Review & #Giveaway – Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew #cozy #mystery

StoreyBook Reviews 

 

 

 

 

Murder by the Seashore (A California Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
Crooked Lane Books (October 17, 2023)

 

 

Synopsis

 

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Scarlett Gardner’s dream was to open a bookshop in Southern California, but it soon becomes a nightmare when she finds the dead body of a customer—and becomes the prime suspect.

Southern California is where dreams come true—or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she moved there and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about—she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookshop that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.

After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer representing someone named Lorelai Knight tells Scarlett that she now stands to inherit a small fortune, she’s left with more questions than answers. Before she can make sense of any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to Palm Trees and Page Turners but for all the wrong reasons – curious tourists don’t want books, they want a glimpse of the Bookshop Killer.

Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have to get creative—and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.

 

 

 

 

Amazon * PenguinRandomHouseB&NChapters Indigo

 

 

 

Review

 

This was a fun read for a new series. As with most first books, some rough edges will need to be worked out. Scarlett is likable, owns a bookstore (and who doesn’t dream of that?!), and has a good base of friends and family. However, when she stumbles across a body, her world turns upside down.

Like most cozies, Scarlett is suspected of doing the deed and has to solve the crime to clear her name. There isn’t a love interest that appears, but it is only the first book!

There are many red herrings thrown into the mix of this story. I suspected several characters because those were some of the clues or suspicious behavior exhibited by some of the characters. Some characters are cleared quickly, and when the real murderer is revealed, it is quite a surprise. It was not someone I suspected. However, it makes perfect sense once the reasons behind it are revealed.

The book felt like it moved at a slightly slower pace initially but picked up speed as it progressed. There are several characters to dislike, primarily the recent ex-boyfriend, Connor. He is not redeemed in the book. I wonder if we will see more of him in future books since I think he provides some tension in the story.

I really like Scarlett’s roommate, Lucia. She is whip-smart and manages to keep Scarlett out of too much trouble. I love how she relates everything to movies.

We give this new series 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Samara Yew is a cozy mystery author who writes about adorable bookshops and dead bodies. A full-time mom, full-time dog servant, and part-time writer, Samara lives in British Columbia, Canada, where she can often be found watching Psych reruns. Samara loves to travel, especially visiting her husband’s home country of Singapore or donning Mickey ears in Disneyland. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

 

Website * Facebook * X (Twitter) * Instagram * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Recommended Posts

Music nonfiction Spotlight

Spotlight – The Music of The Hudson Valley by Mercedes Barreto

  Synopsis “What does the music of The Hudson Valley mean to you? Enjoy ‘Volume I’ of this written music collection, featuring bands, musicians, and more from the Hudson Valley in upstate N.Y. This photo book features several musicians from The Hudson Valley and their photos, which represent them and their artistic backgrounds as Hudson […]

StoreyBook Reviews 
Book Release excerpt Historical romance Trailer

New Release & Excerpt – Thistle in the Mistletoe by Margaret Izard

  Synopsis A kiss under the Mistletoe brings good fortune, but can a Christmas wedding stop a deadly feud? The soft beauty beside him at the altar would make the perfect bride. Roderick MacDougall would do anything to stop the feud without more bloodshed. Too bad the gorgeous woman is the daughter of his greatest […]

StoreyBook Reviews 
fiction Giveaway Historical

New Release & Giveaway – The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia by Ettore Farrattini Pojani

  The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia By Ettore Farrattini Pojani Italian Literature / Historical Fiction Publisher: Bayou City Press Pages: 326 Publication Date: October 11, 2024     Synopsis This is the first (and only) English-language version of the award-winning Italian novel, The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia. Nine Lives is a love story […]

StoreyBook Reviews 

1 Comment

  1. Katherine Holom

    Congrats on the upcoming release! This sounds like a good book.

Comments are closed.