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.
Murder by the Sea
by Kathleen Bridge
Series: By the Sea Mystery #3
Series Rating:
Published by Lyrical Underground on May 21, 2019
Genres: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Pages: 263
Format: Kindle
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
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When a murderer crashes a masquerade ball, it's up to Liz to unmask the killer . . .
It's been quite a year for novelist Liz Holt. She's overcome a lot and is finally feeling at peace with her new life at her family's hotel, the Indialantic by the Sea, on the beautiful barrier island of Melbourne Beach, Florida. She's exactly where she needs to be to ring in the New Year at Florida Writes Literary Masquerade Ball. But when her ex-boyfriend surprises her at the ball, she can't disguise her anger, and the two engage in a very public argument. Naturally, after her ex is found dead on the hotel grounds, shot through the heart, Liz tops the suspect list. With the help of family and friends, she needs to clear her name before the real killer waltzes away scot-free . . . Recipes included!  
Did Liz kill her ex-boyfriend? If not, then who did?
Murder by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is a fabulous mystery filled with witty eccentric characters and bits of nostalgic 1960s and 1970s television series and commercials. I found myself transported to the days of watching TVLand with my mom before bed.
Our sleuths
Liz Holt
Liz is our point of view, main character and sleuth. She returned home after ending an abusive relationship and has found a worthy boyfriend. Liz is also a writer with one book out and working on the second.
I like that Liz is brave and relies on her instincts. Liz also loves animals, cooking, and taking care of the family. However, she has to keep reminding herself that she is moving forward and that everything is okay. I presume this lack of confidence comes from her abusive relationship and the following ordeal.
Ryan Stone
Ryan is a private investigator who works mostly for Liz’s dad, who is an attorney. He is a take charge type of guy. This investigation obviously isn’t his first and most likely won’t be his last.
What I like about Ryan is that he is there for his friends and family. He also has a way of sharing his strength and taking care of Liz without making her feel pressured or dismissed. The one thing that I didn’t like about him was that he seemed almost too good to be true.
Betty Lawson
Betty is an older mystery writer who has been writing for a while. She fancies herself, Ms. Marple. She is very tech savvy for her age and carries around an iPad. I love it. Betty thinks things through and keeps things close to the breast until she is sure of what she has.
I like that Betty is funny, serious, smart, and likes to stick her nose in other people’s business. I can respect that. What I don’t care for is that she sometimes comes across as arrogant. Although not as bad as some of the other characters.
Mystery
The mystery is excellent with lots of red herrings and plenty of false leads. I love the way the sleuths work well together, each of them focusing on their specialties. There were lots of people helping find clues and following up on the leads.
4 Stars for Murder by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge
My rating for Murder by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is four stars. I enjoyed reading the book but at times got lost in the world of Aunt Amelia, which wasn’t a bad thing.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes cozy mystery, especially those with retro pop culture references.
There are recipes in the back of this book. They are Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse, and Crepes Suzette.
Other Books in the Series
Tour Schedule
May 20 – ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 20 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 20 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 21 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 21 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
May 21 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
May 22 – Kelly P’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 22 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 23 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
May 23 – Babs Book Bistro – RECIPE, SPOTLIGHT
May 23 – Brooke Blogs – RECIPE, SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
May 24 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
May 25 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
May 25 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
May 25 – Ruff Drafts – RECIPE, SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 26 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 26 – 4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ – GUEST POST
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Giveaway
Prize: (1) Copy – Murder by the Sea (A By the Sea Mystery) by Kathleen Bridge – the U.S. Only
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Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Murder by the Sea by Katherine Bridge. Oh, and check out the giveaway and other stops.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
About Kathleen Bridge
Kathleen Bridge started her writing career working at the State News, the student newspaper of Michigan State University. She is an antiques dealer on Long Island and the author and photographer of an antique reference guide, Lithographed Paper Toys, Books, and Games.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2019 Cloak and Dagger
- 2019 Craving For Cozies Reading Challenge
- 2019 Cruisin' Thru The Cozies Reading Challenge
- 2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge
- 2019 New Release Challenge
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