I will not be giving feedback for this book ; not my style I enjoy. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this, however, it would be a disservice to provide a review for something I thoroughly didn’t enjoy.

Don't read this if you are expecting an edge of your seat nail biting thriller but the only way I can describe it is as a fun murder mystery?! I'd say it has a touch of The White Lotus and the old style Columbo about it.
It's the characters rather than the plot that make this book, they are all so much your stereotypical over the top types and I'm sure when reading you can all think of someone u know who fits each person to a T.
I love a holiday location and a good murder mystery and although it wasn't high action, it was an easy read and I read with a smile on my face so I'd round 3.5 stars up to 4 star rating. Thank you #NetGalley for the arc

I enjoyed reading this, it was quite fast paced and got on wit the story. I like the plot of When you go on holiday and end up as the main suspects! Was fun and enjoyable

I'm actually surprised. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did.
Once, I used to love cozy mystery novels, but lately? Not anymore.
However, this book fell into a sort of exception case for me.
Okay, I'll be honest, it came to a point I was not engaged in the mystery itself. I also only focused on the dynamic among the characters. They were fun to follow. Not all likable, but still fun.
And if you genuinely are into cozy mystery, you should consider picking this one up.

J.S. Savage's Sun, Sea, and Murder is a delightful and suspenseful locked-room mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. Set in a sunny Spanish town (in my mind it’s set in a seaside Andalusian resort), the book follows a group of British holiday makers who find their relaxing holiday turned upside down when someone is found murdered.

With well-developed characters, the writer does an excellent job of weaving a web of intrigue and suspicion. Each of the guests has their own secrets and motives (some more than others), and it made it impossible for me to guess “whodunnit”.

I read this book while I was on holiday and I felt like I was part of the characters (thank god without the murder bit!)

I’d definitely recommend Sun, Sea, and Murder to fans of cozy crime novels with quirky characters. The writing style of Savage is delightful and made me laugh out loud too!

Fabulous..
A Spanish hotel, a gaggle of guests and one very dead hotel owner. As guests quickly become suspects and the sun and sangria become not quite so compelling, another death occurs. Who on earth can unravel this perplexing and seemingly impossible turn of events? Penny Haylestone, enter stage left. Hugely entertaining and enjoyable contemporary locked room mystery with echoes of the Golden Age of crime in a bang up to date setting. Fabulous.

Thank you to NetGalley and J.S. Savage for this ARC.

The owner of the Orange Tree Hotel somewhere in Spain has been murdered in a locked room, and the suspects are a slew of British guests, four of whom are taking turns narrating the story, with clearly distinct voices.

This is a cozy murder mystery that can be treated as a quick, sun- drenched beach read. It is well-written and interesting, but the Spanish police are depicted as arrogant idiots, which is why two of the guests decide to do their own investigations. Pretty much everyone seems to either have a motive or something else to hide, so we get plenty of red herrings. The second murder doesn't quite fit in tone, it's cruel (although he had it coming).

I have to say, the solution comes out of left field because we are never given the information we would have needed to get there on our own. As I'm always the last one to figure it out anyway, it didn't bother me unduly but some sleuthers are more competitive than I am. As it is, I treated it like an episode of Death in Paradise where I admire the scenery until the inspector suddenly jumps up, mumbles "but of course!" and runs out of the room to check the final clue then gathers everyone together for the reveal.

I have to admit I didn't care as much about the murders as about the fun mix of people and their backstories - I think the author's strength really lies in describing people and their relationships to each other, which makes it an enjoyable read. Bless Terry, who is just generally clueless but particularly doesn't understand women and the modern world!

This book is on Kindle Unlimited now. Grab it.

