Murder on the Early Boat
A Charming Island Cozy Mystery Novella set on the Isle of Wight
The Squirrel Sanctuary Mysteries
by Imogen Penrose
Published: September 10, 2026
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Short Read, Cozy Mystery
Blurb:
A red squirrel steals a teaspoon. A man is dead on the early boat before it docks. The cook at the sanctuary café tells Robyn Cheverton she is an overner with good paperwork.
Robyn came over for a week. Bury her grandfather, sell the forty acres of hazel he left her, go back to the zoo.
Nigel Cotgrave buys houses off the newly bereaved and calls it paying quicker. He gave Robyn his card with his condolences. He goes to a good many funerals, and he says so.
The crew say he fell in the swell. Nobody on that boat is sorry.
A hardback book with every car on the deck. A collar up against a headrest. A man who would not get out for the whole crossing.
Robyn has a funeral in three hours, a grandmother expecting her, and a squirrel who is about to pick the wrong pocket.
My Review:
A charming, fast-paced cozy mystery that steals your heart!
Murder on the Early Boat is a delightful short read in Imogen Penrose’s The Squirrel Sanctuary Mysteries series. It is a charming story involving a red squirrel named Hendrix who absolutely steals the show! Our protagonist, Robyn, has come to the Isle of Wight to bury her grandfather and sell the forty acres of hazel woodland he left her, with plans to immediately return to her work at the zoo. Her plans change when she discovers Hendrix living in her property's attic barn.
But the real trouble starts on the journey over. On the boat, Robyn meets Nigel Cotgrave—a sleazy man who targets the newly bereaved to pressure them into buying their inherited property. Before Robyn can even depart the boat, Nigel is found dead, and absolutely no one on board is sorry to see him gone.
Despite being a quick read, the mystery and suspense of trying to find out what happened to Nigel kept me turning the pages. Each twist reveals its secrets slowly and masterfully, making this short story feel as rich and satisfying as a full-length novel.
Be sure to grab a copy of Murder on the Early Boat to meet all of these wonderful characters and help them solve a perfect cozy mystery!
0 comments:
Post a Comment