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Nora Breen Investigates #2
Murder at the Spirit Lounge
In the second installment of the Nora Breen Investigates series—“perfect for cozy mystery lovers” (Book Riot)—beloved former nun Nora Breen returns, this time to track down a ghostly killer before it’s too late.
When Dolores Chimes, a famous medium, arrives in Gore-on-Sea, even surly Detective Inspector Rideout is lured in by her promises of messages for the afterlife.
But after a reading goes disastrously wrong, Dolores loses her life—and the six sitters at the séance with her fall victim to supernatural deaths themselves in the days following the nightmare of a reading.
Determined to unveil the truth, Nora finds herself chasing a ghostly serial killer she believes to be responsible, before the sixth victim—Detective Rideout himself—perishes along with the others.
When Dolores Chimes, a famous medium, arrives in Gore-on-Sea, even surly Detective Inspector Rideout is lured in by her promises of messages for the afterlife.
But after a reading goes disastrously wrong, Dolores loses her life—and the six sitters at the séance with her fall victim to supernatural deaths themselves in the days following the nightmare of a reading.
Determined to unveil the truth, Nora finds herself chasing a ghostly serial killer she believes to be responsible, before the sixth victim—Detective Rideout himself—perishes along with the others.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Jess Kidd
20 books2,656 followersJess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice. Her debut, Himself, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards in 2016. She won the Costa Short Story Award the same year. Her second novel, The Hoarder, published as Mr. Flood's Last Resort in the U.S. and Canada was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2019. Both books were BBC Radio 2 Book Club Picks. Her latest book, the Victorian detective tale Things in Jars, has been released to critical acclaim. Jess’s work has been described as ‘Gabriel García Márquez meets The Pogues.’
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
June 3, 2026
I so enjoyed this second book in the Nora Breen mystery series.
This time out Nora helps Detective Rideout solve the murders of a group of people who attended a seance by special invitation and the famous medium dies at the start of it.. and then one by one each person who attended that seance is ending up dead.
Former nun, Nora is still living in the boardinghouse at Gore-on-Sea, with some of the same characters.. always entertaining!
Lovely, charming, and mysterious!
I hope there will be more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free digital book in exchange for my honest review!
This time out Nora helps Detective Rideout solve the murders of a group of people who attended a seance by special invitation and the famous medium dies at the start of it.. and then one by one each person who attended that seance is ending up dead.
Former nun, Nora is still living in the boardinghouse at Gore-on-Sea, with some of the same characters.. always entertaining!
Lovely, charming, and mysterious!
I hope there will be more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free digital book in exchange for my honest review!
July 20, 2026
I have finally managed to pin down what I like so much about Jess Kidd's writing—it is so calm, just like the main character Nora Breen. Wherever Nora goes, she takes her aura of calmness right along with her. But even Nora's calm gets tested in this book.
I love the fat gull that Nora has “adopted" and named Father Conway. He waddles in through her window at the boarding house and helps himself to whatever food is on offer. He is the easiest male in the novel to deal with. Nora has been enjoying the pursuit of criminals with Detective Inspector Rideout until this case, where it seems that Rideout is in the crosshairs of the killer. Nora is frustrated by his unwillingness to keep himself safe. Nora's other friend, Hosmer, has been entertaining as he attempts to educate her about music and photography. There is a moment where Nora realizes that these two men see each other as competition for her attention and she is dismayed.
Nora is learning a lesson that has been delayed by her years in the monastery: it is very difficult for women to have platonic friendships with men. It is dawning on her that she is going to have to choose. Her fellow denizen of Gulls Nest, Bill, gets her set up with men's clothing, which she very much likes, and advises her that Hosmer loves her and to be clear and gentle with him. I think it is obvious to everyone, including Nora, that if she must choose it will be Rideout.
The mystery is solved, of course, largely due to Nora's ability to ask the right questions in a compassionate way and her willingness to delve into the past to get to the root of the problem. And her willingness to chuck a heavy shoe at a deserving target! For me, the real point of the novel is Nora's progress with life outside the monastery—supporting herself, learning her own style, and establishing new relationships. I do hope Kidd is writing a third book.
I love the fat gull that Nora has “adopted" and named Father Conway. He waddles in through her window at the boarding house and helps himself to whatever food is on offer. He is the easiest male in the novel to deal with. Nora has been enjoying the pursuit of criminals with Detective Inspector Rideout until this case, where it seems that Rideout is in the crosshairs of the killer. Nora is frustrated by his unwillingness to keep himself safe. Nora's other friend, Hosmer, has been entertaining as he attempts to educate her about music and photography. There is a moment where Nora realizes that these two men see each other as competition for her attention and she is dismayed.
Nora is learning a lesson that has been delayed by her years in the monastery: it is very difficult for women to have platonic friendships with men. It is dawning on her that she is going to have to choose. Her fellow denizen of Gulls Nest, Bill, gets her set up with men's clothing, which she very much likes, and advises her that Hosmer loves her and to be clear and gentle with him. I think it is obvious to everyone, including Nora, that if she must choose it will be Rideout.
