Death at the Seaside

Kate Shackleton #8

by Frances Brody

Death at the Seaside (Kate Shackleton Mysteries) [Paperback] Frances Brody

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Crime, Cozy Mystery

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2016

About the author

Frances Brody's highly-praised 1920s mysteries feature clever and elegant Kate Shackleton, First World War widow turned sleuth. Missing person? Foul play suspected? Kate's your woman. For good measure, she may bring along ex-policeman, Jim Sykes.

Before turning to crime, Frances wrote for radio, television and theatre, and was nominated for a Time Out Award. She published four sagas, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin Award in 2006.

www.frances-brody.com

Reviews

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read in the Kate Shackleton series. Last year I read the previous book for a blog tour, and I found myself quite liking Kate Shackleton. I had some problem with the story, felt it dragged a bit, to be honest, but I wanted to read this one to see what would happen next to Kate.

I found this book to be a bit better than the previous one. However, just like the one I was reading last year did this one loose a bit of steam in the middle of the book. It wasn't until Jim Sykes and Mrs. Sugden showed up in the story towards the ending that it returns to be interesting again. I think it has to do with the fact that it was by then everything finally started to unravel and the truth started to come out about the murder of the jeweler. As much fun it was to see Kate suspected of the murder, the story felt like it was moving forward a bit too slowly. Perhaps focusing on Kate POV instead of adding Alma's would have made the book a bit evenly.

Still, I did find this book enjoyable and this time, did I have some previous knowledge of the characters so that I did not to get used to the characters. I also learned some more about them. Also, I thought the addition of Chief Inspector Marcus Charles to the story was splendid. Kate and Marcus have some history together, he wanted to marry her and she turned him down. Yet, the spark is still there, even I could see that and I haven't read the book(s?) with him in them. I think the book just got a bit better when he arrived in the town. And, I hope he will be in the next book.

I want to thank Piatkus for proving me with a free copy for an honest review!

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEATH AT THE SEASIDE
Frances Brody

This is a series about a female private investigator in England in the 1920s. Kate Shackleton decided to take a vacation without her staff and friends, so everyone splits up and goes their own way. Kate goes to visit an old school friend Alma Turner at the seaside. While walking around she remembers she and her husband, long dead, got engaged there and she decides to visit the jewelry shop where they got her ring. Not the best idea because she stumbles on a freshly dead body.

I adored the bit of a struggle Kate experienced just to report the death. The local constable seems to believe that Kate has done more than stumble upon the poor dead jeweler. But before it is solved everyone is a suspect. This is the best thing about cozy murders, they always allow the reader to have an active part in solving the crime. I stumbled along with Kate and considered any red herrings we found, this one was pretty easy and I was right about who was the killer.

I appreciate the vivid descriptions in the book and well-written characters that are spot on and always so distinct and interesting. Kate of course is my favorite character in the series. She is a very independent woman in the 20s. I also enjoy Mr. Sykes, but sometimes his rigidness is irritating to me.

This is a rather new genre for me and I am quite enjoying it. I usually use it as a light and fun read between heavier books.

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve only read a couple in the Kate Shackleton series before but was very keen to read this instalment as it’s set at the seaside which is my favourite place to be as everyone knows! And I have also been to Whitby so was very interested to revisit it in all it’s past seaside glory. That’s what I love about these books because you almost feel you have time travelled back to the 1920s, with this authors very graphic descriptions giving you a true feeling of times past. I’ve never been a huge fan of the so called “cosy mystery” but I’ve taken to this series due to the images and atmosphere it invokes which, alongside a very likeable strong minded heroine, make these books my guilty pleasure! And the covers have some of the most gorgeous “art deco” artwork I’ve seen-totally eye-catching to potential readers.

