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The Nosey Parker Mysteries #6
A Cornish Seaside Murder
‘As twisty-turny as a Cornish lane in high summer’
J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder ‘A sparklingly delicious confection to satisfy the mystery reader’s appetite’
Helena Dixon, bestselling author of the Miss Underhay Mysteries A Siren’s call… to murder ‘An absolute gem… Leitch’s characters are as engaging and clever as the mystery she’s concocted’ Lauren Forry, author of The Launch Party ‘Fiona Leitch is on fine form with this wrym twisty tale from the Cornish coast’ M.H. Eccleston, author of The Trust Former Met police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers – while still trying to grow her catering company – brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie’s attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman. While tourists and locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real – and very dangerous – turf war. As the casualties start to stack up, they must face the likelihood that something sinister has been going on under their noses for some time…
J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder ‘A sparklingly delicious confection to satisfy the mystery reader’s appetite’
Helena Dixon, bestselling author of the Miss Underhay Mysteries A Siren’s call… to murder ‘An absolute gem… Leitch’s characters are as engaging and clever as the mystery she’s concocted’ Lauren Forry, author of The Launch Party ‘Fiona Leitch is on fine form with this wrym twisty tale from the Cornish coast’ M.H. Eccleston, author of The Trust Former Met police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers – while still trying to grow her catering company – brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie’s attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman. While tourists and locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real – and very dangerous – turf war. As the casualties start to stack up, they must face the likelihood that something sinister has been going on under their noses for some time…
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2023
529 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Leitch
26 books403 followersFiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called 'Sod Off'. After living in London and Cornwall she's finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters.
The first book in her 'Nosey Parker' series of cozy mysteries set in Cornwall will be published by One More Chapter in January 2021, with books 2 and 3 following in February and March.
Her debut novel 'Dead in Venice' was published by Audible in 2018 as one of their Crime Grant finalists. Fiona also writes screenplays and was a finalist in the Athena Film Festival Writers Lab, co-run by Meryl Streep's IRIS company.
Fiona is represented by Lina Langlee at the North Literary Agency.
The first book in her 'Nosey Parker' series of cozy mysteries set in Cornwall will be published by One More Chapter in January 2021, with books 2 and 3 following in February and March.
Her debut novel 'Dead in Venice' was published by Audible in 2018 as one of their Crime Grant finalists. Fiona also writes screenplays and was a finalist in the Athena Film Festival Writers Lab, co-run by Meryl Streep's IRIS company.
Fiona is represented by Lina Langlee at the North Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
June 7, 2023
Fiona Leitch’s latest cozy mystery is
A Cornish Seaside Murder.
With a twisty plot, plenty of mermaids for the summer festival, fishermen’s tales, a death, and humor, this sixth book in the Nosey Parker series delivers a well-written mystery that kept me turning the pages.
Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker has moved back to her home town of Penstowan after leaving the London metropolitan police force. She has retrained as a caterer. However, she is also working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force in Cornwall while still growing her catering business. That becomes challenging when a local fisherman drowns under suspicious conditions and she has a birthday party to cater. Additionally, working for as well as living with her boyfriend Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Withers presents its own challenges. Balancing of commitments becomes a vital consideration and problem for Jodie.
Once again, I enjoyed visiting with old friends. Jodie’s sense of humor and warmth continues to shine in this story. She is a likeable and friendly character with a need to investigate that I continued to connect with. The secondary characters continue to develop. In this case, we saw more growth in Nathan, mom Shirley, and daughter Daisy. The chemistry between Nathan and Jodie creates a fun dynamic. Instead of only quaint characters, this cozy has several realistic characters that add to the depth of the story. Spotlighting their individual traits made it easy to connect with them. Their Pomeranian Germaine continues to add cuteness and stress relief at various times.
This well-plotted story has characters that feel emotionally rich. It draws readers in and doesn’t let go until the final word in the book. The story had several twists, a few red herrings, a couple of surprises at the end, and gives readers something to consider on a couple of important issues. As always, having a sleuth that isn’t an amateur continues to bring depth to the novel that can be lacking in some cozy mysteries. However, this one seemed more of a police procedural than prior books in the series.
Overall, this was a story that quickly drew me into Jodie’s world. It was a fun, appealing and entertaining read with a solid mystery to unravel. Themes include friendship, family relationships, family, romance, death, and much more. Relationships continue to play a major role in this series. A recipe is included at the end of the book.
