Death at High Tide: An Island Sisters Mystery (The Island Sisters, 1)

Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison is the debut of An Island Sisters Mystery series. It is November in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England where Evie Mead just lost her husband, Robert to a heart attack. She is learning that her financial status is shaky, and Evie is glad to have her sister, Margot there with her. It turns out that Evie might be the owner of Tregarrick Rock which is part of the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast. Margot believes Evie needs to get away and they head off Tregarrick Rock. Evie Mead and Margot Chandler are as different as two sisters can be. Evie likes to wear comfortable clothing and is a homebody while Margot is a film producer who lives in Los Angeles and likes to wear designer clothes plus name drop. Margot is loud and outspoken. She does not hesitate to interfere in Evie's personal affairs. However, Margot does not like Evie asking about her life. The characters lacked development. I would have liked more information on the sisters and the secondary characters fleshed out a bit more. I did feel that Death at High Tide was a slow starter with the death of Jago Ferris not occurring until the second half of the book. After Detective Sergeant Patty Williamson arrives on the island, the action begins to pick up. The police force may be small, but they are thorough. DS Patty Williamson has here eye on the two sisters and she is not about to let them head home. Evie takes matters into her own hands and begins searching for clues. She is new to the sleuthing game and makes some rookie mistakes. Evie and Margot discuss the evidence and come up with various theories. Those readers who devour mysteries will be able to solve this whodunit easily. I loved the descriptions of the Isles of Scilly and Tregarrick Rock. It sounds like a beautiful place to live despite the challenges getting there. The Art Deco hotel sounds like a gem despite the garish décor (rip out the 70s tacky and restore it to its former glory). Death at High Tide transports reader to the Isles of Scilly with pirate picture propaganda, a condescending curmudgeon, a prying patron, a secretive sister, an erratic employee, fatal fog, and temperamental tides.