I’m not sure what it was about this book but I just could not connect with the characters or really immerse myself in the story. I was bored for large parts of it and I think the pacing was just too slow for me.

Trust me when I say that you won’t want to put this book down! On my first read through I realized quickly I wanted to savor each twist and turn. I read a bit each day so I could prolong my enjoyment of the story, mystery, and writing. On the second time I read it, I breezed through and picked up on so many subtle details that made it almost as much fun on a reread as the first time. A definite unputdownable read.

Callie Padget works at the bookstore on Cattail Island in the Outer Banks. Her relationship with Toby Dodge, who owns a martial arts studio, is heating up and both are looking forward to what will happen next. Both are runners who love to take the trail to Mustang Beach where a protected herd of wild horses live. No one is allowed into their area, no one is allowed to touch or approach them. Everyone finds them fascinating, especially now that one of the mares is ready to give birth.

When Callie and Toby return from their run, they find a dead body in his studio. The man had been there for an early workout but left when Toby closed the studio to meet Callie. The questions are, how did he get inside, what was the murder weapon, and who killed him?

Things only get worse for Toby when the police find out Toby knew the victim and had reason to dislike him. The victim is getting all the sympathy since he’d gotten married just the day before.

Geri-Lynn Humfeld, caretaker of the island’s protected wild horses, finds a piece of information that might help Toby. She and Callie work together, not only to find the real killer, but to locate the pregnant mare who hasn’t been seen in several days. When a second body turns up, on the beach the horses use, the tension ramps up. Will they be able to solve the case and find the mare and foal?

This is the second book in the series but the first one I’ve read. The previous story, Smile Beach Murder, brings Callie to Cattail Island.

Callie’s relationship with Toby is an interesting one as he’s vowed not to date for a year. It’s given them time to develop a deep friendship first. They’re now looking forward for their first official date. The information about the wild herd of horses holds the whole story together and will bring awareness to readers that herds like these are endangered and must be protected. I look forward to what comes next for Callie and only hope the horses, Toby, and Geri-Lynn are part of the tale.

📖My Thoughts📖

Looking for a good cozy mystery with some great characters, a bookshop (which that right there is reason enough for me to read a book), a new budding romance and of course, let’s not forget, a murder? Let me suggest you snag a copy of this one up and let allow it to take you away from reality for a while. In the second installment of The Outer Banks Bookshop, we return to the lovely people of Cattail Island. This time we are brought to Mustang Beach as opposed to Smile Beach, that was featured in the first book. I was excited to see that Callie and Toby are taking their relationship to the next level, (I’m totally rooting for them) and set out for their first date. Well wouldn’t ya know, of course it’s put on the back burner when they stumble across a dead body. What a mood kill! I don’t want to spoil anything though, so if you want to know more, you’ll just have to read it for yourself. I love Callie’s drive, the small town community, the interaction and honestly everything about this book. It fits the true definition of a cozy mystery. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out! This is a great summer read if you’re looking for one.
Thank you Netgalley, Berkley Publishing and Alicia Bessette for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bessette

Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bessette is the second book in the cozy Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series the books in this series each feature a new mystery to be fully solved so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There will be however character development that carries over from book to book for those following from the beginning.

Callie grew up on Cattail Island but had left the small town to pursue a career as a journalist. Callie’s memories weren’t the greatest from her childhood as she had lost her mother to a tragic incident but when Callie loses her job she decides to return to Cattail Island while she decides what is next in her life. Soon Callie began to fit into her small town again even taking a job at the local bookstore working for old friends.

Callie never expected to be using her journalist skills while being on Cattail Island but her need for searching out the truth in stories is certainly coming in handy searching out suspects. Callie learns that another murder has occured in her small community and her friend and potential boyfriend, Toby, quickly became a suspect leading Callie to do another search for the truth but she never expected where that search would take her on the island.

The Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery series is one that I was immediately interested in and began with the first book of the series, Smile Beach Murder. I love a small town beachy setting and the author does a wonderful job bringing the Outer Banks to life in this series so I was happy to return to this tale in this second installment. This was a multi layered mystery and I was happily invested all throughout the story. With great characters along with the great setting I’ll be excited to return again with book three.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Callie Padget is once again caught up in murder on Cattail Island. This time around she is working to clear the name of her soon-to-be boyfriend, Toby, especially when not only was the murder victim found in his martial arts studio but there is also a connection between the two from childhood. Callie is also pulled into the mystery of the missing mustang by new friend Geri-Lynn, caretaker of the island’s protected wild mustang herd.
This novel was another delightful addition to this newer cozy series set in the Outer Banks. Callie once again finds herself in the position of amateur sleuth despite trying to resist the initial pull. Watching Callie and Geri-Lynn’s friendship bloom was a lovely character arc that helped keep the story moving. I loved learning more about the island through Callie’s past and present and found myself caring more and more about both the island and the local community because of her connections. I do have to say that I was much more invested in the story of the missing mustang than the murder if only because of how the victim was characterized, and while this played a part in the big reveal it made it difficult to care that he had been killed in the first place. While I love a good side mystery it should never overtake the main murder in my opinion. Overall, a solid addition to the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bassette. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC.

Alicia Bessette has done it again. It sucked me into the world of the Outer Banks and made me want to pick up and move there. While our heroine Callie and the murder mystery she finds herself stumbling upon is as good as ever, the author's detailed love of Cattail Island really elevates my enjoyment. All these great little details bring this book to life and make me care about what is happening. I give this book 5/5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good cozy mystery.

Callie Padgett has settled back into life on Cattail Island after years away on the mainland as an investigative journalist. Nowadays, she’s happy to be selling books at the famed MotherVine bookstore and living in her beloved Uncle Hudson’s converted garage. She’s also looking forward to the day that marks the end of her love interest Toby Dodge’s vow of celibacy, so that the two of them can start exploring new facets of their blossoming romance:

QUOTE
The past year had been epic. When you take a relationship as molasses-slow as we had been taking ours, things felt super innocent and, at the same time, maddeningly sexy. We spent last summer and early fall frolicking on warm beaches, driving with the windows down while singing and surfing our hands on the wind, like teenagers. We’d spent winter going on runs together and continuing my self-defence lessons. It was all leading up to the day when we could take things to the next level.

But with the occurrence of a corpse, our flirtation had screeched to a halt.
END QUOTE

Bad enough that they discover a dead body on the very day they’re supposed to start officially dating. The corpse in question is found in the martial arts studio Toby has worked so hard to make a success of. Worse still, a connection between Toby and the dead man, Seth Goodnow, makes Toby prime suspect in Seth’s murder.

Callie is absolutely convinced of Toby’s innocence. But who else could have wanted Seth dead and why? Seth, it turns out, has only recently come into town in order to get married on a Cattail beach. He leaves behind a grieving widow and a stunned wedding party. Could any of them have wanted to kill Seth? But why wait till now, and why leave his body in Toby’s dojo?

Police Detective Iona Fusco wants Callie to stay away from investigating, after the near-deadly consequences of what happened the last time Callie decided to play amateur sleuth. But Callie is hardly going to let her about-to-be-boyfriend get railroaded. Luckily for Iona, someone else will soon divert Callie’s attention by asking for her help, too.

Geri-Lynn Humfeld is the director of the Mustang Beach Sanctuary, a fenced off stretch of the island that’s home to wild mustangs descended from horses that survived a shipwreck off its shores centuries earlier. The sanctuary was established mostly to protect the mustangs from the problems of human encroachment and interference, especially with the increase in island tourism. After Callie stops by to drop off a book for Geri-Lynn, the women quickly bond over their respect for the horses:

QUOTE
“As you know,” Geri-Lynn said, “it’s legal to walk on the north end of Mustang Beach, up to this fence–”

“--as long as the horses are fifty feet away, on the other side of it,” I said.

She looked impressed. “That’s right. It’s unlawful to come within fifty feet of a wild horse. For reference, that’s only slightly longer than the length of–”

“--an average school bus.”

