Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess KiddMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nora Breen is settling in at Gore-on-Sea. Detective Inspector Hilary Rideout is getting into a habit of asking her to accompany him to cases, she stops by to listen to music and drink coffee with Hosmer of Hosmer's Photographic Studio, and she's been recommended for a writing gig with the Gore-on-Sea Herald. Then Dolores Chimes' reading goes disastrously wrong, leading to the death of the medium herself, followed by the people in attendance. Breen and Rideout must solve the mysterious killings before the last victim - Rideout - dies.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than the first book (Murder at Gulls Nest). I'm not sure whether it's because Breen is less unlikeable in this one, or because I'm somewhat familiar with her now. The third person present tense is still a little jarring at times, but it is what it is. (I cannot figure out why this irks me so much when I've read other stories in this style - maybe because those were usually short stories and not a full novel? idk)
I'm ambivalent about the love triangle subplot, even if it does add to some of the tension in the book. Rideout and Breen's relationship has progressed to a place where it feels more natural - and rather like a good partnership - even if Breen is a little oblivious to Rideout's feelings. Adding another suitor, which Breen is again rather oblivious about, felt rather awkward.
At any rate, the mystery itself is a tantalising morsel. There are so many threads to pull on, so many secrets and hidden relationships to reveal, and it's easy to get absorbed into the tragedies playing out in Gore-on-Nest. It snaps along at a good pace, full of tension.
Overall, another exciting whodunit!
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Atria Books via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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