Thank you to Netgalley for a free review copy of Death on the Pier in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars *

I'll break down my review into things I liked about the book and then things that I didn't like about the book keeping in mind things like, character, plot, prose, and pacing. This review is largely spoiler free.

As far as things I liked there was a lot. The mystery felt well paced to me, and it was exciting. It really did remind me of old Agatha Christie novels that I read when I was younger and all the tv adaptations. I really liked the setting of being placed in Brighton on the pier and loved the historical aspects as well. I always love when I can figure out a whodunnit and I can say that this time I succeeded. I didn't think that it was too simple, but it did all click together in my mind about midway through the book. I gave myself a little pat on the back there.

Now onto some things that I thought could have used a little more work, taking in mind that this is a debut novel. First off I found the writing itself to be a little bit dry. It could be because the story was written in third person limited and I just wasn't used to it, having read so many novels in other perspectives. It did seem to improve more as I read on so I suppose I adapted. I did find that it hindered the story a little but only in the sense that it was a bit harder to understand the characters and who they were. I love characters, they're my favourite part of any novel, so that was a little bit of a bump in the road for me. I did enjoy all the characters, including Bertie and Hugh, I just wish we got to see a little bit more of their personalities and some insight into who they were. There was a little bit, I just think there could have been double. It almost felt like I was reading a screenplay, which makes sense because of the authors background, but there was a lot of dialogue and very little description or inner thought. I honestly had no idea what anyone looked like the entire time and had to make it up for myself. Some people enjoy that kind of styling, but I like a bit more description in my stories.

Another thing that I thought could have been addressed was the queer aspect of the story. Going into reading this book I thought that it was going to have a more queer backbone as it was labeled as such, but the gay parts of the story were very light handed to the point of being nonexistent. It was really only a few sentences here and there. I understand that the book is set in the 1930's, and that being gay was illegal and not talked about publicly, but I just would have wanted more even if it were a little unrealistic. Now, not every book has to have a romantic subplot, but I thought that was what I was walking into here. I was mistaken. I really think it could have made the book a lot better and boosted the characters. Maybe this will come up in book two?

Overall I thought that Death on the Pier was fun to read and I would definitely be interested in reading book two just to see what happens with Bertie.

"'Although, you've got to wonder of the goal of blackmail is to extort as much money a possible, having your target be dead seems a little counterproductive,' Hugh stated. 'What it does tell us, though, is now we know she had enemies. And those enemies were her in Brighton, of not right here in this theatre."

1933 and one of renowned, playwright Bertie Carroll's older plays, a murder mystery, is about to be re-staged at the Palace Pier Theatre, Brighton, out of season. Bertie meets old school friend, Chief Detective Hugh Chapman. The actors performing the play include British star returned from her American success, widely-disliked Celia, up-and-coming, handsome Teddy, young, eager and local Jenny, older face (regularly found playing steady roles of butlers and vicars), Robert and young American, Constance, (also helping out as demanding Celia's dresser). All are amply directed by experienced Arthur Cochrane, Celia's husband, in name only. Bertie persuades Hugh to come to the opening night with him and all is going well with the play until at the end of the first half, it's discovered that, horrifyingly, Celia really has been shot dead! Luckily Hugh is there to contain the scene and the suspects and, with the agreement of Brighton police, enlists Bertie to play detective. Will they identify who is responsible?

Historic cosy, LGBTGIA+ crime in a Brighton theatre is a good place to be, with the setting and time period jumping out of the page. Set almost 90 years ago, in a theatre that no longer exists, the author has clearly researched its form and layout and it's the star of the show. I enjoyed getting to know the suspects, through likeable Bertie and Hugh's investigations. Intrigue, blackmail and forbidden love with a pacy plot and standout setting make for a great, old fashioned murder mystery debut novel. Partially spoilt only by my guessing some of the motive, but there are no spoilers here! I look forward to catching up with Bertie in the second mystery.

This is a classic murder mystery, nothing deep, or dark, just a good old who dunnit story.

Set in Brighton, in and old wooden theatre at the end of a pier, a murder is committed….nobody has a motive….or do they?!!!

A great read for a rainy day, or a sunny one, just a bit of lighthearted murder!

My thanks to Netgalley and Brabinger Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Very clever murder mystery set in a theatre. The pacing is good, the characters are memorable, the murder investigation left you guessing. Offers an insight to the theatre world which I, as someone who enjoys going to plays, enjoyed.

