I really like mystery and historical fiction as a combined genre, but this book was a lot slower paced than I prefer. I couldn't tell if that was deliberate or if it just needed some stronger editing. It created a song sense of place but the exposition dragged on for me. The story had Gothic vibes which I was not expected, and is generally not my preference. But I enjoyed the writing enough to keep going and can see why this would make sense to become a series.

Murder at Gull’s Nest is a bit above a cozy mystery. The guests at the inn all have their secrets and a past that they are reluctant to share. One guest, Frieda, has been writing letters of her time at the inn to Nell, a friend of hers, who just happens to be a nun. When Frieda’s letters abruptly stop, Nell decides to abandon her vows and go in search of Frieda.

Once Nell arrives at Gull’s Nest, her sleuthing skills are immediately put to use. It was almost like a locked room mystery where the guests start disappearing, but Nell made sure to visit other places in the town and get to know a few shopkeepers.

Nell has an abrasive quality, but also comes across as endearing. Her relationship with Inspector Rideout is constantly evolving and one that I believe readers will see more of in future books.

This was quite an entertaining mystery, full of wonderful characters, and I was kept guessing throughout the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review and recommend this to other readers.

This cover just screams add to tbr, and I did not hesitate to comply. 😅 Fortunately for me, the inside was just as good as the outside!

In this cozy mystery, you will meet Nora Breen, the newest boarder at Gulls Nest. As Nora works to uncover what happened to her dear friend Frieda, you will find yourself warming to the motley crew who call the seaside hotel home.

With each discovery, we learn more about the inhabitants' secrets and what they're willing to do to keep those skeletons hidden. Even our feisty former nun is holding her cards close.

I enjoyed how the details were teased out bit by bit. I loved how the small town of Gore-on-Sea in Kent contributed to moodiness of the story. If you're a fan of moody, small town mysteries, you'll love Murder at Gulls Nest!

Read this if you like:
• Mature FMC
• Cozy mystery
• Amateur sleuth
• Eccentric cast of characters
• Atmospheric seaside town

Many thanks to Atria Books for the complimentary digital and physical copies!

3.49

It’s possible that my impressions were clouded by the many fantastic books coming out now. It could be that it was such an unknown, or it could just be the ADHD that made me really struggle through the first half at least.

It’s a unique premise for sure and I liked the broad range of characters. Nora is an unknown, and we learned that even after 30 years as a cloistered nun, she is full of surprises and baggage too. I can’t even imagine how she did lived that way when she had more than just doubts about God she had “married”. Of course it doesn’t sound like she had much choice as a young woman who is pregnant. She was likely mostly bolstered by Frieda‘s departure and certainly her disappearance.

As odd as it is to say, she is certainly not your typical nun sleuth. It is interesting how she seems like such an old fuddy duddy with highly unfortunate clothing, and how that changes by the end. I guess she can’t be much older than me. Though I perhaps many might call me an old fuddy duddy too, especially given the young age of some of the other characters.

I was disappointed by Dinah because usually small child who are misunderstood befriend the main character and are exceptionally cute with cute dialogue and wit beyond their years. In this case, we could never really like her. True, she’s seen some things and her life is pretty grim with a mother who may be drugged, but at a minimum is absent mentally most of the time. Who knows if she knows who her dad is.

I am not sure if this is going to be a series, but it’s certainly set up for the possibility. There aren’t any new cases in introduced, but it could work. I might enjoy that better since: 1. the first of a series is usually the most poorly rated, 2. The mystery did come together and the last half and definitely the last quarter were much more interesting, and 3. There’s an ending that makes me want to see more. The mystery is somewhat clever, it’s just seems that there is a lot of time spent in this house and there isn’t much joy to be found anywhere. All the characters are kind of washed up and suffering in different ways from the recent war. The food is a minor character but is very depressing. Not that I could blame Irene.

This might surprise you, but give it a try if you like mid-century historic mysteries and maybe haven’t just read several fantastic books and starting out not as excited to read this as you originally planned.

