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Murder at the Ivy Hotel
“A deliciously cosy and clever mystery with
buckets of charm, and a cast of characters you can't help but adore.”
- Hana Tooke, author of The Unadoptables
Two girls who live in a hotel are drawn into a murder
mystery in this charming, classic-feeling cosy-crime children's
debut from bestselling Irish author Emily Hourican - perfect for
fans of Murder Most Unladylike, The Swifts and
Enid Blyton.
Twelve-year-old Meredith and ten-year-old Macy feel like the luckiest
girls around. The Ivy Hotel in Dublin is old, beautiful and
beloved, with a tight-knit staff that feel like family, and they
get to call it home. Meredith and Macy's mum is the General Manager,
and their modest apartment is tucked away in a corner, but
it has lots of perks.
The girls make friends with long-term residents - like Colin,
the quiet little boy who plays piano, and Agatha, the eccentric older
lady who stays in a plush suite with her dog, Milo.
The girls love spying on fancy events, sneaky treats from the
restaurant and knowing all the secret stairs and corridors
that guests never see, where the staff move around invisibly,
making sure everything runs like clockwork...
This is going to come in handy. Because within the cosy
walls of the Ivy Hotel, there is also danger, intrigue and threat.
Just as the hotel's new owners arrive, ready to sniff
out any excuse to make cuts and fire staff, the girls are faced
with their biggest task a murder to solve.
A welcoming and super-cosy hotel setting with a loveable cast
of characters and a dash of danger, perfect for mystery fans age
9-12.
Alternating perspectives from two brilliant sisters - responsible
and emotional Meredith and fierce, logical Macy.
Full of suspense, sleuthing and twisting discoveries, as the
kids take the lead, working to cleverly uncover the identity of a
mysterious guest and his even more mysterious death...
buckets of charm, and a cast of characters you can't help but adore.”
- Hana Tooke, author of The Unadoptables
Two girls who live in a hotel are drawn into a murder
mystery in this charming, classic-feeling cosy-crime children's
debut from bestselling Irish author Emily Hourican - perfect for
fans of Murder Most Unladylike, The Swifts and
Enid Blyton.
Twelve-year-old Meredith and ten-year-old Macy feel like the luckiest
girls around. The Ivy Hotel in Dublin is old, beautiful and
beloved, with a tight-knit staff that feel like family, and they
get to call it home. Meredith and Macy's mum is the General Manager,
and their modest apartment is tucked away in a corner, but
it has lots of perks.
The girls make friends with long-term residents - like Colin,
the quiet little boy who plays piano, and Agatha, the eccentric older
lady who stays in a plush suite with her dog, Milo.
The girls love spying on fancy events, sneaky treats from the
restaurant and knowing all the secret stairs and corridors
that guests never see, where the staff move around invisibly,
making sure everything runs like clockwork...
This is going to come in handy. Because within the cosy
walls of the Ivy Hotel, there is also danger, intrigue and threat.
Just as the hotel's new owners arrive, ready to sniff
out any excuse to make cuts and fire staff, the girls are faced
with their biggest task a murder to solve.
A welcoming and super-cosy hotel setting with a loveable cast
of characters and a dash of danger, perfect for mystery fans age
9-12.
Alternating perspectives from two brilliant sisters - responsible
and emotional Meredith and fierce, logical Macy.
Full of suspense, sleuthing and twisting discoveries, as the
kids take the lead, working to cleverly uncover the identity of a
mysterious guest and his even more mysterious death...
- GenresMiddle GradeChildrens
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
12 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Emily Hourican
16 books95 followersEmily Hourican is a journalist and author. She has written features for the Sunday Independent for fifteen years, as well as Image magazine, Condé Nast Traveler and Woman and Home. She was also editor of The Dubliner Magazine.
Emily's first book, a memoir titled How To (Really) Be A Mother was published in 2013. She is also the author of novels The Privileged, White Villa, The Outsider and The Blamed, as well as two bestselling novels about the Guinness sisters: The Glorious Guinness Girls and The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal.
She lives in Dublin with her family.
source: Amazon
Emily's first book, a memoir titled How To (Really) Be A Mother was published in 2013. She is also the author of novels The Privileged, White Villa, The Outsider and The Blamed, as well as two bestselling novels about the Guinness sisters: The Glorious Guinness Girls and The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal.
She lives in Dublin with her family.
source: Amazon
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 14, 2026
I absolutely loved this cute, cosy, kids crime book! There are such loveable characters especially Macy I loved her character she was rash, straightforward, and inquisitive. I loved the different characteristics both Meredith & Macy had like chalk and cheese.
I loved the setting of the book, the cute, cosy hotel. Where everyone knew each other and were friends & looked out for each other.
I really enjoyed the dual narrative between both girls too.
The book had such a great sense of adventure with Meredith, Macy & Colin. Searching for clues to solve the murder.
This book is absolutely fabulous and I would highly recommend.
Also I am absolutely in love with the cover 🩵
I was kindly gifted a copy of this book for an honest review.
I loved the setting of the book, the cute, cosy hotel. Where everyone knew each other and were friends & looked out for each other.
I really enjoyed the dual narrative between both girls too.
The book had such a great sense of adventure with Meredith, Macy & Colin. Searching for clues to solve the murder.
This book is absolutely fabulous and I would highly recommend.
Also I am absolutely in love with the cover 🩵
I was kindly gifted a copy of this book for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Scholastic for my copy, here is my honest review.
This is the perfect murder mystery book for younger readers, it is easy reading with very likeable characters and the whole story felt thrilling.
Two sisters live in a prestigious hotel The Ivy, which has been at the heart of the community for years, but things are changing when the owner’s son inherits the hotel and is looking to sell it rather than carry on the traditions that the hotel is known and loved for. The hotel has an inner family who work hard to keep the place running and filled with wonder for its customers. All of this is shattered when a mysterious gentleman passes away suddenly and things aren't quite what they seem.
In a desperate bid to save their mum's job so they can remain at The Ivy, the girls embark on a mission to find out what really happened, pulling in other members of staff and confidantes along the way. The girls are clever and quick to find clues which lead them to finally find out what happened that fateful night.
Absolutely had a ball reading this book and I highly recommend it to 8+ readers, it's a great way to get into cosy crime and thriller books.
This is the perfect murder mystery book for younger readers, it is easy reading with very likeable characters and the whole story felt thrilling.
Two sisters live in a prestigious hotel The Ivy, which has been at the heart of the community for years, but things are changing when the owner’s son inherits the hotel and is looking to sell it rather than carry on the traditions that the hotel is known and loved for. The hotel has an inner family who work hard to keep the place running and filled with wonder for its customers. All of this is shattered when a mysterious gentleman passes away suddenly and things aren't quite what they seem.
In a desperate bid to save their mum's job so they can remain at The Ivy, the girls embark on a mission to find out what really happened, pulling in other members of staff and confidantes along the way. The girls are clever and quick to find clues which lead them to finally find out what happened that fateful night.
Absolutely had a ball reading this book and I highly recommend it to 8+ readers, it's a great way to get into cosy crime and thriller books.
March 1, 2026
This is acclaimed Irish writer Emily Hourican's debut children's title (she's written several books for adults including the very successful Guinness Girls trilogy) and it's an excellent, atmospheric mystery that my 9 year old and I very much enjoyed.
We were lucky enough to receive a couple of proof copies from the publisher, so we read it in tandem, discussing it after each chapter. We each had our suspicions early on, but both of us were wrong!
The story is set in an old Dublin city centre hotel, which is home to Meredith, Macy and their mother Sally, who works at the hotel. It's also home to Agatha, an elderly lady who lives on the top floor (nice nod to Agatha Christie) and Colin, a young boy who the sisters befriend in their quest to uncover what happened to the elderly man found dead in his room at the hotel.
The book is stylish and atmospheric, and makes for a nice buddy read between parent and child, or even perhaps grandparent and child. It's suitable for children ages 9-12, but there's no upper age limit really as this was immensely enjoyable to middle-aged me.
Murder at the Ivy Hotel was published by Scholastic this month and is widely available in bookshops and to order online. Many thanks to the publisher and author for the advance review copies.
We were lucky enough to receive a couple of proof copies from the publisher, so we read it in tandem, discussing it after each chapter. We each had our suspicions early on, but both of us were wrong!
The story is set in an old Dublin city centre hotel, which is home to Meredith, Macy and their mother Sally, who works at the hotel. It's also home to Agatha, an elderly lady who lives on the top floor (nice nod to Agatha Christie) and Colin, a young boy who the sisters befriend in their quest to uncover what happened to the elderly man found dead in his room at the hotel.
