The Light Beside the Sea is a cozy mystery. Julia Bonatti is an astrologer who gives guidance to others to allay fears of change and the future. Yet, she is stuck in her own past, one that won’t lie quiet. A few, short years ago, her fiancé Michael was killed in a hit-and-run as he returned from an archeological expedition. Now it comes to light that he wasn’t the only grad student related to the project or the professor who has died. The latest was just days ago. Now Julia is asking questions. By solving one death, she just may be able to provide closure on them all.
Bottom line: The Light Beside the Sea is for you if you like cozy mysteries and a touch of the unexpected.
Listen to the prologue and first chapter here or wherever you get Mysteries to Die For podcast
TG Wolff Review
Julia is our narrator and the detective in this story. One of the first challenges of the amateur sleuth mystery is how to inject the detective. In this case, Julia was invited in through multiple doors including other grieving wives/girlfriends and the bad guy. Julia isn’t a pushy / nosey as many cozy sleuths. She more finds doors that are open and goes through them rather than forcing her way through. She is easy to respect and like. With this is Julia’s fifth story, so she is a well developed character.
The main story is a mix of a mystery and a conspiracy. The older deaths were officially closed as accidents, not homicides. The newest death is undeniably murder. Through stories told by loved ones of the deceased, her fiancé Michael’s notebook, and a few experts in their fields, Julia pieces together the events and motivations until she unearths some shady characters.
Julia is consistent and true to herself in her actions. The logic of a story is more often tied to the actions of the Bad Guy. Looking from the end back to the beginning, I am left with a few questions.
The subplots have the zany element readers look forward to in a cozy. Julia’s grandmother’s next door neighbor had disappeared just as her daughter was forcing her from her home into a faraway elder care facility. Then there is the drama with the staff of The Mystic Eye book store with Rupert and the woman he cares for.
The pacing in the book is fairly fast with Julia hopping between the main and side story lines. Individually, the stories unfold at a stepwise pace. The astrology cozy element is fresh and, at times, highly technical. I won’t claim to have understood all of the explanations Julia gave to her clients, but they were interesting. There is an element of mysticism above and beyond Julia’s chosen path that adds a sense of wonder and suspense.
Overall, this was an entertaining read. Fans of the cozy genre who are looking for a fresh take should check on the Julia Bonatti and the Zodiac Mystery series.
Meet Connie Di Marco
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries featuring San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti, a woman who never thought murder would be part of her practice. The Light Beside the Sea is the fifth novel in the series. Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the national bestselling Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Penguin Random House. You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Crime Writers Association (UK) and Sisters in Crime.
Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website partnersincrimetours.com
TG Wolff 