Thank you to Jess Kidd, NetGalley, and Atria Books for providing me with a free advanced copy of this ebook for my unbiased review.
#MurderatGullsNest #NetGalley

When former nun, Nora Breen's friend Frieda's letters stop coming, Nora heads to Gulls Nest to try and find out what happened to her friend. While Nora is searching for answers, boarders at Gore-on-Sea, the hotel where Nora is staying begin to die. Nora must find out who is responsible with the help of the local police, before someone else dies, possibly Nora herself. I really enjoyed this! I love the author's beautiful descriptions of the town and the characters. This was a great cozy, and I will definitely read the next in the series!

Jess Kidd has been on my radar to read for awhile and I was so happy to receive an ARC of this new release to review. I loved Nora so much, but what's not to love about a nun turned sleuth? All of the characters were very well developed with a solid plot that kept the story going. I will definitely be reading more of Jess Kidd's work. I could not put this one down. 5 stars!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this book.

A delightful start to a new series. Nora Breen leaves her monastery and travels to the seaside to find her friend Frieda, who had suddenly stopped writing to her, in this nicely complex tale. The Gulls Nest is a nest of secrets, lies, and oddities and suddenly murder! Nora's got spunk, smarts, and an ability to ask questions and get answers- all assets she puts to good use as she tries to find out what happened to Frieda, who killed Steven, and....no spoilers! Inspector Rideout eventually comes around (it does take time) to see Nora's pov and value her input (he's a great character). So many red herrings, so many odd characters (that child!) but so believable. And Nora herself has a dark and sad secret that you won't know for a long time. The post war atmospherics are good as are the feels at the Nest and the seaside. This one fully engaged me and really did keep me guessing. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to another.

Pretty good, I have never read any book from this author and this one kept me engaged, I will the cosy mysterious that has some old and nostalgic vibe and it delivered. Also a nun as a main character was quite interesting too! I will continue this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for providing me with this eARC, I will continue this series and

I was a big fan of Jess Kidd before I read 'Murder at Gull's Nest,' and I'm still a big fan of hers after reading 'Murder at Gull's Nest,' with a new urgency: more Nora Breen, more please, more now, yes Nora, more more more.

Nora Breen leaves her life as a nun to get to the bottom of a mystery at Gull's Nest boardinghouse in a sleepy, seedy, salty, cozy seaside community in post-WWII England. She's trying to find out what happened to a young friend of hers who abruptly disappeared. In the course of events she stumbles into several more mysteries and steamrolls over several more obstacles. Nora Breen is a collection of surprises who remains delightfully recognizable at every turn as she discovers the mystery of who she is, now, navigating a world she hasn't moved freely through in decades. There is a fine balance here between the gruesome, the ghastly, the bitter, and the sweet. A distinct supporting cast and a delicious investigative partnership had me frantically flipping pages and mourning the loss of the book before it was over.

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the eARC.

It’s 1954, and England is still recovering from World War II. The country is bleak at times, and the food isn’t what it once was. Nora Breen isn’t what she once was either.

After thirty years as a nun, Nora leaves the monastery and heads to a seaside town in Kent. She stays at a shabby boardinghouse, Gulls Nest, where there’s an unusual group of residents, as well as an odd group running the boardinghouse. Professor Poppy, one of the residents, referred to the house as a “flotsam and jetsam sort of place,” and pointed out “the strays and waifs that wash up here with their dark mysteries.”

Nora is there is uncover a dark mystery. A former novice, Frieda Brogan, left the monastery, and wrote faithfully to Nora, and then abruptly stopped. Nora is convinced something happened to Frieda, and she takes Frieda’s room at the boardinghouse, doesn’t tell the others who she is, and asks questions. Then, one of the boarders dies, and the police rule it either accidental death or suicide. Nora doesn’t believe that, and she has one more reason to dig for the truth.