This is an utterly charming murder mystery ‘whodunit’ introducing the protagonists of Bertie Carrol, playwright, and Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Chapman who are old school friends.

The remaining cast pluck characters involved in a revival production of one of Bertie’s lesser known plays and starring an almost has-been Hollywood starlet who is the archetype unappealing soon to be victim of murder. As with this genre there are little to no redeeming aspects of the victim’s character which as a reader we don’t really spend any time mourning.

The action kicks off in the theatre in an off-season Brighton’s Palace Pier but there is nothing off-season about the story. As the plot develops we know when and how the deed was done but there are plenty of smoke and mirrors of which mirror maze would be envious.

Fans of the murder mystery made popular by Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers will enjoy this mystery with enough edge to keep this from being run of the mill.

Super fun read.

I loved being cast back in the 1930s, especially in a theatre setting.

The characters were super exciting and I loved being in the mind of our main character Bertie!

This is such a jem. I enjoyed the theater setting and loved the clever twists. The mystery was revealed slowly, but the process of investigation was very enjoyable. There wasn't much talk about Bertie and Hugh's history and friendship.
I wanted a bit more story about Bertie and Hugh, like why Hugh visited Bertie but it seems this book has a sequel. I'm looking forward to reading them!😊

I felt this book is a perfect book to read while you are curling up in a blanket with coffee or tea😉

I rated this book 4.75 stars out of 5.

I can’t help it, I love murder mysteries. Not the really dark thriller-type ones where it’s all too close to home and it’s going to give me nightmares, but the ones that are a tiny bit comedic, a little less real and I can close my eyes without thinking there’s a killer lurking outside my door.

This novel, though it was definitely not comedic, had that old-world glamour about it, something that made it feel Agatha Christie-esque.

Also, the fact that it was based in an area I am familiar with gave me a few reader thrills, such as when The Old Ship Inn was mentioned, and the various streets I spent many weekends wandering through as a child.

When old Hollywood actress Celia is murdered, right on stage, in front of a small audience, the only person it can possibly be is the young actress Jenny who was holding the gun at the time. Right? Maybe not.

The misdirects throughout were really well thought out, really well written and I have to be honest, even with the clues that were scattered across the pages I still missed the biggest clue.

It seems that despite the fact Celia was a well-loved actress, she was not at all liked by her cast, though they are very clever in not showing their hands. She’s a bully, she’s nasty, she’s an ego and she treats her co-stars as though they aren’t worthy of being on stage with her. However, is any of that enough to kill her when it boils down to it? What about blackmail?

So many red herrings and they were all clever. But none of that can take away from the fact that this is an Agatha Christie written for a modern audience, but based during that author’s heyday.

I enjoyed the way that Bertie and Hugh worked their way through the various suspects, questioning each one and discovering more motives. Because there were a lot of motives.

What Jamie West has here is incredible and the snippet of the next novel, to be released next year has me wanting to come back for more.

Bertie was a great detective though he wasn’t who, or what, I had expected.I am greatly looking forward to finding out more about him.

Jamie West is a new author for me and after an initial slow start I really got into this novel. Set in the 1930’s I found it to be quirky and entertaining whilst still keeping me enthralled. It’s the opening night of playwright Bertie Carroll’s new murder mystery at the theatre on Brighton Pier. During opening night, one of the actresses is shot, so Bertie must turn real life detective with the help of his good friend Detective Inspector Hugh Chapman and the rest of the cast to find the killer. Thank you to NetGalley, Brabinger Publishing and the author for the chance to review.

I really enjoyed this classic murder mystery book. A wonderfully well written story that I couldn’t put down. The murder of Hollywood star Celia Hamilton takes place during an autumn play on Brighton pier, at the palace theatre. Only when the curtain has fallen do they realise that something has gone terribly wrong. Celia was shot during the shooting scene, for real, leaving the actors as the only murder suspects. Play write Bertie joins his Scotland Yard inspector friend Hugh to help solve the murder, and Bertie comes up trumps. Bertie and Hugh make a great detective duo and bounce off each other well. Their friendship is touching and brought a smile to my face. Together they unravel the clues as the question each suspect. This all comes to a spectacular end when Bertie gathers the actors at the scene of the crime to reveal who the real murderer is.

A fabulous mystery debut from Jamie West.

