Retired GP Dr Sarah Vane, newly settled in a Kent coastal town, decides to help her neighbour and friend Daphene rejuvenate her shop with a good clean. She discovers a young woman badly hurt in the shop's doorway, and along with Daphne and her new friend Charles, Sarah decides to investigate what happened to the young woman. This engaging, cosy mystery has many credible leads but just as many dead ends. It's atmospheric, and as the suspense builds, it becomes increasingly intense. I like the amateur sleuths' dynamic, the dialogue and the twisty mystery.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Wow! What a fantastic read! I enjoyed every page of this cozy mystery set in a beach setting. I loved the vivid scenery, picturing the characters walking on the beach, staring up at an old castle on the hill, and enjoying the shops and cafes in the quaint English beach town of Merstairs. The central character is a retired GP, recently widowed, who moves to the small beach enclave, where a variety of exciting characters sprang from the page and into my imagination. The cast of characters is so eclectic that I was chuckling throughout the story.

The book is adorable. It is an easy, breezy, unputdownable beach read that will transport any reader from the stressors of day-to-day life into the worlds of the stories’ richly developed characters. Now, Hamish, the Scotty terrier, steals the story. The characters and narrative are so well-developed and well-written that I felt as if I was inside the story.

The book captivated me from the first to the last page. Although I had read none of Alice Castle’s books before this one, she has earned a permanent place on my bookshelves. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of cozy, beachy mysteries.

I want to thank Net Galley, Bookouture, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. This review is voluntary and is mine alone.

A Seaside Murder by Alice Castle.
Sarah Vane Mysteries Book 2.
This was a really good read. I did like the cover. I got into it straight away. I did like the writing style. Gripping and twisty. I tried to guess who it was. I read in two sittings. I'm looking forward to the next book.

This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed the first one so looked forward to this latest book. It is a good paced mystery with twists and red herring to hold your interest and keep you guessing as the perpetrator is not immediately obvious. I really enjoyed the humour and quirky characters we meet again in this story and of course Hamish and Mephisto steal the show. Recommended. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love a good whodunnit book, and the weather the last few days has been wet a miserable, which is perfect for curling up under a blanket to solve a cozy crime.

This was the second book in a series. I haven't read the first, but don't feel this matters as this one works perfectly as a standalone. There were some references to things that I assume happened in book 1, but they weren't integral to the plot.

I loved Sarah and Daphne, it was so nice and refreshing to have some 'older' ladies as the main characters. I thought Marissa was a pretty terrible police woman. She accidentally told people far too much about the ongoing investigation, but then it would have been a very different book without that. I absolutely loved the sections "narrated" by Hamish, they were really fun.

I thought I had the killer all worked out, but there was a lovely little extra twist that I hadn't guessed which was great.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to reading more books by Alice.

I loved the characters in this book - and also the little furry companion Hamish who is integral to solving this crime. The characters are all from a small village and you can see that in the way that everyone knows everyone. We watch the group of villagers try and solve the crime and I was not ready for the twist at the end and that one crime led to another. The writing style of this novel helps to make this a very cosy mystery which is the kind of book you can either relax and read by the pool or snuggle up on the couch with a blanket.

This is the second book in the Sarah Vane series. Sarah is a retired GP who has moved to coastal English village of Merstairs for quiet life, yet another murder occurs that seems to involve her best friend and neighbour Daphne, a self-proclaimed clairvoyant. Sarah, Daphne and Charles (a local antique dealer) decide to do some investigating themselves and once again discover some of the secrets that residents of Merstairs are trying to hide.
This book is a great cosy told with quite a bit of humour and there is of course Hamish, Sarah's Scottie, still locking horns with the evil Mephisto, Daphne's cat.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

In A Seaside Murder by Alice Castle, Sarah finds herself in a second murder investigation. As a retired GP, she is used to death, but she had expected moving to this quiet seaside village to have less of it. She was going to do her friend, Daphne, a favor and do some cleaning at Daphne’s mystic/magic shop when she spied a bundle of clothing on the front steps. It turned out to contain a body, that of a young woman who had been stabbed and died in Sarah’s arms. It nearly broke her heart. Of course Tweedledee and Tweedledum (the locals’ names for officers Dumbarton and Deeside) were the first police to arrive and stomped on whatever evidence there was. Sarah felt she had to investigate, only to help Daphne’s daughter, Mariella, a detective-in-training. Sarah as as different than Daphne in every way. They had been school friends and Sarah had come to this village to retire after her professor husband, Peter, had passed on. Daphne was colorful, loud, a joiner, and uber-friendly, and well, a little nuts. Sarah was quiet and kept to herself. She had made at least one other friend in town, Charles, who was the part-time owner of a chihuahua, who was friendly with her own dog, a Scottie called Hamish. Daphne knew everyone so she made a helpful, if often annoying partner. It turns out the dead girl was a popular local primary teacher with no obvious enemies. It was a conundrum.

