November 2025

LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY by debut novelist Brisa Carleton is cocktail-inspiring historical fiction. I bet you never heard of that kind of fiction before! The book is set at The Savoy Hotel in London where Ada Coleman was the head bartender at the American Bar (one of only three women to have this role) from 1903 to 1925. She was the mixologist who created the famous Hanky Panky, which was first served at The Savoy.

The novel has a dual timeline. The present-day story takes place at The Savoy as two sisters, Cinnamon and Rosemary, check into the hotel for an extended stay. Cinnamon is a consummate party girl who will be by Rosie’s side as she is expecting twins. The sisters will be at the hotel until Rosie gives birth, which means they will spend plenty of time together. Cinnamon has had a wild streak since her parents died; she blames herself for their deaths. Rosie knows that this idea is only in Cinnamon’s head, and there is no evidence that this is true. Before their plane crash, Cinnamon was a writer and the toast of the town in New York. But these days, she is more known as the life of a pity party rather than the queen of the writing world. The sisters are close despite their very different lives.

As Rosie is confined to bedrest for the remainder of her pregnancy, Cinnamon explores the hotel when Rosie is sleeping. She meets the dashingly handsome historian who is researching the hotel for a book, and she falls madly for him. Meanwhile, he tries to figure out who Cinnamon really wants to be; she clearly is a woman with a lot to sort through. At the same time, Cinnamon has found Ada’s story and wants to be sure that it is one that becomes known to a wider audience. She cannot understand why Ada’s success has been hidden for so long.

Special cocktails are talked about throughout the book, and it makes you want to have a coupe with a special drink in hand as you read it. I just bought a copy of THE SAVOY COCKTAIL BOOK, which has 750 cocktail recipes in it. Just in time for holiday entertaining! I can see myself working on my shaken and stirred techniques. I smiled a lot as I was reading, and that is a lovely thing.