Murder at the Galvez

by Kathleen Kaska

Eighteen years after discovering the murdered body of her grandfather in the foyer of the historic Galvez Hotel, reporter Sydney Lockhart returns to Galveston, Texas to cover a story. Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery.Something fishy is going on in Galveston, Texas, and Sydney is smack dab in the middle of it when she checks into the historic Galvez Hotel, a place that stirs her most uncomfortable memories. She’s there to cover the controversial Pelican Island Development Project conference, but soon after her arrival, the conference is canceled, the keynote speaker is missing, and a body turns up in the truck of Sydney’s car. Next, Sydney’s hauled to the police station for questioning. As if this wasn’t bad enough, just a few blocks from the hotel at her parents’ home, people are gathering, sparks are flying, another controversial event is in the planning, one that just might rival the Great Storm of 1900.Sydney is helped and obstructed by her cousins, Ruth and Marcela, and Dixon, her beloved partner-in-solving-crime. But ultimately it’s up to Sydney, armed with wit and bravado (and Dixon’s .45), who must discover who killed the man in the trunk and why her father’s new friend is floating face-down in a fish tank with a bullet in his head. Her father’s odd behavior and the anonymous threatening notes delivered to her hotel room lead Sydney to suspect that her grandfather’s unsolved murder and the present murders might be connected. A sassy Who-Done-It with an enthralling cast of characters. “A no nonsense, tightly crafted page turner with laugh-out-loud moments.”— Dan Andriacco, author of “No Place Like Holmes”“Murder at the Galvez is sheer fun! I adored this whodunit from start to finish, partly because of the exotic setting of a historic hotel on Gulf Coast island, partly because of the quirky characters and light-hearted tone, but mostly because of the spunky, indomitable spirit of its heroine, Sydney Lockhart. Kaska takes us on a breath-holding, page-turning thrill ride.”— Saralyn Richard, award-winning author of the Detective Parrott mystery series and A Murder of Principal“With the tenacity of a terrier and her hilarious antics to solve murders, Sydney Lockhart will whisk you away on a vintage sleuthing ride to Galveston, Texas. Murder at the Galvez has a smidge of romance, a dash of curiosity and a whole lot of snooping makes this historic hotel series funny and original. Never a dull moment, with rollicking scenes that will entice you until the very end, The Sydney Lockhart Series is witty, engaging, and a perfect cozy mystery read.” — Minette Lauren, author of the Hot Magnolia series.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2021

About the author

Growing up in West, Texas during the 1950s, my average-American parents and the nuns at St. Mary’s School instilled in me“good girl” values, leaving an indelible stamp on my character. For respite from this engrainment, I began writing my Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series—set in historic hotels during the fifties, of course—to say and do things I would “never try at home.”

I write the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series, which is available in bookstores, on Amazon, and Barnes and Noble online.

I also write the Classic Triviography Mystery Series. My Alfred Hitchcock and Sherlock Holmes trivia books were finalists for the 2013 EPIC Award in nonfiction.

When not writing, I spend much of my time with my “pilot,” traveling the country’s back roads and byways; bird-watching; and looking for new locales for my mysteries. It was my passion for birds that led to The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story (University Press of Florida 2012).

When too road weary, I split time between my two favorite places, the Pacific Northwest and the Texas Coast. It’s tough though, having been born with the original sin of wanderlust. Nonetheless, my laptop is nicely stowed in my bag, and a bird reference book and binoculars are always on the front seat.

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in physical anthropology, I taught middle-school science for 25 years. I was a staff writer for AustinFit magazine from 1997-2002. My articles have appeared in Cape Cod Life, Marco Polo, Agatha Christie Chronicle, Texas Now, and Home Cooking Magazine. I am an occasional contributor to Texas Highways magazine.

On a different note, while working as the marketing director for Cave Art Press, my 5-Minute Writings Tips blog posts were published in book form called Do You Have a Catharsis Handy: Five-Minute Writing Tips?

