{"id":7033895,"date":"2026-08-08T17:17:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T17:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/som2nypost.com\/entertainment\/books\/murder-at-the-hotel-orient-alessandra-ranelli-espresso-coco-2\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T17:17:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T17:17:01","slug":"murder-at-the-hotel-orient-alessandra-ranelli-espresso-coco-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/som2nypost.com\/?p=7033895","title":{"rendered":"Murder at the Hotel Orient \u2013 Alessandra Ranelli \u2013 espresso coco"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In modern day Vienna, city of spies, American Sterling Lockwood is the loyal Concierge & Keeper of Secrets at the infamous Hotel Orient, a love hotel where cameras are banned, aliases are required, and every guest has a secret.<\/p>\n

After the double murder of two guests, including a tech mogul building an Austrian surveillance state, Sterling has to turn detective. But finding the truth will require breaking the Orient\u2019s sacred code of secrecy, while keeping a few secrets of her own. The police struggle when modern investigative technology proves useless at the old-fashioned hotel. Because clients use aliases, pay cash, and stay mere hours, all suspects have vanished.<\/p>\n

Sterling agrees to assist alongside her best friend and colleague Fernando, if only to avoid arrest and fight suspicion regarding her own movements that night. As enemies close in, she risks everything to solve a case haunted by the past in a city with a fetish for nostalgia.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s a world of secrets, the Hotel Orient. A world where you can do what you will, where names are discouraged, where pleasures are taken (with consent, naturally), phones left at the door, and where your host Sterling Lockwood will look after your every whim. It\u2019s a gloriously decadent setting, oozing with glamour, secrets and champagne, of course. With a side order of murder, naturally. Who would be so\u2026 gauche as to do the deed? It\u2019s up to Sterling to find out. One can\u2019t let the good name of the Hotel Orient be besmirched in such a fashion, can one?<\/p>\n

The book is fabulous, I adored Sterling, smart, witty and pithy. I also loved her stiff-upper-lipped police nemesis Andreas and watching them gradually, oh so very gradually start to succumb to Sterling\u2019s charms. <\/p>\n

And of course Serafina. But you\u2019ll need to read the book to find out more about her. Vienna itself plays a huge role in the book too, and it was fascinating to wander the streets and clubs and bars and soak up the atmosphere. We\u2019re back to the \u2018give a book a good sense of place and make me a happy boy\u2019 thing.<\/p>\n

I hope we get to see much more of the Hotel Orient and her concierge\/keeper of secrets. Because I feel that there are a LOT more secrets to be peeled away.<\/p>\n

Get this on your lists for next year kids. And remember, Sterling is watching, and will know if you\u2019ve been naughty or nice. As to which she prefers, well you\u2019ll have to wait and see\u2026<\/p>\n

Highly recommended.<\/p>\n

Murder at the Hotel Orient<\/strong> by Alessandra Ranelli is published by Baskerville in May 2026. Many thanks to the publisher for an advance copy for review, and to Alessandra for inviting me to take part in the publicity shenanigans in Harrogate!<\/p>\n

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Author:<\/span> dave<\/h2>\n

\n\t\t\tBook reviewer, occasional writer, photographer, coffee-lover, cyclist, spoon carver and stationery geek.\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tView all posts by dave\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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