Setting - 1958 New York City
Crooked Lane Books
October 10, 2023
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1639104852 / ISBN-13: 978-1639104857
Digital ASIN: B0BS2SG88V
New York, 1958. Even though Evelyn Murphy has made progress conquering her agoraphobia by leaving the Pinnacle, she still feels most comfortable in her father's hotel. With Malcolm Cooper, her new boyfriend and fellow employee at the hotel, Evelyn feels prepared for whatever happens next. In this case, it’s throwing a big fundraiser with the who’s who of New York City.
The night is a success, and Evelyn finally takes up Malcolm’s offer to finally visit his apartment in Yonkers. As the party ends, they sneak away to the garage to get Evelyn's car. But Evelyn's always been good at finding things, and she discovers the dead body of a guest, Judge Baker, in a car—with a needle in his arm.
Detective Hodgson and his new partner, Detective McJimsey, arrive on the scene, but before they can begin to question Evelyn, they are startled by another mysterious discovery: there’s a woman in the trunk of the car, and she screams as soon as she sees Evelyn’s face. Tangled up in the police investigation, Evelyn’s got another problem, too—her father insists she break off her relationship with Mac. The next day, her father is found attacked just like the judge, only this time the detectives find a dead woman nearby.
With Mac accused of the attacks and in police custody, Evelyn will have to find the killer on her own before she’s checked out of the hotel—this time, for good.
The Socialite’s Guide to Death and Dating is the second book in S.K. Golden’s delightful historical mystery series set in the Pinnacle Hotel. Although I loved the first novel, I believe this one is even better. While Evelyn Murphy still projects a frivolous party girl image, she’s grown since the events in the previous book and is, perhaps, more mature and serious than she gets credit for.
The story feels darker this time, and there are some strong emotions and attitudes plumbed besides the search for a murderer. Evelyn continues to struggle with her past issues, and her relationship with Mac is tested. Her father seemed authentic to the time, place, and extraordinary circumstances, but I didn’t care for him or the psychological pain he caused his daughter.
The murder occurs quickly in the story, so if a lot of exposition before an author kills someone off is a pet peeve, this book should be right up your alley. Detective McJimsey immediately jumped on Evelyn’s case hard, putting me off him from that point on. No worries, though; Evelyn works things out.
With its darker, most robust plot and endearing main character, I recommend THE SOCIALITE’S GUIDE TO DEATH AND DATING to historical mystery readers, especially fans of the previous book in the series and those who would enjoy a luxury hotel setting.
Thank you so much for featuring my book today! I'm so happy you liked it!
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