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Murder at the Galvez, Sydney Lockhart, a newspaper reporter, has been assigned by her editor to write an article about a contentious development project in Galveston, Texas. The conference is being held at the Hotel Galvez, where her grandfather was killed in a drive-by shooting. After eighteen years, no suspect has been identified. Things turn dicey for Sydney after she arrives at the hotel. Threats made against Sydney’s life, a dead body in the trunk of her car, theft of a rare and valuable coin, a second murder, and abductions make for an exciting read with nonstop action and tension that never lets up.

Even though the police are conducting an investigation, this does not stop Sydney from enlisting the help of her cousin, Ruth, to do their own investigative work, which leads to both dangerous and entertaining adventures for the two women. Sydney’s detective friend and romantic interest shows up in Galveston and helps Sydney with her amateur sleuthing in a private capacity. Sydney thinks the two murders and life-threatening incidents are connected to her grandfather’s death. Are they connected, and what will the amateur investigation outcome be?

Murder at the Galvez is the third book in The Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series. Kathleen Kaska has penned a well-crafted story with interesting and quirky characters. Each character is embodied with a unique blend of behavior, emotion, and motivation. The friction and chemistry between characters make them believable with relatable obstacles to overcome. Kaska’s creative use of sensory language helps readers paint vivid pictures of the characters, settings, and events. It makes them feel like they are experiencing everything right alongside the characters. The author keeps readers in suspense as they wonder what will happen next. The expletives used in the story are not overdone and suitably fit the characters who use them.

Murder at the Galvez is an entertaining mystery that includes sticky situations, interesting family dynamics, a budding romance, and humorous moments. The book can be read as a stand-alone, but anyone who wants to read about more of Sydney’s adventures will enjoy reading the first two books and subsequent sequels.

[Kara Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is fantastic—very clever and witty. I absolutely love the setting of Galveston, where I have visited many times. I enjoy the 1950s as an era anyway, and there’s quite a lot of fun, quirky characters. I really got into book quickly and found the mystery itself engaging and entertaining to solve. I can definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author. I was provided a copy of the book, but these opinions are my own.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting mystery that takes place in the 1950’s era, Murder at the Galvez is book 3 in a series about a young woman named Sydney. Sydney is a journalist, but she is always dragged into detective work as dead bodies seem to turn up wherever she is.
In this particular book Sydney has return to the hotel her grandfather was killed at. With strong memories of that day when she was 11, she has a hard time adjusting to staying there to report on a development at Pelican Island. But when threats begin to roll in and a dead body is found in her trunk, Sydney finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation.
This was the first book I have read in this series and I felt like I knew what was going on, yet I felt like I would have benefited more from reading the first two books. I definitely would have enjoyed it more.
Overall, the characters were interesting and unique. The time era was pretty spot on in description and world building. It had no trouble leading the readers throughout the story trying to figure out who done it. With plenty of twists the guessing game was quite fun and entertaining.
I recommend this book to all those cozy mystery lovers out there. It is sure to be the entertainment of your evening.

[Vicki May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not read the previous two books in the Sydney Lockhart series but had no trouble diving in to book 3 without feeling like I started in the middle.
Intrepid reporter, Sydney, arrives at the Galvez to cover a conference on the development of Pelican Island. Despite being haunted by memories of her grandfather's murder in the same hotel, she thinks the most difficult part of her assignment will be avoiding her parents until after the conference until a dead body is found in the trunk of her car.
Murder at the Galvez is a page turner. The mystery keeps twisting and getting deeper as the book progresses, keeping the reader guessing until the end. I loved how complex the characters and their relationships to each other are throughout the book. The writing was descriptive enough to make the reader feel what historic Galveston was like without being overly wordy. I had several laugh out loud moments mixed in with the murder and mayhem.
I highly recommend Murder at the Galvez to mystery lovers and eagerly look forward to the next book as well as going back to the beginning of this series to catch up on Sydney's adventures.

[Kimberlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Murder at the Galvez" is truly an excellent cozy mystery. This is the third book in the series, and the first one I have had the pleasure to read. It worked fine as a stand-alone; I was easily able to figure out all the important characters and their relationships to each other. Some references are made to earlier events, but this only made me more eager to go back and read the first two books!

