The Mudflats Murder Club

Mudflats Murder Club Mysteries #1

by Brian Thiem

Solving murders was not part of Sean Tanner’s retirement plan.

Former homicide detective and recently widowed Sean Tanner has settled into Spartina Island's private retirement community, hoping to find solace after his wife's death in their chosen paradise. He soon finds himself drawn into the Mudflats Murder Club, an enthusiastic group of retired detectives, prosecutors, and forensic experts who are engrossed in solving the 38-year-old unsolved murder of Theresa Goldberg.

But the quiet of the community is shattered when Sean’s neighbor, Nancy Russo, is found dead in her home. Ignited by the crime, the club jumps into the fray, much to the annoyance of Sergeant Charlotte “Charlie” Nash, the lead detective spearheading the murder investigation. When Sean and his cohorts uncover a shocking connection between Nancy’s murder and their long-standing cold case, everything they thought they knew goes up in flames.

Amidst rising tensions and thrilling discoveries, Sean and Charlie must confront their doubts about each other—and acknowledge their reliance on the team—to outsmart a killer who's closer than they ever imagined.

From former detective and current cold case team member Brian Thiem comes The Mudflats Murder Club. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Only Murders in the Building.

___________________

Praise for Brian

“Totally charming and completely relatable…I'm dubbing it Only Murders in the Mudflats! What a winner!" —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author

“A sophisticated, pulsing, persistent police procedural with multiple whodunnits and secrets that come at you from all angles…A highly satisfying read." —Chris Bauer, author of the Maximum Risk series

“...I loved the people, the place, the detection process—and the hint of romance!” —Jane K. Cleland, Agatha Award-winning author

“Sometimes the cop can’t quit the job. Sometimes the job won’t let them…This is a must read series!” —Bruce Robert Coffin, bestselling author of Crimson Thaw

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Amazon

431 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2025

About the author

Brian Thiem is the author of The Mudflats Murder Club, the first book in the Mudflats Murder Club series, as well as the Detective Matt Sinclair Mystery series, which includes Red Line, Thrill Kill, and Shallow Grave.

In his previous life, Brian spent 25 years with the Oakland Police Department, much of it working Homicide, and retired as a lieutenant. He’s also an Iraq War veteran, retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel after 28 years of active and reserve service. He holds an MFA in creative writing and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Island Writers Network.

Brian lives with his wife, yellow Lab, and Tonkinese cat in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he’s also a member of the sheriff department’s Cold Case Team, consisting of retired law enforcement professionals from around the nation who examine unsolved murders.

Reviews

[C.G.Koens · Rating 2 out of 5]

NOT at "The Thursday Murder Club" Level

This was an okay "who-done-it" written by a first-timer. The relationship aspect felt forced and cheesy, and I could have done without that. As a fan of both "The Thursday Murder Club" and "Only Murders in the Building," both of which were compared to this series, I'd have to disagree. It just felt like a cheap copy of both. Especial TMC. But, as I said, not horrible, think beach-read. I don't plan to read the next one.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good introduction to this new series! The use of a group of retired law enforcement officers to investigate cold cases adds interest to this police procedural mystery. The blending of the cold case and current murder adds depth and intrigue to the overall story. This is more of a character driven rather than an action packed story. That by no means makes it boring. The storyline is interesting, well developed and entertaining. The characters are great and the development of a working relationship between them is realistic. I’m already looking forward to the Mudflats Murder Club’s next case!

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this due to the number of favorable reviews on goodreads, but found it to be hard to digest with wife swapping activities, trite people, etc. Not interested!


Kindle Unlimited

[Coco Darelius · Rating 2 out of 5]

80% was a slog and the romance plot was wholly unnecessary. Climax picked up briefly but overall the story was not worth 400+ pages.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done. Decent characters. What made it special was the excellent depiction of the police techniques by an author who knows those techmiques!

[Whitney Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this books expecting something similar to the Thursday Murder Club, but the similarities stopped at retirees solving crime. While the Thursdays Murder club is jokes and silliness, this books is more serious and analytical.

When I got to the end of the book and saw that the author was a former detective, I was not surprised at all. Of all the murder mystery books I’ve read over the years this one by far contained the most details and accurate information. Lightly graphic maybe, but nothing that kept me up at night. Just very analytical and direct about sad things.

Worth the read, but expect something more serious than Thursday Murder Club.

[joyincosythings ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authentic and atmospheric murder mystery!

