Nora Breen is a most unlikely heroine - a fiftysomething ex-nun from Ireland with a no-nonsense attitude - but this story works wonderfully. With a quirky cast of characters, a missing person, a couple of murders and several red herrings, this novel will lead you through a twisty maze until its satisfying conclusion. More please!

Murder at Gull’s Rock by Jess Kidd
Having read and enjoyed The Night Ship, Things in Jars and Himself I was very much looking forward to reading this latest Jess Kidd novel which is a departure from her usual writing. This could be termed “Cosy Crime” but it is so much more than that. Her characters are interesting and nuanced and the plot is intriguing.
A mystery surrounds the whereabouts of a young novice stops who writing to Agnes, a nun of 30 years, she decides to set off to discover what has happened to Frieda. She renounces her calling and leaves the convent. She arrives at Gull’s Nest and finds a strange collection of people. None of them seem to have any idea what has befallen Frieda.
Agnes becomes Nora Breen and begins to investigate what happened to Frieda. Nora is a character who you immediately warm to and as she recounts what happened to her before she went to the convent you feel her pain. The author beautifully evokes the seaside town of the 1950’s and the seedier side of the type of boarding house in which Nora finds herself. As Frieda said to Nora in her last letter “everyone here is hiding a secret.
Through Nora’s quiet observation, honed through years of silence and contemplation, we gradual uncover the secrets but not before a grisly murder is committed. There was a strong hint at the end of the novel that this could be the first in a new series and I will be looking about for book 2 to see how Agnes’ life unfolds. Many thanks to Jess Kidd, Faber and Faber, and Net Galley for a copy of the novel in return for my honest review.

I'm definitely not a murder mystery type of gal but Jess Kidd is an instant read author for me so I made an exception.

Murder at Gull’s Nest is a well-executed period mystery set in a 1950s seaside guest house where appearances and intentions are seldom what they seem. At the centre is Nora Breen, a former nun who has stepped away from decades of cloistered life and into the uneasy social dynamic of Gore-on-Sea’s Gulls Nest. This shift in environment provides her with an unusual vantage point: as both an outsider and a woman of quiet determination, Nora is uniquely positioned to observe subtle tensions and unspoken alliances.

Jess Kidd’s careful attention to historical detail results in a setting that feels authentic without becoming overwhelming. The atmosphere captures the quieter side of postwar Britain, with its muted optimism and lingering shadows. Within this context, the tensions of daily life at the guest house, including disappointing dinners and politely guarded conversation, gain an underlying significance.

The narrative unfolds at a measured pace, offering insight into the habits, histories, and guarded personalities of the residents. Kidd keeps the mystery carefully layered, ensuring that revelations never feel forced. Instead, they arise through Nora’s patient observation and the gradual surfacing of long-held secrets. The result is a sense of continuity and coherence that respects the intelligence of the reader.

Nora’s character is handled with restraint; the story acknowledges the complexities of her transition from convent life to civilian existence without relying on melodrama. Her skills—honed in silence, reflection, and humility—prove unexpectedly valuable in a world where subtlety and patience are more effective than force. The supporting cast is distinct, providing a range of plausible suspects and motives that build toward a resolution both satisfying and credible.

Overall I really enjoyed it, it was a charming read and I'll most likely read the next book too (where Nora better give Rideout a big old smooch)

Wow what a different genre for this author. I didn’t know if I would and I loved it. A thoughtful whodunnit and a few twists and turns. Enjoyable. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This was a very enjoyable read. It's a well written cosy crime with very good characters and a an interesting plot. The main character is an ex-nun turned detective and keeps the readers entertained with her witty comments. It looks like this may be the beginning of a series. I would definitely read more of the same.

We meet Nora Breen, originally from County Mayo in the west of Ireland, as she's making her way to a boarding house, Gull's Nest, at Gore-on-Sea. She's quite apprehensive about what she'll find, but also about what she's doing. Nora has just left the convent where she lived as Sister Agnes for 30 years and is unsure about life in the wider world. However, she has her reasons for this plan of action, so she moves forward in spite of her doubts and fears. She quickly discovers that there are some weird things going on at Gull's Nest. People behave in strange ways and secrets abound. She is more convinced that she's on the right track as she learns more about the people who live there. As the narrative unfolds, we learn why Nora has taken this huge step as well as how and why she ended up in the convent in the first place.

This is a wonderful book! I fell in love with Nora from the moment I met her. She's feisty, no nonsense, going with her gut, and in the process of self-reflection and discovery. I wouldn't quite characterize this book as a cozy mystery because I think it's slightly deeper and less 'light reading' than I expect a cozy to be. This is not to disparage this book or cozy mysteries--I love a good cozy and enjoy reading them. It's just that while this has some similarities, like the small town that's past its glory days, the cast of quirky characters, the amateur sleuth going toe-to-toe with the police detective, the treatment of these things has a different tone than I find in the cozy mysteries I read. There are serious issues underlying all of these things and the quirky people are sometimes hiding painful secrets. There is also a good deal of humor in this book and I laughed out loud more than once. There is one scene, which I won't describe due to spoilers, that was particularly hilarious and highlighted the reasons why I love Nora. In the description of this book, I read that it's the first in a seaside mystery series by this author. I am thrilled! I can't wait to see what Nora gets up to next. She is fabulous and I hope that I get to read much more about her in future as she continues to adjust to her new life and learns more about herself.

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.