I recommend the novel to those that enjoy the genre. It was a fun and relaxing read and I can’t wait for the next book featuring Jodie and her family and friends. For more enjoyment, the books are best read in order, but this can be read as a standalone.
HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Fiona Leitch provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for June 08, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------------------------
My 4.19 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker has moved back to her home town of Penstowan after leaving the London metropolitan police force. She has retrained as a caterer. However, she is also working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force in Cornwall while still growing her catering business. That becomes challenging when a local fisherman drowns under suspicious conditions and she has a birthday party to cater. Additionally, working for as well as living with her boyfriend Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Withers presents its own challenges. Balancing of commitments becomes a vital consideration and problem for Jodie.
Once again, I enjoyed visiting with old friends. Jodie’s sense of humor and warmth continues to shine in this story. She is a likeable and friendly character with a need to investigate that I continued to connect with. The secondary characters continue to develop. In this case, we saw more growth in Nathan, mom Shirley, and daughter Daisy. The chemistry between Nathan and Jodie creates a fun dynamic. Instead of only quaint characters, this cozy has several realistic characters that add to the depth of the story. Spotlighting their individual traits made it easy to connect with them. Their Pomeranian Germaine continues to add cuteness and stress relief at various times.
This well-plotted story has characters that feel emotionally rich. It draws readers in and doesn’t let go until the final word in the book. The story had several twists, a few red herrings, a couple of surprises at the end, and gives readers something to consider on a couple of important issues. As always, having a sleuth that isn’t an amateur continues to bring depth to the novel that can be lacking in some cozy mysteries. However, this one seemed more of a police procedural than prior books in the series.
Overall, this was a story that quickly drew me into Jodie’s world. It was a fun, appealing and entertaining read with a solid mystery to unravel. Themes include friendship, family relationships, family, romance, death, and much more. Relationships continue to play a major role in this series. A recipe is included at the end of the book.
I recommend the novel to those that enjoy the genre. It was a fun and relaxing read and I can’t wait for the next book featuring Jodie and her family and friends. For more enjoyment, the books are best read in order, but this can be read as a standalone.
HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Fiona Leitch provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for June 08, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------------------------
My 4.19 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
February 14, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕
A Cornish Seaside Murder is the 6th-installment of the Nosey Parker Mystery series by Fiona Leitch. This is the 4th-book in this series that I have read and I have been enjoying my time with these mysteries so much.
These books follow Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in London after a close call and returned to her native village of Penstowan in Cornwall with her teen daughter, Daisy, and their Pomeranian, Germaine.
Jodie created her own catering company and it is taking off. With the help of Daisy, her Mom and other friends, she's created quite the little team.
Recently though, after assisting her beau, DCI Nathan Withers, on a couple of cases, Jodie has been brought onto the Penstowan Police force as a DS. That is the capacity she is working in throughout this mystery.
It's tough, trying to juggle the catering with the DS position, as well as being a single Mom. We see Jodie grapple a bit with finding balance in this story.
The mystery involves the local fishing community and sees one man dead, as well as a college-aged man beaten to the point of being in a coma. It appears that the beaten man was actually tortured, like someone was trying to get information out of him.
What is the connection between these two men and what led them to this outcome?
All this excitement is happening amidst the annual Mermaid Festival, so the town is packed. Jodie and Nathan need to solve this one quick before it has the chance to escalate, possibly harming innocent observers.
As always, I had so much fun with this. I love the cast of characters Leitch has created in the charming village of Penstowan. Additionally, I've enjoyed watching Jodie try to navigate her new life back home.
There's been some adjustments, but she has a lot of support and I'm so happy with the progress her business and relationships have made.
I will say, I found this one to be a bit more serious in tone than previous installments. I think just because of the nature of the crimes involved. It didn't have quite the same level of silliness that I enjoyed before, but I still had fun with it.
I am curious to see if there are going to be more books in the series. I certainly hope so. The ending of this, it's hard to tell. It could go either way. This could be the end, but fingers crossed Leitch has more in store for us. I'd be so excited to get my hands on a book #7!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I would absolutely recommend this series to any Cozy Mystery Lover!
💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕💚💕
A Cornish Seaside Murder is the 6th-installment of the Nosey Parker Mystery series by Fiona Leitch. This is the 4th-book in this series that I have read and I have been enjoying my time with these mysteries so much.
These books follow Jodie Parker, who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in London after a close call and returned to her native village of Penstowan in Cornwall with her teen daughter, Daisy, and their Pomeranian, Germaine.
Jodie created her own catering company and it is taking off. With the help of Daisy, her Mom and other friends, she's created quite the little team.
Recently though, after assisting her beau, DCI Nathan Withers, on a couple of cases, Jodie has been brought onto the Penstowan Police force as a DS. That is the capacity she is working in throughout this mystery.
It's tough, trying to juggle the catering with the DS position, as well as being a single Mom. We see Jodie grapple a bit with finding balance in this story.
The mystery involves the local fishing community and sees one man dead, as well as a college-aged man beaten to the point of being in a coma. It appears that the beaten man was actually tortured, like someone was trying to get information out of him.
What is the connection between these two men and what led them to this outcome?
All this excitement is happening amidst the annual Mermaid Festival, so the town is packed. Jodie and Nathan need to solve this one quick before it has the chance to escalate, possibly harming innocent observers.
As always, I had so much fun with this. I love the cast of characters Leitch has created in the charming village of Penstowan. Additionally, I've enjoyed watching Jodie try to navigate her new life back home.
There's been some adjustments, but she has a lot of support and I'm so happy with the progress her business and relationships have made.
I will say, I found this one to be a bit more serious in tone than previous installments. I think just because of the nature of the crimes involved. It didn't have quite the same level of silliness that I enjoyed before, but I still had fun with it.
I am curious to see if there are going to be more books in the series. I certainly hope so. The ending of this, it's hard to tell. It could go either way. This could be the end, but fingers crossed Leitch has more in store for us. I'd be so excited to get my hands on a book #7!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I would absolutely recommend this series to any Cozy Mystery Lover!
May 31, 2023
Book six in the Nosy Parker series and it is fun to spend some time with these likeable characters.
Jodie Parker has found herself working two jobs, one assisting her partner, DI Nathan Withers, with police investigations and the other, running her growing catering business. When a fisherman in the town is murdered and the investigation gets underway she finds herself very short of time and begins to feel her family (dog, daughter and mother) are suffering as a consequence.
It was enjoyable, for this book at least, to watch Nathan and Jodie working together. They make a great partnership at work and at home and have some very entertaining conversations. The mystery is very involved and leads to some dangerous moments. The crime is a serious one and the ending is perhaps a little easy but then this is a cosy!
Well worth four stars and I recommend this series to fans of a good cosy mystery.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Jodie Parker has found herself working two jobs, one assisting her partner, DI Nathan Withers, with police investigations and the other, running her growing catering business. When a fisherman in the town is murdered and the investigation gets underway she finds herself very short of time and begins to feel her family (dog, daughter and mother) are suffering as a consequence.
It was enjoyable, for this book at least, to watch Nathan and Jodie working together. They make a great partnership at work and at home and have some very entertaining conversations. The mystery is very involved and leads to some dangerous moments. The crime is a serious one and the ending is perhaps a little easy but then this is a cosy!
Well worth four stars and I recommend this series to fans of a good cosy mystery.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 11, 2023
EXCERPT: 'I know it probably doesn't look good if you look at the evidence. But when Mel was murdered on my wedding day, and Cheryl disappeared, all the "evidence" pointed to me, didn't it? But you knew me. You knew I wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone someone I loved. Without you, I would have been banged up for murder. That's why you helping Nathan on all the other cases worked. You knew the people involved, or at least you knew that so-called "proof" doesn't always prove anything. Now, you're ready to condemn someone who, deep down, you know wouldn't be involved in anything bad enough to warrant a beating, because you're thinking like a police officer again. We don't need that. We've got Nathan for that. We need you to think like Jodie again.'
ABOUT 'A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER': Former Met police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers – while still trying to grow her catering company – brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie’s attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman. While tourists and locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real – and very dangerous – turf war. As the casualties start to stack up, they must face the likelihood that something sinister has been going on under their noses for some time…
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't enjoy A Cornish Seaside Murder as much as I have others in the series, and the reason is right there in the excerpt. All the things I loved about Jodie's previous investigations went out the window once Jodie was 'back in uniform'. I didn't enjoy Jodie and Nathan working together at all.
