What do you think?
Rate this book
Pennyfoot Hotel #1
Room with a Clue
Beginning a new series set in a seaside hotel in Edwardian England, Room with a Clue shows that murder never needs a reservation at the Pennyfoot Hotel. Owner Cecily Sinclair runs a smooth hotel, but the death of an offensive snob could kill her business.
204 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1993
193 people are currently reading
3165 people want to read
About the author
Kate Kingsbury
84 books568 followersKate Kingsbury grew up in London, England, and at a very early age began telling stories to her school friends during the London Blitz of WW II while huddling in bomb shelters. Kate moved to the U.S. in the early sixties, and had passed her 50th birthday when she published her first book. Writing as Doreen Roberts, (her real name at the time) she published 26 romance novels for Harlequin/Silhouette. In 1991 her first Pennyfoot Hotel book was published and since then Kate has written 35 mysteries, including the Manor House mysteries, the Bellehaven House mysteries(written as Rebecca Kent) and the Raven's Nest mysteries, (written as Allison Kingsley.) Her new series, The Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries debuted in January, 2017 with Dead and Breakfast, featuring a B & B on the Oregon coast. She has one son, Regan, and lives with her husband, Bill, in the beautiful state of Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
March 23, 2015
3½ stars.
It is a relief to read a cozy mystery that is a mystery and not a romance novel. The protangonist in this cozy is a recently widowed hotel owner who decides to investigate the death of a guest in order to protect the hotel and its staff. I like the Edwardian setting and the main character Cecily Sinclair but a few of her close friends from the nearby town were less convincing (Phoebe and Madeline). However, the mystery was well crafted so I will be reading at least one more in this series.
It is a relief to read a cozy mystery that is a mystery and not a romance novel. The protangonist in this cozy is a recently widowed hotel owner who decides to investigate the death of a guest in order to protect the hotel and its staff. I like the Edwardian setting and the main character Cecily Sinclair but a few of her close friends from the nearby town were less convincing (Phoebe and Madeline). However, the mystery was well crafted so I will be reading at least one more in this series.
December 26, 2022
Everything about “Room With A Clue”, 1993, appeals to me. How is that for high praise? It isn’t paranormal, is historical fiction, and I dislike multi-character viewpoints. Despite lying outside my preferences, I couldn’t help loving this book from the first page. I am a fan! Widowed Pennyfoot Hotel proprietor Cecily Sinclair, shares a spotlight with her best friends but brief shifts keep plots in motion. The images of these ladies are so hilarious, I don’t mind.
The protagonist is a thrilling presence in an age of propriety - recalling rough play with her Brothers before she had to act like a lady. She beseeches her manger, Hugh Baxter, to stop offering to take over physical chores, when she is one to roll up her own sleeves. However despite an Edwardian mindset, Kate Kingsbury created no stereotype in which he is snobbish. There is an entertaining difference of opinions but he is respectful and in the right circumstances, might become a personal friend.
Maybe the historical component avoids being dry or ostentatious because Cecily isn’t prim, or because the focus leans on one thing that time doesn’t change: people. We find the same things funny, annoying, precious, and exciting. We acquaint all of the players well enough to expect their varied behaviour. And this dear author possesses not only the superb gifts of language and drama but invigorating humour! The bit about “The most excitement in this town are seagulls fighting over a piece of bread” was absolutely priceless. Some writers do something - no set thing that can be quantified each time - that just grabs you. I for one recognize Doreen Kate Roberts / Kate Kingsbury / Allison Kingsley as someone I am instantly eager to read, without a care about what those contents happen to be!
The protagonist is a thrilling presence in an age of propriety - recalling rough play with her Brothers before she had to act like a lady. She beseeches her manger, Hugh Baxter, to stop offering to take over physical chores, when she is one to roll up her own sleeves. However despite an Edwardian mindset, Kate Kingsbury created no stereotype in which he is snobbish. There is an entertaining difference of opinions but he is respectful and in the right circumstances, might become a personal friend.
