Death at the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 1
An atmospheric, entertaining new mystery series introducing a plucky heroine and set in the world's most famous hotel.
It's 1968. London is in full swing and the Savoy Hotel is at the height of its legendary glitz and glamor, welcoming the rich, famous and aristocratic into its rarified world of perfection. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are squabbling in the American Bar while Noël Coward drinks champagne. Royals wait upstairs in luxurious suites for discreet encounters. In short, all is as it should be at the Savoy.
If only it weren't for the dead body in Room 705.
Could it be murder at the Savoy? Impossible! Who could have done such a thing?
Suspicion falls upon Priscilla Tempest, the quick-witted head of the Savoy press office who has a penchant for champagne, the wrong sort of men--and trouble.
When it is discovered that Priscilla had been with the deceased--a notorious international arms dealer--the night before he was found dead, she is questioned by Scotland Yard Inspector Robert "Charger" Lightfoot and is suddenly under the unforgiving eye of her boss, the Savoy's straitlaced general manager, Clive Banville. Her job on the line, her life in danger, Priscilla must elude the police and the general manager's duplicitous wife, ward off the amorous advances of a famous drunken actor, and discover whether that really was a member of the royal family seen leaving the victim's suite shortly before his body was discovered.
Death at the Savoy is an intoxicating blend of mystery, suspense and humor. And it's just the beginning!
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Prudence Emery worked as the press and public relations officer at the Savoy Hotel, and later as a publicist on more than a hundred film productions. She is also the author of the bestselling memoir Nanaimo Girl (Cormorant Books, 2020). She lives in Victoria, BC.
"This light, frothy mystery is perfect escapist fare." --Publishers Weekly
"As effervescent as the signature cocktail in the American Bar of its posh hotel setting, Prudence Emery and Ron Base's highly entertaining Death at the Savoy is a swiftly paced whodunit set in mod '60s London--the perfect backdrop for a pedigreed supporting cast that includes the Battling Burtons (Richard and Elizabeth Taylor), the ever-sage Noël Coward, a wisecracking Bob Hope, and a certain high-living Royal, not to mention an ex-cop gangster's widow from New York. What begins as an innocent caviar tasting soon escalates into a . . . well, to spoil the fun would be a crime."--Stephen M. Silverman, author of David Lean and The Amusement Park
"A totally page-turning, entertaining romp through 1960's London. I loved it, read it in one sitting and look forward to reading more of Priscilla Tempest's adventures at The Savoy."--Alma Lee, founder and first Artistic Director of Vancouver Writers Festival
"With a supporting cast of characters including Noël Coward, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Princess Margaret and Mountbatten, how could the unlikely protagonist Pricilla Tempest do anything but sparkle and shine? Set at the Savoy Hotel in the 1960's, this novel transports you to another time and place, all the while making murder great fun! If you are like me, someone who adored the character, Phryne Fisher, then this book is for you. There is wit, style and humour buoying up the mystery page after page in this joyful madcap murder mystery!"--Heidi von Palleske, author of Two White Queens and the One-Eyed Jack
"This is a terrific read, with its delicious, backstairs view of one of the great hotels of the world. The plot has more twists and turns than the River Thames. Its cast of characters include Noël Coward, Bob Hope and Princess Margaret, apart from the long-limbed Canadian heroine, aptly named Miss Tempest. A younger, sexier version of Miss Marple herself. I know which one I prefer."--Hilary Brown, former foreign correspondent, ABC News, former Anchor, CBC Toronto, author of War Tourist.
"Death at the Savoy is funny, sexy, a little camp, and you want to know more. With a nod to Agatha Christie and rooted in Prudence Emery's real-life experiences at the Savoy, the intrigue keeps coming. As a young actor in London, I was paying my way through drama school by working as head receptionist at the Park Lane Hotel, so I recognize the canvas and characters. If you're looking for a fun read, and a sprinkling of gossip, look no further. Death At the Savoy is a must!"--Matt Frewer, the star of Max Headroom
"The glitzy '60s come alive in this riveting, star-studded whodunit. Base and Emery dazzle with their evocative portrayal of the Savoy Hotel and a dynamic plot that'll leave you wanting more. Can't wait for my next adventure with the irresistible Priscilla Tempest!"--Erin Ruddy, bestselling author of Tell Me My Name
"Death at the Savoy starts with a bang--lots of characters, entertaining scenes, posh setting... hints of more to come. It all moves swiftly and promises to be fun as you canter along with the characters."--Anna Porter, co-founder of Key Porter Books, author of Deceptions
"This book is a flashy, exhilarating ride--fizzy as a flute of champagne, brimming with intriguing twists and turns that are at once hilarious and dark. With her background at the Savoy in the Swinging Sixties, Prudence Emery is admirably equipped to dish delicious dirt!"--David Young, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and novelist
"A wonderfully sophisticated romp through the hallways of London's most famous hotel in 1968, where Priscilla Tempest takes on murder in a miniskirt. Told with an artful wit and precision that blends just the right amount of cheek with chic, Death at the Savoy is as deliciously decadent as 2000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets."--C.S. O'Cinneide, bestselling author of The Candace Starr mysteries
"The moment we read Death at the Savoy we were immediately charmed and inspired by the humor, style and page turning quality of the storytelling but also completely smitten with an amazing ensemble cast of fascinating and hilarious characters led by the colorful and charismatic young female protagonist. Prudence and Ron have written a book that speaks to the global audiences' desire to immerse themselves in a world with glamour and history as they take you through the twists and turns of an irresistible murder mystery."--Sasha Alexander-Ponti and Edoardo Ponti, Producers