I'm glad that the author highlighted the stress and time issues involved in trying to cope with two jobs, but I don't understand why Jodie hadn't thought about these issues before she accepted the job. It's not like you can just drop out of a murder investigation for a few days to go cater a wedding! Or vice-versa.
I didn't like the emphasis on the drug trafficking aspect of the story. Surely it was obvious (it was to me, and I am no sleuth) that there was another perfectly plausible explanation.
Despite these gripes, I still enjoyed this cosy mystery. I like the characters, but felt that Jodie's mother was more of a figure of fun in this book, which I didn't particularly enjoy. And, for once, I don't think Jodie was particularly nosey!
Although there is a separate mystery in each book, I don't really recommend that this be read as a stand-alone. It's an enjoyable series so my recommendation is that you read it from the beginning.
And a definite bonus: the recipe at the end of the book, and all the other dishes described within. If you enjoy cooking, don't miss this!
⭐⭐⭐.5
#ACornishSeasideMurder #NetGalley
I: @leitchfiona @onemorechapterhc
T: @fkleitch @OneMoreChapter
#contemporaryfiction #cookbook #cozymystery #detectivefiction #murdermystery #romance
THE AUTHOR: Fiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called 'Sod Off'. After living in London and Cornwall she's finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
ABOUT 'A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER': Former Met police officer Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers – while still trying to grow her catering company – brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie’s attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman. While tourists and locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real – and very dangerous – turf war. As the casualties start to stack up, they must face the likelihood that something sinister has been going on under their noses for some time…
MY THOUGHTS: I didn't enjoy A Cornish Seaside Murder as much as I have others in the series, and the reason is right there in the excerpt. All the things I loved about Jodie's previous investigations went out the window once Jodie was 'back in uniform'. I didn't enjoy Jodie and Nathan working together at all.
I'm glad that the author highlighted the stress and time issues involved in trying to cope with two jobs, but I don't understand why Jodie hadn't thought about these issues before she accepted the job. It's not like you can just drop out of a murder investigation for a few days to go cater a wedding! Or vice-versa.
I didn't like the emphasis on the drug trafficking aspect of the story. Surely it was obvious (it was to me, and I am no sleuth) that there was another perfectly plausible explanation.
Despite these gripes, I still enjoyed this cosy mystery. I like the characters, but felt that Jodie's mother was more of a figure of fun in this book, which I didn't particularly enjoy. And, for once, I don't think Jodie was particularly nosey!
Although there is a separate mystery in each book, I don't really recommend that this be read as a stand-alone. It's an enjoyable series so my recommendation is that you read it from the beginning.
And a definite bonus: the recipe at the end of the book, and all the other dishes described within. If you enjoy cooking, don't miss this!
⭐⭐⭐.5
#ACornishSeasideMurder #NetGalley
I: @leitchfiona @onemorechapterhc
T: @fkleitch @OneMoreChapter
#contemporaryfiction #cookbook #cozymystery #detectivefiction #murdermystery #romance
THE AUTHOR: Fiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called 'Sod Off'. After living in London and Cornwall she's finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
May 30, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
A Nosey Parler Mystery #6
Former Met police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers - while still trying to grow her catering company - brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie's attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman. while locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real - and very dangerous - turf war.
This book can easily be read as a standalone. Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is working as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant alongside her boyfriend DCI Nathan Withers. On this occasion they are investigating the death of a fisherman. The locals blame the mermaid whose statue has disappeared from the church. The pace is slow to begin with but it soon picks up. I slao thought some parts were a bit predictable, but that took nothing away from my enjoyment of this story. With great characters and location, this is a good cosy murder mystery.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUk #OneMoreChapter and the author #FionaLeitch for my ARC of #ACornishSeasideMurder in exchange for an honest review.
A Nosey Parler Mystery #6
Former Met police officer Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is working a trial period as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the Penstowan police force. But living and working alongside DCI Nathan Withers - while still trying to grow her catering company - brings its own challenges, especially when Jodie's attention is quickly taken up by the suspicious drowning of a local fisherman. while locals alike are falling under the spell of the annual mermaid festival with its captivating legends of Sirens luring fishermen to their deaths, Jodie and Nathan fear they may have found themselves in the middle of a very real - and very dangerous - turf war.