Maybe the historical component avoids being dry or ostentatious because Cecily isn’t prim, or because the focus leans on one thing that time doesn’t change: people. We find the same things funny, annoying, precious, and exciting. We acquaint all of the players well enough to expect their varied behaviour. And this dear author possesses not only the superb gifts of language and drama but invigorating humour! The bit about “The most excitement in this town are seagulls fighting over a piece of bread” was absolutely priceless. Some writers do something - no set thing that can be quantified each time - that just grabs you. I for one recognize Doreen Kate Roberts / Kate Kingsbury / Allison Kingsley as someone I am instantly eager to read, without a care about what those contents happen to be!
February 15, 2014
Although I finished this in less than 5 hours, I don't really know what I found engaging. I didn't really enjoy the characters, but I did like the mystery, I suppose? The politics are very hit you over the head, and while I suppose the suffrage movement did have women like that, and our main character even expresses she would like to be out there, I was not overly fond of the way we would be talking about the mystery and then suddenly derailed by 5 minutes of how uncomfortable corsets are.
February 18, 2017
2.5 stars. 3 stars. I can't decide.
There was a scene shortly into the book where the soon to be victim and soon to be murderer were in the same room talking and I thought to myself, "Well they are definitely going to kill her." And then really the rest of the book was like coasting downhill from there. Because that's exactly who had done it, not for the motive I would have thought but...
Over all I found the book a very light read that felt like it didn't really have any substance. I was surprised when a later chapter reminded me that Baxter was the manager of the hotel because in all his scenes with Cecily he hovered in the background and seemed to behave more like a butler. I have no idea who Madeline is and why she's wandering around the hotel (I'm sure I was told on her introduction but it was never clear enough to remember it) and Phoebe's whole character seemed to serve no purpose beyond offering a distractions. And why is everyone referring to the victim as nothing but "milady" it read like an affectation people put on when they try to pass for someone they aren't and became annoying long before the 33rd time it was used.
This book's redeeming graces were Gertie, who was the only character who truly seemed to know who she was and then follow her purpose in being there, and the fact that there was no romance (though I kept wondering if we were being set up for one with Baxter). Otherwise it reads like a book that could have been set in any place and any time period and is wearing a painstakingly designed costume that just comes across as trying too hard. I did enjoy reading it (hence my difficulty with rating it) but I don't feel like I actually got anything out of the book.
There was a scene shortly into the book where the soon to be victim and soon to be murderer were in the same room talking and I thought to myself, "Well they are definitely going to kill her." And then really the rest of the book was like coasting downhill from there. Because that's exactly who had done it, not for the motive I would have thought but...
Over all I found the book a very light read that felt like it didn't really have any substance. I was surprised when a later chapter reminded me that Baxter was the manager of the hotel because in all his scenes with Cecily he hovered in the background and seemed to behave more like a butler. I have no idea who Madeline is and why she's wandering around the hotel (I'm sure I was told on her introduction but it was never clear enough to remember it) and Phoebe's whole character seemed to serve no purpose beyond offering a distractions. And why is everyone referring to the victim as nothing but "milady" it read like an affectation people put on when they try to pass for someone they aren't and became annoying long before the 33rd time it was used.
This book's redeeming graces were Gertie, who was the only character who truly seemed to know who she was and then follow her purpose in being there, and the fact that there was no romance (though I kept wondering if we were being set up for one with Baxter). Otherwise it reads like a book that could have been set in any place and any time period and is wearing a painstakingly designed costume that just comes across as trying too hard. I did enjoy reading it (hence my difficulty with rating it) but I don't feel like I actually got anything out of the book.
October 13, 2017
An old British Hotel is very interesting!
This is my first time reading this author, I say BRAVO!!!!!!!!
I have always liked British TV shows on Public television.
This book about this Hotel reminds me of a British show called Upstairs/Downstairs. I couldn't put this book down.
Cecily Sinclair has inherited this Hotel from her late husband, James Sinclair, which he made his hotel manager Baxter promise to look after his wife.
Cecily is an intelligent, smart witted woman, she is fearless when it comes to right or wrong.