Kate is off to Whitby for a summer break which she intends to combine with some time spent with her friend from school Alma and Alma’s 16 year old daughter Felicity. But as soon as she arrives there she is thrown head first into drama when she finds a dead body whilst looking in the local jewellers shop and then finds out that Felicity has gone missing! And that’s when Kate steps in, risking her reputation to begin sleuthing in earnest! There are lots of twists and turns galore here and some wonderfully eccentric characters. The seaside  setting conjures up long hot British summers full of holidaymakers and little tearooms on the seafront, the little touches from years gone past when we assume it was a more innocent time. but unfortunately for Kate murder seems to follow her wherever she goes-even on holiday! I know its probably been said before but the evocative imagery here makes me believe that this would make a great Sunday night television series. It has smart and incisive storylines that are head and shoulders above some of the cosy crime series that are around at the moment.

This is a great addition to the series with a twisty whodunit that I found thoroughly satisfying.

Thanks to Clara at Little Brown Books for my ARC of Death at the Seaside and this is my unbiased review in return.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cosy mysteries are not something I usually read, in fact, I think this is possibly the first one I’ve ever read. I’m used to my crime books being violent and gory so this was very different. Also, it’s set in the 1920’s, so well outside my usual era too!

Death at the Seaside follows private investigator Kate Shackleton who is on holidays in Whitby and upon her arrival, stumbles in on a murder victim in a jewellery store. Incidentally, this store is where she and her now-deceased husband purchased their wedding rings so she had been perusing out of nostalgia when she happened upon the scene.

Initially going to visit her friend Alma, mother of her goddaughter Felicity, Kate finds herself involved in a murder investigation AND a missing persons case. Felicity has disappeared and nobody knows where she has gone so needless to say, Kate tries to find out what’s happened there too!

I found Death at the Seaside to be quite an intriguing read. It was all very gentle, if that makes sense. The characters were all very proper, and they were well written. I think Whitby and its surrounding areas also sounds like a lovely place to visit. Frances Brody has a clear talent for this genre of crime. These are a series of books and there are a couple of references to the past, which I’m guessing would be found by reading the series from the beginning.

All in all, I enjoyed Death at the Seaside. It was a nice, easy read. One I found myself wanting to get back to reading if I had to stop, and I also found myself thinking about the story too! If you like cosy crime, with some mystery thrown in, then Death at the Seaside is one for you!

[Thebooktrail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visit the locations on the literary map: Death at the Seaside

I do love Frances Brody novels. Sleuthing mysteries before the days of mobile phones and technology so good old fashioned brain power is what’s needed. With the novel being in first person, you’re inside the head of the character and I liked her from the off – I would even want to borrow those lovely hats she often wears on the covers.

I like the fact that she’s on holiday and yet despite her wanting a rest, a murder mystery lands at her feet. Very Miss Marple and Columbo wrapped into one. The use of language is perfect and adds to the overall feel of the mystery -higgledy-piggledy streets are mentioned and the whole landscape is whimsical and reminiscent of postcards past. There are lots of funny goings on – shenanigans even, in this mystery. People are up to good. And it was a pleasure to visit Whitby and to meet them.

[Laura Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me, this book was not quite up to par with others in the series. Ms. Brody's writing just did not flow in its usual, smooth style. I also disliked too many of the secondary characters we were supposed to feel sympathetic toward (i.e., Alma and Felicity). Felicity was flighty, immature and inconsiderate and certainly did not stir my sympathies. I also thought it fairly implausible that Kate would be such good friends with someone like Alma. I can imagine her being Alma's champion years ago at school, but the present bond seemed forced to me.

While the mystery was fairly interesting, I was a bit disappointed the culprit was so easily deduced early on, if one pays attention. Dowzell's questioning of Kate soon after the murder really gave him away. Too bad because there were so many other choice suspects, though little suspense after that episode, and the toffee hammer gave it away completely. No other person would have all the knowledge to understand Kate would be the perfect person to frame for the murder.

I also disliked the distracting shifts in POV. This technique has been employed before in this series to good effect, but Ms. Brody seemed to go overboard this time around. Very annoying.

