to get more of a ‘feel’ of the Claridge’s itself.
But overall, this is a good and engaging police procedural with likeable characters, and a solid historical background and detail. I’m excited to see where the next book in this series takes place, and what lies ahead for Coburg, Rosa, and Lampson!
4.25 stars.
April 3, 2022
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Interesting and entertaining but has too many subplots
An unsuspecting kitchen porter from Claridge’s has been murdered (garroted to be precise). He was a Romanian who did his job and kept to himself. Why would anyone want to kill him? Was he silenced or prevented from causing damage?
With WWII raging in the backdrop, many of the world’s important personalities are staying at Claridge’s. Inspector Coburg knows the case is more complicated than it appears. As if that’s not enough, he has to deal with another inspector who hates him, established illegal market dealers, and more!
Can Coburg get to the root of the case and solve the others before things get out of control?
This is the third book in the series and my first. It did take me a while to get hang of the characters. The book can be read as a standalone, though it would make more sense if we knew who was who from the beginning.
• There’s a bit of info dump at random places. I’m not sure I want to read the entire transcript of Princess Elizabeth’s radio speech. It doesn’t add anything to the story. A mention of it would’ve done the job.
• The story is most tell and no show, which works for a mystery. I got the information about the case without any elaborate descriptions.
• Coburg is a likable and amicable character. Lampson and Rosa were interesting, though I wish the women were better written. They needed to be fleshed out more.
• What didn’t work for me were the multiple subplots. Some were solved a bit too easily, and a few distracted me from the actual case. I understand the police and Yard usually have a lot going on at once, but we don’t need all of it.
• Moreover, the primary case wasn’t resolved the way it should have been. It felt a little bland and doesn’t satisfy the mystery lover in me.
• That said, I didn’t feel bored when reading the book, so I will read the next (and the previous ones) to see how I feel about the series. I rather liked Inspector Coburg, so he deserves another chance. ;)
To sum up, Murder at Claridge's is an interesting historical mystery set in the WWII backdrop if we ignore the excessive subplots. It would be fun reading the next books in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Allison & Busby, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #MurderatClaridges
One Liner: Interesting and entertaining but has too many subplots
An unsuspecting kitchen porter from Claridge’s has been murdered (garroted to be precise). He was a Romanian who did his job and kept to himself. Why would anyone want to kill him? Was he silenced or prevented from causing damage?
With WWII raging in the backdrop, many of the world’s important personalities are staying at Claridge’s. Inspector Coburg knows the case is more complicated than it appears. As if that’s not enough, he has to deal with another inspector who hates him, established illegal market dealers, and more!
Can Coburg get to the root of the case and solve the others before things get out of control?
This is the third book in the series and my first. It did take me a while to get hang of the characters. The book can be read as a standalone, though it would make more sense if we knew who was who from the beginning.
• There’s a bit of info dump at random places. I’m not sure I want to read the entire transcript of Princess Elizabeth’s radio speech. It doesn’t add anything to the story. A mention of it would’ve done the job.
• The story is most tell and no show, which works for a mystery. I got the information about the case without any elaborate descriptions.
• Coburg is a likable and amicable character. Lampson and Rosa were interesting, though I wish the women were better written. They needed to be fleshed out more.
• What didn’t work for me were the multiple subplots. Some were solved a bit too easily, and a few distracted me from the actual case. I understand the police and Yard usually have a lot going on at once, but we don’t need all of it.
• Moreover, the primary case wasn’t resolved the way it should have been. It felt a little bland and doesn’t satisfy the mystery lover in me.
• That said, I didn’t feel bored when reading the book, so I will read the next (and the previous ones) to see how I feel about the series. I rather liked Inspector Coburg, so he deserves another chance. ;)
To sum up, Murder at Claridge's is an interesting historical mystery set in the WWII backdrop if we ignore the excessive subplots. It would be fun reading the next books in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley and Allison & Busby, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #MurderatClaridges
March 19, 2022
I'm a big fan of Jim Eldridge's museum mystery series, which features a male retired police detective and female archaeologist investigating murders at—you guessed it: British museums!— in the late 1800s. I somehow had missed the fact that he also writes a hotel mysteries series set in WWII London where the murders happen at—you guessed it: British hotels! This new-to-me series is every bit as engaging as the one I've been following. The different setting and cast of characters gives reader access to a world very different from the one in the museum series.
In this volume, a kitchen worker has been murdered outside Claridge's. This poses certain problems as a great many leaders and royals from mainland Europe have taken up residence in Claridge's after fleeing their home countries. DCI Coburg, the younger brother of a member of the aristocracy, is called in to take over the investigation because higher-ups trust him not to ruffle feathers while investigating. Coburg find that the kitchen worker is essentially a man without an identity, whose presence in Britain may or may not be a threat. Coburg also finds himself investigating a prostitution ring serving Claridge's residents (more need for not ruffling feather).
The pacing here is lively. The secondary characters are well-developed, and the depictions of life in London during the Blitz are both stark and moving. If you enjoy detective or WWII fiction, you have a real treat ahead of you. Read Murder at Claridge's—and check out Eldrige's museum mysteries as well. You have many happy hours of reading ahead of you.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
In this volume, a kitchen worker has been murdered outside Claridge's. This poses certain problems as a great many leaders and royals from mainland Europe have taken up residence in Claridge's after fleeing their home countries. DCI Coburg, the younger brother of a member of the aristocracy, is called in to take over the investigation because higher-ups trust him not to ruffle feathers while investigating. Coburg find that the kitchen worker is essentially a man without an identity, whose presence in Britain may or may not be a threat. Coburg also finds himself investigating a prostitution ring serving Claridge's residents (more need for not ruffling feather).
