Blog Tour Review, Murder at an English Pub 

When retired doctor Sarah Vane moves to Merstairs, she has no idea that the quaint seaside town isn’t quite as friendly it seems, and something sinister is bubbling under the picturesque surface…

Recently widowed and looking for a fresh start away from city life, Sarah Vane moves into a lovely little cottage by the sea. The rustic charm is everything she hoped it would be, but her new home doesn’t quite have enough space for her things. Her old friend Daphne offers to store Sarah’s boxes in her messy beach hut, but while clearing it out, they are shocked to find a heavy trunk… containing a dead body.

They immediately recognise the poor man as pub landlord Gus Trubshaw. Sarah concludes that he was suffocated, but who could have wanted jolly Gus dead? Unimpressed by the police’s lack of interest, Sarah realises she will have to solve the case herself.

Soon, Sarah discovers that not everyone loved Gus as much as she’d thought. Could the killer be scoutmaster Bill, who was recently banned from the pub? Or perhaps it was antique store owner, Charles, who owned the beach hut before Daphne? Or was it brewery director Mr. Grimes, who was livid with Gus for squeezing him on the purchase price of his delicious ale?

Just when the clues are starting to fall into place, the prime suspect is found strangled on the beach. And when Sarah discovers a deadly secret that links the two murders, she’s certain that a dangerous killer is roaming the streets of Merstairs. With the town in a panic, time is ticking for Sarah. Will she solve the mystery before it’s last orders for another victim?

Set off for the breezy English seaside and join Sarah on her adventures in quirky Merstairs, where nothing is quite as it seems! Fans of Agatha Christie, Betty Rowlands and Katie Gaylewill be instantly hooked by this deliciously gripping cozy mystery.

My Review

One of the trends I’ve seen a little of that I love is an older main character.  Sarah is in her 60s and is widowed and making a fresh start by moving to a seaside cottage.  It’s a beautiful setting for this cozy mystery.  It really adds character to it.  One of my favorite characters was Hamish, Sarah’s dog.  Every cozy should have a pet front and center.

As an amateur sleuth Sarah brings her doctoring skills to the table, which was a new one for me.  Sarah and her pal Daphne go off searching to find out who killed the pub owner.  She’s in your face as she takes over where she feels the police have lagged at their job.

A lot of the book is setting up the story and the characters for the series and based up on the author’s other series, we are in for a treat in this new start.

Jilly Bond was an excellent choice for narrator.  She really sounded like a 60ish British doctor and also did a great job bringing the other characters to life.  I especially liked her incorporation of Hamish into the story.

Cozy readers itching for an older lead and an adorable dog will love Hamish and Merstairs.

About the author

Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her latest cozy mystery, set in fictional seaside town Merstairs, stars retired GP Sarah Vane. It will be published in July by Bookouture, who also publish Alice’s nine-book Beth Haldane Mysteries series set in south east London. Alice also writes psychological thrillers for HQDigital as A.M. Castle.

Author Social Media Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookouture Email Sign Up