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.
Review
The audiobook edition of Murder at Millar’s Hotel offers a polished and engaging listening experience, driven largely by Kelly Mason’s careful attention to character development. From the outset, the narrator establishes a measured, atmospheric tone that enhances the story’s setting while allowing the personalities of the characters to emerge naturally. The hotel’s mystery is compelling, but it is the people who inhabit it—each with their own histories and private tensions—who truly anchor the narrative.
The protagonist’s arc is particularly well executed. Through the narration, her doubts, observations, and shifting emotional responses feel fully realized, giving listeners a clear understanding of her growth throughout the investigation. Her evolution from a somewhat hesitant observer to a more confident and perceptive figure is conveyed with clarity and restraint, making her progress believable and rewarding. The subtlety in the narrator’s delivery ensures that these changes register without ever feeling overstated.
The supporting characters are equally nuanced. The narration highlights the differences in tone, temperament, and intention among the hotel’s guests and staff, making interactions feel dynamic and revealing. Listeners are able to sense unspoken tensions and hidden motives, often through small inflections that suggest more than the dialogue alone conveys. These performances contribute greatly to the story’s psychological depth, as each character’s behavior and emotional undercurrents gradually help shape the direction of the mystery.
By the conclusion, the interplay between character and plot feels seamless, resulting in a resolution that is not only surprising but also grounded in the personalities and relationships developed throughout the story. The audiobook’s strong narration enhances Mason’s writing, creating a rich and immersive experience that rewards close attention. For listeners who appreciate mysteries driven by character as much as suspense, this adaptation is a thoroughly satisfying and deserving five-star production.
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!
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