The pacing here is lively. The secondary characters are well-developed, and the depictions of life in London during the Blitz are both stark and moving. If you enjoy detective or WWII fiction, you have a real treat ahead of you. Read Murder at Claridge's—and check out Eldrige's museum mysteries as well. You have many happy hours of reading ahead of you.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
March 19, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for an e-galley of this crime novel.
It was a pleasure to read this historical crime novel, one of several by this author where a murder takes place in one of the magnificent hotels of London in the early years of World War II. This was the first novel I've read by this author and found it very pleasant to watch as he depicted the controlled chaos taking place in London as a result of the nightly air raids. The main character is Detective Inspector Edgar Saxe-Coburg, not titled himself but the brother of an Earl which circumstance opened many doors for him within government agencies in the British government. DI Coburg doesn't trade on his advantages within the English upper class, but he also doesn't hesitate to use his situation to help him solve the problem of several murder victims who have been killed in an unusual way.
The crimes kept on happening through the entire book, so the pace never became slow or laborious, but the author solved all the puzzles with no dangling threads left blowing in the wind. I've read several books about the glamorous hotels in London during this period of the early 1940s, so I already had some background to help me understand the level of opulence available to patrons at the Claridge. This is not information you need to enjoy this novel, but it did definitely make me interested in checking out what the author has already done with the Ritz and the Savoy.
It was a pleasure to read this historical crime novel, one of several by this author where a murder takes place in one of the magnificent hotels of London in the early years of World War II. This was the first novel I've read by this author and found it very pleasant to watch as he depicted the controlled chaos taking place in London as a result of the nightly air raids. The main character is Detective Inspector Edgar Saxe-Coburg, not titled himself but the brother of an Earl which circumstance opened many doors for him within government agencies in the British government. DI Coburg doesn't trade on his advantages within the English upper class, but he also doesn't hesitate to use his situation to help him solve the problem of several murder victims who have been killed in an unusual way.
The crimes kept on happening through the entire book, so the pace never became slow or laborious, but the author solved all the puzzles with no dangling threads left blowing in the wind. I've read several books about the glamorous hotels in London during this period of the early 1940s, so I already had some background to help me understand the level of opulence available to patrons at the Claridge. This is not information you need to enjoy this novel, but it did definitely make me interested in checking out what the author has already done with the Ritz and the Savoy.
July 24, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am becoming a big fan of Jim Eldridge's books. I love the Museum Mysteries series, so I thought I would give this book a try to see if held the same allure. It did. The writing is just so well done and very readable. The settings and attention to historical detail are top-notch. It was well paced, and held up well as a standalone. The plot was intelligent and engaging. Coburg (along with his wife) are strong lead characters. And it was all wrapped up in a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
I am becoming a big fan of Jim Eldridge's books. I love the Museum Mysteries series, so I thought I would give this book a try to see if held the same allure. It did. The writing is just so well done and very readable. The settings and attention to historical detail are top-notch. It was well paced, and held up well as a standalone. The plot was intelligent and engaging. Coburg (along with his wife) are strong lead characters. And it was all wrapped up in a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
April 14, 2022
Many thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby Books for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review Murder at Claridge’s. All opinions and comments are my own.
There’s bodies galore in Murder at Claridge’s, the third in the WWII-era hotel series by author Jim Eldridge. Including one very surprising one, that comes almost as a postscript to the rest of the story of murder and mayhem at one of the most prestigious hotels in the world.
Readers of history may recall that London hotels, especially the extra “fancy” ones, were home to some rather Important People during the war. We learn this rather quickly when there’s the gruesome killing of a foreign kitchen worker at Claridge’s, who just happens to be there waiting to carry out his assignment; assassinate one of the many foreign kings in residence at the hotel. This is the impetus for the arrival on the scene of the Honorable Edgar Walter Septimus Saxe-Coburg, more popularly known as DCI Edgar Saxe-Coburg of Scotland Yard. He’s always called in to work these sensitive cases because of the aristocratic connection, much to the chagrin of DCI Lomax, his enemy on the force, a fact well known to readers of earlier books.
Add in when things are not going his way for the head of a gang, that’s never going to end well. And our gang leader, “Hooky” Morton is going to deal with that in his own inimitable fashion. Cue main plotline #2. Hooky has plans for a lot of people, including the coppers who are giving him a very hard time. That will not bode well for someone we’ve come to know, as you’ll find out as the book winds down to its end. Hooky’s story has, shall we say, a fitting finish.
Oh, and did I mention the prostitution ring operating in the hotel? And the selling of fake officer commissions? And what’s Coburg’s “partner,” Sergeant Lampson’s cousin-in-law hiding from his wife? Pull up a chair and get comfy; there’s a lot going on in “Murder at Claridges.”
Jim Eldridge manages to keep it all straight for us, in fairly fast-paced fashion. Since this is a wartime-based story, you can pretty much guess there are going to be some wartime machinations at play here. Coburg even gets an audience with Charles de Gaulle. Murder at Claridge’s captures its time period well, the scenes of a bombed-out London reminding us of the terrible dangers that the citizens went through. Fans of WWII-themed mysteries should find this fits the bill nicely.
There’s bodies galore in Murder at Claridge’s, the third in the WWII-era hotel series by author Jim Eldridge. Including one very surprising one, that comes almost as a postscript to the rest of the story of murder and mayhem at one of the most prestigious hotels in the world.
