An Unwelcome Guest

A Penny Green Victorian Mystery #7

by Emily Organ

Some say the Hotel Tempesta is cursed, but its owner, Mr Gallo, refuses to believe it. When he’s brutally murdered one night, the suspicion falls on his guests. Ten suspects in total. And Penny Green is one of them.

Does Mr Gallo’s murder have anything to do with the criminal mastermind on the run from America? Penny and Inspector James Blakely must negotiate a world of courtesans, stolen paintings and secret codes to prove Penny's innocence and uncover the truth.

What readers say about Penny Green:

★★★★★ “A Victorian Delight!”
★★★★★ “Good clean mystery in an enjoyable historical setting”
★★★★★ “If you are unfamiliar with the Penny Green Series, acquaint yourselves immediately!”
★★★★★ “Interesting, complex, believable characters”
★★★★★ “I found myself enthralled by Penny Green”
★★★★★ “An outstanding female lead character”
★★★★★ “I was engrossed from beginning to end”
★★★★★ “If you like Agatha Christie books you are going to like this one”
★★★★★ “I have found Ms. Organ's story telling to be flawlessly entertaining!”
★★★★★ “Very strong mystery set in a very interesting time and place”
★★★★★ “Ms. Organ draws you into Penny's world with her delicious descriptions and masterful story telling”
★★★★★ “I am very pleased with how this series is becoming one of my favorites!”
★★★★★ “Read the books in this series.... guarantee you won’t be disappointed!”
★★★★★ “A great read with a real twist at the end. Emily just gets better and better with this series.”

An Unwelcome Guest is Book 7 in the Penny Green Mystery Series set in 1880s London. The books can be read in any order:

Book 1 - Limelight
Book 2 - The Rookery
Book 3 - The Maid's Secret
Book 4 - The Inventor
Book 5 - Curse of the Poppy
Book 6 - The Bermondsey Poisoner
Book 7 - An Unwelcome Guest
Book 8 - Death at the Workhouse

Also available:

The Penny Green Series: Books 1-3 (The Penny Green Series Boxset Book 1)
The Penny Green Series: Books 4-6 (The Penny Green Series Boxset Book 2)

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical Mystery, Victorian

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2019

About the author

Emily Organ is the author of over thirty historical cozy mysteries set in Victorian and 1920s England. Her bestselling series include the Penny Green Victorian Mysteries, the Augusta Peel Mysteries, and her newest Emma Langley Victorian Mysteries, in which a plucky widow teams up with former reporter Penny Green. She also writes the Churchill & Pemberley cozy mysteries, featuring two spirited senior sleuths. Emily’s books combine warmth, wit, and a love of history, inspired by her fascination with London’s past. 

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usual good writing

I'm back with Penny Green, Victorian London's female reporter and her police partner. Good storyline, as is true of the other books in the series. I think I like these books so much because they are a pleasure to read. They aren't political or enlarging upon societal ills. They are purely fantasy, escape and enjoyment.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intriguing mystery to solve in this engrossing series. Penny and James are together attempting to solve the identity of the murderer. There are a few unexpected discoveries and there is also the aftermath of James calling off his wedding at the last minute. I was glad to read that James and Penny’s relationship may be able to move along, they are so well suited. In addition, there is the ongoing search for her explorer father and the state of her sister’s marriage. An action packed story and I look forward to the next book.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, the only disappointing thing about his book is that it was published less than 2 months ago (as of time of writing, July 2019) and I CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 8 I'M SO DAMN IMPATIENT AND I WILL 100% CRY IF THERE ISN'T A BOOK 8

The mystery in this book is my favourite in the series so far. I figured out who the murderer was, but had no idea why until the last few chapters... I love the characters, I love the plot, I just don't love waiting for the next one!

[Heatherinblack · Rating 4 out of 5]

appreciated the moral to the story

i dunno, seems like james and penny are crime stopping partners and that would never be acceptable then. i liked it better when they only overlapped. good mystery and good job acknowledging how the poor and poorly regarded don’t get the same attention.

[Samantha McNulty · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★

Another wonderful historical mystery with reporter Penny Green.

[Maria Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this serie. Like Penny and James. I want to see How they will be together and how Penny's father case will solve

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last of the Penny Green series books for now. I hope the author will write more. I read this in a day and a half. Penny and James investigating murders was so fun and interesting to read.

