The 2nd book in the series has Sarah more settled in her new life with her dog Hamish and best friend, Daphne. Yet again, Sarah stumbles upon a murder victim though this time she hears her last words, “wits”. Sarah and Daphne, and sometimes Charles, set out to try to figure out what these words might mean and how they are connected to the beloved murdered teacher. There are several wrong turns, leads that don’t pan out, and then another murder that does not seem connected to the first. Sarah is still getting to know some of the townspeople and their backstories so she is able to question them to try to find a reason why someone would want to cause these deaths. Some amusement is brought through some parts of the story being told through the perspective of Hamish, which is quite enjoyable as he only has eyes for Tinkerbell, Charles’ chihuahua. Despite always commenting on how Daphne’s daughter, Mariella, is the sole of discretion regarding sharing police information, she often shares details that help the amateur detectives along.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

A Clue…?
The second in the Sarah Vane series of cosy mysteries, seaside set, and another dilemma for Sarah to solve. When she finds a dying schoolteacher at the storefront of her friend’s shop, she is flummoxed- particularly when the dying woman utters one word. Is it a clue? Sarah thinks so and she begins to dig. As clues come thick and fast, the bodies begin to pile. Enjoyable and entertaining with a well crafted cast of characters, a nicely plotted storyline and a delightful and well imagined setting.

When I saw that this was only the second in a new cozy mystery series set along the English coastline, I couldn’t resist. It takes place in a fictional seaside town where GP Dr. Sarah Vane has retired and fancies herself an amateur sleuth. When Sarah discovers the murdered body of beloved young teacher Adi Moffat on the doorstep of her best friend, Daphne's shop, she is hot on the trail of the killer, enlisting the help of Daphne and possible romantic interest, Charles.

A fast, engrossing read, with twists and some red herrings, the perpetrator is not immediately obvious. Castle paints a perfect picture of a quaint, seaside village and its denizens. I really enjoyed the humor and quirky characters in the story. Bonuses are the anthropomorphic dog, Hamish and the terror of a cat, Mephisto. And, of course, there are the requisite tea and biscuits.

Grateful to Netgalley for this ARC, due to be published on 05/09/2024. First book of Alice Castle that I've read although this is the second in the series.

Such a great cosy mystery to follow with great characters. Mephisto the cat is probably my favourite but only because I'm a crazy cat lady 😂

The plot develops well and the murderer is a surprise. Didn't expect things to unfold the way they did. Looking forward to further adventures in this series as I can see potential for more adventures