Readers of history may recall that London hotels, especially the extra “fancy” ones, were home to some rather Important People during the war. We learn this rather quickly when there’s the gruesome killing of a foreign kitchen worker at Claridge’s, who just happens to be there waiting to carry out his assignment; assassinate one of the many foreign kings in residence at the hotel. This is the impetus for the arrival on the scene of the Honorable Edgar Walter Septimus Saxe-Coburg, more popularly known as DCI Edgar Saxe-Coburg of Scotland Yard. He’s always called in to work these sensitive cases because of the aristocratic connection, much to the chagrin of DCI Lomax, his enemy on the force, a fact well known to readers of earlier books.
Add in when things are not going his way for the head of a gang, that’s never going to end well. And our gang leader, “Hooky” Morton is going to deal with that in his own inimitable fashion. Cue main plotline #2. Hooky has plans for a lot of people, including the coppers who are giving him a very hard time. That will not bode well for someone we’ve come to know, as you’ll find out as the book winds down to its end. Hooky’s story has, shall we say, a fitting finish.
Oh, and did I mention the prostitution ring operating in the hotel? And the selling of fake officer commissions? And what’s Coburg’s “partner,” Sergeant Lampson’s cousin-in-law hiding from his wife? Pull up a chair and get comfy; there’s a lot going on in “Murder at Claridges.”
Jim Eldridge manages to keep it all straight for us, in fairly fast-paced fashion. Since this is a wartime-based story, you can pretty much guess there are going to be some wartime machinations at play here. Coburg even gets an audience with Charles de Gaulle. Murder at Claridge’s captures its time period well, the scenes of a bombed-out London reminding us of the terrible dangers that the citizens went through. Fans of WWII-themed mysteries should find this fits the bill nicely.
May 15, 2022
This is the first book by this author and not my usual historical mystery read. I found it very entertaining. It was well written with wonderful characters and information about living through the blitz. There were lots of twists and turns that gave a good substance to the story. I would like to read more by this author. I received this as an ARC through NetGalley and freely give my review.
March 24, 2022
Third in a series with detective chief Inspector Coburg, this story takes place in 1940 London where a kitchen porter has been strangled. Complicating matters is that the hotel is filled with exiled Eastern European royalty. The hotels requests Coburg to investigate because of his notoriety and connections to the nobility. Conspiracies, cons, and wartime secrets abound.
I struggled with the points of view in the beginning. We followed the victims, a gangster, several police officers, Coburg’s wife, and the inspector. It was hard to know who our MC was because no one was given more attention than another.
The pacing was slow and the historical setup was heavy handed. For example, Princess Elizabeth’s entire radio speech was printed in order to set the wartime stage and there were long conversations about the RAF and the Luftwaffe to explain the nightly bombing. Facts about the case were told to one character and repeated to another and at times it seemed like the multiple investigations dragged.
There was little inward reflection by Coburg or anyone else. It was hard to know what anyone felt, so I couldn’t care about them. Maybe the previous books built up these personalities, but here they were just going through the motions. The resolution to the primary case felt rushed, and it often felt like I was reading a report of what happened instead of a novel. I might try the first book to see if that was better.
I received an arc from NetGalley
I struggled with the points of view in the beginning. We followed the victims, a gangster, several police officers, Coburg’s wife, and the inspector. It was hard to know who our MC was because no one was given more attention than another.
The pacing was slow and the historical setup was heavy handed. For example, Princess Elizabeth’s entire radio speech was printed in order to set the wartime stage and there were long conversations about the RAF and the Luftwaffe to explain the nightly bombing. Facts about the case were told to one character and repeated to another and at times it seemed like the multiple investigations dragged.
There was little inward reflection by Coburg or anyone else. It was hard to know what anyone felt, so I couldn’t care about them. Maybe the previous books built up these personalities, but here they were just going through the motions. The resolution to the primary case felt rushed, and it often felt like I was reading a report of what happened instead of a novel. I might try the first book to see if that was better.
I received an arc from NetGalley
April 3, 2022
October's 1940 London. DCI Coburg and Sergeant Ted Lampson are called to to investigate the death of a kitchen porter at the Claridge's Hotel. Much to the annoyance of the local Detective Inspector Lomax, then another similar murder occurs on his patch. But there is also the problem of fighting between local gangs, and various fraud ploys to be investigated. While some are dealing with personal problems.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its varied and likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its varied and likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2022
im Eldridge and his aristocratic Detective Chief Inspector Edgar Saxe-Coburg are working their way around the best hotels in 1940s London, investigating murder We have had The Ritz, The Savoy, and now Claridges. Setting a murder against a grand backdrop is a simple but agreeable formula which Eldridge has employed in his ‘museum series’, which are set in late Victorian England. The action takes place in October 1940, with Londoners under the hammer from Hitler’s bombers each and every night.
The concept which underpins the plot is similar to the one used in Murder at The Ritz. In the late 1930s, there were still countries in Europe ruled by what we might dismiss as ‘minor monarchies’. Albania, Yugoslavia and Romania all had ruling families, and some of them decamped to London, along with their coffers of gold. Also in London, which adds spice to the plot, were less fortunate people, some of them with a political agenda. One such, a Romanian kitchen hand at Claridges, is found garotted outside on the pavement. Saxe-Coburg’s boss calls hands him the murder investigation. The reason he wants Edgar on the case is touchingly naive. He thinks that when peace returns, and the ruling families of the Balkans resume their thrones, they will remember fondly the discretion and tact used by an English detective. The garotter then finds another victim, but what possible connection does a young woman working for the Free French headquarters in London have the unfortunate Romanian?
