A Cosy Mystery with a Dark Twist Welcome to the Imperial Hotel, a historic beacon of elegance nestled in the charming seaside town of Brightcombe. Behind its polished facade, the hotel is a hotbed of simmering rivalries, buried secrets, and ambition gone awry. When the conscientious Head Receptionist, Julia Parkes, is found dead at her desk-her lips bearing the tell tale tint of poison, it shatters the illusion of genteel hospitality. The cup of tea by her side and the whisper of almond in the air hold the key to a sinister truth: this was no accident. With rumours of owner Harry "Red" Halligan's murky past swirling and his empire teetering on the brink of collapse, suspicion runs rife among the Imperial's staff. Is this the work of a ruthless rival, Lady Evelyn Forsythe, who is determined to acquire the hotel at any cost? Or could the killer be closer to home? Amidst the chaos, Paula Langford, an unassuming hotel worker, finds herself drawn into the investigation, determined to uncover the truth despite resistance from the sceptical Inspector Merrick. As Paula pieces together a web of financial sabotage, covert alliances, and calculated betrayal, the shocking motives behind Julia's murder begin to surface. In this spellbinding cosy mystery, loyalty is tested, alliances crumble, and no one is above suspicion. Can Paula expose the killer before they disappear? Or will the Imperial's secrets remain buried forever?