3.5 stars

A glorious mix of fraught relationships and old enemies descends on the West Wing of the Spanish Orange Tree boutique Hotel, run for forty years by Russell Aspell. The story is narrated by four of the characters, all writing in their journals for various reasons. There’s Marley, holidaying with her wheelchair bound god-fearing mother Agathe who was a frequent visitor with her husband until he died at the hotel. Terry is also holidaying with his fourth wife Marjorie and has not so fond memories of the hotel’s owner from his school days. Then there’s very likeable journalist Sanjay with his rather narcissistic solicitor partner Luke who has come over to do some professional work for Russell, and finally Russell’s niece Sally who is getting a half price holiday with her old best mate, the beautiful social influencer Jasmine. Things get off to a shaky start when Jasmine discovers her ex-boyfriend Dylan is also there with his new squeeze, and Terry blames Russell for his unexpected dip in the swimming pool. This is nothing compared to the shock they all experience when Russell is found dead in the gym a few days later. Thank goodness for Russell’s former colleague, the redoubtable Penny Haylestone, former spy recruiter and interrogator, who immediately takes charge along with Marley’s help. Where the Spanish police appear lazy and inept, Penny is a force of nature and determined to bring Russell’s killer to justice with her wealth of tactics and tricks honed to perfection in her former employment. As the pair interview the other guests and unveil crucial evidence, another murder is announced. Will Penny and Marley discover the truth in time for everyone to get a suntan before they go home?
I absolutely loved this story from start to finish! The wonderful characters are perfectly described and so easy to envisage, as the jottings of the four diary writers describe the situation in which they find themselves in their own very believable and often humorous words. This would make a smashing audiobook as I could picture each of them talking as the story unfolded. Penny is a triumph of a character, fearsome, fearless and completely in charge, although I did have a soft spot for Terry with his rather limited view of the world. Witty and warm, full of great suspects, LOTS of red herrings and two excellent and very likable sleuths, it’s a highly enjoyable locked room type murder mystery which I can definitely recommend. 5*

I haven’t read many locked door mysteries and omg this delivered in many ways. The book opens up with introducing the characters - Marley, holidaying with her handicapped mother. Terry, holidaying with his wife Marjorie. Sally, the niece of the hotel's owner, holidaying with Jasmine, her best friend and Sanjay, holidaying with his life partner, Luke.. I really liked how the author decided to create the main characters with different ages, their parings and distinctive personalities. By doing this, with humour, witty and badass aspects it really lifted the book to be so good.

The plot from the get go dives into a murder and possible suspects. I love how there is no messing about and goes straight to the nitty gritty. There is never a dull moment as the writing flows through evenly leaving you with the eagerness to find out what happened. It felt as if I was holidaying with the characters, being involved with the drama going on. That’s how inviting the storyline is. The mystery is increased which I really liked. There is something so satisfying of going along with the book and not having a clue about whodunnit with less obviousness being presented to you.

I couldn’t put this down and thoroughly enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed this book. A group of British tourists become suspect after the owner of the small Spanish hotel they are staying at is murdered. Wonderful characters, a story that doesn't drag, and a murderer who was a surprise. Good book.

This book is not TTS enabled.
I read segments of the book as my vision tolerated an it looked great. Wish it had been TTS enabled and/or available on different platforms.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from the author via NetGalley,

Sun, Sea and Murder by J.S.Savage is the absolute five star read for me.

This is a British cozy mystery set in the hot Spanish sun. It gave me Death in Paradise and Agatha Christie vibes and in my book it doesn't get any better than that.

I loved everything about this book.
The setting was so well described that I could feel sun on my face and hear the waves.

There is a multiple POV which I adore. I had no problem following the characters or remembering their names. The characters were so well done I could see them in my mind, I could hear their voices. They are all so special and not stereotypical at all.

The mystery itself was very inventive, although I did have a hard time understanding the compexity of it, but had no trouble understanding the explanationn.
The ending was satisfactorily done, explained in detail and made sense. I especially liked how we got to read about several of the characters received the naming of the killer.