Another disappointment was the return of Marcus Charles. Is Kate really going to settle for him? The one good point concerning Marcus. Jim Sykes shares my view of Marcus as arrogant and pompous and not good enough for Kate. And, once again, Sykes and Mrs. Sugden did not make an appearance until well into the book (nice to see Rosie becoming more involved, however). I wish the next book had Kate returning home from a holiday enjoyed and without interruption and taking a case in Leeds.

And I haven't even mentioned the typos yet. Everywhere throughout. Since I shell out good money for a book, it'd be nice if the publishers hired proofreaders to peruse the pages before publication. It felt as if I were reading a Reader's Advanced Copy, which I wasn't.

One of the few good points. Kate's sarcastic wit, both in thought process and speech, shines throughout. Thank heavens since this factor is one of my main pleasures while reading this series.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEATH AT THE SEASIDE is my first time to read a “cosy mystery” novel and I’m kicking myself that it’s taken me so long to get around it! I adore watching Miss Marple, Murder She Wrote and Poirot so Frances Brody’s likeable character Kate Shakleton and her quintessentially British twenties setting were right up my street.

Although the eighth in the series, it was incredibly easy to settle into the story as Brody gently mentions pertinent background information as and when is necessary but the mystery itself is contained and so can be read as a standalone. Shackleton, a widow and private investigator is looking forward to a few quiet relaxing days on the beach of coastal town Whitby however when her god-daughter goes missing and the local jeweller turns up dead and the two events could possibly be connected, dreams of cosy afternoons eating scones in the tearooms and devouring books on the beach go out the window rather swiftly!

The thing I loved most about this book was how Brody perfectly recreated the twenties setting. I really felt like I was walking in Kate’s shoes, reminded of a simpler time, as people having spent years recovering from the war got back to basics. I could almost smell the scones and hear the waves crashing against the Whitby beach.

This is not the type of mystery I’m used to, there are no graphic depictions of violence, no race against time to save lives, and instead it plods along quite nicely with plenty of red herrings to intrigue you.

Another thing I enjoyed was getting an insight into life as a woman in the twenties who goes against the grain as we see Kate do as an investigator, battling quietly against male prejudice and the social mores of the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am definitely planning to read more of Brody’s Shackleton mysteries and immerse myself in this quirky world.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really engaging pleasant enjoyable read

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I came a little bit late to this party as this is the eighth of Frances Brody’s novels set in the 1920s featuring private investigator Kate Shackleton. I’m delighted to say it didn’t matter and I thoroughly enjoyed the character without needing the background from the previous books.

In this book Kate Shackleton is on holiday. She’s travelled to Whitby to visit an old school friend Alma, a woman she hasn’t seen for some time although she has met up with her daughter Felicity who is Kate’s god-daughter. The holiday begins well with Kate co-ordinating her plans with her assistant Jim Sykes and housekeeper Mrs Sugdon staying close by. Oh for the days when everyone was on holiday together and life was so much simpler!

Sadly Kate’s visit takes her past the jeweller’s shop where her husband proposed to her, sadly he lost his life during the war and there is a moment of poignancy before Kate decides to enter the shop to buy Felicity a present. What she finds instead of a gift is a dead body. In the 1920s phones were rare so Kate is forced to leave the jeweller’s shop and raise the alarm, this action, plus her being an outsider leads her to being suspected of committing the murder. Added to that Felicity has gone missing and Alma is frantic.

This is a solid mystery novel, in a wonderful setting at one of my favourite times in recent history, a time that lends itself to secrets required to maintain respectability to others, and we all know where secrets lead, especially in crime fiction! When Kate catches up with her friend Alma she finds her living in the most peculiar of houses, a grand place which is literally disintegrating around her and the man who owns the other half of the house! She also finds out that Alma rents a space on the pier and acts as the local fortune-teller, abiding by strict regulations about hours of occupancy to keep this position while a more genuine spiritualist can be found. All of which lends itself to a varied and colourful mystery, where any violence is ‘off-page’ and yet the strong character of Kate gives the book real structure and stops it slipping into fluff.

