Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I am giving my rating based on my own personal opinion and not that of any other party.

I absolutely loved this cozy little mystery. This was my first book by this author and I'll definitely be reading more!

A fun, cozy mystery, Murder at Gulls Nest was a winner for me because of the strong ex-nun Jessica Lansbury-type character of Nora. Her quest to find out what happened to her missing friend leads to a quaint seaside village. There are a lot of hints and clues throughout the story with some unexpected turns in plot that I really appreciated. I do wish there was more background on the character of Nora as she was fascinating and I wanted to know more about what makes her her. I am looking forward to more in the series.

I heard great things about this book from trusted sources. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. As much as I tried, I couldn't get interested and DNF'd at about 50%.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for a free copy of #MurderAtGullsNest by Jess Kidd. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this first entry in a new cozy mystery series. It checks all the boxes for a cozy mystery, but at the same time the writing was more sophisticated than I expected. There are lots of descriptive scenes and more figurative language than I usually find in cozy mysteries. The premise of a former nun leaving her convent to solve mysteries is unique and executed well here. There is quite the cast of characters at Gulls Nest, and I enjoyed the burgeoning romance between Nora and the police detective. I would like to continue this series.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The PERFECT cozy mystery to start off fall! The cover is what initially caught my eye for this book. A pretty lighthearted quick read.

The cozy mystery is my favorite genre. I like engaging mysteries and fascinating characters. I will read more books by this author.

Murder at the Gulls’ Nest was an intriguing read with a quirky, atmospheric setting that I really appreciated. I enjoyed the creativity in the plot and the eccentric characters, but at times the story felt a bit uneven and meandered in places, which made it harder for me to stay fully engaged. Overall, it was an entertaining mystery with charm and originality, though it didn’t quite reach the level of a standout for me.

It took a couple tries to get into this one, but I really enjoyed it. A nun leaves her commune to find out what happened to another ex-nun, whose weekly letters had stopped without warning.

The mystery was clever and the protagonist was very likable. She's a bit younger than my usual octogenarian protagonist has the confidence and fiery spirit that I prefer.

I liked the historical elements - I thought the dialogue and the scene-setting was well done for the time period.

I would read more in this series.

Thank you for the ARC! I purchased a copy and will share widely at the library.

Murder at Gull’s Nest by Jess Kidd
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Nora is a former nun. When her pen pal stops writing her all of a sudden she leaves in search of answers. When people start being murdered at the hotel she is staying in she is determined to figure out what is happening.
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What I liked:
-A quirky cast of characters.
-Lots of secrets, including Nora not wanting to tell people about her past.
-People keep dying and you don’t know who to trust.
-I liked how this set up for a series.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was fun to listen to, I will probably try to read more of the series when it publishes.

If you like a cozy mystery then this novel is a good choice. I was able to read it there NetGalley and it was fun to read. Set in post World War II sea side town in the UK the setting descriptions, characters and events were entertaining. Could this be a series on Netflix?

Listen, if you like cozy mysteries I don't know why you wouldn't like this. If you like the small elements of magical realism and wonder found in Jess Kidd's other books, you will probably be disappointed by this book. I fall into the second camp and I am so disappointed! Nora Breen is a fine and interesting character, she almost felt familiar to me like she could have been a side character in Things in Jars maybe, and the cast of characters had potential as well as the off-kilter sort of setting but where was the supernatural??? A fine book but not what I wanted or expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for this honest review.

Just finished Murder at Gull’s Nest by Jess Kidd and I’m absolutely hooked!
This first installment of a new cozy crime series is everything I adore — witty, atmospheric, and brimming with eccentric characters. Set against the nostalgic backdrop of a crumbling 1950s British seaside town, the novel introduces us to Nora Breen, a former nun with sharp instincts, a quiet grit, and secrets of her own.

When a guest at the dilapidated Gull’s Nest guesthouse turns up dead, Nora finds herself unraveling a wickedly tangled mystery where every lodger has something to hide. Jess Kidd’s writing sparkles — clever, layered, full of dark humor and heart. The plot is fiendish, the twists unexpected, and the sense of place absolutely transporting.

Fans of Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders, and classic golden-age mysteries will fall in love with this one.
A warm, clever, and delightfully wicked mystery that promises an addictive new series. I already can’t wait for the next visit to Gull’s Nest!

Highly recommended if you love smart mysteries with big heart and a twist of dark charm.

Look at how wonderful this cover is!! Perfect for a cozy mystery!! Murder at Gulls Nest was entertaining enough for me to finish listening to the audio, but it lost me a bit in the mushy middle. Nora is a great amateur detective and I enjoyed following along as she looked around for evidence of her missing friend. There were a few too many characters in the story to easily follow along and I mixed up a few for most of the story. I am interested to try a second installment in the Nora Breen Investigates series but if the next doesn't work for me, I'll have to abandon any future books.