This book has my highest recommendation and I think that it would be absolutely perfect for TV adaptation

Several guests from Britain arrive at Orange Tree Hotel in sunny Spain. These include Marley with her handicapped mother, Sanjay, a journalist with his boyfriend Luke, Sally, the niece of the owner of the hotel with her girlfriend Jasmine, Terry with his wife Marjorie, and Dylan, ex-boyfriend of Jasmine with his new girlfriend Elle.
A couple of days later, the hotel’s owner Russell is found dead locked inside the hotel gym. His wounds indicate he was murdered. Thus it is a locked-room murder. Penny Haylestone, a close friend of Russell proceeds to investigate and solve the case with the help of Marley but not before there is another murder.
The plot is good, the suspense is maintained, the characterisation is good and the author shows promise. But because of some shortcomings, enumerated below, I rate the book as 3 stars.
First of all, the beginning is too slow-paced and it takes some time to pick up. Often I was tempted to give up reading the book. His first book also had the same shortcoming.
Again, at times, the writing style becomes rather jumpy and erratic marring the smooth flow of the narrative. Also there are unnecessarily detailed descriptions at times.
The book is fairly clued. But I found that most of the clues are so densely hidden that a reader would generally fail to remember them. This shows the timidity of the author. A brilliant author would boldly flaunt the clues and still get away with it. I will give one example. In the opening day dinner, it is mentioned that Marjorie’s plate contained glazed sausages, prawns, stuffed vine leaves, chicken thighs and chips. The clue is that the plate contained prawns though it is soon revealed by her husband that she does not like shellfish. Now when there are so many items listed on the plate will any reader remember that prawns was one among them ?
I was also unimpressed by the how of the locked room problem. It involved the use of mechanical contraptions, my least favourite locked room solution type.
Another negative aspect was the motive. It came entirely out of the blue towards the end when the solution was being revealed without any inkling of it previously. This is not fair play with the reader.
I was also irked by the superiority complex of all the characters towards the local people who are regularly mocked. The Spanish police are portrayed as bumbling buffoons.
Considering all the above aspects, I rate the book as 3 stars. I preferred the first book which I rate as 4 stars .

J S Savage’s Sun, Sea and Murder is a really enjoyable locked-room mystery that harks back to the Golden Age of storytelling.
The story is set in the Orange Tree Hotel in Spain where a diverse group of guests have assembled hoping to have a fun holiday in the sun.
The guests include: Terry, who is on holiday with his wife Marjorie. Sally, who happens to be the niece of the hotel’s owner is holidaying with her best friend Jasmine. Marley, is holidaying with her mother, who is confined to a wheelchair. Sanjay, is holidaying with his partner Luke.
The story is told from each of the above guest perspectives. There are a few minor hiccups suggesting things are not all they seem at the hotel, and then Russell Aspell, the hotel owner, is found murdered in what seems to be a locked room. Russell does not appear to be the most likable man, but who would want to kill him? A hapless detective is assigned to the case, and as he does not seem to be making much headway, Penny Haylestone, one of the guests decides to investigate herself. She recruits Marley along for the ride, but before they can make much headway, another murder occurs.
Full of wit and humour, along with a clever, but not overly complex plot, this is a fun, escapist read and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
My thanks to Netgalley and J S Savage for the much-appreciated ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

The first book I have read from this author. A solid four star read. Great premise. Well written. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. I wouldI definitely would read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This is a well written fast paced and highly addictive locked room mystery that had me hooked from page one! This book was unique as it was told from the perspective of four different narrators, each with very different personalities. I especially enjoyed the character of Penny Haylestone, a former spy, who is determined to find out who murdered her good friend. I hope she will feature in another book in this series.

Book Review: Sun Sea and Murder : A Locked Room Mystery
Stars:: 4 X 5
Author: J.S. Savage
Publisher: Independently Published
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Guest Arrive at the Orange Tree Hotel in Spain expecting to have a fun filled sunny vacation, But, what they find is the Hotel’s owner Russell
A spell dead and inside a locked room.