This book was somehow a little different from what I've ever read before. Maybe it was the style of writing, maybe the attention to detail. But I found it unique. It felt like there was an authenticity to this story which could be explained by the fact that it's written by a retired Oakland PD lieutenant.

I loved how atmospheric the book is, the imperfect but realistic characters, the second chance romance and of course the murder investigations. Short chapters - huge bonus!
Thanks to this book I also went on a deep dive about the Gullah culture! 🤎

I'm so excited that there is not one, but two books, A Killer in the Cordgrass and A Death in the Deluge, coming up in this series next year!!

[Tim Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining if not particularly challenging read set in a South Carolina retirement community where a group of retired law enforcement officials gather to voluntarily review cold cases with the local Sheriff’s Department. When a murder takes place near reluctant club member Sean Tanner, a recently retired and even more recently widowed homicide detective is asked to informally advise the investigating officer. Noticing links between this contemporary case and their cold cases, Tanner and Detective Sergeant Charlie Nash work together. There are periods where you could be excused for thinking you’ve received a promotional brochure from the South Carolina tourism agency, and some of the plot is very predictable and a little too saccharine for my taste. The first book in a series from a debut author so if you’re looking for harmless escapism this is as good a read as any.

[Anaise Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

My first review EVER, but I enjoyed this so much I had to leave one. Really loved the way this author crafted the story, atmosphere and dialog.. The main character is smart and likeable, he behaves and acts in a way that feels natural and rings true, without being pompous, aggressive or intrusive (much). Unlike so many books, the local police are not represented as incompetent buffoons, they run a thoughtful and exhaustive investigation on their own and are wise enough to accept help. I thought the mystery aspect was interesting and the clues unfolded at the right pace to keep me engaged. No one was silly or stupid or zany. The developing romance felt natural.and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Hunter Boothe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! From the moment I began reading, it just captivated my attention. I can't think of a single point in this book where I felt the story was dragging, or things didn't make sense. Truly just a fun, enjoyable murder mystery. The only thing I have to say is that there were so many different characters involved, and it sometimes got confusing remembering who was who, especially the people in the "key club" and the mudflats murder club itself. Other than that, I truly enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it. Can't wait for the next one to come out.

[Jackie Martello · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s no way this book was written by a man much less Brian Thiem. It must have been ghost written by a slightly perverted elderly woman. It was a cross between murder she wrote and 50 shades of grey. Red Line and Thrill Kill were both excellent 5 star books and I just bought Shallow Grave. Thiem was one of my favorite writers in the genre. This was a massive step down unfortunately. So very disappointing.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mudflats Murder Club is one of those books to which I was drawn because the main characters were retired and lived in a retirement community, and as someone was had just recently retired, I was drawn to the older characters and to lives that were similar to mine. However, this was much more than that and I found this to be a well-plotted, very enjoyable mystery.

The MC was a retired homicide detective who inadvertently became involved in the murder investigation of his neighbour. While he's reluctant to give his advice, his natural curiosity and his years as a detective are hard to put aside and he is asked to help which does not endear himself to the local detective. I enjoyed Sean's character development as I understand how hard it would be to not want to get involved even if you are retired as those years you spent on the job just don't go away because you are retired. At first he clashes with Charlie Nash, the lead detective on the case, although in all fairness, the annoyance was all on her side as she felt she didn't need the help. I wasn't a huge fan of Charlie at the beginning of the novel as her uppity attitude got on my nerves, but she did grow on me as the story developed. The ego trips are sometimes hard to deal with and the book just barely touched on the political nature of the police force in the area, something I think will be incorporated in future books.

The plot itself moved along fairly comfortably and there were enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages. There were a lot of characters that were introduced, but it was not overwhelming, and many of them will probably feature in future books so I look forward to learning more about them as there are some intriguing characters, with some interesting backstories. What I especially liked is that the secondary characters are not just relegated to background noise, but the author took the time to develop a couple of them so they feel more fleshed out. The setting plays a huge role in the story and I enjoyed the descriptions of both the retirement community as well as the larger community in general. I have visited the general area, so I was able to picture it in my mind.