For the most part the book is narrated by Kate herself, she is a practical woman, but a ‘real’ woman, she misses her husband but doesn’t dwell too much on her loss, she is also open it would appear to another husband, but only if the right man makes the offer, she isn’t going to accept a life that won’t make her happy. And it appears that being a private investigator does make her happy, we get the feeling that she is better able to carry out her sleuthing when she is part of the community rather than in Whitby where she is an outsider but I’d need to read the other books to be certain. Because Kate is a practical woman, and one loyal to her friends, some of which lead to mini-adventures such as tracking down Alma who is busy ‘communing with the moon’ leading the local police to wonder if Kate knows about the local smuggling of whisky that they are trying to clamp down on but at least we have a woman who will climb a steep and unfamiliar hill in the dark with no wailing for a man to come and rescue her. The remaining parts of the book are narrated by Alma with very short sections by Felicity whose entries are much darker and more mysterious tone.

A very enjoyable read which despite the title made the perfect autumnal read. I was given my copy of this book by Little Brown Books, and I reciprocate with this honest review.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Shackleton, Mrs. Sugden and Jim Sykes have decided to separate and take some time off for personal vacations. For Kate, this provides the opportunity to visit her old school friend Alma Turner and Alma's daughter Felicity at the seaside. Kate looks forward to catching up with her goddaughter and old friend. She arrives in Whitby, reminiscing about her carefree younger days when she and Gerald first fell in love and became engaged. Her memories lead her to a jeweler's shop where she intends to buy a gift for Felicity but discovers the jeweler lying dead in the back room! She tries to leave the investigating to the local constabulary but when Felicity goes missing with her sweetheart and Alma falls apart, Kate fears the police will suspect Felicity and Brendan of murder! When Kate herself falls under suspicion, she knows she needs reinforcements to help her find Felicity. With whispers of underhanded doings and a mysterious, haunted house, Kate is certain her friend and goddaughter are in trouble.

I absolutely could not put this book down. The plot had a lot of things going on that kept me guessing as to the motive for the murder. There are many red herrings along the way and some things are never fully explained. I was one step ahead of Kate and friends in some respects but mostly perplexed as to who could have done it. Finally, just before Kate and Sykes put the clues together, I knew who did it.

As always, the period descriptions are excellent. I could easily imagine myself in Whitby in the 1920s staying in a lush hotel like the Royal and traveling the streets off the beaten path. The Pepper Pot, Bagley Hall and of course the sea were all very vivid in my mind as I read the book.

I've gotten to know Kate through several books and I like her better than I did at first. When her friends are involved in the mystery, she becomes a little more passionate and emotional in telling the story. She has also had a little romance in her life which softens her a bit. Part of her is still mourning Gerald but most of her seems to like being an independent woman. She is a strong and interesting central character. Mr. Sykes is a complicated man. He sees the world in black and white and has high moral standards, yet I feel like he doesn't honor his matrimonial vows very well. Rosie is very patient and understanding or a woman of her time who doesn't look too closely at what her husband does. Mrs. Sugden provides a little bit of humor with her tough, no-nonsense approach. Inspector Marcus Charles reappears in Kate's life. She may be attracted to him but he is not an appealing man. He comes across as a bit too conceited but he does seem to be good at his job.

The new characters here include Kate's friend Alma. Alma was a hysterical child prone to fainting fits. She was unpopular in school and seems to have sought out popularity by becoming eccentric. Alma is sort of a New Age person- a fortune teller and author of books claiming to predict the future. I liked her at first but as the story progressed, I really disliked her. She is one of those women who needs a man by her side, who only sees their own misfortune and dwells on it. Her backstory is utterly tragic, if I am interpreting her words correctly. She isn't too bright or inquisitive and it gets her into trouble. She always put her trust in the wrong men.