Lurking in the background of this tale is a man who is less than noble, but with more power than all the kings and queens sheltering in London’s best hotel suites. Henry ‘Hooky’ Morton is a London gangster who is building his empire on black market scams, the most profitable of which is his manipulation of the petrol market. We think of fuel supply – or lack of it – as a very modern problem, but in 1940, having fuel to put in your car was crucial to many organisations. Hooky Morton has a problem, though. Someone has infiltrated his gang, and is making him look stupid. Then, Hooky does something really, really stupid and, no nearer identifying the garotte killer or their motives, Saxe-Coburg becomes involved in investigating what is, for any copper, the worst crime of all.
Saxe-Coburg’s wife Rosa, a popular pianist and singer does her bit for morale in concert halls and hotels in the evening, but her day job is more exacting and brings her face to face with the havoc raining down on London from the sky – she drives an ambulance. Her assistant is killed when a bombed building collapses on him, and a little while later, when Rosa goes to visit his widow. she is horrified to find the woman dead on the kitchen floor, killed with the same method used to despatch the Romanian kitchen hand and the young Frenchwoman.
I suppose Murder at Claridges is, if genres mean anything, on the fringe of cosy crime, but is a genuine page-turner. Despite the grimly authentic background of London being battered by the Luftwaffe, it gives us larger-than-life characters and, of course, it allows us to peep into a world which only the truly rich inhabit. The suave Saxe-Coburg is a timely antidote to the damaged, troubled and – frankly – disturbing world of so many fictional Detective Inspectors who inhabit our contemporary world. Eldridge is a fine writer and never has escapism been so elegantly penned. This book is published by Allison & Busby, and will be out in Kindle and hardback on 21st April, with a paperback edition due in the autumn.
The concept which underpins the plot is similar to the one used in Murder at The Ritz. In the late 1930s, there were still countries in Europe ruled by what we might dismiss as ‘minor monarchies’. Albania, Yugoslavia and Romania all had ruling families, and some of them decamped to London, along with their coffers of gold. Also in London, which adds spice to the plot, were less fortunate people, some of them with a political agenda. One such, a Romanian kitchen hand at Claridges, is found garotted outside on the pavement. Saxe-Coburg’s boss calls hands him the murder investigation. The reason he wants Edgar on the case is touchingly naive. He thinks that when peace returns, and the ruling families of the Balkans resume their thrones, they will remember fondly the discretion and tact used by an English detective. The garotter then finds another victim, but what possible connection does a young woman working for the Free French headquarters in London have the unfortunate Romanian?
Lurking in the background of this tale is a man who is less than noble, but with more power than all the kings and queens sheltering in London’s best hotel suites. Henry ‘Hooky’ Morton is a London gangster who is building his empire on black market scams, the most profitable of which is his manipulation of the petrol market. We think of fuel supply – or lack of it – as a very modern problem, but in 1940, having fuel to put in your car was crucial to many organisations. Hooky Morton has a problem, though. Someone has infiltrated his gang, and is making him look stupid. Then, Hooky does something really, really stupid and, no nearer identifying the garotte killer or their motives, Saxe-Coburg becomes involved in investigating what is, for any copper, the worst crime of all.
Saxe-Coburg’s wife Rosa, a popular pianist and singer does her bit for morale in concert halls and hotels in the evening, but her day job is more exacting and brings her face to face with the havoc raining down on London from the sky – she drives an ambulance. Her assistant is killed when a bombed building collapses on him, and a little while later, when Rosa goes to visit his widow. she is horrified to find the woman dead on the kitchen floor, killed with the same method used to despatch the Romanian kitchen hand and the young Frenchwoman.
I suppose Murder at Claridges is, if genres mean anything, on the fringe of cosy crime, but is a genuine page-turner. Despite the grimly authentic background of London being battered by the Luftwaffe, it gives us larger-than-life characters and, of course, it allows us to peep into a world which only the truly rich inhabit. The suave Saxe-Coburg is a timely antidote to the damaged, troubled and – frankly – disturbing world of so many fictional Detective Inspectors who inhabit our contemporary world. Eldridge is a fine writer and never has escapism been so elegantly penned. This book is published by Allison & Busby, and will be out in Kindle and hardback on 21st April, with a paperback edition due in the autumn.
April 22, 2022
Murder at Claridge's by Jim Eldridge is a police procedural taking place toward the middle of World War II in England. It is 1940 and the war had not stopped crime. It's just added a whole new dimension to the life of DCI Saxe-Coburg and his new wife, singer Rosa Weeks, who was also volunteering as an ambulance driver as there was little call for singers in wartime. She and her partner, Derrick Peers, had been called out to a possible heart attack. As Rosa was unloading the stretcher, the house collapsed, right onto Derrick. Her partner was dead and all she wanted was her husband to comfort her. She tracked him down at Claridge's, which was an upscale hotel, where she was mistaken for a prostitute. Her day was not getting better. Coburg was investigating a murder of a man who worked in the kitchen. He was garroted, not a common way to die, but he picked up an investigation of prostitution, fraud, and possible link to mobsters while he was there. It was a relief to get home to Rosa, where she shared her day with him. After hearing about her run-in with the man looking for a prostitute, he returned to the hotel and got further information from that man.
