Evil By The Sea was such a fun book and it was nice returning to this series. I love Aunt Amelia and the rest of the crew at the hotel and emporium. The plot was entertaining, even if I had my suspicions about the murderer early on. And don't forget the hilarious and somewhat mouthy parrot.

From Lyrical Underground comes a new addition to Kathleen Bridge's "A By The Sea Mystery" series, Evil By The Sea.

Aunt Amelia may not be the main character, but she is the most interesting. Her way of referring back to her heyday as a movie and television star whenever an odd occurrence comes up, or a murder investigation keeps readers smiling. In this quirky cozy, most of the characters have great personalities and are more than willing to lend a helping hand when Liz gets involved with solving a crime.

I say that this book is a quirky cozy because it doesn't fit into any particular genre within cozy book categories. It is a standard murder mystery, a paranormal mystery but has no ghosts, and even a witchcraft based mystery all rolled into one. All of these things are also what makes this book a page-turner and hard to put down.

Evil By The Sea is an adventure where nothing is as it seems. We have psychics who apparently can't really see the future but are good at guessing. We have business owners who are willing to overlook the obvious and do whatever is needed to keep their guests happy and paying their bills. To say the least, the characters are quirky, or maybe I should say they are oddballs in every way, which makes them a delight to read about. The victim is not liked but not necessarily a bad guy. The suspects are all a little demonish worthy, and when the killer is revealed, it comes as no big surprise to the reader, but a massive surprise to some of the characters.

All in all, this cozy book stands on its own, has great entertainment value, and keeps the story in line and on target. Readers will love the characters and the location and will crave more. I am happy to recommend this book and series to readers who delight in quirky stories and fun-filled action.

ARC provided by Netgalley

This is one of my favorite cozy series that I always read cover to cover with each new release. This is the fourth in series . I recommend this series for all cozy mystery readers very highly. The author has created a outstanding group of charcters that have you laughing out loud and turning pages into the night. The setting of a coastal inner island life is perfectly atmospheric and fun to experience through the author. I loved this series and hope it will continued for many books to come ! This next in series has the perfect name for the next mystery in this enjoyable series.

What fun this next in series was and the perfect read for difficult times to sweep you away !
Liz Holt has moved home to the Indiatlantic Inn, which is a Hotel and Emporium, in Melbourne Beach, Florida that her Family owns. Liz loves her life and working for her family. She is also quite skilled at solving murders. She is a likable fun protagnist that I always enjoy returning to in this series. The community is eclectic and the people are fun.

Many charcters return in this book that we followers of the series adore. Liz has a exotic Aunt who is prone to lots of eyeliner and curls. Her Aunt;s friend and long time psychic Dorian Starwood is having a wedding and the groom is Julian a local Wiccan leader. When a murder occurs of Julian the groom of course Liz and friends must solve the murder before one of them is in danger. Liz and her trusty sidekick her Macaw parrot together again among their group of 'colorful" charcters must find the suspect among all the red herrings along the way.

The mermaid parade was fun to read about, the town is always a delight to return to. The sleuth is well crafted to conclusion and enjoyable fun . I look forward to the next in series. I highly recommend this series for your reading enjoyment and what a perfect antidote to pandemic stress !

This is one of my favorite series and thanks to Netgalley for the newest in the series. Evil by the Sea is the fourth in the series. A wedding has come to the Indialantic. Or does it? Of course there's a murder and Liz and Ryan are all set to investigate. The descriptions of this hotel make me want to visit. The animals, especially BB, are a delightful addition to every book. A definite must read.

Liz, a novelist and amateur sleuth, works at her family's hotel and emporium. In this book, a Wiccan wedding is planned at the Indialantic by the Sea. Unfortunately, the groom dies at the rehearsal dinner. Liz investigates to find the killer.

The 4th book in the By the Sea mystery series. I recommend reading this series in order. There are a number of characters, and their relationships progress through the series.

An entertaining cozy mystery series. Quirky characters. Charming setting. Fun and light read. A recommended read for fans of cozy mysteries.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series and its cast of amazing characters at the Indialantic by the Sea.

