A Killing by the Sea

By the Sea Mystery #2

by Kathleen Bridge

A struggling author gets a dose of true crime at her family’s Florida island hotel in this cozy mystery novel by the national bestselling author.

Trading the urban sprawl of Manhattan for the tranquility of Melbourne Beach, Florida, was the best decision author Liz Holt ever made. What could be better for getting a writer’s creative juices flowing than soaking in the life at the unconventional hotel that has been in her family for generations? But it’s death that grips the island when a body sweeps in on the tide.

The victim was a member of a fishing crew lost at sea who may or may not have drowned. Despite the corpse in their crosshairs, the staff of the Indialantic by the Sea Hotel continues its plans for its first annual Pirates’ Weekend. But things go further awry when both a hurricane and a killer leave a trail of destruction. Liz and her new boyfriend must figure out who’s behind the carnage—or become the next addition to Davy Jones’ locker.

Recipes included!

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Contemporary

206 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2018

About the author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen Bridge, national bestselling author of The Hamptons Home and Garden Mystery Series and The By The Sea Mystery Series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America. Kathleen is also an antiques and vintage dealer and lives on the Central East Coast of Florida. www.kathleenbridge.com

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! The cast of characters is quirky making them interesting and entertaining. Liz, the protagonist, is a strong, sensible woman who’s slowly recovering from an abusive ex and an injury that’s left her relationship-shy. Living with her beloved Aunt Amelia and friends at the Indialantic by the Sea Hotel, Liz is surrounded by love now and working on her second novel. There are several pets, both feline and canine, plus a talkative parrot! The Florida beach setting is awesome until a murder marrs the pristine grains of sand.

Liz has often heard tales of much sought after sunken Spanish galleons in the ocean nearby. When a sweet friend’s nephew’s lifeless body washes ashore and it’s deemed homicide, Liz quickly realizes he had to have seen or heard something that put him on a hit list. The author dangles cunning clues throughout this storyline trying to snag reader’s attention and, perhaps, draw them away from certain suspects. For me, one suspect stood out from others, however, the author tossed in some unexpected twists that kept me guessing. I was pleasantly surprised at the ending. I found the story well-paced with lots of action, humor, and a great plot! I’m definitely looking forward to future stories in the series. The author provides delicious salad recipes for readers to try.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Underground. Thank you.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second issue of By The Sea series finds Liz Holt helping with Indialantic Hotel and writing her new novel. Liz is wondering if the next festival will be held before the hurricane arrives at the barrier island. I like the story but felt the writing was not smooth and interfered with understanding the characters.

Watching the waves from the beach Liz noticed a turkey vulture hovering over the beach. She checked out the area and finds Declan's body and the next a gold coin under where his body lay. Although told to stay out of it by her Father and friend. She becomes involved with Ryan, her NYFD friend who is now a private investigative (PI). The more she learned about the day, Declan fills into the ocean the more determined she becomes to find what happened day. First, there is hurricane warning when the hurricane arrived all inhabitants of the Indialantic Hotel are together to ride it out in the save-room. I recommend this book. Recipes are included in dishes used in the book.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a privilege it was to be able to read Kathleen Bridge's A Killing By The Sea as an Advanced Reading Copy. The main character Liz is easy to like and mysterious herself, coming out of a horrific relationship, face scared and flawed, yet she is working on herself. Settling in after returning to the place she once again calls home, working on herself, writing, learning and loving. She is a strong and remarkable character. We learn more about her, her past and her future in A Killing By The Sea, as well as the mysteries that surround the island.
A Killing By The Sea, book two in the By The Sea Mystery Series was such a wonderful read. So many wonderful and diverse characters, animals and such a picturesque setting. A place you can go to relax and maybe even spot and play with Manatees...A perfectly cozy story, mystery and swashbuckling fun await you in this upcoming release.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz Holt and the quirky characters living in and around the Indianatlantic Hotel in Melbourne, Florida return in this second installment of the By the Sea series. Minna's nephew Dylan dies at sea under suspicious circumstances. He was also a talented photographer whose underwater pictures sold out at a gallery show after his death. Liz is determined to find out the truth about his last trip out to sea, all while trying to ride out a potential hurricane.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The mystery was engaging . There were good red herrings and interesting plot twists, especially at the end. I also liked the romantic tension between Liz and Ryan, whose relationship continues to develop from the first book. However, like the first installment, I thought there were too many characters with other storylines which detracted from the main plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an advance digital copy of this book. My review is voluntary.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Killing By The Sea, by Kathleen Bridge, tells an intriguing tale of murder, lies, secrets and pirate treasure.
Liz Holt is a good, strong character who is very easy to relate to. I enjoy her role in this book, she stays strong and determined to find the answers to a nasty murder.
When a dead body washes up on shore, everyone is saddened to learn that it's Dylan, who disappeared not long ago.
Odd things soon begin to happen, and Liz can't stand by without asking questions, and it's those questions that soon get her into trouble.
The story is well written and has enough action to keep the reader anxiously turning the pages.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and agreed to provide an honest review.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the latest series by author Kathleen Bridges. It is an entertaining and enjoyable read. The characters are diverse and a bit on the quirky side which means the cast is appealing. The mystery is well done and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. My only issue was with Ryan's jealousy. For me it seemed a bit out of place.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Killing by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge was another lovely cozy mystery addition to this series. Ms. Bridge's descriptive writing made me feel like I could actually be there at the Indiatlantic by the Sea Hotel and Emporium.

Liz continues to grow and evolve in this book and she has begun to write again now that she is home. Her relationship with Ryan is progressing in a natural way for this relationship-shy woman. However, that all gets put on hold when she finds a body washed up on the shore of the hotel. The young man had been presumed lost at sea from a fishing boat a few days ago. According to Ryan, the young man's death is suspicious. The pace moves smoothly, there is a new addition to the cast of quirky characters that reside at the hotel, play rehearsals for the theater group, a hurricane headed their way, the suspicious death and several suspects kept this book moving until the shocking reveal. I'm already excited to read the next one in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the By the Sea Mystery series, Liz finds the body of a sweet friend’s nephew on the Indialantic Beach. When it is ruled a homicide, Liz deduces that he knew something that endangered his life.

It was a fun visit with the quirky characters I met in the first story. Aunt Amelia, the resort's employees and friends are as much fun and support as expected. Of course there are the animals as well, including a talkative and noisy parrot who adds a lot of humour to the story. Liz is slowly developing a relationship with Ryan, who is now settling in Melbourne and working for Liz's father as an investigator. The author sprinkles clues throughout the story trying to snag the reader’s attention as well as red herrings to throw us off the trail. There were some unexpected twists that kept me guessing and I was somewhat surprised at the ending. The story is well-paced with lots of action and humor. I am looking forward to the next story in this series. Once again, I listened to the audiobook of this story and the narrator did a nice job with the voices of the various characters and the telling of the story.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liz Holt has returned to Melbourne, Florida after a disastrous breakup and is now living happily in the home of her childhood, the Indialantic by the Sea hotel with her father and great-aunt Amelia. She's also at the beginning of a new relationship with ex-firefighter and arson investigator Ryan Stone, who's moved here to help his grandfather run the deli at the hotel's emporium.

When everything at last seems to be going swimmingly for Liz, she sees a body on the beach and discovers it's the nephew of another emporium tenant, Minna, also a friend of Liz's. It's more tragic when it's discovered that Dylan was murdered, not merely fallen overboard the ship he was on, which is what everyone thought. But who would want to kill the young man who was also a budding photographer? While there is no dearth of suspects, it's not going to be easy to figure it out. Yet that's what Liz and Ryan have decided to do, even if they have to do it on the down low, since the lead detective also happens to be Liz's father's girlfriend, and has warned them away.

But when Minna's house is set on fire and Dylan's belongings have been rifled through, Liz is sure there's more to the story and wants to find out the real reason Dylan was killed, and if the killer didn't find what they were looking for, maybe she and Ryan can find it first...