At first Felicity seems like a spoiled brat. She's 16 and has a good job and should be grateful or saving for her future. Instead she steals a boat and runs off to find her absent father. Once I got to know Alma and Felicity better, I understood why Felicity wanted her father. The girl never had any structure in her life and her father actually provided for her once in awhile! Her mother's inability to face facts led Felicity to act rashly. Felicity is young and stupid but she had a good reason for doing what she did.

Mr. Cripplethorpe, who owns half of Alma's house, is a fun character. He's mysterious, almost magical and gothic. Once he revealed his story I liked him very much. His story doesn't have a complete conclusion as to who and why and is just summarized at the end. He is somehow tied into Felicity's father and Jack Philips, the jeweler through a mysterious business which is pretty obvious to Kate. The complete connection though is never fully revealed.

The murder victim, Mr. Philips, does not sound like he was an honorable man but he did not deserve to die. Since he is dead at the beginning of the story, the reader only gets everyone else's opinion of him. The full story shows him to be a little more complicated than everyone believes.

The local people of Whitby make up the rest of the story. Brendan, Felicity's sweetheart, is a foolish young man. I don't see them as a good match. He's young and naive but does have a good head on his shoulders at times of crisis. I would have liked to get to know him better and have a richer conclusion from his point-of-view. His mother, Mrs. Webb, works hard and tries to mind her own business but is drawn into the investigation due to her son's disappearance. I liked her a lot. She had a tough life and knows more than she should but doesn't gossip. She is very typical of a working class woman as depicted in this series. I also liked her daughter Hilda. She is friendly and nice yet she is quick to share secrets with a stranger. Her mother didn't approve but I feel like she did the right thing and admired her for it. Miss Dowzell, he newsagent is a suspicious character. She had the opportunity for murder but did she do it? Her story is very very sad. I did not like Mr. Dowzell from the start. He was a bit rude to Kate in the beginning, nosy and bombastic. He seemed like a self-important man of the type Kate (and I) can't stand. Mr. Garvin, the police sergeant, is way too suspicious and yet way too ignorant of everything that is going on. I found him nearly as chauvinistic as Marcus but not as bad.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series and may go back and read the others I missed.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the series so far; it was a little bit too convoluted and mainly my problem is that I can't stand Alma at all, there is no reason in the world for Kate to be her friend and I see all the reasons that Felicity has to run away. I set my high expectations on the next one.

Non il migliore della serie, almeno fino a questo punto; troppo cinrconvoluto, ma soprattutto il mio problema principale é che non sopporto assolutamente Alma, inoltre per nessuna ragione al mondo Kate potrebbe essere sua amica e capisco perfettamente perché Felicity volesse scappare via da lei. Metteró da parte per il prossimo libro le mie alte aspettative.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 bk 223. The Shackleton Inquiry Agency is closed for vacation. All three associates head to the seashore in the same direction, but in three different villages. Upon arrival at her village of Whitby, Kate heads off to visit an old school chum. Not her favorite person, but the one for whom she stood up at her wedding and the one whose daughter is her god daughter. Having had a dress made for Felicity, said goddaughter, Kate spots a bracelet in the window of a jewelery store. Stiffening her spine, for this is the store where Gerald bought their wedding bands, Kate enters, only to find the kindly jeweler deceased, nay murdered. The earnest young policeman is over his head. This book is a series of misunderstandings, side steppings, and blind sidings. If I had been Kate there would have been much gnashing of teeth, mutterings of 'idiots, I'm surrounded by idiots', and other unkind comments. Kate holds it together, especially after she draws both Jim Sykes and Mrs. Sugden in to help solve the mystery. Uhm, did I mention that Inspector Marcus Charles is back?

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Private detective Kate Shackleton just wants to relax by the seaside and visit her old friend Alma, working as a fortune-teller, and Kate's goddaughter Felicity. But Kate discovers a dead body in the jeweler's shop, and Felicity has disappeared with her boyfriend, off to find her long-lost father. Not only does Alma become a suspect--she thought, erroneously, that the dead man was courting her--but so does Kate herself, until her bona fides are proved by the Scotland Yard inspector whose proposal she rejected. And Felicity is on a small boat in a storm, with no exact notion of where she's going or how to get there. I'm not a big fan of this series, which often seems a bit somber. This book isn't really somber, but is quite complex. The 1920's period in the north of England is always a draw, however.

[Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

How have I missed this fun little series all these years? I really enjoyed reading about Kate Shackleton and her friends and colleagues solving a murder in Whitby. The characters are colorful and well-developed. I love the history of the quaint towns and villages in England, and the time period of the 1920's is interesting. Ms. Brody makes the heroine believable to that time period - intelligent and independent, but not brash or unladylike. I will definitely be going back to read this wonderful British cozy series from the beginning!

[Janet Rosfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent outing with Francis Brody's sleuth Kate Shackleton. Kate goes to visit her long time friend Alma, who's a fortune teller in the seaside town of Whitby and Felicity, Alma's daughter, who is Kate's Goddaughter. Kate is expecting a lovely holiday with sun, sand and sea, but of course she stumbles upon a murder and maybe a side of smuggling and bigamy. Brody's mysteries are always convoluted and so, so satisfying. When her assistants, Mrs. Sugden and Jim Sykes arrive to help her sort out who murdered the jeweler and why has Felicity disappeared, things ramp up delightfully.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good plot with twists and turns along the way. Having visited Whitby on many an occasion the plot meant more, especially Ragdale Hall. This was my first delve into a Kate Shackleton mystery and I shall now find the first in the series and read the books in order.

[Margaret P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the era this was set in and will look out for more books by this author a great read

[Karen Maurer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the setting and the smuggler history.

[Mike Rymarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is something so simplistically wholesome about the Kate Shackleton books. Not one of the better ones, but easily readable.

[oyin_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay

[Karen Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice period mystery. Love the simpler life.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun cozy British mystery. Great plot and interesting characters. I will read more when I want a light break

[The Literary Shed · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT’S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME ACROSS AN AUTHOR who we’ve never read before, for no other reason than life's too short and there are too many good books out there waiting to be devoured. It’s particularly so, if that author fits into the mystery/crime genre, one of our not-at-all guilty and rather favourite pleasures. Frances Brody, who pens the deliciously moreish Kate Shackleton mysteries, set in post-World War I England, is a case in point.

Death at the Seaside, the eighth book in the series, finds the intrepid Mrs Shackleton, a 30-something lady, taking a well-needed holiday in Whitby, a historic and literary town in Yorkshire, the county where most of the series is, in fact, set. Whitby has particular resonance for Kate as it’s not only where her old and rather eccentric friend, Alma, lives with her daughter, Felicity, but it’s also here that Kate became engaged to her now MIA husband. And, when Kate visits the jewellery shop where he bought her engagement ring, she discovers a body and finds herself suddenly embroiled in murder and the search for Felicity, her missing goddaughter.

What makes this book so interesting is that apart from it being a rollicking good read, full of flavoursome characters who move seamlessly in and out of frame, the dialogue is tight and the humour dry. Brody’s attention to detail and to setting the scene brings Whitby – and, in fact, an England and a society still recovering from the reality of brutal war – to life. The evocation of time and place, detailed descriptions of buildings and landscape and a stream of finely drawn characters, who can't be anything other than English, all serve to create a convincing hinterland against which the drama can be played out. In this, Brody brings to mind the great Queens of twentieth-century British Mystery – Agatha Christie, of course, but also Patricia Wentworth, Margery Allingham and Ngiao Marsh (albeit a New Zealander, technically).

Death at the Seaside is an absolute delight, a very ‘cosy read’ (particularly on a chilly autumnal night when one isn’t feeling well), and, as such, we very much look forward to catching up on the rest of the series and Kate Shackleton's world.

And, if you haven’t indulged in Brody’s books already, well, all we can add is, you’re in for a truly great treat.


