Do Not Disturb by Kate Kingsbury

I have read a couple of the special holiday Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mysteries, so thought I would see what the original series is like. I was confused at first because while the characters are the same, their relationships are different since this series predates the holiday series. None the less, I was quickly able to catch on and actually enjoyed reading about how it all began. (Well almost began; Do Not Disturb is actually book two in the series.)

The series is set in England in the early 1900s. Cecily Sinclair, a widow, owns the hotel visited by the aristocracy, but it is really run by the faithful, stoic manager, Baxter. When Madeline, Cecily's friend, is hauled in for questioning and becomes the primary suspect in a murder, Cecily decides to investigate, dragging along a reluctant Baxter. The characters are loveable caricatures. The mystery is  light. The reading is fast and fun. I'll visit the Pennyfoot again soon! 203 pages.