Murder on Mustang Beach

Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery #2

by Alicia Bessette

When a killer stirs up trouble in the Outer Banks, amateur sleuth and bookseller Callie Padget is on the case, in a new beachside mystery from author Alicia Bessette.

Cattail Island in the Outer Banks is a popular destination for honeymooners and nature lovers alike. So it is a huge blow when the murder of a newlywed grinds the pre-summer season to a screeching halt. Bookseller Callie Padget launches her own investigation, after mysterious customer Geri-Lynn Humfeld, caretaker of the island’s protected wild horses, brings in an irresistible piece of information.

Determined to restore order and safety to her beloved hometown, Callie searches for answers—even as those answers cast suspicion on her soon-to-be boyfriend, Toby Dodge, whose martial arts studio was the scene of the crime. As she digs deeper, Toby becomes the police’s prime suspect. The truth raises troubling questions and sends her scouring the bookshop’s shelves for guidance.

Meanwhile, a well-loved member of the mustang herd—a pregnant mare whose anticipated foal is a symbol of summery hope for locals and visitors alike—may be facing dire circumstances. With help from Geri-Lynn, Callie unearths startling secrets surrounding not only the compromised mare, but the murdered newlywed, too. And when another body shows up, this time on isolated Mustang Beach, she must race against time to stop a killer from claiming any more innocent lives.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Cozy, Romance, Mystery Thriller

336 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 2023

About the author

Alicia Bessette is the Edgar® Award-nominated author of the bestselling Outer Banks Bookshop mystery series. Before writing fiction, she worked as a reporter in her home state of Massachusetts, where her journalism won a first-place award from the New England Newspaper & Press Association. A pianist, published poet, and enthusiastic birdwatcher, she now loves living in coastal North Carolina with her husband, novelist Matthew Quick. https://www.instagram.com/aliciabesse...

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bessette is the second book in the cozy Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series the books in this series each feature a new mystery to be fully solved so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. There will be however character development that carries over from book to book for those following from the beginning.

Callie grew up on Cattail Island but had left the small town to pursue a career as a journalist. Callie’s memories weren’t the greatest from her childhood as she had lost her mother to a tragic incident but when Callie loses her job she decides to return to Cattail Island while she decides what is next in her life. Soon Callie began to fit into her small town again even taking a job at the local bookstore working for old friends.

Callie never expected to be using her journalist skills while being on Cattail Island but her need for searching out the truth in stories is certainly coming in handy searching out suspects. Callie learns that another murder has occured in her small community and her friend and potential boyfriend, Toby, quickly became a suspect leading Callie to do another search for the truth but she never expected where that search would take her on the island.

The Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery series is one that I was immediately interested in and began with the first book of the series, Smile Beach Murder. I love a small town beachy setting and the author does a wonderful job bringing the Outer Banks to life in this series so I was happy to return to this tale in this second installment. This was a multi layered mystery and I was happily invested all throughout the story. With great characters along with the great setting I’ll be excited to return again with book three.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a delight to be back on Cattail Island with Callie and company! In this second installment of the Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery series, Callie finds herself working overtime to solve a murder tied to her love interest Toby's martial arts studio. She also gets wrapped up in helping a horse in need — one from the herd of majestic wild mustangs that live in a protected sanctuary.

Cattail Island sounds like such a gorgeous location (except for the murders!). The author has a talent for creating a vibrant sense of place, from the sandy beaches to the bustling tourist town. The murder mystery was intriguing and complex. It's not necessary to have read the first book in the series, however already knowing the characters' backstories and connections added to my enjoyment.

MURDER ON MUSTANG BEACH is the perfect cozy mystery pick to add to your summer reading list! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a digital review copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely story for anyone who loves horses, beaches, amateur sleuths and light romance. This is a perfect summertime relaxing read. Definitely recommended.

