Murder at the Seaside

Libby Forest just wants to finish her book about celebration cakes with tons of photo. What she gets instead is a dead body on the beach near Exham Lighthouse.

In Murder at the Lighthouse, Frances Eversham introduces her sleuth. Libby soon discovers everyone knows the victim, Susie Bennett, hometown girl who left for America and became the lead singer in a multi-million dollar rock group called Angel's Kiss. Susie hasn't been back to Exham in 20 years. Why now and what led to her death? Was it suicide? Libby is itching to know, but no one else in the town seems to care, except Mrs. Thomson.

After a chance encounter with Max Ramshore, the father of Det. Sgt. Joe Ramshore, Libby discovers he went to school with Susie. He also reveals he worked at a bank in Bath where Susie had a substantial bank account. Libby wonders who Susie's heirs might be while Max jets off to the States to research the subject. 

In the meantime Libby has her hands full with possible domestic abuse at the home of her teenage Goth employee Mandy. Libby offers her spare room to Mandy and her mother thinking they will not use it, but to her surprise they do. Which only angers Mandy's father.

When Mrs.Thomson dies from a fall, Libby wonders if it was because she revealed information about Susie and the death of her young child. Did Susie kill herself because of grief for her daughter or was Susie's drowning a coincidence? Is the father of Annie Rose the key to Susie's death?

I enjoyed this book as it has all the elements of an Agatha Christie cozy mystery (except for the Belgian detective).

Find other books by Frances Evesham by clicking here.