I have to say that I really struggled with this book. I've said many times before that I'm a great believer in details, and there were several inconsistencies and things that didn't make any sense, which will be in spoilers below:

For instance, it was little things like Liz noting that Agent Pearson was wearing a jacket with a sleeveless blouse. If she wore a jacket, how did Liz know the blouse was sleeveless? (I get the jacket was white and the blouse black, but I'm guessing the jacket wasn't see-through or Charlotte has no sense of style, because who would wear a see-through jacket with a black blouse?) Also, she mentions as to how this isn't the first dead body she's seen. Where? In the first book, she didn't discover the body and only saw it covered by a sheet. We're also not told why Dylan had Minna's last name if Minna is divorced and Dylan is her sister's son. Wouldn't he have a different last name? It is possible, but these are details, and details count.

Then there was the fact that it was mentioned that all the shops in the emporium were divided not by walls, but by four foot partitions. The words are: "...turned their heads to their right at the four-foot partition that divided the emporium shops from each other." Since this isn't explained further, do we take it to mean that this is all that divides the shops? Not walls? Because adults are taller than four feet (not counting little people), so these shops aren't separated at all, nor are they stores. They're basically just sections in one big building. You can look over a divider that short and see the 'shop' next door, and hear everything that's going on. Must be fun to be browsing books and listening to conversations about what they have next door. It's also mentioned in the last book that Kate has huge bookshelves. So they're obviously taller than the dividers, and the shop next door would see the back of them which would be an eyesore in my opinion. This also becomes a problem because if there are no walls, no one can lock up their shop. Then if someone stays late with a customer all the other shops are apparently "open" because with only dividers, there wouldn't be doors. So anyone at all could just walk through and take things. (People aren't always as trustworthy as you think, especially in this town). Or do they force everyone to enter and exit at the same time? As I've stated above, details count.

I also felt like the Indialantic hotel was a misnomer, because it didn't seem like one (since in both books she's only had one guest - and that was the last book; although it is mentioned that it's kept as a sort of boarding house), but merely a throwback to Amelia's past that she kept around as part of her memories - creepily like Miss Haversham from Dickens' Great Expectations. She surrounds herself with others like her - an eighty-one-year-old chef who thinks a script is a menu (why is this man even cooking anymore?) a housekeeper in her seventies who's had a hip replacement but apparently has no problem cleaning rooms, changing linens, scrubbing toilets, etc. (which is what housekeepers do), and going so far as to help out cooking in the kitchen. Nope. When was the last time you saw a maid/housekeeper either cooking or serving food to you in a hotel? And why is she doing the shopping for Pierre? Shouldn't a chef be choosing his own food and not trusting it to someone else unless they’re his trained assistant? I wouldn't send a neighbor/friend out to buy vegetables and meat for me, and I'm not even a professional chef. A boat captain that's in his seventies. A permanent boarder that’s eighty-three. And now, another elderly ex-actress who constantly snipes at Amelia and those around her. What fun. This place isn't a hotel; it's a retirement home for those who have no money so Aunt Amelia can foot the bill. Yes, they work there - part-time - but each has a 'suite' of rooms (!) and get room and board for their keep, so yes, she's footing the bill. My thoughts are this should be renamed the Indialantic Retirement Home.

Not to mention every single one of them is in excellent health (except for Pierre's memory loss which brings us back to why is the man still cooking instead of enjoying a leisurely retirement?) It doesn't seem realistic somehow; not a single one has any ailments - arthritis, heart condition, bad knees, etc.; not even Greta with her hip replacement (I fully expect her to take up hula dancing in the next book). While I know there are older people who are in good condition, there are many more whose health isn't what it was when they were in their fifties. Why doesn’t Amelia hire real help and allow these people to retire already? I'd hate to think I'd still be working in my seventies and/or eighties.

Then everyone in the book is compared to an actor (mostly from the 60's but not all). I'd like to think there weren't that many doppelgangers in this small town, but apparently I'm wrong. Instead of describing people, we're told they look like actors, and it gets annoying. Even the 'big kahuna' on the beach looks like - yup, you guessed it - the 'Big Kahuna' of the movie Gidget, Cliff Robertson. Seriously? (But note to Liz: if he does, dump Ryan for this guy. Cliff Robertson is a heck of a lot more masculine, not to mention better-looking, than that guy from Poldark, which is who Ryan is supposed to look like).

