Asylum Hotel - by Juliet Blackwell (Paperback)

About the Book

"An architect photographing an abandoned hotel-once rumored to be haunted-finds herself pulled into a dangerous murder investigation of decades-old unsolved deaths in the property's complicated past in the new mystery from New York Times bestselling author Juliet Blackwell Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and the abandoned places that hold old secrets. Hotel Seabrink, perched on a cliff overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghost of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petrov, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, Hotel Seabrink in particular. When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to call it accidental. But Aubrey is deeply unsettled by the locals' claims that it was murder-and that all the deaths are tied to the hotel. As she digs deeper into its dark history (and its origins as an asylum) and Dimitri's professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case. But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth-at any cost"--

Book Synopsis

When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and abandoned places that hold old secrets. The Hotel Seabrink, perched overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghosts of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before the renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petroff, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, the Hotel Seabrink in particular.

When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to close the investigation. But Aubrey feels unsettled by locals who claim he was murdered and that it's not the first time someone interested in the hotel was killed. As she digs deeper into the property's dark history (and its origins as an asylum) as well as Dimitri's professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case. But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth--at any cost.

Review Quotes

"Gothic mystery with modern edge, perfect for fans of haunted history, true crime tangents, and hotels that should've stayed condemned."--Daily Mom

"Readers who remember Barbara Michaels's wonderfully ghostly genre-blurring novels and fans of newer authors such as Jennifer McMahon and Riley Sager will be beguiled by Blackwell's chilling, supernatural literary treat."--Library Journal

"This atmospheric standalone from Blackwell offers supernatural mystery fans a hearty helping of murder, ghosts, and doomed love at a long-abandoned hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Juliet Blackwell is the pseudonym for the New York Times bestselling author of Off the Wild Coast of Brittany and The Vineyards of Champagne. In addition to writing the beloved Witchcraft Mystery series and the Haunted Home Renovation series, she also coauthored the Agatha Award-nominated Art Lover's Mystery series with her sister.