Royel Griffen Hotel Mysteries Series

My name is Dora Lee Griffen, and I've been in the fashion industry for over five decades. From my revolutionary 1987 collection that changed how designers thought about traditional techniques to the small custom shop I run today, I've seen every trend come and go. I've dressed celebrities, designed costumes for Broadway, and watched ambitious young things claw their way to the top.

At seventy-eight, I've also learned that people tend to underestimate a woman of a certain age. They see the silver hair and the slow shuffle and assume the mind has gone soft. They speak too loudly, thinking my hearing has faded. They dismiss me as harmless.

That's their mistake.

I live in the penthouse of the Royal Griffen Hotel, a grand old building my family once owned back when it was still a proper hotel. When it converted to luxury apartments decades ago, I came with the deal. So did the fresh flowers in every hallway. Mother would have insisted.

My constant companion is Pippa, a Boston terrier mix with oversized ears and a repertoire of tricks that never fails to charm a crowd. She's been by my side since I found her as a soaking wet puppy in a box outside my shop, and she's proven herself useful in ways that go beyond fetching my slippers.

Between my penthouse, my shop, and the neighborhood I've called home for decades, I've built a life filled with beautiful fabrics, loyal friends, and the occasional cup of tea with my best friend Viola.

I've also stumbled into a surprising new hobby: solving murders.

It turns out that five decades in the cutthroat fashion world prepare you rather well for untangling deadly secrets. I know how to read people. I know when someone's wearing a mask. And I know that beneath all the silk and sequins, the knives are always sharp.