Murder at Gulls Nest is out now. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for my advanced e-arc, even though I ended up listening to the audio after publication.

I love a good cozy mystery so I was excited to try this new series. Unfortunately I couldn't connect with the writing style.

I was really excited to get an ARC of "Murder at Gulls Nest," the first book in the Nora Breen Investigates series, and it delivered a truly unique and atmospheric cozy mystery. The premise instantly grabbed me: a former nun, Nora Breen, leaves her vows to investigate the sudden disappearance of her dependable pen pal, Frieda. Her search leads her to the charming, if slightly peculiar, Gulls Nest hotel in the seaside town of Gore-on-Sea in 1954 Kent.

Jess Kidd does a fantastic job of building a distinctive atmosphere. Gore-on-Sea feels wonderfully evocative, a place striving for fresh air and relaxed constraints, yet clearly holding its own secrets. Nora herself is a fascinating protagonist. Her past as a novice, her quiet observational skills, and her slightly naive but determined approach to "prying" into others' lives make her a very endearing and unconventional sleuth. She's navigating a new world outside the convent, and her hidden identity adds an extra layer of intrigue as she interacts with the eccentric guests at Gulls Nest.

The mystery really ramps up when a series of bizarre murders rattles the hotel's occupants. This isn't just a disappearance anymore; it's a full-blown whodunit with a touch of the unsettling. The puzzle is cleverly constructed, and Kidd throws in enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The tension steadily builds as Nora starts to wonder if a dark past, perhaps not just Frieda's, can ever truly be left behind in a place like Gulls Nest.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the unique character of Nora and the wonderfully atmospheric setting, there were just a few moments where the pacing felt a little more gentle than I might have expected given the escalating stakes. However, this is a minor point in what is otherwise a captivating and refreshingly different cozy mystery. It’s a strong start to a series, and I'm definitely looking forward to Nora Breen's next investigation.

★★★★☆

#MurderAtGullsNest #JessKidd #NoraBreenInvestigates #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #ARC #FormerNun #SeasideMystery #HistoricalMystery #Kent #Whodunnit #NewSeries

3.5 stars

A solid start to a series that sits a bit more substantial than a cozy (which is suggested by the cover design). There are elements of classic Agatha Christie and hints of something like Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce series. Perhaps a bit drawn out in places and more red herrings than necessary, but generally well-paced and satisfying.

I received an advance release copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was the best kind of surprise! I wasn't expecting to love it so much, be so very excited to recommend it to many readers and left eagerly anticipating all the future books in this series. It is utterly delightful: charming, fun and unique. Nora Breen, a former nun come to a seaside town to investigate the disappearance of her friend, is such a layered protagonist that I'd follow into any story. The setting is immersive, and I especially loved Nora's developing and complicated relationship with the detective. My one (very) minor disappointment was that I guessed the resolution of the mystery before it happened, but getting to the resolution was so enjoyable that I didn't care much. I switched back and forth from the print to the audiobook version, and Siobhan McSweeney may be the most perfectly matched narrator for a book I've ever heard. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy-- I will be highly recommending this to many others and certain to read the entire series as they are released!

I believe every town needs a least one or perhaps a dozen Nora Beens.
Nora, a former nun, leaves her convent in search of a former friend and nun, Freida, in a village entitled Gore-on-Sea. (appropriately named)

Hoping for the best, Nora undertakes finding her friend an in the meantime gets embroiled in seaside resort of sorts, a bevy of interesting boarders, and an extremely strange young girl. As things heat up (ie perhaps murder of a few), Nora places herself in harm's way and becomes a wannabe detective with perseverance, stubbornness, and staying the course. She becomes the side kick to the local detective and dogs both him and those Nora suspects are not telling the truth.

I so enjoyed her spirit, her sense of adventure, and she did provide a number of smiles from this reader. Happy to know that Nora will once again strut her stuff in the next book of the series.

In Murder at Gulls Nest, a former nun travels to idyllic coastal town to investigate what happened to her friend who mysteriously disappeared. As she investigates more bodies pile up, and all of her friends fall under the line of fire.

This one had a slower start and is definitely more character driven than action packed. While it falls under the cozy mystery umbrella, there are some unexpectedly dark and heavy themes woven into the story, and I’d recommend checking the trigger warnings before starting. The contrast between the charming coastal setting and the older case of amateur sleuths with the darker subject matter gave it a unique edge compared to more traditional cozy mysteries. I really appreciate stories that focus on older characters, especially the ones who are overlooked or underestimated, taking center stage in solving the crime. It seems like the author may be setting things up for a series and I’m curious to see where it can go. A few storylines were left open ended and I can easily see them carrying over to a second book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review