Tides, Lies, and Alibis by Taffy Beach Review | A Breezy Beachside Cozy Mystery

Read time: 3 minutes

📱📖 Read on Kindle | 📃 248 pages | ⏱ 3 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Twitching Whisker Press
📅 Publication date: May 4, 2026
📚 ARC provided by the author

Book blurb:

Set in February 1998, Tides, Lies, and Alibis introduces Kate McGregor, an introverted heiress living quietly in Manatee Bay with her inherited Gilded Age home and a rescued menagerie of animals. Her carefully controlled life unravels when a widely disliked local dies at the Spring Berry Festival and the evidence points to her best friend Cindy’s beloved bakery. Forced out of her comfort zone, Kate must investigate a murder while navigating small-town gossip, long-buried family secrets, and the shadow of her family’s complicated legacy. In Manatee Bay, old grudges run deep—and nothing stays hidden for long.

Let’s talk … murder!!!

This is a true blue cozy mystery, ticking every box that cozy readers love. When I say this book nails the cozy mystery formula, I mean check, check, check. Small town? Check. A wealthy but introverted heroine? Check. A best friend framed for murder? Absolutely. Add in a bakery at the center of the chaos, a parade of quirky townsfolk, and an assortment of furry and feathery sidekicks, and you’ve got a setup that feels instantly familiar in the best way. Kate McGregor is the kind of cozy protagonist many readers quietly aspire to be. She’s well-off, introverted, creatively inclined, and happiest sharing space with animals and a trusted best friend. But when her best friend becomes the prime suspect, Kate’s loyalty (and nosiness) win out. Her relationship with Cindy is the emotional backbone of the story.

Taffy Beach paints Manatee Bay with a warm, shimmering brush. It’s the kind of town that feels real, complete with gossip networks disguised as book clubs and neighbors who simultaneously annoy and protect each other. The dialogue sparkles with Southern flair, and the pacing flows as gently as the tide, though occasionally it lingers a bit too long on description. Still, I found myself soaking it all in like sunshine on a slow afternoon. Even when Kate insists she dislikes the town’s nosiness, there’s an undercurrent of protectiveness that makes Manatee Bay feel like a place worth returning to. The mystery itself wraps up cleanly, satisfying both the mystery-minded and the cozy-hearted. The final chapter hints at deeper family secrets to come, which has me already watching the calendar for book two. With five more releases planned, this one promises the start of a series that’ll keep cozy fans well-fed and beach-dreaming.

Would I recommend it?

If you love classic cozy mysteries with a beachy twist, this is the kind of book that feels comforting without being dull, familiar without being lazy. Despite a few pacing hiccups, I genuinely enjoyed my time in Manatee Bay and I’m invested in seeing where Kate McGregor’s story goes next. This is a warm, comforting coastal mystery with just enough bite to keep it interesting. If you’re looking for a warm, animal-filled, bakery-adjacent cozy with an introverted sleuth at its heart, add this to your TBR and mark the release date.

While you wait for the book…

• A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette — Small-town ice cream shop, family drama, and a sweet sleuth.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates — A cozy bookstore by the sea and a cleverly layered mystery.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala — Foodie fun, Filipino flavor, and a dash of chaos.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• A Case for the Winemaker by Candace Havens — Wine country vibes, quirky characters, and amateur sleuthing.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
• Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly — Cats, magic, and a charming small-town library backdrop.
  Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy

Let’s Chat: Cozy Lovers Unite!

What’s your favorite seaside cozy mystery? Do you prefer your amateur sleuths chatty or reluctant like Kate? Drop your recommendations (and pet sidekick favorites!) in the comments below.

Book Links:

Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
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