The mystery is solved, of course, largely due to Nora's ability to ask the right questions in a compassionate way and her willingness to delve into the past to get to the root of the problem. And her willingness to chuck a heavy shoe at a deserving target! For me, the real point of the novel is Nora's progress with life outside the monastery—supporting herself, learning her own style, and establishing new relationships. I do hope Kidd is writing a third book.
May 5, 2026
Murder at the Spirit Lounge is the second book in the Nora Breen Investigates series by award-winning London-born author, Jess Kidd. Former Carmelite nun, Nora Breen first encounters popular psychic, Doreen Chimes when Gore-on-Sea’s Detective Inspector Hilary Rideout requests her presence at the lady’s residence, Ravensholme, reporting a minor theft.
Nora is a little concerned when Rideout seems uncharacteristically gullible about the medium’s powers. The next time she sees Doreen Chimes, the woman is mysteriously dead, mid-message from beyond, during a séance attended by only a select group of invitees, one of whom is Rideout. Shocked, they may be, but each attendee must be questioned, as must the missing Ravensholme charwoman.
On a more pragmatic note, with her cash reserves running low, Nora is thinking she’ll need to visit a second-hand store for clothing if she doesn’t get a paying job soon, when fellow Gulls Nest lodger, Bill Carter presents a novel solution that very much appeals to her. To her surprise, she is soon comfortably attired in masculine wear, which comes in handy on a later trip to London.
Photographer and jazz enthusiast, Mr Hosmer understands Nora’s financial predicament, and recommends her to Martine Hartigan, the editor of the Gore-on-Sea Herald, in need of a reporter. He hopes that doing things like reviewing the food offered by the Marine Hotel’s new French chef will keep her out of harm’s way.
But lunch there proves otherwise, as Nora witnesses one séance attendee, apparently hallucinating, jumping to her death from a window, while the young woman’s mother, also present at Doreen Chimes’s death, is found dead in her bed. What frightened Harriet Braybrooke was the spectral figure of a uniformed young man, also seen by Nora.
Trace evidence in Lady Constance Braybrooke’s room provides a firm link to Doreen’s demise, apparently murder. Rideout and Breen quickly understand that each person at the séance is therefore in danger of being murdered. Links are sought between the victims and the seemingly disparate remaining potential targets: a curmudgeonly military type lodged at Gulls Nest; an actress staying at a theatrical boarding house; a developer ensconced in the Marine Hotel’s penthouse suite; and Rideout himself.
Interrogations, trace evidence, manner of death, research, and Nora’s interviews with two of those remaining, lead to visits to a refuge for shell-shocked servicemen, and a London Gentleman’s Club, as Rideout and Breen follow up every possible avenue in search of motive. By the time three more have been murdered, Nora has observed that there’s a definite theatrical quality to this very inventive killer’s work: electrocution, poisoning, suffocation, maddening, fire and garrotting have all been employed by a master of disguise. Along with Rideout’s colleagues, Nora is extremely worried when he is the last man standing.
There’s plenty of dry, and sometimes, black humour in the banter between characters, and Kidd gives Nora some great lines:
“’Miss Breen, I would caution you against letting your imagination run away with you,’ he says, uppishly. ‘I appreciate that ladies are more excitable, less level-headed—’
Nora snorts. ‘And I would caution you, Colonel Fulford, to sift through your mind’s flotsam before letting it froth out of your mouth.’”
There are serious moments too: about a shell-shocked serviceman, Rideout observes “‘We had a job to do, and we had to keep on doing it day after day. So naturally many of us– and not just our group captain– frowned down on the men who chose to unravel.’” To which Nora replies “You thought those men had a choice of whether or not to unravel?”
Some exchanges, Nora isn’t sure about: “‘He’ll think you’re my fancy woman.’
‘Don’t even joke about it.’
Rideout starts the engine. ‘Would that be so dreadful after all?’”
Rideout does now seem to be resigned to Nora sticking her coulter in: “You have an open invitation, Breen. You’re usually to be found wherever the trouble is anyway.”
Before matters are resolved, there are red herrings and distractions in the lead up to a nail-biting climax. This is another delightful helping of Nora Breen and her Gore-on-Sea associates, and fans will have fingers crossed that Jess Kidd has more of this cast up her literary sleeve.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Faber & Faber Ltd.
Nora is a little concerned when Rideout seems uncharacteristically gullible about the medium’s powers. The next time she sees Doreen Chimes, the woman is mysteriously dead, mid-message from beyond, during a séance attended by only a select group of invitees, one of whom is Rideout. Shocked, they may be, but each attendee must be questioned, as must the missing Ravensholme charwoman.
On a more pragmatic note, with her cash reserves running low, Nora is thinking she’ll need to visit a second-hand store for clothing if she doesn’t get a paying job soon, when fellow Gulls Nest lodger, Bill Carter presents a novel solution that very much appeals to her. To her surprise, she is soon comfortably attired in masculine wear, which comes in handy on a later trip to London.