My thanks to the author, Alicia Bessette, and the publisher, Berkley Prime Crime, for my ebook. #Goodreads Giveaway

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the twisty mystery. The Outer Banks setting is gorgeous and the author’s descriptions take me to the beach from my recliner. I enjoy getting to know more about the main characters, and the story of the pregnant mare is so sweet. I highly recommend.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was really good. I still think the books are a bit long.

[Matthew Quick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic cozy from the writer I love most in the world!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We are back on Cattail Island with bookseller Callie Padget and murder strikes very close to home when a dead body is found at Toby Dodge’s martial arts studio. The man had just been married and the death rocks the island. Caretaker of the herd of Mustangs on the island, Geri-Lynn Humfeld, gives a great piece of information as Callie gets started on her own investigation to clear Toby’s name. Geri-Lynn also asks for Callie’s help locating a pregnant mare who has disappeared just a few days before she is due to deliver. Tourists and residents are all invested in the foal’s birth. Time is of the essence when it comes to finding the mare and the killer. The question is will Callie survive her investigation or will she go missing too?

Callie is still adjusting to being back on Cattail Island. Living in a loft over her Uncle Hudson’s garage is all she can afford right now. Her job at the bookstore fulfills her needs in many ways but not enough financially to get her own place. The way she finds solace in the shop in the middle of the night makes her so relatable to a book lover like me. Her relationship with Toby Dodge, the martial arts expert has proceeded at an interesting pace due to his “yearlong abstinence experience”. The year was finally up but the relationship hits a bump when murder served up a curve with him as a suspect. I appreciate the way the author allowed their relationship to develop at his pace and that Callie was comfortable and understanding to give him the time he needed.

Geri-Lynn Humfeld is an intriguing character. Her life is her horses, their care, finding funding, and protecting them from people who do stupid things to get close to them. I liked the friendship that built over the course of the story between her and Callie and the way they worked together especially when things turned dire.

Like in Smile Beach Murder, Ms. Bessette has written a very complex mystery. At first, Callie isn’t sure how she can help Geri-Lynn find her missing horse but her murder investigation keeps bringing her back to the sanctuary. When the clues started to fall into place for me and Callie at the same time I was really caught off guard but a theme that had run through the book made it all make sense and how people can be pushed in unimaginable ways. The reveal really ratcheted up the suspense with more than one edge-of-the-seat moment. Callie is a strong woman in several ways and she pulled on all that strength as the exciting scenes, which were vividly described, played out.

I have heard so much about the Outer Banks Mustangs over the years. Sadly our one family vacation to North Carolina didn’t include a visit to see them so I love when they show up in my fictional reading. Ms. Bessette describes everything so wonderfully. Because of her details, I got to know so much about them. It doesn’t replace actually going there but it sure did make me add an Outer Banks visit to my bucket list to see the beautiful historic animals. I loved the way they were featured in this book and that a book from Callie’s bookstore revealed a monumental clue.

Murder on Mustang Beach was a marvelous escape. The subject matter was fresh and current. The characters are engaging and the mystery was compelling and entertaining. If you are making your summer reading lists be sure to add both of the books in this series.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really loving this new cozy mystery series set on the Outer Banks that follows an amateur detective slash bookshop owner who keeps finding herself at the centre of murder investigations. In this second book of the series we get to know more about the wild mustangs that run free on a special section of the beach and the threat to the herd's newest member. There's also a little free library storyline that I particularly enjoyed, despite the damage it incurs. Great on audio too narrated by one of my favs, Karissa Vacker. Definitely a fun beach read pick for the summer!

[Bronwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery for horse girls

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Former reporter and bookseller Callie Padgett knows that she's falling for the owner of the local dojo, Toby, but their incipient romance is interrupted when a body is found in the dojo. Despite Callie providing him with an alibi, the police suspect Toby, especially when they find out that the dead man was the school bully who made Toby's life hell--twenty years previously. Meanwhile, Callie has been asked by the woman who runs the local wild mustang sanctuary to help find a pregnant mare who is missing, possibly abducted.