This is a delightful novel. Typically English. Typically cozy. Daphne adds color; although annoying, she is a good person at heart, despite the fact that Sarah is often very happy to retreat to her own quiet home after spending time with her. She inadvertently gives Sarah clues. She has a nightmare of a cat called Mephisto or the “orange menace,” who made Hamish’s life a nightmare. One of the endearing parts of this novel is the fact Hamish shares his thoughts with the reader. Not obnoxiously, but often they are right on. This is a good mystery and these three persons of a certain age are well-written and entertaining. They may be past their primes but they are nothing if not lively. It is a good book, well-written, well-plotted, and extremely delightful. Thanks, Ms. Castle for some terrific characters.

I was invited to read A Seaside Murder by Bookoutre. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #AliceCastle #ASeasideMurder

A Seaside Murder by Alice Castle is the second in the Sarah Vayne Mysteries. A twisty contemporary cosy, A Seaside Murder follows the amateur sleuthing of Dr Sarah Vayne, a widowed GP who has retired to Merstairs, a seaside town in Kent, a far cry from her busy metropolitan life in London

However, all is not peace and tranquility, as when Sarah volunteers to help clean up her friends shop on the seafront, she is confronted by a woman, fading from life, her last words being "wits" - This could have a whole plethora of associations in the local area, and as Sarah investigates further, she seems to be getting nowhere, until a second unaliving is discovered. New clues help Sarah to peel back the layers until she discovers a darker seam underneth the pretty facade of the town

A compelling contemporary cosy mystery with a dynamic, eclectic fmc, determined and yet with a wry humour. Honourable mention to the delightful supporting cast in Daphne and Charles and who can forget Sarah's scottie dog Hamish. The narrative flows well and all in all, a great read

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and Alice Caste for the lovely ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Sarah is a retired GP and Daphne is the owner of a tarot shop. The two ladies are poles apart in temperament and looks but they balance each other very well. They’ve had one stint of solving a crime and think they’d do very well at another.

When Sarah finds the dying Aby on Daphne’s doorstep she is determined to find out who was responsible. Despite firm orders not to get involved, the friends embark on this mission not realising the danger they put themselves into when there is a determined and savage murderer in their midst.

Set in an idyllic English seaside town, the small village atmosphere adds to the charm of the story, apart from a very good cozy story.

📱E-Book Review📱

A Seaside Murder
Alice Castle

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the second of the Sarah Vane Mysteries, but sadly only the first book that I've read both in the series and by this author.

The storyline certainly worked well as a standalone read.
We're following one case which is complete and concludes nicely at the end of the book.
However, I do usually like to read series in order, just to keep up with any character development that usually continues over the whole series.

Sarah was a great character to explore here and I loved to see the dynamics between her and her friends.
I especially loved the bickering between Sarah and Daphne! This really made me.laugh on more than one occasion.
True friends really though, they always make up ready for the next bout!

This was your standard cosy mystery format - which don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed!
One of my favourite genres, I could never get bored with a well presented and written case!
This was well planned out and all the clues were definitely there - but I totally didn't spot them until the reveals.
I loved making my own theories though and totally following along the routes of the red herrings!

The writing was a nice easy style which had me racing through this in only a couple of sittings. I definitely need to catch up on book 1, just so that I'm up to date before the next release ....



💕Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

Sarah Vane is a newly retired widowed doctor who left London behind & moved to the Kent seaside resort of Merstairs, she’s now settled & enjoying the quirky, quaint feel of her new home plus she lives next door to her best friend Daphne. With some time on her hands, she decides to surprise her friend Daphne by cleaning her dusty, cluttered seafront shop. But when she arrives there early one morning, Sarah is shocked to find a dying woman on the doorstep, who utters one word before she takes her last breath: ‘Wits’ The victim is Abi Moffat, a much loved primary schoolteacher. Then, a member of the Merstairs craft club is found dead at the local fun fair. At first glance, the two victims seem to have nothing in common, until Sarah takes a closer look at the clues, and realises there is something shocking in the close-knit Merstairs community that links them
The second book in the series & another entertaining cosy mystery. I really like Sarah who jumps with both feet, she’s aided by Daphne & Charles & of course Hamish her little Scottie. I love the picture the author paints of Merstairs & its inhabitants, they are an eclectic mix but add to the books. There are red herrings as well as twists & turns as the amateur sleuths try to work out who killed Abi & Mabel & what ‘Wits’ means. The book is well paced but picks up for the climax & denouement where on of the regulars saves the day
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

This is Book 2 of the Sarah Vane Mysteries with re-occurring characters but a whole new murder to solve.

Sarah Vane, a recently retired GP, is settled into the coastal town of Merstairs where she lives next door to an old friend, Daphne. But when a beloved young teacher dies in Sarah’s arms, she is determined to find out who wanted to kill sweet Abi. Her only clue is Abi’s last word: “wits”. With the help of Daphne and Charles, the charming owner of an antiques shop, Sarah’s sleuthing takes them to several leads but none provide the answer she so desperately seeks. When another body appears, with no apparent connection to Abi, the supposedly friendly people of Merstairs come under even greater suspicion. Can the inquisitive trio solve the mystery before anyone else winds up dead as Daphne fears?