Photographer and jazz enthusiast, Mr Hosmer understands Nora’s financial predicament, and recommends her to Martine Hartigan, the editor of the Gore-on-Sea Herald, in need of a reporter. He hopes that doing things like reviewing the food offered by the Marine Hotel’s new French chef will keep her out of harm’s way.
But lunch there proves otherwise, as Nora witnesses one séance attendee, apparently hallucinating, jumping to her death from a window, while the young woman’s mother, also present at Doreen Chimes’s death, is found dead in her bed. What frightened Harriet Braybrooke was the spectral figure of a uniformed young man, also seen by Nora.
Trace evidence in Lady Constance Braybrooke’s room provides a firm link to Doreen’s demise, apparently murder. Rideout and Breen quickly understand that each person at the séance is therefore in danger of being murdered. Links are sought between the victims and the seemingly disparate remaining potential targets: a curmudgeonly military type lodged at Gulls Nest; an actress staying at a theatrical boarding house; a developer ensconced in the Marine Hotel’s penthouse suite; and Rideout himself.
Interrogations, trace evidence, manner of death, research, and Nora’s interviews with two of those remaining, lead to visits to a refuge for shell-shocked servicemen, and a London Gentleman’s Club, as Rideout and Breen follow up every possible avenue in search of motive. By the time three more have been murdered, Nora has observed that there’s a definite theatrical quality to this very inventive killer’s work: electrocution, poisoning, suffocation, maddening, fire and garrotting have all been employed by a master of disguise. Along with Rideout’s colleagues, Nora is extremely worried when he is the last man standing.
There’s plenty of dry, and sometimes, black humour in the banter between characters, and Kidd gives Nora some great lines:
“’Miss Breen, I would caution you against letting your imagination run away with you,’ he says, uppishly. ‘I appreciate that ladies are more excitable, less level-headed—’
Nora snorts. ‘And I would caution you, Colonel Fulford, to sift through your mind’s flotsam before letting it froth out of your mouth.’”
There are serious moments too: about a shell-shocked serviceman, Rideout observes “‘We had a job to do, and we had to keep on doing it day after day. So naturally many of us– and not just our group captain– frowned down on the men who chose to unravel.’” To which Nora replies “You thought those men had a choice of whether or not to unravel?”
Some exchanges, Nora isn’t sure about: “‘He’ll think you’re my fancy woman.’
‘Don’t even joke about it.’
Rideout starts the engine. ‘Would that be so dreadful after all?’”
Rideout does now seem to be resigned to Nora sticking her coulter in: “You have an open invitation, Breen. You’re usually to be found wherever the trouble is anyway.”
Before matters are resolved, there are red herrings and distractions in the lead up to a nail-biting climax. This is another delightful helping of Nora Breen and her Gore-on-Sea associates, and fans will have fingers crossed that Jess Kidd has more of this cast up her literary sleeve.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Faber & Faber Ltd.
August 4, 2026
Something's up when all the attendees of a seance begin to meet with foul play
Luckily, ex-nun Nora Breen is on the case, along with a little help from the town's detective, who may become a victim himself unless Nora can solve the mystery.
This is the second entry in Kidd's cozy series, and it's a fun one with an involving story and interesting characters.
I hope Nora's investigations go on and on.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing. Sorry for the tardiness of this review.
Luckily, ex-nun Nora Breen is on the case, along with a little help from the town's detective, who may become a victim himself unless Nora can solve the mystery.
This is the second entry in Kidd's cozy series, and it's a fun one with an involving story and interesting characters.
I hope Nora's investigations go on and on.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing. Sorry for the tardiness of this review.
March 19, 2026
I absolutely loved the first book in this series, so I was really excited to return to Nora Breen’s world and see where the story would go next. I’m very glad this is continuing as a series, but this installment didn’t quite hit the same mark for me.
The first half of the book felt quite slow, and it took me several days to get through roughly the first 50–55%. There was a lot of buildup that, in my opinion, could have been tightened, as some sections felt repetitive or padded and didn’t add much to the overall mystery. That said, once the story picked up, it really picked up. The second half moved at a much stronger pace and became far more engaging, and I ended up finishing it quickly once things fell into place.
I was also hoping for more development between Nora and Rideout. The slow-burn dynamic continues here, but it didn’t feel like it progressed much compared to the first book. I did find Nora’s characterization interesting in parts, particularly the direction the author seems to be exploring with her identity, though it didn’t fully land for me in this installment.
Overall, this felt like a slower middle book that could have benefited from tighter editing, but I’m still invested enough in the series to pick up the next one and see where it goes
The first half of the book felt quite slow, and it took me several days to get through roughly the first 50–55%. There was a lot of buildup that, in my opinion, could have been tightened, as some sections felt repetitive or padded and didn’t add much to the overall mystery. That said, once the story picked up, it really picked up. The second half moved at a much stronger pace and became far more engaging, and I ended up finishing it quickly once things fell into place.
I was also hoping for more development between Nora and Rideout. The slow-burn dynamic continues here, but it didn’t feel like it progressed much compared to the first book. I did find Nora’s characterization interesting in parts, particularly the direction the author seems to be exploring with her identity, though it didn’t fully land for me in this installment.
Overall, this felt like a slower middle book that could have benefited from tighter editing, but I’m still invested enough in the series to pick up the next one and see where it goes
June 14, 2026
An enjoyable follow up to Nora Breen’s first outing. I liked the puzzling crime in this one and the ghostly revenge vibes. I can’t say I enjoyed it quite as much as the first, perhaps because it didn’t have Nora’s backstory, or perhaps the mystery dragged a bit toward the end.
Still worth reading, if only for Kidd’s excellent writing.
Still worth reading, if only for Kidd’s excellent writing.
May 17, 2026
This didn’t work quite as well for me. The last novel was also about Nora stepping away from a life as a nun. This one was more of a straightforward murder mystery. I still enjoyed it but the depth of the last one wasn’t there.
May 13, 2026
Nora Breen is back to solve another crime.
Nora is still at Gull's Nest in Gore-on-Sea, the site of the first murders, but she's at a loose end and running out of money. Thankfully she doesn't have to wait long until DI Rideout is asking for help on another case.
Breen rushes to help at a seance to which Rideout, along with several other luminaries, have been especially invited by the renowned medium, Doreen Chimes. Unfortunately for Ms Chimes she had not foreseen her own demise. The only clues to what happened are the odd markings on Ms Chimes body and the eerie message spelt out on the ouija board - EVE.
And Ms Chimes is far from the only victim of the seance. As the body count increases it becomes clear that someone is targeting the seance attendees; that means Rideout is in the firing line.
Can Breen and Rideout chase down the deranged murderer once more or will Rideout pay the ultimate price?
Another wonderful murder mystery from the great Jess Kidd. Is there no genre she cannot turn her hand to? I love the characters in these books. Rideout's grumpy demeanour works so well with Nora's no-nonsense approach.
As in the first book the residents of Gull's Nest Guest House all play their parts including the silent Diana who always seems to know more than may be healthy for her and Bill Carter who is happy to provide Nora with interesting outfits.
Oddly for me I actually managed to figure out some parts of whodunnit. But there are several twists along the way to keep you guessing. I am hopeless with really complicated plots but there is just enough in here to keep me happy and mostly confused.
Definitely recommended. I'd read the first Nora Breen before starting this but even if you don't it should be easy enough to read as a stand alone.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the digital review copy.
Nora is still at Gull's Nest in Gore-on-Sea, the site of the first murders, but she's at a loose end and running out of money. Thankfully she doesn't have to wait long until DI Rideout is asking for help on another case.
Breen rushes to help at a seance to which Rideout, along with several other luminaries, have been especially invited by the renowned medium, Doreen Chimes. Unfortunately for Ms Chimes she had not foreseen her own demise. The only clues to what happened are the odd markings on Ms Chimes body and the eerie message spelt out on the ouija board - EVE.
And Ms Chimes is far from the only victim of the seance. As the body count increases it becomes clear that someone is targeting the seance attendees; that means Rideout is in the firing line.
Can Breen and Rideout chase down the deranged murderer once more or will Rideout pay the ultimate price?
Another wonderful murder mystery from the great Jess Kidd. Is there no genre she cannot turn her hand to? I love the characters in these books. Rideout's grumpy demeanour works so well with Nora's no-nonsense approach.
As in the first book the residents of Gull's Nest Guest House all play their parts including the silent Diana who always seems to know more than may be healthy for her and Bill Carter who is happy to provide Nora with interesting outfits.
Oddly for me I actually managed to figure out some parts of whodunnit. But there are several twists along the way to keep you guessing. I am hopeless with really complicated plots but there is just enough in here to keep me happy and mostly confused.
Definitely recommended. I'd read the first Nora Breen before starting this but even if you don't it should be easy enough to read as a stand alone.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the digital review copy.
June 16, 2026
You know that feeling when you go back to a place you loved and you’re like, “Oh no… I still live here emotionally”? That was me returning to Nora Breen’s world after Murder at Gulls Nest. I walked back into Gore-on-Sea like I pay rent there, immediately ready for fog, secrets, and Nora quietly judging everyone within a ten-mile radius.
And Jess Kidd really said, let’s up the chaos. Not just a suspicious death in a boarding house. No. We’re doing a full séance. Candles. Medium. Hand-holding. Emotional vulnerability. The kind of group activity where absolutely nothing good has ever happened in the history of literature or life.
Enter Dolores Chimes, professional ghost whisperer and part-time theatrical icon, who gathers her little group of sitters like she’s hosting the worst dinner party imaginable. And then, in the middle of her spooky performance, she just… dies. Fully collapses. No encore. No explanation. And everyone else at the table basically becomes part of a very cursed RSVP list where the follow-up event is their own untimely death.
At this point, any reasonable person would pack a bag, leave town, and maybe burn their hands just in case they touched something haunted. Nora Breen, however, is like, “Hmm. Interesting pattern. Let’s go ask some questions.” I love her so much it’s embarrassing.
Nora continues to be that friend who says very little but when she does speak, you’re like, oh, you noticed everything and now I feel exposed. She’s not flashy. She’s not trying to impress anyone. She’s just quietly clocking human behavior like she’s been training for this her entire life, which… she kind of has. Thirty years in a convent will absolutely turn you into a human lie detector with great posture.
And what I loved even more here is that she feels more settled. Not softer, exactly, but more sure of herself. In the first book, she was still figuring out how to exist outside the convent. Here, she’s like, “I belong wherever I decide to stand,” and then she stands directly in the middle of a murder investigation like it’s her living room.
Also, the boarding house crew continues to be deeply weird in the most comforting way. There’s a gull casually demanding tea like it pays bills, a silent girl writing notes that are funnier than most dialogue, and just this ongoing sense that everyone is slightly off but also deeply loyal. It’s giving found family, but like… haunted, mildly inconvenient found family.
Now let’s talk about Rideout, because these two are testing my patience in the best way.
The tension between Nora and Detective Inspector Rideout is still simmering at that excruciatingly polite level where no one is going to say anything but everything is happening. He’s over here pretending she’s a nuisance while actively inviting her to crime scenes. Sir. Be serious. Meanwhile, Nora’s just existing near him and somehow that’s enough to completely unravel his emotional stability.
It’s not a romance you can point at and say, “Look, progression.” It’s more like, “Look, a loaded glance that lasted half a second too long,” and somehow that feeds you for 200 pages. I wanted more. I also respect the restraint. I contain multitudes.
The mystery itself leans into that eerie, possibly supernatural territory, which I ate up. You’ve got a string of deaths tied to this séance, each one just strange enough to make you go, “Okay but what if it is a ghost?” even though you know, deep down, Nora Breen would never let an actual ghost get the upper hand. The atmosphere is doing a lot of heavy lifting here and it works. It’s creepy without losing its grip on reality.
Now, I will say, this book takes its time. Like, it really settles in. This is not a “one more chapter” speed run situation. This is a “sit with me, we’re going to think about this for a while” kind of story. The first half especially is slow, but in that deliberate, methodical way where you’re gathering threads without realizing how tightly they’re being woven.
And then when it all starts clicking into place, you realize Nora has been ten steps ahead of you the entire time, which is both impressive and a little humbling, frankly.
What continues to hit for me is how much this series is quietly about identity. Nora isn’t just solving crimes. She’s figuring out who she is when no one is telling her who to be anymore. And that shows up in the smallest ways, how she speaks, how she chooses to involve herself, how she lets people get close or keeps them at arm’s length. It’s subtle, but it’s doing real emotional work under all the murder and seaside gloom.
By the end, I was fully locked in again. Maybe not quite the same lightning-strike obsession I had with Murder at Gulls Nest, but close enough that I immediately started mentally planning my return trip to Gore-on-Sea like it’s a vacation destination and not a place where people keep dying under suspicious circumstances.
Four stars, and I say that as someone who would absolutely still attend the next Nora Breen investigation even if it involved, I don’t know, a cursed lighthouse or a haunted knitting circle.
Whodunity Award: For Convincing Me That Group Activities Are a Red Flag
And a massive thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC, for once again enabling my emotional attachment to a woman who would absolutely solve my murder but might also quietly judge my life choices while doing it.
And Jess Kidd really said, let’s up the chaos. Not just a suspicious death in a boarding house. No. We’re doing a full séance. Candles. Medium. Hand-holding. Emotional vulnerability. The kind of group activity where absolutely nothing good has ever happened in the history of literature or life.
Enter Dolores Chimes, professional ghost whisperer and part-time theatrical icon, who gathers her little group of sitters like she’s hosting the worst dinner party imaginable. And then, in the middle of her spooky performance, she just… dies. Fully collapses. No encore. No explanation. And everyone else at the table basically becomes part of a very cursed RSVP list where the follow-up event is their own untimely death.
At this point, any reasonable person would pack a bag, leave town, and maybe burn their hands just in case they touched something haunted. Nora Breen, however, is like, “Hmm. Interesting pattern. Let’s go ask some questions.” I love her so much it’s embarrassing.
Nora continues to be that friend who says very little but when she does speak, you’re like, oh, you noticed everything and now I feel exposed. She’s not flashy. She’s not trying to impress anyone. She’s just quietly clocking human behavior like she’s been training for this her entire life, which… she kind of has. Thirty years in a convent will absolutely turn you into a human lie detector with great posture.
And what I loved even more here is that she feels more settled. Not softer, exactly, but more sure of herself. In the first book, she was still figuring out how to exist outside the convent. Here, she’s like, “I belong wherever I decide to stand,” and then she stands directly in the middle of a murder investigation like it’s her living room.
Also, the boarding house crew continues to be deeply weird in the most comforting way. There’s a gull casually demanding tea like it pays bills, a silent girl writing notes that are funnier than most dialogue, and just this ongoing sense that everyone is slightly off but also deeply loyal. It’s giving found family, but like… haunted, mildly inconvenient found family.
Now let’s talk about Rideout, because these two are testing my patience in the best way.
The tension between Nora and Detective Inspector Rideout is still simmering at that excruciatingly polite level where no one is going to say anything but everything is happening. He’s over here pretending she’s a nuisance while actively inviting her to crime scenes. Sir. Be serious. Meanwhile, Nora’s just existing near him and somehow that’s enough to completely unravel his emotional stability.
It’s not a romance you can point at and say, “Look, progression.” It’s more like, “Look, a loaded glance that lasted half a second too long,” and somehow that feeds you for 200 pages. I wanted more. I also respect the restraint. I contain multitudes.
The mystery itself leans into that eerie, possibly supernatural territory, which I ate up. You’ve got a string of deaths tied to this séance, each one just strange enough to make you go, “Okay but what if it is a ghost?” even though you know, deep down, Nora Breen would never let an actual ghost get the upper hand. The atmosphere is doing a lot of heavy lifting here and it works. It’s creepy without losing its grip on reality.
Now, I will say, this book takes its time. Like, it really settles in. This is not a “one more chapter” speed run situation. This is a “sit with me, we’re going to think about this for a while” kind of story. The first half especially is slow, but in that deliberate, methodical way where you’re gathering threads without realizing how tightly they’re being woven.
And then when it all starts clicking into place, you realize Nora has been ten steps ahead of you the entire time, which is both impressive and a little humbling, frankly.
What continues to hit for me is how much this series is quietly about identity. Nora isn’t just solving crimes. She’s figuring out who she is when no one is telling her who to be anymore. And that shows up in the smallest ways, how she speaks, how she chooses to involve herself, how she lets people get close or keeps them at arm’s length. It’s subtle, but it’s doing real emotional work under all the murder and seaside gloom.
By the end, I was fully locked in again. Maybe not quite the same lightning-strike obsession I had with Murder at Gulls Nest, but close enough that I immediately started mentally planning my return trip to Gore-on-Sea like it’s a vacation destination and not a place where people keep dying under suspicious circumstances.
Four stars, and I say that as someone who would absolutely still attend the next Nora Breen investigation even if it involved, I don’t know, a cursed lighthouse or a haunted knitting circle.
Whodunity Award: For Convincing Me That Group Activities Are a Red Flag
And a massive thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC, for once again enabling my emotional attachment to a woman who would absolutely solve my murder but might also quietly judge my life choices while doing it.
August 4, 2026
Miss Breen and Detective Inspector Rideout are proving to be enjoyable company. I look forward to future installments
July 19, 2026
The personal stakes were missing for me in this one, but I still had a great time. Nora is living her best life. We even get more shoe throws!!
January 16, 2026
This is the second in the Nora Breen Investigates crime series but stands alone quite well. There ae clearly things you don’t know about Nora and Detective Rideout from the first novel but nothing that detracts anything from this story. It is well paced and has good characterisations throughout. The plot works well, and I enjoyed the mystery and it’s resolution although the end did feel slightly abrupt. I found this an engaging, enjoyable story .
My thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.
My thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.
July 23, 2026
Delightful and smart cozy mystery with some real stakes and gore. A bit of And Then There Were None meets a ghost story meets lingering Trauma from World War era. A seance goes wrong when the medium leading it dies and then one by one others who attended start to drop dead. Former nun Nora Breen enmeshes herself in the case alongside friend (and maybe more?) Detective Rideout, who was also at the seance and may be on the killer’s list. An excellent 2nd installment.
June 16, 2026
Jess Kidd never lets me down!
MURDER AT SPIRIT LOUNGE is the second book in the Nora Breen Investigates series. It reads fine as a stand alone, though the first book is too much fun to miss.
Read if you enjoy:
➛A quaint English village
➛A strong sense of atmosphere and setting
➛Quirky, memorable characters
➛A mystery to solve
➛A little mystical fun
*Thanks to Atria Book for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
MURDER AT SPIRIT LOUNGE is the second book in the Nora Breen Investigates series. It reads fine as a stand alone, though the first book is too much fun to miss.
Read if you enjoy:
➛A quaint English village
➛A strong sense of atmosphere and setting
➛Quirky, memorable characters
➛A mystery to solve
➛A little mystical fun
*Thanks to Atria Book for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
July 15, 2026
Loved this second installment of Nora Breen..
March 23, 2026
3.5 stars
June 8, 2026
I definitely could have done with a refresher of book one before jumping in to this murder mystery sequel but it was a still a great return. It’s still a little darker and deeper than a cozy mystery, with Kidd’s brilliant moody atmosphere and tone, but the pacing is greatly improved since book one. The plot and characters are smoother, a little funnier, while still building on the serious themes.
Nora’s connections to the people and town in general is growing, adding so much to the sleuthing and journey through murder and discovery. The mystery itself is intriguing, though too obvious, but it’s the reveal of all the suspects/victim’s backstories and associations with each other that kept me coming back for more. I wanted to know how they were all connected and who would survive.
I absolutely need more from this series!
* I received a free copy from the publisher
Nora’s connections to the people and town in general is growing, adding so much to the sleuthing and journey through murder and discovery. The mystery itself is intriguing, though too obvious, but it’s the reveal of all the suspects/victim’s backstories and associations with each other that kept me coming back for more. I wanted to know how they were all connected and who would survive.
I absolutely need more from this series!
* I received a free copy from the publisher
July 12, 2026
Breen and Rideout are my favorite literary duo. This was excellent - murder, mystery, mayhem, humor, enjoyable characters. Just waiting for the next one.
July 12, 2026
Smart, atmospheric, & character filled in its truest sense, (no wishy-washy characters just to fill a page here.)
Devilishly constructed story with a heck of an end.
Hoping Nora Breen is back very soon.
Devilishly constructed story with a heck of an end.
Hoping Nora Breen is back very soon.
July 15, 2026
I enjoy Nora and the other occupants of Gore-on-Sea. A seance goes badly and the "sitters" are all marked for death by the ghost who visited the spirit lounge that night! The writing is good, the characters are fun, well, except for the ones murdering people.
August 2, 2026
I really like Nora Breen, her character expansion is fascinating as she navigates life after being a nun, and uses her keen observational skills to aid the police. The time frame and setting are a big draw.
July 1, 2026
Murder at the Spirit Lounge was a mystery worth every moment spent untangling it. The locked room setup escalated in the best way, with suspects becoming victims and the tension ratcheting up with every chapter. Nora's sharp wit and dry humor shone once more, and the Gull's Nest inn and its residents were an absolute hoot. The reveal was satisfying in a way that rewarded my patience. I sat down one afternoon and couldn't put it down.
The audiobook narrated by Philippa Dunne made it even better. She knew exactly how to bring out Nora's no-nonsense attitude, and whether you paired it with the print or listened on its own, you won't go wrong either way.
Thank you Atria Books, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster Audio for my gifted review copies. All opinions are my own.
The audiobook narrated by Philippa Dunne made it even better. She knew exactly how to bring out Nora's no-nonsense attitude, and whether you paired it with the print or listened on its own, you won't go wrong either way.
Thank you Atria Books, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster Audio for my gifted review copies. All opinions are my own.
June 29, 2026
This is the second installment of the “Nora Breen Investigates” series, and I liked it just as much as the first one, Murder at Gulls Nest. While it works as a standalone, you’ll want to read the first one too, so I recommend starting with that.
The story begins with the death of a famous spiritual medium. Soon the murders come one after the other in this page-turning mystery with suspicious characters, an abundance of clues, distracting red herrings, multiple motives and a surplus of secrets, brilliantly told against the backdrop of an eccentric boarding house in a British seaside town in 1954.
What makes this a standout is the main character, Nora Breen. A former nun, nurse, and avid mystery reader, her powers of observation contribute to her skillful ability to assist Chief Inspector Rideout in his investigation. Their relationship contributes to the novel’s charming readability.
I was pleased to have guessed the murderer’s identity just before Nora did, and it was satisfying to know I was on the right track. If you want a cozy murder mystery with deadly danger up until the last chapter, this is the book for you.
The story begins with the death of a famous spiritual medium. Soon the murders come one after the other in this page-turning mystery with suspicious characters, an abundance of clues, distracting red herrings, multiple motives and a surplus of secrets, brilliantly told against the backdrop of an eccentric boarding house in a British seaside town in 1954.
What makes this a standout is the main character, Nora Breen. A former nun, nurse, and avid mystery reader, her powers of observation contribute to her skillful ability to assist Chief Inspector Rideout in his investigation. Their relationship contributes to the novel’s charming readability.
I was pleased to have guessed the murderer’s identity just before Nora did, and it was satisfying to know I was on the right track. If you want a cozy murder mystery with deadly danger up until the last chapter, this is the book for you.
May 10, 2026
Yes Nora is back for a second outing, supported ably by the team of regular characters which readers are loving. After Nora's first bit of amateur sleuthing, she finds herself becoming Inspector Rideout's right hand woman when a murder takes place during a seance leaving those who attended at risk of being 'knocked off' themselves. Nora and Rideout find themselves up against the clock to find the killer.
I cannot stress how likeable the characters are in the Nora Breen Investigates series. Firstly there's the rather spectacular Nora and Inspector Rideout and then there's the supporting characters, a favourite is Irene, Nora's ebullient (not) landlady who has some great laugh out loud moments. Jess Kidd manages to mix the humour with some dark themes, what war does to men and women, the psychological damage and how Nora faces her own past. If you are looking for an entertaining, well written read then look no further, I look forward to spending time with Nora, Rideout and Irene again. A joy.
I cannot stress how likeable the characters are in the Nora Breen Investigates series. Firstly there's the rather spectacular Nora and Inspector Rideout and then there's the supporting characters, a favourite is Irene, Nora's ebullient (not) landlady who has some great laugh out loud moments. Jess Kidd manages to mix the humour with some dark themes, what war does to men and women, the psychological damage and how Nora faces her own past. If you are looking for an entertaining, well written read then look no further, I look forward to spending time with Nora, Rideout and Irene again. A joy.
August 8, 2026
As Nora works to adjust to her new life outside the monastery following the events of Murder at Gulls Nest, a séance gone wrong puts Rideout on a list of potential victims and Nora’s new job as a reporter, combined with her curious nature, helps her dig deeper into who may be killing of the attendees of Dolores Chimes’ last séance.
While my expectations were tempered by Murder at Gulls Nest, I will say the introduction of a séance did have my ghost senses tingling (to the point I asked my friend Emily who had already read the book straight out of “are there ghosts?” to which I got a long look and “do you really want to know?”). For those who might be unaware, Jess Kidd writes some of my favorite ghosts in her novels Himself and Things in Jars.
While the ghosts may not be quite as literal here as in some of her other work, she still explores the world as one where ghosts could appear at any moment (which honestly is part of what I appreciate about her ghosts in the first place). And she almost does something more interesting for me here in that she makes Nora, the woman who has just given up her life as a nun, the skeptic, allowing for more subtle explorations of Nora’s ongoing relationship with her faith, the world, and herself. Though still within the framework of a mystery series.
And in this exploration as well, while love triangles can be much maligned anymore, and this is definitely not a romance series, I did appreciate the inclusion of a slight romantic triangle including a post-menopausal woman.
I also remain shocked I have not seen this series optioned yet.
While my expectations were tempered by Murder at Gulls Nest, I will say the introduction of a séance did have my ghost senses tingling (to the point I asked my friend Emily who had already read the book straight out of “are there ghosts?” to which I got a long look and “do you really want to know?”). For those who might be unaware, Jess Kidd writes some of my favorite ghosts in her novels Himself and Things in Jars.
While the ghosts may not be quite as literal here as in some of her other work, she still explores the world as one where ghosts could appear at any moment (which honestly is part of what I appreciate about her ghosts in the first place). And she almost does something more interesting for me here in that she makes Nora, the woman who has just given up her life as a nun, the skeptic, allowing for more subtle explorations of Nora’s ongoing relationship with her faith, the world, and herself. Though still within the framework of a mystery series.
And in this exploration as well, while love triangles can be much maligned anymore, and this is definitely not a romance series, I did appreciate the inclusion of a slight romantic triangle including a post-menopausal woman.
I also remain shocked I have not seen this series optioned yet.
July 22, 2026
2nd in the Nora Breen Investigates Series.
I'll be honest, I read the first one when it came out last year and remembered very little before I picked this one up. I don't think it affected my enjoyment of the book as the characters did faintly become familiar as I was reading the book.
Historical, atmospheric- I did figure some things out early on but I still really enjoyed this story. Nora is a very interesting main character!
There is a teaser for book #3 in the back, which I certainly will pick up when it's released.
CAWPILE 6.57
3.5 STARS
I'll be honest, I read the first one when it came out last year and remembered very little before I picked this one up. I don't think it affected my enjoyment of the book as the characters did faintly become familiar as I was reading the book.
Historical, atmospheric- I did figure some things out early on but I still really enjoyed this story. Nora is a very interesting main character!
There is a teaser for book #3 in the back, which I certainly will pick up when it's released.
CAWPILE 6.57
3.5 STARS
July 24, 2026
Like the first Nora Breen mystery, this was old-timey
and fun. The mystery itself was a little predictable and also left some ends untied that I would have liked to see tightened up. It made up for it though with disguises and seances and an abandoned mansion. The real joy of this book though is watching Nora discover and reinvent herself as an older woman. She is an inspiration.
and fun. The mystery itself was a little predictable and also left some ends untied that I would have liked to see tightened up. It made up for it though with disguises and seances and an abandoned mansion. The real joy of this book though is watching Nora discover and reinvent herself as an older woman. She is an inspiration.
May 24, 2026
Thank you to Goodreads and the publishing company for the opportunity to read this ARC. The book was a slow start for me as it took me a little while to adjust to the dialect and word choice. However, the more I read, the more that word choice and dialect lended itself to the character development and storylines.
Nora Breen is a lovable character who makes self-discovery a relatable experience. This cozy mystery is a charming read!
Nora Breen is a lovable character who makes self-discovery a relatable experience. This cozy mystery is a charming read!
June 30, 2026
3.5 rounding up. This was a great sequel and I loved the evolution of Nora from nun to detective. Filled with plenty of twists and turns it kept me flipping the page. The clues were a bit heavy handed and the motive was light but it’s a fast and easy read
July 18, 2026
Another 5 star book! The first one (Murder at Gull's Nest) was fantastic and this blows it away. Creative situation, awesome characters, and THE BEST VILLAIN EVER! Moriarty-esque, even! Seriously the whole thing is so unique. I did the audiobook of this on a long road trip, but man I may need to acquire a hard copy of it so I can really enjoy the beautiful descriptions she writes! I love how ORIGINAL this entire series is so far. I hope she writes a million more!
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