By the end of the book I was honestly getting tired of Amelia spouting her acting credits (and plots) over and over and over. Besides, anyone who thinks Basil Rathbone was the best Sherlock Holmes (Nigel Bruce was a bumbling Watson, to boot) instead of Jeremy Brett obviously hasn't seen any other Sherlock (sorry; had to add that because I was getting really irritated by her). She's not an interesting character, even if there are supposed 'exploits of her youth' thrown into each book. She really does seem sad and a lot like Miss Haversham, although unlike the latter, she wasn’t left at the altar. Personally, I think she never married not because she decided against it, but because her three fiancés just couldn't take listening to her talk about her TV appearances anymore.

This is the second book in the series but I felt that it was mainly centered on 1) Aunt Amelia's exploits; 2) Romance; 3) The mystery; when the mystery should have been #1 and Aunt Amelia should have been #3. We learn a lot about Amelia's TV shows, and almost everyone has a romantic interest; but Liz never gets close to danger and there's no nail-biting moments at all; it's more romance than mystery, and more Aunt Amelia than romance.

The worst thing is we're still not told the entire story of what happened to Liz to cause the scar on her face (although we're getting closer to finding out) and then it’s added in that we don't know what is going on with Susannah - why she's there and too broke to pay her way. (She's also pretty arrogant in telling Liz she needs to put her phone on vibrate. What business is it of hers?). So now there are two things that should be explained and haven’t been done so: what happened to Liz, and why is Susannah living at the hotel?

At the end, I struggled with the mystery, mainly because it was broken up so much by everything else going on that it seemed almost an afterthought; this wasn’t really a mystery at all, even if there was a murder; it was a book about Aunt Amelia and her career and exploits, with a “murder lite” thrown in. I really didn't care about the victim because not a lot was said about him, and I didn't see why Liz was even investigating because Charlotte isn't an inept detective and the police were doing their job. It just seemed 'off' to me.

I give three stars for the writing which was very good, but as you can read, I had a difficult time with this book, and I'm sorry for that. The reasons why are written above, and again, I am really sorry that I just couldn't get into the book. I'm a big believer in paying attention to details, and there was just so much missing for me.

[RO G'ma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Killing by the Sea is the second book in Kathleen Bridge’s By the Sea Mystery series. The quirky characters are well developed and the well-plotted mystery moves at a steady pace, with lots of twists and turns, action, and humor.

Liz Holt returned to Melbourne Beach, Florida six months ago after living in Manhattan for the past ten years. She’s staying at her childhood home, Indialantic by the Sea Hotel and Emporium, which is owned by her great-aunt, Amelia Eden Holt, a former television character actress. Liz and her father, Fenton, who’s an attorney, originally moved there after her mother passed away when she was five years old. Liz is working on her second book, is dating Ryan Stone, and their relationship is progressing nicely. Ryan took a leave of absence from his job as an arson investigator and fireman for New York City’s fire department to help his grandfather, Pops, at the Deci-casies by the Sea while Pops’ new knee heals and he’s also working as Fenton’s on-call private investigator. As Liz is helping to prepare for the Indialantic’s First Annual Pirates’ Weekend by the Sea, news of an approaching hurricane threatens the event. Everyone was saddened when a Dylan Presley, a young man who worked on a fishing trawler, fell overboard and was lost at sea. When Liz discovers Dylan body lying on the beach near the Indialantic, Agent Charlotte Pearson is brought into the investigation, which raises a red flag for Liz because Charlotte is Brevard County PD’s lead homicide detective. Liz decides to look in to Dylan’s murder.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book of this series was as enjoyable as the first. The tropical setting, the historic hotel and the mystery itself are very satisfying. The quirky central characters are all too human and very relatable. The main character, Liz is enjoying her return to Florida and time spent with her great aunt Amelia and her father Fenton. Amelia was a character actress on many prime time TV shows from the 50's, 60's and 70's and often makes reference to her experiences on her acting resume. It has been fun for me to read references to shows I enjoyed throughout my youth! It just adds to my love of cozy mysteries!