[Amanda Meggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Works as a stand alone book

It might help to read previous books in the series, but works as a stand alone, except for the parts about the father being missing in South Americe.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slow at times

[Nadishka Aloysius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the latest installment in this series

[Susan Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book. Penny Green is a journalist in the 1880s when women journalists are rare, but not unheard of. She has fallen in love with James Blakely, an Inspector from Scotland Yard, who broke off his engagement right before the wedding. He is facing a breach of promise suit. Her newspaper receives an invitation to send a reporter to spend an advance night in a new hotel. The invitation has been sent to several papers. The previous hotel had been plagued with ill luck, having burnt down, and when the previous owner hanged himself it was whispered it was cursed. Mr. Gallo has purchased the hotel and completely rebuilt it and changed it into one of the most modern and exciting of hotels - at least, he hopes so. The visitors are wined and dined and shown through the hotel. But during the night, the owner and a woman are murdered. James is not assigned to the case, though he is assisting. He and Penny work closely on trying to figure out who the unknown woman is and why the two were murdered. In the process, Penny makes someone very uncomfortable......
This is the 7th book, so I have missed quite a bit of the backstory. I will probably read some more of the earlier books. Not my favorite read, but that's probably my taste - nothing wrong with the book.

[Heather DeFauw · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

I very much love the Penny Green series by Emily Organs. The 7th installment, An Unwelcome Guest does not fall short. This was such a quick and fun read. The historical locations weaved in with a strong female lead makes this book and series a high recommend.
Like in the other books Penny finds herself drawn into a Scotland Yard case, however this time Penny finds herself in an even more difficult situation. Even on the seventh book there are still fresh exciting ways for Penny to get herself into trouble and write a story. Great twists!
I liked the pacing, and the turns though there were some points where I wished Penny would realize something bit sooner. I am dying to get more story because I want to know what's going to happen next in Penny's world.

[Steven Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some say the Hotel Tempesta is cursed, but its owner refuses to believe it. When he’s brutally murdered one night, the suspicion falls on his guests. Ten suspects in total. And Penny Green is one of them.

Is the murder linked to the criminal mastermind on the run from America? Penny and Inspector James Blakely must negotiate a world of courtesans, stolen paintings and secret codes to prove Penny's innocence and uncover the truth.

[Quartknee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the wait but sadly, now I have to wait again for the next installment. I love these characters and I really want to know what happens next. I'm worried how things will play out for Penny and James once their relationship is out in the open. I hope her coworkers return to their Victorian mores and admonish her for not being a proper homemaker because I think Penny really shines when she's proving them wrong.

Poor James. I don't know what's worse for him, the self-recrimination of bottling everything up and feeling as if he has to go it alone all the time. I'm hoping that his working relationship with Penny that is now becoming a courtship will in the next book prove to him that they make a really good team. As much as I hope Charlotte moves on to find happiness, her angry appearance in this story makes me think we haven't seen the last of her just yet.

Without giving away a spoiler, I think it's safe to say that this installment sets up further developments for Mr. Edwards and Eliza in so many interesting ways. Will he find their father? Will he find a native woman and remain? Is that what happened to Mr. Green? Will Eliza be satisfied with her life once her role with Penny is reversed? If she's a divorced woman when Penny is happily married, that is sure to carry its own emotionalism to struggle with but I wonder if there's more stigma around that than there would be for a spinster. Surely feeling a failure as a divorcee is bittersweet compared to the melancholy wistfulness of spinsterhood, but who knows? The sisters have already come through so much together with their bonds intact, surely the role flip promised by developments in this book won't threaten their relationship, will it? I'm excited to find out in the next one.

As for the actual case in this installment, I kind of guessed part of it but couldn't work out who the culprit might be. The setup and suspects were really well done with lots of suspicious behaviour and shady goings on to explore. For me, it's a bonus to not work things out early as I was surprised right along with Penny as everything got sorted out in the end.

All in all, this is one of my favorite series. I turned up for the cozy mystery rather than the historical fiction but it's the characters and their milieu that keep me coming back. I can't wait to read the next installment.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a mystery set in 1884 in England. It's the seventh book in the series, and I haven't read any of the previous books. This was not a good book to start with. Only about one third of the story was about uncovering the mystery. Most of the book was about relationship and family troubles.

I didn't understand why the detective was attracted to the reporter. He (and everyone else) told her not to go to a certain trial because it would cause trouble. She wanted to go to support him, and he said he won't feel supported because he'd be worried about her. Of course, she had to go anyway, and trouble did come from it. She's constantly doubting his judgment. She was also very dense, and it made no sense for her to be by his side during every moment of the investigation. People that he was questioning kept asking why a reporter was there and were unwilling to talk in front of her. She kept swearing she wouldn't publish what they said. So...what was the point of her being there? She said it was so that she could report the details of the investigation.

The detective wasn't much smarter than her. He had his moments of insight, but it often took some time for him to see what was so very obvious. It took them a while to get on the right track, and then they had no proof against whodunit. So, of course, the heroine had to get herself grabbed by the murderer, then the murderer confessed in front of witnesses. Frankly, I prefer smarter detectives than these and so won't bother with any other books in this series. There is no sex or bad language.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest in this series and is another enjoyable entry, though the plot was a bit more confusing for me, personally this time.

