Brilliant concept with underwhelming execution, as someone who has always been deeply interested in Alfred Hitchcock's filmography, the title (and the premise) of The Hitchcock Hotel immediately has my attention. Unfortunately, I find its incorporation of the cinematic elements, while cheeky and on-the-nose, is primarily surface level, and the character/plot fails to provide the engagement and suspense I'm anticipating.

The main issue for me lies with the stereotypical depiction of its cast, the absence of emotional depth and memorable personality makes keeping tabs on the interwoven web of grudge/secret a boring, emotionally-uninvolving chore, instead resulting in me being more aware of moments when characters behave illogically for the sake of plot (it is never convincingly explained why no one attempt to leave the hotel when the situation becomes dire). I also find the choice of its ultimate culprit to be very conventional and anticlimactic, which in itself is a bit of a bait-and-switch when the novel is paying homage to the master of suspense.

Overall, I think I have too high of an expectation for The Hitchcock Hotel, because other than some Hitchcockian name drops, at its core this novel is a typical murder mystery following the template to a T. Passable as a breezy distraction, but nothing more.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**