[L.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this series are really interesting. Liz is a wounded writer, she lives with her widowed attorney father, her great-aunt who was a TV actress in the 1950's, 60's, and 70's; Pierre, a French chef who trained with Julia Child but is losing his memory, and a slew of "orphans" her great-aunt takes in. I'm not a fan of Liz's love interest, Ryan. He's constantly getting his panties in a twist over nothing. He's very immature and his behavior is pretty annoying, especially how he's always calling Liz "Miss Bossypants." The setting is really cool, a kind of dilapidated old resort hotel on a beach in Florida. I listened to this as an audiobook, which is convenient but I tend not to "bond" with an audiobook in quite the same way I do with a regular book. All the same, I have really enjoyed these first two books and look forward to reading more.

[Patricia Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indialantic By The Sea in Melbourne, Florida, is home for Liz Holt. Has been for generations and now she is back home after a bad relationship and an injury she would rather not talk about. Back with Aunt Amelia and the quirky characters who own the shops in the Emporium, she is feeling safe and loved and just maybe she can write again.

But before she can settle in to write, a body washes up on their beach. The body of a local fisherman. But it doesn't look to Liz like an accident. So with their big Pirate's Weekend coming up and her guy, Ryan, she's poking her curious nose in dangerously close to a killer while a hurricane is getting closer by the moment.

There is a lot of action going on in this second book of the series. The characters are what make the book. They are all so well done and real. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Netgalley/September 25th 2018 by Lyrical Underground

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz Holt is happy with her decision to leave Manhattan and live at her family’s hotel in Melbourne Beach, Florida. She is using her time writing a novel, and preparing for their first annual Pirates’ Weekend. But, all that is shattered when the body of a known fisherman is washed up on shore. Liz believes that his death is not an accident. As a hurricane approaches the barrier island, can Liz find the truth before it’s too late?
I liked this cozy mystery. The protagonist seemed very likeable and real. She had the quintessential stubbornness needed for an amateur sleuth to succeed when others tell her to stop. The plot had many twists and turns. But, there were too many characters and I felt confused in the beginning. Maybe if I read the first in this series, I would have been more prepared. I also believe certain parts of the novel needed a little more editing. In spite of these drawbacks, I would like to read more about Liz and her life in Melbourne Beach. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping the series would get better but I just didn't enjoy this book. The name dropping is annoying and I don't think Aunt Amelia's career has anything to do with the story, yet it comes up consistently, bogging the story down. And maybe it's because I listened to this rather than reading it, but every little thing seemed to be blown out of proportion.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Killing by the Sea is fun, action packed mystery with a great setting and a cast of interesting, quirky characters. Liz Holt grew up at Melbourne Beach, Florida and has recently returned from New York City after an abusive marriage, newly divorced. She and her father has lived with her great Aunt Amelia at her formerly famed resort, Interlantic by the Sea hotel, shops and grounds, since the death of her mother when Liz was a young girl. Amelia is an sprite and lively eighty year old former actress. While her hotel is not open to the public, she does allow some friends to live in her hotel permanently, some free. There is a lively, close knit and fun group of people who form a little community of friends, cats, dog and parrot. Fenton, Liz's dad lives in an apartment on site and is an attorney. Liz lives in a former pavilion and is working on a novel. When a close friend and nephew of one of their shop owners and friends is found by Liz dead on the shore of the resort after disappearing from a fishing vessel, Liz and her friend, Kate, and boyfriend, Ryan, try to find out what is behind Dylan's death. Dylan is a photographer whose work is on display with his aunt Minna's work. Dylan is well liked by all and everyone is upset by his death. Did he see something that he should not have? There is a big group of suspects that appear to be suspicious but the ending was a bit of a surprise. Fenton's lovely girlfriend, Police Detective Charlotte Pearson, is not happy with Liz and friends' interfering with her investigation but they do find some important clues.
This was a fun mystery with a great cast of characters in a interesting setting and even a hurricane to complicate events. I did not read the first in the series and I did have a little trouble following the people and events at the beginning but as the story unfolds, I had no problems following.
Thank you to Lyrical Underground and Kensington Books through NetGalley for the complimentary ARC to read and review. The opinions stated are mine only.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This is the second book in the A By The Sea Mystery series by Kathleen Bridge

Basic premise: Liz finds a dead body on the beach with an antique gold coin underneath the corpse. She decides to get involved in the investigation but is asked over and over to stay out of it.