9780349406589-1 • Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody • Publication: 6 October 2016 • Piatkus • Paperback Original • £8.99


Many thanks to Clara Diaz at Little, Brown, for including The Literary Shed in Death at the Seaside's Blog Tour. Please do read the other reviews on the tour. http://www.theliteraryshed.co.uk/read...

[Kerrie-ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alma Turner's daughter, Felicity, has gone missing and no one knows where she has gone or if something has happened to her. Felicity is also Kate Shackleton's goddaughter. Jack Phillips has also been murdered, but who murdered him and why? What secrets are the people living in Whitby hiding and why don't they want the police to find out?

This was quite a good novel, but it was quite a slow paced novel in a lot of areas. There wasn't much action throughout this novel and I did guess halfway through who the killer would turn out to be. So at the end it wasn't much of a surprise to me when the killer was finally revealed. The main action came when Kate discovered the body in the jewelers shop backroom. The language was very easy to read though but some parts were old writing as it was set in the 1920s.

Kate was a good character as she would do anything she could to get to the truth of the situation. She didn't want an innocent person to go to jail for a crime they did not commit. She was a searcher for the truth. Jim Sykes was also a great character as he didn't want an innocent person to be jailed either. Alma Turner sometimes annoyed me as she wasn't doing much to search for her daughter. She just stayed at home and waited for people to find her daughter for her.

As the action was so slow paced within this novel it did take me a while to read, but it made it more enjoyable as I was getting through it. I did wish there was more action though throughout the novel as then I would have enjoyed reading it a lot more. The characters were the main reason I kept reading this novel as a lot of them were likable, but some did annoy me a bit. It also annoyed me that the police didn't seem to be doing much of a job to find the murderer or to find Felicity. Kate seemed to be doing more investigating than the actual police themselves.

Overall, I gave this novel 3/5 stars as it was quite a slow read and my only enjoyment came from the characters and guessing who the murderer was. As I guessed the killer within the middle part of the novel I had to mark it down. Plus, because of the lack of action that was another reason I had to mark the novel down. Apart from those two matters I did enjoy reading this novel and will definitely be reading more from the Kate Shackleton novels in future.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on www.snazzybooks.com as part of the blog tour.

Death at the Seaside is a fun, witty novel that ticks the mystery / crime box without being too shocking or gruesome – and which makes quite a change from some of the novels in this genre I’ve read recently! I haven’t read any of the novels in this series (Kate Shackleton) so I didn’t really know exactly what to expect, but love these kind of mystery stories that are set in a bygone era - and the 1920’s is a great choice so I was really excited to start reading!

The characters in Death at the Seaside are all really well crafted; I particularly liked Kate who was such a strong and interesting character. She took all the mayhem in her stride - no fainting at a dead body here! I found the fact it was set in the 20’s really interesting partly to see how Kate would react and be treated by others, due to the restrictions on her, and the expectations of others.

The story is fun and enjoyable to read. As I mentioned before, it’s quite different to many of the Detective/ crime novels around today in its approach to the crime (obvious lack of DNA testing and other investigative methods at that time!), and although I do love those other kind of novels, I also hugely enjoyed this one! It kind of feels like a warm blanket – comforting and easy to read, with likeable characters and an interesting plot – give it a go! I’d definitely read others in the series too!

* Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group for providing a copy of this novel in return for an honest review and for including me on the blog tour! *

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

Kate Shackleton has decided to close her business of private investigators for some time in August and she has gone to Whitby for a fortnight to relax. She hopes to catch up with an old friend, Alma and her daughter Felicity who live in Whitby.

On her first day she finds the body of a jeweller in his shop when she goes in to buy a bracelet. At first she is suspected of the murder herself especially when she has been found on the cliffs with a torch after dark on the same day in suspicious circumstances. Her friend Alma is at her wits ends because Felicity has disappeared and Kate decides to help look for her.

I enjoyed this eighth volume in the Kate Shackleton series. Kate herself is resourceful and sensible and very observant. She has collected many friends over the course of her investigations and her assistant, Jim Sykes and her housekeeper Mrs Sugden, both on holiday nearby are soon involved in Kate's investigations.

