"Joyfully upturns expectations" - review of MURDER AT THE HOTEL ORIENT

MURDER AT THE HOTEL ORIENT by Alessandra Ranelli (Baskerville, 2026)

Reviewed by Craig Sisterson

In modern Vienna, the infamous Hotel Orient glitters at the heart of the city, luring lovers inside for an evening of debauchery. Behind its velvet curtain, cameras are forbidden, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide.

For those seeking illicit liaisons, Sterling Lockwood is the perfect concierge. Sultry and poised, she's the ultimate keeper of secrets, including her own. But when dawn breaks and two of the anonymous guests are found dead in their suite, Sterling must break the Orient's sacred code of discretion, turning detective to find a killer and clear her own name.

Alongside Fernando, her quick-witted friend and bellhop, Sterling steps beyond the hotel's stained-glass doors, venturing from grand coffee houses where power whispers between porcelain cups, to dimly lit bars where the curious seek rapturous oblivion, and risking everything to solve an impossible case.

With her corsets and curves, trail of lovers, and mysterious past, Sterling Lockwood would have made a fine femme fatale in a classic crime novel. Instead the night concierge at an infamous Vienna hotel is the captivating heroine and amateur sleuth at the heart (or loins?) of Alessandra Ranelli’s debut whodunnit, Murder at the Hotel Orient. 

It’s a fantastic read that joyfully upturns expectations; draped in some timeless Golden Age mystery threads, while weaving in plenty of raunchiness and modern sensibilities too.

Sterling is a keeper of secrets; of the hotel guests, and her own. At the Hotel Orient, cameras are banned, aliases are required, and every guest has something to hide. But when two guests are found murdered, including one of her past lovers, Sterling must go beneath the falsehoods to find the truth. Inveigling herself into the official investigation alongside police detectives Andreas and Beata, a male-female duo who each make her pulse race, can Sterling keep her own dangerous secrets hidden as she digs into the private lives of others? Ranelli, a Vienna-based American author, writes with zing and spark; there’s a strong sense of personality and style in Murder at the Hotel Orient.

Ranelli crafts a strong sense of the world of her story, bringing Vienna to life from its bureaucracy to swingers clubs, alongside a fascinating cast of characters. There’s plenty of craft and cleverness beneath the seductive façade too. Highly recommended. 

Craig Sisterson is a lawyer turned writer, editor, podcast host, awards judge, and event chair. He's the founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards, co-founder of Rotorua Noir, author of Macavity and HRF Keating Award-shortlisted non-fiction work SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME, editor of the DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER anthology series, and writes about books for magazines and newspapers in several countries.