Hotel Paradise

Hotel Paradise. .

"Although there was no murders and - alas! - no Sheriff DeGheyn, Hotel Paradise is otherwise the story of my 12-year-old life." , Martha Grimes

, Hotel Paradise (1996), the title of one of renowned author Martha Grimes' many books, is based on the Mountain Lake Park Hotel, a place with which Martha was more than just familiar., Born in Pittsburgh, (where her father was the city solicitor), Martha Grimes spent every summer at the Mountain Lake Park Hotel, which was owned and operated by her mother June. Martha's favorite memories of that time are her mother's cooking and her brother's theatrical productions in the big garage behind the hotel, to which she was rarely admitted., The lead character in Hotel Paradise, and in three subsequent books of the series, is 12-year-old Emma Graham, who actually represents Martha herself at that age. Cold Flat Junction (2000), Belle Ruin (2005), and Fadeaway Girl (2011) continue the adventures of Emma, as she works to solve a string of local mysteries, all set in Mountain Lake Park, Oakland, and the surrounding area. The name of the town (Mountain Lake Park) in the Emma Graham series is sprit Lake, Oakland is La Porte, and the local newspaper (The Republican) she calls The Conservative. One of the characters, Mr. Britten, is drawn on Britten Leo Martin Sr. (father of current Mountain Lake Park Mayor Leo Martin), who at that time operated Martin's Store, which he owned with his father and brother. Martin's Store (now Winner's Circle Convenience Center) was accessible by a short walkway from the Mountain Lake Hotel., The Mountain Lake Park Hotel was built in 1882, doubled its capacity from 1890 to 1900, closed around 1960, and was finally razed in 1967., Martha is best known for her Ricahrd Jury series, which includes the majority of her novels (22 in this series to date). They feature a handsome, witty Scotland Yard detective, his aristocratic friend Melrose Plant, and Plant's obnoxious American Aunt Agatha. When it comes to figuring out "who dunnit," Martha professes not to know until the end of each novel., Martha received the coveted Nero Wolfe Award for best mystery of the year in 1983 for The Anodyne Necklace, which is part of the Richard Jury series. Many of her works have been on the New York Times Best Sellers List., Holding bachelor and master degrees from the University of Maryland at College Park, Martha was an instructor of English at the University of Iowa, as well as an assistant professor of English at Frostburg State College (now University). Her last teaching position was professor of English at Montgomery College in Tacoma Park, Maryland. It was Grimes' first poem, "Send Bygraves," that inspired her to write mystery novels instead of poetry. Her first novel, The Man with a Load of Mischief, was published in 1981., Martha now spends her time between the Washington, D.C., area and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is an active advocate for animal rights, and has in the past donated up to 2/3 of her royalties to anti-animal abuse organizations. Her son Kent, a public relations executive in Washington, D.C., is married and has two sons.