The Concierge (Abby Corson, Ultimo)

Abby Corson’s debut crime thriller, The Concierge, offers readers a locked-room murder mystery in a lavish English country hotel, where the guests are pointing fingers, and the person who knows their secrets is the number-one suspect. Hector Harrow is 73, has OCD and a stutter, and has served the Cavengreen Hotel as concierge for over 50 years. At the outset of the story, the biggest threat to his livelihood is technology and an American takeover. Could he have taken matters into his own hands to protect the one place that has always been there for him? The novel’s writing style and narrative approach—a first-person narrator dictating the events for transcription into a book—may be divisive and challenge readers looking to connect with the characters and the plot. For me, the central protagonist’s voice is disruptive, especially as he routinely breaks the third and fourth walls, derailing the rhythm that the story gains as chapters unfold. For the most part, though, the mystery surrounding this whodunnit is well crafted and offers many false leads and red herrings before the truth is uncovered. Cavengreen Hotel’s world of luxury and the opulence is beautifully detailed, as are the lives of the characters caught up in the drama of a terrible crime, the subsequent police investigation, false confessions and a murder trial. A modern take on an Agatha Christie staple, The Concierge will keep fans of Sophie Hannah and Richard Osman entertained.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Kate Frawley is a former bookseller and a librarian in training. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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