[Jane Cleland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! Elegant prose. A twisty plot. Characters I wanted to know. Beautifully crafted, thoroughly enjoyable.

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this on audiobook & some of the voice acting was iffy. Overall the story was okay; a little boring and a little long, but I'm a horse girl so it still gets 3 stars ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to be in the right mood for a cozy read to hit right. They tend to be more atmospheric than I prefer, but occasionally, once comes along that is just amazing – and that was this book.

The picturesque town of Cattail Island is a popular tourist destination. Its quite, gorgeous and home to many wild mustang horses. When a murder occurs, Bookseller Callie is determined to figure out who is behind it! As she searches for answers alongside her would be boyfriend, Callie slowly finds herself putting the pieces together. When she notes that the well-loved mustang mare is struggling, Callie can’t help but wonder if more sinister things are going on. Slowly but surely Callie gets the story – but will it be soon enough to save the mare, and herself?


I loved that the main character in this one owned a small bookstore – can we say dream? I’d love to own a bookstore and solve murders in my spare time! Also, wild mustangs – just yes! I would visit this small island in a heartbeat!

This book was the second book in a series, but I don’t think I missed much of the story by reading this one without the first. I really enjoyed the writing style, the author made me feel like I was right there in Cattail Island alongside Callie as she tried to figure things out. I also enjoyed Callie as a character, she was just so relatable. I just wish there was a little more romance, but the mystery and atmosphere held my interest enough to forgive this.

Check out this lovely cozy mystery May 16th.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Cattail Island is awaiting the birth of a new foul, Callie Paget and Toby Dodge are awaiting their first date. Owner of the local martial arts studio, Toby just started offering an open-workout option since the island doesn’t have a gym. When they find a sinister surprise at the studio, a dead body, Callie is determined to uncover the truth and clear Toby’s name. The victim, Seth Goodman, was just married on Cattail, and his friends, family, and co-workers don’t know whether to end their vacations early and head home, or try to make the most of it. Meanwhile at Mustang Beach sanctuary, a pregnant wild horse has gone missing. Can Callie solve these two mysteries, or will the threats force her to back off?

Now that Callie has been back on Cattail for more than a year following her layoff at the Charlotte Daily, the island feels more like home than ever. She uses being a local to her advantage as she introduces herself to the mourning bride’s family and friends, such as Dominic and Ivy O’Neil and their bookworm daughter. Meanwhile, Geri-Lynn at the sanctuary has only confided in Callie about the pregnant horse going missing. This series makes a good cozy mystery because there’s enough layers to keep you engaged while still being a light read. I would definitely continue with the series!

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bessette
Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery #2
327-page Hardback story ends on page 323

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Featuring: Outer Banks, North Carolina; Island Life, Reporter, Bookstore, Horses, Newlyweds, Murder Investigation, Books, Book Within A Book, Mary Higgins Clark, Pets, Bookworms

Rating as a movie: PG-13 for adult content and situations

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🐎

My thoughts: This is way better than the first book. I'm going to have to stop saying "happy reading" because I read it in a book. I like this series and I think I will continue it. It took a moment for Callie to find her footing in the first book but this one takes off right away. There are new preteen bookworm and another mention of Where The Crawdads Sing, but her hero Mary Higgins Clark is mentioned but no longer take a shot status. Callie is smart but she is so middle-of-the-road I may not remember what happened by the time the third book is published.

Recommend to others: Yes. I think I found a new series.

Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery
1. Smile Beach Murder (2022)
2. Murder on Mustang Beach (2023)

[Amber Humphries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bassette. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC.

Alicia Bessette has done it again. It sucked me into the world of the Outer Banks and made me want to pick up and move there. While our heroine Callie and the murder mystery she finds herself stumbling upon is as good as ever, the author's detailed love of Cattail Island really elevates my enjoyment. All these great little details bring this book to life and make me care about what is happening. I give this book 5/5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good cozy mystery.

