I've read a few books in another series by this author and had not been the biggest fan so I was a bit wary going into this book. This mystery however was a lot of fun! I enjoyed spending time at the glamorous old hotel and with Liz's even more glamorous aunt. There's a fun quirky community with a rather flirty old captain, a former mystery writer, and an assortment of dogs and cats. The mystery was interesting with a victim that couldn't have deserved it more. My main issue is that it felt like it got a bit lost with all the world building. I almost missed the murder and the reveal was a bit more pronounced but still a bit rushed. If you're a cozy fan I think you'll enjoy this one but if you're looking mostly for a solid mystery you might get a bit frustrated

Liz has fled her glamorous, successful life in New York City after a scandal that landed her on the front pages and returned to the hotel where she grew up to lick her wounds and restart her writing career. The hotel is inhabited by quirky long-term residents that we're supposed to find endearing (I didn't). The death of a wealthy and obnoxious visitor exposes secrets hidden by the other residents while allowing Liz to think about something other than herself and her past. Honestly, her whining about her past was starting to get on my nerves so I was glad when the author had her stop doing that as frequently as she did in the first part of the book. Ryan is another juvenile romantic lead (similar in that sense to Luke and Emily in the Hyde novel reviewed above)--she hates him and they bicker and then, without much reason and instantly over one page, she finds him very attractive and starts having romantic feelings for him and suddenly he's a hero, not a pest. Sheesh. Mystery authors, most of you are terrible at writing a realistic romance, so just don't. And the last ditch effort by the author to tie things together in the last chapter was very unsatisfying. Oh, and Liz, the main screen on your cell phone, that you were carrying, could function as a flashlight of sorts, and yes, librarians are usually at the front end of tech adoption because they have to be to help their patrons and because most of them are not blue-haired old ladies living in some book-lined tower. And Ms. Bridge, ever hear of doctor-patient confidentiality? Oh, and one more thing--the constant references to real pop culture, like 1970s television shows that Aunt Amelia supposedly worked on--I believe copyright violations could be going on here, so you might want to look into that or at the least, tone it down because it got annoying after a while.

It was a good book, it kept my interest somewhat. May not have been the perfect fit for me though but I would read more by the author.

This is the first book in a new series, the By the Sea mysteries. It's set in Melbourne Beach, Florida at an old hotel (now a boardinghouse) called the Indialantic that's run by a quirky family.

Liz Holt, an author whose first book was a bestseller, has returned to Florida after a personal scandal. Her family-run inn is now a boardinghouse and shopping emporium, and Liz is relieved to be home amongst family and friends. Everything is going fine until one of the guests is found murdered.

Liz starts to investigate along with her friends. and won't stop until she finds the murderer.

I really enjoyed this book. It started out a little slow but really picked up as the book went along. I recommend this book and look forward to the next one in the series.

Thanks to Lyrical Underground and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for this book.

Liz Holt comes home to Melbourne, FL and her family's hotel, The Indialantic, to help manage the property now that it is getting a bit older and not quite in the best of condition. Surprisingly, a wealthy patron books a suite which should help business but not when she is murdered in that suite. Needing to clear the name of the hotel, Liz decides she needs to "assist" the police in their investigation.

This story really dragged at the beginning with too many characters to be introduced and put in place, too much background information and the mystery was pretty slow as well. Not sure this is a series I will continue.

The Indiatlantic Hotel may be falling a bit into disrepair, but the eccentric cast of characters, who are truly characters, make up for the interior design. Plus a new shopping area is bringing both new and old wealth and visitors to this area of Florida. Best selling author Liz Holt has decided to leave NYC and return to her family hotel home, her father still taking a few cases as a lawyer and her great aunt who has quite the storied past. The nods to various 60's shows and stars was kind of fun, and the descripitons of the area seem enticing.

Princess Fuzzypants here: I can understand why Liz is so relieved to return to her barrier island home along Florida's Gold Coast. She, her dad and her great aunt live in historic old hotel owned by her aunt since she retired from acting. Aunt Amelia is a hoot. Colourful and feisty, the 80 year old is also a sucker for a sob story, particularly where an animal is concerned.
That is how she agrees to let a suite to the snooty and rich daughter of a recently deceased island icon. Her father discovered sunken treasure off the coast and now his daughter is anxious to get her claws into his wealth. Sadly, for her, but not for the other residents, her father understood her avaricious nature and made provisions to protect his treasures. That includes a beautiful mansion she has designs on bulldozing against the wishes of the locals.
It is no wonder she is found strangled in her suite with her husband suffering a stab wound beside her. Some of her jewellery is missing so a botched robbery is suspected. But there is far more going on here and the true story has many more dark corners than simply theft. The reader is pulled back and forth wondering who committed the crime. In part, the reason the reader is torn is the characters who reside locally are a great bunch of people and we don't want any of them to be guilty.
There are twists and turns but it turns out the motives are more basic than imagined. I look forward to checking into this hotel again and meeting up with Liz and co.
I give the book four purrs and two paws up.

