After a still fresh break up, Scarlett Gardner intends to make a go of the bookshop she and her ex opened. I love the name of the store-Palm Trees and Page Turners, along with the perfect setting on the beach. When a tourist winds up dead under the pier near the bookstore, the fact that the deceased was recently in the bookstore puts suspicion on Scarlett right away. There were many red herrings and an odd coworker who is married to the new local detective.

I didn't hate this one but I also didn't love it. It was just an okay cozy mystery. But I'm pretty sure that I would pick up more in this series.

This was enjoyable, but I don't know that I would read more from the series. There wasn't much about the story that differentiated it from other mysteries that I've read; I think it blends in well with the genre, but it won't be one that I remember.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

A good start for a new cozy series: entertaining, fast paced and solid. I liked the well plotted characters and the mystery kept me guessing.
Can't wait to read the next story
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

There was a lot going on - the dead body, Scarlett's past, Scarlett's assistant. I enjoyed the mysteries and that we got numerous answers.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder by the Seashore is the first book in the California Bookshop Mystery series by Samara Yew. This mystery novel was full of unforgettable characters that grabbed my attention from the beginning. I absolutely loved that the main character is a bookshop owner and that she isn’t perfect, which makes her very relatable. This novel follows Scarlet as she unfortunately comes across a dead body and shortly afterward finds out that the police suspect her of being the murderer. What does she do, well she decides that in order to clear her name she is going to have to find the killer herself. Will Scarlet figure out who the killer is before she becomes the next victim? Read Murder by the Seashore to find out.
I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to find out what happens next in Scarlet’s life. I recommend Murder by the Seashore to anyone who is looking for a new cozy mystery series to read.

Cozy bookstore mystery that takes place in Oceanside, CA (not my first choice for a setting but...). Of course the protagonist is the suspect, as is usual with any first in a series. Author does an excellent job of painting Scarlett's ex as a sleaze ball. I would consider reading another in the series

This was a cute cozy mystery in a bookstore by the ocean. I loved many of the elements of this story, but it just didn't quite come together for me. The characters were a little flat and I didn't get as invested in them as I thought I would.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy a good cozy mystery, but struggled getting through this one. Scarlett was a bit annoying. I wish I had liked it more. Ihad high hopes for it with the bookstore and the beachy vibes.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Murder by the Seashore had a medium-paced storyline. I wasn’t a fan of the pacing. I felt that it could have gone a little faster. It seemed like the author drew out certain events because of the pace.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are no trigger or content warnings in Murder by the Seashore.

Series: Murder by the Seashore is the first book in the California Bookshop Mystery. Since it is the first book, you don’t have to worry about missing information on characters or plotlines. You can dive right now in and enjoy.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Murder by the Seashore. The main character doesn’t have time to have sex or kiss anyone.

Language: There is very light language used in Murder by the Seashore.

Setting: Murder by the Seashore is set entirely in Oceanside, California.

Representation: There is Asian representation (Hiroki Yoshida, one of Scarlet’s friends, is Japanese) and Latina representation (Lucia Armenta, Scarlet’s best friend, roommate, and lawyer is Hispanic).

Tropes: The Unlikable Victim, Outsmarting the Criminal, The Red Herring, The Protagonist is the Suspect, Twist Ending

Age Range to read Murder by the Seashore: I went back and forth with the rating. But, because it is a clean book (no sex, light language), I would recommend 16 and over to read.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Scarlet was living the dream of running a seaside bookstore with her boyfriend. But that dream crashed when her boyfriend ditched her and left her responsible for the shop. Struggling for months, Scarlet is finally making headway when two things happen-she finds the body of a murdered customer under the pier by her shop, and she is contacted by a lawyer who says she has inherited a small fortune from the murder victim. Declared the main suspect in the murder and wondering if the surprise inheritance has anything to do with it, Scarlet starts her investigation to clear her name. But even she is surprised by the twists and turns her investigation takes her. Will she clear her name? And will she figure out why the victim chose her as a beneficiary?

Main Characters

Scarlet Gardner: I like Scarlet. She was trying to keep her dream (the bookshop) alive but was slowly drowning. Her horror at finding Lorelai Knight came off the page, as was her disbelief over how the investigation was going. But things went a little sideways for me when she started looking into the case. Instead of the confident woman at the beginning of the book, she becomes obsessed with finding her killer. She jumped on the bandwagon for each suspect that she and Lucia came up with. At a point in the book, I wondered if the killer would be revealed with all the distractions being thrown around. By the end of the book, though, I did like how she made headway with her case. I also liked that she talked to her suspects and explained why she thought they killed Lorelai.

