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  • Published: 18 May 2021
  • ISBN: 9781496725868
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 304
  • RRP: $32.99

Murder at the Mena House




Traveling Egypt as a companion to her wealthy aunt in the years after WWI, a young woman accused of murdering a flapper at the luxurious Mena House hotel must investigate her fellow occupants to clear her name. The young couple who work in vaudeville, the playboy Egyptian, the Australian hotel doctor, the young woman cozied up to her aunt, even the handsome and mysterious Redvers--all seem to have something to hide. With its exotic, real-life setting and intriguing cast of suspects, Erica Ruth Neubauer's historical mystery debut is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Rhys Bowen.

Traveling Egypt as a companion to her wealthy aunt in the years after WWI, a young woman accused of murdering a flapper at the luxurious Mena House hotel must investigate her fellow occupants to clear her name. The young couple who work in vaudeville, the playboy Egyptian, the Australian hotel doctor, the young woman cozied up to her aunt, even the handsome and mysterious Redvers--all seem to have something to hide. With its exotic, real-life setting and intriguing cast of suspects, Erica Ruth Neubauer's historical mystery debut is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Rhys Bowen.

Well-heeled travelers from around the world flock to the Mena House Hotel--an exotic gem in the heart of Cairo where cocktails flow, adventure dispels the aftershocks of World War I, and deadly dangers wait in the shadows...

Egypt, 1926. Fiercely independent American Jane Wunderly has made up her mind: she won't be swept off her feet on a trip abroad. Despite her Aunt Millie's best efforts at meddling with her love life, the young widow would rather gaze at the Great Pyramids of Giza than into the eyes of a dashing stranger. Yet Jane's plans to remain cool and indifferent become ancient history in the company of Mr. Redvers, a roguish banker she can't quite figure out...

While the Mena House has its share of charming guests, Anna Stainton isn't one of them. The beautiful socialite makes it clear that she won't share the spotlight with anyone--especially Jane. But Jane soon becomes the center of attention when she's the one standing over her unintentional rival's dead body.

Now, with her innocence at stake in a foreign country, Jane must determine who can be trusted, and who had motive to commit a brutal murder. Between Aunt Millie's unusual new acquaintances, a smarmy playboy with an off-putting smile, and the enigmatic Mr. Redvers, someone has too many secrets. Can Jane excavate the horrible truth before her future falls to ruin in Cairo...and the body count rises like the desert heat?

  • Published: 18 May 2021
  • ISBN: 9781496725868
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 304
  • RRP: $32.99

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Praise for Murder at the Mena House

Praise for Murder at the Mena House

"Stunning revelations, romance, adventure, and intrigue abound in this multilayered, delightfully entertaining whodunit. Neubauer's debut dazzles, with a smart plot, remarkable scenery, and skilled execution." --Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

"Jane is a feisty heroine, the setting is enticingly depicted, and there are several intriguing subplots. Fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy this homage." --Booklist

"Neubauer's promising debut...[Readers] will be eager for the next installment." --Publishers Weekly

"Engaging...A very good start to a new historical mystery series." --Mystery Scene Magazine

"A roaring Twenties adventure." --Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

"A welcome vacation...Erica Ruth Neubauer could whisk you off to a swanky Egyptian resort in the 1920s with plenty of cocktails and a mysterious handsome stranger." --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Fans of Elizabeth Peter are going to want to get in on the ground floor of Erica Ruth Neubauer's Jane Wunderly mysteries." --Jess Lourey in CrimeReads

"Murder at the Mena House reflects a much more glamorous and gentler age of sleuthing, when the detective wore a tuxedo instead of a trench coat and his lovely companion didn't merely sit around and wait to be rescued from the villain's clutches." --New York Journal of Books

"If this all sounds a bit like a lost novel from Elizabeth Peters, you are not mistaken. Erica Ruth Neubauer is clearly a fan of that grandmaster of our genre and this homage to her classic series will delight fellow fans of Amelia Peabody...Based on the strengths of this debut, Erica Ruth Neubauer proves herself a born storyteller." --BOLO Books

"This delightful new historical mystery series highlights a charming heroine, albeit one with secrets up her sleeve, and features colorful characters, a picturesque setting, sparkling wit, and a healthy dose of suspense." --Daniel Goldin, Boswell Books Company (Milwaukee, WI)

"This charming debut is perfect for fans of Tasha Alexander and Deanna Raybourn. I can't wait to see what Jane's next adventure will be!" --John McDougall, Murder by the Book Bookstore (Houston, TX)

"If you want to escape to a glamorous hotel in 1920s Egypt and solve a good, old-fashioned murder with a witty heroine, this is the book for you!" --Devin Abraham, Once Upon a Crime Books (Minneapolis, MN)

"With deft characterizations, an engaging plot, and the most compelling heroine I've found since Amelia Peabody, Erica Ruth Neubauer's Murder at the Mena House is the best book you'll read this year. I can't wait for the next installment of this phenomenal series." --Tasha Alexander, author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius

"What a refreshing surprise to be back on the Nile in this confident and accomplished debut. Neubauer pays proper homage to the Golden Age, but her crisp style and witty heroine ensure that Murder at the Mena House zips along in a thoroughly modern manner. I hope plucky Jane Wunderly has a long sleuthing future ahead; I, for one, am already looking forward to her next adventure." --Catriona McPherson, author of Go To My Grave

"A thrilling new series!" --Victoria Thompson, national bestselling author of Murder on Union Square

"It's no small feat to bring 1920s colonial Egypt to life, but Murder at the Mena House does far more than that. It's an elegant mystery--written with wit, style, and heart--and Jane Wunderly is an unforgettable sleuth. Erica Neubauer's debut is an absolute delight." --Hilary Davidson, Anthony Award-winning author of Don't Look Down

"Murder at the Mena House is impossible to put down. A pitch-perfect mystery, with an exotic locale, and an unforgettable main character I hope to encounter again in future books. Erica Neubauer has created one of the most impressive debut novels I've read." --Alex Grecian, author of The Saint of Wolves and Butchers

"An exotic trip back in time to 1920s Egypt, with a cast of winning characters right out of the Golden Age of crime fiction. Murder at the Mena House is a charming adventure cum murder mystery set in a luxury hotel at the foot of the great pyramids. Gigolos, cardsharps, smugglers, rich aunts, and one achingly handsome romantic interest surround our plucky, irresistible, complex heroine, the young widow Mrs. Jane Wunderly. An auspicious start to what promises to be an exciting and compelling series." --James W. Ziskin, Anthony and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone mysteries

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