The Whitstable Pearl Mystery

Oyster bar owner and empty nester Pearl Nolan, the heroine of this enjoyable series launch from British author Wassmer (More than Just Coincidence, an autobiography), has decided what she needs is to open her own detective agency in the North Kent coast town of Whitstable, even though the town is hardly experiencing a crime wave, which is precisely why Det. Chief Insp. Mike McGuire requested a transfer there from London. He’s looking for a respite. But when Pearl discovers the body of an old friend, fisherman Vinnie Rowe, floating near his boat, her long dormant crime detection senses reawaken. Suspecting foul play, she’s eager to investigate or at least help the police. McGuire’s not so certain he wants her help. Besides, he’s also not so sure he can rule her out as a suspect. Meanwhile, Pearl’s mother, Dolly, thinks her single mom daughter and the single DCI make a handsome couple. Between the travel brochure descriptions of this scenic tourist locale and its divertingly quirky inhabitants, cozy fans are in for a treat. (Sept.)