by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a Kindle ebook copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Barb Goffman leads the way with “A Tale of Two Sisters.” Emma is getting married. She wanted just friends and family, but her mother had other ideas. Instead of twenty people, there are two hundred guests. Mom has ‘The Look’ that can make grown men cower. Emma didn’t have a chance.

It’s up to Robin, Emma’s younger sister, to keep Mom happy (an impossible task), Emma happy (iffy), and the wedding and reception running smoothly (ha!) which might have happened except for a couple of teenagers, a wet dog, and an aquamarine and diamond tiara the bride had borrowed.

“Footprints in the Sand” by Shari Randall is next up. An early morning swim sounds like the perfect way to start the day—except for the giant footprints in the sand. Someone or something ran full tilt into the water and didn’t return. Allie finds a ring with a large diamond in the shallows of the water. Who knew trying to find the owner to return it could turn into a police interrogation?

Shawn Reilly Simmons takes the third spot with “Bay of Reckoning.” Sabrina was a local beauty queen thirty years ago and now runs Briny Bay’s Miss Crab Pageant. The carefully planned program doesn’t go according to plan thanks to the dead body caught in a crab trap. Unfortunately, it’s the father of one of the contestants, and he wasn’t even supposed to be near the water. A body, a reporter, a spice blend, and a time capsule are all sure ways to put a damper on the pageant. Includes recipes for crab dip and Briny Bay seafood seasoning blend,

“Frugal Lissa Needs a Break” by Ritter Ames is the fourth story. Lissa, her dog Honey, and her friend Abby take a few days off for a girls weekend. You’d think it would be a relaxing time at the beach, a little sun, sand, and time to catch up. But that all went out the window when Honey began to dig in the sand on a dune and discovers not just any dead guy but one who had a past with Abby.

In the fifth spot is “Frog Days of Summer” by Cathy Wiley. Chef Jackie is trying to jumpstart her career—again. A little drinking problem had derailed it but hopefully appearing as a guest judge for a frog legs cooking competition will change all that. When a dead body is found, Jackie hopes to find the killer in less time than it takes to heat up the deep fryer.

“Beach Party Body” by Lucy Carol is in the sixth slot. Working as a photographer’s assistant, Madison sounds like a glamorous job but there’s a lot of standing in knee deep water while holding a reflecting light as the models posed in the latest swimwear. One model puts her job as a low priority. However, a dead body rates the highest priority of all—that and finding out who made the body dead.

Karen Cantwell’s story “Coast Busters” comes in at number seven. Barb needs a mom vacation. Anyone knows a family vacation is never a restful time for the mom. She’s responsible for clean clothes, no sand in the bed, and lost flip flops. A mom vacation is time with friends and zero responsibilities. What could go wrong? Especially for a mom who is a dead body magnet.

“Cabo San Loco” by Eleanor Caywood Jones comes in at number eight. When you have a wealthy friend who is willing to share vacation time on a Mexican beach, well, don’t delay, hop on the plane. Of course, no one had planned for the body in the hot tub.

With warm weather’s arrival, take a trip to the beach without leaving the comfort of the backyard, the shading umbrella, and kiddie pool. These eight tales will let you feel the ocean breeze, taste the salt in the air (or on the rim of your glass), and the sand between your toes. Be sure to use sunscreen!

To enter to win a Kindle ebook copy of Murder on the Beach, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “beach,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 17, 2021. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next week.

You can use this link to purchase these book from Amazon. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link:

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.