“I love locals,” she said, shaking an approving finger. “Believe me, there is no dearth of humans out there, wanting to blame the horses. <i>But they came right up to where I was standing!</i> As if the horses know the fifty-feet rule. It’s the human’s responsibility to move away. A mustang’s only responsibility is to be a mustang.”
END QUOTE

Up until a few days earlier, the sanctuary had been heavily promoting the birth of a new wild foal. But now the pregnant mare has disappeared and Geri-Lynn is starting to panic. She’s heard of Callie’s reputation and thinks Callie would be the perfect person to help her figure out what’s going on. After hitting a brick wall in her investigation into Seth’s murder, Callie is happy to assist. After all, it isn’t likely that the two issues could be connected… could they?

This was another fun beach read set in the Outer Banks, with equal parts personal development and gorgeous snapshots of island life. I enjoyed spending time with Callie and her family and friends, especially at the MotherVine. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the fictional tale of Rosie Beacon, which was inspired by legendary counterparts such as Betsy Dowdy and Sybil Ludington, teenage girls who rode alone through perilous circumstances and over great distances to alert the rebels that British troops were on the way. While Cattail Island and Mustang Beach are imaginary, they’re very much based in a reality that Alicia Bessette pays loving tribute to in this immersive cozy murder mystery series.

Dollycas's Thoughts

We are back on Cattail Island with bookseller Callie Padget and murder strikes very close to home when a dead body is found at Toby Dodge's martial arts studio. The man had just been married and the death rocks the island. Caretaker of the herd of Mustangs on the island, Geri-Lynn Humfeld, gives a great piece of information as Callie gets started on her own investigation to clear Toby's name. Geri-Lynn also asks for Callie's help locating a pregnant mare who has disappeared just a few days before she is due to deliver. Tourists and residents are all invested in the foal's birth. Time is of the essence when it comes to finding the mare and the killer. The question is will Callie survive her investigation or will she go missing too?

____

Callie is still adjusting to being back on Cattail Island. Living in a loft over her Uncle Hudson's garage is all she can afford right now. Her job at the bookstore fulfills her needs in many ways but not enough financially to get her own place. The way she finds solace in the shop in the middle of the night makes her so relatable to a book lover like me. Her relationship with Toby Dodge, the martial arts expert has proceeded at an interesting pace due to his "yearlong abstinence experience". The year was finally up but the relationship hits a bump when murder served up a curve with him as a suspect. I appreciate the way the author allowed their relationship to develop at his pace and that Callie was comfortable and understanding to give him the time he needed.

Geri-Lynn Humfeld is an intriguing character. Her life is her horses, their care, finding funding, and protecting them from people who do stupid things to get close to them. I liked the friendship that built over the course of the story between her and Callie and the way they worked together especially when things turned dire.

Like in Smile Beach Murder, Ms. Bessette has written a very complex mystery. At first, Callie isn't sure how she can help Geri-Lynn find her missing horse but her murder investigation keeps bringing her back to the sanctuary. When the clues started to fall into place for me and Callie at the same time I was really caught off guard but a theme that had run through the book made it all make sense and how people can be pushed in unimaginable ways. The reveal really ratcheted up the suspense with more than one edge-of-the-seat moment. Callie is a strong woman in several ways and she pulled on all that strength as the exciting scenes, which were vividly described, played out.

I have heard so much about the Outer Banks Mustangs over the years. Sadly our one family vacation to North Carolina didn't include a visit to see them so I love when they show up in my fictional reading. Ms. Bessette describes everything so wonderfully. Because of her details, I got to know so much about them. It doesn't replace actually going there but it sure did make me add an Outer Banks visit to my bucket list to see the beautiful historic animals. I loved the way they were featured in this book and that a book from Callie's bookstore revealed a monumental clue.

Murder on Mustang Beach was a marvelous escape. The subject matter was fresh and current. The characters are engaging and the mystery was compelling and entertaining. If you are making your summer reading lists be sure to add both of the books in this series.

Murder On Mustang Beach is the second book in the An Outer Bank Bookshop Mystery series by Alicia Bessette.

After a devastating breakup, Tony Dodge had vowed not to date anyone for a year. Tony Dodge and Callie Padget have spent the last few months running Mustang Beach Path and working out at Tony’s Cattail Family Martial Arts.