Secondary characters: There were a lot of secondary characters who had a lot of page time (Lucia, Evelyn, Connor). While I liked the extra depth they brought to the storyline, some fell flat.

My review:

Murder by the Seashore was an OK mystery for me. I had difficulty getting into it because of the book’s pacing and how the murder/inheritance played out. But once I got into it, I enjoyed reading it. I did get a little grumpy with the police investigation. I can understand naming Scarlet as their primary suspect, but to freak out on her when she opens her backdoor and finds a dead man on her stoop? With her lawyer friend/roommate as her alibi? A little much. I did like how the author wrapped up the book and was surprised at who the murderer ended up being.

The main storyline centers on Scarlet, the murder of Lorelai Knight, her inheritance from Lorelai, and who the murderer is. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I wasn’t a massive fan of how the police’s investigation of Lorelai went. The single-handed focus on Scarlet wore on me, and I couldn’t wait for the actual murderer to be revealed. What also wore on me was Scarlet’s investigation into Lorelai’s murder and why she was given the inheritance. I was glad when the author finally brought both together and revealed the killer. That was a huge surprise because I didn’t see that person coming at all.

The mystery angle was all right. I was halfway right about Lorelai and her reasons for giving Scarlet her money. But the reason why didn’t surprise me. The reason why Lorelai was killed did surprise me. The motive and who did it was a massive twist at the end of the book. I felt terrible for that person, but they did stupid things and paid the consequences.

The end of Murder by the Seashore was typical. I liked how the author wrapped everything up. I loved how Scarlet dealt with Connor (I was internally cheering). I also liked how the author set up book 2!!

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Samara Yew for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Murder by the Seashore. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Really fun read! Great start to a new series by a new-to-me author. Series seems promising! Excited to read more with Scarlett and the gang! Hoping for a romance with Scarlett and Hiroki!

This sounded like it would be a fun cozy read but I spent the whole read feeling like I had already read this book. It was so formulaic that nothing struck me as new and everything was too predictable. I just couldn't shake the feeling I'd already read it.

Scarlett Gardner is happy in her life as a bookstore owner in a small beach community in Southern California ... that is, until she goes for an early morning walk and finds a body under the pier. The murdered woman turns out to be someone who was bequeathing a great deal of money to Scarlett ... making her the chief suspect.

I wanted to read Murder by the Seashore because I love cozy mysteries. I especially enjoy bookstore settings, and the beach locale was an added bonus.

This is a terrific start to a new series. I really liked Scarlett as a bookstore owner - and also an amateur detective. I enjoyed following her sleuthing on this case. The author does a great job at introducing the new characters, the bookstore, and the feel of this beach community.

I recommend Murder by the Seashore for fans of cozy fiction, and especially for anyone who enjoys bookstore or beach settings. I look forward to reading more in this new series.

Great first is series!! I loved the setting as well as the main character and roommate. I could totally relate to Scarlette and Lucia, they were hilarious. There were so many mild twists and turns that I never saw the who dunnit coming. I was shocked.

If you want a fun mystery set in a bookstore on the beach, this is for you. This was definitely a page turner. I finished in one sitting. I cannot wait for more in the series!

Scarlett Gardner is living her dream. She’s moved to Oceanside, California, and she’s opened a bookshop right on the beach. She’s opened in time for tourist season, and business is beginning to pick up. Unfortunately, a pre-work walk on the beach ends when Scarlett finds a woman dead under the pier. She recognizes the woman as her last customer the day before, but she assumes after she gives a statement to the police that her involvement is done. The next day, she finds herself pulled back into the case in a surprising way. Can she figure out what is really going on?

The premise of this one called to me with the beach and bookstore setting. I felt at home right away with Scarlett and the rest of the regulars. The plot pulled me in. It is more event heavy rather than investigation heavy (I prefer a good mix), but there were still times the events kept me reading longer than I should have. And yes, the setting is fun since I have spent some time in Oceanside on a regular basis. I hope this series runs for a long time. If you are looking for a great new cozy series, look no further.

Murder By The Seashore is the first book in the A California Bookshop Mystery series by Samara Yew.

Scarlett thought she had the perfect plan for her bookshop Palm Trees and Page Turners. Her boyfriend, Connor, would provide the business knowledge, and she, loving books, would handle the sales area. But then Connor left to take a different job. Scarlett hired Evelyn Maxwell, who is quite helpful in the store and can keep Scarlett grounded while she gains self-confidence in being a shop owner.