There was so much going on from a snake lose, a brick wall falling down, murder, cheating husbands, and mystery guests.
The characters in this Hotel staff is great. I felt like I was there watching all of the action.
Inspector Cranshaw is stuffy and unbending in his procedures. P.C. Northcott is sort of a bumbling cop, not a lot of experience and can't make a decision on his own.
You have to read this book for details! You will like it.
This is my first time reading this author, I say BRAVO!!!!!!!!
I have always liked British TV shows on Public television.
This book about this Hotel reminds me of a British show called Upstairs/Downstairs. I couldn't put this book down.
Cecily Sinclair has inherited this Hotel from her late husband, James Sinclair, which he made his hotel manager Baxter promise to look after his wife.
Cecily is an intelligent, smart witted woman, she is fearless when it comes to right or wrong.
There was so much going on from a snake lose, a brick wall falling down, murder, cheating husbands, and mystery guests.
The characters in this Hotel staff is great. I felt like I was there watching all of the action.
Inspector Cranshaw is stuffy and unbending in his procedures. P.C. Northcott is sort of a bumbling cop, not a lot of experience and can't make a decision on his own.
You have to read this book for details! You will like it.
April 4, 2009
Pennyfoot Hotel is quite the rage in 1906, known as a place for the rich to retreat and have a good time discretely. Vindictive Lady Eleanor Danbury, planning to make trouble, takes a plunge to her death from the roof garden. Her husband, a poor man who married wealth, is the obvious suspect, but hotel owner Cecily doesn't believe it. Cecily is supported by her butler Baxter, her friend Madeline with the witchy reputation, and Phoebe whose love of extravagant shows gets out of hand when she rents a live python. The title ROOM WITH A CLUE is chosen because it's cute, even though it doesn't fit the plot. I sense a theme: This first book of the Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries is cute but is more interested in its characters and action as puzzle pieces than as living people.
September 7, 2012
This was not a bad story at all, but I gave it 2 stars/it was ok because it took me forever to get through it. I just could not get into the story at all, and found myself repeatedly reading a page or two, then putting it down and walking away.
The plot is clever, with the author doing a very good job leading the reader astray with clues, suspects and a runaway snake. I suppose I just didn't find I could relate to any of the characters, and for that reason, it just didn't hold my attention.
The plot is clever, with the author doing a very good job leading the reader astray with clues, suspects and a runaway snake. I suppose I just didn't find I could relate to any of the characters, and for that reason, it just didn't hold my attention.
September 8, 2016
I enjoyed the early 1900 setting and a new widow contemplating her new place in society. Women's rights, servant decorum and corsets are all topics covered while the mystery unfolds. The cast of characters is an interesting one that I can't wait to learn more about through our the series. Nice back-and-forth with the main character and Baxter the hotel manager.
March 1, 2018
I cannot imagine how this series became popular enough to run to 21 books. The writing is painfully awkward and the plotting both illogical and transparent. I’m willing to give the series another try as this appears to be her 1st book. But it needs to improve a lot and quickly.
March 17, 2014
Still mourning the loss of her husband, Cecily Sinclair is doing her best to keep the Pennyfoot Hotel running - not only because her husband loved the hotel but because she needs the money. It has been hard but she is succeeding with the help of the ever loyal Baxter. The future of the Pennyfoot is threatened, however, when one of the guests falls to her death and it wasn't an accident. Plenty of people disliked Lady Eleanor Danbury - Cecily just needs to find out who hated Lady Eleanor enough to kill her.
“Room With A Clue” is the nicely done first book in Kate Kingsbury's Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mystery series. Although the series has sadly been discontinued, I am thrilled that the earlier books in the series have been released as e-books and I enjoyed revisiting the Pennyfoot from the beginning once again. Kingsbury did a great job with the setting of the series - the Pennyfoot Hotel is a great place filled with all kinds of guests and secret rooms. The fact that there are always different guests at the hotel means there will always be plenty of suspects and chances for murder which is the case in this book. Adding to the fun in the book are Cecily's friends Madeline and Phoebe as well as various members of the household staff - it was interesting to see what they were like at the beginning of this series (Madeline in particular grew as a character throughout the series and Gertie’s life had many twists and turns throughout the series). The mystery itself is well plotted with more than one surprise and readers will have fun trying to figure out who the killer is.
“Room With A Clue” is a fun cozy mystery.
“Room With A Clue” is the nicely done first book in Kate Kingsbury's Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mystery series. Although the series has sadly been discontinued, I am thrilled that the earlier books in the series have been released as e-books and I enjoyed revisiting the Pennyfoot from the beginning once again. Kingsbury did a great job with the setting of the series - the Pennyfoot Hotel is a great place filled with all kinds of guests and secret rooms. The fact that there are always different guests at the hotel means there will always be plenty of suspects and chances for murder which is the case in this book. Adding to the fun in the book are Cecily's friends Madeline and Phoebe as well as various members of the household staff - it was interesting to see what they were like at the beginning of this series (Madeline in particular grew as a character throughout the series and Gertie’s life had many twists and turns throughout the series). The mystery itself is well plotted with more than one surprise and readers will have fun trying to figure out who the killer is.
“Room With A Clue” is a fun cozy mystery.
August 28, 2016
I really debated the rating on this one. It almost got a one-star. I gave it the second star only because I didn't really hate it. It's just kind of meh. None of the characters are really all that interesting, and I was left wondering why some of them had even been included. Same goes for the subplots. It all felt like padding to turn a semi-decent short story into a bloated, over-written novel. I felt no emotional attachment to anybody, so I just didn't care about the victim, the sleuth, or anybody else at all. Won't be reading any more in the series.
September 6, 2018
Never judge a book by its cover. I thought this would be in the light, humorous side and maybe there's a bit of humor in some of the characters, but it's a full-fledged cozy mystery. Easy to read and interesting; I didn't put it down until I'd finished. I liked the main characters, enjoyed the old fashioned setting. I caught a whiff of Miss Marple at Bertram's.
The evening entertainment may have been considered pretty risque in that era, especially for a Parson's wife, but Henry the wandering python added an effective added tension.
The evening entertainment may have been considered pretty risque in that era, especially for a Parson's wife, but Henry the wandering python added an effective added tension.
February 19, 2013
Quintessentially English and set in the 1900’s this is a sweet and intriguing murder mystery. Loved the main character Cecily who is a feisty widow running the Pennyfoot hotel and the hotel manager Baxter who is a traditionalist. Great easy read.
March 13, 2019
This is definitely a 'cozy' mystery from a past decade (1993). The setting in the Pennyfoot Hotel was fun. I didn't see much of the town, but met all of the 'hotel' characters'. The solution to the mystery was pretty easy. I won't be pursuing this series. 'Too many books, so little time.'
May 24, 2017
Read the book a few years back now doing a revisit for our group. I like her writing, love Cecily. Has a bit of Upstairs, Downstairs feel about the staff. Fun!
January 31, 2019
I really struggled with the rating on this book, debating between a 2 and a 3. And I'm thinking the 3 might be generous. Having previously read and enjoyed immensely Ms. Kingsbury's Manor House mystery series, I started this book with high hopes which were never realized.
Any fun this book possessed quickly withered as the narration and dialogue grew so repetitious as to be tedious. "Room with a Clue" certainly did not have the depth of the Manor House series. And, much to my disappointment, the Pennyfoot Hotel characters were nowhere near as good as the characters in the Manor House series. All were really quite annoying. I was hoping they might grow on me by the end of the book, but that did not happen and I only wanted them to go away. Phoebe was especially annoying.
The particular edition that I have also caused problems. The editing was poor. Not only typos, but there were numerous breaks in paragraphs with no shift in POV or change to the setting. Very distracting. If you do read "Room with a Clue", I'd suggest a different edition than the one by Kingsbury Books.
And to top it all off, I guessed the murderer almost right away.