Essentially it's a murder mystery where the suspect pool is limited to a group of journalists and travel writers who are present at a pre-opening dinner for a new hotel opening on the site of a previous hotel destroyed by fire with great loss of life. As a result, there's much talk of a curse attached to the site. Penny is one of the guests for the evening and, following the murders, she becomes convinced, of course, that the local police are looking in the wrong direction. She and James, having been ordered not to look at the murder of the hotelier, instead focus their efforts on the murder of the young woman who was with him that night.

In her personal life, James -- having broken off his engagement on account of his feelings for Penny --has been hauled into court for breach of promise. Which does tend to somewhat complicate their blossoming romantic relationship. Meanwhile, her sister has taken a position assisting tenants of what are essentially 'affordable housing units' and has instituted divorce proceedings against her husband. Their friend Francis is still in Columbia looking for traces of their missing father.

I found this volume a bit weaker than earlier books, but at the end of the day everything was wrapped op logically and completely. Definitely looking forward to further books in the series.

[Amanda Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't get enough of this series

Miss Penny Green, intrepid Victorian reporter, gets sent to stay at the Tempesta Hotel, which is due to reopen following a chequered history, when Fish and Potter cry off having heard about the curse.

Penny is made of sterner stuff and dismisses the curse as a series of unfortunate events, a fire that cost the lives of 31 guests and then the suicide of the previous owner following bankruptcy. However when she arrives she notices a distinctly strange atmosphere, dinning with the new owner Mr Gallo and his assistant Mrs Mirabeau are ten journalists all he hopes keen to promote his hotel in their respective publications.

During the night Penny is woken, shortly after she hears a cry and a door slam, reluctant to explore she goes back to sleep only to wake to the news that Mr Gallo and an unknown guest in his room have both been murdered.

Shocking enough but when the murder weapon appears in Penny's room she knows that she needs the help of Inspector James Blakely to clear her name and discover what is really going on.

Forged art, Pinkerton's detectives, and a shady art dealer using multiple names all confuse the investigation further. Leaving the question of who was the intended victim Mr Gallo or the mystery lady?

Beautifully written as always, characters are consistent and the scenery painted with a deft touch. Well researched too.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A supposedly cursed hotel, art thieves and forgery and murder! And yet, nothing is as it seems.

I really liked the mystery in this one, and truly enjoyed the main twist. The story of Anna was fascinating and she certainly was an interesting character, even when we never get to see her alive.

And I still adore the subplot of Francis' adventure and I really want to know more about what is he doing in South America.

But I don't like the romance. And I know we are supposed to sympathize with Penny and James and despise Charlotte and her family after the trial and the event after it, but I can't do it. In that times a woman of 26 is way past her marrying years, and, no matter what the real reasons are, if she was left hours before the wedding, gossip will ruin even the smallest chance she could have at ut. So, no, James was an absolute cad and deserves what he got. And Penny should have known better than showing up at court, putting salt on everybody's hurts.

I'm still loving Gabrielle Baker's narration :D

[Dana Linde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the other Penny Green mysteries, intrepid news reporter Penny Green finds herself at the site of a double murder after spending the night in a supposedly haunted hotel. As is the case with the previous six books, Organ assigns dialog to her characters, which is so indicative of the age, and the mystery takes the reader down a few different paths. The reader is also allowed to see the progress in the search for Penny's lost father and the development of the relationship between Penny and Inspector Blakely. These books are, I believe, so well researched, that the reader feels he or she has been transported back to Victorian England. While an enjoyable read, the book does not feature a lot of suspense. The crime is solved, but there was no real secret as to the criminal's identity. I knew when Blakely and Penny knew. Too much was revealed ahead of time. I prefer a book when I have no idea until the final reveal.

[Clare Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful Penny Green historical mystery

I’m in love with this series. The only problem is that it is like having a box of exotic, fine chocolates, but you only get one in a box and then you have to wait for another chocolate to be made to have a second piece.