There were more deaths, including a local DI and Coburg solved or helped solve most of them. This was and excellent book, full of intriguing personalities, some good, some bad, and some in between, like all people. Him being remotely related to an aristocrat and having attend Eton and Cambridge opened doors for him not accessible to other policemen. He was a strong intelligent character, perfect for hi intrepid wife. The mysteries were good, and inter-related on some level. Such is life. It was a genuine look into the lives of Londoners during 1940, which is something good for all of us. It was a terrific, well-written book. Worth your time.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder at Claridge's by Allison & Busby, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #allison&busby #murderatclardiges #jimeldridge
There were more deaths, including a local DI and Coburg solved or helped solve most of them. This was and excellent book, full of intriguing personalities, some good, some bad, and some in between, like all people. Him being remotely related to an aristocrat and having attend Eton and Cambridge opened doors for him not accessible to other policemen. He was a strong intelligent character, perfect for hi intrepid wife. The mysteries were good, and inter-related on some level. Such is life. It was a genuine look into the lives of Londoners during 1940, which is something good for all of us. It was a terrific, well-written book. Worth your time.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder at Claridge's by Allison & Busby, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #allison&busby #murderatclardiges #jimeldridge
April 2, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance copy of Murder at Claridges, the third novel in the Hotel Mysteries series, set in London in 1940 and featuring DCI Edgar Saxe-Coburg of Scotland Yard.
A kitchen porter at Claridges Hotel is garrotted. The hotel is home to several European royals and politicians in exile, so diplomacy in the form of DCI Coburg is called for. His first task is to establish who the victim was as he probably isn’t the Romanian he claims to be.
I enjoyed Murder at Claridges, which is a lightweight look at London during the Blitz. It is the first novel I have read by this author, so I had no preconceptions. Firstly I will say that it works as a stand-alone as I had no issue with joining mid series, everything is well explained and there are no hangovers from previous novels, or if there are, it’s not obvious.
The author does a good job of setting the wartime scene through various characters, their actions and what they see. It’s not profound but does the job, especially as readers have so many pictures of Ukraine as a reference point in terms of bomb damage and personal suffering.
The author’s approach to structuring his novel is not to my taste. It constantly switches point of view and plot line, so all the to-ing and fro-ing never gave me a chance to really sink my teeth into the narrative and get wholly immersed. There are two main plots, the garrotting and the doings of a local gangster, but various subsidiary crimes come to light as well. There is a lot going on, but the resolutions are decidedly inconclusive. It’s probably realistic, but not very satisfying for the reader.
I didn’t like the way the female characters are portrayed, either overly emotional or duplicitous. Even Coburg’s wife, Rosa, who wants medical training is not taken seriously. The men, obviously, are out doing manly things.
Murder at Claridges is an easy way to pass a few hours.
A kitchen porter at Claridges Hotel is garrotted. The hotel is home to several European royals and politicians in exile, so diplomacy in the form of DCI Coburg is called for. His first task is to establish who the victim was as he probably isn’t the Romanian he claims to be.
I enjoyed Murder at Claridges, which is a lightweight look at London during the Blitz. It is the first novel I have read by this author, so I had no preconceptions. Firstly I will say that it works as a stand-alone as I had no issue with joining mid series, everything is well explained and there are no hangovers from previous novels, or if there are, it’s not obvious.
The author does a good job of setting the wartime scene through various characters, their actions and what they see. It’s not profound but does the job, especially as readers have so many pictures of Ukraine as a reference point in terms of bomb damage and personal suffering.
The author’s approach to structuring his novel is not to my taste. It constantly switches point of view and plot line, so all the to-ing and fro-ing never gave me a chance to really sink my teeth into the narrative and get wholly immersed. There are two main plots, the garrotting and the doings of a local gangster, but various subsidiary crimes come to light as well. There is a lot going on, but the resolutions are decidedly inconclusive. It’s probably realistic, but not very satisfying for the reader.
I didn’t like the way the female characters are portrayed, either overly emotional or duplicitous. Even Coburg’s wife, Rosa, who wants medical training is not taken seriously. The men, obviously, are out doing manly things.
Murder at Claridges is an easy way to pass a few hours.
April 21, 2022
Jim Eldridge’s Murder at Claridge’s features his “Hotel Detective”, DCI Edgar Saxe-Coburg. This book is the third in the series, with previous books dealing with murders at the Ritz and the Savoy. Eldridge is currently writing two series: these Hotel Detective novels set during the Blitz and the “Museum Detective” mysteries set in late Victorian times. Both are excellent.
There are several strands to the novel, starting with a gangland leader, Hooky Morton, dealing with a disloyal subordinate. There is also a kitchen porter at Claridge’s who doesn’t make it past the end of Chapter two. Eldridge does a brilliant job of using these two events as the triggers for tragic sequences. We also see Saxe-Coburg’s wife, Rosa Weeks, a famous singer, in her role as a volunteer ambulance driver. Again, that gets woven into the tapestry as it impinges upon the other threads. Claridge’s was the home to several exiled royal families during WWII and the owner, Rupert D'Oyly Carte, is keen that Edgar leads the investigation into the porter’s murder. Edgar’s upper-class background helps to open doors and his diplomacy encourages cooperation, much to the disgusted jealousy of his rival, DI Lomax.
The novel is fast-paced, covering just one week, and there are no slow chapters. The plot is taut and we feel involved. I think Eldridge’s skill here is the natural dialogue: there isn’t lots of shouting, nor running around – people move apace but there are no melodramatic foot-chases or car-chases around the streets of London. Death was a common event during the Blitz and that’s how it’s treated here. I think it’s fair to say that Jim Eldridge is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive an Advanced Readers’ Copy of the book to review – thank you, Allison & Busby.
