Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd

I’ve always been a fan of Jess Kidd, I enjoyed Himself, The Hoarder and Things in Jars. I was excited to read a new book that is the beginning of a series. Murder at Gulls Nest is the first in a series featuring Nora Breen, former nun and amateur detective.

Murder at Gulls Nest

The Blurb

The first in a sparkling new 1950s seaside mystery series, featuring sharp-eyed former nun Nora Breen.

In a house like Gulls Nest, curiosity might prove fatal . . .

After thirty years in a convent, Nora Breen has thrown off her habit. Her fellow sister Frieda has gone missing and it’s up to Nora to find her. Nora’s only clue is that Frieda was last seen at Gulls Nest boarding house. So she travels down to the seaside town of Gore-on-Sea, takes a room and settles in to watch and listen. Over dubious – and sometimes downright inedible – dinners, Nora gathers evidence about the other lodgers. At long last, she has found an outlet for her powers of observation and, well, nosiness.

When one of the lodgers is found dead, Nora decides she must find the murderer. Not least because she suspects the victim knew Frieda. Could solving this mystery help her to understand what has happened to her friend?

My Review of Murder at Gulls Nest

I loved Nora Breen right from the start. With very little belongings she left her place in a convent and went to the seaside town of Gore On Sea to find out what had happened to her friend Frieda.

She books herself into Frieda’s last known residence and begins to assess the residents. One of the other lodgers is found dead soon after her arrival and Nora begins to suspect everyone. We find out all about the residents and more about Nora herself.

I thought that Jess Kidd had taken a different turn from her usual style of writing but I was pleased to find it was still there. There was a lot of character development and adventure in this seaside town that was closing down after the holiday season. Nora makes friends and enemies, and even if you work out who the killer is early on, it’s still a climatic ending.

Nora Breen not only solves the mystery of her missing friend she also finds the murderer and becomes very friendly with the local detective.

I loved the little touches of Nora’s investigations and how she manages to deal with everything. She hasn’t had the easiest time herself which probably explains a lot about her character. I can’t wait to read more.