A good cozy mystery of a widow, her dog and solving a murder mystery. Enjoyed this one and was pleased to see it is the first in a new series. Look forward to seeing more and would highly recommend.

There is so much to like about Murder at Last Chance Cove: an engaging cozy mystery; wonderful descriptions of a Northern California beach town, quirky characters, and a smart middle-aged main character who still coming to terms with her husband’s death three years prior.

Saffi Graywood is a writer of a series of popular nonfiction books. Since her husband’s death, she roams the country in her RV getting inspiration and stories for her book series. When she gets to Last Chance Cove, she is charmed by the townspeople and the spectacular views. When she discovers a murder victim, she begins to sleuthing in addition to writing.

Thee author knows how to establish setting and character, and I was intrigued by the mystery along with Saffi’s adjusting to a new town.

If you like spiky, sparky characters, a feisty town and murder-mysteries then Murder at Last Chance Cove by Kim Griswell is probably for you. Personally, found the style hard to relax into but that's a comment on my preferences rather than the writer's ability.

Author Saffi Graywood and her husband, Levi, sold up everything, bought an RV, and headed off to enjoy their retirement together. When Levi died suddenly, Saffi found herself alone, no home to return to, and a hole in her heart she didn't think she would ever fill. Three years later Saffi is in Last Chance Cove on the Oregon coastline where she is looking forward to spending three months in the same RV park while she catches up on her latest edition of Aunt Saffi’s Bedside Reader, while finding other interesting things to write about. What she didn’t expect was finding a dead body on the beach and becoming a suspect in a murder investigation! Meaning, along with new friends, Delilah, and the very gorgeous Troy, she has to look into things for herself. Nothing is quite as it seems, and as the danger increases, she isn't sure if they can actually solve the mystery before becoming victims themselves.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Storm Publishing, but the opinions expressed are my own. The first book in Kim Griswell's new series was a pleasure to read. I loved Saffi, Delilah, and Troy, along with the other inhabitants of the RV park, all of whom added to the storyline in a variety of ways. The mystery twisted and turned its way to a conclusion, but there were still things left to discover and explain, which guarantees I will be on the lookout for book two. I thoroughly enjoyed this and happily recommend it to any cosy lover.

I don’t know if I loved this book because of quirky Saffi or the Ravens (after all, my name is Raven), but I truly devoured this mystery. I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery. The red herrings throughout were also an added plus. I love that Saffi travels in her RV. The descriptions throughout this book were fantastic, making it easy to paint the scenes in your mind while you read. I need more mysteries in Last Chance Cove or at the very least, to have aunt Saffi take me with her on her next adventure!

The book was average. I did enjoy it. But it’s not my favorite. The writing was very solid because I can barely understand on what the story is really about. This book is for anyone who wants to read a mystery/thriller that isn’t too much horror but has some interesting storyline in it.

A great start to a new series. Saffi is a writer who decided to travel all over the country in her RV, following her husband's sudden death 3 years ago. She spends a few months in each place, digging up interesting facts about that place that she then includes in her books. She arrives in Last Chance Cove and by the following morning she's involved in a murder mystery. As a writer she's curious and starts digging. It goes from a murder mystery to blackmail, kidnapping, arson and attempted murder with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Also some fun, quirky characters in the town. A fun read and I'll definitely read the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Kim Griswell for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was ok a middle aged woman that’s been traveling for 3 years, finally finds a home in Last Chance Cove. This has a zany cast of characters that keeps the story interesting. There’s a murder, a fire, an attempted murder, blossoming friendships, and more. For a debut it wasn’t bad.

Recently and suddenly widowed author Saffi has embarked on a peripatetic RV tour as a way to learn to deal with her grief. She comes to the opposite coast and a nice little RV park in a small town with hope of being alone to write and deal. Fine until she finds the body of the park manager and her curiosity/investigative needs has her digging into the community and the murder while falling into amazing red herrings and sneaky plot twists. Hope to follow this series with its interesting characters! and Ravens.
I requested and received a temporary electronic review galley from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Pub Date Aug 06, 2025 ****review @bookbub @goodreads #librarything #storygraph
#MurderatLastChanceCove by @griswellkim #PacificNorthwestCozyMysteriesBk1 @stormbooks_co
#mystery #cozymystery #beachread #pacificnorthwest #NetGalley #suspense #localcops #writer @barnesandnoble @booksamillion @kobo #crimefiction #action #unputdownable #RVtraveller
#smalltown #griefeasing #murderinvestigation #seriesdebut

Murder at Last Chance Cover has a nice twist as the main character, Saffi, is widowed and travels around the country in her RV, never staying too long in one place. She collects stories and facts and writes books as Aunt Saffi. Saffi may be older, but she’s spunky and unfailingly curious about everything. I loved that she considers herself ‘an introvert, not a hermit’. When the manager of the RV park is found dead, her curiosity leads her to find answers. The characters are interesting and fun, the setting is beautiful and very real, and the addition of the ravens is a quirky touch. The mystery has red herrings and a twist that you don’t see coming.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Book review of Murder at Last Chance Cove by Kim Griswell. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

This book was exactly what I needed: a cozy mystery with bite. Griswell nails the atmosphere—foggy mornings, sea-salted air, and a town so quaint it practically has gossip on tap. The protagonist, Saffi Graywood, arrives in Last Chance Cove to escape, to heal, to write. What she doesn’t expect is to stumble on a body among driftwood within days of parking her RV. So much for peace and quiet.

Saffi is smart, layered, and refreshingly observant—more introverted writer than amateur sleuth, but that makes her instincts feel earned rather than forced. She’s still grieving her husband, still learning how to be alone. That ache lingers on the page without bogging the story down. Instead, it gives her drive. As she digs deeper into the mystery, you can feel her waking up again, bit by bit. And the town? It’s filled with just the right amount of charm and suspicion—grizzled fishermen, nosy café owners, oddball RV regulars. Everyone seems harmless until suddenly they’re not.

The pacing is tight. Clues come in steady waves, each chapter ending with enough of a tease to keep me flipping pages. And Griswell’s prose strikes a sweet spot—crisp but rich with detail. One line that stayed with me: “The fog rolled in thick as regret, swallowing everything but the sound of the waves and the weight of what I’d just found.” That’s the moment the cozy wraps fall away and the real stakes land.

By the end, I wasn’t just invested in the mystery—I wanted to stay in Last Chance Cove. Griswell has created a setting and a sleuth I’ll happily return to. This is a strong start to what promises to be an addictive series. I’m all in