Book Review and Giveaway - A Whale of a Crime (A Yorkshire Coast Cozy Mystery) by Mona Marple

My Review

Ten years after his husband, a pop star, died under mysterious circumstances, Ryan Kennedy returns home to Flamborough in Yorkshire.  He spends time with his beloved grandmother, Iris, at her bookstore.  When there is a murder at a community gathering on the beach, Ryan and Iris set out to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this book because I love cozy mysteries.  I enjoy British mysteries with village settings.  The dog on the cover also appealed to me!

This is a unique mystery.  It is told in alternating chapters by Ryan and by his grandmother Iris.  There are also a few chapters that read like a message board for Siren Call, the band Ryan's husband led.  I found the alternating viewpoints intriguing but it also made the book read a bit more slowly to me.

The author does a wonderful job with descriptions and I could really visualize Flamborough and the residents.  The mystery aspect of the book is compelling and there were several twists in the story that added intrigue!

I really liked Ryan and Iris and enjoyed their detecting.  Ryan works as a dog walker and I liked the dog details in the book - including his Bernese Mountain Dog, Bracken.

I recommend A Whale of a Crime for other fans of cozy mysteries and especially for readers who enjoy a British village setting.

Book Synopsis

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.

Author Bio

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.

Author Links

WEBSITE: WWW.MONAMARPLE.COM

FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MONAMARPLEAUTHOR

FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332562544209625

INSTAGRAM: WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/MONAMARPLE

Purchase Link – Amazon

Giveaway 
a Rafflecopter giveaway