Asylum Hotel, Juliet Blackwell (Review by Stacey Lorenson)

Asylum Hotel is a fun, mysterious adventure that takes readers to the California Coast where they meet Aubrey Spencer. Aubrey’s past-time is photographing mysterious abandoned buildings. Her current obsession leads her to the long-abandoned Hotel Seabrink, known for several unsolved murders and other various crimes committed in the 1920s. The townspeople all have stories about the old hotel still being haunted. While at the Seabrink, Aubrey meets a charming young man, who she hooks up with later that evening. The morning after ends up more awkward than usual, when the young man is found dead, face down, over a cliff. The local police quickly claim his death a suicide. Stunned by the rapid change of events, from romance to unalived, Aubrey calls on her best friend, Nikki, for reinforcement. Paranoia and suspicion build as unexplained events keep happening to both girls, fueling their motivation to solve what they believe to be a murder. As Aubrey and Nikki unearth the hotel’s unsavory past, someone is working very hard to keep their secrets buried. They discover this enchanting vacation spot is filled with unsolved murders and supernatural occurrences. The Asylum Hotel provides a fun travelogue of small coastal towns, specifically Gualala, located in Sonoma County, Ca. The author paints a detailed, atmospheric picture of a majestic coastline, while painting a vivid depiction of a haunted hotel and the fear that ensues as the characters try to make sense of the various calamities they encounter. Entwined within the murder mystery, are the more serious subjects of childhood trauma and stalking. The intimate banter, between Aubrey and Nikki, adds a humorous, effervescence to this ride or die friendship. Juliet Blackwell is a career novelist whose work includes the Witchcraft Mysteries, the Haunted Home Renovation series, and Art Lover’s Mystery series along with three stand-alone novels. Fans of Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark and Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island will enjoy Juliet Blackwell’s Asylum Hotel!