Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A mystery gift.

There's nothing I love more at Christmas than receiving a new pair of flannel pajamas and some great books. In my opinion, this combination is the perfect way to avoid doorknobs during the holiday season. Even your own. Seriously, I would never open the door in flannel -- front or back.

The books on my gift-giving list are those written by Daniel Edward Craig -- former hotel VP and now author and hotel consultant. The first three novels in his Five-Star Mystery series fall into the category of I'll-only-put-these-books-down-when-my-dog's-bladder-0r-mine-makes-me. We have a plot, a witty writer and and an insider's perspective into the hotel industry. The following excerpt is one of my favorite parts as told in the first person by novel character Trevor Lambert, director of rooms, in Craig's first book Murder at the Universe. This is not a plot spoiler.

"For me, the hotel is anything but erotic. It's my place of work and no sexier than a cubicle, a corner office, or a cash register. A bed in which a different person sleeps every night, sweating and drooling and doing God knows what else, is not terribly appealing. People come to hotels to recover from illnesses, to visit sick people, to attend funerals, to fire employees, to close down offices, to do drugs, to escape reality, and sometimes to kill themselves. To me, a hotel is about as sexy as a hospital."

This is why an exceptional cleaning staff is so important and my tips are so useful. In Murder at the Universe, Trevor struggles to find the killer of Universe GM Willard Godfrey. Trevor returns in Murder at Hotel Cinema and Murder at Graverly Manor. These books are available through Chapters Indigo in Canada, Amazon in Canada/USA and Midnight Ink (US Publisher).

1 comment:

  1. And remember, when you pick up your copies make sure to reach for the back.

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