I though the author brought Whitby to life and I enjoyed the descriptions of it. I thought the way the people of the town closed ranks and refused to talk to Kate let alone the police was well done too. If you enjoyed crime novels set in the 1920s then do try this series as I think it is one of the best around at the moment.

[Anna Bergmark · Rating 1 out of 5]

With a few exceptions this series has been a bombshell in beige. Which is strange, because the heroine herself and her two coworkers, Mr Sykes and Mrs Sugden, aren't unlikable at all. But no... The dullness prevails. The supporting "actors" tend to be uninspiring, the pace slow, the plots uninteresting, and in this particular installment what strikes you is the lack of credibility.

Now, I'm not unpartial to the unbelievable. Au contraire. The unbelievable can be quite exciting. But this story manages to be gobsmackingly unreal and totally flat at the same time. You don't buy a thing about it and care even less, and don't get me started on the boat eloping youngsters! Soon enough I got to skipping their chapters altogether. I'm quite certain I didn't miss a thing and saved plenty of time for more fascinating activities, like clipping my toenails.

A book which causes you to turn pages without actually reading them can only receive a one star rating, and though I usually don't quit a series once I've started it, I really can't see myself rushing to the bookstore for "Death in the Stars". One has to draw the line somewhere and mine was probably drawn in the sand at Whitby by the Sea!

(I would wish for a mighty big wave to flush away the memory of this drabness, but fortunately the imprint of it is so weak it's turning into a mirage already. Thank heavens for small mercies!)

[Faa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last book from Frances Brody (not counting the one coming in October this year). I love the setting because it was set in my favorite town in Yorkshire; Whitby. Every description I read in this book, gave me glimpses on Whitby that I visited last year. I love walking along the shore, marveled at the skeleton of Whitby Abbey and of couse enjoying Whitby's famous fish and chips. So when Frances Brody brought Whitby again in this book, I could understand how annoyed kate was when her suppose to be free from investigation holiday ended up with her finding of the late Jack Phillips.

I just hope Miss Brody been more thorough with how Mr Dowzell committed the crime, instead of giving us the summed up version by the words of Supt. Marcus Charles. Reading the end of this novel,
I was still hoping Gerard is still alive, somewhere waiting to make a comeback in Kate's life. Well, I am just a reader who is besotted with the idea of Kate finding her happiness. Who knows? Only Miss Brody knows..

[Magill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dearie me, this was something of a disappointment.

1. Slow, quite slow, virtually no tension.
2. POV changes, sometimes for only a chapter, to tell the story, while Kate almost disappears.
3. Mrs. Sugden shoehorned in.
4. Kate's friend, a fortune teller - fortune teller? What kind of school did Kate's parents send her to?
5. Kate's wandering through Whitby in the dark, past the emptying bars at night, in the 1920s.
6. The first police station scene - really? Ridiculous.
7. At least Sykes dislikes Charles Marcus, because I don't know what Kate is thinking.
8. The boat chapters - filler? Was there just not enough story? I don't think there was enough story.
9. The story was mainly Kate wandering around, the mystery was barely visible.

Kate needs to find her mojo again. And soon. One more chance... just one more.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at the Seaside marks the 8th outing for our heroine Kate Shackleton. This time she is on a seaside break at Whitby and planning to relax and reconnect with an old school friend and her goddaughter. But of course things don't go to plan ans Kate is soon embroiled in a murder and the disappearance of her Goddaughter.
I have enjoyed this series from the beginning - the characters are well drawn and have become familiar over the last few books. Saying that I didn't think this was Ms Brody's best effort. It seemed slow in parts and I found some of the situations difficult to believe. Kate's friend Alma seems odd and not someone I would think of as a friend of hers - indeed Kate almost seems awkward with her too. For me the end seemed rushed and somehow not complete. i look forward to the next in the series and hope it returns to form