#MurderatClaridges #NetGalley
There are several strands to the novel, starting with a gangland leader, Hooky Morton, dealing with a disloyal subordinate. There is also a kitchen porter at Claridge’s who doesn’t make it past the end of Chapter two. Eldridge does a brilliant job of using these two events as the triggers for tragic sequences. We also see Saxe-Coburg’s wife, Rosa Weeks, a famous singer, in her role as a volunteer ambulance driver. Again, that gets woven into the tapestry as it impinges upon the other threads. Claridge’s was the home to several exiled royal families during WWII and the owner, Rupert D'Oyly Carte, is keen that Edgar leads the investigation into the porter’s murder. Edgar’s upper-class background helps to open doors and his diplomacy encourages cooperation, much to the disgusted jealousy of his rival, DI Lomax.
The novel is fast-paced, covering just one week, and there are no slow chapters. The plot is taut and we feel involved. I think Eldridge’s skill here is the natural dialogue: there isn’t lots of shouting, nor running around – people move apace but there are no melodramatic foot-chases or car-chases around the streets of London. Death was a common event during the Blitz and that’s how it’s treated here. I think it’s fair to say that Jim Eldridge is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive an Advanced Readers’ Copy of the book to review – thank you, Allison & Busby.
#MurderatClaridges #NetGalley
April 3, 2022
It is early in WWII in London. There are many European Kings, Queens, and politicians staying in the fancier hotels. Janos, a kitchen worker at Claridge's Hotel is found dead - strangled with a garrot! The hotel calls in Chief Inspector Lomax. However, almost immediately, the hotel asks for Detective Chief Inspector Edgar Saxe-Coburg, who will be more acceptable to the hotel guests. There are lots of important people staying at Claridge's, and they don't want a nobody hanging around. Unfortunately, Lomax is furious. However, Coburg realizes it would be good to ask for Lomax's help. At first, they think the killing had something to do with the ladies coming into the hotel through the kitchen to visit some of the men staying in the hotel, something Janos had objected to. Coburg believes that the method of killing might indicate the man isn't who he was pretending to be.
Then, Colburg finds out there is a man in the hotel who is selling military commissions, and not coming forth with the commissions. He manages to put a hidden microphone in the room and set up two police in the next room to write down what's said. This leads to finding out the man is also collecting money for stolen oil and gas deliveries from a local gangster. In less than two weeks, there are 7 bodies, three of them dead by garroting and the others shot. It soon appears that there are two separate cases going on, probably something to do with spies and a gangster war. However, the gangsters are willing to kill anyone in their way, including the police! Can Coburg solve the cases before someone shoots him or his wife?
Then, Colburg finds out there is a man in the hotel who is selling military commissions, and not coming forth with the commissions. He manages to put a hidden microphone in the room and set up two police in the next room to write down what's said. This leads to finding out the man is also collecting money for stolen oil and gas deliveries from a local gangster. In less than two weeks, there are 7 bodies, three of them dead by garroting and the others shot. It soon appears that there are two separate cases going on, probably something to do with spies and a gangster war. However, the gangsters are willing to kill anyone in their way, including the police! Can Coburg solve the cases before someone shoots him or his wife?
May 2, 2022
It's 1940, the Blitz is in full swing and while the German Luftwaffe is indiscriminately carpet-bombing London, various nefarious and highly criminal shenanigans are still going on unabated around the great capital, especially in and around the Claridge, one of the most luxurious hotels in the city.
One again we follow the winsome Detective Chief Inspector Saxe-Coburg as he smartly and painstakingly tries over the course of one eventful week to resolve several violent murders and prevent further mayhem from happening...
This adrenaline-fueled story offers the reader a vast array of highly deplorable crime behaviors ranging from the ruthless mobsters and their violent and bloody turf wars to the unscrupulous pimps smuggling their "ladies of pleasure" through the back kitchens of one of the most renowned hotels in London, and the small-time swindler trying to
sell his phony military commissions to naive & desperate young men, and last but not least to the various menacing continental spies garroting each other all over the metropolitan map....
In short, a despicable fictional tapestry of all the human foibles, weaknesses and wickednesses one could possibly imagine occurring in time of war!
Jim Eldridge is a talented wordsmith and this latest addition to his masterful crime series set in London during WWII is a superbly well crafted and highly entertaining historical novel.
Perfectly plotted and blessed with a colorful cast of exquisitely drawned characters and lots of sparkling dialogues, this delightful whodunit deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for this terrific ARC
One again we follow the winsome Detective Chief Inspector Saxe-Coburg as he smartly and painstakingly tries over the course of one eventful week to resolve several violent murders and prevent further mayhem from happening...
This adrenaline-fueled story offers the reader a vast array of highly deplorable crime behaviors ranging from the ruthless mobsters and their violent and bloody turf wars to the unscrupulous pimps smuggling their "ladies of pleasure" through the back kitchens of one of the most renowned hotels in London, and the small-time swindler trying to
sell his phony military commissions to naive & desperate young men, and last but not least to the various menacing continental spies garroting each other all over the metropolitan map....
In short, a despicable fictional tapestry of all the human foibles, weaknesses and wickednesses one could possibly imagine occurring in time of war!
Jim Eldridge is a talented wordsmith and this latest addition to his masterful crime series set in London during WWII is a superbly well crafted and highly entertaining historical novel.
Perfectly plotted and blessed with a colorful cast of exquisitely drawned characters and lots of sparkling dialogues, this delightful whodunit deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for this terrific ARC
March 24, 2022
This is the second book I have read in the Hotel Mysteries series by Jim Eldridge, and there is a lot going on. As always, I appreciate Eldridge's historical accuracy for this time period. I always learn fascinating tidbits about England during WWII.