The Mudflats Murder Club was an excellent introduction to a new series, and one I enjoyed tremendously. While there were a few problems with pace, I did like the attention to character development and setting, and thought the twists and turns were rather good. While I did figure out who was the culprit, I didn't understand the motive until the end, so that was fun. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series, A Killer in the Cordgrass, when it releases February 2026.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former homicide detective and recently widowed Sean Tanner has settled into life in a South Carolina retirement community, hoping to find solace after his wife's death in their chosen paradise. Solving murders isn’t part of his plan, but when his neighbor is found dead in her home, of course he’s curious. His reputation precedes him and he gets drawn into the “Mudflats Murder Club,” an enthusiastic group of retired detectives, prosecutors, and forensic experts who are engrossed in solving both this new crime and a the 38-year-old unsolved murder. The town’s lead detective, on the case, Charlotte “Charlie” Nash, is annoyed by the group’s interest (or, interference as she sees it), but the club uncovers a connection between the new murder and the cold case and Charlie will take all the help she can get.

This was an excellent, pleasurable read. Well written, with multi-dimensional characters, a fast-moving plot, beautifully-described locations, and sharp dialog. Sean is a standup guy who comes from a family of law enforcement officers. His grandfather considered policing a job, better than working in the Pittsburg steel mills; to his father, being a cop was a career; but to Sean, law enforcement was a calling.

In retirement, he wanted to focus his time and energy on his marriage, taking better care of himself, and figuring out life outside of The Job, but cancer stole his wife and left him adrift in a place where he didn’t really know anyone and was at loose ends. He has a longstanding relationship with a police lieutenant on the island, who knows a top-notch homicide detective when he sees one and invites Sean to be a police volunteer. Sean’s not too enthusiastic about it, but says yes, figuring he’ll at least give it a go until the new case is solved.

Charlie is all about the job and speaking for the voiceless as well, and she recognizes Sean has a lot more experience than she does. Watching them learn to work together and weave all the loose threads to solve the crime was a pleasure. There’s a good balance of crime-solving and character development, and a satisfying whiff of possible future romance (nothing heavy handed, just two adults who like and respect each other and might want to hang out after work). I’m really hoping this becomes a series – I quickly grew attached to Sean and Charlie and I’m going to be sad if I don’t get to keep up with them.

[Anam Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, REALLY wanted to love this book. I can't tell you how much I wanted to love this book!

I was born and reared in the South Carolina lowcountry. I grew up with a tidal creek behind my house. To me the smell of pluff mud is sweet, and sight of marshes is beautiful.

I love cozy mysteries and especially those in the Carolina low country. I devoured all of Susan Boyers books about the fictional Stella Maris Island. Kendel Lynn's series about Elizabeth Talbot, Laura Childs and the tea shop, Tamar Myers and the antique stores, all were wonderful. This one help such promise! Recently I've been reading about older sleuths (that match my advancing age) and groups who work together to solve the crime like the Marlow murders and the Thursday Murder Club. I was excited to find a new series.

I found the characters engaging. I liked the way the author had their characters slowly appear. It was like taking the skin off an onion and finding the inner most part of each. The plot was good nd kept me guessing. The descriptions helped me imagine the actual scenes of each part of the story. I've been to these places! I could draw a map of the community based on what we were told.

What went wrong?????????? It was the language used. Now I don't doubt that a police man from California might use the "f" word, although our protagonist who retired form there never did. No, it was more likely to come from other characters. Maybe the author thought that made the book "more authentic" but all it did was cause me to have a jolt every time I came across it. It interrupted the story foe me and caused me to want to put the book down and never pick it up again. I did because I became so engaged in the story line. I needed to know who did it. But all that said, I will NEVER read another book in this series and probably not another by this author as I can't trust him not to use this language.

In the end it was a sad day that I picked up this book. I had high hopes that were ultimately dashed, I wish I'd never found this book. I'm sure my own loathing of such language won't affect the enjoyment of others, but I can't recommend this book for that one reason.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, well plotted, very solid almost a police procedural. Like the author, Sean Tanner is a retired Oakland detective who relocated to a South Carolina island where he is drawn into a cold case team internally nicknamed the Mudflats Murder Club. Recently widowed, Sean is at loose ends, so when his old friend, the current head of the homicide squad invites him to a walk through in a murder across the street from him, he says yes, and soon has joined the cold case squad as well. Being a detective is his element, but detecting as a civilian is a bit trickier to manage. Leading the current case is Detective Charlotte (Charlie) Nash, and she is good at what she does, so their first encounters are a bit rocky. But when the new and cold cases begin to have common elements, the two learn each others strengths and develop trust and a far friendlier relationship.
The first of a series, the set-up is handled flawlessly as you meet new people through the eyes of either Sean or Charlie. The plot is twisty enough to keep you guessing, and the detecting is based on hard work and imagination. There is lots of room for character development, and it will be interesting watching their relationship develop over time. The setting is an important element in the story and well realized. Secondary characters are fully dimensional and varied, though some of the cold case squad members still run together. I'm sure they will each get their moment to shine. All in all, an excellent beginning to a new series. Highly recommended.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through "Severn Rivers" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Sean, a retired detective from Oakland, in a kayak fishing with a friend. After returning to shore and at home, he spots police cruisers and an ambulance in the home across from him. He doesn't think anything of it and goes about his normal routine. Later he observes that the cruisers are still out there and goes to check. Once outside, he meets up with Billy, a friend who is a Lt. in the sheriff's office. He asked by Billy to take a look at the murder scene. It is at that time he meets Charlotte, call Charlie, a sgt. handling the scene.

