Murder at Gulls Nest
From Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of Things in Jars who “is so good it isn’t fair” (Erika Swyler, nationally bestselling author), the first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears.
I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret.
1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent.
A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.
The series
In Nora Breen Investigates, Jess Kidd introduces readers to an atmospheric world of mystery, haunting secrets, and a quiet yet resilient detective whose intuition bridges the gap between the living and the dead. Set against the shadowed backdrop of 1950s Kent, the series brings together elements of gothic suspense with the charm of a cozy mystery, creating a space where grief, redemption, and the supernatural quietly intertwine.
Read full series description
At the heart of the series is Nora Breen, a former nun turned amateur sleuth, whose keen investigative mind is tempered by a deep understanding of human suffering. Struggling with the remnants of her past life, Nora is drawn into a world of puzzling crimes that seem to carry a ghostly echo. Each case she takes on pulls her further into a web of unspoken truths, forcing Nora to confront both the living and the spectral in a way only she can.
Kidd's lyrical writing paints a vivid picture of post-war England, where every corner holds a memory, and every shadow hides a secret. The atmospheric tension within Nora Breen Investigates is both palpable and mesmerizing, as Nora’s personal journey of healing unfolds against the backdrop of complex, eerie mysteries. Each novel explores not just the act of solving crimes, but the delicate nature of moving on, of reconciling with the past, and of navigating the space between life and death.
The series doesn’t shy away from the dark, but it is also filled with moments of quiet humor and tenderness, making it a unique blend of suspense, introspection, and the inexplicable. With every case Nora investigates, she discovers something new about herself, her ability to face the unexplainable, and her connection to the forgotten souls she encounters along the way. Readers will find themselves swept into her world, where every clue leads to deeper revelations, and where Nora Breen's journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about unmasking the truth.
Perfect for fans of atmospheric mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, Nora Breen Investigates offers a refreshing take on the genre, leaving readers with a story that lingers long after the final page.
Be the first reviewer
Sign in and write the first reader review.