The boarders are an odd group of leftovers from the war, a woman and her daughter who doesn’t speak, the angry housekeeper, a new widow, the professor, who is a puppeteer, and a traveling photographer. And, everyone does seem to have secrets, including Nora.

Jess Kidd’s Murder at Gulls Nest is a slow-paced mystery filled with unhappy people. And, Nora is the one who has the most to discover, not only about the mystery, but about herself. Who is she after thirty years shut away from the world?

There is humor, especially when it comes to Nora’s dealings with the police, but she does form a partnership of sorts with Inspector Rideout.

I might pick up the next in the series because Kidd did an excellent job developing Nora’s character. But, the slow-pace, along with Nora’s rediscovery of the world did bog me down at times.

Nora Breen was a nun who kept in touch with her former novice through letters. When the letters stop arriving, Nora is worried and heads to the Gulls Nest Hotel in Kent. Soon, there are murders left and right, and Nora has to confront her past while trying to solve the mystery of where her friend went.

Why Kirsten likes it
The 1954 setting added a lot to the story. While set in a seaside town, the beach didn’t have much to do with the plot; instead, the converted mansion was at the heart of the mystery. If you are a fan of Maggie Hope or Maisie Dobbs, you’ll enjoy the first in this new mystery series.

This is a nice, relaxing cozy mystery set in a seaside English town in the 1950s. Overall, a nice story and mystery, though a little slow at times.

Murder at Gulls Nest is an enjoyable cozy mystery. Set on the coast of England after the war, our FMC, Nora Breen, leaves the convent where she has spent most of her life because she stops receiving letters from her friend, Frieda. Frieda is also a former nun. Nora does not tell the other residents of the Gulls Nest that she was a nun, just that she was a nurse, and she does not tell them she is looking for Frieda. They just think she is nosy because she asks a lot of questions.This is going to be the first in a series of mysteries and I am going to be reading this series. I really liked Nora and I liked the Inspector as he worked with Nora, even though he tried to deter her from investigating. I thought the friendship came across well, and they worked well together.

I need to thank Atria Books and Net Galley for my advance reader copy. This book comes out on April 8th.

This book was a fun, creative cozy mystery. It took me a little bit to get used to the writing style but once I was used to it the book hooked me. I’m excited to continue with the series.

3.5 rounded up - this was a fun read, although a very big departure from this author's usual dark and twisty novels. I adore a good mystery, and I will absolutely keep reading this series (I loved Nora Breen!). There was just enough cozy to keep it fun, and just enough grit to keep it engaging. Appreciate the advance copy from the publisher - Jess Kidd has long been one of my favorites. This one is out tomorrow!

I always find cozy mysteries set in seaside towns so intriguing, but Jess Kidd's book Murder at Gulls Nest is nearly perfect for lovers of historical mysteries. It reminded me of an episode of Sister Boniface (spin off show from Father Brown).

1954: Nora Breen leaves her vows as a nun when a former novice convalescing in a seaside town has vanished. In search for her friend Frieda Brogan, Nora comes to a hotel in Kent where the former novice lodged. It is said that each tenant at the hotel holds a secret past, and without disclosing her true identity, Nora digs into the lives of each lodger only to stumble on a series of unfortunate deaths.

What I loved most about this story was how Nora sets about adjusting to life outside the convent. She describes a regimented life under the rules of her former life and is having trouble breaking free from all she knew for the past several years as a nun. Her relationship with God is strained, but she habitually finds herself returning to the traditions of her past. The detective in this story is such a foil character to Nora. I loved reading about his reluctant partnership in solving the mysteries with her. Nora is brilliant, trustworthy, and a whizz at noticing details that go unnoticed.

I loved this book! This locked room mystery is sure to win the hearts of fans of Father Brown.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

As a fan of Kidd's previous books, I was very intrigued by her writing a cozy mystery. It did not disappoint! Kidd is a talented storyteller, and I loved this. It has the feel of a classic Golden Age mystery.

