Small Town Rattled By Body On The Beach
Dumped by her cheating husband, 44 year old Jenny King is trying to build a new life in the small seaside town of Pelican Cove. Locals are lining up at the Boardwalk Cafe for her tasty cakes and muffins. But when her aunt, a local artist, is accused of killing a stranger, Jenny is forced to set her apron aside and put on her sleuthing cap.
Jenny battles … and put on her sleuthing cap.
Jenny battles with the cranky local sheriff and quirky local characters to get to the truth. Aided by her new friends, she will move heaven and earth to find out who the dead stranger was and what he was doing in Pelican Cove.
Can she solve the mystery and save her aunt in time?
If you like cozy murder mysteries with friendly small towns, scenic settings, yummy food and a dash of romance, you will like Strawberries And Strangers.
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A nice little mystery for a quick afternoon read. Very enjoyable.
Believable
Very enjoyable read!
Entertaining story thar keeps moving and stays interesting.
This was a sweet read with a completely predictable story line. It’s something to read on a rainy day.
I liked this book as it was written in a lighthearted manner. Good characters. Although is was a who done it it was not dark.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. Each of the ladies were distinct enjoyable personalities that came they in the storytelling. I also appreciated the romantic “tingly” moments rather than steaming moments that did not overwhelm the main story.
Was what I expected. Kind of silly & fun.
I enjoyed the book. I was sorry it ended before we knew who won – the attorney or the police chief.
This is a cute light-hearted cozy mystery. Believable characters. I want to read the next one to see how the romance turns out.
Easy to read cozy mystery but the characters were developed and the plot was not too easy to solve. Intertaing!
I enjoyed the characters quirky personalities
3 1/2 stars. Quick , enjoyable read with some quirky characters . Fun start to a new series. Jenny is a bit wishy washy , hopefully will become a stronger character
Jenny King is new to Pelican Cove, having moved in with her Aunt Rebecca King after her break-up with her ex-husband. Her aunt insisted that Jenny call her Star, like everybody else in Pelican Cove. Jenny loves to cook, so she started working at the Boardwalk Cafe.
Jenny has been making cheesecake and cupcakes for the Bayview Inn and her reputation for delicious pastries is spreading. When Ada Newbury learned that the caterer for their event cancelled at the last minute, she has no option but to ask Petunia, who owns the Boardwalk Cafe, to provide food for the event. The gala is going well until there is a scream coming from the beach area.
The body of a man is found on the beach and he has one of Star’s paint brushes in his hand. The sheriff, Adam Hopkins, automatically suspects Star killed the stranger.
Who is the stranger that was killed? Why was he in Pelican Cove? Why was he killed? Can Jenny uncover the truth and solve the mystery?
Leena Clover has created a wonderful seaside resort town with plenty of history and wonderful characters. The situations are realistic and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing clear to the end. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
A wonderful start to a new cozy series!
My favorite genre is cozy mysteries. I enjoy reading a well-written, lighthearted, clean, fun, and easy read. This book ticked all the boxes for me; so of course, it rates five stars in my book. Leena Clover is a gifted storyteller. My plan is to binge read this series.
The setting for this book is on a small island in Virginia. The cast of characters are quite entertaining. Their personalities and interactions are quite believable. I can relate each character with a person I have met in my life. I don’t agree with the way Jenny interacts with law enforcement, but I can honestly say I have met more than one person with her attitude. I hope in future books Jenny’s character will show a little more respect for law enforcement officers and police procedures. Again, that is only my personal preference and did not affect my enjoyment of this fictional story. The red herrings were effective in that I did not figure out who the murderer was prior to the reveal. That was quite fun for me. Adding a touch of romance here and there throughout the story is always a plus for me.
All-in-all it was an entertaining first story of a series. A new cozy mystery series that I look forward to reading.
After 20 years of marriage, Jenny King is dumped by her cheating husband and decides to rebuild her life in Pelican Cove. She gets a job at the Boardwalk Café and is soon making new friends with the help of Star (also known as Aunt Rebecca). When a stranger is found murdered on the beach with one of Star’s paint brushes in his pocket, she soon becomes prime suspect number one by the police.
Jenny knows her aunt didn’t kill anyone so she decides (with the help of the Magnolia ladies) to find out who the stranger is, why was he in Pelican Cove, and who really murdered him.
This is the first in a brand new series by Leena Clover and is a very promising new cozy series for readers. The main character is a very likable and relatable 40-something woman that has spunk, style, and believes in justice. She is joined by her quirky aunt (an artist), new best friend Heather (runs a B&B), Heather’s grandma Betty Sue (refined with a bit of spitfire), much-loved café owner Petunia, persnickety librarian Molly, and by the book Sheriff Adam (ex-military).
There is a mystery, humor, lots of twists and turns, and even a bit of romance.
Better than ‘okay’, just not enough for ‘like’
I almost liked it, it was a pleasant read, lighthearted, and sort of fun. It just took me a little while to really get into it, there were so many people to keep track of, and so much information! And the sentences were quite short, making it feel like a statement of facts at times. And Jenny could be very rude, especially to the Sheriff, who was only doing his job and doing it well. But after the beginning there was suspense and surprise; the story, the mystery part, was good. Everything came together at the end.
An ok plot, but the characters didn’t quite click for me.
Easy to picture the setting
I loved this book! Ms. Clover has written a strong first book in this new series! The main character was a likeable, 40ish woman whose rotten attorney husband of 20 years dumped her for a younger woman and kicked her out of their house. She decided to move to live with her aunt in the small, quiet, peaceful seaside town of Pelican Cove, Virginia. Except, that 3 months after she got there, it wasn’t so quiet and peaceful anymore. Someone was murdered. The storyline was strong and believable. I really liked how the friends took care of each other. I also enjoyed the twists and turns; when you thought you knew who the murderer was, you find out that you were wrong! I liked that even though Jenny was used to a “well-to-do” lifestyle, she fit right in with the “regular” folks in Pelican Cove. I had an extremely hard time putting this one down. If you like cozy mysteries about strong women, small towns and good friends, then you’ll love “Strawberries and Strangers: A Cozy Murder Mystery (Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series Book #1) by Leena Clover. Can’t wait for Book #2!