Loved the quirky Aunt Amelia. She was quite a hoot. Although, her constant litany of her acting credits do get a bit tiresome after awhile. There is a big pirate theme in this story and that makes this even more interesting to the reader. BUT … Somehow I thought the pirate thing verses the acting stories made the whole plottline hard to follow and disrupted the mystery aspect of it all.

I thought the mystery was pretty good. Hard to follow at times and the flow of the text did feel a bit choppy but the characterization was better. The middle of the story felt muddled when the focus changed to Aunt Amelia instead of the mystery. But I caught back up with it in the last third of the book.

As far as the love connection goes… I am not totally buying this relationship between Liz and Ryan. It just feels off to me. Sometimes it is hard to tell ages when you read a book so it is hard to guess whom I would like better to fill that part. Not to mention the comparisons between citizens and actors is really difficult. I am not sure many of the fans of the cozy genre would even know who many of these actors were.

Overall, it was a pretty good read and I look forward to reading more in the series!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book but there were several thing about aunt Amelia past that made me feel uncomfortable and I'd rather be cut. I actually have a hard time believe that we weren't already discussing that it is inappropriate to dress as an indigenous person at the time of this book.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder hits close to the Indialantic Hotel in beautiful Melbourne Beach once again, and Liz Holt is on a mission to discover the killer. With a hurricane on its way, Pirates' Weekend on the calendar, and talk of lost treasure, Kathleen Bridge's A Killing by the Sea kept me on the edge of my seat as I got to play armchair detective along with Liz, Great Aunt Amelia, bff Kate, boyfriend Ryan, and the rest of the residents. A nice sequel to Death by the Sea, the mystery is cleverly crafted and quite cozy. A+

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz never thought coming back to live in Florida after 10 years in New York City would turn out to be deadly. After an ugly ending to her relationship with her boyfriend (good riddance to bad rubbish as the old saying goes). In this, the second mystery, Liz is happily living in a nice little beach cottage, back in the family fold. Her great Aunt, a former character actress from the 1950's and 1960's runs a slightly worn around the edges hotel, one with an olympic sized pool, cottages.....plenty of room for her "strays", both human and four legged furry ones. The Indialantic By the Sea hotel and Emporium has a wonderful cast of characters. The stores that make up the emporium side of things range from clothing to books to art to food and inland boat tours. More to be added by the end of this entry.
As things are progressing with the stage play, The Bat, and plans are coming together for a Pirate weekend event, complete with a hunt for buried treasure, Liz finds murder and treasure hunting have literally landed at her doorstep. Leaving her cottage one morning she comes across a corpse washed up on the beach and, sad to say, it is someone she knows. Her new boyfriend, Ryan, is working as a PI for her father, a semi retired lawyer and, along with just about everyone else in her vast circle of friends, the investigating begins. If that wasn't hard enough, along comes a hurricane named Roberta to really shake things up.
The hotel is the sort of place I would love to call home. It's a family, everyone looking out for each other, each with a special personal story-life event that has brought them here. It's a safe haven, with or without a hurricane. I'm looking forward to the third book - there are some delightful hints scattered at the end of this mystery that I want to know more about. This can be read as standalone but I'm almost positive that, if this was your introduction to Liz and her family, you will want to go get a copy of the first mystery, Death by the Sea.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the By the Sea series. In this outing, Liz Holt has moved to the Florida island where she grew up to regroup and try to finish the novel she’s working on. Life gets in the way of her intentions, especially when a body of one of the locals is lost at sea from one of the fishing boats. Liz finds the body, and notes, with dismay, the large gash in the back of his head. She has many other things to worry about more than investigating a possible murder, like the upcoming Pirates’ Weekend at the family hotel, a chef who has dementia, a new boyfriend, a great-aunt who has great plans for the Pirates’ Weekend, whether her father’s new girlfriend, the detective investigating whether foul play was afoot in the death of man Liz found on the beach, will give her information on the investigation, and weather the tropical depression headed their way will slow down or turn elsewhere or turn into a hurricane and ruin their weekend plans.

