Death on the Boardwalk

Happy Wednesday, fellow readers! Can you believe that this is the last Wednesday left before September?! It's crazy! Many kids are back to school with others, including mine, starting next week. Fall is right around the corner. On that note, we need a minute, right? What better way to unwind that with a cozy murder mystery?

Please join me in checking out "Death on the Boardwalk" by Caleb Wygal.

First, let's start with the trigger warnings.

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Clean

Trigger Warnings:

Death/murder

Illegal activities

As is typical with a cozy, there aren't any major triggers. Of course, there is a murder so there is a dead body, however like most cozies it doesn't go into major detail about the body. This one does use the semi-recent death of a spouse as a recurring theme. The illegal activities mentioned are embezzlement/fraud and illegal poker games. So, nothing is too bad. There is also some alcohol consumption.

I have always been a fan of the rare times thst a mystery book let's the reader investigate along with the main character. "Death on the Boardwalk" is so successful in that aspect. It has so many twists and uncertainties just like a real investigation would. There are so many puzzle pieces and they don't just fall neatly into place, which is perfect. I can't say enough how much I appreciate that aspect.

The characters are varied, and there is a very detailed foundation laid down of the businesses and locals there on the boardwalk in Myrtle Beach. I can just envision the Myrtle Beach Reads bookstore, the I Heart Myrtle Beach Tees store, and the We Have Issues comic book shop. From the sweet widower main character, Clark, to the quirky chain smoking older shopkeeper, to the pierced goth vibe younger comic book shop owner, the cast is so diverse. I absolutely adore all of the colorful characters. The only missed opportunity I can really pick out is the title. It absolutely could have flowed as "Body on the Boardwalk." Right? Maybe that is just me. I do appreciate that it wasn't "Murder on the Boardwalk." Despite the title, it is a very worthwhile read.

Here is my official review:

A true murder mystery.

Caleb Wygal chose a perfect location for a murder mystery. A touristy place like the boardwalk in Myrtle Beach lends to a busier area while still keeping a smaller town feel due to the off-season. I adore that this book keeps you close to the mystery letting you investigate along with the characters without a lot of distractions. Overall, it's a fantastic mystery.

Keep in mind that this is book one in a series so there are more mysteries to be solved. If you'd like to pop into Myrtle Beach to meet Clark and the others, you can get "Death on the Boardwalk" here: https://a.co/d/03ywG3wt

That does it for me for this week, dear readers. Please join me again next week for another wonderful recommendation. Until then, curl up with a good book.