Tanya Bowe, a former investigative journalist, is adjusting to life as an impoverished divorcee in the seaside town of Seacastle. She crosses paths with a long-lost schoolmate, Melanie Conrad, during a house clearance to find stock for her vintage shop. The two women renew their friendship, but their reunion takes a tragic turn when Mel is found lifeless at the foot of the stairs in the same house. While the police are quick to label Mel's death as an accident, Tanya's gut tells her there's more to the story. Driven by her instincts, she embarks on her own investigation, delving into Mel's mysterious past. As she probes deep into the Conrad family’s secrets, Tanya uncovers a complex web of lies and blackmail. But the further she digs, the more intricate the puzzle becomes. Well plotted with believable dialogue and realistic characters. The story kept me guessing and wrapped nicely at the end.

Deadly Return is a new cozy series starter by P.J. Skinner. Released 9th June 2023, it's 284 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other two books in the series are also available on KU, and a fourth is due out at the end of February 2024.

The author is prolific and talented, with several series, spanning several genres. This one features a former investigative journalist in a small seaside town setting. Protagonist Tanya is appealing and sympathetic. Her loyalty and tenacity make her relatable and interesting. The author is particularly good at descriptive prose and this is an easy and engaging read.

The background, mystery, denouement, and resolution were well written and readable. No clunky dialogue or glaring plot holes or inconsistencies to yank readers out of their suspension of disbelief. With the series available on KU, it would make a nice binge or buddy read. High quality new series.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The premise of this series has potential. The lead protagonist was once an investigative journalist who let her craft lie dormant as she struggled with depression. She has since left her husband and moved to a small house and is planning on running a vintage shop. She has two friends who are close to her, and they give her support on both professional and personal fronts.
In the very beginning, Tanya befriends someone who gives her access to estate sales. He is also a possible future love interest, something that took away from the story itself, I felt. There is also the ex and his son from an earlier relationship who feature in Tanya's life. Amidst all this, Tanya is always open to helping people, and this leads an old schoolmate into her life. This schoolmate soon exits the scene, and only Tanya wants to hold on to the possibility that it was not a natural accident.
The mystery part of this was well done. I found it easy to follow and clear in the direction that the plot was taking. I thought the personal issues were one too many, and each left a little for the next book, meaning almost all of them were unresolved by the end.
The women and their friendships and support system felt refreshing, without too much unexpected drama.
Fans of this genre will find a lot to enjoy in this book (and possibly the series). I will need to read the next to confirm if I like this style of narration or not.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This is a good start to the series. I enjoyed getting to know Tanya and her friends. I particularly liked that she was an avowed luddite but pledges to change her ways as her relationship with her step-son, Mouse, blossoms. The mystery was well-paced and kept me guessing but there were a few instances of things I am not a fan of that happens in cozies – keeping information from the police, checking just one more thing, TSTL moments – that made this only a 3 star.

An intelligent cozy mystery that definitely has me coming back for more.

Tanya Bowe a former investigative journalist, now vintage shop owner, is intrigued by the sudden death of a former school friend she just got re-acquainted with. Police have ruled the death an accident, but Tanya thinks there are still some loose ends.

Together with her eclectic bunch of friends, including long-time palls Roz an Ghita, new business partner Harry (a widower she fancies) and her step-son Mouse who moved in with her, Tanya starts digging for clues and secrets of the past.

The story is a bit foggy about the time-line, but at least it doesn’t get bogged down in the details of Tanya’s day to day routine. I love Tanya’s witt and how she cares about her friends.

I lived for English village cozy mysteries! I absolutely cannot stop reading them! This is a first in a new series and I absolutely loved it! It was pure perfection. It was everything a small English town cozy mystery should be and I adored Tanya! I can't wait to see what she gets into next in the following books! Love love love!!!
I just reviewed Deadly Return by PJ Skinner. #DeadlyReturn #NetGalley
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3.5 stars

This is the first book I've read by Skinner, and it's the first in the Seacastle Mystery series. The author crafts a fun cast of characters who are interesting, flawed, and relatable. There's a bit of a romance angle, but it's not overwhelming, and there's a nice blend of mystery, humor, and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing. I look forward to seeing more of Tanya in upcoming books.