At Bertram's Hotel, Agatha Christie. I'm a big fan of both her and Terry Pratchett. I don't have any particular problem with Ermintrude myself... anyway I read most of Nation ages ago and stopped a couple chapters from the end. Need to finish it one day...
~I have about 35 - 40 Agatha Christie books, and 12 or so of Mr Pratchett's...
Enchilado
Also, try the Monster Blood Tattoo series by DM Cornish,
http://www.monsterbloodtattoo.com/.