Set in 1954 on the coast of Kent, England, this follows Nora Breen, who has been a cloistered nun for thirty years. She leaves the convent for good to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her friend Freida.

I adored the quick-witted Nora. She is a compelling and well-developed character—bright, direct, observant, unafraid, and wryly funny. The supporting characters are also vividly portrayed and interesting. Inspector Rideout stood out to me, and his dynamic and banter with Nora have me eagerly anticipating how their relationship will evolve in future installments.

Kidd's writing is beautiful and distinctive in style. It features rich descriptions and witty dialogue. I was utterly immersed in 1950s England and could visualize the dingy coastal boarding house. The mystery was intriguing and well-plotted, filled with red herrings that kept me guessing. I particularly enjoyed how Kidd turned one cozy mystery trope on its head. Most feature food in a mouthwatering way, but in this, the opposite is true. The food sounds truly awful, but it totally fits the rundown setting. A fantastic read and it will undoubtedly be one of my favorite mysteries of the year!

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the gifted ARC

Nora Breen is a nun and a nurse. She helped a girl at the monastery, Frieda, regain her health. The doctor told Frieda to go live by the sea and get fresh air to continue healing. After Frieda left, Frieda and Nora have been writing letters back and forth, until one week Nora doesn't get a letter and then another week, and another week. Nora becomes very concerned. She decides to leave the monastery and leave behind her role as nun to go find Frieda. Nora decides to stay at the same boarding house as Frieda to learn about the other people staying there and to get information about Frieda. However, Nora doesn't tell anyone at Gulls Nest that she knew Frieda or why she is really there. Then, one of the other boarders is found dead. Is it suicide or murder? Now, Nora has two mysteries to solve. Nora forces her way into the investigation, but the lead detective finds her information helpful, so he lets her help. The first 50-60% of this book was very, very slow with some lengthy chapters. It finally picked up a little speed towards the end. Although we find out what happened to Frieda and the boarder, it seems very anti-climatic. I found this book just overall very meh.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

There is nothing I love. more than a murder mystery set in a small English seaside town! Nora has left her life as a nun behind to investigate the disappearance of a young friend; when she arrives at the boarding house called Gulls Nest, she meets the other residents, about half of whom will be murdered before the book ends. Nora is a thoroughly likable protagonist; it's fun to see her explore life outside the church, but it's poignant as well, especially as she investigates her missing friend Freida. I loved that Nora has some sparks with the local police chief investigator. A mildly irritated police investigator is very necessary to the cozy murder mystery set in a small English town! I really liked Jess Kidd's writing style and this book made me excited for what comes next as well as eager to go back and read her backlist while I wait.

It’s always a joy when a book reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. MURDER AT GULL’S NEST does precisely that, delivering a cozy, character-driven story that’s full of charm, nostalgia, and just the right amount of intrigue.

At the heart of it all is Nora Breen, a nun turned amateur detective. Nora is one of those characters you can’t help but root for from the very start. She’s not just clever—she’s layered, vulnerable, and filled with a deep sense of justice that makes her a unique and refreshing sleuth. Nora is drawn to the Gull’s Nest boarding house after a former fellow nun, a young and vibrant woman, went there to recover her health—and her letters suddenly stopped coming. Nora feels compelled to investigate, uncovering a mystery along the way.

The boarding house itself is the perfect cozy mystery setting—full of quirky characters, a bit of charm, and just enough atmosphere to keep you hooked without feeling too eerie.
The tension in the house is palpable, as everyone seems to have something to hide, and every shadow feels like it holds a piece of the puzzle. Jess Kidd masterfully blends the suspense with heart, and it’s her characters, especially Nora, that elevate the story beyond a simple whodunnit.

This isn’t just about solving a crime; it’s about the people we meet, the things we leave behind, and the quiet, emotional journey that comes with uncovering the truth. If you love cozy, character-driven mysteries with a touch of nostalgia and charm, MURDER AT GULL’S NEST is an absolute must for you.

5 stars for this one, and I can’t wait to see where Nora’s story goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.