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Book Launch Video
Breaking News!
Hot off the printers at the end of April, publishing May 28 and book launch on May 30! A masterpiece of mystery from Ron Base and Prudence Emery. More information here: https://douglas-mcintyre.com/products/9781771623216
Synopsis
An atmospheric, entertaining new mystery series introducing a plucky Canadian heroine and set in the world’s most famous hotel.
It’s 1968. London is in full swing and the Savoy Hotel is at the height of its legendary glitz and glamour, welcoming the rich, famous and aristocratic into its rarified world of perfection. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are squabbling in the American Bar while Noël Coward drinks champagne. Royals wait upstairs in luxurious suites for discreet encounters. In short, all is as it should be at the Savoy.
If only it weren’t for the dead body in River Suite 610.
Could it be murder at the Savoy? Impossible! Who could have done such a thing?
Suspicion falls upon Priscilla Tempest, the quick-witted Canadian head of the Savoy press office who has a penchant for champagne, the wrong sort of men—and trouble.
Death at the Savoy is an intoxicating blend of mystery, suspense and humour. And it’s just the beginning!
Read what the influencers have to say:
“As effervescent as the signature cocktail in the American Bar of its posh hotel setting, Prudence Emery and Ron Base’s highly entertaining Death at the Savoy is a swiftly paced whodunit set in mod ’60s London—the perfect backdrop for a pedigreed supporting cast that includes the Battling Burtons (Richard and Elizabeth Taylor), the ever-sage Noël Coward, a wisecracking Bob Hope, and a certain high-living Royal, not to mention an ex-cop gangster’s widow from New York. What begins as an innocent caviar tasting soon escalates into a . . . well, to spoil the fun would be a crime.”
– Stephen M. Silverman, author of David Lean and The Amusement Park
“A totally page-turning, entertaining romp through 1960’s London. I loved it, read it in one sitting and look forward to reading more of Priscilla Tempest’s adventures at The Savoy.”
– Alma Lee, founder and first Artistic Director of Vancouver Writers Festival
“With a supporting cast of characters including Noël Coward, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Princess Margaret and Mountbatten, how could the unlikely protagonist Pricilla Tempest do anything but sparkle and shine? Set at the Savoy Hotel in the 1960’s, this novel transports you to another time and place, all the while making murder great fun! If you are like me, someone who adored the character, Phryne Fisher, then this book is for you. There is wit, style and humour buoying up the mystery page after page in this joyful madcap murder mystery!”
– Heidi von Palleske, author of Two White Queens and the One-Eyed Jack
“This is a terrific read, with its delicious, backstairs view of one of the great hotels of the world. The plot has more twists and turns than the River Thames. Its cast of characters include Noël Coward, Bob Hope and Princess Margaret, apart from the long-limbed Canadian heroine, aptly named Miss Tempest. A younger, sexier version of Miss Marple herself. I know which one I prefer.”
– Hilary Brown, former foreign correspondent, ABC News, former Anchor, CBC Toronto, author of War Tourist.
“Death at the Savoy is funny, sexy, a little camp, and you want to know more. With a nod to Agatha Christie and rooted in Prudence Emery’s real-life experiences at the Savoy, the intrigue keeps coming. As a young actor in London, I was paying my way through drama school by working as head receptionist at the Park Lane Hotel, so I recognize the canvas and characters. If you’re looking for a fun read, and a sprinkling of gossip, look no further. Death At the Savoy is a must!”
– Matt Frewer, the star of Max Headroom
“The glitzy ’60s come alive in this riveting, star-studded whodunit. Base and Emery dazzle with their evocative portrayal of the Savoy Hotel and a dynamic plot that’ll leave you wanting more. Can’t wait for my next adventure with the irresistible Priscilla Tempest!”
– Erin Ruddy, bestselling author of Tell Me My Name
“Death at the Savoy starts with a bang—lots of characters, entertaining scenes, posh setting… hints of more to come. It all moves swiftly and promises to be fun as you canter along with the characters.”
– Anna Porter, co-founder of Key Porter Books, author of Deceptions
“This book is a flashy, exhilarating ride—fizzy as a flute of champagne, brimming with intriguing twists and turns that are at once hilarious and dark. With her background at the Savoy in the Swinging Sixties, Prudence Emery is admirably equipped to dish delicious dirt!”
– David Young, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and novelist
“A wonderfully sophisticated romp through the hallways of London’s most famous hotel in 1968, where Priscilla Tempest takes on murder in a miniskirt. Told with an artful wit and precision that blends just the right amount of cheek with chic, Death at the Savoy is as deliciously decadent as 2000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets.”
– C.S. O’Cinneide, bestselling author of The Candace Starr mysteries
Vintage News!
40s Family Footage
Seasons Greetings from Nanaimo Girl!
CTV’s Sawatsky Sign-Off: Fame and Fun
By Adam Sawatsky
Nanaimo Girl Has Been Unleashed!
Released: March 2020
Published by Cormorant Books
“If ever a job was tailor-made for a book of memoirs, Prudence Emery has it.”
Synopsis:
Born in Nanaimo to a family of eccentrics, Prudence Emery was set up to do all the right things: she went to Crotfon House private school for girls in Vancouver, attended the Trafalgar Day Ball, and was a debutante.
But she shattered family expectations when she took off for London to attend art school. There, living on an allowance from her father, she met and became fast friends with an astonishing array of people, and at the expense of her studies, she became a party girl.
After her father cautioned her that he would not pay for such a decadent lifestyle, she moved to Montreal and landed a job at Expo 67.
After this, she returned to London to work in the press office of the Savoy Hotel – back in the days when the Savoy was the home-away-from-home for the stars of stage and film, political figures, and royalty.
Realizing that she would die of champagne consumption, she returned to Canada where she worked as a film publicist. Upon retirement, she moved to Victoria where she continues to live a life that is anything but prudent.
Delightfully written, this often very funny memoir is a testament to a life well-lived and an encouragement to all, young and old, to get out, defy expectations, and have a rip-roaring good time.
Click here to read the reviews!
Click here to read Pru’s interviews!
Click here to find out where to buy Nanaimo Girl!
Prudence Emery 