Death at the Seaside: Book 8 in the Kate Shackleton mysteries (Kate Shackleton Mystery, #8)

by Frances Brody

'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily Mail

'Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves

AN IDYLLIC SEASIDE TOWN

Nothing ever happens in August, and tenacious sleuth Kate Shackleton deserves a break. Heading off for a long-overdue holiday to Whitby, she visits her school friend Alma who works as a fortune teller there.

A MISSING GIRL

Kate had been looking forward to a relaxing seaside sojourn, but upon arrival discovers that Alma's daughter Felicity has disappeared, leaving her mother a note and the pawn ticket for their only asset: a watch-guard. What makes this more intriguing is the jeweller who advanced Felicity the thirty shillings is Jack Phillips, Alma's current gentleman friend.

A COMPLEX MYSTERY TO SOLVE

Kate can't help but become involved, and goes to the jeweller's shop to get some answers. When she makes a horrifying discovery in the back room, it soon becomes clear that her services are needed. Met by a wall of silence by town officials, keen to maintain Whitby's idyllic façade, it's up to Kate to discover the truth behind Felicity's disappearance.

Praise for Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton series:

'Delightful' People's Friend

'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail

'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews

'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger

• ISBN10: 0349406588
• ISBN13: 9780349406589
• Publish Date: 6 October 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 March 2022
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
• Imprint: Piatkus Books
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Death at the Seaside, the 8th entry for author Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton is another wonderful English cozy set in the interwar period. I have followed this series from the beginning and really look forward to each book.

This book has Kate on holiday visiting her school friend Alma. The trip is poignant for Kate because she and her late husband had a shared history in Whitby, the seaside town in which Alma lives. On a whim, Kate decides to go into the jeweler's to look at a bracelet as a gift for her goddaughter, Alma's daughter. She finds one murdered jeweler instead.

The book is entertaining, well written, and full of old and new treachery. There are too many motives for murder and deceit and nobody seems to be telling the truth.

At 400 pages for the Kindle edition, there's enough room for masterful plot and character development but the pacing never slows or stalls in the slightest. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it (and the series) very highly.

The secondary characters, including her sometimes associate, former policeman Jim Sykes, and her estranged former love interest, Marcus, are very well written and believable.

This book, indeed the series, is a very worthy addition to English interwar cozies, and goes on the shelf in my library next to Maisie Dobbs, Daisy Dalrymple, Amory Ames & co. Classic, smart and relaxing reading with strong intelligent female characters.

Five stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.