The day that they can have their date has finally arrived. Callie and Tony are excited they can have their date later in the day. As they come from their morning run at the martial arts studio, their happiness turns to sadness as they enter the studio to find the body of Seth Goodnow, who had been strangled. Seth and his fiance had come to Cattail Island to be married on the beach and for their honeymoon,

Sadly, Callie and Tony’s first date has to be put on hold. As the police investigate, a note is found in Seth’s wallet. Tony had been bullied by Seth when they were in school. Tony had written a letter saying he would get even by killing Seth. Seth and three others had been in the Catail Martial Arts the day before. Callie and Tony will start investigating these people, along with members of the wedding party and guests who have stayed on during the honeymoon. Not only do they need to find the murderer and clear Tony’s name, but they need to get that first date planned.

Callie also gets involved with Geri-Lynn Humfield, who handedly runs the Mustang Beach Sanctuary. Her duties include looking out for health issues, watching that humans do not feed the wild mustangs, and searching for funds to keep the sanctuary financially solvent Callie was delivering a book from the bookstore where she works to Geri-Lynn. Callie helps Gero-Lynn search for a missing pregnant mare. They hope the mare has only gone into hiding until her foal is born and has not been stolen,

This story is well-written, plotted, and very descriptive in describing the island and the operation of mustang sanctuary. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable. The book reads at a good pace and has enough twists and turns that I was guessing until the end as to who the killer was.

I will be watching for the next book in this exciting series.

When a murder occurs at a popular vacation destination, Callie finds herself juggling a hopeful boyfriend, a horse in trouble, working at a bookstore, and a murder investigation. She will need all her wits, and all the help she can get, to solve this complicated mystery and free the man she is falling for from police suspicion.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun read with a great cast of unique characters, in particular Callie and her would-be paramour Toby, who I was definitely rooting for. The bookstore where Callie works really comes alive through Bessette’s words, as does Mustang Beach. The mystery was well-plotted, and had a very surprising ending. I would recommend this book.

The picturesque town of Cattail Island is a popular tourist destination. Its quite, gorgeous and home to many wild mustang horses. When a murder occurs, Bookseller Callie is determined to figure out who is behind it! As she searches for answers alongside her would be boyfriend, Callie slowly finds herself putting the pieces together. When she notes that the well-loved mustang mare is struggling, Callie can’t help but wonder if more sinister things are going on. Slowly but surely Callie gets the story – but will it be soon enough to save the mare, and herself?

I loved that the main character in this one owned a small bookstore – can we say dream? I’d love to own a bookstore and solve murders in my spare time! Also, wild mustangs – just yes! I would visit this small island in a heartbeat!

This book was the second book in a series, but I don’t think I missed much of the story by reading this one without the first. I really enjoyed the writing style, the author made me feel like I was right there in Cattail Island alongside Callie as she tried to figure things out. I also enjoyed Callie as a character, she was just so relatable. I just wish there was a little more romance, but the mystery and atmosphere held my interest enough to forgive this.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder on Mustang Beach
by Alice Bessette
Pub Date: May 16, 2023
Berkely
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a new author for me and I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. I will definitely go back and read the first book in the series now. What a dream to own or work in a bookstore and solve mysteries in your free time.
This book made me want to visit the area and see the Wild Mustangs.
All the characters were likeable except for the bad guys of course. I highly recommend this book.
5 stars

Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bessette is book #2 in the Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery series. This is a good cozy mystery filled with suspense, intrigue and twists and turns. Cattail Island is beautifully depicted in the author's descriptions. The wild mustangs add enticement to this story with there being a mystery surrounding them as part of the storyline. After reading this book I am all set to head to the East Coast and see the wild mustangs. The characters here are quite realistic and very likable. Well, not the bad guys! This is a great addition to the series.

Another delightful entry into this mystery series set in a locale dear to my heart….the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The characters are wonderful and the mysteries are not bad. If you can read the first one,Smile Beach Murder, to get acquainted with everyone then you are on your way to an excellent “who did it.”

Recommended!

#MurderonMustangBeach #NetGalley Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out!