The book is stylish and atmospheric, and makes for a nice buddy read between parent and child, or even perhaps grandparent and child. It's suitable for children ages 9-12, but there's no upper age limit really as this was immensely enjoyable to middle-aged me.
Murder at the Ivy Hotel was published by Scholastic this month and is widely available in bookshops and to order online. Many thanks to the publisher and author for the advance review copies.
March 12, 2026
Murder at the Ivy Hotel
Written by Emily Hourican
Published by Scholastic.
If this book is anything to go by 2026 is going to be an amazing year for MG books.
Twelve-year-old Meredith and ten-year-old Macy feel like the luckiest
girls around. The Ivy Hotel in Dublin is old, beautiful and
beloved, with a tight-knit staff that feel like family, and they
get to call it home. Meredith and Macy's mum is the General Manager,
and their modest apartment is tucked away in a corner, but
It has lots of perks.
The girls make friends with long-term residents - like Colin,
the quiet little boy who plays piano, and Agatha, the eccentric older
lady who stays in a plush suite with her dog, Milo.
The girls love spying on fancy events, sneaky treats from the
restaurant and knowing all the secret stairs and corridors
that guests never see, where the staff move around invisibly,
making sure everything runs like clockwork...
This is going to come in handy. Because within the cosy
walls of the Ivy Hotel, there is also danger, intrigue and threat.
Just as the hotel's new owners arrive, ready to sniff
out any excuse to make cuts and fire staff, the girls are faced
with their biggest task a murder to solve.
The child in me can think of nothing better than living in a hotel, all those secret nooks to explore, all the places to hide, having food prepared for you when needed.
But what if your parents worked there, there would be no freedom, too many adults keeping an eye on you, so many people to tell you off.
Even though there are cons to it, I'd still love to live in a hotel.
But the strange thing is that as an adult I wouldn’t want to stay in a hotel, I am more of a holiday cottage type of person.
I was so happy when this book turned up on my doorstep. I actually took this on holiday (to my quiet holiday cottage) and after a day of walking miles and miles ( way too far) and with sore muscles I didn’t know I had, I snuggled into bed with this book.
And to be fair the book didn’t take my aches and pains away but it did let me live out the fantasy of living in a hotel.
The first thing to say about this book is that this needs to be a series, there are so many places the author can take these characters, so many mysteries to be solved.
This book is set in an upmarket posh hotel, probably the type of place I could never take my family.
The main characters Meredith and Macy live in the hotel in a flat because their mum is the general manager.
But now new owners are threatening to make staff changes and everyone's job is one the line.
And when a guest is found dead it’s up to the girls not only to solve this mystery - because the police have got it badly wrong but they must also save the hotel.
The characters of the two girls are so believable - they are like chalk and cheese just the same way a lot of siblings are. But they pull together to save the day.
This is a great mystery that will leave the readers hooked and guessing right to the end.
Written by Emily Hourican
Published by Scholastic.
If this book is anything to go by 2026 is going to be an amazing year for MG books.
Twelve-year-old Meredith and ten-year-old Macy feel like the luckiest
girls around. The Ivy Hotel in Dublin is old, beautiful and
beloved, with a tight-knit staff that feel like family, and they
get to call it home. Meredith and Macy's mum is the General Manager,
and their modest apartment is tucked away in a corner, but
It has lots of perks.
The girls make friends with long-term residents - like Colin,
the quiet little boy who plays piano, and Agatha, the eccentric older
lady who stays in a plush suite with her dog, Milo.
The girls love spying on fancy events, sneaky treats from the
restaurant and knowing all the secret stairs and corridors
that guests never see, where the staff move around invisibly,
making sure everything runs like clockwork...
This is going to come in handy. Because within the cosy
walls of the Ivy Hotel, there is also danger, intrigue and threat.
Just as the hotel's new owners arrive, ready to sniff
out any excuse to make cuts and fire staff, the girls are faced
with their biggest task a murder to solve.
The child in me can think of nothing better than living in a hotel, all those secret nooks to explore, all the places to hide, having food prepared for you when needed.
But what if your parents worked there, there would be no freedom, too many adults keeping an eye on you, so many people to tell you off.
