The Beach Hut Murders

The Charity Shop Detective Agency Mysteries, Book 2

By: Peter Boland

Narrated by: Zara Ramm

Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

It's almost summer in Southbourne, and the ladies of the Charity Shop Detective Agency are ready for another season of sun, sea, and... murder.

Amongst the rows of charming, brightly painted cabins, an elderly man's beach hut is set on fire in the middle of the night—while he sleeps inside.

By day, Fiona, Sue, and Daisy volunteer at the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop. By night, they investigate crimes. And they're determined to get to the bottom of this murder.

Malcolm Crainey was an obsessive beach-comber who lovingly decorated his hut with the treasures he found by the sea. Who'd want to kill a harmless old man?

The ladies soon uncover a long list of suspects, from neighbors who hated Malcolm for refusing to swap huts to members of the snobby beach hut association who took umbrage with Malcom's quirky cabin decorations.

Then, another hut is burnt down in the dead of night. Thankfully, there was no one inside this time. But the pressure is on—can Fiona, Sue, and Daisy find the culprit before the beach hut murderer strikes again?

Put the kettle on and discover an utterly charming cozy murder mystery set in a sleepy English seaside town. Fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Janice Hallett, Simon Brett, Ian Moore, and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will adore this exciting new talent in cozy crime.

©2023 Peter Boland (P)2023 Podium Audio

Recommended

I did enjoy The Beach Hut Murders. However, I liked the first book in the series so much more than this book that I couldn’t justify more than four stars. I will enjoy the next and any additional books and recommend them to you.

Nice twists

I had some of my own leads but not nearly the entire plot. Another strong book in the series. Characters are relatable.

Consistently great characters!

I love the main characters in this series. They’re fun and quirky, but not frivolous. The story is gripping and the mystery is clever and surprising. I can’t wait to read the next in this series.

Cozy mystery

I liked the performance and I really enjoyed the characters, it’s a good listen. I’m neutral on the story / arc. Since this is a second book in the series I’m starting to spot a pattern - the author tends to pick a culprit you have little chance of figuring out the motive of until the very end. As in his previous book, you find out next to nothing about the murderer until basically the very end, which to me is somewhat disappointing. I prefer when the book is peppered with clues so that next time you read/listen, you see the intricate web in front of you. It’s definitely not like that. More of a casual listen.

Just a good fun listen

Enjoy the Charity Shop Ladies Detective Agency series. Just easy, fun listening as I clean, work or go for a walk.

Love these ladies!

I get so into the story I can’t wait for the next one! And the teaser at the end omg

Tech meets tradition

Following on from the first book in this series, our heroines confront modern technology as a potential means of committing a crime. Their interactions in uncovering that possibility, and in all their interpersonal relationships and conversations, are both endearing and entertaining. I continue to put the Charity Shop Detective Agency at the top of my cozy mystery audiobook list, thanks in part to Zara Ramm. Looking forward to #3 and more!

Kept me guessing

The author has a charming way of describing characters, their conversations, and situations. I enjoyed it all.

Well Written

It was a fun and interesting mystery. I enjoyed it very much as well as the first book.

Cozy fun

British “cozies” are my favorite escapist genre. A good, well-written cozy cheers and gives back much more than it asks of you. This series doesn’t disappoint. The narration is lively and entertaining. The characters are believable and endearing. I can’t wait to listen to the next book.