Thank you to BLACK AND WHITE publishing and NETGALLEY for a copy of this book. I really enjoyed it. We are taken through this story through the dictaphone recordings of The Concierge of the hotel, Hector Harrow. He’s a witty, sensitive, loyal and interesting character and is a key part of the investigation. Becoming a bit of an amateur sleuth whilst the hotel is on lockdown, Hector’s loyalty to the hotel and its reputation shine through and whilst I had figured out the killer about halfway through the book, the reveal was still good! A quick, intriguing read for me!

"The Concierge" by Abby Corson, is quite a delightful surprise! The premise immediately drew me in—who doesn’t love a cosy mystery set in a picturesque hotel where everyone has something to hide? The story unfolds through the eyes of Hector Harrow, the titular concierge, as he recounts the events leading up to a shocking murder at the Cavengreen Hotel. Told on a dictaphone for his friend Helen to transcribe, Hector’s account creates an intimate connection with the reader right from the start.
Hector quickly became a character I adored. He isn’t your typical old concierge; instead, he’s a well-rounded personality filled with quirks and redeeming qualities that make him relatable and engaging. I appreciated how Corson crafted him, steering clear of clichés, and instead presenting a character that felt real and compelling. His role in the hotel, coupled with his past experiences, makes him an excellent candidate for an amateur detective when he's unfairly accused of murder.
The writing style itself is another highlight of the book. While I found myself imagining how the narrative could shine even more as a transcript—similar to the clever styles employed by authors like Janice Hallett—I still thoroughly enjoyed diving into Hector’s thoughts. Corson’s choice to reveal the story through this dictation format added a unique flair that heightened my engagement, making me feel like I was uncovering the mystery alongside Hector.
The setting of the Cavengreen Hotel is beautifully described and helps to create a vivid backdrop for the unfolding drama. Corson’s ability to transport me into this cosy yet suspenseful world had me eagerly turning pages, immersed in the intricate dynamics of the guests and staff. The diverse range of characters enriches the plot and keeps you guessing about who the real murderer could be. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Corson expertly threw in some unexpected twists towards the end that had me gasping in delight.
However, I do want to mention how Hector’s portrayal of OCD was presented. While I appreciated the representation and found it refreshing, I must admit that the repetitive nature of his rituals—like the constant tapping and counting—sometimes felt overwhelming. As someone who also has OCD traits, it struck a personal chord, but I found myself a bit annoyed with the frequency of those references. It pulled me out of the narrative flow at times, even though I understand the importance of highlighting mental health aspects.
Despite this tiny hiccup, "The Concierge" is a light and cosy mystery that delivers on its promise. It’s gripping, engaging, and filled with those delightful twists that will keep you guessing until the very last moment. Whether you're a longtime fan of the cosy crime genre or just dipping your toes into it, this book is one to add to your reading list. I can’t wait to see what Hector will uncover next in future instalments!

This was a fun and different read. I liked the story telling of the main character and I like the way it was told.
First by this author and would read another.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved the format of this as a retelling of his memories via audio recording for his own novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the back and forth of his memories and current day trying to navigate how to best publish his book - and that ending! I truly didn’t see it coming and I liked how the author used some writing tactics to get that twist across without you realising!

A light and cosy mystery for fans of the genre, this one is set in a hotel and told from the viewpoint of the titular concierge, via his dictated thoughts for someone to type up into a book. Fair warning - the concierge has OCD and will often do things in threes, such as squeeze the steering wheel before driving, or tapping his head when he has dark or intrusive thoughts. While I am glad it is included for representation - I have my own OCD traits - I did find myself getting really annoyed with every “tap one tap two tap three”. Mine are private, so having Hector’s thrown down my throat at regular intervals was annoying. I did suspect whodunnit, although not why (would be harder to guess that with the info to hand).

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

I was finding this book pretty hard going. I don't think the characters are developed enough to wonder why they were killed or how. One big clue that someone was going to end up dead was annoying. Also the dual timeline meant that if the character was in the present, then they clearly hadn't been killed. Again a spoiler alert. Half way in I was bored and skipped to the ending which was pretty weak. Not a fan of this.

Dnf 25% just like working in a hotel when it's quiet I was bored even though the main character is in his 70s and was looking back on his time as concierge I couldn't stay focused to find out how and to whom the murder involved just too long drawn out.

Hector the concierge at Cavengreen is writing a book about a murder. Through his recollections, recorded on a dictaphone ready for his friend Helen to edit, we find out about Hector and his role in the events in question.
I thought this book was really great. I absolutely took to Hector 100% and enjoyed that he was not overly portrayed as an old codger past his time; he had so many redeeming features as a character that I thought he was brilliant.
I loved the style and would have loved it more if it had been written, even in part, in more of a transcript style (like Janice Hallett novels), but was so on the journey right to the end.
If you enjoy cosy crime this is definitely one to read!

'The Concierge' is told to us through the eyes of the concierge of the Cavengreen Hotel. There has been a trend in this style of book recently, I really like the writing style and it does add additional thrills to the plot by writing in this way.
Very quickly I found myself drawn into this book and I was immersed in the world of the hotel, its guests and goings on. The book is very engaging and gripping and I read this quickly as I wanted to see what happened. Corson does throw some twists into the mix, these come towards the end but oh wow are they worth the wait.
Corson describes the hotel well and it was enjoyable to place myself there as the events unfolded. The characters are good and offer a diverse range of personalities who all added something to the plot.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this read and highly recommend it for fans of Janice Hallett.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black & White Publishing for an advance copy.

I’m in two minds about Abby Corson’s debut novel, The Concierge. It’s a murder mystery, which I love, but it’s also in the first person, written with the narrator, Hector (our concierge) talking to his editor, Helen via dictaphone about a murder he was accused of.

Aside from the unreliable narration, I found it really difficult to connect to any of the characters in the story. Either they were immensely dislikable or they were not around long enough in the story to form an emotional connection. The pacing was slow, with some pretty major plot holes and it was a slog to get to the Big Twist at the end. I did quite like the reveal but it only works if you keep reading.

This novel had so much potential and I would look to read more from this author in the future.

I enjoyed reading this book just as much as I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. The way the book is written was so easy and exciting to read and even though I knew the ending from the audiobook it still gave me so much joy to relive it again.