These are simple 19th century murder mysteries that are rich in the history of the time. When I say they are simple, I mean that you don’t have to take notes to keep up with who’s who, or who was where when. The characters are entertaining and Emily Organ has a wonderful way with words in her description of people, places, and surroundings that keeps the books fresh and enjoyable. And there is a romance and a family mystery that is woven through the series that make you want to continue to the next book to learn what is happening in the main character’s lives.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good cozy set in England late 19th century

This is the first book of this series that I have read but it won't be the last. Penny and James make a delightful couple in solving mysteries and in romance. The author sets the stage well with descriptions of Victorian England and the customs of the times. I appreciated the afterword that gave historical facts about women working during that time, and about the places described in the book. My one complaint is that Penny and James repeat the facts of the case several times. It wasn't necessary as the plot isn't that complicated. Even though this book is a later one in the series, I was able to pick up enough backstory on the main characters to follow the subplots. The writing is paced well other than the repetition, and it is well edited. The story is complete, other than the ongoing romance. Well worth your time to read.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, and already looking forward to the next! Aside from being a fun mystery, the book moves forward the story of Penny's life (with her special "friend" James) and the wreckage left at the end of the previous volume. We also get interesting developments with her sister and in the ongoing search for their father... I'm comfortable with the thought that there absolutely will be another volume of this story because while the current mystery ended satisfactorily, there are a lot of untied threads dangling in characters' lives! I like it that way. Haha, after seven volumes, I'm pretty far invested in Penny's life now...

Oh, btw, the book has apparently no typos or infelicities at all. Super editing!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised when I spotted this book on Kindle Unlimited - for some reason, I thought The Bermondsey Poisoner was the last in the series and was rather disappointed as the author left more than a few loose ends dangling.

In reading An Unwelcome Guest, some of those loose ends became a little tighter and the story was of better quality in my opinion than Bermondsey Poisoner. However, the price paid was the sacrifice of the main character in certain respects. I was somewhat disappointed in that compromise of Penny's personality, but the author does somewhat redeem Penny at the book's end.

If I say too much more, I'll definitely have to warn about spoilers, but I do recommend An Unwelcome Guest and look forward to Emily Organ's next installment about Miss Penny Green.

[Linz The Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series. Every time that I finish one book, I eagerly await the next one to be released. Penny Green is an intelligent reporter who always seems to find herself amid a murder investigation.

In An Unwelcome Guest, I was a little concerned because I felt like the setting was remarkably similar to The Maid's Secret, but it quickly developed into its plot. I honestly had no idea who was the culprit in this one. I find that to be more often the case with this series. I was hoping there would be a bit more info with Francis's expedition, but I'm eager to read more.

For my complete review check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/...

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free from Freebooksy and it was a delightful surprise. The mystery was well thought out and the characters grew on me. This was the 7th book in a series and there were some running side stories I jumped in on the middle of, so it took me a while to warm to those. The main mystery was a stand-alone story.

The end of the book contains historical information about real life places, persons, and events used for inspiration. That section is itself a goldmine if information and source material. She mentions several books I’ve read and several I’ve now added to my list.

I’m looking forward to reading book one and following the story from the beginning.

[Lindap · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

***HOOPLA Audio***

MC's: Penelope "Penny" & James

This book for many chapters just slogged on. Penny jumps to conclusions at the drop of a hat.

Penny's insistence to attend Jame's trial was a TSTL moment....and James trying to keep Penny's name out of the trial was his TSTL moment. The whole senecio was eye rolling. Like Charlotte herself wouldn't bring up Penny's name.....🙄 Then of course sh*t hits the proverbial fan. I really, really dislike TSTL scenarios.....really, really dislike them. Think you get the hint...😮‍💨

I am happy to say as the book moves on it improves and towards the end it picks up. Will continue on with the series.

[Maria Rivas-mc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love tripping through Emily Organ’s Victorian London. I enjoy it for what it is - a period piece that allows me a quick read and a chance to see how the characters I’ve met in the previous books are getting along: the Green sisters, the lovelorn Librarian turned intrepid Explorer, the Editorial crew and, of course, our H. There are several historical markers, with a lot of detail about places and events of the time; all of which is wrapped around or in the solving of the crime. It may not be high drama but it is often just what I need. Here’s to adventure #8!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another excellent story in this series as both Penny and her sister find themselves dealing with unfair societal expectations while making something of themselves, and Penny of course is at the center of another investigation, this time literally as she is present at the time of the murder and certain evidence points in her direction. This story takes place two months after the cancelled wedding which in itself leads to some interesting insights into Victorian society, and how vindictive some people can be...and how naive others can be!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In November 1884 Penny Green with other newspaper writers are invited to the newly finished Hotel Tempesta. For dinner and an overnight stay. A hotel with seemingly a cursed history. So does it come as a surprise that the next morning two people are found dead. Various motives are investigated by the policee including Inspector James Blakely, with the help of Penny.
Another enjoyable well-written mystery in this series with its delightful characters

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I love this series. Although set so many years ago I always feel as if I am there. The vivid descriptions are so good I can see the fog swirling around. Emily Organ knows how to set the scene and the historical information is a bonus.

Another good story. A murder with Penny as a suspect. Can Penny and James find the real killer? What about their romance, will things finally come together for them?

A really enjoyable read.