Features Stephanie Wrobel

Paying Homage to the Master of Suspense and Paying it Forward

The Big Thrill Interviews Bestselling Author Stephanie Wrobel 

By R.G. Belsky

An obsessive Alfred Hitchcock fan opens a place called The Hitchcock Hotel, fills every room with memorabilia dedicated to the Master of Suspense, then invites a group of former friends from his college film club—whom he hasn’t spoken to in 16 years and still holds a longtime grudge against—to spend the weekend there alone with him. What could go wrong?

That’s the unique premise for Stephanie Wrobel’s highly-anticipated new thriller THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL, which Wrobel says she especially loved writing because she’s such a big Hitchcock fan herself.

“I relished the opportunity to watch even more of his movies than I already had—all in the name of research,” Wrobel told The Big Thrill. “Not everything about a writer’s job is glamorous, but sometimes it’s exactly as fun as it sounds.

“I’m not going to pretend I’ve watched all 53 of Hitchcock’s films, but I’ve seen around 15. Additionally, I read a few books that were integral to my novel: The Twelve Lives of Alfred Hitchcock by Edward White, Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light by Patrick McGilligan, and Hitchcock/Truffaut by François Truffaut.”

THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL is the story of Alfred Smettle and the group of his ex-friends from college who share the sprawling, remote mountain hotel with him on what soon turns into a deadly, suspense-filled weekend. Alfred Smettle is much more than your average Hitchcock fan. He offers his guests round-the-clock Hitchcock film screens, movie props, and even an aviary with 50 crows—in honor of Hitchcock’s classic The Birds. But then things begin to go terribly wrong for everyone there. Or, as Wrobel puts it: “No Hitchcock set is complete without a body.”

So, how did Wrobel come up with the Hitchcock concept for the book?

Cheesing with my third born.

“I spent a lot of time thinking about the Agatha Christie trend in my genre. In the past several years, tons of thriller writers have been building on her books with their own work. When I brainstormed other past giants of the genre, I felt Hitchcock deserved the same treatment. His work has been studied, revered, and reused for decades, but I wanted to pay a more overt homage.”

She did not get a positive response for the idea from one person close to her: Wrobel’s husband. “My husband is a huge supporter of my work, but he’s not a fan of old movies, so he didn’t spark to my Hitchcock-themed hotel right away. To be honest, his lukewarm reaction was just as helpful as a glowing one; his feedback influences my work a great deal, but I felt so strongly about this one that I pitched it anyway. My agent and publishers immediately loved it.”

Wrobel says she’s been a big Hitchcock fan ever since she was in college, similar to the character in her book.

“I was introduced to Hitchcock via North by Northwest during a film studies course in college. (If you’ve read my book, this will sound familiar.) I’ve been a big fan ever since. What surprised me most as I rewatched some films and watched others for the first time was how much they hold up in 2024—especially the humor. Hitchcock is known as the Master of Suspense, and he is, but I would argue he was just as much a master of comedy. I still can’t believe how funny his movies are. I don’t think humor is something my generation associates with Hitchcock unless you’re a big fan.”

Filming a promotional video for my UK publisher before my debut launch.

Wrobel—who says her favorite of all Hitchcock movies is Rope—was asked about the Hitchcock films she drew upon for inspiration in writing the book.

“I planted references to his most well-known movies—Psycho (the shower scene), Rear Window (voyeur protagonist), The Birds (…birds)—that even non-fans will recognize. I also borrowed Hitch’s favorite, shall we say, violent tendencies, which were poison, strangulation, and falling (or being shoved) from great heights. By my count, these three tendencies are used or discussed in at least 17 of his movies!”

Signing copies of my second novel, This Might Hurt, at Goldsboro Books in London.

Wrobel also talked about using the closed-off hotel nightmare as an idea/concept drawn from other places besides Hitchcock.

“Locked-room premises are so popular in the thriller genre—and this book isn’t even my first time dabbling there! (My second novel, This Might Hurt, takes place on a private island in Maine.) Locked rooms are a delicious way to quickly up the tension. What could be scarier than being caught in a horrific situation with no way out?

“I’d be remiss not to also mention Stephen King’s The Shining—which Alfred himself references—as the ultimate closed-off-hotel nightmare.”

Does she think Alfred Hitchcock would like her book? “Oh, God, I try not to think about that. He wasn’t a fan of whodunits—he only made one or two in his entire career—so I hope he would forgive me for attaching his name to one.”

In addition to writing her own books, Wrobel spends time on her website giving tips for aspiring writers: how to sell a book, find an agent, and deal with editors and publishers.

Working on setting descriptions or avoiding the blank page?

“I’m a big believer in paying it forward,” she explains. “Without the help of my professors (authors themselves), I might still be working on the first draft of my first novel. Plus, skills like synthesizing and organizing information come easily to me. I know from conversations with many writer friends that these are not traits shared by all creatives. If I can make the publishing process less daunting for aspiring writers, why not try to help?”

And now, what’s next for her?

“I’m hard at work on my fourth book, which I can’t say anything about just yet!”

The Big Thrill Interviews Author Stephanie Wrobel