Bertie Carroll is a playwright, who visits Brighton to meet old school friend Hugh, who is now a policeman in London, and see a performance of one of his early plays in the theatre on Brighton Pier. When one of the stars is murdered, it is down to Bertie and Hugh to solve the mystery.

The story is a classic whodunnit, great for fans of Agatha Christie. Lots of clues and red herrings, a fun historical mystery. I'll definitely be looking out for the next case for Bertie and Hugh, I have a feeling there will be many more to come!

DEATH on the PIER by Jamie West
book 277 pages - (debut novel)
Star rating - 3
Published Date - 10 October 2022

I was looking forward to reading this novel but after a few chapters, it became clear that this book was not for me. I could not connected with any of the characters and found the plot flat. The writing style I liked but not the story.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED READING COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

Whodunnit? Well, you'll have to read this book right to the end to find out. Thanks to NetGalley, @thisisjamiewest, and @brabingerbooks I was approved for an ARC of Death on the Pier, and it didn't disappoint. The characters in this book are likeable, and each one is given a good amount of attention throughout so we can get to know their personalities, and see if we can collect enough clues to try and solve the mystery. The book is easy to read, with good description, but not overly so, so as to detract from the story. The book is very readable and difficult to put down; a cosy mystery that you can lose yourself in. Would definitely recommend.

This book was fun! It was atmospheric and had an intriguing mystery at its heart, but it also felt like the stakes were quite low and it wasn't a very intense book. Typical cozy mystery, as far as I understand. The concept is very cool and the characters are interesting. I love the idea of crime-solving gay romance as well, and that was the biggest draw for me reading this book and the biggest reason I'm going to read the second one.

However, I was kind of let down in that regard. I didn't get much chemistry between Bertie and Hugh. They had no special moments, and we didn't even get to see any of their backstory or their relationship before these events. The only hint we get of romance is near the end, but then it feels out of place and sudden, because it was never insinuated or hinted at before. Still, I think there's great potential there and I'll definitely be picking up the next book to find out what happens between them.

ARC received from net galley. Thank you
I wasn’t sure at first, I don’t tend to read books set in the past. The descriptive writing describing the characters and the scenes was captivating.
I couldn’t stop wanting to know more even at the end . At the end I did not want it to stop. I was excited to read that there was more of the same to come.
The interesting part to solving this one was that it had me guessing to the end.
The book touches on issues of the time I’ve homosexuality, written true to the time. This made me love the characters more.
Thank you #netgalley #brabingerbooks #thisisjamiewest

Thank you Netgalley and Brabinger Publishing for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I was of mixed feelings when I got this book. I love mysteries and I am a big fan of Agatha Christie so I felt like I’d enjoy it but I do struggle with historical fiction. The mystery kept me intrigued and I enjoyed the relationship between Bertie and Hugh! The theatre setting was very realistic and creatively done. This kept me guessing! Perfect for fans of mysteries especially if you like the historical vibe and LGBTQ+ characters! Excited to read it again!

An enjoyeable read with a murder being committed on-stage during the first night. Set in the 1930s it has a feel for the time in the innocence of the characters, the descriptions of the stage and play and the whole way that the case is investigated. The playwright and an old friend, who is a police detective, set out to discover the murderer - nice repartee between the two men, plenty of twists and turns and, of course, no-one is quite as squeaky clean as they appear upon first sight. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

The comparison to a 'Death in Paradise' style reveal is inevitable. A gentle murder mystery where all the clues are there for you to solve. Based in the 1930's this book is evocative of the era in which it is set.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brabinger Publishing for the advance copy of this book.

I liked the fact during an actually play a murder had been committed. I think the characters have brought this story life. Well written and throughly enjoyed it.

Locked room murder mysteries with an ‘old fashioned’ veneer seem to be really popular right now – and if they’re as good as this novel, it’s easy to see why. In Jamie West’s latest offering, playwright Bertie attends a performance of one of his lesser-known works at Brighton’s Palace Pier – only to find that the performance culminates an actual murder. As the reading audience, we have hardy time to recover from this sensational revelation till it’s time to accompany playwright and amateur sleuth Bertie and his friend, acting Scotland Yard inspector Hugh, on their joint murder investigation. The back stories that are gradually revealed about these two men, and the setting in 1930s Brighton are at least as enjoyable to read about as the fictional murder investigation itself. A fantastic read – warmly recommended for impending autumn evenings! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for the complimentary ARC that allowed me to read this fine novel and to produce this honest, unbiased book review.