There are several characters in this book:
Terry and his wife Majorie
Sally who is the niece of Russel and her best friend Jasmine who are on vacation
Marley and her mother
Sanjay and Luke

All has gone awry since they have arrived and Russell was killed. Penny Haylestone is a guest who decides to investigate the murder as she does not think the detective assigned to the case is not very good. Penny ends up recruiting Marley to help. All is going well until another person who is murdered and that person happens to be a guest. After this all the guest are now suspects along with the hotel employees., Can Penny and Marley find who the murderer is before it happens again?

I liked how the characters are created with difference ages and such diversity in their background. There is never a dull moment as with each turn of the pages one is eager to find out who the murderer is, There is a bevy of emotions such as humor, love, anger, and even annoyance all entangled in this story. Never a dull moment. I did not have any idea who the killer was till the end. This was a great modern locked down murder who dun it and such a clever plot.

Sun, Sea, and Murder was a deliciously complex and twisted read! Fans of the traditional mystery will eat it up.

The story is told in a series of diary entries from four different guests, all staying at a dreamy resort in Spain with a friend and/or family member. Each chapter switches to a new diary entry, following along the aftermath of an unexpected death.

The perspective, and voice shifts are done really well and kept me engaged through the entire story. I found myself chuckling along with clever jokes and a clear depiction of the gorgeous setting.

I will add one trigger warning: there is a fairly graphic, on-page scene that depicts extreme pain. I personally wasn't bothered by this, but I could see it being an issue for others. It was a little more unsettling than the usual cozy/trad mystery, and might not be expected from readers of this genre.

Overall, I found Sun, Sea, and Murder to be a really fun, complex mystery that had me wishing I was drinking gin on a Spanish beach. Definitely would recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

I loved the storyline and the plot. It was really hard to put this book down because it was so addictive? If you’re looking for a quick read for the summer and a locked door mystery, this one is for you. And I really recommend this one to everyone

"Sun, Sea, & Murder" by J.S. Savage is an enjoyably locked-room mystery with Christie-esque vibes set in a hotel in Spain. I love such books, and the lovely cover drew my eye, prompting me to read it.

The book follows several protagonists and is told alternatively from their first-person point of view. Let's meet our narrators:

• Marley, holidaying with her handicapped mother.
• Terry, holidaying with his wife Marjorie.
• Sally, the niece of the hotel's owner, holidaying with Jasmine, her best friend.
• Sanjay, holidaying with his life partner, Luke.

They, along with some other guests, came to the hotel expecting to have a good time. Murders certainly weren't on the menu, but murders they got. The vacation goes awry when the body of Russell Aspell, the hotel’s owner, is found inside a locked room. The detective assigned to the case isn't exactly the sharpest pencil in the cup, so Penny Haylestone, a Miss Marple-like character and one of the guests, decides to investigate with Marley as her sidekick. The plot thickens when another guest is murdered in plain view of the other guests. With two baffling murders, a diverse set of suspects, and one witty sleuth, you've got a great mystery to figure out!

I enjoyed the book very much and grew attached to some of the characters. I loved the humor and the interactions between the characters, as well as the level of detail put into their backstories. The setting was well-sketched, and I liked the eclectic mix of characters. The author did a great job of establishing them as real people. I didn't guess the identity of the murderer/s, and the plot kept me interested throughout the novel.

The overall writing style of the book was smooth, but it got a bit erratic at times and could use some smoothing out. Each chapter heading clearly indicates the speaker, which is helpful, especially since some voices are more distinctive than others, thus preventing confusion. I also found it a bit odd that not only did the four narrators keep a journal, but they also kept mentioning it throughout the narrative. There was a subtle suggestion of a romance that might have developed between two characters, and the addition of an epilogue would have been great to provide closure.

Overall, it was a fun read that I enjoyed immensely, so I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 5. The mystery within the pages of this book is solidly developed and compelling. I would love to read more books with the sharp Penny. I recommend this book to those who love a clean locked-room mystery without gore. The reader never gets bored at any point in time. It is the perfect escapism!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.