Liz Holt returns home to Florida and her family's hotel after a tabloid scandal back in New York had her running for cover. Hew life in Florida is full of fun and quirky relatives--and murder. When one of the guests is murdered, Liz decides solving the murder is the best way to distract herself from her life.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much depth their was in the characters. It truly felt like these were people I knew. The mystery was good, and with a promising new love interest for Liz, I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series.

oved it! Delighted to see it is the first of a series. I look forward to reading the next one. Several eccentric characters as well as some sensible ones. Interesting location and fun pets. A little romance, too. The publisher provided a copy via NetGalley for my voluntary review.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

I really enjoyed this book. It's full of humour, bizzarre characters and pop references to old tv series and mysteries.
It's very well written with an interesting plot that keep you guessing till the end. The heroine is complex, with a huge emotional baggage and the book is also about her path to healing. The other characters are funny without being grotesque.
Cannot wait to read the next instalment.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley

I wanted to like this, but there's just too much going on and too many unanswered questions/plot holes. Liz has come back home after an incident that left her with a scar - but we don't ever find out the details of what happened - except that that the reports in the press were wrong and that she doesn't want to talk about it. The hotel is in trouble - but Liz's family gave her a fancy tricked out beach house and the staff have 3 or 4 bed suites to live in. There's a huge cast of characters and locations to get your head around and the murder is quite late on - but by that point I didn't really like anyone! Not for me. Never mind.

Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is the first book in the cozy A By the Sea Mystery series. The main character Liz Holt has returned home to beautiful Melbourne Beach, Florida and her family run Indialantic by the Sea hotel.

Liz has been happy jumping back in at the hotel and helping her Aunt Amelia who was an actress at one point and still has her quirks. Liz even likes her aunt’s feisty parrot, Barnacle Bob. But as the hotel takes on a wealthy couple the wife does everything to test the nerves of Liz and her aunt.

However, as much as they debated on asking their guests to leave and take their demands with them they never wished to find the lady murdered. Now the list of suspects is growing by the minute so Liz decides to do her own little bit of investigating.

Now anyone that knows me knows I love a good little cozy mystery with their quirkiness and eccentric characters. Death by the Sea had the quirky edge that I enjoy and even added in Barnacle Bob the parrot who was a laugh a minute however when finished with this one I debated between a two and three star rating as unfortunately I didn’t fall in love with this opener in the series. After much debate I’m giving this one three stars and what saved it was the setting, Melbourne is somewhere I’ve vacationed quite a few times and enjoyed the virtual trip back there and then there was the few details here and there that I’m normally a fan.

What stopped me loving this one was it was just so darn wordy throughout. There are tons of characters involved and as each joins I felt like an info dump was going on. And then the mystery didn’t even get going until pretty late in the book and by then I was getting more than impatient waiting. Even with the info dump feeling to a lot of things though there was a backstory with the main character that kept being brought into the story that almost felt as if I had missed something somewhere like this was a spin off or continuation. I’m all for character development and plenty of suspects but this one just seemed to go a little too far in some areas and not enough in others to where the story just dragged too much for me so I’m not sure I would continue onward in the series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is the first installment in the By the Sea Series set in the Indianatlantic Inn set on a barrier island off the coast of Melbourne, Florida. I really enjoyed Ghostal Living in the author's prior series and I was eager to try this one. I was also attracted to the cover, description and the beautiful setting of Melbourne Beach/Sebastian Inlet, Florida. Liz Holt, a successful author in her own right, has quietly returned to live with her father and great-aunt Amelia and her squawky parrot, Barnacle Bob, after a traumatic break-up with a Pulitzer Prize winning author has left her with a scarred face. Liz is trying to write another book but continues to have flashbacks of the awful night. While trying to restore the Inn to its former grandeur, Aunt Amelia regales the reader with all of her history and knowledge of shows from the 1960's and 70's like Bewitched, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Jeannie, to name a few. There are so many more, which diverted from the mystery and just seemed like overkill. Wealthy socialite and guest Regina Harrington-Worth and her husband David are the only current guests. To the consternation of the historical society, she is trying to tear down a nearby landmark, Castlemara, which she inherited from her father, so she can develop the property for herself. She has managed to anger someone to the point of no return because she is found murdered in her suite and the search for her killer(s) begins.

I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did. From the beginning, I was overwhelmed with the number of characters and potential suspects. The murder didn't happen until far too long and by that time, it was hard to stay interested in such a disjointed pace. I was very confused about the actual status of the Inn; at times, it appears that they are on a shoestring budget but then there is the Worth's luxurious suite and the fancy shops. The attempted romance between Liz and visiting New York City firefighter Ryan Stone seems too contrived. By the end of the book, which I did finish in about 5 or 6 settings, I honestly had no real interest in finding the killer. That being said, it is the beginning of the series, so I will give the next book a read and hope that the characters gel better for me this time.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a complimentary copy of this book. My review is voluntary.

