Seashells and Murder

Barefoot Sleuth Mysteries, Book 2

By: H.Y. Hanna

Narrated by: Pearl Hewitt

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Ellie can't believe her luck: Instead of a dreary English winter, she's enjoying an unexpected vacation in sunny Florida...and things get even more exciting when she's roped in to judge the annual Key Lime Pie Contest at her beach resort. The rivalry is fierce, the recipes are daring, but nobody expects the event to end in murder!

Before long, Ellie is swapping comfy cabanas and sugar-white sand for some serious sleuthing. She soon discovers that everyone has something to hide. Are the contestants really as innocent as they say? Does the resort chef still hold a vindictive grudge? And what was the victim's wife really doing on the night of the murder?

Meanwhile, Ellie finds that there are other dangers lurking at the resort, such as being robbed at beak-point by Hemingway the parrot! Then there's her simmering chemistry with the hunky resort doctor - a distraction she doesn't need. Help comes from Mojito the resort cat, who has a nose for clues, but it turns out that this mystery has more twists than a conch shell. If Ellie doesn't solve the case soon, she's going to find that Florida's famous pie is really "to die for"....

Welcome to the deadliest beach resort in Florida - in USA Today best-selling author H.Y. Hanna's fun new mystery series!

Clean listen: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.

©2020 H.Y. Hanna (P)2020 H.Y. Hanna

Another great series from H.Y. Hanna!

I am a huge fan of the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries and this series is also fantastic so far! I love the characters and I appreciate that they're different from the characters in her other series. There were definitely some American diction errors (Americans say "primary suspect" instead of "chief suspect" and "stuffed animal" instead of "plushie"), but overall really good writing. The one thing I hated was the narrator. She's the same narrator as the one for the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries (where she does a fine job), but in a Florida setting where most of the characters are American, she was the wrong choice. Her American accents are horrible (which is fine of there's just one American character). They all sound like some weird blend of England meets Texas, and they all sound the same. Her zen surfer chick is especially horrible. I would love to encourage the producers to find an American narrator who can do various accents, because British inflections just don't work in Florida.

Clever and fun

This is exactly what I want from a beach read. It takes place in a beautiful setting. It is clever, fun, engaging, and even had some laugh out loud moments.

FUN NEW SERIES

THIS IS A PROMISING NEW LIGHTHEARTED COZY MYSTERY SET IN FLORIDA WITH A MIX OF DELIGHTFUL BRITISH AND AMERICAN CHARACTERS, NOT TO MENTION A MISCHIEVOUS MACAW. IT IS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED DURING THESE TENSE TIMES. BUY, READ, ENJOY, LAUGH A LITTLE.

Another great from Hanna!

Ellie finds herself becoming a guest judge in the resorts annual Key lime pie contest. When the celebrity guest judge arrives late to the judging with a drink in hand things don't really go as planned. Especially when he takes a tumble into the contestants pies!
Ellie goes from guest judge to head judge with a side of sleuthing after the handsome resort doc announces the celebrity judge dead!
Loved having more Hemingway and Mojito shenanigans as Ellie tries to find the murderer in a sea of suspects.
I'm really enjoying this series and the narrator who brings the characters to life.

*disclaimer*
I was given this copy for free in trade for an honest review. All the opinions above are my own.

just ok

This story dragged on. I couldn't con nect with the characters. I will not read any more books in this series.

Delightful cozy

HY Hanna creates mysteries with delightful characters and wry humor. As light as it is, I keep finding myself emotionally invested in her characters. Can’t wait to see if Ellie’s ain’t can help her gain some confidence and pride in herself. It’s past due.

Earns 5+/5 Slices of Pie...Engaging & Clever Fun!

Start with a clever murder mystery devised by H.Y. Hanna and add pie, peril, and the extraordinary voice artistry of Pearl Hewitt and you have a few hours of “delicious” entertainment! H.Y. Hanna penned this second book in her Barefoot Sleuth Mystery set on the gulf coast of Florida with intrigue, close calls, Key Lime Pie, and murder! Sunset Pines Resort’s version of the Great British Baking Show competition is riddled with egos, sabotage, and antics that send the culinary judge to the morgue! Ellie Bishop is enjoying her vacation with her quirky aunt, meeting new people, and finding herself conflicted about her feelings for the hunky resort doctor. She is a strong, clever young woman with typical challenges with confidence, but with her aunt, several resort employees, and a somewhat devilish macaw and “lucky to be around” black cat, she has found great success solving the murder of a “not well liked” food critic, although not without some perilous predicaments. Adding to all of this dramatic and humorous situations and making the experience even more entertaining is Pearl Hewitt’s narration. She is excellent at performing several British and American dialects depicting well gender, tone, and personality of the eclectic characters and along with the emotions in the drama, I challenge you to not fall in love with this “barefoot sleuth” in this “Seashells and Murder.”

Excellent writer and narrator combo!

I love this writer and narrator combo. I started to listen to this series because I've enjoyed all the other books. The hardest thing about audio books is getting my attention and the writing and great narration helps. Pearl Hewitt tells H.Y. Hanna's stories with so many variations of accents and tones that you know who's speaking. I don't lose interest at all.

Fun book to listen to with a great narrator.

Pearl Hewitt does an outstanding narrative again. I enjoy all the HY Hannah books, very enjoyable.

Another fun Florida mystery

Seashells and Murder continues the adventures of English girl Ellie on her first visit to the states. H.Y. Hanna, in her usual style, describes the Florida resort setting so well you almost feel like you're there.
This time Ellie is a judge in a Key Lime Pie contest, and the pie descriptions will make your mouth water, as well as give you some great hints on how to make a really great Key Lime Pie. The variety of characters all seem to have possible motives, and the mystery will keep you guessing till the end.
As always, a lot of humor, a little romance, some suspense, intriguing characters, and entertaining animals add to the fun.
The reader, Pearl Hewitt, does a great job with all the different voices, and adds to the enjoyment.
If you need a weekend getaway to a fun Florida resort, this is a great way to take one!
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.