From Feather Duster To Forensics

When readers meet Paula Langford in Checked Out at the Imperial, she’s not your typical detective. She’s the Head Housekeeper at a prestigious seaside hotel in the charming town of Brightcombe. She knows her linens from her ledger, manages crises with a steady hand, and navigates the social quirks of staff and guests alike with quiet confidence. But when her best friend and colleague Julia Parkes is found dead behind the reception desk, Paula’s world shifts—and so does her role.

So why does Paula trade her feather duster for a notebook and a suspicious mind?

Because it’s personal.

Julia wasn’t just a co-worker—she was Paula’s oldest friend, the one who helped her get the job at the Imperial when she needed a lifeline. Julia was bright, ambitious, and healthy. Her sudden death is quickly dismissed as a medical event, but Paula knows better. From the blue tinge of Julia’s lips to the untouched cup of tea at her desk, something doesn’t sit right.

And when the police seem all too eager to write it off, Paula’s instincts kick in.

She’s not a detective, but she knows people. She knows the hotel. She sees the cracks forming in the façade of hospitality, hears the murmurs behind closed doors, and begins to piece together the subtle signs others overlook. Her motivation is clear: justice for Julia, protection for the staff, and the survival of the Imperial itself—an institution as woven into Brightcombe’s identity as the sea breeze and promenade.

What I love about Paula is that she doesn’t have special training or a badge—but she does have grit, intelligence, and a deep sense of loyalty. She’s also juggling real-life responsibilities: a family to care for, bills to pay, a job to keep. She’s relatable and grounded, which makes her courage all the more compelling.

In many ways, Paula represents the unlikeliest of heroines—someone who never set out to solve a crime, but who can’t turn her back when the truth is in danger of being buried.

If you’ve ever wondered what might drive an ordinary person to take on an extraordinary role, Paula Langford’s story might just be for you.