"Sun, Sea, & Murder" by J.S. Savage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Sun, Sea, & Murder" by J.S. Savage is an enjoyably locked-room mystery with Christie-esque vibes set in a hotel in Spain. I love such books, and the lovely cover drew my eye, prompting me to read it.

The book follows several protagonists and is told alternatively from their first-person point of view. Let's meet our narrators:

•    Marley, holidaying with her handicapped mother.
•    Terry, holidaying with his wife Marjorie.
•    Sally, the niece of the hotel's owner, holidaying with Jasmine, her best friend.
•    Sanjay, holidaying with his life partner, Luke.

They, along with some other guests, came to the hotel expecting to have a good time. Murders certainly weren't on the menu, but murders they got. The vacation goes awry when the body of Russell Aspell, the hotel’s owner, is found inside a locked room. The detective assigned to the case isn't exactly the sharpest pencil in the cup, so Penny Haylestone, a Miss Marple-like character and one of the guests, decides to investigate with Marley as her sidekick. The plot thickens when another guest is murdered in plain view of the other guests. With two baffling murders, a diverse set of suspects, and one witty sleuth, you've got a great mystery to figure out!

I enjoyed the book very much and grew attached to some of the characters. I loved the humor and the interactions between the characters, as well as the level of detail put into their backstories. The setting was well-sketched, and I liked the eclectic mix of characters. The author did a great job of establishing them as real people. I didn't guess the identity of the murderer/s, and the plot kept me interested throughout the novel.

The overall writing style of the book was smooth, but it got a bit erratic at times and could use some smoothing out. Each chapter heading clearly indicates the speaker, which is helpful, especially since some voices are more distinctive than others, thus preventing confusion. I also found it a bit odd that not only did the four narrators keep a journal, but they also kept mentioning it throughout the narrative. There was a subtle suggestion of a romance that might have developed between two characters, and the addition of an epilogue would have been great to provide closure.

Overall, it was a fun read that I enjoyed immensely, so I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 5. The mystery within the pages of this book is solidly developed and compelling. I would love to read more books with the sharp Penny. I recommend this book to those who love a clean locked-room mystery without gore. The reader never gets bored at any point in time. It is the perfect escapism!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Sun, Sea, & Murder" by J.S. Savage