This book can easily be read as a standalone. Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is working as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant alongside her boyfriend DCI Nathan Withers. On this occasion they are investigating the death of a fisherman. The locals blame the mermaid whose statue has disappeared from the church. The pace is slow to begin with but it soon picks up. I slao thought some parts were a bit predictable, but that took nothing away from my enjoyment of this story. With great characters and location, this is a good cosy murder mystery.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUk #OneMoreChapter and the author #FionaLeitch for my ARC of #ACornishSeasideMurder in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2023
I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It was an easy read set in Cornwall. The writing style was such that this book was easy to pick up and put down without loosing the story. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
June 4, 2023
A Cornish Seaside Murder sees Jodie busy with the legend of an evil siren and the death of a fisherman.
In this sixth installment Jodie left her amateur sleuthing to accept a temporary position as the Detective Sergeant Parker, working side by side her boyfriend, DCI Nathan Withers.
Some characters from the previous books return, but this time the investigations are reserved to the professionals.
I felt for Jodie throughout the book. She spends her days divided between her cop work, her catering job and her family, and in the end she is fatigued and stressed, believing she is failing in every aspect. I understand her excitement to be finally back doing the work she's loved for years, but now her life is totally diffrent, and maybe she has found a new balance and got used to her life in Cornwall.
If you have read the previous books you can see that Fiona Leitch gave a different, more serious tone to the murder research, to make the difference evident. The writing and the pace are really good, I was glued to the pages from start to end.
I've enjoyed this story, but I missed Jodie's humour and her funny misadventures. On the other hand I adored Jodie and Nathan relationship, they became such a solid and healthy muture couple, I can't wait to know what's in store for them in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly giving me an advanced copy of this book to read.
May 20, 2023
⭐️⭐️💫
Siren costumes and dead bodies. Well right there’s a great hook. Except for me the resolution didn’t meet the challenge.
Maybe I’m over cosy mysteries set in Cornwall or other such beachy areas but I just felt this had nothing much new to say.
2.5 stars for a fairly average cosy mystery read that most people will enjoy.
A One More Chapter ARC via NetGalley.
Siren costumes and dead bodies. Well right there’s a great hook. Except for me the resolution didn’t meet the challenge.
Maybe I’m over cosy mysteries set in Cornwall or other such beachy areas but I just felt this had nothing much new to say.
2.5 stars for a fairly average cosy mystery read that most people will enjoy.
A One More Chapter ARC via NetGalley.
June 8, 2023
Oh, I do love a mystery!
Jodie Parker left the Met and moved back to her family home in Penstowan in Cornwall, where she lives with her mother, her daughter and her partner, local Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Withers. Jodie has a new career running her own catering company, but didn't manage to stay out of the investigation business for long as she has joined the local station as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant. In the midst of a local celebration as part of Merrymaid Week, Jade discovers a body which plunges both her and Nathan into a new case.
Not for the first time, I'm late in coming to a series but I have read other works by this author. This is an enticing mystery with lots of possibilities as to what was going on and I didn't work out whodunnit before it was shown to me. A great array of character and plenty of other things going on, however I'm not sure that Jodie and Nathan would get away with working together in today's police force, but this is fiction so I'm happy to go with the flow. An entertaining cosy mystery and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. For me, 4*.
Jodie Parker left the Met and moved back to her family home in Penstowan in Cornwall, where she lives with her mother, her daughter and her partner, local Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Withers. Jodie has a new career running her own catering company, but didn't manage to stay out of the investigation business for long as she has joined the local station as an auxiliary Detective Sergeant. In the midst of a local celebration as part of Merrymaid Week, Jade discovers a body which plunges both her and Nathan into a new case.
Not for the first time, I'm late in coming to a series but I have read other works by this author. This is an enticing mystery with lots of possibilities as to what was going on and I didn't work out whodunnit before it was shown to me. A great array of character and plenty of other things going on, however I'm not sure that Jodie and Nathan would get away with working together in today's police force, but this is fiction so I'm happy to go with the flow. An entertaining cosy mystery and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. For me, 4*.
April 4, 2023
It's a hot summer in Penstowan and time for one of the slightly unusual festivals Cornwall is famous for. Jodie Parker has been invited to take part, which is how she finds herself leaving boyfriend, DI Nathan Withers, almost speechless when he sees her in costume.
Unfortunately, festivals don't stop other things going on, and when a body is found nearby, real life has to take over once again. Jodie is working a trial period as an auxiliary detective sergeant, alongside Nathan, while still running her catering company, which means she's being pulled in all directions, and then a second person is attacked.
Book six in this wonderful series has everything you want in a Cosy. The familiar main protagonists and locations, along with a crime that has all sorts of twists, turns, and possible solutions. It is also very funny, and the conversations between Jodie and Nathan are full of the gallows humour you would hope to see between a couple who happen to investigate murders for a living.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this as I have the whole series so far and look forward to reading more in the future. Highly recommended.
Unfortunately, festivals don't stop other things going on, and when a body is found nearby, real life has to take over once again. Jodie is working a trial period as an auxiliary detective sergeant, alongside Nathan, while still running her catering company, which means she's being pulled in all directions, and then a second person is attacked.
Book six in this wonderful series has everything you want in a Cosy. The familiar main protagonists and locations, along with a crime that has all sorts of twists, turns, and possible solutions. It is also very funny, and the conversations between Jodie and Nathan are full of the gallows humour you would hope to see between a couple who happen to investigate murders for a living.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this as I have the whole series so far and look forward to reading more in the future. Highly recommended.
July 27, 2025
Another fun and funny Cornish mystery, this one with mermaids, murder and mayhem! I love the characters and community in these books and it's always nice to go back for a visit!
July 6, 2023
This is a great cosy - but not too cosy mystery series! In this sixth instalment, protagonist Jodie "Nosey" Parker has an official police role, as an auxilliary officer assisting her partner, DCI Nathan Withers on an as-needs basis. Not unexpectedly, these new arrangements cause some stresses on Jodie and Nathan's personal relationship, as well as on Jodie's business as a caterer. The action is centred around Penstowan's annual mermaid festival, which provides a colourful backdrop as well as some degree of camouflage for those with nefarious intent.
March 26, 2023
So I picked up this book not realizing it was part of a series and of course now I will have to go back and start from the beginning. If you are like me and pick it up without context, it is easy enough to follow along and understand what’s happening without needing to grab the whole series before reading this one. You may have a spoiler or two for earlier books but not anything unexpected necessarily.
I really loved how the author portrayed the life of a working mom and struggle you feel to be good at your job, but also good at being a mother and how sometimes being good at one might cause you to feel lacking in the other. It’s definitely something you don’t always see in a murder mystery, actual logistics of shoot I have to figure out someone to help my daughter and my dog. It made the character more relatable.
Overall, this was a great little cozy mystery that made me want to read the rest of the author’s books. It was pretty fast paced and well written. I enjoyed the story and the characters and it was really engaging. I loved the descriptions of the seaside town. It made me miss living overseas and taking the DART off to a little town for the day. I definitely had an appreciation for the fishermen and their superstitions.
Please be advised I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved how the author portrayed the life of a working mom and struggle you feel to be good at your job, but also good at being a mother and how sometimes being good at one might cause you to feel lacking in the other. It’s definitely something you don’t always see in a murder mystery, actual logistics of shoot I have to figure out someone to help my daughter and my dog. It made the character more relatable.
Overall, this was a great little cozy mystery that made me want to read the rest of the author’s books. It was pretty fast paced and well written. I enjoyed the story and the characters and it was really engaging. I loved the descriptions of the seaside town. It made me miss living overseas and taking the DART off to a little town for the day. I definitely had an appreciation for the fishermen and their superstitions.
Please be advised I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2023
Another triumph for Josie “nosey” Parker and her policeman boyfriend Nathan.
Jodie is now officially back in the force and working alongside Nathan. After leaving policing behind in London and starting her catering business Jodie is back in the thick of it, uncovering what looks to be a smuggling ring.
Great fun characters and a good storyline this addition to the cozy crime collection is an easy read and one that I would highly recommend. Able to read as a standalone but better read as part of the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jodie is now officially back in the force and working alongside Nathan. After leaving policing behind in London and starting her catering business Jodie is back in the thick of it, uncovering what looks to be a smuggling ring.