But back to the plot or plots. Firstly, a kitchen worker has been strangled at Claridge's Hotel, but this is no ordinary murder...a garrote was used. The book takes place during WWII and many of the crowned heads of Europe as well as exiled government officials have taken up residence at the luxury hotel. Could this murder be tied to one of these VIPs? Detective Chief Inspector Coburg is called in to investigate. But that's not all. There also is a subplot dealing with feuding gangsters; another with a prostitution ring/person selling military commissions running out of Claridge's; and another with Coburg's sergeant's son, who has fallen in with a bad crowd; a small one about the sergeant's cousin. We also read again about the intense resentment that DCI Lomax feels for Coburg (Backstory: The powers-that-be want Coburg on this sensitive case even though Lomax was first assigned the case; this also happened in the second book. Coburg is the brother of a earl). This is a good addition to the series, but I do think there was way too much going on. Having said that, I will read subsequent books in the series.
Thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. Murder at Claridge's will release April 21.
But back to the plot or plots. Firstly, a kitchen worker has been strangled at Claridge's Hotel, but this is no ordinary murder...a garrote was used. The book takes place during WWII and many of the crowned heads of Europe as well as exiled government officials have taken up residence at the luxury hotel. Could this murder be tied to one of these VIPs? Detective Chief Inspector Coburg is called in to investigate. But that's not all. There also is a subplot dealing with feuding gangsters; another with a prostitution ring/person selling military commissions running out of Claridge's; and another with Coburg's sergeant's son, who has fallen in with a bad crowd; a small one about the sergeant's cousin. We also read again about the intense resentment that DCI Lomax feels for Coburg (Backstory: The powers-that-be want Coburg on this sensitive case even though Lomax was first assigned the case; this also happened in the second book. Coburg is the brother of a earl). This is a good addition to the series, but I do think there was way too much going on. Having said that, I will read subsequent books in the series.
Thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. Murder at Claridge's will release April 21.
March 22, 2022
I want to start off by saying how superb the setting was. I’ve read a number of historically set mysteries and often times they don’t capture the essence of their time period. Murder at Claridge’s was an absolute treat in this respect. The plot was interesting, too, especially since there was a lot of action, however, I really struggled to delve deeply into it and didn’t retain much. With so much going on, I found it hard to connect with any of the characters which is a big must for me. So much of the writing remained on the surface. I must point out that I hadn’t realized that this was the third book in the series. An oversight on my part. I might feel differently if I started from the beginning. Given how much I enjoyed the old-timey vibe of the book, I might do this in the future. I definitely recommend this to people who like a plot-thick book.
Thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for providing this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 26, 2024
An interesting enough story. A bit too much like the first two in the series, but it can be difficult to plot murder stories without any overlap of details.
DCI Edgar Coburg and his DS, Ted Lampson, are investigating the murder of Janos Mila, a Romanian kitchen porter in Claridges, where a lot of European royal families and government officials are exiled. Strictly speaking, DI Lomax of the Mayfair police should lead the investigation, but because of the delicate international situation, Coburg is awarded the case. During the investigation, Coburg and Lampson become involved in two fraud cases and two further murders.
It turns out that all these incidents are connected to each other. But, just as Coburg is closing in on the perpetrators, he is warned off, and told to stop the investigation. He's not best pleased, nut not too surprised, either. He already knows who committed the crimes, so he can cope with not bringing them to justice.
DCI Edgar Coburg and his DS, Ted Lampson, are investigating the murder of Janos Mila, a Romanian kitchen porter in Claridges, where a lot of European royal families and government officials are exiled. Strictly speaking, DI Lomax of the Mayfair police should lead the investigation, but because of the delicate international situation, Coburg is awarded the case. During the investigation, Coburg and Lampson become involved in two fraud cases and two further murders.
It turns out that all these incidents are connected to each other. But, just as Coburg is closing in on the perpetrators, he is warned off, and told to stop the investigation. He's not best pleased, nut not too surprised, either. He already knows who committed the crimes, so he can cope with not bringing them to justice.
March 21, 2022
I do enjoy the hotel and museum series by Jim
Eldridge - the characters are very personable (for the most part!) and you feel you’d like them in person. This one felt like it had a lot of action, and yet I felt slightly left short... we never found out exactly who did the garrotte murders, or why the Romanian kitchen porter was chosen (other than maybe he worked in Claridges, but why him?), the gangster thing petered out instead of delivering a satisfying court case, and whatever happened to the prostitution ring/black market skimming/selling commissions? If there had been a little more tidying up, this would have been an excellent 4 or maybe even 5 stars for me.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.
Eldridge - the characters are very personable (for the most part!) and you feel you’d like them in person. This one felt like it had a lot of action, and yet I felt slightly left short... we never found out exactly who did the garrotte murders, or why the Romanian kitchen porter was chosen (other than maybe he worked in Claridges, but why him?), the gangster thing petered out instead of delivering a satisfying court case, and whatever happened to the prostitution ring/black market skimming/selling commissions? If there had been a little more tidying up, this would have been an excellent 4 or maybe even 5 stars for me.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.
April 6, 2022
One of the Claridge's kitchen porters is found dead – strangled. He was a recent employee who claimed to be Romanian, but evidence suggests he may have been German. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg has to find out exactly who he was, and what he was doing at Claridge’s under a false identity. Once he has established those facts, he might get an insight into why he was killed, and who by. This author, who writes the Museum Mysteries series can do no wrong in my book. This story kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. His portrayal of the era and the hotel itself is enthralling. Every time I read a book by this author I am transported back in time and hate to come back to the present! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.
March 25, 2022
It’s the 1940s and London is in the middle of wartime. A kitchen porter has been killed at the famous Claridge’s and the case is assigned to Detective Chief Inspector Coburg at Scotland Yard.