Liz and her Aunt Amelia are helping host the wedding of a long-time family friend, psychic Dorian Starwood, and the leader of the Sunshine Wiccan Society, Julian Rhodes. But when the groom is found dead at the rehearsal dinner, can Liz find out who killed him before something else happens?

I adore Liz as a character so much! She has a great personality, and I love that she is a writer. I also like her relationship with Ryan the private investigator. I like that Ryan allows Liz to be herself and doesn't try to make her stop being curious. I love all of the other characters in this book. They all fit so well together. The twist at the end took me by surprise. I had no idea how this book was going to end, and I loved that. It kept me guessing the whole time! Overall, this was a fun read and I can't wait to see what's next in this series!

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Evil by the Sea is the fourth book in the 'By the Sea Mystery' series written by Kathleen Bridge. I have read the third instalment, Murder by the Sea, so I was delighted to dive into this one.

In this eccentric tale, novelist Liz Holt has moved back to the barrier island of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and is working again in her family's hotel and emporium, the Indialantic by the Sea. A wedding is due to take place at the hotel which is known for hosting events with unusual or wacky themes. The groom-to-be, white warlock Julian Rhodes, is the leader of the Sunshine Wiccan Society, but he is poisoned at his own rehearsal dinner on the hotel's sightseeing cruiser. Although she is a celebrity psychic, his intended, Dorian Starwood, did not foresee this happening and so enlists the help of Liz to apprehend the culprit, with delightful though potentially dangerous, consequences...

I adored this novel and in spite of the fast pacing, I had no trouble keeping up with the events and the characters! The author's writing style was comedic, easy and fun. Her characters are memorable, especially Great-aunt Amelia with her kooky personality traits, and most of the supporting characters played good parts, including Liz's garrulous parrot, Barnacle Bob.

The fantastic descriptive imagery by Kathleen Bridge of the island and the general locale helped to made this a compelling and bewitching tale. The mystery itself had ample misdirections and red herrings and I had a ball figuring things out as I puzzled over the clues.

With its great characters and a solid plot, this really is a splendid read and also a tremendous series. I highly recommend Evil by the Sea to those with a penchant for well-written cozy mysteries and I very much look forward to my next outing with Liz and her mouthy parrot!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book. I had a incredibly good time reading Evil by the Sea. Liz and Amelia once again manage to solve the murder of a rather unpleasant character. There are many suspects to chose from, each more unpleasant than the others. Also, the victim is rather despicable, I definitely wanted to know what brought his demise. The Indialantic provides the perfect location for snooping around and investigating, much to the reader's pleasure. Liz is a very sweet and attentionate character, especially with the chef, Pierre. I hope that in the next book, Liz and Ryan's relationship will move forward, it could be interesting. If you have read the previous books, you don't want to miss this one. It is as charming and delightful as the previous installments in the series. If you haven't read them, don't miss out on the fun! You can easily dive into the story, as if it were a standalone, and there are no spoilers for the previous books, so you can go back and read them afterwards.

I’m hooked on the By the Sea Mystery series! This fourth story is fun and compelling as protagonist Liz Holt assists her Aunt Amelia in hosting a wedding party at their beachside hotel in Melbourne Beach, Florida. One of Amelia’s old friends is in danger. I always enjoy the regular cast of eccentric characters who must mix with the small pool of suspects in this intriguing cozy. If you enjoy beach settings, quirky characters, and pets in your cozy reading, EVIL BY THE SEA should be on your Wish List! Savory recipes are provided after the story.

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical. Thank you.

Reading a book in this series is like spending an evening with old friends...and playing a murder mystery game. I really enjoy the books in this series and this one did not disappoint. Great mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Couldn't put it down.