Great fun characters and a good storyline this addition to the cozy crime collection is an easy read and one that I would highly recommend. Able to read as a standalone but better read as part of the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2024
These books are like putting on an old comfy pair of slippers at this point. Love the characters and seeing their stories develop. A bit sad I now have to wait for the next one to be published 🙈
July 27, 2024
The weakest murder plot so far but i loved the jodie story so much
August 21, 2024
This was a twisty one with very high stakes! I really liked it, though it was tough to figure out
April 9, 2025
Another easy to listen to audiobook cozy mystery
March 7, 2025
If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, then you absolutely need to check out the Nosy Parker series by Fiona Leitch! A Cornish Seaside Murder, the sixth book in the series, is yet another delightful addition to this charming collection !
The witty banter, quirky characters, and the picturesque Cornwall setting make these books so much fun to read. Every installment is full of humor, warmth, and intrigue, making it an easy and entertaining read.
For audiobook lovers, the narration by Zara Ramm brings everything to life, adding an extra layer of enjoyment and making the experience even more immersive.
I loved this book - just as much as the previous ones in the series !
The witty banter, quirky characters, and the picturesque Cornwall setting make these books so much fun to read. Every installment is full of humor, warmth, and intrigue, making it an easy and entertaining read.
For audiobook lovers, the narration by Zara Ramm brings everything to life, adding an extra layer of enjoyment and making the experience even more immersive.
I loved this book - just as much as the previous ones in the series !
April 22, 2023
I love this fun series and its characters. Any bits involving Daisy and Nana are usually my favourites and funniest, especially when they are together. Sadly with main character, Jodie (Nosey), actually working for the police rather than just sticking her nose in there was sadly less bits with her daughter and mum. The nature and motive of the 'crime' was also more serious this time. But on the flip side this meant more 'mystery' too with more twists, turns and opportunities to guess the perpetrator and motive - which I really liked. So, another great instalment in this cozy murder mystery series - although don't be put off if you haven't read any of the others as it works just as well as a standalone.
August 11, 2025
Best book in the series by far! Much more “thrilling” than the others and a significantly faster pace.
October 9, 2025
3⭐ 6th book in the series of cosy crimes in Cornwall. This was a bit more serious, and not the best in the series. But still entertaining and I read it in under a week.
May 1, 2024
This Cornish town has far too many murders going on
April 8, 2023
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read and review an advanced copy of this book.
Jodie Parker left the police force in London to move her daughter and dog to the quieter Cornish coast. Now a caterer and living with DI Nathan Withers, she is talked into playing the part of a siren in the yearly festival. When a dead body is found, the local fishermen want to blame it on the mythical curse of the siren. Jodie is taken on as a part-time DS to assist the police, and her catering business, motherhood, and her dog are all put aside to help solve the murder. As the investigation progresses, it looks like a smuggling operation might have resulted in murder, and Jodie and Nathan have to balance their relationship with the investigation.
As part of a series, it helps to have read the earlier books, but there is enough background to be a stand alone story. There is plenty of humor, intrigue, and danger to make this an interesting and fun cozy read.
Jodie Parker left the police force in London to move her daughter and dog to the quieter Cornish coast. Now a caterer and living with DI Nathan Withers, she is talked into playing the part of a siren in the yearly festival. When a dead body is found, the local fishermen want to blame it on the mythical curse of the siren. Jodie is taken on as a part-time DS to assist the police, and her catering business, motherhood, and her dog are all put aside to help solve the murder. As the investigation progresses, it looks like a smuggling operation might have resulted in murder, and Jodie and Nathan have to balance their relationship with the investigation.
As part of a series, it helps to have read the earlier books, but there is enough background to be a stand alone story. There is plenty of humor, intrigue, and danger to make this an interesting and fun cozy read.
April 10, 2023
I think this is my favourite Jodie Parker cosy mystery novel, written by the fab Fiona Leitch! Fun, fast paced and lots of twists and turns - I loved it and read it in two sittings. I couldn’t work out what was behind the crime wave, and did suspect most people ( including the vicar! ) and found the ending most satisfying. I look forward to the next book in the series- hopefully there will be more! Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 6, 2023
Just as the local mermaid festival is about to begin a body is found having been drowned in a horse trough. Since the stone statue of a mermaid has disappeared from the church, some of the older residents think the mermaid of the local legend has returned to kill fishermen. Jodie 'Nosey' Parker is convinced it's more likely to be drug smuggling gone wrong.
