Tribute Portfolio and Hamptons Whodunit Bring a Mystery and True Crime Festival to Savannah

Marriott Bonvoy^®, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program, and Hamptons Whodunit are bringing the world of mystery, thrillers and true crime to Savannah, Georgia, from November 6 to 8, 2026. Tribute Portfolio, a collection of independent hotels that celebrate individuality, curiosity and unexpected discoveries, will bring Hamptons Whodunit to life, with The Alida, Savannah, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, serving as the festival’s home. The event invites readers and travelers to immerse themselves in the literary festival for a weekend of discovery with bestselling authors and industry experts, putting their detective skills to the test and discovering a different side of Savannah through interactive experiences and crime-solving puzzles. The event marks the first of a series of Hamptons Whodunit experiences to come to Marriott Bonvoy properties across the U.S. in 2027.

Founded in 2023, Hamptons Whodunit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that hosts an annual festival bringing best-selling fiction authors, true crime experts and devoted fans of suspense together for an intimate, weekend-long experience that goes beyond the page. Through author conversations, interactive panels and workshops, attendees can get closer to the stories they love and connect directly with the storytellers and specialists behind them.

The Savannah festival will be held at The Alida, Savannah, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, with Hotel Orielle, Autograph Collection also hosting several events and welcoming guests. Together, the hotels will serve as more than a place to stay for the weekend, giving attendees a home base from which to immerse themselves in Hamptons Whodunit while experiencing Savannah’s historic streets, Spanish moss-draped squares and legendary ghost stories. By bringing the festival to a destination where storytelling is part of the fabric of the city, Marriott Bonvoy is not just welcoming guests, but creating an experience that connects travelers with a passion they love while helping them discover more of the place they’re visiting.

“Marriott Bonvoy unlocks some of the most memorable travel experiences starting with things people love,” said Caroline Godden, Senior Director of Brand Marketing, U.S. and Canada, Marriott International. “Hamptons Whodunit brings together curiosity, imagination and the unexpected in a way that feels especially at home to Tribute Portfolio. It gives travelers a reason to explore a new destination, connect with fellow enthusiasts, and experience a place from a different perspective. Savannah is just the beginning, and we’re excited to continue creating moments that inspire travelers to explore.”

The Savannah festival will feature some of the genre’s most popular fiction voices, including Jessica Knoll, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of “Helpless” and “Luckiest Girl Alive,” which became a film; Heather Graham, a New York Times and USA Today bestseller with more than 75 million books in print; Wanda M. Morris, the award-winning Atlanta crime writer whose “Anywhere You Run” was named one of The New York Times Book Review’s Best Books of 2022 and “What You Leave Behind” earned a 2025 NAACP Image Award nomination; Emma C. Wells, USA Today bestselling author of “This Girl’s a Killer,” who joins the festival fresh off the September 8 release of her new thriller, “We Already Dug the Grave”; and Shanora Williams, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels.

The festival will also bring together some of true crime’s most familiar faces including Barbara Butcher, a respected medical examiner who starred in Oxygen’s true crime series “Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher” and was featured on the series “Homicide New York,” forensic expert Joseph Scott Morgan and retired NYPD Sgt. Joe Giacalone, host of the popular podcast “True Crime with the Sarge.”

Guests can also put their detective skills to the test through a lineup of signature experiences, including:

• Wine and Crime: A simulated crime-solving experience where guests work alongside cold case investigator Sheryl “Mac” McCollum to solve a real case.
  
  
• Trivia Night: Guests test their crime and thriller knowledge alongside bestselling authors including Brendan Slocumb, author of “The Violin Conspiracy,” while enjoying dinner and beverages.
  
  
• Panels and Workshops: Two simultaneous tracks exploring mystery and thriller fiction, as well as true crime and forensics including: “From First Impression to Confession” – going inside the interview room to learn how to interrogate a witness; and “So You Want to Be a Writer?” – a best-selling author gives hands on tips to take your hobby to the next level.
  
  

“We’re excited to bring Hamptons Whodunit to Savannah and give our community a new city to discover,” said Carrie Doyle, co-founder and CEO of Hamptons Whodunit. “What makes our festival unique is the amount of interaction our audience has with our authors and experts, and this new setting gives us a fresh way to do that without losing the intimate atmosphere that we are renowned for. We’re looking forward to taking this next step with Tribute Portfolio and Marriott Bonvoy, and seeing where this first chapter takes us.”

Education has also been central to Hamptons Whodunit’s mission. Since its founding, the festival has introduced more than 250 students to careers in forensic science, forensic art, investigation, criminal justice and law enforcement, and this year, awarded its first two scholarships to graduating seniors pursuing journalism, fiction writing, forensic science or criminal justice. As part of the Savannah event, the organization plans to extend that mission locally through an education collaboration with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) through a program that will introduce students to forensic and true crime-adjacent careers.

Looking ahead, Hamptons Whodunit experiences at Marriott Bonvoy U.S. properties will continue into 2027, including a Writers Retreat at Postcard Cabins, creating new opportunities for travelers and storytellers to come together in distinctive destinations.

Tickets for Hamptons Whodunit’s Savannah event can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1998004763031. For more information on Hamptons Whodunit, or to view the Savannah weekend schedule of events, visit the Whodunit website. For more information on Marriott Bonvoy and to explore its collection of Tribute Portfolio hotels, visit Marriott.com.

ABOUT TRIBUTE PORTFOLIO

Tribute Portfolio ^® is a growing global family of characterful, independent hotels drawn together by their passion for captivating design and their drive to create vibrant social scenes for guests and locals alike. With more than 200 hotels in over 35 countries and territories around the world, Tribute Portfolio has struck a chord with those who seek out independent experiences and crave a connection with the community when traveling. From boutique resorts like Ermita in Cartagena and urban hotels such as The Vagabond Club in Singapore; to hotels in indie-spirited locales like Bellyard in Atlanta and Hotel Riomar in Ibiza, each Tribute Portfolio hotel celebrates its individuality, offering travelers a fresh, often colorful, perspective. For more information, please visit www.tributeportfolio.com and stay connected on Instagram, X, and Facebook. Tribute Portfolio is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy ^®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com.

ABOUT MARRIOTT BONVOY

Marriott Bonvoy ^®, Marriott International’s portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 global destinations, offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable locations around the world. The award-winning travel program and marketplace gives members access to transformative, eye-opening experiences around the corner and across the globe. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

ABOUT HAMPTONS WHODUNIT

Founded in 2023 in East Hampton Village, Hamptons Whodunit has quickly established itself as the premier boutique mystery and true crime festival in the US. Since our inception we have featured dozens of bestselling mystery and thriller authors, as well as true crime authors, forensic, judicial and law enforcement experts for a weekend of panels, special events and educational programming. Our audience comes from all over the United States and abroad, and we are excited to bring our unique festival to other cities with Marriott Bonvoy.