A review by theavidreaderandbibliophile
Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew

3.0

Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew is the debut of A California Bookshop Mysteries. I thought Murder by the Seashore was a lighthearted cozy mystery. Scarlett Gardner, a booklover, owns Palm Trees and Page Turners, a bookstore. Scarlett went into the business with her boyfriend, but he ditched her and the business when a better opportunity came along. She manages to keep the bookstore, but I am curious as to how Scarlett qualified for a bank loan (does not come from money, did not have a high paying job, no large inheritance, and she is not business savvy—I wonder if she has heard of a business plan). Scarlett is struggling to manage the business side of the bookstore, but she loves helping patrons find books (wouldn’t it be prudent to hire a business manager or accountant, maybe take a night class). With the bookstore being a new business, I am curious how Scarlett can afford a full-time employee and she plans to add a part-time one as well. There are a variety of characters introduced. I would like to see the main secondary characters fleshed out a bit more as well as Scarlett. The whodunit has Scarlett at the top of the suspect list (of course). Scarlett clumsily investigates (imagine a bull in a china shop). There are a limited number of suspects since the victim was visiting Oceanside. Scarlett picked her suspects based on their dislike of her instead of how they felt about the victim. The detective jumps to conclusions and zeros in on Scarlett based on circumstantial evidence. It is a good thing that Scarlett’s roommate is a lawyer. The whodunit is neatly wrapped up at the end. The reveal had me rolling my eyes. I know I am in the minority regarding Murder by the Seashore, but I found it to be predictable with cliché characters and crime. There is too much repetition. I do not need the details of the crime repeated three, four, or five times. The same can be said for information regarding the ex-boyfriend. I mentioned a few inconsistencies regarding the business, and there were a couple of discrepancies concerning Scarlett’s inheritance. The story was only two hundred and sixty pages long, but it felt longer. I struggled to finish it. Murder by the Seashore was not for me. I wish the author had added something unique since I recently read a couple of cozies with the protagonist owning or opening a bookstore and driving a mini cooper. While this cozy was not for me, I do suggest you download a sample to judge for yourself. Murder by the Seashore is a casual cozy with a busy bookstore, a problem under the pier, unexpected news, a bothersome ex-boyfriend, a protective detective, and a lawyer for a roommate.