[Jessica Parris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super easy beach read, not super intense. I think I enjoyed smile beach murder more. I wish there was more about the actual romance between Callie and Toby bc they kinda just seem like friends? Overall good!

[Hannah Stoltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good sequel in this cozy series with all of the charming atmosphere of the OBX! I loved the continuation of the stories given in book one and the mystery had me on my toes until the end.

[J.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horse lovers and mystery lovers will enjoy this cozy mystery.

[Melissa Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 stars
Just decent
Also didn’t realize this was the second book of a series oops.

[Katie Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! I hope there are many more to come

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The black and white, cut and dry approach to murder in the cozy genre has changed in the post-COVID lockdown years. This particular murder at first glance appears to be in keeping with older, established tropes. The man was a bully and despite stated good intentions, continued to be a bully by many accounts.

This time, though, in the climax, things aren't as cut and dry. The victim wasn't as cut and dry evil as he would have been in previous years. Likewise, his murderer isn't as single minded about the crime as they would have been. Nor was the murder as elaborate a plan as it would have been.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2023/comm...

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder On Mustang Beach is the second book in the An Outer Bank Bookshop Mystery series by Alicia Bessette.

After a devastating breakup, Tony Dodge had vowed not to date anyone for a year. Tony Dodge and Callie Padget have spent the last few months running Mustang Beach Path and working out at Tony’s Cattail Family Martial Arts.

The day that they can have their date has finally arrived. Callie and Tony are excited they can have their date later in the day. As they come from their morning run at the martial arts studio, their happiness turns to sadness as they enter the studio to find the body of Seth Goodnow, who had been strangled. Seth and his fiance had come to Cattail Island to be married on the beach and for their honeymoon,

Sadly, Callie and Tony’s first date has to be put on hold. As the police investigate, a note is found in Seth’s wallet. Tony had been bullied by Seth when they were in school. Tony had written a letter saying he would get even by killing Seth. Seth and three others had been in the Catail Martial Arts the day before. Callie and Tony will start investigating these people, along with members of the wedding party and guests who have stayed on during the honeymoon. Not only do they need to find the murderer and clear Tony’s name, but they need to get that first date planned.

Callie also gets involved with Geri-Lynn Humfield, who handedly runs the Mustang Beach Sanctuary. Her duties include looking out for health issues, watching that humans do not feed the wild mustangs, and searching for funds to keep the sanctuary financially solvent Callie was delivering a book from the bookstore where she works to Geri-Lynn. Callie helps Gero-Lynn search for a missing pregnant mare. They hope the mare has only gone into hiding until her foal is born and has not been stolen,

This story is well-written, plotted, and very descriptive in describing the island and the operation of mustang sanctuary. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable. The book reads at a good pace and has enough twists and turns that I was guessing until the end as to who the killer was.

I will be watching for the next book in this exciting series.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I don't necessarily think there was really anything wrong with this book, but it seemed like it focused way too much energy on the relationships between characters and not enough on the plot. 50 pages in, I still felt like I was just aimlessly meandering around the town it was set in with nothing much to back it up besides the obligatory dead body. It may have just been a matter of taste, but I could not get into this to save my life.

[Methuselah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The first book in this series was pretty good, but I just couldn't invest in this second go-around. And the author tends to describe in painfully minute detail really unimportant points, like the exact type/style of top the character changes into, or the exact restaurant order, appetizer size of course, the character orders. It was distracting and boring.

[Amy S Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book and just like the first one, you really don't figure out who the bad guy is til the end. Leaves you, saying OH?!!?!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars is really more of a "me" thing. I'm not the world's biggest cozy mystery fan, but I started this series thinking that the beach town setting would make the books more palatable to me. As someone who grew up on the Misty series (& what 80s girl didn't?), I was stoked for Murder on Mustang Beach, imagining a gentle mystery for all the grownup, beach loving horse girls. And it is basically that! But it turns out I just don't love these types of books as much as I thought I could force myself to. I didn't dislike this book (or its predecessor), but I find this style of mystery to be just a little too slow, a little too wholesome, & a little too...possible?

