THE BEACH HUT MURDERS an absolutely gripping cozy mystery filled with twists and turns (The Charity Shop Detective Agency Mysteries) Paperback – 2 Aug. 2023

What a great book. A lovely surprise when the story I was being drawn into turned out to be set in my own locality of Southbourne and Hengistbury Head. Well drawn characters who I see all the while in the Grove. Can you include the Old Telephone Exchange (now Dicky's)? The Water Tower? Or maybe even venture down to Tuckton?A clever plot, a really good read. Many more to follow I hope!

Great easy to follow cozy mystery, loveable characters.Perfect for getting back into reading .Good plot twists and unpredictability

Easy to read but still well written and highly engaging and entertaining. Old style murder mystery where the case is solved by the unassuming ladies of the charity shop. 😀

A story featuring three very different, mature, independent, skilled, strong women. No male partners; no lesbian partners; just good, reliable friends. Each contributed to the plot in their own way. Good story. Well written. Page turner. Well defined characters. The culprits were obvious because otherwise why were they there at all. Well thought out. Loved it.

I enjoyed the first book in this series but this second one was too obvious. I had guessed the Modus operandi by chapter three and the culprits by chapter five and ended up speed skimming the rest of the book. They are ok for a quick read but won't tax your brain.

Enjoyable story

Fiona, Sue and Daisy are back with another murder mystery to solve. It’s the height of summer, with unbearably hot weather so I didn’t envy these ladies at all, even though the murder scene is right next to the beach!Even though this is the second book in the series, it works easily as a standalone. I love the charity shop setting in a coastal town and the beach huts as a crime scene was just brilliant. I know I for one am envious when it comes to beach huts as there is something about them that I think has many people hankering after them. Parts of the story did make me laugh at the hierarchy of owning one as i could see this being very much true to real life.We get to meet old and new characters in the story. I especially loved Bitsy who for her age was such a breath of fresh air and she made me feel tired with everything she gets up to as her social life is better than most young adults. She certainly brings some fun into it, more so with the investigation taking some worrying turns.The Beach Hut Murders is a frolicking good story which is lighthearted yet full of mystery that will keep you guessing right until the very end! There are more than a few suspects to choose from but I still didn’t guess correctly which is a shame as I would love to join the ladies detective agency as life for them is far from boring. A fabulous cozy mystery with a wonderful cast of characters!

Peter Boland has maintained the lovely quirks and characteristics of the three endearing Charity Shop Detectives in this second book in the series. There are plenty of possible suspects, but how on earth could the crimes be committed? You find yourself with a smile on your face or laughing out loud as you're reading. I loved it.

Boland's writing has kept me up all night again. Twisty and fast-paced, with realistic, if a bit over the top characters. Not as charming as the first book, but equally entertaining. The ladies have learned some valuable lessons and apply them to the current case as they proceed to seek justice. Now they are less bumbling but no less intelligent and compassionate.

I love these three mature aged female sleuths Fiona Sue and Daisy who volunteer at the Dogs Need Nice Homes Charity Shop. Peter Boland has only written 3 so far in this series and I have thoroughly enjoyed each one. This book is 2 of 3, I have read all 3 and hope book 4 is on its way to the publisher. When books are good to read, I read them too quickly which is a problem when there are only 3 in the series.** Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood is similar in style and just as fantastic to read. Another three mature and middle-aged female sleuths who are great characters and entertaining to read. Again only 3 in this series and I have read all 3. Book 1 is now a British TV mini-series which was great. Book better, but still a great TV series.

THE BEACH HUT MURDERS (The Charity Shop Detective Agency Book #2) by Peter Boland is an engaging amateur sleuth cozy mystery and the second book in The Charity Shop Detective Agency series. This series features three senior volunteers at the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop who also work together to solve murders in the small English town of Southbourne. This book, even though it is the second in the series, is easily read as a standalone.Summertime in Southbourne has residents looking to cool down on Mudeford Spit. People day trip in to use the beach and there are also several beach huts for those who can afford them. One night a beach hut burns to the ground and the resident is saved, but later dies of smoke inhalation. The Spit’s liaison officer hires the Charity Shop Detectives to find out who committed the arson that led to the death.As the ladies investigate, there are many leads, but they all lead to dead ends and the CCTV is no help either. When another hut is burned, they are happy to find their new friend was not home, but they are still stuck with no hard evidence. When a third hut burns and almost kills a couple with their two children, the ladies are desperate for a breakthrough and take desperate measures which could end their sideline as detectives.I enjoyed this outing of the Charity Shop Detectives more than the first. Fiona, Sue, and Daisy are all delightfully quirky and individually unique with just the right skillset when they come together to investigate clues and solve their cases. The secondary characters are just as fun, and the dialogue is witty. I feel the plot is intriguing and well-paced, the red herrings and twists are well placed and kept me guessing throughout. I was surprised by the conclusion and by the epilogue even more so.I recommend this cozy mystery for an engaging amateur sleuth cozy mystery read.

great book,

I rarely submit reviews as I don‘t feel comfortable criticizing anyone who has put their heart into sharing a story. However I‘m happy to say there is no criticism here - the writing is solid, as is the mystery itself. I have been an avid reader of mysteries starting with Nancy Drew 57 years ago. I am delighted when an author gives enough clues that it is possible to deduce the culprit, as in this case. I‘m also impressed that this male author has found believable voices for his female protagonists. I consider his writing skills satisfying as shown in this evocative passage…“ The month stood at the crossroads in the calendar between the conclusion of summer and the descent into autumn and winter. All the signs were there. The air had turned, an almost imperceptible shift. Not exactly a chill or a nip but it was as if it were preparing itself for one. Still warm, but the air smelled different, fresher. The light too had changed. Muted somehow, less yellowy, more bronze.“ Perhaps I‘m partial to this passage because, as I finished the book, this is exactly how my current weather was feeling. In any case I‘m delighted to have found a new go-to author for my cozy mystery fix.