The opening scenes of this book will grip any reader and have her quickly turning pages. But for some reason, the author slows down the action to a snail’s pace to describe, in several cases multiple times, the history of the hotel, interactions between residents, etc.

I’d like to say this book can be read as a stand-alone, but without having read the first book, and the author not giving enough information (even when she goes off on tangents) about the characters to not leave newbies in the lurch. For instance, she spends time talking about a scar on Liz’s face, but doesn’t say how or why it got there, leaving the reader wondering if some significant event occurred in the first book that would explain the scar and why it remains significant enough in the second book for multiple reference to it.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in series. I highly recommend the first in this delightful series. This is a strong well crafted cozy series with a charming coastal Florida setting,, savvy smart protagonist and always a great sleuth with fun supporting charcters.
Liz Holt grew up at Melbourne Beach, Florida and has recently returned from New York City after an abusive marriage ended. She is healing amid her family and learning to be happy again. She and her father live with her great Aunt Amelia at her formerly famed resort hotel., Amelia is a active smart and lively eighty year old former actress who adds a lot of humor and wit to the story. She has some friends to live in her hotel permanently. There is a close fun group of people who form a friendly community of friends, cats, dog and parrot. Fenton, Liz's dad lives in the hotel and so does Liz.
When a close friend and nephew of one of their friends is found by Liz dead on the shore of the resort Liz and her friend, Kate,,try to find out what happened to cause Dylan's death. Dylan was a popular photographer who is well liked by all and his murder makes no sense. Liz is determined to find out who murdered him on the heels of solving her first murder after returning to town. She soon begins to find more clues and suspects that the local police who want her off the case. She is not be deterred and soon solves the case with help from her friends and family who want this murder to be solved as well.
This was a fun mystery series with quirky charcters, a great Florida coastal setting and always a good sleuth and whodunit . I did not figure out the true suspect and was surprised by the ending. , I highly recommend this series for your reading enjoyment for all who love a good mystery .

[Jennifer Ritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Killing by the Sea is the second book in Kathleen Bridge’s By the Sea Mysteries. Liz Holt, an award winning author with a difficult recent past, returned to her family home at the Indialantic by the Sea hotel in Melbourne Beach, Florida, about six months ago. This resort, which has seen better days, was founded by Liz’s great grandfather. Now owned and operated by her great aunt Amelia and more of an unpaid rooming house than resort, they depend more on the By the Sea Emporium rents and events for income.

As hurricane Roberta mixes things up in the Caribbean, there is a pall over the area when local artist Minna Presley’s nephew Dylan is missing after a storm at sea. When Liz discovers his body washed ashore and a crusty gold doubloon beneath it, the mystery begins to unfold. As Liz and retired FDNY arson investigator Ryan Stone work together, and at odds, to try to discover what befell Dylan, a cast of viable culprits are investigated. When yet another body is discovered as the hurricane approaches, and clues begin lining up, mourners are shown as villains and suspected villains turn out to be the law.

