I don’t know anything about Mark Watson’s other novels or his career as a comedian, but I do like a novel about a hotel. Having worked in a couple, I find that they can be fascinating settings for stories such as this one.
Howard York has created an exemplary hotel in the Hotel Alpha. He is rich and famous and loved by all who know him. But he harbours a dark secret that not even his concierge, Graham, can penetrate.
And is his secret connected with the disappearance of two members of staff some years ago? Staff members who are still thought of and missed…
I was quickly drawn into the glitz of the hotel and the lives of the people who have dedicated their whole lives to it.
Chas, Howard’s adopted blind son who never goes outside. Graham, whose loyalty to Howard is the backbone of his life. The guests who arrive for the time of their lives.
Yet there is something unsettling about Howard, and the persona which he portrays is too good to be true.
The book simply flows along until you come to the conclusion, which jolts you into a very unsettling place.
I was left reeling. This book has so many elements; comedy, drama, mystery, suspense… take your pick and dive in today.
