Murder at St Alfred's

Whitstable Pearl Mystery #11

by Julie Wassmer

'Clues for a murder are rather like ingredients for a recipe. Put them together in the right way and the results can be very satisfying...'

The brand new book in the Whitstable Pearl crime series, starring restauranteur and detective Pearl Nolan - now a major TV drama, starring Kerry Godliman!

For almost two centuries, St Alfred's Church in Whitstable, Kent, has held special significance in the lives of its parishioners - including for private detective, Pearl Nolan, owner of the Whitstable Pearl restaurant.

Pearl's son, Charlie, was christened in the church and her oyster fisherman father, Tommy Nolan, is buried in the old churchyard. Now, St Alfred's is about to play another part in Pearl's life as the setting for her wedding to Canterbury police detective, DCI Mike McGuire.

But two fateful events are about to threaten this happy occasion - the discovery of a body on hallowed ground and the return of a ghost from Pearl's own past...

Praise for Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl

'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl . . . True to the tradition of classic crime, [Julie Wassmer] weaves a strong story into a setting that has more to offer than murder and mayhem' Daily Mail

'As light as a Mary Berry Victoria sponge, this Middle-England romp is packed with vivid characters' Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent

'All of the thrills without any of the gore' The Sun

'My new favourite author in the genre' George Galloway

'Comforting, cosy and entertaining with excellent Agatha Christie-style reveals. I love these books!' Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Mum in the Middle

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2026

About the author

Julie Wassmer is a television drama writer who contributed for almost twenty years to the popular BBC series EastEnders.

She published her autobiography More Than Just Coincidence in 2010, in which she describes finding her long-lost daughter after an astonishing twist of fate. It was voted Mumsnet book of the year.

The Whitstable Pearl Mystery is the first in her series of crime novels, involving multi-tasking private detective-come-restauranteur, Pearl Nolan.

Julie lives in Whitstable and is well known for her environmental campaigning.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Sirett]

Pearl Nolan runs a successful seafood restaurant in Whitstable, called The Whitstable Pearl. Her original idea when she was young was to become a police detective, but the arrival of her son Charlie scuppered that idea. But now that Charlie has left for university, Pearl has set up Nolan’s Detective Agency.

In her role of Private Investigator, she has come into contact with former Met Police Officer, Mike McGuire, which after a tricky start has developed into a loving relationship. And they are now about to marry. But currently Mike has been in London at the Old Bailey for a trial on an important corruption case. Everything is now set for the wedding except for the bridegroom.

Pearl lives at Sea Spray cottage, and while pondering her impending marriage she is contacted by Reverend Prudence Lawson known locally as Rev Pru. Who says she needs to talk with Pearl as soon as possible. Her problem is a young man in his twenties who has been sleeping in the church as he is homeless. He name is Ryan Stacey, and he has helped a lot in the church and seems a nice young man. With the church Sacristan recuperating after a knee replacement in the Happy Valley Nursing Home, his duties have been split between several church members. And now a silver chalice has disappeared.

Pearl visits Reggie Runcorn, a loveable Rogue, with a grey beard, shoulder length hair, sporting a plum-coloured smoking jacket, and a paisley cravat that has seen better days, and asks him to look at the photograph of the silver chalice to see if he can identify it. All he says is that it looks ecclesiastical.

The story is rich in characters; there is the artist Judith Beckett who is putting Ryan up in her spare room. Judith according to Pearl’s mother Dolly is an old Cougar! Ruby, the waitress who Pearl looks upon as a daughter, and seems to have something on her mind, and Pearl’s son Charlie who is acting secretive, almost as though he is avoiding her. Charlie has tried several times to fly the nest, but it isn’t easy for this generation. Whitstable has become a popular location for ex-Londoners, known as DFL’s (short for Down from Londoners, as they are called by the locals). And they have money to buy holiday property, not too far from London.

As plans for her coming wedding Pearl arranges to meet with Jade Jackson, St. A’s Musical director to finalise her choices on the church organ. She was fascinated by the two mirrors above the keyboards on the organ, that enable Jade to keep an eye on the choir. But looking in the small square mirror Pearl can see a body lying with a gaping wound, eyes wide open. Dead. The church is now a crime scene.

This is the 11th book in the series and with their wedding imminent they both individually look back into their past. Mike to the loss of Donna whom he was to marry, but who was killed in a hit-and-run car accident and Pearl who had never spoke of her relationship with Carl, Charlie’s father.

This is a multi-layered story. Whilst Pearl has gone her own way, in bringing up Charlie, the past, as she discovers, has a way of turning up.

Intriguing, and ingeniously plotted this episode in Pearls life is a compelling read and kept me guessing to the end. Whose body is it in the church? Will there be a wedding? Highly Recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

[Sarah]

Can anyone ever truly leave the past behind and make a fresh start? Julie Wassmer’s latest Whitstable Pearl Mystery has a great mix of characters, all of whom, even before the murder, are grappling with complex relationships and the tides of recent history flowing into the present. The church of St Alfred’s is a community focal point in this novel. It’s where restaurant owner and private detective Pearl is going to get married, but also where a body is discovered and a mystery needs to be solved.
Although the church itself is fictional, the very real settings of Whitstable and Canterbury are described in brilliant detail which local readers will appreciate. For me, this brought the story vividly to life and brought a smile to my face. There are also a few lovely nods to poetry, art, music, A Tale of Two Cities theatre production and vibrant local pubs. Impressively, this is Julie’s eleventh Whitstable Pearl Mystery. It can easily be enjoyed without having read the previous books, as she skilfully catches us up on Pearl’s life.
As well as being an entertaining murder mystery, this novel asks interesting questions about how to build a meaningful future as individuals, families and as a community and how to honour the past without living in its shadow. It is a great holiday read: a light and entertaining detective story (with a fantastic denouement) rooted in the past and present of a seaside and fishing community, where both the mystery of the murder and the family subplots kept me guessing until the end.

[Patti]

I don't like how Pearl is being treated. I feel both Mike and her mother are trying to run her life. I feel that Mike only wants to marry convince her to stop being a private investigator. MIke says he is uncomfortable about Pearl's interference with his cases but then he brings Pearl to the apartment of a girl that was murdered. That feels very inappropriate. I do think Pearl needs to figure out why she did not tell Carl about being pregnant. Dolly should have told Pearl immediately after she talked with Charlie about Carl. I am not even sure if I feel it was okay that she did so. It feels like Dolly is trying to manipulate the situation to the outcome she wants.

[Sara Tilley]

Presumably there was a good reason for calling the church St Alfred’s rather than St Alphege, but it was REALLY annoying. As a local, I think I’m too close to enjoy these books.
First time I’ve heard an author thank their yoga teacher and homeopath in the acknowledgments!

* Thanks to BorrowBox for saving me a credit *

[Robert John McComb]

The best so far

This novel really makes the characters come alive with an intriguing plot that continues throughout. We can only hope that there is a follow-up in the not too distant future.

[Keith Oliver]

The latest edition is my favourite Whitstable Pearl novel. Very good plot with interesting side stories. Enjoyed it