Murder Fest

Whitstable Pearl Mystery #6

by Julie Wassmer

'While Oxford had Morse, Whitstable, famous for its oysters, has Pearl'Daily Mail

Murder Fest is the sixth book in Julie Wassmer's popular crime series - now a major Acorn TV drama, Whitstable Pearl, starring Kerry Godliman as private detective and restaurateur, Pearl Nolan.

Pearl's detective agency takes a back seat as she prepares to offer a warm welcome to a group of special visitors. A local Arts Festival is being held to honour a cultural exchange visit from representatives of Borken - Whitstable's Twin Town in Germany.

Yet very soon, personality clashes surface among the participants; local politicians try to use the festival for their own ends while others jostle for improved billing on the festival programme. Tempers flare, old feuds re-surface and on the eve of the first event, a cryptic message - Murder Fest - is received by the local police. Before DCI Mike McGuire has a chance to investigate, the festival commences with an unscheduled event when a celebrated author is found brutally murdered . . .

Soon the only 'Arts' on display are dark ones, as Whitstable's celebration of local culture transforms into a real-life murder fest - offering Whitstable's Pearl Nolan another mystery to solve.

Praise for Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl Mysteries...


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


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

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

'This is a quality title...a very entertaining read' The Puzzle Doctor

'My new favourite author in the genre' George Galloway

'A wonderful way to explore Whitstable . . . if you love cosy mysteries, then get acquainted with Pearl (and her mum and her cats!) and enjoy a trip to Whitstable through the eyes of this very convincing author' Trip Fiction

'Proves she's mistress of her craft' John McGhie, author of White Highlands

'Thoroughly enjoyable with a host of wonderful characters - I adore Dolly! - and evocative descriptions of Whitstable. Perfect for foodies too. Pearl is great and the ongoing will they/won't they love story with McGuire is compelling. Comforting, cosy and entertaining with excellent Agatha Christie-style reveals. I love these books!' Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Mum in the Middle

'If you enjoy cosy crime fiction and you still haven't picked this series, then you are missing out' Alba in Bookland

'Julie Wassmer really knows how to tell a story' -- Victoria Best, Shiny New Books

'Good, solid whodunits, without gruesome details or gratuitous violence, Murder on Sea may be just your cup of tea' -- Bec Stafford

'Come to Whitstable without actually coming to Whitstable. A good read!' Anthony Jemmett

Praise for the TV series

'Scandi noir meets the English seaside in Whitstable Pearl, a murder mystery series based on Julie Wassmer's novels...' Drama Quarterly

'...explores all the murder and debauchery in the seemingly perfect English seaside town of Whitstable...' Washington Post

'...you never know what might turn up, either on the menu or alongside an oyster boat.' Wall Street Journal

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Audiobook

304 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2019

About the author

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

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

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

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

Reviews

[Catherine Pinkett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cosy read. I didn't realise it was book 6 in this series but it was ok to read as a standalone. Ok plot with good characters

[Ambar Sahil Chatterjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘I always say clues to a crime are rather like ingredients for a meal. Put them together in the right order, and the results can be very satisfying.’
📚
2.5 rounded off to 3 stars

A cultural festival in the seaside town of Whitstable is disrupted by murder. And Pearl Nolan, restaurateur-turned-detective, who finds herself in the midst of the mayhem, is determined to investigate.

The Whitstable Pearl mystery series are set in the eponymous Kentish town and feature a plucky, resourceful heroine who is also a single mom navigating her own personal struggles. This book has its sweet cosy-mystery charm. Readers accustomed to more sophisticated whodunnits might be a tad disappointed. This one is for those looking for an easy, breezy read that revels in its quaint characters, seaside atmosphere and descriptions of delicious seafood.

This is not the first book in the series—which, incidentally, is also being adapted into a TV series—though I believe that each can be read as a stand-alone.

[Karen's World · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do believe these Whitstable Pearl books get even better, this is the 6th one and definitely the best so far. I had no clue as to the end, that was a complete surprise. This had a different feel to it, more characters set at a Literary festival with super describing of the clothes worn so you could picture the people in your head. This books keeps you engaged all the way through. A brilliant ten out of ten from me!

