Murder on the Coast

Detective Anna McArthur #4

by Sadie Norman

Detective Anna McArthur: back at work after being stabbed in the line of duty. And solving serious crimes in West Norfolk.

A violent killer. A detective who refuses to back down.

A year ago, a serial attacker murdered a young woman in King’s Lynn — and nineteen-year-old Sarah Paris barely escaped with her life.

The killer was never caught.

Now Sarah is missing.

She was last seen running near the quiet Norfolk village of Holme-next-the-Sea. The next morning, her car is discovered burnt out behind the King’s Lynn police station — a chilling message left almost on the detectives’ doorstep.

For Detective Anna McArthur, the case couldn’t be more personal. The same attacker once left her fighting for her life.

Now Anna and the Serious Crimes team must uncover what happened on that deserted stretch of coastline.

They are in a race against time to save Sarah. And if the killer really has returned to finish what he started, Anna may be next . . .

A chilling, character-driven mystery set in the stark beauty of rural Norfolk.

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2026

About the author

Sadie lives in West Norfolk with her husband, two children, and demanding cat named Random. She works in education, but her real passion is for writing stories with a gripping mystery, attractive setting and a host of characters to love, hate, laugh with and root for. She has a strong love for her local area, as well as keen interest in history, and aims to make her small corner of the world come alive through her work.

When not writing, Sadie can be found with her nose in a book or daydreaming, thinking up crimes for new stories.

Reviews

[Michael Cordery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot recall if I wrote any review for Sadie's first 3 books. I think I may have done one. Firstly a confession, I was born and raised in King's Lynn, a long, long time ago and over 60 years later i can still remember the town. In my days it was only a small market town compared with today. There are quite a few authors which have King's Lynn as the police centre for their books (and crimes), Jim Kelly and Emily Griffiths are 2 such writers. The latter is the best writer by far (the Dr Ruth Galloway series). The books are expensive compared with most but here I can get them digitally and audio through my local library.

I thought this was Sadie's best book. Easily readable with the main characters following on. It's set at the time when the Mart (a fun fair) comes to town. This is always on Valentine's Day, 14th February and it lasts for a week. I remember it being incredibly cold and the book confirms it. Having lived in outback Western Australia for around 60 years I doubt I could face a Fens winter today. The murders are bad which seems to be the way of most authors these day, particularly female ones. Why I'm not sure because most of them are female victims.

There is a prime suspect for the murders but it becomes clear to King's Lynn's SCU that there is also another party. The twist at the end is very good. Making it well worth a read. One murder takes place in the very road I was born in (my grandmother's front room). How's that?

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this one got me! Even if I don’t actually work it all out, I can usually get a good idea of “whodunnit” but not this time - not even close! As usual I had a couple of good suspects in mind but I think I was supposed to think it might have been them

Well done Sadie Norman.