Jess Kidd/Murder at the Spirit Lounge
Nora Breen Investigates #2
Atria Books/June 16, 2026
Jess Kidd’s Murder at the Spirit Lounge, the second installment featuring nun-turned-amateur detective Nora Breen, is a charming and often funny cozy mystery. Led by its strong female protagonist, there’s no need to read the first one in the series to follow along with the latest murderous shenanigans of coastal Gone-on-Sea.
When Dolores Chimes, a famous medium, arrives in Gone-in-Sea (picture an English Star’s Hollow post-World War II), Nora is surprised that even her dear friend Hilary Rideout will attend one of her seances. Surly and practical, the widowed detective inspector doesn’t seem the type to believe in communing with the afterlife.
The session goes horrifically wrong, with Dolores managing only to spell out the first three letters of a name–”E-V-E”–before she is electrocuted by her own planchette. (One would think she could have seen that coming). Called to the scene, Nora meets the other seance-goers, including rising starlet Sybil Sparkles, Lady and Miss Braybrooke, playboy Freddie Grace, retired Colonel William Fulford, and of course, Inspector Rideout.
Foul play is a given, considering the circumstances of the medium’s death, and it doesn’t take long for the killer to begin bumping off the others who attended the seance, starting with Lady and Ms. Braybrooke. Always one to meddle, Nora jumps to action to assist her friend the Inspector in tracking down the culprit. Soon it becomes clear that “E-V-E” had stood for “E-V-E-L-Y-N,” a name familiar to all. Long ago, each individual had a connection to this man, and now they’ll pay the price for a past transgression.
With the life of her friend on the line, Nora gets to work solving the crime on her own, with the dubious support (tolerance) of the local police. She isn’t afraid to use unconventional tactics to elicit information, such as banging out show tunes in the presence of a hungover suspect; and she isn’t afraid to ask any question. Her fearlessness may border on recklessness, but it works just enough to get her to that next clue. She might, however, drive Inspector Rideout mad in the process. He’s too much of a gentleman to put his foot down too firmly, and their back-and-forth with its underlying affection is a highlight of the novel, which clearly pays homage to And Then There Were None while having all the elements of a cozy mystery–the amateur sleuth, the tame language and tone, the intimate setting of a small coastal town.
As Nora bounces around Gore-on-Sea, unabashedly questioning whomever she pleases in her get-up of men’s clothing, dozens of characters are introduced, from the staff at the Marine Hotel, to Nora’s fellow residents at Gulls Nest, to surly journalist Martine Hartigan (who gives Nora a shot at her profession, which Nora manipulates to help with her sleuthing). Some of these characters are particularly fun to read, like Gulls Nest housekeeper Irene Breen, who is constantly shoving her terrible cooking down the mouths of her residents; but it can get a bit crowded.
The secondary story of the novel, which is not a central focus of his installment but will surely come later in the series, is Nora’s choice between two suitors: the stoic but deeply protective Inspector Rideout and photographer Hosmer. While the men’s interest in Nora is clear, what is not entirely clear is whether Nora is interested in exploring a relationship with either; and, if not, why that might be. We know that Nora had a prior breakup–with God, no less–and not long ago vacated the convent, but we don’t know much about how she feels about that. This does not read like an under-developed element, but more like the planting of seeds for later.
With its plucky female protagonist with a past yet to explore, the promise of romance, and plenty of characters to bump off in the next installment, the Nora Breen Investigates series is one worth picking up.
About the reviewer: Sarah Reida’s debut adult novel, Neighborhood Watch, received a Kirkus Star and was honored as an Amazon editorial pick as one of the Best Books of the Year So Far 2024. She is seeking representation for her sophomore novel, a small town mystery involving beer and murder. Join Sarah’s elite group of Instagram followers here.