Having arrived at work, Scarlett decides to walk along the beach. When she comes to the pier, she finds the body of an older lady. She will recognize the body of the last customer of the previous day at the bookshop. Scarlett and the detective on the case are surprised to see each other at the crime scene; Maxwell is Evelyn’s husband. A couple of days later, Scarlett receives a call from Jeffrey Cooper. Cooper informs that the body is that of Lorelai Knight, and he is representing her estate. He tells Scarlet that she is to inherit a substantial amount of money. Scarlett has no idea who Lorelai Knight is, nor does she remember either remember meeting her.

When the police learn of Scarlett's inheritance from Lorelai, she immediately becomes the prime suspect. Fortunately, Scarlett shares a townhouse with Lucia, a lawyer with a firm in town, and Lucia goes with Scarlett when she is brought in for questioning. Lucia is instrumental in keeping Scarlett from being jailed while the investigation continues. Lucia becomes concerned when her nemesis at the same legal firm, Martin Russell, will represent Lorelai’s family, who want to contest the will.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the book to be well-written and plotted. The characters are interesting and believable. I didn’t particularly like Evelyn; I felt she was too pushy. Maybe she will change over time. The book moves at a nice, even pace. There were enough twists and turns that I kept guessing until the final reveal about who the killer was.

This book is an excellent start to a new series, and I will be watching for the next book.

Murder by the Seashore
Written By Samara Yow
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Release Date October 17, 2023

This is the first in the California Bookshop Mysteries and a cute cozy mystery that will certainly keep you on your feet guessing.
Scarlett Gardner and her boyfriend open a bookstore in Southern California but ultimately her boyfriend leaves for a better opportunity leaving her all alone and running a new business. One day her life takes a turn when she finds the body of one of her customers underneath a pier and that she would also become a suspect in his murder. Well, you might ask yourself why, well the dead woman left Scarlett her money in her will should she die. Why would someone she just met leave her that kind of money in her will? Well maybe there is something nefarious going on. Someone might be trying to frame her the murder. Scarlett must now work her magic to prove she is not the killer and find the person who really wanted her customer dead.

I love how well the author wrote the story and how the char were so well developed and flawed with gumption to figure things out. Everything made perfect sense and I felt as though the build up helped the reader to get enough back story to fully root for Scarlett. The layers peeled away easily to expose the perfect little cozy mystery.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew has new business owner Scarlett Gardner being thrust into a murder mystery to solve.

Can Scarlett solve this mystery?
Scarlett Gardner
Scarlett Gardner is our sleuth and a new business owner who is trying to run a business all by herself. To be fair, she's actually doing a pretty good job, especially with the help of her employee, Evelyn. Scarlett lives with her new friend, who also happens to be a lawyer, and the two of them are funny. At first, Scarlett seemed unsure about herself. As the story progressed, she started to grow and proved not only to herself but to her ex-boyfriend that she could run Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop without him. Scarlett did grow on me the further I read the book, and I just hope in more installments, she gets more confident in herself.

The Mystery
Scarlett Gardner got to work early one day and found Lorelai Knight's body on the beach under the pier. Of course, at the time, Scarlett had no idea who the body was or why Lorelai was even looking for her. I have to say that this mystery had me going for a bit, but then I realized that there was someone else that seemed suspicious. In the end, I was totally right about who killed Lorelai and actually on the why as well. I do feel bad for Scarlett regarding how she ended up solving two mysteries with one murder suspect.

Four Stars
I am giving Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew four stars and a recommendation to try it out. Ms. Yew did a good job of sprinkling her clues around and throwing in her red herrings at the right moments.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

I probably wouldn’t’ve believed it if I didn’t already know this was only the author’s second cozy mystery—she has one out as Holly Yew. This book pulled me in from the very first few pages and didn’t let go until, well I didn’t really wanna have it let go, but at least there was a cool epilogue to move the timeline along a bit.

I really loved Scarlett as a main character. She was strong, mature acting without being overly that way, and she was a loyal friend. Her friend Lucia was such a hoot, I really loved her character too! And I enjoyed how the author wrote certain characters causing reasonable doubt in people’s minds, or definitely making us either like or outright dislike other characters. All the red herrings were super, and wow what a great twist at the end! Kind of a fun rollercoaster ride of surprises and secrets. I’ve read a couple blog posts featuring the author and was really happy to hear she’s working on book two of this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Murder by the Seashore is book #1 in the California Bookshop Mystery series by Samara Yew.

This is a fun new series. The setting is great with a bookstore and beach setting. I liked Scarlett and her friends. It was a good escape from reality for a few hours. Even on my worst day, I haven’t found a body. There was a lot going on in this book with the new business, boyfriend, a dead body, and surprise inheritance. Scarlett got pulled in and had to clear her name. There were plenty of twists to keep the investigation interesting. I look forward to more books in this series.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.