After more than 30 years as a nun, Nora Breen has walked away from the convent and checked in to the Gulls Nest Guesthouse, to investigate the disappearance of her friend (and also a former nun) Frieda. Within days, tragedy has struck at Gulls Nest and Nora - despite her best efforts, which include throwing a shoe at a disinterested police office - cannot get Inspector Rideout to take her seriously when she suggests that something is afoot.

Despite the title and the cover suggesting that Murder at Gulls Nest is your average cosy crime, this is actually a typical Jess Kidd novel - which, to clarify, is a huge positive. Elements from her previous books - including religion, psychics, and mysterious children - are all present and correct here, and while it will absolutely appeal to fans of cosy crime, it will also not alienate her current readers. So-called cosy crime always has a hard balance to strike between keeping the narrative light and amusing, while being about something as dark as murder, and Kidd does this admirably.

This is just such a beautifully written book. Yes, it is about murder and investigating and finding out what happened however the book is more than this. The description of life those living in a guest house and not sure where their next paycheck might be coming and eating in company every evening is so well told. Nora has left the convent trying to find out what has happened to her friend. This care and this love are detailed throughout the book and contrast with the other friendships and allegiances that ring hollow. The life of those living in the guest house is explored and it feels like it is exposed to be looked at under microscope and found wanting. The descriptions of the landscapes and the sea are fabulous and really position the book in the seaside town in a slightly faded place.

This is such a sweet, cosy mystery and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come! Nora is a real spitfire, and the mystery was cleverly constructed - I am always surprised by the result in a story like this but I did think this one was particularly well done. I love Jess Kidd’s writing and am excited for what she does next!

After being in a convent for the last 30 years, Nora Breen is experiencing life on the outside.

She's living at Gulls Nest guest house.

And her fellow lodgers have something to hide

I love Jess Kidd's previous books, she has a lovely, easy to read style of writing. This book is a departure from her usual book and is the first in a new cosy mystery series. Set in the 1950s in coastal Kent, Nora Breen has recently left her convent after thirty years as a nun. She is on a mission to find out what has happened to her young friend who has mysteriously stopped writing to her and has disappeared.
The character observations are wonderful and Nora is a truly entertaining character. The mystery is gentle but engrossing and there are plenty of surprises along the way.
I can't wait for the second book in the series. Highly recommended.

With only the slightest nod to the supernatural, this is a very different novel to Jess Kidd's other books. What remains the same is her brilliant observations of character, witty dialogue and a story that hooks you in and races along. I loved it and hope that the hint of a sequel at the end of the book comes to fruition as I'd love to see how Nora's life pans out!
Many thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

I'm not the biggest fan of cosy crime, but I do like this author a lot.
So I dived in.
Took me a while to really get into the book, settle into the old fashioned seaside vibes.
Very much liked the character of Nora Breen, where she had come from, what she was doing.
It was an enjoyable read, though non too taxing on the old brain cells.

*A big thank-you to Jess Kidd, Faber and Faber, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I have been an admirer of Ms Kiid's talent since I read her first book, and was delighted to receive a copy of her later offering, so different from her previous works but engaging and enjoyable thoroughly.
A mystery surrounds silence from a young former nun, despite promises to write, and the mystery is powerful enough for Sister Agnes, a nun of thirty years, to leave the convent and travel south to track down her young friend. Ms Kidd is famous for imagining characters that you become attached to almost immediately,and Nora Breen, former Sister Agnes, is another wonderful addition to the group. The plot is intriguing, but Nora won my heart instantly. She had been through a lot, however, her experience did not make her bitter and she learns how to gradually step into the new world, and find bits of happiness daily.
There is the atmosphere of a small seaside town in the early 1950s, and a plethora of characters who have their own secrets and regrets.
If this going to be a series, I will be happy to continue with it.