I find Sarah a very likeable amateur sleuth as she is sharp-witted, remains considerate of the people involved and takes no nonsense. She reminded me of Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher in 'Murder She Wrote'. Sarah, Daphne and Charles make a joyfully comedic trio and I am keen to read more about them in future books. I especially love Daphne, who is such a colourful character (literally and figuratively). Sarah’s little Scottie dog, Hamish, is a close second favourite. He is adorable and a tiny hero.

Although a little slow in places, the mystery kept me guessing throughout with an adrenaline-pumping ending that did not disappoint. It is quite impressive how many potential connections to Abi they discover that begin with ‘wits’, which makes it slightly repetitive at times, but this does keep the ending unpredictable.

Overall, A Seaside Murder is a very entertaining read, great for those who enjoy a good cosy murder.

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for this eARC.

A cozy mystery read with eccentric characters.
Main character, Sarah, once again stumbles upon a dead body. Along with her friend, Daphne, they decide to investigate the murder. Sarah’s dog, Hamish, plays a big part in their amateur sleuthing.
I enjoyed the small seaside location, the quirky characters as well as the humorous moments that made me smile and laugh.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Retired GP Sarah Vane is back to solve another murder with her friend Daphne. Abi is a schoolteacher loved by everyone in the village of Merstairs. Why would someone kill her? A fun new mystery series.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "A Seaside Murder" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the Sarah Vane mystery series. The first book was interesting and gripping, this one took it to a whole new level. The mystery was very intricate, the characters interesting and it took to the very last few pages for all the clues to fall into place. There were a few laugh out loud moments as well.

The star of the book was of course, Hamish the black Scottie dog that title character Sarah received from her husband Peter, shortly before he died. There are many moments with Hamish and his nemesis next-door Mephisto the psychotic marmalade cat.

Sarah was a busy London doctor before she retired to Merstairs. Her next-door neighbour (and owner of Mephisto) is Daphne Roux, her old schoolmate. When Sarah decides to go to Daphne's shop The Tarot and Tealeaves early one morning to surprise her by tidying up, she gets a shock when she finds a young lady in the recessed doorway who had obviously been stabbed. Her final words "wits" becomes the clue that Sarah obsesses over - and probably misses some other clues. Sarah fancies herself an amateur detective. You can't blame her when the local constables are called Tweedledum & Tweedledee because they are known to trample over evidence at crime scenes. Daphne's daughter Mariella is a police officer often sidelined by her male colleagues.

While Sarah is convinced what "whits" must mean, they follow many false leads. Daphne while happy to help Sarah, isn't as into crime fighting - she's more the fun, whimsical one - who is always read for a spot of tea and some light refreshments. The third member of their group is Charles Diggory who is quite sweet on Sarah.

The three as usual have the pieces in place and solve the crime before the local police - though not before some thrilling adventures.

Looking forward to what Sarah and Daphne will get up to next and whether is will be romance in the air for Sarah and Charles.

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️



✨ Book 2
✨ A doctor
✨ murder to solve




✨ Apart from this book is a number 2B in the series , it can be read alone but I recommend to read the first one first as they are collected.
✨ Sarah is the main character in the story. a doctor and trying to solve a murder case.
✨ the book is more into friendship with the girl name Daphne , her childhood friend.


✨ tbh, I did much liking the plot on this one rather than the first. This book focusing on friendship they and how will it be solve. I’m guessing also that there will be book 3. As the ending wasn’t quite there yet, to be fair , I’m looking forward for that one.
This story was an average but the wording is amazing🫶🏼




✨ Thankyou @bookouture for the opportunity to read this book for a honest review.





🫶🏼shaye.reads

This is book 2 in the series, where Sarah a retired GP, acts as an amateur sleuth to solve a murder case or two.

The book's pacing is lacking, where nothing happens for a long time and then everything happens at once. The characters of the book also did not resonate much with me.

Sarah and Daphne's friendship doesn't feel original, and Daphne's love for food is way too repetitive. Also she is terrible at sleuthing, so I couldn't understand why Sarah even wanted her to join in.

Both Sarah and Daphne's dialogues show that they would rather be friends with someone else, but since they are childhood friends, they are still together.

The mystery itself was ok, thought it would have been better if the conclusion was reached via a series of investigation results, and not just in the last few pages.

I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a mystery fan I do lean more towards police procedurals but often enjoy books described as ‘cozies’ too. The coastal setting of this book drew me in, and I didn’t anticipate the ending. I did find Daphne and the bumbling police officers a bit much, along with a crucial clue that could link two crimes being conveniently forgotten by Sarah, a retired GP, and Daphne, her best friend and tarot card reader. Overall I did enjoy the book, Hamish is adorable!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance copy.