by Brian Thiem
Release Date; February 10, 2026
2026 Severn River Publishing
Ebook & Audiobook ARC; 322 Pages
ISBN: 978-1648756542
ASIN:
B0DWXXJZ1W
Audiobook: B0GCPKDYRX
Genre: Fiction / Mystery
Source: Review copy from publisher
3 / 5 Stars
Summary
When Courtney Evanson’s body is found in the dunes of Spartina Island, the peaceful facade of the retirement haven is shattered.
A stolen credit card initially offers a promising lead, but when their main suspect turns up dead, all their theories unravel. The investigation grinds to a halt—until The Mudflats Murder Club uncovers a crucial piece of a ruby pendant hidden in the pocket of the clothes Courtney was wearing when she died. This pendant is more than a simple find—it’s the unmistakable link to a 27-year-old cold case involving another young woman’s violent death.
The deeper they probe into the case, the more Sean’s team unearths, including secrets about Charlie’s father, who mysteriously disappeared a decade ago. As the lines between past and present blur, Sean must navigate these buried truths without losing Charlie’s trust.
My Thoughts
A Killer in the Cordgrass is the second book in the Mudflats Murder Club Mysteries, and while I really enjoyed both the plot and character development in the first book of this series, I was somewhat disappointed by the character development and banter in this one.
So, let's start with the characters and the character development. Charlie is the official detective for the town and the Mudflats Murder Club are retired professionals in the field who have been tasked to look into cold cases. However, the cases so far have intertwined which is where we have the problems. Charlie spends a lot of time pissed off that she isn't given information about the investigation regarding her father, as if she is entitled to it because on, she is a detective, and two, he was her father. No, on both counts. Anyone with any sense knows that you can not investigate if you are involved personally because one, it's emotional, and two, it can ruin/compromise an entire investigation. Naturally, Charlie does her own thing anyway and just becomes annoying as hell. But then she plays the spoiled child who doesn't get her way when she gets caught out, angry at everyone, but usually at Sean. Did I mention how annoyed I was at this behaviour? Oh, and what was it at the crime scene between Sean and Charlie anyway? I just don't understand why a woman detective has to be written as overly emotional, making silly decisions, acting unprofessional. Oh, and another afterthought. Charlie being angry at her mother for what she discovered was so downright silly I think my eyebrows were into my hairline. It was a two-month difference, not the end of the world. Creating unnecessary drama can be off-putting as well and this whole plot point was childish and annoying. That's all.
For the record, I do really enjoy the other members of the Mudflats Murder Club and would like to know a lot more about them as I find them interesting. I am also intrigued about how the job gets into you, body and soul, and how difficult it is to let it go once retired. Being retired myself, I understand how difficult it is to let go, but I can't even imagine how difficult that would be in a job where there are cases left unfinished or unsolved.
The actual murder mystery was quite interesting and I like how the cold cases intertwine with the current ones. There were actually quite a few twists and turns, between all the emotional drama, and the actual investigation revealed a lot more about the town, the people, and gave some insight into Charlie's father and the rest of Charlie's family. While the execution was uneven due to the unnecessary drama, the descriptions of the area were great and I could feel myself sitting by the water, feeling the breeze. While the actual mystery did conclude, the investigation into Charlie's father did not and will probably continue for several more books.
Verdict
A Killer in the Cordgrass had an interesting mystery and I did like the secondary characters quite a bit, characters that redeemed the book in my eyes. I definitely was not a fan of Charlie's behaviour for most of the books and I dislike it when an author uses emotional drama on a woman's side to push the plot as that just feels like a convenient tool. And I didn't buy it as Charlie was a cool customer in the first book, quite unhappy with Sean's involvement most of the time, so why she would suddenly become so emotional is beyond me. However, I did enjoy the actual mystery and I am curious about the fate of Charlie's father, so I will be continuing with the series.
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