Pearl Nolan is feeling a little out of sorts. She has a new chef at her restaurant and he's a great success, her boyfriend is in London involved in a court case and she hasn't had an interesting case for her detective agency in a while. When Pearl is called in investigate the disappearance of a man six years earlier she is intrigued. the case brings her into contact with all sectors of Kent society from the newcomers to the old residents and from the church to social services.
I hadn't read any of Wassmer's previous novels but that was no barrier to getting into this tale. The setting in and around Whitstable is wonderful and Wassmer really knows the area well to be able to write about it in both detail and loving descriptions. The story is a bit of a mixed bag. Potentially it could have been really dark, the abuse of girls from a care home, man with PTSD, the suspicious minister etc but Wassmer chose to keep it fairly light, things are hinted at rather than described explicitly. I think this is in keeping with the fairly light tone of the novel, it is a pleasant read rather than a gritty one. That is no bad thing and in a crowded genre Wassmer has quite a distinctive voice.

This is the fifth Pearl Nolan Whitstable mystery story featuring the restaurant owner turned private detective and is well written with a host of colourful characters. The author includes some wonderful descriptions of the coastal towns and scenery, so much so that the reader can almost taste the salt! Whilst being a gentle story in terms of no swearing or gruesome descriptions it is still a good old fashioned murder mystery. Without the use or knowledge of much technology Pearl does seem to have to rely on leg work and her own intuition a lot, although she does get the occasional help from her beau police detective DCI McGuire (in itself a mystery as to how he gets away with using police resources to assist her without landing himself in trouble!). Overall this is a well written story with a plot complex enough to keep the reader guessing and a satisfactory ending which leaves all the loose ends nicely tied up. Recommended reading that won't give you nightmares!

What a brilliant story, kept me guessing and was really surprised at the ending, loved it. I have reviewed over all social media.

I read with great enjoyment earlier entries in the series featuring Pearl Nolan, restauranteur and detective agency owner. In this, the fifth instalment, she conducts an investigation of a husband’s disappearance seven years earlier.

While I like having good background in detective novels, here the crimes seem almost overwhelmed by the descriptions of Whitstable and its surrounding area, the characters and their relationships. I also wondered at the number of times DCI Mike McGuire jeopardised his career in order to help Pearl out… and then, late on, the character began to wonder about it too. Pearl is not very au fait with modern technology which surely is essential to a present-day PD.

I found the ending, with the old tried and tired trick of getting a confession out of the killer in a contrived meeting, rather disappointing.

However, the writing is good and so I would recommend the book to readers who enjoy a very character-driven story in a vividly-portrayed English seaside setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown (Constable) for the digital ARC.

This is the latest in the Pearl Nolan mystery series based in Whitstable in Kent, defined by its proximity to London, serving as a coastal hotspot as a close getaway for Londoners. Julie Wassmer's real gift is her talent for creating such a strong sense of location, you can practically smell the sea air and feel the coast breezes. Her detailed rich descriptions of the area include nearby Herne Bay, Faversham and the marshes of Oare. She provides information of the prevailing type of commercial activities, the cafes, restaurants, hotels that dominate and festivals such as the annual carnival. There is the influx of artists that create a bohemian, creative and liberal aspect to what otherwise might be the more conventional conservative outlooks and expectations of the local communities. The pace of life differs significantly from urban areas and is reflected in the gentle pacing of the narrative, at times it can deceptively feel as if very little is happening, that the focus is on the every day life and culture of a seaside resort, known for its oysters and other seafood specialities.

Single mother, Pearl Nolan, has brought up her son, Charlie, now a student at Canterbury and working at Pearl's successful seafood restaurant, The Whitstable Pearl, part time to make some money. With her able new assistant chef, Charlie and Ruby, the waitress, Pearl's restaurant business runs itself reliably with little need for input from her. She has the time to spend on her other business, her private detective agency, which she is fiercely committed to and protective of after having to drop her fledgling police career due to her unexpected pregnancy and having to make her way in the world bringing up Charlie. She gets support in her cases from DCI Mike McGuire, a man she is happily in a relationship with, although he worries over her safety constantly. Christina Scott's husband, Steven, disappeared, assumed to have committed suicide or faked his own death when she was pregnant with Martin, their son, seven years ago. He left a suicide note in his car parked at the marshes in Oare, and it's coming up to the time he is about to be declared legally dead. Christina wants herself and her son to know exactly what happened to him in her search for closure and she wants Pearl to find out the truth. This is a complex investigation which takes some time to yield any insights into what happened, but the past has a habit of emerging and along with it comes danger and murder in the present.

Wassmer excels in creating the feel of a gentle mystery that unexpectedly begins to show real bite as unsettling forces from the past are determined to fight the emergence of truth and evade justice. If you fancy spending time on the lovely Kent coast and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the seaside with a serving of crime and murder, then this is the perfect read for you. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.