Another fast paced mystery in this delightful series to add to your reading list! With engaging characters and a lovely setting, Ms. Mullet again spins a twisting tale for the reader to follow the crumbs to a surprising climax. I did enjoy this book and do recommend it!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Kathleen Bridge's A Killing by the Sea, the 2nd installment in the By the Sea cozy mystery series, this installment would sweep you off your feet and captivate you with heightened suspense. For Liz Holt, her life couldn't be better as a writer and living in Melbourne Beach, Florida. But besides the continuous babble with her great-aunt Amelia and her friend Susannah Shay for a part in the play called the Bat, things do get dramatic along the shore. It all started with Liz finding a dead body along the ocean. She already knew it was her family friend Minna's nephew Dylan, a photographer who was making a name for himself as an underwater cinematographer. When she learned about the news, she begins to dig deeper on who caused his death and why. Things are getting deeper for Liz and her boyfriend Ryan, when they might take their relationship up to the next level. But when she ran into Jake, a friend of Dylan, she became suspicious of him and his latest actions. Then Minna's house had a fire and nothing was missing or damaged, except for one thing. Then she took a closer look into Jake's background and learned more about the ship Poseidon and what it has been up to.. including a new murder from a local billionaire. As she pieced together the pieces to this twisted puzzle, it thickened the pot before things got hotter during a hurricane storm to found out who done it and why.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: A Hurricane is just one of the challenges facing Liz, her family and friends. A popular young man’s body washes up on the beach, after disappearing off a fishing boat. What is initially assumed to be a tragic accident turns out to be murder. What is the connection between his passion for photography, a theatrical troupe, sunken treasure and a wealthy man who owns multiple businesses? Did that connection get him killed?
Nothing is straight forward and there are some huge twists that neither Liz nor the reader see until the very end. It is a good mystery set in a great location with fascinating characters. From Liz to her great-aunt, to her father, the key characters are smart and well fleshed out. What makes this series even more enjoyable is the cast of misfits that blend into the larger “family” that interact at the Indiatlantic. Her great-aunt seems to rescue these “strays” making the extended group all the richer and more interesting.
I have enjoyed the series from the beginning. These are characters with whom the reader can relate. Adding to my pleasure are four legged family members. I happily will check in again and again.
I give five purrs and two paws up.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the By a Sea Mystery series is titled A Killing by the Sea. In this installment, Liz Holt, who left New York to go to Melbourne Beach, Florida and the family run inn--Indialantic by the Sea Hotel, is writing a book. There she has the support of her attorney dad, former actress Aunt Amelia, and bff Katie Fields. Also there are her kitten--Bronte, parrot--Barnacle Bob, and hotel housekeeper-- Greta Kimball. While they are busy getting ready for the Pirates' Weekend by the Sea, Liz and Ryan (her new love interest) discover photographer Dylan's dead body! While dealing with the mystery of his death, Amelia and Susannah Shay are busy with rehearsals for "The Bat" and there is a hurricane brewing. I enjoyed the references to old television shows in which Aunt Amelia once appeared such as Dark Shadows! This story has an interesting mix of characters and a lovely setting. I want to keep reading this series to find out more about Liz and her past and her future.

[Camilla Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book thru Libby (the library system's ebooks). I'd read the first book in this series a year or so ago, but the next 3 were only available as ebooks. And I wasn't finding any of them in print form at any of the thrift stores I visited. So, I broke down and downloaded the app, got a bit of assistance from library personnel, and read the book on my cell phone in less than a week.

As to the mystery, I live in the area and have for nearly 35 years so was familiar with the locale. Love supporting local talent. Plus I've read the first few books from her Hamptons series (Home and Garden Mysteries) and really enjoyed them too. Did I know who the culprit was? Of course not. At least not completely.

But it was a well thought out plot so I was definitely engaged! Read and enjoy!

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz has to get involved when Declan's body washes up on the beach near her home at the Indiatlantic Hotel. This second installment in a new cozy series features a strong protagonist in Liz, who has had tough times in life but is settled now at her family's hotel in Melbourne Beach, Florida and writing a new novel. She's got a neat relationship with Ryan, who hopefully will stay around permanently, as he is only in town to help his grandfather recover from a knee replacement. Ryan's law enforcement background combined with Liz's curiosity made this mystery a good one. There are all sorts of cozy elements (including recipes) but it was the story than won me over. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stand alone – absolutely. This is the second in the series. I usually enjoy books set in Florida. The story was interesting and I was surprised upon reveal.

What I did like:
The cast of characters – their diversity.
The main characters are evolving. This one is set in Melbourne.
Lots of twists and turns, leading to a not so easily picked culprit.
References to show from the 1960s and 1970s.

What I did not like:
Many characters – distracting.

Looking forward to another installment.

I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by Lyrical Underground and NetGalley.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely setting on a barrier island off the Florida coast. The plot revolves around a missing young fisherman who washes up dead on the beach. Liz Holt and her sort of boyfriend Ryan Stone quietly investigate while Agent Charlotte Pearson, girlfriend of Liz's father, investigates officially. There are pirates, treasure and possible drug smuggling underlying the investigation and an impending hurricane puts everyone in jeopardy. My only complaint was the use of former actors as descriptions of the characters. Anyone under 40 would have no idea what these characters looked like i.e. Edward Mulhare. Otherwise an enjoyable mystery.