The first in a new series featuring Norah Breen, a former nun. Norah leaves the security of her vocation to search for her novice, Frieda, who left the order, writing letters to Norah, but then disappears. On arriving at Gulls’ Nest, the boarding house on the English coast, Norah senses there is more going on with the boarders than at first glance. As a murder occurs in the boarding house, Norah injects herself into the investigation with the police. A cozy mystery that keeps you guessing, with the requisite red herrings, I enjoyed this book and look forward to more. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Murder at Gull’s Nest by Jess Kidd is a charming, slow-burning cozy mystery set in 1950s seaside England. It follows Nora Breen, a former nun turned amateur sleuth, as she searches for her missing pen pal at a boarding house full of secrets and eccentric residents.

Nora is a standout protagonist—smart, bold, and quietly funny—and the seaside setting is richly drawn. The mystery unfolds gradually, with plenty of atmosphere and a few clever twists, though the pacing can feel uneven, especially in the early chapters where many characters are introduced at once. Still, the cast is colorful, the tone strikes a nice balance between dark and whimsical, and there are some satisfying payoffs by the end.

A solid series opener for readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries with a vintage flair. I’d give it 3.75 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley + Atria Books

Jess Kidd’s Murder at Gulls Nest is hands down the most satisfying mystery I’ve read in 2025. While many reviewers characterize this novel as a “cozy mystery,” I instead see it as a throwback to Golden Age mysteries, but with very modern day concerns.

Unlike many mysteries which move from clue to clue and are primarily plot driven without much character development, Murder at Gulls Nest succeeds on so many levels because it is character-based. The novel is extremely well-written, and the author does a good job bringing each of the major characters to life, particularly the main character Nora Breen. Nora is a former nun who leaves her order in part to find her friend who moved to a run down bed and breakfast in Gore-on-Sea for health reasons and who suddenly stopped writing to Nora. Kind but tough, Nora presents a solid sparring partner for Inspector Rideout, who was physically and psychologically injured in World War II, and is now in charge of investigating the murders and disappearances that have taken place at Gulls Nest. The plot is complex, although the mystery is quite solvable and highly entertaining. First in a series, I can hardly wait to read the next book in this series. 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy of this book.

Was so excited to get something new from this author! Sadly, I just don't think that cozy mystery is the genre for me and I wasn't really enjoying this one so I ended up DNFing. I do think there is an audience out there for it though!

Murder at Gull's Nest by Jess Kidd is the perfect cozy mystery for those who love a captivating, atmospheric read. The setting alone—set in a remote, windswept corner of Ireland—provides an eerie yet inviting backdrop for a slow-burn whodunit. Kidd excels at creating a sense of place, with richly detailed descriptions that transport you straight into the heart of the story.

What I particularly enjoyed was the mix of quirky characters, small-town intrigue, and a murder mystery that unfolds at just the right pace. The book offers just enough suspense to keep you hooked without ever veering into overly dark or graphic territory. It's the kind of mystery where the focus is on unraveling the puzzle and getting to know the eccentric individuals who might be involved.

Kidd’s writing is full of wit and charm, balancing the tension of the mystery with moments of lightheartedness. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with a touch of whimsy, Murder at Gull’s Nest is a delightful read that will leave you wanting more.

Missing person, check.
Murder, check.
Intriguing personalities, check.
Amateur detective, ex-nun variety, check.
Wait, what? Yes, Middle-aged Nora has left her convent to discover what happened when her dear young friend goes missing shortly after she herself left the convent. She's spent decades nursing her fellow nuns and has decided she spent enough time serving penance for a youthful indiscretion. Nora is inquisitive, some say nosy, and is out of touch with the workings of the outer world, but doesn't come off as naive or spinsterish. She's quite the character, throwing her shoe at a policeman who is bent on ignoring her and befriending a mute 10yo girl with a predilection for dressing up in vintage opera wear.

All in all, Nora is fun, witty, and perseverant. It's a glorious start to what I believe to be a series. The book goes into deeper ideas than most cozies, a la Maisie Dobbs, and is sure to please readers of all ages who enjoy aa gripping mystery.

This novel has a slow build, however, the main character development helps keep the pace.

Nora Breen, formerly Sr. Agnes, is investigating the disappearance of her friend. She arrives at Gull’s Nest, a boarding house to a cast of characters and additional misfortunes.

Nora’s transition from the convent to the “real” world helps catapult the story forward and her humor and dry wit are fun to witness along the way.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and its protagonist, Nora Breen, a nun who has left her order to find a missing friend. I enjoyed the slow paced search and discovery and the tete a tete with the local police. Imagine throwing a shoe at a copper’s head ?! The tongue in cheek comments and humor was just so perfect. The setting was beautifully described which added immeasurably to the sleuthing. This was a wonderful cozy mystery full of interesting characters and a few well placed twists.

Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy and to the reviewers who mentioned previous books by Jess Kidd which are now on my “want to read list”.

I loved Nora and Dinah as characters but I did not care at all about the mystery. This book follows Nora a woman who recently left being a nun. When Nora’s friend stops writing unexpectedly Nora goes to find what happens. She stumbles instead into a murder investigation. Nora try’s to find out who killed a man at the boarding house her friend Frieda was staying at while looking into what happened to her friend. This book was advertised as cozy and it didn’t quite come across cozy to me it was very British murder mystery which never seem to be my favorites. The writing reminded me of 71/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle with its slow pacing and very British high society vibes. Personally this book was so slow and boring to me however I can definitely see an audience for this it’s just personally not my cup of tea. 😉 With that said I enjoyed the characters they were fun and quirky and the writing was well done. I might give the next book a chance just because I like the characters that much. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

This was not what I was expecting at all. I was a bit bored with this one, to be honest. The writing is good (as far as the prose) but I wasn’t compelled by any of the characters, particularly Nora.

This was one of the best cozy mysteries I have ever read. Usually they are super cheesy & you can predict the whodunnit. This one was a masterpiece. Nora Breen's character is one of my all time favorites. I loved the way the emotional depth mixes with the mystery aspect of it. I know this is book one in a series and I'm absolutely looking forward to the next one. I did not predict the ending & I loved the way Jess left it open for interpretation how book 2 will go. This was my first book by Jess & it will not be my last!

It looks as though "Murder at Gulls Nest" is the first of a mystery series by the never-predictable Jess Kidd. The initial offering serves up an intriguing protagonist--ex-nun Nora Breen--and an unusual setting--a struggling British coastal town in 1954. Nora leaves the convent to find out what's happened to a former novice who has been a faithful correspondent since leaving the order. Nora is worried, and upends her life to go to the rundown guest house where Frieda last lived. Of course the place is packed with characters who knew Frieda but have no idea where she disappeared to. The war is still a factor with continuing shortages, terrible food and lingering trauma.

Nora is fearless in her attempts to find her novice, and for a while it seems that she will discover all sorts of misdoings but not the fate of Frieda. The result is satisfying, but one does wish for more of Kidd's signature oddness in the twists and turns.

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at Gulls Nest is the first book in a new series by Author Jess Kidd. The Nora Breen Investigates Series introduces readers to the character Nora Breen.

Nora who is a former nun, travels to the small seaside town of Gore-On-Sea in Kent in the year 1954, looking for her friend Freida. She arrives at Gulls Nest, where Freida had been staying.

A series of murders occur in a short time, and we are introduced to some unique characters.

Nora who is in the mist of a new start away from the church gets involved with the solving of the murders. She is a likeable character, and the book is entertaining.

I have read several books by this Author and really enjoy her writing style.

It’s enjoyable to read this first book of her new series and follow along as a new tale unravels.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author, Jess Kidd and Atria Books for my advanced copy to read and review.

🤔 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝔻𝕚𝕕 𝕀 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕥: I love a cozy mystery, and though I hadn’t realized I already read a book by Jess Kidd (blame my horrible memory), I was smitten with the cover and title which meant I had to read it.

🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: I was immediately drawn into the atmospheric descriptions of Gore-on-Sea Kent, and I was incredibly impressed with the way Kidd brought the setting to life. I felt like I was right there, which happened to be one of my favorite things about the book besides the characters.

👏🏼 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝑜𝓈𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓈: This might be redundant, but definitely the characters and the atmosphere. I also loved our Gulls Nest Hotel and Nora’s inquisitive nature. She is searching for her friend but also finds more than she bargains for along the way. The humor also made this book for me, and I loved the inclusion of bunnies! The mystery was shocking and at one point I thought I knew who it was, but I was VERY wrong.

🫤 🇹‌🇭‌🇪‌ 🇳‌🇪‌🇬‌🇦‌🇹‌🇮‌🇻‌🇪‌🇸‌: Nothing, this was perfect.

🎧 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: Siobhan McSweeney has a thicker accent but it was still fairly easy for me to understand her, and words can’t express quite how much I loved her as the voice of Nora. Her narration was very versatile, and I desperately hope she comes back in further installments of this new series.

💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: I laughed, I felt so many emotions, and I loved the dash of romantic flair. Even though this book is set in 1954, it felt pretty current for me and Kidd didn’t skimp on the character dynamics, vivid imagery, or surprises. The characters are quirky and fun, and you can’t go wrong if you are looking for secrets, friendship, and interesting backstories.

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🐇🫖☠️🕳️⛪

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I really loved this one! Jess Kidd’s writing pulled me right into the gloomy little coastal town in Kent, England. The 1950s setting gave it such a cozy, classic mystery vibe, and I could totally picture everything as I read.

Nora Breen is a great main character—smart, relatable, and the kind of amateur sleuth you can’t help but root for. The supporting characters were just as well-drawn, each adding something to the story.

I’m giving this 4.5 stars because while the mystery was super engaging, a few twists felt a bit predictable. But honestly, that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it. There were moments that made me laugh out loud, and I just loved soaking in Jess Kidd’s gorgeous writing.


If you're into mysteries with a classic feel—something like Father Brown or Sister Boniface—this one’s definitely worth checking out.
Also this book on audio was great! Recommend the audio.

Thanks to netgalley and Atria books for an arc!

In a nutshell: Good plot with great characters and dialogue, and excellent writing with good descriptions of both people and places. This pretty much sums up Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd, a mystery set in 1954. Thank you, Ms Kidd, for such an enjoyable book.
Nora Breen has recently left the monastery where she lived for thirty years as Sister Agnes. It seems there are several reasons for her departure after so many years, but the most pressing reason is to discover what’s become of her dear friend, Frieda, who left the cloistered life just prior to Nora. This quest brings her to Gulls Nest, a boarding house in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. There Nora becomes acquainted with the other residents and becomes involved in a questionable death. Or maybe a couple.

I loved reading this book. It was so entertaining, the pace never faltered, and the characters were engaging in so many different and unusual ways. The mystery and Nora’s investigation is very well-done. As an older protagonist, Nora possesses a maturity that is often lacking in other mysteries. She assesses situations, uses her intuition, and proceeds with a plan. Her ability to deal with the real world is admirable and she often displays her courageous nature as well.

It would appear that Murder at Gulls Nest is the first book in a new series. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

Murder at Gulls Nest is the first in a cozy historical mystery series by Jess Kidd. Released 8th April 2025 by Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint, it's 288 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a very well written historical cozy with an intelligent, compassionate, perceptive, and nuanced protagonist, a late-middle-aged woman who was a nun for decades and leaves religious life behind to search for her protege who went missing after leaving the same order. It's a melancholy and sober read.

Nora Breen butts heads with the local constabulary in her search, and, "undercover", has taken rooms in a boarding house on the coast, the same boarding house from which her young friend went missing. The plot itself is well engineered and the mystery multilayered and well-paced.

There are some more graphic descriptions of violent death than are entirely usual for lighter cozy mystery. There are poisonings (including a sad elderly beloved dog), and other violent deaths. None of it is egregious, but it does give the whole story a more somber gravitas than a frivolous light cozy read would have.

It's not at all derivative, but the tone of the read is reminiscent of Carolyn Heilbrun (Amanda Cross), PD James, Patricia Wentworth, et. al.

Five stars. Delightful read. It will be nice to see how the series develops. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home library, buddy read, or mystery book club discussion.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Nora Breen, a former nun and nurse, goes to a small town to find out what happened to her friend Frieda, who suddenly stopped corresponding with Nora. Frieda’s recent letters hinted at something amiss at Gulls Nest. Nora finds that everyone at Gulls Nest has secrets, and when some of the residents wind up dead Nora investigates and has to ferret out the hidden connections of the residents (typical cozy mystery stuff).

I am not a huge fan of cozy mysteries, but I was attracted to this one because of the author. I previously enjoyed “Things in Jars” and, especially, “Himself” and I appreciated the fact that the author did not repeat herself. It’s a little disappointing that she seems to be shifting to writing a series. However, I will probably try the next book in the series because I liked Nora’s exploration of life outside the holy order. There is nothing particularly novel about this book, but it held my interest. 3.5 stars

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC. This had me on my toes, I loved the in depth relationships Nora built with everyone and I never did guess who did it! Dinah was my second favorite fmc. Of course the investigator was pretty cool too! Will definitely read more by Jess Kidd!

4.25 stars
In many ways this is a cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth in a small sea-side village in 1954 England. However, there are a lot of serious themes in this book, so I would call it "cozyish." Two things really stand out about this book. The first is mainly a positive, but creates a bit of a negative, too. The book is written using descriptive, sometimes poetic language. It's beautiful but often slows the pace of the story. It took me a couple chapters to get used to it, but ultimately, I came to appreciate Kidd's style. 

The other thing that stands out is the vivid characterizations. The author has created a group of memorable, unique, but not always likable, characters. The main character is Nora Breen, a former nun who is getting used to the new-found freedom of being out of the order. While investigating several crimes taking place at the Gulls Nest boarding house, Nora not only discovers a knack for sleuthing but also gains new friends and a new joy for living. She is smart, outspoken, and has a great sense of humor. She is someone I would want on my side.

The book started out slowly for me as I was getting to know all of the people staying at the Gulls Nest and learning more about their backgrounds. However, as the story progresses, it becomes more interesting and more suspenseful. I was very surprised by a few of the plot twists and when the truth about who the killer is, it's dramatic and tense. In spite of some of the sad events that occur, I like that the ending is hopeful and I'm interested to see what could happen in a future installment of this new series.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of this ebook. My review is voluntary and unbiased.