I like Kathleen Bridge's other series, so enjoyed the chance to read the first book in her newest series. This book gives you lots of the back story of the characters rather than spreading it out throughout numerous books in the series. The murder does take a long time to show up for a cozy, but hang in there.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Sometimes the setting of a book is all-important. The fact that Kathleen Bridge set the first book, Death by the Sea, #1 By the Sea Mysteries, in the Melbourne, Florida environs, made me want to try it. Who doesn’t love mid-Florida and Melbourne Beach?

That being said, the idea of an old hotel, the Indiatlantic, with ties to older actors and ghosts of stories of former glory days,...well, surely this is a hotel/emporium worth revering. Liz Holt has returned here, tail between her legs, to live with her father, great-aunt Amelia, and “Grand-Pierre.”

While we wait excruciatingly throughout the book to discover Liz’s past, we get to see the great personality development of Aunt Amelia, (who was a character actress on Dark Shadows in the 1960’s); Pierre, the beloved chef who is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer’s; and Liz’s dad, who is just wonderful but also interested in the female investigator. The relationships are so warm and caring one could almost wish to meet those three!

Some other characters I loved; some no one is expected to love. Barnacle Bob, the irascible parrot with a pirate’s vocabulary, adds fun and spice. Other animals populate the book, adding enjoyment for an animal lover. Gramps’ grandson, Ryan, is an enigma. Regina Harrington-Worth is just plain insufferably rude.

The bottom line for me: there was more language than I would like, but I will be back to see what happens next to this compelling cast of characters. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and the complimentary aspect in no way influenced my opinions, for which I am solely responsible. (less)

Liz returns home to a small Florida beach town after 10 years of living in New York City and having a successful writing career. Her family runs a historic hotel, and Liz happily joins in working at the hotel when she returns. Everything seems to be going smoothly, until a rich guest is found murdered at the hotel. It seems there is a killer at the hotel, and Liz sleuths to discover who it is.

The 1st book in the By the Sea mystery series. A charming setting – loved the old hotel and nearby shops. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the books, the hotel library, and the local bookshop. The characters are fun, with the hotel and shops both full of eccentric staff and guests.

A great cozy mystery. I look forward to reading more of this series.

This is the first book that I have read by Kathleen Bridge. She has a way of telling a story that captures her reader and transport them into the story.

Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is the first book in the By the Sea Mystery series. Liz returns home to the Indialantic by the Sea hotel in Florida after a mysterious event in New York. When a super rich and annoying guest of the hotel is found murdered. Liz sets out to solve the mystery since she is on the suspect list. This book is full of quirky characters which makes it all the more fun. A fair amount of time was spent introducing the characters and the setting as well as alluding to what happened to Liz in New York. The mystery still held its own, and I am expecting future books to be even stronger.

A really interesting thing that actually sets Death by the Sea apart from other cozy mysteries i've read is that the murder that needs to be solved doesn't take place until halfway thought the book. While I did like that the author spent the time really introducing the characters and the setting, it just felt like it took too long to get to the mystery. The side mystery of main character Liz's past was intriguing but unfortunately I thought that things were left hanging a bit to much for my taste. I enjoyed parts of Death by the Sea but I don't think I would read the next in the series.

A nice beach read. Intrigue, romance and ocean breezes.

Liz Holt retreated to her Aunt Amelia's hotel in Melborne, FL after a public nasty scandal that left her reputation in shreds and her face scarred. Growing up the hotel had been her home, and her return has been a recuperation. Unfortunately a nasty guest and a murder threaten her safe harbor. Filled with interesting characters and a fresh locale, this book is a real treat. First in a series that I will continue to read.

Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is the first novel in A By the Sea Mystery series. Elizabeth “Liz” Holt has returned home to Melbourne Beach, Florida to The Indialantic by the Sea Hotel and Emporium which is owned by Amelia Eden Holt, her aunt. Aunt Amelia is an eccentric former actress who helped raise Liz along with Liz’s father, Fenton Holt. Liz is living in the beach house. She helps out in the hotel and is working on her next novel (well—she is supposed to be). Their latest guest is Regina Harrington-Worth and her husband David who will be staying with them while their historic home is being demolished and a modern monstrosity is built in its place. Regina considers The Indialantic beneath her, but it is the only hotel with a vacancy that will allow pets. After a successful Spring Fling event, they discover that Regina was found dead in her suite, her husband was stabbed, and some very expensive jewels have gone missing. Liz immediately dives in to find who committed the dastardly deed. Who disliked Regina enough to kill her (that is one long suspect list)? Join Liz at The Indialantic as she examines the clues and questions the suspects to catch the evildoer.

