I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Whale of a Crime
by Mona Marple
Series: Yorkshire Coast Cozy Mystery #1
Series Rating:
Published by Amazon on April 30, 2025
Setting: Flamborough, Yorkshire Coast, England
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 254
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
After ten years away, Ryan Kennedy never planned on returning to Flamborough—the tiny Yorkshire village he once called home. But when his fiercely independent gran, Iris, needs him, he finds himself back behind the counter at her chaotic seaside bookshop, wrestling with jammed tills, nosy villagers, and the memories he’s spent years trying to forget.
What Ryan doesn’t expect is to be swept straight into the heart of a murder investigation.
When a mysterious boat appears on the beach and a body turns up at the exclusive Whale Watch Weekend picnic, all eyes turn to the cliffs—and to the secrets the village has been keeping. As Ryan and Iris dig into the tangled history of the victim, long-buried truths begin to surface, not just about the case... but about the night Ryan’s own husband died.
With the tide cutting them off, a killer on the loose, and a very observant dog named Bracken by their side, Ryan and Iris must work fast—because in Flamborough, the past doesn’t stay buried, and the sea has a habit of washing everything to shore.
For fans of twisty village whodunits, seaside charm, and heartfelt mysteries with a slow-burning emotional pull, A Whale of a Crime is the unforgettable first instalment in a brand-new series.
A Whale of a Crime by Mona Marple has Ryan Kennedy coming back home and having to solve a murder investigation that leads to the past.
Will Ryan and Iris solve the mystery?
Ryan Kennedy
Ryan Kennedy is a widower at a young age, and hasn’t ever thought that he would be able to be in love with anyone else. It also doesn’t help that he still doesn’t believe why the police ruled his husband’s death the way they did. Ryan tries his best to live a good life.
It seems, though, that coming back home to Flamborough has done him some good, especially with his dog Braxton.
Iris Kennedy
Iris Kennedy is Ryan’s grandma and one who helped raise him since he was a kid. She is a bookstore owner and is a lover of mysteries. Iris doesn’t mean to enlist Ryan’s help with solving the mystery that happened on the same beach that they were on. She is a pretty feisty older woman who needs all the help that she can get.
The Mystery
Ryan Kennedy has always believed that his husband didn’t die by his own hands, but has had a hard time proving it to the police before in London. He decides to head home, and later that same night, he returns. Ryan and his grandma were on the same beach as the rest of the committee to witness someone die. That same someone who happens to have some questionable friends that may connect him to Ryan’s husband’s death ten years ago.
I guessed on who did the newest case, but Ryan and Iris throughout the rest of these books will be trying to solve how Ryan’s husband got involved with what they uncovered already.
Three Stars
My rating for A Whale of a Crime by Mona Marple is three stars. I also recommend it for anyone who wants to give it a shot. Ms. Marple may not be for me, but she could be for someone else.
Giveaway
Prize: An eBook of any of my books (winner’s choice) and a $10 Amazon gift card.
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Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Whale of a Crime by Mona Marple.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
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About Mona Marple
Mona Marple writes charming cozy mysteries filled with quirky characters, twisty whodunits, and settings you’ll wish you could visit—especially if you love a bit of seasonal sparkle. Best known for her beloved Candy Cane Hollow series, Mona creates worlds where murder meets mistletoe and sleuthing pairs perfectly with a cup of tea. When she’s not writing, Mona can be found walking her Labradoodle, Coco, plotting her next murder (on the page, of course), or hosting reader parties in her cozy online community.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2025 Cloak and Dagger
- 2025 Craving the Cozies
- 2025 Cruisin' thru the Cozies
- 2025 Goodreads RC
- 2025 Medical Examiner Mystery RC
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