New York, 1885. Arabella Pryce is the quintessential stage diva. She has world-wide fame, an opulent Fifth Avenue mansion, and a majestic New York theatre to call her own. Elegant, and adored, she’s at the height of her career.
But everything changes with the sudden death of her husband, William Pryce. Arabella’s world is turned upside down when she discovers a stipulation in his will: in order to receive her full inheritance, she must give up her life of luxury and celebrity to run his pride and joy—a grand hotel named after her in the rugged mining town of La Plata Springs, Colorado, for one full year.
A hotel? In the middle of nowhere? It’s a far cry from Broadway lights and champagne receptions. But Arabella doesn’t back down from a challenge—she never has. And while the hotel is full of secrets, Arabella is keeping a few of her own.
Themes: Success, Reinvention, and the Fear That Lurks Behind the Mask
At its heart, The Pryce of Murder series explores a deceptively simple question: What is the true meaning of success? For Arabella Pryce, a woman who has always measured her worth through excellence, opulence, and recognition, her new situation forces a dramatic reckoning—not just with her past, but with herself.
Charismatic, ambitious, and image-conscious, Arabella has built her life around performance—not just on stage, but in society, in marriage, in every carefully curated moment. The series explores how we construct—and cling to—identities that make us feel safe, admired, and untouchable. But it also asks a deeper question: What if the very things we crave aren’t what’s best for us?
Arabella’s journey forces her to confront not just who she is beneath the mask, but whether the life she’s worked so hard to build is truly meaningful. What begins as a fight to preserve her legacy becomes a reckoning with the cost of ambition—and the possibility of something far more satisfying.
A Supernatural Twist…
Not all of Arabella’s allies are among the living. The Pryce of Murder series carries a ghostly undercurrent, thanks to Leticia and Percival—two spirited specters who offer far more than chills.
Leticia Crookshank, once a celebrated actress in her day, has become Arabella’s stage mentor and remains a steady, guiding presence from beyond the veil. Regal, wise, and fiercely protective, she offers hard-won advice with the grace of a woman who’s seen it all—on stage and off.
Percival Blank, by contrast, is delightfully unpredictable. Eccentric, moody, mischievous, and occasionally theatrical himself, he’s equal parts comic relief and emotional foil. He pushes Arabella in ways no living soul dares.