After leaving the scene and returning home, he is contacted about joining "The Mudflats Murder Club". This is a group of retire law enforcement individuals who assist the sheriff's dept. with cold cases. Sean is hesitant but attends the meeting anyway. At the meeting, they are given a case which is about a killing of a woman over 30 years earlier. Shortly after he gets involved, it becomes known that in all likelihood, this case and the murder across the street are connected.

Read and discover how Sean ties the two together and how he convinces Charlie to work with him. Discover what events also come into play while they are searching. The interactions between Charlie and Sean are well done and the disclosure of the killer is unexpected.

This is definitely a book well worth reading, don't miss out.

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retired Oakland police detective Sean Tanner was happy to leave the big city behind and start his retirement in a coastal South Carolina "active seniors" development with his wife Lauren. When Lauren died soon afterwards, he was at a loss to fill his days. Before long, the residents in the area were shocked when an elderly lady (who lived across the street from Sean) was found murdered in her home. One police officer, who knew Sean was a retired detective, asked Sean to take a look at the scene to see if anything jumped out at him. This didn't sit well with Detective Sergeant Charlotte "Charlie" Nash, who didn't appreciate civilians, no matter their backgrounds, interfering in her murder investigation. Sean soon has other priorities, as he's recruited into the Mudflats Murder Club, a group of retired detectives who investigate cold cases. As he looks into a long unsolved murder, he soon discovers there might be connections with the current murder.

The story was interesting, but it moved along at a very leisurely pace. I enjoyed the investigations and how the cases (and new cases that occur) become linked. Several chapters of the next book in the series were included at the end, so I will be interested to see if the budding professional relationship between Sean and Charlie develops into something more personal.

I received a copy of this book from a GoodReads giveaway.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Set on the fictitious Spartina Island, South Carolina (which sounds a lot like Sea Pines, Hilton Head), THE MUDFLATS MURDER CLUB follows a newly minted sheriff’s detective sergeant, Charlie, who is assigned to lead her first murder case.

Also involved in the plot is a neighborhood group called the Mudflats Murder Club, full of former law enforcement professionals who works with the sheriff’s department to help solve cold cases. One of them is a retired veteran detective, Sean, who lives across the street from the victim.

This sounds like a US-based THURSDAY MURDER CLUB, right? Unfortunately, THE MUDFLATS MURDER CLUB wasn’t nearly as compelling, and the characters weren’t all that likable, except for Sean.

There were quite a few things that annoyed me in this novel, like the use of a few stereotypical misogynistic white males in the SC sheriff’s department who treat their female counterparts as inferior. Many of the characters also had poor grammar. Another ding on the South. I take issue with these characterizations.

The pacing was rather slow, and it took a long time for the plot to move along. And when all was revealed, I wasn’t really fond of the plot’s direction. The ending was the only redeeming part. I’m just not sure I enjoyed it enough to continue the series.

[Raymond Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite some initial reluctance, retired homicide detective Sean Tanner and (current) Detective Sergeant ‘Charlie’ Nash of the county sheriff’s department find themselves working together on both a current and a cold case of murder, which turn out to be unexpectedly connected.
The mystery is highly satisfying, the characters credible, and the protagonists sympathetic, but what really stands out here are the intriguing insights into life in an affluent ‘active adult community’ on the one hand (rounds of golf, games of tennis, and, uh, . . . ‘wine-tasting parties’?), and on the other the personal challenges that confront the protagonists: Sean is grieving the recent loss of his beloved wife; Charlie must deal with a difficult ex-husband and the old boys’ network within the police department.
They learn that they make a good team, however, and that they can count on the support of helpful friends if they can overcome their wariness of outsiders.
Furthermore, there are encouraging signs that their relationship is improving at a personal level too.
Who doesn’t love a second-chance romance?

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retired CA Oakland PD homicide detective Sean Tanner moved to a retirement community in South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, plans derailed when his wife died. His days are filled with golf, fishing, walking the dog -he seems bored.

Then he's approached by acquaintances to join a cold case volunteer investigative unit comprised of retired PD/FBI. They are assigned a 30+ year murder case and it soon eerily resembles a recent murder. Although the group has been together awhile, it isn't until Sean reluctantly joins that any progress is made. He "helps" the local female detective (Charlie Nash) working the case while trying to keep his distance as a volunteer when it seems clear he's the one with the experience/know how to solve the old and the new case.

It's a good read, sets up a case for a future book and about a 3.5 for me.

[Allyn Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this low country mystery! While it does have Murder Club in the title, the story really centers around retired detective Sean Tanner. When Sean's neighbor is found murdered, he gets pulled into the crime scene as an extra set of eyes. Sean soon joins the Mudflats Murder Club (a group of retired police that review cold cases for the local police department). As he digs into the newest cold cases, he finds links and gets involved in the current case as well. Something, police Detective Charlie is none too happy about!

This has been compared to Richard Osman's murder club series, but I think it's MUCH better than that!! I loved the attention to detail here, the character development, and, of course, the low country setting of this book. Just the first in a series, I'm lookin forward to the next book coming out in Feb 2026.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a fabulous beginning to what I hope will be a long-running series. When retired detective Sean Tanner settles into a retirement community, he never imagines he’ll be called on to solve murders again. The author has developed a strong cast of characters and placed them in an intriguing situation. This book was an absolute joy to read, with a nice twisty plot, a beautiful location, and intelligent writing. Highly recommended! I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to seeing where Mr. Thiem takes these new characters. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

[Bobbie N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently widowed retired detective Sean Tanner is invited to join the Mudflats Murder Club, a group of retired law enforcement personnel who look over cold cases to see if they can come up with any new leads that might solve them. They are looking into a 38-year-old unsolved murder when the quiet of their 55+ community is shattered when Sean’s neighbor is found stabbed to death in her home. When Sean uncovers information that seems to link the two cases, he joins forces with
Sergeant Charlotte “Charlie” Nash, the lead investigator on the current one, to solve them both.

An excellent mystery with room for a sequel and character development, including a bit of romance.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sean Tanner is a retired cop who moved to a quiet retirement community hoping to spend his free time with his wife but she died shortly after they moved. So to avoid too much boredom he got together with other retired law enforcement guys to solve cold cases. When one of their neighbors was murdered Sean began to see some comparisons between their cold case and the current one. I normally like murder mysteries and this one was decent but I found myself getting bored with too much description. He gave us too much information about things that were irrelevant to the mystery at hand.

[M.E. Roche · Rating 5 out of 5]

This murder club, composed of retired law enforcement officers, is supposed to handle only cold cases under the direction of an active officer. However, when a murder occurs next door to a hesitant new member, who just happens to be a retired homicide investigator, an exception is made as he is unwillingly involved. There has been no murder in the area for some years, and his expertise is sought. Swept up in this investigation, it is much to the chagrin of the lead investigator, who makes her opinion clearly evident. The reader will be glued to the page as the climax is not what is expected.

[Greg Streuber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a throughly enjoyable read! Mr. Thiem weaves a compelling murder mystery that takes several unexpected turns. Reading the book takes me back to the Carolinas, and I am positive that other readers will experience similar emotions. The book leaves the reader wanting more, and the stage is set for a ambitious sequel! Bravo!

[Doreen Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean Tanner is a retired police officer. When his neighbour is found dead, he decides to investigate much to the annoyance of Det Charlotte Nash or Charlie. They finally come to a compromise to help each other find the killer. An entertaining edge of the seat thriller with a well described environment and interesting characters.

[Matthew Cost · Rating 5 out of 5]

What starts as a cold case for widower and retired homicide detective Sean Tanner quickly heats up into a sizzling inferno of adultery, death, deceit, and despair. Old murders connect to new murders and new romances emerge from the grief of old ones. This book has it all. Humor, action, suspense, romance, and a dog. Who needs more?

[Mary Moreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly Good

I needed a book to read during Christmas that wasn't full of violence and despair like the Nordic novels I've been reading for months. This book was very well written with absolutely no editing errors and kept my interest from the beginning. I'm ready for the next in the series.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trying to solve old murders seems a super way to spend time in retirement. Retired Detective Sean thought so until the club is trying to solve a murder that will place everyone in danger. Full of suspense and intrigue.