I gravitate more toward outrageous plot twists, unbelievable thriller scenarios, & if there's a little amnesia thrown in, well all the better. My mom was a mega cozy mystery reader & I wanted to have something to share with her but...it turns out we don't have similar taste in books, & I'm OK with that. However! All the cozy mystery reading, beach loving, grownup horse-girls should love this. It just isn't my taste.

Personally, I did find that this dragged a little in places & it did take a while for me to get into it. Again, probably a "me" thing, due largely to the fact that I usually read much more fast-paced, chaotic thrillers. There were a LOT of subplots & little diversions but everything did come together in the end, at least, so while some things didn't really seem to fit (or need to be included at all, IMO), at least things tied up. All in all, definitely not a bad book, & I do think this series stands apart in the mystery genre, but I won't be reading more of these.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖My Thoughts📖

Looking for a good cozy mystery with some great characters, a bookshop (which that right there is reason enough for me to read a book), a new budding romance and of course, let’s not forget, a murder? Let me suggest you snag a copy of this one up and let allow it to take you away from reality for a while. In the second installment of The Outer Banks Bookshop, we return to the lovely people of Cattail Island. This time we are brought to Mustang Beach as opposed to Smile Beach, that was featured in the first book. I was excited to see that Callie and Toby are taking their relationship to the next level, (I’m totally rooting for them) and set out for their first date. Well wouldn’t ya know, of course it’s put on the back burner when they stumble across a dead body. What a mood kill! I don’t want to spoil anything though, so if you want to know more, you’ll just have to read it for yourself. I love Callie’s drive, the small town community, the interaction and honestly everything about this book. It fits the true definition of a cozy mystery. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out! This is a great summer read if you’re looking for one.
Thank you Netgalley, Berkley Publishing and Alicia Bessette for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ryn (Crafty_Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Callie Padget is once again caught up in murder on Cattail Island. This time around she is working to clear the name of her soon-to-be boyfriend, Toby, especially when not only was the murder victim found in his martial arts studio but there is also a connection between the two from childhood. Callie is also pulled into the mystery of the missing mustang by new friend Geri-Lynn, caretaker of the island’s protected wild mustang herd.
This novel was another delightful addition to this newer cozy series set in the Outer Banks. Callie once again finds herself in the position of amateur sleuth despite trying to resist the initial pull. Watching Callie and Geri-Lynn’s friendship bloom was a lovely character arc that helped keep the story moving. I loved learning more about the island through Callie’s past and present and found myself caring more and more about both the island and the local community because of her connections. I do have to say that I was much more invested in the story of the missing mustang than the murder if only because of how the victim was characterized, and while this played a part in the big reveal it made it difficult to care that he had been killed in the first place. While I love a good side mystery it should never overtake the main murder in my opinion. Overall, a solid addition to the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is really growing on me as an example of a cozy series done just right - charming without being twee, atmospheric without over-relying on the setting, quirky characters who aren't too unbelievably quirky. Even the animal element that pops up so often in cozies (a bookstore cat with his own Instagram following) isn't overdone. This installment has protagonist Callie Padgett investigating two mysteries - a murder victim found in love interest Toby's martial arts studio and the disappearance of a pregnant mare of a herd of wild mustangs. I particularly enjoyed the sections about the wild mustang herd, based on the real-life wild mustangs on the Outer Banks (which I hope to see one day!). One criticism I had of the first book was that the climax struck me as a little over-the-top, but I didn't have that issue with this book. I've bought hardback copies of both the books of this series and I see that pattern continuing, especially if the next book has the same gorgeous cover art!