Even though there are cons to it, I'd still love to live in a hotel.
But the strange thing is that as an adult I wouldn’t want to stay in a hotel, I am more of a holiday cottage type of person.
I was so happy when this book turned up on my doorstep. I actually took this on holiday (to my quiet holiday cottage) and after a day of walking miles and miles ( way too far) and with sore muscles I didn’t know I had, I snuggled into bed with this book.
And to be fair the book didn’t take my aches and pains away but it did let me live out the fantasy of living in a hotel.
The first thing to say about this book is that this needs to be a series, there are so many places the author can take these characters, so many mysteries to be solved.
This book is set in an upmarket posh hotel, probably the type of place I could never take my family.
The main characters Meredith and Macy live in the hotel in a flat because their mum is the general manager.
But now new owners are threatening to make staff changes and everyone's job is one the line.
And when a guest is found dead it’s up to the girls not only to solve this mystery - because the police have got it badly wrong but they must also save the hotel.
The characters of the two girls are so believable - they are like chalk and cheese just the same way a lot of siblings are. But they pull together to save the day.
This is a great mystery that will leave the readers hooked and guessing right to the end.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is just a fabulous debut story. Perfect for all Robin Stevens and Fleur Hitchcock fans.
The heroines of our story are Meredith and Macy, aged 12 and 10 respectively. They live in an apartment in Dublin's oldest hotel, The Ivy, because their mother is the general manager. They are allowed in and out of the main door but they have to use the service lift to get to their rooms, and they know all the back entrances and corridors in the hotel. They have a lady, Agatha, that they rather like she is elderly and lives in an apartment with her little dog, Milo. They often visit her after school. They also love the hotel library, and often do their homework there.
But there is a cloud on the horizon, the old owner of the hotel has died and his son doesn't want the hotel - just the money so it is being sold. The new owners want to make changes - including possibly to the staff! Their mother's job may be on the line.
Then worse still, a guest who came in suddenly the night before with no luggage, is found dead in his room...and the coroner suspects murder. When Jake the second chef is arrested for poisoning him, the children decided they have to find out what happened and who is responsible. And they have another helper, Colin, a boy who lives in an apartment with his parents but who hasn't really spoken to the girls before. They travel a lot so this is his home, because they know he is safe and can get back and forth to school. He doesn't want the hotel to change any more than the girls and Agatha. They certainly don't want the staff to lose their jobs.
When pieces start to fall into place the girls and Colin take risks but can they prove Jake's innocence? A chance encounter with Colin's piano teacher gives them even more but is it enough?
Absolutely loved this. It's warm and gentle with elements of risk and intrigue. The characters and their friendships are believable. The setting sounds just gorgeous, I need to visit a hotel like this, although I have a feeling it's the type I couldn't afford! Definitely keeping this copy at home!
Thanks to Kiran at scholastic for the early copy, out on 12th February.
The heroines of our story are Meredith and Macy, aged 12 and 10 respectively. They live in an apartment in Dublin's oldest hotel, The Ivy, because their mother is the general manager. They are allowed in and out of the main door but they have to use the service lift to get to their rooms, and they know all the back entrances and corridors in the hotel. They have a lady, Agatha, that they rather like she is elderly and lives in an apartment with her little dog, Milo. They often visit her after school. They also love the hotel library, and often do their homework there.
But there is a cloud on the horizon, the old owner of the hotel has died and his son doesn't want the hotel - just the money so it is being sold. The new owners want to make changes - including possibly to the staff! Their mother's job may be on the line.
Then worse still, a guest who came in suddenly the night before with no luggage, is found dead in his room...and the coroner suspects murder. When Jake the second chef is arrested for poisoning him, the children decided they have to find out what happened and who is responsible. And they have another helper, Colin, a boy who lives in an apartment with his parents but who hasn't really spoken to the girls before. They travel a lot so this is his home, because they know he is safe and can get back and forth to school. He doesn't want the hotel to change any more than the girls and Agatha. They certainly don't want the staff to lose their jobs.
When pieces start to fall into place the girls and Colin take risks but can they prove Jake's innocence? A chance encounter with Colin's piano teacher gives them even more but is it enough?