Any cozy mystery that references Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and also includes a treasure is a winner in my book - and Death by the Sea, Kathleen Bridge's debut entry in her new By the Sea Mystery series has them all! Bestselling author Liz Holt returns home to the Indialantic by the Sea hotel in beautiful Melbourne Beach, Florida, looking for a change in lifestyle after scandal upset her life in Manhattan. She's reconnecting with family - her father Fenton, her great aunt Amelia (what a hoot - I would love to have her in my family!), her best friend Kate - and a host of other friends, when one of the guests at the Indialantic by the Sea is found murdered and robbed of her fabulous jewelry. Liz and her team of Detectiveteers decide to investigate as any good sleuth would, and set about to discover the murderer (who surprised this reader!!!). A very nicely written cozy and the beginning of what promises to be a fun new series. A+ to Death by the Sea!

Famous author, Liz Holt, returns to her historic family hotel in Melbourne Beach, Florida after the gruesome and public breakup of her relationship with another famous author. While she had hoped to get bak to writing and a quiet life, the death of a hotel guest changes her plans and she teams up with her extended hotel family and friends to find out who did it and why.

As you read the story you can almost smell the salty air. You’ll be transported to the Indialantic Hotel and the characters, especially Auntie Amelia, will come to life in your mind. A very strong start to a new series that I am eager to continue on with.

Liked this book a lot. I fell in love with the characters. From Liz to Kate to Aunt Amelia, and Pierre, there were lots of quirky characters that were well developed. All of the references to the old television shows was fun...I remembered most of the shows mentioned.

The mystery was interesting and kept you guessing who was guilty. And the mystery surrounding Liz's fall from grace nagged just enough that you wanted to scream out, "Just tell me now!" Just enough conflict between some of the characters to make it interesting.

I would definitely read another book with these characters and/or by this author.

Death by the Sea is the first book in Kathleen Bridge’s By the Sea Mystery series. After Liz Holt’s return to her childhood home of the Indialantic by the Sea Hotel in Melbourne Beach, Florida, to heal and, hopefully, restart her writing career, she is happy to be helping her Great Aunt Amelia with the resort. Although she has set up an office for her writing in the little guest house she is occupying, she hasn’t written a word. She is still recovering from a major event with her former boyfriend, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, that has left her scarred, physically and emotionally.

It is good to be home with her dad, attorney Fenton Holt, her Auntie, and her best friend from childhood, Katie. In her ten year absence a part of the resort has been turned into an eclectic shopping emporium and Liz has put together an event, Spring Fling by the Sea, with the hopes of increasing awareness and business for the shop owners.

Although the resort hotel has long since lost its glitziness, new visitors, Regina Harrington-Worth and her husband, David Worth, are reluctantly staying with them while they demolish the beautiful Oceanside Spanish style mansion she has inherited at the passing of her dad to replace it with what the historical society thinks will be a glass and metal monstrosity. Unfortunately, Regina checks out early at the hands of what is a suspected robbery at the end of the day of the Spring Fling.

As Liz and Kate explore various leads trying to clear a resort employee of the murder, they unravel other secrets of those that may be suspect until Liz finds herself in a swirl of deceit, greed, and theft as the murder is solved. The one mystery that isn’t fully revealed is what exactly had happened to Liz in New York.

I did enjoy this new series and the charming cast of characters that call the Indialantic by the Sea Hotel home. The scenery is lovely and the clues scattered throughout were embedded thoughtfully. This is an interesting new series and I look forward to the next edition. I do recommend this book.

Death By the Sea is a first in a new series by Kathleen Bridge.
I'm new to this author, but I've found another mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Liz Holt has returned to Indialantic, back to her home and her family and friends.
Liz left New York City under a cloud of shame and humility, bearing the scars of a tragic breakup, both inside and out.
Liz is strong and determined to make a fresh start and the cast of colorful characters that the author has created are just the thing to help Liz heal.

The book started out a bit slow, but about half way through, things picked up and I was soon drawn to the mystery and the story behind it.

I really enjoyed Aunt Amelia, she is a kind hearted person who loves to take care of everyone. She is quite the pip and I had loads of fun laughing alone with her escapades.

This new series will appeal to all cozy mystery fans so be sure to pre order your copy now.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

A nice start to a new series- with the advantage that this has a tad more than just the classic cozy components to it. Liz has come home to the Indialantic Hotel, run by her dad and her aunt Amelia. Because this is the first installment, a fair amount is devoted to introducing the characters, including Betty and Pierre. These are quirky but not twee people with some realistic issues. The murder doesn't happen till almost halfway through. Solving it involves a few twists but it's not terribly complicated. Those who like "old" movies will probably enjoy this more, as there are quite a few cinema references. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

What a great story! I loved everything, from the characters, to the setting, to the mystery itself. The mystery was superbly executed! I love it when you just get lost in the mystery, setting, characters. This is a strong start to what looks to be a great series!

