Murder at Millar's Hotel: A 1920s Mystery (Lady Ellen Investigates Book 1) by Kelly Mason

It’s 1924. Lady Ellen of Ashcombe Hall is on a relaxing hotel break to recuperate. Her nemesis is found dead in the restaurant, face down in his pea and ham soup. Can she confront her past to solve the mystery?

Lady Ellen seeks respite in the charming seaside town of Branden Bay, whilst her home, which was used as a convalescent home for war veterans, is being refurbished to its former glory. Her peaceful break takes a dark turn when she unexpectedly crosses paths with her arch-nemesis, the enigmatic Major Albert Coltrane. Major Coltrane is found lifeless, his face submerged in his own soup after a heated and public confrontation with Ellen who finds herself accused of murder.

Determined to clear her name, she forms an unlikely alliance with Lottie Penny a hotel chamber maid and Captain Ernest Hamilton, a former patient at her convalescent home.

With her faithful Irish setter, Prince, by her side, Lady Ellen embarks on a riveting journey through hidden alley bars and the opulent music hall of Branden Bay. They strive to unravel the threads of the mystery, in race against time to expose the real killer before Lady Ellen becomes the next victim.

If you love the glitz and glamour of the era and a twisty plot, then step back in time to the roaring 1920s, where jazz-filled evenings and clandestine secrets collide. Murder at Millar’s Hotel is the first book in the Lady Ellen Investigates series.

Amazon

Five Stars

If you’ve ever wished Downton Abbey came with a few extra dead bodies and a heroine who solves mysteries with equal parts charm, curiosity, and steel spine, then Murder at Millar’s Hotel is your perfect weekend listen.

Set in a delightfully atmospheric 1920s hotel—complete with clinking cocktail glasses, elegant gowns, and more suspicious guests than polite society should allow—this audiobook whisks you straight into the glittering (and occasionally deadly) world of Lady Ellen. She’s sharp, witty, and just mischievous enough that you can’t help imagining she’d be wonderful fun at a dinner party… preferably one that doesn’t end with a corpse.

The narration is a treat too. The narrator brings the era to life with velvety accents and just the right touch of theatrical flair, making every character—from dashing suspects to gossipy socialites—larger than life. It feels like you’re seated in a plush velvet armchair listening to an old-time radio drama unravel in real time.

The mystery itself is perfectly twisty: not too grim, not too fluffy, and sprinkled with enough red herrings to keep you guessing (and occasionally shouting “Aha!” at your speakers). It’s a cozy whodunit with a stylish 1920s kick—ideal for fans of classic detective tales who appreciate a little sparkle with their suspense.

As a child Kelly was obsessed with Scooby-Doo, she progressed to reading Enid Blyton, with her favourite series being, The Famous Five. As an adult, her absolute favourite author is M C Beaton and her Agatha Raisin series. Kelly normally writes romance under a different pen name, but is now turning her hand to the genre she adores - Cosy Mystery. Her writing is inspired by the seaside town she lives in, situated on the South West coast of England, a few ghostly dreams and her three sassy cats, all of which were strays before she made the mistake of naming them and letting them in the back door!