Absolutely loved this. It's warm and gentle with elements of risk and intrigue. The characters and their friendships are believable. The setting sounds just gorgeous, I need to visit a hotel like this, although I have a feeling it's the type I couldn't afford! Definitely keeping this copy at home!
Thanks to Kiran at scholastic for the early copy, out on 12th February.
February 25, 2026
A mystery guest and new hotel buyers send The Ivy into chaos, especially when the mystery guest is found dead in his bed…
Murder at the Ivy Hotel by Emily Hourican is a clever, intriguing and fast paced middle grade mystery, dropping readers straight in and introducing them to the cosy-crime genre.
For years Meredith and her sister, Macy, have been living at Dublin’s oldest hotel, The Ivy. Whilst life there is often filled with homework in the library, treats from trainee chef Jake, or catch ups with long standing guest Agatha and her dog, Milo. When new buyers start being spotted, Meredith and Macy must make themselves scarce for fear of their mother being out of a job. Surely they can do that?
Though when a mysterious hotel guest is found dead in their bed, Meredith and Macy feel compelled the solve the case! Pulling together with their new friend, Colin, they find themselves breaking into houses and sneaking around the hotel, well more than usual.
With the new buyers coming back in a week, they feel the pressure to get the case solved before any hotel staff are taken in by the police.
A real page turner, Murder at the Ivy Hotel has you second guessing suspects, caught between working out the murder and just why are things going missing in the hotel. Meredith, Macy and Colin fast become your friends, and all the hotel staff create a wonderful sense of family, fast establishing this novel as a brilliant first in the series.
At the heart of the story is a tale about family and pulling together in the face of danger. Each character has their time to shine, and makes neither Macy or Colin feel like they are just a sidekick to the mystery that must be solved.
This book deserves nothing less than five stars, and I personally will eagerly be awaiting news of a sequel release date.
Perfect for fans of Robin Stevens, Agatha Oddly and High Rise Mystery!
Murder at the Ivy Hotel by Emily Hourican is a clever, intriguing and fast paced middle grade mystery, dropping readers straight in and introducing them to the cosy-crime genre.
For years Meredith and her sister, Macy, have been living at Dublin’s oldest hotel, The Ivy. Whilst life there is often filled with homework in the library, treats from trainee chef Jake, or catch ups with long standing guest Agatha and her dog, Milo. When new buyers start being spotted, Meredith and Macy must make themselves scarce for fear of their mother being out of a job. Surely they can do that?
Though when a mysterious hotel guest is found dead in their bed, Meredith and Macy feel compelled the solve the case! Pulling together with their new friend, Colin, they find themselves breaking into houses and sneaking around the hotel, well more than usual.
With the new buyers coming back in a week, they feel the pressure to get the case solved before any hotel staff are taken in by the police.
A real page turner, Murder at the Ivy Hotel has you second guessing suspects, caught between working out the murder and just why are things going missing in the hotel. Meredith, Macy and Colin fast become your friends, and all the hotel staff create a wonderful sense of family, fast establishing this novel as a brilliant first in the series.
At the heart of the story is a tale about family and pulling together in the face of danger. Each character has their time to shine, and makes neither Macy or Colin feel like they are just a sidekick to the mystery that must be solved.
This book deserves nothing less than five stars, and I personally will eagerly be awaiting news of a sequel release date.
Perfect for fans of Robin Stevens, Agatha Oddly and High Rise Mystery!
March 7, 2026
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
MURDER AT THE IVY HOTEL is a fun mystery story.
There is a pretty timeless quality to the book. The characters aren't on phones or looking things up on the internet so it could be any time in the last century. It gives it this out of time feeling that I really liked, letting it sit alongside classics as well as modern tales.
The story focuses first on the mystery of who the guest is, given he checks in under a fake name. It was a good way of having a mystery element without lots of complicated motives, given the author stated that her reason for writing the book was to provide mysteries suitable for her children rather than them reading older, darker tales. While there is a solution to why, having the identity be a mystery too kept the focus away from the darker side of the whole murder thing.
The book contains a few full page illustrations by Paola Escobar. They're really nice slices of the story, bringing the characters and the hotel (almost a character in its own right) to life. As they're kept for key moments, the illustrations helped make these moments more impactful.
From what I can tell, this book is currently a standalone, but there is certainly space for more books with these characters and the hotel. Hopefully the book does well enough for there to be a sequel!