After a horribly public and violent breakup of her relationship with a best-selling novelist, Liz Holt returns home to Melbourne Beach, Florida and her family's island resort hotel. She grew up at the historic hotel, and it seemed the best place to go to recover her sanity following her disgrace in New York. She bears the scars of her old relationship, literally....and wants to leave all that behind and focus on her next book. The Indialantic Hotel is run by her Aunt Amelia and Liz's father. Amelia was an actress in the 50's and 60's and loves to tell stories about all the shows she was on and the actors she met. Liz settles back into life at the hotel, enjoying the touristy emporium shops and quirky guests. Just as Liz's life seems to be calming down, a wealthy and very difficult guest is found murdered in her suite at the hotel. It might have been a robbery...but what if it was murder? Liz has to be sure which...so she starts to investigate. Who wanted Regina Worth dead?

I loved all of the classic television and movie references in this book! I'm a huge Ghost and Mrs. Muir fan. I love the 1940's movie! But I had no idea there was a television show in the 1960's! A reference in this book led me to start watching the old show! It's wonderful! (It only had two seasons. But all episodes are available to watch on Youtube!) I think it's cute that Liz and her Aunt Amelia always compare their quirky guests to old television or movie actors. The hotel, movie references and discussion of classic movies and television make for a nice background theme!

Liz is great as a main character. She is dealing with personal problems stemming from her prior relationship, and is struggling to get her writing back on track. She's intelligent, strong and a brave person, but has her flaws just like anyone does. I like all the quirky side characters...Aunt Amelia who talks about her former acting career, Betty who wrote some of the Nancy Drew novels, The Captain with a weakness for the ladies, Pierre the Chef who is having memory problems......it's a great cast of characters! Quirky and sweet. :)

The mystery moved along at a nice pace. There were plenty of twists and surprises, although I wasn't very surprised at the murder's identity. This book is a great start to a new cozy mystery series! I'm definitely going to read the next book! I'm a huge classic radio, television and movie fan! This book was perfect for me!

Kathleen Bridge also writes the Hamptons Home & Gardens cozy series. The second book in the By the Sea Mystery series, A Killing By the Sea, will be out in September 2018! There are some yummy recipes in the back of the book. I'm definitely going to try the hummus!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. **

In this first of the new By the Sea Mystery series, Liz Holt returns to Florida to be near her aunt and father in the family-run hotel, the Indialantic. She’s enjoying being back and leaving the past behind, but does NOT enjoy the latest guest who is busy making demands of those around her. Soon, however, a dead body is found at the hotel and ruins the quiet, safe atmosphere and Liz’s way of life is threatened.

The characters in this book were very well written (though eccentric) and the scenes were set well, but I just couldn’t get into this book. I was saddened because I love Ms. Bridge’s other series, the Hampton Homes and Gardens mysteries, but this just didn’t read as easy to me. Perhaps it is, while the other series was also set ocean-side, it still had more of cozy, small-town feel to it, while this book felt more exotic in its characters and locale. Again, I can’t put my finger on it, and I’m sure other readers will love it, but I don’t feel the need to make a return visit to the Indiatlantic.

I loved this book. I was hooked from the very first. It felt like the pages were just sucking me into them & I was there. I want to be there. The characters & scenery are wonderfully descriptive. The mystery solving moves along at the right pace & is satisfying resolved in the end. I was very glad the murderer wasn't one of the people I'd come to care about. I can't wait until the next one is out. I was given the opportunity to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley and the publisher.

This was a very boring story with cookie cutter characters.

What a wonderful and intriguing mystery! Liz and the residents put together the clues to solve the murder in their midst even though there are numerous people who seem to have good reason for getting rid of the lady in question. You'll love this By The Sea story!!

I loved this story! It’s set in a terrific beach area in Florida. The characters are very interesting with colorful backgrounds. Humor is spread throughout the book plus the author uses such lovely, descriptive prose that I almost felt like I was there! Liz, the brave protagonist who is scarred outside and inside is coping with her struggles and planning to continue with her life as a bestselling author. She’s staying with her beloved great aunt Amelia who runs an old Hotel and Emporium. Aunt Amelia is a fantastic, fun character who acted in popular old TV shows and movies. Amelia has a heart of gold and tends to collect misfits—both human and pets—at her hotel. I would love to be a guest there! I reveled in all the mentions of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Agatha Christie mysteries. The murder mystery delves into a feud over pirate treasure, but figuring out who, what, when, where, why, and how is complicated. Adding to the delightfulness of this cozy are cats, a dog, and a talkative macaw! I’m all psyched up and can hardly wait for the second story! Fun debut!

I reviewed a digital arc from NetGalley and Lyrical Underground.