Death by the Sea is a slow starter. The murder does not happen until the forty-four percent mark. The beginning of the book is an introduction to the Liz, the hotel, the employees, Liz’s family, the guests, and the shops and their owners. The author overwhelms readers with the amount of information she is dishing out. Kathleen Bridge is a wordy writer. It creates a rich environment, but it also makes a slow-moving story. I do like the beautiful hotel and emporium that Ms. Bridge created in Death by the Sea. I did feel that the story jumps around making it disjointed. Liz has returned home after a disastrous relationship that ended in Liz being physically injured. Since Liz and her paramour are public figures, the whole debacle was fodder for the media. There are numerous quirky characters with the biggest one being Aunt Amelia. A popular actress during the 1960s who has passed her love of 60s sitcoms and movies along to Liz. The various shows and movies from that time-period are mentioned throughout the book (Dark Shadows, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan’s Island for example). I enjoyed the comments regarding the popular teen girl mystery novels which included Nancy Drew, Connie Blair, and Dana Girls (which I collect). There was an abundance of repetition (it is a common malady in books that I have read recently) along with a cliché nasty detective. The pace picks up slightly in the second half of the book as the investigation gets under way. I think the author tried to put too much into one book. The hotel, the numerous quirky characters, the unique shops, Liz’s nemesis, Liz and her issues, a love interest, Regina’s father and how he died, the treasure of the San Carlos, Spring Fling, Fenton Holt and his practice, the obnoxious bird with the foul mouth, the hairless cat, and Liz and her writing difficulties are just a few of the items in the book. The murder of Regina was not as complicated as it seemed, and it can be solved before the reveal. At the end of the book, readers are still left wondering how Liz was injured. We are told about her injuries, but not how they happened. There are also some contradictions (one example is the hotel is not doing well, but an employee has a large suite and some people seem to live there for free). My rating for Death by the Sea is 3 out of 5 stars. I am hoping the author will scale back in A Killing by the Sea.

A definitive new cozy mystery series has arrived. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review this new series. My opinion is my own..
Death By the Sea is a first in a new series by Kathleen Bridge.
Liz Holt has returned to Indialantic Florida. Back to her home on the island and her family and friends.
Liz left her life in New York after a tragic breakup.
Liz is determined to make a fresh start on this unique island where she finds not much has changed since she left. The quirky cast of colorful characters that are her friends and family keep her life interesting. The family hotel is a unique fun place full of laughter and island culture. .
Aunt Amelia proves to have her escapades that involve the family and keep everyone on their toes. Each character is a perfect fit to this story and unique location.
Liz soon finds herself involved in a mystery and proves to be a capable protagonist while rebuilding her life and helping run the family hotel. . The hotel is somewhere every reader would like to stay and the permanent guests all add fun and laughter to the story.
I loved this debut series and look forward to the next in series. The sleuth was very well crafted, the story fast paced and the location is sublime. I loved the protagonist and look forward to her next adventure on the island. A successful debut !

I I have never read a book by this author, but boy am I so glad I did! Well written, it was a comfort to read over a cold and snowy weekend, as it takes the reader to an island off the Florida coast. Can't wait to read what's next.

Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is the 1st book in the A By the Sea Mystery series, and a great start. Liz Holt returns to her home town of Melbourne Beach, Florida and her family's Inn, Indialantic Hotel . Liz has been living in New York, and she's happy to be home with family and friends. When a wealthy women is found dead in one of the rooms the sleuthing begins. There are twists and turns around every corner. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. If you love funny cozy mysteries, I recommend this book. I am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Liz has left New York to return to the Florida hotel of her childhood, rejoining her father and her flamboyant great aunt Amelia. The hotel is really a lavish boarding house, a place I would love to live in. Aunt Amelia was an actress in just about every 1950-1960's tv show you could imagine like Dark Shadows and the Patty Duke show (she ended up on the cutting room floor in that one) and the whole mystery is peppered with her stories and her great sense of humor. Add to that a parrot with a sharp brain and a foul mouth, a Great Dane, a couple of cats and a two legged cast of characters lined up to entertain the reader.
While the murder takes awhile to occur - almost at the halfway point of the mystery - there is no doubt who will check out of the hotel in a body bag. It takes that long to set the scene, get some backstory, especially on Liz and why she left New York with a nasty facial scar in the process of healing. Be patient and let the story unfold, slowly building to a satisfying conclusion. Liz isn't a nosy amateur investigator and
the police aren't big city, Then there is the missing jewelry and talk of pirate treasure and a housekeeper with a secret or two.There are a few serious notes added about aging but they fit the story. Liz and her family and close friends really care about each other......wonder if they might have room for one more? I'm ready to dive into the next entry, A Killing By the Sea, due out this Fall.