I feel bad leaving such an underwhelming review as I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Kingsbury's other series. Yet I know she is capable of so much better which is why this book proved so disappointing.
Any fun this book possessed quickly withered as the narration and dialogue grew so repetitious as to be tedious. "Room with a Clue" certainly did not have the depth of the Manor House series. And, much to my disappointment, the Pennyfoot Hotel characters were nowhere near as good as the characters in the Manor House series. All were really quite annoying. I was hoping they might grow on me by the end of the book, but that did not happen and I only wanted them to go away. Phoebe was especially annoying.
The particular edition that I have also caused problems. The editing was poor. Not only typos, but there were numerous breaks in paragraphs with no shift in POV or change to the setting. Very distracting. If you do read "Room with a Clue", I'd suggest a different edition than the one by Kingsbury Books.
And to top it all off, I guessed the murderer almost right away.
I feel bad leaving such an underwhelming review as I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Kingsbury's other series. Yet I know she is capable of so much better which is why this book proved so disappointing.
November 27, 2025
I checked out the printed version of this book twice over the summer and didn’t get around to reading it. Then I found out that an audio version was FINALLY released three weeks ago! 😀 I got the memo before Goodreads did, though, because they didn’t even have it in their library 😂
This is a book that my old Chicago book club read two years ago. For some reason, I couldn’t make it to the discussion, so I didn’t bother reading it, but I had it on the back burner to read eventually. Now the day has finally come, and…it was on the high end of okay. There wasn’t anything I explicitly “disliked” about the book, but it was a little too prim and proper. It didn’t help that roughly a third of the plot centered around a giant python gone missing in a hotel. (The idea of a loose snake of any size in a public place is among my worst nightmares 😳) It also followed an old trope: an otherwise inexperienced person in the crime world suddenly finds themselves smack dab in the middle of a mystery, and it’s their responsibility to solve it with or without the police’s help.
I know there are more Pennyfoot Hotel books, but I don’t think I’ll be in a big hurry to check those out 🤷♀️
This is a book that my old Chicago book club read two years ago. For some reason, I couldn’t make it to the discussion, so I didn’t bother reading it, but I had it on the back burner to read eventually. Now the day has finally come, and…it was on the high end of okay. There wasn’t anything I explicitly “disliked” about the book, but it was a little too prim and proper. It didn’t help that roughly a third of the plot centered around a giant python gone missing in a hotel. (The idea of a loose snake of any size in a public place is among my worst nightmares 😳) It also followed an old trope: an otherwise inexperienced person in the crime world suddenly finds themselves smack dab in the middle of a mystery, and it’s their responsibility to solve it with or without the police’s help.
I know there are more Pennyfoot Hotel books, but I don’t think I’ll be in a big hurry to check those out 🤷♀️
May 8, 2018
Great start
This is a great start to the series. I stumbled upon this series and can’t wait to read the next installment.
This is a great start to the series. I stumbled upon this series and can’t wait to read the next installment.
May 2, 2021
Good historical cozy mystery
June 8, 2020
Cute story
July 16, 2019
Cecily Sinclair and her husband put all they had into the Pennyfoot hotel. Then her husband died of malaria and left Cecily to make a go of the place. Baxter, the manager of the hotel, has promised her husband to watch out for Cecily and help with anything that needs doing. But does that include investigating a murder? Could the death of this guest, probably caused by negligent repairs, ruin the hotel's reputation? Not if Cecily has anything to say about it.
I really liked the story line and the characters. I especially like the interaction between Cecily and Baxter. The only point I did not like is that Cecily does not appear to have much to do with the running of the hotel. Not sure how realistic that is...but a good story and all loose ends tied up.
I really liked the story line and the characters. I especially like the interaction between Cecily and Baxter. The only point I did not like is that Cecily does not appear to have much to do with the running of the hotel. Not sure how realistic that is...but a good story and all loose ends tied up.
June 25, 2023
Very cute murder mystery set in a quant English seaside hotel in the early 1900s. Quick and cute English who-done it.