[Sheila Wyver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cosy crime set at a festival in Whitstable. Predictable but easy read, always pleasant to read about where you live.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading a Whitstable Pearl book, different from the tv series but the same easily enjoyable sense of mystery.

[Puzzle Doctor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at classicmystery.blog

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

With no cases for a year Pearl Nolan's detective agency is not exactly flourishing but her restaurant goes from strength to strength and she is invited to help out catering for an important local twinning event. During this festival a celebrated local author is found dead and then a visitor from the German twin town is murdered shortly afterwards.
Completely out of kilter with the trend for dark and gritty detective novels Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl books are a breath of fresh air. They hark back to the light novels of the 1930s but with a modern, playful twist. Books like this aren't everyone's taste but for a little light reading they are terrific and this is no exception.

[Vanessa-Ann Dowsett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous book from Julie Wassmer, it was lovely to catch up with Pearl (owner of Restaurant and part time PI), her mother (artist and b&b owner) and McGuire (full time detective inspector) who is known by Pearls mother as 'the flatfoot '. This book sees the first Whitstable Festival to show arts and literature for the town set apart from the ancient Whitstable Oyster Festival. Of course, anywhere Pearl is, murder is not too far off..... Sorry, you will not get anything further from me as I don't want to spoil it for you. Narrator was excellent and I highly recommend this, as I do all of her books

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this is one of the best book in this series by far: dark, complex and not so foreseeable. or maybe it is just that I grow fond of the characters and I love to read about their story. I just would love a little bit more of Mike and Pearl, but ok, it is worth waiting hopefully....

Penso che questo sia uno dei libri migliori della serie fino ad ora: veramente complesso, drammatico e piuttosto imprevisto , o magari sono solo io che non vedevo l'ora di leggere una nuova storia. Mi piacerebbe soltanto che ci fosse un po' piú di Pearl e Mike, ma ok staremo a vedere se l'attesa verrá poi soddisfatta.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVEIW!

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a cozy mystery and even if there're some elements of a cozy I think this book is darker and more complex.
I liked it, it's engaging and entertaining.
I liked the characters, well written and likable, the plot, and the setting.
The mystery was good, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Mike Sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2024 Snooker World Championship on BBC TV has really interrupted my reading progress of Murder Fest. It happens every year - for seventeen days (still five days to go). But it's of no matter when reading a Julie Wassmer book because she has that almost unique talent of writing words and plot lines that are so memorable I can pick the book up after a significant break, re-read the last paragraph I read previously, and know exactly what has occurred before. Murder Fest is another wonderful thriller. I love the fact that Julie uses the real location of Whitstable for her stories. She has lived there for many years and I have visited this old smuggling town many times. It provides a cosy feel of - belonging.

A local arts festival is being held to honour a cultural exchange visit from representatives of Borken, Whitstable's twin town in Germany. Yes - it really is! It doesn't take long for personality clashes to emerge whilst several individuals jostle for improved billing on the festival programme. On the eve of the festival DCI Mike McGuire receives a cryptic message - Murder Fest. Before he can investigate, one of the celebrated authors to take part in the festival is found brutally murdered...

Is this the start of a real-life murder fest - offering Whitstable's Pearl Nolan another mystery to solve.

Murder Fest is another fabulous, Christieesque style read. Highly recommended.

[Philip Maughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of books gets better.
Read these books in order as Pearl's family and love life continue from one to the other.
I hope our Pearl doesn't get a bad reputation for discovering murdered bodies.
At least she finds the murderer. I hope the police offer her some counselling.
And I hope Whitstable does not get a reputation of being the murder Capital of North Kent.
Pearl is asked to help out when a literary festival is organised. Three local authors are invited to participate. The festival is also being used to celebrate the anniversary of their twinning town in Germany.
Guess what? Someone is murdered. It is not revealed who until at least a third of the way into book.
So don't read the blurb or any reviews, except mine of course. Just read the book.
It kept me guessing right up to the end, and the final 3 to 4 chapters were engrossing.

[Caroline Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder Fest by Julie Wassmer

Murder Fest is the 6th title in Julie Wassmer's Whitstable Pearl cosy mystery series. Pearl runs a detective agency in Whitstable, Kent. The story opens as Whitstable is holding a Local Arts Festival held to honour a cultural exchange visit by a team of representatives from Borken, the German town which is twinned with Whitstable. Things do not go well however, particularly when a well known author is found brutally murdered, Pearl swiftly swaps her cultural hat for her Private Detective's deerstalker and off we go!