MURDER AT THE IVY HOTEL is a fun mystery story.
There is a pretty timeless quality to the book. The characters aren't on phones or looking things up on the internet so it could be any time in the last century. It gives it this out of time feeling that I really liked, letting it sit alongside classics as well as modern tales.
The story focuses first on the mystery of who the guest is, given he checks in under a fake name. It was a good way of having a mystery element without lots of complicated motives, given the author stated that her reason for writing the book was to provide mysteries suitable for her children rather than them reading older, darker tales. While there is a solution to why, having the identity be a mystery too kept the focus away from the darker side of the whole murder thing.
The book contains a few full page illustrations by Paola Escobar. They're really nice slices of the story, bringing the characters and the hotel (almost a character in its own right) to life. As they're kept for key moments, the illustrations helped make these moments more impactful.
From what I can tell, this book is currently a standalone, but there is certainly space for more books with these characters and the hotel. Hopefully the book does well enough for there to be a sequel!
February 17, 2026
So this was a first for us, a cozy Children’s mystery, a genre we've never explored before.
I read this with our 9 year old Daughter, Amelie-Rose, over about a week or so of bedtime stories and we both really enjoyed it.
It's a real gem of a book and kept us wonderfully amused during those few hours it took us to read it.
There's sleuthing, a great cast of loveable characters, and a storyline that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Just a great way of getting kids into the mystery genre.
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from us.
I read this with our 9 year old Daughter, Amelie-Rose, over about a week or so of bedtime stories and we both really enjoyed it.
It's a real gem of a book and kept us wonderfully amused during those few hours it took us to read it.
There's sleuthing, a great cast of loveable characters, and a storyline that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Just a great way of getting kids into the mystery genre.
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from us.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Timeless and charming - full review to follow!
January 4, 2026
Absolutely FANTASTIC!! I absolutely loved this.
Full review will be on Instagram @mr_hindle_primary later this week!
Full review will be on Instagram @mr_hindle_primary later this week!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Debut author. Action set in Dublin. Lovely to see more crime books for kids.
March 3, 2026
I bought it for my daughter but I read it as well. I found it easy to understand but still having twist plot which I believe my daughter will like it too
March 19, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Murder at the Ivy Hotel by Emily Hourican
Two sisters, Meredith, aged twelve, and Macy, aged ten, live in the beautiful Ivy Hotel, where their mother is the manager. They are so happy and love all the people who work there like they are family.
However, the hotel has been sold and is facing serious changes because the new owners are not satisfied with how it is being run. This could mean job losses and a new home for the girls.
But it comes to a rapid standstill when one of the guests is found dead in his room and a murder investigation gets underway. The girls, their friend Colin and the old lady who lives in a lavish suite, Agatha, both long-term guests, do their own bit of sleuthing to try to solve the murder and save the hotel.
This is a warm, cosy, intriguing murder mystery with a whole host of endearing characters that will melt your heart. I loved the hotel setting and felt the plot was very cleverly planned out. It kept me guessing right until the end.
I think this is a perfect mystery read for 9-12-year-olds who love a good puzzle to solve with an air of danger and adventure on the side.
Thank you to @scholastic_uk for an ARC of this book
Two sisters, Meredith, aged twelve, and Macy, aged ten, live in the beautiful Ivy Hotel, where their mother is the manager. They are so happy and love all the people who work there like they are family.
However, the hotel has been sold and is facing serious changes because the new owners are not satisfied with how it is being run. This could mean job losses and a new home for the girls.
But it comes to a rapid standstill when one of the guests is found dead in his room and a murder investigation gets underway. The girls, their friend Colin and the old lady who lives in a lavish suite, Agatha, both long-term guests, do their own bit of sleuthing to try to solve the murder and save the hotel.
This is a warm, cosy, intriguing murder mystery with a whole host of endearing characters that will melt your heart. I loved the hotel setting and felt the plot was very cleverly planned out. It kept me guessing right until the end.
I think this is a perfect mystery read for 9-12-year-olds who love a good puzzle to solve with an air of danger and adventure on the side.
Thank you to @scholastic_uk for an ARC of this book
January 4, 2026
Murder at the Ivy Hotel is a cosy whodunnit, brimming with charm, intrigue and danger, that kept me utterly entranced throughout.
