Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
It is my pleasure to share my thoughts today about
Gull & Bones by Sally Goldenbaum.
Gull & Bones (Seaside Knitters Society)
Cozy Mystery
8th in the Series (with this publisher)
Setting – Massachusetts
Publisher : Kensington Cozies
Publication Date : November 25, 2025
Print Length : 352 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 : 1496747216
ISBN-13 : 978-1496747211
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 978-1496747235
ASIN : B0DYWQLYRC
Audiobook ASIN B0FY438RHG
The sugar maples are beginning to turn, and the seasonal visitors have closed up their cottages—one more summer has been thoroughly packed away. But the residents of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, have a celebration to look forward to, until a killer calls sudden death .. .
Long-time resident Angus McPherron has a very special birthday coming up—his 100th! Known as the “old man of the sea” by Sea Harbor residents, he’s lived in town all his long life and has shared plenty of colorful tales of the area.
Back in town to fill a much-needed nursing position at the free clinic, Charlie Chambers, Izzy Perry’s brother, is staying in one of the handful of cottages Angus owns. The yarn shop owner is thrilled he’s in town—though she’d like to know more about his mysterious roommate, Annie Smith. Still, she’s grateful that each morning Charlie checks Angus’s vitals and makes sure he takes his meds.
Meanwhile, Izzy and the other Seaside Knitters are busy planning Angus’s birthday bash, knitting his beloved gulls into everything they make. With bands rehearsing and the menu set, Angus’s celebration promises to be unforgettable. But the day before, when Charlie stops by Angus’s cottage, he finds the old man has died in his sleep. Shocked and saddened, the town decides to go ahead with the festivities, which will now become a celebration of the old man’s life.
But when Angus’s closest friend, Father Northcutt, is found on the floor of Angus’s cottage, unconscious from a deadly blow to his head, Angus’s death is examined more closely, and soon is a suspected homicide. As the knitters delve into Angus’s history, more questions than answers surface. Soon the whole community is concerned over what now looks like murder, a tragedy buried deep in a shameful chapter in Sea Harbor’s past. And one that may point to a killer still in their midst . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sea Harbor will be quieter now that the seasonal visitors have closed up their cottages for the year. But the year-round residents will be making plenty of noise to celebrate Angus McPherron’s, aka “old man of the sea,” 100th birthday. The man has lived in Sea Harbor his whole life and has plenty of stories to tell. This party has been in the works for quite a while, with the Seaside Knitters taking the lead. Everyone is looking forward to it.
Izzy’s brother, Charlie Chambers, has come back to town to fill a nursing position at the free clinic. He is staying in a cabin owned by Angus and has acquired a roommate, Annie Smith. They check on Angus daily. Annie is a mystery, though.
Sadly, when Charlie arrives the day before the birthday celebration to check on Angus, he finds he has died during the night. The entire town is mourning the loss, and after much thought and discussion, they decided to hold the planned event and celebrate Angus’ life.
When one of Angus’s friends is found unconscious in Angus’s cabin, it leads to questions about Angus’s death. Did his life end at someone else’s hand? The Seaside Knitters are determined to find out.
This is the 8th book from this publisher, but there are 11 previous books from another publisher. I have been with the main characters from the start, and I am always happy to return to Sea Harbor to catch up with my fictional friends. They are such a fun group of people, always willing to help anyone in need. Over the years, the core group has stuck together, but we meet new people in each story. It tests me to think if Angus was mentioned in an early story, but I really enjoy meeting him here. Unique and quirky with his friends, the gulls. He had an interesting tradition that I really appreciated.
The mystery of Angus’s death was complicated and unfolded slowly at first to get all the new characters introduced, but the pace soon picked up. There were more suspects than I imagined at the start. The Knitters needed to go back in time, check out the history, and then had to methodically go through every clue and piece of evidence. I enjoyed being with them every step of the way. I was happy with the way the killer was apprehended, because it could have ended badly.
Gull & Bones was another wonderful mystery from Ms. Goldenbaum. Set on the scenic Massachusetts coast, with fabulous characters and an intriguing mystery, my latest visit to Sea Harbor was another Perfect Escape. For readers new to this series, the author provides a list of the characters and how they fit together before the story starts. For fans of this series, you will have a fantastic time catching up with Birdie, Cass, Nell, and Izzy and all their friends and family.
*Knitting pattern for an AS-YOU-LIKE IT PONCHO and a Spinach and Feta Pie recipe are included after the story.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About Sally Goldenbaum
Sally Goldenbaum enjoys writing mysteries about the intricacies of women’s friendship, the complexities of small-town living, and what happens to the good people when a murder disrupts their lives.
She has written more than forty novels, but is best known for the USA TODAY best-selling series, Seaside Knitters Society Mystery Series. Sally also writes the Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mysteries.
Born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, she now lives on Gloucester, MA, the inspiration for her current mystery series. In addition to writing mysteries, Sally has taught philosophy, Latin, and creative writing, edited bioethics and veterinary healthcare journals, and worked in public television at WQED Pittsburgh (then home to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood).
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