Murder By The Seaside by Jackie Baldwin
As dawn breaks over the empty beaches of Portobello, Grace McKenna emerges from the icy water after her daily swim, her loyal dog Harvey by her side. Little does she know, in the shadows, a cold-blooded killer is plotting his next move...
Edinburgh, Scotland. After the toughest year of her life, Detective Grace McKenna is grateful for her job running the fledgling Portobello Detective Agency… though another client or two would certainly help keep the wolf from the door. So when the glamourous widow of renowned psychic Paul Gordon entreats her to investigate his suspicious death, Grace sees a unique opportunity to make a name for the agency.
Joining forces with Tobias Sloan – a dapper investigative reporter seeking answers about his wife's tragic passing – their search takes a dark turn when the body of a beautiful young woman is found at a nearby elite golf club. The evidence leads them straight to Merchiston College of Psychic Studies – the very place where Paul Gordon met his grisly end.
Uncovering a shocking secret linking the two murders, Grace finds her professional and personal boundaries are beginning to blur. She is left to face not only the ghosts of her own past, but also the prospect of a hardened killer stalking the quiet lanes of Edinburgh. With time running out and the lives of her team hanging in the balance, can Grace McKenna solve the murders, and save herself from the same deadly fate?
A gripping Scottish mystery with a sprinkle of small-town charm, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Clare Chase and Frances Evesham.
About the author
Jackie Baldwin was born in Dumfries. She studied law at Edinburgh University returning to Dumfries to practice criminal and family law for a number of years. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Married, with two grown up children she now lives in the countryside just thirty minutes away from Portobello Beach where her latest series is set. When she's not writing she loves spending time with her young grandson and walking along the beach with her dog Lucy.
Review
‘Murder by the Seaside’ is the start of a brand new Scottish crime series set in Portobello, Edinburgh! I have been reading more and more of what is termed ‘cosy’ crime this year and I absolutely loved this one. I haven’t read any of Jackie’s books before picking up this one but I was thoroughly impressed.
Grace has had the toughest year of her life. Her son went missing presumed drowned and she fell to pieces. Her marriage has crumbled under the strain and she also left her job as a detective in the police. She has now started up a private detective business in Portobello and she is slowly picking up the pieces. When a client comes in asking Grace to investigate her husband’s death, who was the infamous psychic Paul Gordon, she gets pulled into a world that quickly overwhelms her. She joins forces with Tobias Sloan, a investigative journalist who is determined to prove that Paul’s business partner and the Merchiston College of Psychic Studies is all fake and taking advantage of people. When the body of a young woman, who has links to the College, is found at the local golf club Grace realises there is a killer who won’t stop!
It is the characters that make this book so great! Grace is slowly coming to terms with the death of her son and the end of her marriage. I think the author has portrayed her brilliantly - her grief is palpable but she has an inner core of steel which is getting her through each day! The other two members of the detective agency are young Hannah who comes from a troubled home life and it determined to prove to herself that she can handle this job. Then there is Jean who has recently left her useless husband and needs a bit more excitement in her life. She is the mother of the agency looking after them all! Also of course there is a dog - the gentle Harvey! The combination of them all together made for a great team and I am looking forward to finding about more about them and how they develop in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't recommend it enough! It has the right blend of seriousness with playfulness. Brilliant characters and the plot was an entertaining read.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