Meredith and her younger sister, Macy, live in an apartment in the grand Ivy Hotel in Dublin where their mother is the General Manager. Changes are afoot at the hotel as it faces a change of ownership, something that is causing their mum stress as the new owners are more interested in profit than retaining the cosy and friendly character of the beloved hotel where long-term residents and staff feel more like family than guests. When it seems that the new owners are keen to find reasons to dismiss their mum, there is a real possibility that Meredith and Macy may lose their home, something they are determined to fight against.
But then something happens that may well ruin the reputation of the hotel: the suspicious death of a guest. Could a murder have taken place and, if so, can the sisters discover the culprit and save the their home?
And so begins a terrifically twisty, intriguing mystery as the sisters and their new friend, Colin, work together to solve a puzzling crime. I loved the blend of cosy mystery, intrigue and danger that had me eagerly turning pages as I followed this sleuthing trio as they worked together to piece together the clues to discover the culprit behind this crime. I really enjoyed the sense of urgency as the mystery unfolds over the course of a week, the increasing level of peril and the red herrings all of which made this an exciting and fast-paced read which I have no doubt its young readers will adore – just as I did! I can also imagine many young readers wanting to keep their own notes – just as Colin does – as the mystery unfolds.
The tenacious trio of children in this whodunnit are incredibly likeable and together bring different qualities to form a perfect sleuthing team. Twelve-year-old Meredith has an intuitive and sensible nature whereas her ten-year-old sister Macy is more impulsive and practical. Their new friend Colin, who lives at the hotel, is meticulous and keeps notes as they investigate the crime. I also really enjoyed the feeling of family within the hotel as the children have close and trusting bonds with both employees and long-term guests who clearly care for them.
A delightfully charming and cosy mystery, with friendship and family at its heart, perfect for young sleuths of 9+.
Meredith and her younger sister, Macy, live in an apartment in the grand Ivy Hotel in Dublin where their mother is the General Manager. Changes are afoot at the hotel as it faces a change of ownership, something that is causing their mum stress as the new owners are more interested in profit than retaining the cosy and friendly character of the beloved hotel where long-term residents and staff feel more like family than guests. When it seems that the new owners are keen to find reasons to dismiss their mum, there is a real possibility that Meredith and Macy may lose their home, something they are determined to fight against.
But then something happens that may well ruin the reputation of the hotel: the suspicious death of a guest. Could a murder have taken place and, if so, can the sisters discover the culprit and save the their home?
And so begins a terrifically twisty, intriguing mystery as the sisters and their new friend, Colin, work together to solve a puzzling crime. I loved the blend of cosy mystery, intrigue and danger that had me eagerly turning pages as I followed this sleuthing trio as they worked together to piece together the clues to discover the culprit behind this crime. I really enjoyed the sense of urgency as the mystery unfolds over the course of a week, the increasing level of peril and the red herrings all of which made this an exciting and fast-paced read which I have no doubt its young readers will adore – just as I did! I can also imagine many young readers wanting to keep their own notes – just as Colin does – as the mystery unfolds.
The tenacious trio of children in this whodunnit are incredibly likeable and together bring different qualities to form a perfect sleuthing team. Twelve-year-old Meredith has an intuitive and sensible nature whereas her ten-year-old sister Macy is more impulsive and practical. Their new friend Colin, who lives at the hotel, is meticulous and keeps notes as they investigate the crime. I also really enjoyed the feeling of family within the hotel as the children have close and trusting bonds with both employees and long-term guests who clearly care for them.
A delightfully charming and cosy mystery, with friendship and family at its heart, perfect for young sleuths of 9+.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Meet Macy and Meredith, who live at the Ivy Hotel with their mum, who's the general manager. Surrounded by a cast of quirky characters, the Ivy is a glorious paradise of a place, with old grandeur, a library, beloved guests and surprise treats from the kitchen. So far, so wonderful. But all is not well.... Soon there will be events and happenings that throw shadows on this happy place, and a mystery that's set to threaten the Ivy Hotel's very existence..... Full of atmosphere and affection with just the right amount of scariness, this is a beautifully plotted, perfectly old-fashioned, gorgeously written, heartwarming story - cosy, compelling, impossible to put down. I loved every minute. Can't wait for more of the same from the brilliant Emily Hourican. Thanks to Scholastic for the advance copy. Out in Feb.
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