I really enjoyed main character Sydney and her cousin/sidekick Ruth. Both are smart, brave women, and their conversations are quite humorous. I learned quite a bit about Sydney's backstory, as a tragic event from her past played a major role in the current mystery. Less-prominent characters added a lot to the story, especially Sydney's parents, boyfriend Dixon, and friend/brother's boyfriend Jeremiah. Of note for cozy lovers: she also has two pets, a cat and a dog. I was both entertained and amused when they made an appearance in the story.

Perhaps what I liked best about this book was the setting in 1950s Galveston, Texas. The author was spot-on with her period details, both in descriptions of places and clothing and the way the characters behaved. I loved visiting the area, and seeing what life was like there during that period in time.

The mystery itself was very well written. Sydney is a reporter, so she was able to logically follow the clues to try to figure out what was going on. The murder of a major player in a land development deal somehow ties in to the event from her past, so Sydney had two different sets of leads to follow as she tried to make the connection. I enjoyed her investigative process, and appreciated her methodical approach.

Definitely 5 out of 5 slivers of perfect Provolone!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Even though I didn't read the first two in the series, I had no trouble following this one. My favorite part was the main character, Sydney, a reporter. She has a fun attitude, smarts, a sense of humor, and a knack for finding trouble. Her cousin Ruth was also hilarious, and the two make a great team!

Another thing I really liked about this was that there were two mysteries woven together, one crime that just happened, and a long-ago murder that might or might not be related. Another thing that made this book stand out in the cozy genre was that it's set in the 1950s, in Galveston, Texas. I don't think I've ever read a cozy set in that time period!

Both mysteries were very good. There were a lot of clues and possible suspects. I enjoyed reading as Sydney and Ruth followed the leads to figure everything out. Their sometimes crazy hijinks along the way made the book even more enjoyable. The ending was satisfying, wrapping up the mystery while teasing an interesting next book.

5 stars!

[Christi Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third Sydney Lockhart mystery. It takes place in Galveston in the 1950s and follows Sydney, who is a new reporter who happens to get caught up in a murder that ties into her grandfather’s murder ten years ago.
I enjoyed Sydney’s character, she’s spunky and has a sense of humor. I also loved her cousin, Ruth, who gets dragged along on Sydney’s hunt for answers. The dialogue between the two really helps develop the characters and is often quite funny! The mystery itself was engaging and left me guessing until the end.
The setting of the story is what really stands out, stepping back to the 1950s to a posh Galveston hotel made for a unique and interesting read!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Galvez is set in Galveston Texas in the 1950s.
The author's descriptive writing of details of the clothing and places made you feel as if you were right there with Sydney and the rest of the charaters as they try to solve the murders.
I really enjoyed this 5 star book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily left this review.

[M. Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read! Sydney Lockhart is clever and mischievous, a detective you might get to know in a Carl Hiaasen novel -- enjoy the fun and raucous characters you'll meet in this 1950s era murder mystery.

[Johnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1950's, Reporter Sydney Lockhart takes an assignment to cover the development project for Pelican Island in her home town of Galveston Tx. She will be staying at the Hotel Galvez which happens to be where her beloved grandfather, the doorman , was murdered 18 yrs ago.
When immediately upon arrival she starts receiving mysterious threats she is determined to plug on. Then a dead body shows up in the trunk of her car and she realizes this is about much more than just the assignment.
Who is afraid that Sydney will dig up the past and uncover things they want to remain buried?

This was my first time reading a book by this author and I admit the fact it takes place where I now live , although it is 70 yrs in the past, was a strong pull for me to give it a shot. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the glimpses of Galveston's seedy past to be intriguing and the fact I know where some of the place are like Guido's and the beautiful Galvez hotel , or used to be like the Balinese Room which washed out to the gulf during Hurricane Ike,made it so real for me. I also really liked the main character and her spunkiness. I would definitely look for the next in this series and will probably go back and start at the series beginning as well.
I received this book free from #netgalley for an honest review.