This is the sixth book in the Nosey Parker series from Fiona Leitch. Having previously read books 4 and 5 in the series I was really pleased to get hold of A Cornish Seaside Murder, at some point I'm going to get around to the first three books too.
Firstly, you really don't need to have read any of the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. Secondly, this is perfect for fans of cozy crime thrillers. There are a couple of incidents involving brutal crimes but nothing is overly graphic.
This time around our main character, Jodie, is working as an auxiliary to the local police force, using the skills she developed when she worked as a police officer in the Met. This is much more of a police procedural than previous books, there is very little story-line involving Jodie's catering business. This means that some of the supporting characters (her Mum, daughter, assistant and dog) don't have a large part in the story, as a result of this I felt some of the usual humour was lost. What we do gain more of is Jodie's relationship with her boyfriend, Nathan.
Since Nathan is a police officer and Jodie is an auxiliary it means that Nathan is her boss while they are at work. Jodie doesn't like being told what to do and is so used to being her own boss that this arrangement does cause a little bit of friction but it is all dealt with in a lighthearted way.
The story-line initially seems pretty straight forward but there are enough twists to keep you hooked. An enjoyable read but I did miss the catering elements of the story as they involve the more eccentric characters.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter
@Debbie_Hart_UK
This is the sixth book in the Nosey Parker series from Fiona Leitch. Having previously read books 4 and 5 in the series I was really pleased to get hold of A Cornish Seaside Murder, at some point I'm going to get around to the first three books too.
Firstly, you really don't need to have read any of the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. Secondly, this is perfect for fans of cozy crime thrillers. There are a couple of incidents involving brutal crimes but nothing is overly graphic.
This time around our main character, Jodie, is working as an auxiliary to the local police force, using the skills she developed when she worked as a police officer in the Met. This is much more of a police procedural than previous books, there is very little story-line involving Jodie's catering business. This means that some of the supporting characters (her Mum, daughter, assistant and dog) don't have a large part in the story, as a result of this I felt some of the usual humour was lost. What we do gain more of is Jodie's relationship with her boyfriend, Nathan.
Since Nathan is a police officer and Jodie is an auxiliary it means that Nathan is her boss while they are at work. Jodie doesn't like being told what to do and is so used to being her own boss that this arrangement does cause a little bit of friction but it is all dealt with in a lighthearted way.
The story-line initially seems pretty straight forward but there are enough twists to keep you hooked. An enjoyable read but I did miss the catering elements of the story as they involve the more eccentric characters.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter
@Debbie_Hart_UK
March 29, 2023
A Cornish Seaside Murder is book 6 in the Jodie Nosey Parker series by Fiona Leitch. Jodie lives in Penstowan, Cornwall, with her daughter Daisy and her Mum. She owns a catering business and is now an auxiliary Detective Sergeant with the local Force under the leadership of her partner DCI Nathan Withers. Jodie volunteers to help at the local mermaid festival and ends up dressed as The Siren, which according to legend, lured fishermen to their deaths. However, the Festival provides an unexpected dead body. Now Jodie needs to fit her police work in with her catering business and this is causing a few problems. This is such an enjoyable and fun read, with great characters, humour and just a bit more than a cozy read.
March 15, 2023
Auxiliary officer DS Jodie Parker of the CID was the daughter of a local cop and left her work at the Met Police. Now she is the single mom of a 13 yr/o daughter/dog owner/in a relationship with a local DCI (DCI Nathan)/ caterer.
All kinds of local madness with the Mermaid Festival that turns serious when a local man is found murdered. That brings in a lot of trouble, especially for the Parkers and the CID. Lots of good investigative work and a truly surprising twist at the end. I love all the characters and the ambiance of this rural seaside town. I do think that it can stand alone if needed.
I requested and received an EARC from HarperCollins UK/ One More Chapter via NetGalley. Thank you!
All kinds of local madness with the Mermaid Festival that turns serious when a local man is found murdered. That brings in a lot of trouble, especially for the Parkers and the CID. Lots of good investigative work and a truly surprising twist at the end. I love all the characters and the ambiance of this rural seaside town. I do think that it can stand alone if needed.
I requested and received an EARC from HarperCollins UK/ One More Chapter via NetGalley. Thank you!
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