Murder at Gulls Nest

Nora Breen Investigates, Book 1

By: Jess Kidd

Narrated by: Siobhán McSweeney

'HIGHLY recommended.' Marian Keyes
'Nora Breen will become a favourite character.' Ian Moore
'Nora Breen is Maria Von Trapp on steroids.' Richard Armitage
'A seaside mystery full of intrigue and secrets.' Olivia Kiernan
'A beautiful book, exquisitely written, I loved it.' Nicola Upson

The first in a sparkling new 1950s seaside mystery series, featuring sharp-eyed former nun Nora Breen.

In a house like Gulls Nest, curiosity might prove fatal . . .

After thirty years in a convent, Nora Breen has thrown off her habit. Her fellow sister Frieda has gone missing and it's up to Nora to find her. Nora's only clue is that Frieda was last seen at Gulls Nest boarding house. So she travels down to the seaside town of Gore-on-Sea, takes a room and settles in to watch and listen. Over dubious - and sometimes downright inedible - dinners, Nora gathers evidence about the other lodgers. At long last, she has found an outlet for her powers of observation and, well, nosiness.

When one of the lodgers is found dead, Nora decides she must find the murderer. Not least because she suspects the victim knew Frieda. Could solving this mystery help her to understand what has happened to her friend?

'Kidd has imagination to die for and a real command of plot and character.' Guardian

©2025 Jess Kidd (P)2025 Faber & Faber

Silly

I didn't think much of the main character. She was quite shallow -- a former nun who seems to have lost her faith and demonstrates this by taking up smoking! She's observant but a poor judge of character which means that, unlike the rest of us, couldn't spot the murderer within the first 10 pages. Very unsatisfying.