February 23, 2018
Predictable
Simple and predictable. Mildly entertaining but not particularly well written. The main characters were developed but the others were very shallow.
Simple and predictable. Mildly entertaining but not particularly well written. The main characters were developed but the others were very shallow.
February 14, 2018
Knockoff
To Agatha Christie for my liking. One and done for this reader. No need to go any further. In this series.
To Agatha Christie for my liking. One and done for this reader. No need to go any further. In this series.
March 22, 2018
Cecily Sinclair owns and runs the Pennyfoot Hotel after her husbands' death 6 months previously. She is helped by her manager, Baxter, who vowed to her dying husband to watch over her. Unfortunately, his idea of what how a lady of the era should comport herself differs greatly from Cecily's. Here in the early 1900's the hotel is very popular with the wealthy aristocrats who come to enjoy some fresh air and time away from London. Of course, not all the gentlemen come with their wives, and some wish to do some card playing and gambling in the very discrete rooms at the inn. However, Cecily feels she must act when Lady Eleanor Danbury is pushed from the rooftop garden of the hotel, falling to her death. The last thing she needs is Scotland Yard investigating and chasing all her illustrious guests away! The series is fun in that Cecily feels closer to her servants than she probably should, and the upstairs/downstairs line is blurred as she calls on her help in solving the murder. I have read the entire series years ago, but am re-reading them now as they are coming out for Kindle. Fun, twisty plots and some wonderful characters!
August 28, 2014
A rude, melodramatic women is found dead in the courtyard at the Pennyfoot Hotel. Was it an accident or murder? Cecily Sinclair cannot rest until she finds the truth and clears the name of her hotel. Though it may be dangerous she never gives us. In this first installment of the Pennyfoot Hotel series, we get to meet the great cast of characters that live and work in the seaside hotel. Gertie is one of my favorite characters with her loud mouth and strong personality. Baxter greatly annoyed me in this book with his views that women and delicate and should not be doing certain things. Cecily is a smart and wonderful character who is so lovable, stubborn, and strong at the same time. I also really enjoyed the added mystery of "Who is in room 3?" This is a great cozy mystery with many twists and "red-herrings" along the way. I cannot wait to continue with the series. My favorite parts of this novel werethe setting of the Pennyfoot Hotel and the time period with great changes occurring; women's suffrage, telephones, etc.
November 1, 2017
Moderately entertaining
While I enjoyed the core story, the historical inaccuracies brought the book to merely okay. If you’re choosing to write a story set in a particular time period, it’s imperative that the dialogue and characters reflect it. The date given is 1906 but the dialogue read more like the 1920s at least. Also, there was a lack of understanding regarding class structure and relationships between them. Finally, the clothing choices killed it for me. There is NO WAY a reputable hotel would have an Arabian Nights themed party with dancing girls as described. I won’t be continuing with the rest of the series.
While I enjoyed the core story, the historical inaccuracies brought the book to merely okay. If you’re choosing to write a story set in a particular time period, it’s imperative that the dialogue and characters reflect it. The date given is 1906 but the dialogue read more like the 1920s at least. Also, there was a lack of understanding regarding class structure and relationships between them. Finally, the clothing choices killed it for me. There is NO WAY a reputable hotel would have an Arabian Nights themed party with dancing girls as described. I won’t be continuing with the rest of the series.
December 3, 2016
This is a great little book. I love the Edwardian time period and the lead female character is endearing. Ceceily is a woman of her time without being delicate. She is a widow running a seaside hotel that her deceased husband bought for them to run in their retirement. Her hotel manager is the perfect partner in the running of the hotel as well as solving crime albeit reluctantly. The story also provides a hint of royalty with King Edward vii making a very brief appearance. I am eager to read the next book in this series which I found by happy accident in my library!!
June 17, 2014
I will be reading more of this series as I enjoyed the story as well as the characters. I especially liked the little romance that is developing. It is an interesting and compelling series, and a good read without a lot of complications.
March 16, 2015
A new comfy cozy series for me to fall back on with dependable characters. I like Cecily, Baxter & the gang.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews