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Brutality on the Beach
Kidnap, murder, poison, and a paddle. All before breakfast too!
When Max and Min wake up to find themselves on a deserted beach, with no idea how they got there, and the certain feeling they've been drugged then kidnapped, it's obvious they're in for a rough morning.
Without even time for poached eggs—on sourdough, of course—they're knee-deep no only in the sea, but in a gruesome murder mystery too. Thankfully, Anxious is alive and kicking, mostly at the scorching sand.
Saved from sunburn and dehydration by friendly locals, it soon becomes apparent that the dead lady had more skeletons in her closet than Max has fire bowls, but nobody's prepared to discuss it with the out-of-towners, let alone the local detectives.
As they dig deeper, regardless of being warned off, a man from their past becomes not only the main suspect in the murder, but in their abduction too.
And then, everything is turned on its head like an upside down cake, and the gang have to unravel the mysteries, get back home to ensure Jack and Jill haven't somehow managed to blow up or burn down the campsite, and try to find time for some delicious one-pot cooking to save their sanity.
When things finally come to a head, and a rural community is ripped apart, not even Max and Min could have seen how this would play out.
Contains a stunning one-pot recipe at the end. Perfect for camping, vanlife, or anyone who wants a great meal without all the washing up!
A journey of freedom, friendship, and murder mystery in the beautiful British countryside.
When Max and Min wake up to find themselves on a deserted beach, with no idea how they got there, and the certain feeling they've been drugged then kidnapped, it's obvious they're in for a rough morning.
Without even time for poached eggs—on sourdough, of course—they're knee-deep no only in the sea, but in a gruesome murder mystery too. Thankfully, Anxious is alive and kicking, mostly at the scorching sand.
Saved from sunburn and dehydration by friendly locals, it soon becomes apparent that the dead lady had more skeletons in her closet than Max has fire bowls, but nobody's prepared to discuss it with the out-of-towners, let alone the local detectives.
As they dig deeper, regardless of being warned off, a man from their past becomes not only the main suspect in the murder, but in their abduction too.
And then, everything is turned on its head like an upside down cake, and the gang have to unravel the mysteries, get back home to ensure Jack and Jill haven't somehow managed to blow up or burn down the campsite, and try to find time for some delicious one-pot cooking to save their sanity.
When things finally come to a head, and a rural community is ripped apart, not even Max and Min could have seen how this would play out.
Contains a stunning one-pot recipe at the end. Perfect for camping, vanlife, or anyone who wants a great meal without all the washing up!
A journey of freedom, friendship, and murder mystery in the beautiful British countryside.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 9, 2026
Min is still squealing. I now picture her looking exactly like Miss Piggy, snout and all, while Max is a hipster Kermit. Seriously, though, she should try using her big girl words and indoor voice once in a while. And maybe lay off the sugar and caffeine or whatever's got her so hyper.
What with the squealing and the by now de rigueur Max monologues about how perfect his life is with Miss Weeweewee All the Way Home, I was going to do 3 stars, but I knocked it down to 2 because of ableist language. OCD is NOT a passion for neatness, any more than clinical depression is a passing bad mood or bipolar is having more energy on some days than others. NEVER use the name of a serious mental health condition to describe what is merely a personality quirk. If Max had OCD, his life would be a constant struggle with intrusive thoughts and unwilling rituals and would involve a lot less smug satisfaction.
Also, this book would be no more than a short story if you subtracted all the parts that did nothing to advance the plot, develop character, or do anything else besides just take up space. Things started off interesting, but fell into a 100-page lull where the characters just drove around, drank, ate, went swimming, stared at the scenery, and congratulated themselves for having such perfect lives. Occasionally they'd remind each other there was a mystery to solve, but then they'd get back to entertaining themselves (and boring the reader). A little bit of background noise is ok, and I'm fine with hearing (briefly) about what characters ate, although I'd prefer the descriptions not be drowning n foodie adjectives and other clichés. Foodie-speak aside, though, there is no need whatsoever to disrupt the narrative with two pages solely devoted to cooking and eating poached eggs.
Still, even overly-detailed cooking scenes are better than detailing each time the characters go to the bathroom, which is also a feature of these books. I will say, however, that I greatly appreciate thevfact that there isn't much talk of s*x. What happens in bedrooms, as in bathrooms, does nothing to enhance a story in my opinion, so I just skip these parts. The egg-poaching saga, while hardly enthralling, was at least not so off-putting I needed to scroll past it.
What with the squealing and the by now de rigueur Max monologues about how perfect his life is with Miss Weeweewee All the Way Home, I was going to do 3 stars, but I knocked it down to 2 because of ableist language. OCD is NOT a passion for neatness, any more than clinical depression is a passing bad mood or bipolar is having more energy on some days than others. NEVER use the name of a serious mental health condition to describe what is merely a personality quirk. If Max had OCD, his life would be a constant struggle with intrusive thoughts and unwilling rituals and would involve a lot less smug satisfaction.
Also, this book would be no more than a short story if you subtracted all the parts that did nothing to advance the plot, develop character, or do anything else besides just take up space. Things started off interesting, but fell into a 100-page lull where the characters just drove around, drank, ate, went swimming, stared at the scenery, and congratulated themselves for having such perfect lives. Occasionally they'd remind each other there was a mystery to solve, but then they'd get back to entertaining themselves (and boring the reader). A little bit of background noise is ok, and I'm fine with hearing (briefly) about what characters ate, although I'd prefer the descriptions not be drowning n foodie adjectives and other clichés. Foodie-speak aside, though, there is no need whatsoever to disrupt the narrative with two pages solely devoted to cooking and eating poached eggs.
Still, even overly-detailed cooking scenes are better than detailing each time the characters go to the bathroom, which is also a feature of these books. I will say, however, that I greatly appreciate thevfact that there isn't much talk of s*x. What happens in bedrooms, as in bathrooms, does nothing to enhance a story in my opinion, so I just skip these parts. The egg-poaching saga, while hardly enthralling, was at least not so off-putting I needed to scroll past it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The mystery begins! Max And Min, waking up on a beach, with no memory of how they got there. Both are feeling fuzzy, so it takes a little while for them to realise Anxious is missing! Thankfully, Anxious is found, but what else do they find on that beach? What strange things turn up in this mystery? Do yourself a favour and grab Brutality on the Beach, another fun read from Tyler Rhodes.
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February 15, 2026Waking up on a beach in Wales and manipulated into solving a horrible murder leaves Max, Min and Anxious bewildered. Another death close to home couldn't be connected, or could it? Of course they rise to the challenge and Max still manages to cook up a storm and as ever, the recipe is included.
February 28, 2026
Absolute must read
The book keeps you in suspense from start to finish
Wonderful new cooking ideas/recipes
Two months feels like an eternity for the next book
The book keeps you in suspense from start to finish
Wonderful new cooking ideas/recipes
Two months feels like an eternity for the next book
April 21, 2026
Brilliant
Brilliant as always. This was my favourite, although they are all my favourite until I read the next one. I cant wait for the next one after this!
Brilliant as always. This was my favourite, although they are all my favourite until I read the next one. I cant wait for the next one after this!
June 14, 2026
Silly
The most far fetched yet I think. Drugged and kidnapped. And kids turning to gruesome murders. All a bit silly this one.
The most far fetched yet I think. Drugged and kidnapped. And kids turning to gruesome murders. All a bit silly this one.
February 26, 2026
Brutality on the Beach has now become my new favorite in the Max's Campsite Mysteries series. It started with Max, Min and Anxious having been kidnapped and mysteriously waking up on a beach near a dead woman--oh my!--and unfolded with an intriguing new set of characters. In the end, I never saw this one coming. Tyler creates fantastic characters and very unusual and intriguing story lines. Another book that was a joy to read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews