The Concierge by Abby Corson

Publisher's Synopsis

The peaceful setting of Cavengreen Hotel has been shattered by a shocking murder. Hector Harrow, the hotel's concierge, has been accused and is determined to clear his name.

Hector enlists the aid of Helen, a retired publisher, to document the shocking crime that has unfolded, with the intention of publishing a truthful account.

Amid interruptions from a nosy journalist and the egotistical antics of the hotel's new owner, American Dave, Helen works tirelessly to keep Hector focused on finishing his book.

As suspicions fall on different guests and one makes a shocking confession, Hector must navigate a web of secrets to uncover the truth.

Reviews From Elsewhere

GoodReads

At the very nucleus of this book is Hector Harrow, the underdog and hero of this debut tale. Hector was a delight the moment he entered the room, he is quite quirky but we can’t help but feel a great deal of empathy for this man. Hector's heart is definitely in the right place, which I loved. Slowly the narrative reveals his past and hints to why he behaves as he does, which allows Corson to dip into some trying themes around alcoholism and trauma. Hector has OCD, which is handled very sensitively by the author. Read All Reviews

Amazon

Set in a gorgeous English luxury hotel, The Concierge is a mystery whodunnit with high profile guests and a murder in one of the suites. The unique part of this book is the way it is written. Hector, the concierge, narrates the story and speaks directly to the reader. He is a stereotypically older man who rambles on, gets sidetracked easily and takes forever to get to the point. Read All Reviews

Theresa Smith Writes

The Concierge is a nod to the cosy mystery genre of bygone days (think Agatha Christie’s blend of the quaint with murder and mayhem), however it is also distinctly meta in style. Hector is narrating his story, but the story he is narrating is the book you are reading, right down to the title and the cover. Read Full Review