Evil by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge is the 4th book in the By the Sea Mystery series, and another great book. Novelist, Liz Holt is now living in her home town of Melbourne Beach, Florida, she had been living in New York, and she's happy to be home and be with family and friends. Dorian Starwood, an old friend of Liz's great-aunt Amelia is getting married at their family's hotel and emporium, the Indialantic by the Sea. The Groom to be is a warlock Julian Rhodes, leader of Sunshine Wiccan Society, and not a very nice man. When Julian is poisoned and dies at the rehersal dinner, Liz will get to the bottom of the case. There are twists and turns around every corner. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. If you love fun cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book/series. I am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book. Mostly the descriptive imagery of the island and the surroundings. The book is well-paced and doesn't have any dull spots. The mystery was interesting although they did focus in on the killer fairly quickly she wasn't confirmed as the killer until the end of the book, but karma had gotten her. #EvilByTheSea #NetGalley

Oh dear, the groom is poisoned at his rehearsal dinner and his bride to be- a psychic- didn't see it coming! We're back at the Indiaatlantic Hotel with Liz and her great aunt Amelia and there's a lot going on. Julian was not a nice man but Dorian, his fiancé, is Amelia's BFF so of course Kate and company are going to investigate. Amelia is a hoot, Kate is intrepid, and there's a subplot involving Wicca (Julian was a warlock). This is a romp, with a plot that's not too twisty, good beach atmospherics, and fun characters (including Kate's love interest Ryan). Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier ones- this should be fine as a standalone (although admittedly it might take a minute to sort the characters). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A classic cozy and a great diversion from the news.

I was so honored to get to read an advanced reading copy from Net Galley, Evil By The Sea, the latest in Kathleen Bridge's By The Sea Mystery Book series. Book Four Evil by The Sea is being released on May 5th and is in my opinion a must read! I fell in love with this series with book one and book four builds on the dynamic characters, picturesque setting and warm fuzzy feelings of a truly great cozy mystery. This mystery surrounds a small family wedding,which is coinciding with a mermaid festival that sounds truly delightful right about now. I love the banter between the characters and B.B. the Parrot, who offers great comic relief. I found myself transported and among friends in Evil By The Sea. A great escape cozy for troubling times.

4 Stars

This is the fourth book in the A By The Sea Mystery series by Kathleen Bridge

Basic premise: There is going to be a Wiccan wedding at the Indialantic and before the ceremony can even start, the groom ends up dead.

I thought this was pretty good. Auntie Amelia is constantly giving us mid-century television icon images for everyone in sight when she isn’t telling us about her star status back in the day when she was a sought after tv bit part actress.

The mystery here is probably more complex than the previous books. I was able to focus more on the whodunit action since I was already used to the ravings of Liz’s aunt and other things that seemed to knock the story off track. Loved the whole wiccan storyline and how it played out. I felt like this was much easier to grasp than the second book in the series which I read right before this one. (I read book three last year sometime.)

The cast grows on you and once you know what to expect, the story is easier to follow. Definitely will keep up with the series even if certain aspects kind of turn you off after awhile. Auntie Amelia can be overkill sometimes.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Usually I enjoy this series, but I found myself struggling to get through it.
A Wiccan wedding, a psychic bride and a murder all sounds great but I felt that there was too much going on and I felt lost.

Was looking for something different to read during this lockdown crisis, and the cover and blurb caught my eye. While reading, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this eccentric cast of characters that made for a fun grown up Nancy Drew type mystery! Evil by the Sea is the first whodunit I’ve read by this author, and look forward to investigating more of her stories! Would recommend to fans of this genre!

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Love this series. Liz and her aunt Amelia host a wedding party weekend. When someone is killed. Liz and ryan set out to find the killer. Loved this book. Cant wait for the next one.

Evil by the Sea is the 4th book in the A By the Sea Mystery Series and the first of the series that I've read. Liz Holt helps run her family's Florida resort and is also a novelist and amature sleuth. He boyfriend is a PI, her Great Aunt Amelia is a former actress with so many fabulous stories and her Aunt's friend Dorian is a famous psychic. They both add a lot of depth to the story along with their unique pets. The plot centers around Dorian's wedding to a younger man named Julian who is the head of a Wiccan community. The days leading up to the wedding were full of suspicious activity surrounding Julian, Dorian receiving threatening letters, the interactions with her adult children and the arrival of a woman associated with Julian named Wren. Julian winds up dead at the rehearsal dinner and Liz decides to try and find out who is behind it. The book had a lot of fun interactions and characters, there was some exciting action and I enjoyed the read.

This is the fourth book in the series, but the first I have read.
Eccentric and interesting characters and a well written whodunit.
I will have to read the previous books now.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.