Hi wife is a famous singer who is moonlighting as an ambulance driver to help the war efforts. Coburg will use his wits and influence to solve this mystery of who done it and why.
This is not the first book in the series but I had no trouble jumping right in. The lives of many characters intertwine in this mystery and we’re left guessing right until the end. A very good read.
Thanks to the author, Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hi wife is a famous singer who is moonlighting as an ambulance driver to help the war efforts. Coburg will use his wits and influence to solve this mystery of who done it and why.
This is not the first book in the series but I had no trouble jumping right in. The lives of many characters intertwine in this mystery and we’re left guessing right until the end. A very good read.
Thanks to the author, Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2022
WWII London is a happening place and Claridge's is no exception! In this new Hotel Mystery, DCI Coburg must take over another touchy murder, a kitchen worker killed on site. With several exiled members of Europe's royal families, the hotel wants to keep the investigation quiet but Coburg will have a difficult time since the dead man is a refugee working under an assumed name. As he investigates, he discovers affairs, political intrigue and other criminal behavior.
The characters are so well done and wartime London comes to life, I love Jim Eldridge's historical mysteries. Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of #AMurderatClaridges.
The characters are so well done and wartime London comes to life, I love Jim Eldridge's historical mysteries. Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of #AMurderatClaridges.
April 20, 2022
I'm loving this series and this is the best instalment so fa: complex, full of twists and gripping.
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the description of life in London at the beginning of WWII and was glad to catch up with the characters.
There's a double set of murders, one more political and the other involving people from the gangland.
It's a compelling and entertaining read and I can't wait to read the next story and there's some clue of new development in the character's life.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the description of life in London at the beginning of WWII and was glad to catch up with the characters.
There's a double set of murders, one more political and the other involving people from the gangland.
It's a compelling and entertaining read and I can't wait to read the next story and there's some clue of new development in the character's life.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
May 16, 2022
I've really been enjoying Jim Eldridge's Hotel Mysteries series and Murder at Claridge's is no exception. The hotel itself is only peripherally involved (which didn't bother me at all) and all of the other settings were interesting as well. The primary detective in this one was interesting as were the side characters. All the plot threads were brought together neatly and there was no point which dragged even a bit. This is a well crafted mystery and I am sure I will come back to it in the future.
July 13, 2022
Murder at Claridge’s by Jim Elderidge
I am gonna be honest I struggled with this book, the mystery was good, it was paced well and there was a satisfying ending but I am just not keen on the main characters, so it was impossible to really truly enjoy the book
This book has a lot of subplots and so it did mean that at times I had no idea what was really going on. Some of the characters are more developed in the previous books so you may need to read the others so that you know what is going on.
A good mystery but not my favourite.. will stick to the museum mystery in future
#NetGalley #murderatclaridges #mystery #war #1940
I am gonna be honest I struggled with this book, the mystery was good, it was paced well and there was a satisfying ending but I am just not keen on the main characters, so it was impossible to really truly enjoy the book
This book has a lot of subplots and so it did mean that at times I had no idea what was really going on. Some of the characters are more developed in the previous books so you may need to read the others so that you know what is going on.
A good mystery but not my favourite.. will stick to the museum mystery in future
#NetGalley #murderatclaridges #mystery #war #1940
February 23, 2023
I like the way Jim Eldridge weaves real people into his stories. The third of the Hotel Mysteries series, this one is set in October 1940 amidst the London Blitz. The usual view of ordinary people coming together to face the bombing onslaught is nicely shown alongside the darker side of life, where there is always someone wanting to make money out of others misfortune.
A good story typical of the author. I gave it four stars only because I think the Museum Murder series are slightly stronger. A good read
A good story typical of the author. I gave it four stars only because I think the Museum Murder series are slightly stronger. A good read
April 21, 2022
The usual team investigate the political ramifications of three murders in Blitz ravaged London
Inspector Coburg is invited to find out why a kitchen porter has been murdered at Claridge’s hotel but this is not the only crime in the hotel or the city over this week and we are embroiled in different mysteries with the able gentleman assisted by his sergeant Lomax and not always helped by others in the force
Inspector Coburg is invited to find out why a kitchen porter has been murdered at Claridge’s hotel but this is not the only crime in the hotel or the city over this week and we are embroiled in different mysteries with the able gentleman assisted by his sergeant Lomax and not always helped by others in the force
April 21, 2022
An exciting police procedure crime mystery has you hooked from the very first page. Set in the 2nd World War gives it an added dimension and the bonus of Claridge’s. Characters that stand out with plenty of thrills and even shocks alone the way. Part of a series which will be well worth checking out. I will be.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2022
Great characters and some surprising ones! Interesting take on the difficulties and oddities of trying to police while avoiding bomb craters and having police cars and ambulances destroyed by those same bombs. And then there is the anger of some policemen who haven't gotten the assignments and promotions they think they deserve. An interesting read.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. Thank you!
January 13, 2024
This is the third in the Hotel Mysteries and follows a similar pattern.
It is easy reading and yet quite compelling at the same time and it didn't take me long to read it cover to cover in this dark and murky winter.
The characters are developing nicely and I am keen to see how they continue. There is a sufficient mix of "Them and Us" in the status of the characters to make it interesting. Being set in the War Years adds a nice flavour.
It is easy reading and yet quite compelling at the same time and it didn't take me long to read it cover to cover in this dark and murky winter.
The characters are developing nicely and I am keen to see how they continue. There is a sufficient mix of "Them and Us" in the status of the characters to make it interesting. Being set in the War Years adds a nice flavour.
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