When retired doctor Sarah Vane moves to Merstairs, she has no idea that the quaint seaside town isn’t quite as friendly it seems, and something sinister is bubbling under the picturesque surface…
Recently widowed and looking for a fresh start away from city life, Sarah Vane moves into a lovely little cottage by the sea. The rustic charm is everything she hoped it would be, but her new home doesn’t quite have enough space for her things. Her old friend Daphne offers to store Sarah’s boxes in her messy beach hut, but while clearing it out, they are shocked to find a heavy trunk… containing a dead body.
They immediately recognise the poor man as pub landlord Gus Trubshaw. Sarah concludes that he was suffocated, but who could have wanted jolly Gus dead? Unimpressed by the police’s lack of interest, Sarah realises she will have to solve the case herself.
Soon, Sarah discovers that not everyone loved Gus as much as she’d thought. Could the killer be scoutmaster Bill, who was recently banned from the pub? Or perhaps it was antique store owner, Charles, who owned the beach hut before Daphne? Or was it brewery director Mr. Grimes, who was livid with Gus for squeezing him on the purchase price of his delicious ale?
Just when the clues are starting to fall into place, the prime suspect is found strangled on the beach. And when Sarah discovers a deadly secret that links the two murders, she’s certain that a dangerous killer is roaming the streets of Merstairs. With the town in a panic, time is ticking for Sarah. Will she solve the mystery before it’s last orders for another victim?
Set off for the breezy English seaside and join Sarah on her adventures in quirky Merstairs, where nothing is quite as it seems! Fans of Agatha Christie, Betty Rowlands and Katie Gaylewill be instantly hooked by this deliciously gripping cozy mystery.
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Recently widowed and looking for a fresh start away from city life, Sarah Vane moves into a lovely little cottage by the sea. The rustic charm is everything she hoped it would be, but her new home doesn’t quite have enough space for her things. Her old friend Daphne offers to store Sarah’s boxes in her messy beach hut, but while clearing it out, they are shocked to find a heavy trunk… containing a dead body.
They immediately recognise the poor man as pub landlord Gus Trubshaw. Sarah concludes that he was suffocated, but who could have wanted jolly Gus dead? Unimpressed by the police’s lack of interest, Sarah realises she will have to solve the case herself.
Soon, Sarah discovers that not everyone loved Gus as much as she’d thought. Could the killer be scoutmaster Bill, who was recently banned from the pub? Or perhaps it was antique store owner, Charles, who owned the beach hut before Daphne? Or was it brewery director Mr. Grimes, who was livid with Gus for squeezing him on the purchase price of his delicious ale?
Just when the clues are starting to fall into place, the prime suspect is found strangled on the beach. And when Sarah discovers a deadly secret that links the two murders, she’s certain that a dangerous killer is roaming the streets of Merstairs. With the town in a panic, time is ticking for Sarah. Will she solve the mystery before it’s last orders for another victim?
Set off for the breezy English seaside and join Sarah on her adventures in quirky Merstairs, where nothing is quite as it seems! Fans of Agatha Christie, Betty Rowlands and Katie Gaylewill be instantly hooked by this deliciously gripping cozy mystery.
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MY THOUGHTS:
Author: Alice Castle
Series: Sarah Vane Mysteries Book 1
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 317
Date of Publication: July 3, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Retired doctor Sarah Vane, recently widowed, has just moved to Merstairs, a lovely seaside town that should be the perfect place to settle down. Instead, even before she could get settled, Sarah and her old friend Daphne discover a dead body in a trunk. It was soon learned that it was the landlord of a pub and his name was Gus Trubshaw. Completely unimpressed with the local police, Sarah decides to discover for herself what happened to poor Gus and how he ended up in the trunk.
It doesn’t take Sarah long to realize that Merstairs is not the sleepy little town she thought it was. Also, her quickly growing reputation as an amateur sleuth begins putting people on guard. Along with Sarah’s predilection for demanding answers, she is often accompanied by her long-time friend Daphne, who also lives in the quaint little town Between the two of them, this first book in a new cozy mystery series is off to a good start. Sarah’s no-nonsense manner and the references of her past career as a GP work well together when it comes to looking for answers.
As in many cozies, there is the presence of beloved pets. In this case, one of those pets is Sarah’s dog Hamish. I look forward to joining Sarah, Daphne and even Hamish in future installments in what looks like a promising new series.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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