In this witty historical murder mystery set in a San Francisco hotel, an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths must uncover a killer before another guest checks out for good.
In 1905, the Grand Mallard Marquee is well known for its iconic style, as well as its daily duck parade. For Saul Niffler, a reformed jewel thief, working at the luxurious hotel offers a much-needed second chance. Staying out of trouble and in gainful employment is essential. Which makes seeing a body plummet from a penthouse window extra complicated.
Except…did he see it? There’s no body to be found, and Saul knows he should concentrate on his new duties as “Duck Commandant” rather than meddle. If only Kitty Rossi, a persistent young guest yearning to be a Pinkerton detective, would leave well enough alone. Kitty has already roped in Henry, the elevator man, to investigate suspicious goings-on around the hotel. And against his better judgment, Saul feels compelled to join them.
Between the mystery of Saul’s missing predecessor and a grisly discovery in a drain, all signs point to murder most fowl. And with a cold-blooded killer roaming the Marquee’s lavish corridors, keeping his job may be the least of Saul’s problems…
My Review:
Not what I expected at all, but I like it! And I’m hoping this is the beginning of a series because there’s so much potential for more mystery solving at the Grand Mallard Marquee!
An eclectic trio of would be sleuths, a missing body and some mallard mayhem set the stage for Mentink’s unique brand of humorous storytelling. Kitty is our indomitable heroine. A young, somewhat naive socialite who is anything but proper as her overactive imagination runs amok when an actual crime occurs. She blithely leads Henry, bellhop and vaudeville hopeful, and Saul, reformed thief and the hotel’s newly appointed ‘Duck Commandant’ into some hair-raising escapades as they try to solve a murder mystery without a body.
The author models her hotel after the famous Peabody Hotel in Memphis which features a twice daily duck parade through the hotel lobby and out to a fountain. Such a fun twist for a cozy mystery! And my, but those ducks provide all kinds of sleuthing opportunities as well as some hair raising shenanigans. Duck wrangling isn’t for the faint of heart!
I love the way the author wove inspirational threads throughout the story, especially from Saul’s perspective. He’s trying so hard to find his way in his first job after being released from prison. He struggles to balance his faith with the unexpected conundrums the murder investigation presents and I felt for him!
What surprised me about ‘Murders in the Marquee’ was the lack of romance since it’s published by Love Inspired Trade. I’ll admit, I was a wee bit disappointed about that, but not with the overall story. And I’m really hoping Dana Mentink has the opportunity to create more ‘murder, mayhem and mallards’ in future books featuring Saul, Kitty and Henry.
I listened to the audio edition of this book and really enjoyed Kimberly M. Wetherell’s narration. She is becoming a familiar voice in my audio book selections and I find she has a talent for creating distinctive voices to match different characters’ personalities which makes for an entertaining listening experience.
My thanks to Harlequin Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
US – ebook
Canada – ebook or audio — winner’s choice
International – ebook if you have a US Kindle account
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Murders in the Marquee, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 5 2026.
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