Julie Wassmer continues to write quality cosy mysteries perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Simon Brett’s Fethering series and M.C. Beaton. If you haven’t read any of the Pearl series before, I recommend them wholeheartedly.

[Kerrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was shaping up to be a decent mystery and then it veered. A lot. Without adding spoilers, I'd say that the solution seemed extremely unlikely (the motivation at least). It felt like the solution was pulled out of the air.

Murder Fest also kept Pearl more on her own than previous books and I missed seeing more interactions with her family & friends. Overall, it wasn't a bad book, but compared to the previous books in the series, it was lacking.

Side note: having watched (and LOVED) the TV show, the author's wildly different descriptions of Pearl & Mike's appearances is jarring.

[Mrs Margaret Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real plot twister!

Having now read 6 of the Pearl books, I have two things to say. Firstly, I would dearly love to give Terri Bosley a smack across her smug mouth. Secondly, I would dearly love to give Mike McGuire a no nonsense talk about how to make Pearl happy. Lastly, I have to commend the author on another intriguing plot, (again with no blasphemy or swearing) written in her beautiful style that not only tells a story but paints a word picture worthy of Turner. Getting ready for number 7 now.

[Mezzie Elen · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are the books I reach for when I want to snuggle down by the fire with a blanket. They are my secret pleasure… set in Whitstable , the infamous host town of the Oyster Fest each year. A place I visited from childhood and watched many spectacular sunsets from the beach.
Having moved West five years ago these books bring me back home…. And who wouldn’t love Pearl. Five stars because I smile every time I end each book. Thank you Julie.

[Jane Shand · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cosy mystery with a likeable amateur sleuth - previous ones involved her romantic partner DCI Mike Maguire more, and I think I like it better when it feels as if she and the police are working together. Interesting characters, well written and a great plot - I didn’t guess the murderer, though I understood some of the little clues and what they might mean - but they could have led to more than one person. If you like cosy mysteries you could do worse than this series.

[Sara Tilley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good to have the story set back in Whitstable again but it’s a curious instalment focused more on what people are wearing than eating or doing.
Fun, light read that takes you to various streets and venues, but the narrator is a little over-earnest.
Plus if I had a pound for every time I read/heard “Cathy McTurk” then I’d be able to afford one of the houses mentioned.

[Julie Thomason · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 if I could. Ut dragged till the first murder, descriptions were heavy going and the characters were two dimensional and it wasn't;t that difficult to work out who the murdere was. Not too keen on the ending and the epilogue also dragged out. I never got to the page turner moment when I wanted to know who-dun- it. Picked up in a discount store 3 for a fiver.

[Susan Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story very much. It has a well thought out plot, the characters are well portrayed and Whitstable sounds a very interesting place. The narration is excellent, and there is a dark underbelly to what would otherwise have been a cosy mystery.

The clues are there as to who the murderer is, but I didn’t notice the vital one! Nevertheless, this is an excellent read

[Sarah Rayner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whitstable pearl mystery series just get better and better with each new book. Pearl is back with another murder or murders to solve. Set in Whitstable which is very close to home with places I recognise they are books that you can’t put down and keep you guessing to the end.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serviceable tale, and but somehow not as good as the earlier ones for me. I felt there were too many explanations of people, preferences and relationships each time they appeared in the story and with some editing lapses the end result was dully workmanlike rather than dazzling

[Holly Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the series!

I have gotten hooked on these books after first seeing the episodes on Acorn. I love them all.
I find each one a new adventure and enjoy the developing relationship between Pearl and Mike.

[Sara Aye Moung · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is set in a place I really enjoy- Whitstable - and even if you don’t know the location they are a good murder mystery read.

[Anne Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story. Love the location and the description of the scene around the characters.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly average, cosy mystery

[AmyLeong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gem 💎

[Tandy Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

As ever a cracking traditional whodunnit from Julie Wassemer and with the bonus of the Kent Coast setting.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder mystery. Nice to read but no twist at the end

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another masterpiece! How I hope Ms Wassmer has spent the many months of lockdown continuing writing this wonderful series as I am about to read book 7 and I desperately want to read more!