Hello dear readers, I’m Rita Larose. I’m the latest fresh-faced journalist for the Montreal Daily Reporter. Clark Bartholomew, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, has known my father for years and was gracious enough to give me this opportunity. I only recently made the move from the suburbs to the big city and boy is it a change! I now live in an all-female boardinghouse with a jittery landlady and I have to say it’s strange living under one roof with so many dames. Am I pos-i-tutely rude for not remembering any of their names?

I start off my day by having breakfast as Lillian, our landlady, putters about the kitchen talking about her latest fear. For someone who pokes her nose in everyone else’s business, she sure is a scaredy cat! Then I head off to the Montreal Daily Reporter headquarters. I’d bet some serious dough this building is one of the noisiest in town, with all the reporters clicking away on their typewriters while simultaneously yelling into telephones.

Because I’m the newbie of the group and a woman, I often get assigned the lighter stories with topics such as cooking and sewing. In all honesty, these articles bore me half to death! To make matters worse, the other male reporters do not take me seriously and often make jokes at my expense. It’s 1930 after all, those silly men need to realize women can have careers and write about interesting topics if they so choose!

And what do you know, just the other day, an elusive mystery fell right into my lap while discussing a bridge tournament with a socialite no less! Can you believe a maid has gone missing at one of Montreal’s most reputable hotels and no one has bothered looking into it? It’s utterly baffling, and I know deep in my bones that I’m meant to uncover this disappearance. This is my chance to prove to myself and the fools I call coworkers I can write more than housewife articles.

I was recently informed about the newspaper archives room and I can already tell this will be my second office space. Many people would balk at the idea of spending hours stowed away with piles of boxes containing more than a decade’s worth of Montreal’s noteworthy happenings, but not me! Let’s just hope I won’t go cross-eyed with all the reading I have to do.

Needless to say, my social life has been lacking since I’m still new to the city and all. But something tells me this whopper of a mystery will keep me busy enough. I’m even considering going undercover at the hotel where the disappearance occurred. I know, I know. I sound absolutely mad. But I think it’s about time I take some risks.

A Disappearance at the Bonne Nuit Hotel, A Deadly Exclusives Mystery #1
Genre: Historical
Release: March 2022
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Secret sources have a whole new meaning.

Newbie reporter Rita Larose is tired of getting assigned boring stories at one of Montreal’s most popular newspapers. It’s 1930 after all, women don’t need to only write about household chores anymore! But when a high hat socialite gossips about the New Year’s Eve party at the Bonne Nuit Hotel, a riveting mystery falls right into Rita’s lap. This is her chance to prove to herself and her underestimating colleagues that she has what it takes to write the hard-hitting articles.

While going undercover as a maid to get the scoop, Rita will soon discover unexpected friendships and an unusual gift of her own to contend with. Will she be able to juggle this newfound ability while not blowing her cover and jeopardizing her career-making article?

Meet the author
Dominique Daoust is the author of The Deadly Exclusives Trilogy. She is a journalism graduate from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. When not reading or writing, she likes to do yoga, drink margaritas, incessantly quote Friends and listen to rap while doing mundane household chores.

All comments are welcomed.