Acquired Book By: Interestingly, I was first contacted in November, 2021 by Mr Wygal’s publicist about his Myrtle Beach Mysteries – however, I was a bit delayed in responding until March, 2022. It took a bit of time to receive the first two books in the series by Mr Wygal and then, I had a few delays of my own this Summer, 2022. He also sent me a copy of “Death Washes Ashore” the second book in the series which is when I realised I needed a copy of the prequel “The Brass Key” in order to better understand the sequencing of the series itself.
I had fully planned to read all the stories shortly thereafter in Autumn of 2022 however, my migraines returned in September and from October 2022 – February 2023 my family and I had gone through over 90+ days of loss (two cats) and medical emergencies with my father who had multiple hospitalisations and stays until he was finally able to be released into a 24/7 nursing care home where he could receive rehab and recovery. Ergo, my readings of this series were delayed due to circumstances rather than anything else which would have delayed me from reviewing the series.
This is another prime example of how publicists and authors alike read through my Review Policy and note the kind of stories I love to seek out to read. Quite a few of the requests I receive are a bit of a miss for me as a reader as they fall outside the realms of what I will accept as a reader or outside my review policy altogether. This is why I left the tweet in my sidebar to alert those seeking reviewers to know this is why we write those pages on our blogs – to help authors, publishers and publicists know our reading sensibilities and preferences. I am celebrating the authors, publishers and publicists today who kindly read those pages and offer us a story we can accept for review consideration.
I received a complimentary copy of “Death on the Boardwalk” and “The Brass Key” direct from the author Caleb Wygal in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why I wanted to read The Myrtle Beach Mysteries:
First off, I should mention I appreciate a wicked good Cosy Mystery — I also happen to have a penchant for Southern Literature. Which is why when a beloved book series by Sherryl Woods became a series on NetFlix, I was dearly thrilled to bits (ie. “Sweet Magnolias”) as that doesn’t always happen. I have loved reading Southern Romances, Southern Literature & Southern Gothic stories for quite a long time now — stories set in the Southeast of the United States have a particular characteristic about them. There is a cultural identity to them but there is also a particular climate – as weather plays a strong role in these stories as much as the infamous Southern hospitality and affection for ‘sweet tea’.
However, I have the tendency to read Southern Fiction (overall) which has full inclusivity of all persons, cultures and lifestyles as sometimes the IRL climate of culture of the South is far different than how it is portrayed in fiction. As most have sorted out over the years, I am a girl who embraces the melting pot of the world whilst I am an LGBTQ+ ally. Thereby whenever I reach for a Southern story, I like to seek out stories which embrace the world as I see the world myself and are not stuck in the past with views which are not contemporary minded.
Another reason I like Southern set stories are the small townes, the slower paced lives and the landscape of the stories where they are set — as the Southeast hugs the Atlantic Coast whilst it also has a firm grip on Appalachia.
The Brass Key
by Caleb Wygal
Source: Direct from Author
A discovery in a Grand Strand consignment store sends Mark and Peggy Whitman, two tourists celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary while staying at the OceanScapes Resort on an adventure. Mark is aging, unmotivated, and hasn't been the same since a heart attack. Peggy has tried to boost Mark's spirits, but failed.
That starts to change when they find an item tucked inside a purchase, igniting an unexpected journey that explores the Grand Strand, a secret romance, and rekindles their love for one another. But to find the secret, Peggy needs Mark to find the drive to help before they have to check out.
Along the way, they will encounter faces familiar to the series, and meet some that have not been seen before, all in the day before Clark Thomas finds a body on his bookstore doorstep.
Filled with Wygal's characteristic humor and fast, fun writing style,
The Brass Key is a delightful entry to the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series.
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 979-8986000626
Also by this author: Death Washes Ashore
Published by Franklin Kerr Press
on 10th May, 2022
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 52
My review of the brass key:
Peggy and Mark are your typical tourists who get lost in the experience of visiting a place and set their own timeclock of how they want to spend their hours at their destination. Their a bit eccentrically hilarious, too, as Mark loves collecting knick-knacks which only he understands the purpose of why he collects them whereas Peggy would at least like to spend a bit of time on the sand as they frequently visit an infamous beach resort towne (ie. Myrtle Beach) but spend zero time at the beach itself! Laughs. They draw you into their fold as soon as you meet them – because you nearly presume their speaking a bit out of turn about someone until you realise what the reference is actually about by Mark!
Townes which feature a lot of storefronts and tucked away places to traverse through are my kind of places to travel off to myself. I love whenever you have more shops to wander inside than time allows as there is something magical about becoming lost in the moment and just allowing yourself to wander a bit amiss and afield and see what you can find unexpectedly as you journey through a towne like this one where the past comes back alive through the items which are offered for sale.
Mark’s retirement sounded eerie close to my fathers – wherein both men worked long hard hours and didn’t collect a lot of hobbies over the years. And, of course, by the time they retired, their health afflictions and issues started to occur with gusto. I felt for Peggy, especially as I’ve been living through something similar with Dad and have watched the effect it has had on myself and my Mum over the past several years. A credit to Peggy (and my Mum) she finds ways to workaround Mark’s health problems and still finds ways to curate a bit of joy for both of them along the way. Travelling though was something new for this couple as they had lead such a quieter life together and with their children. That was something that differed from our family as Mum set the standard early-on wherein we’d take a lot of day to overnight trips in and round our state ever since I was a young girl. She found ways to get around my Dad’s job but also curated a way for us to see the state as well. I always thought that was a wicked balance to solve.
I loved how Wygal highlighed travelling where you can stay with a built-in kitchenette – as it is one way to keep a healthy diet but also have a cosy nights inside if you don’t want to go out on the towne you’re visiting. He kept this very contemporary and current, too, as Peggy and Mark received a Wal-mart food delivery! Laughs. I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d read a story which utilised food delivery services in one form or another and in this instance, it felt well with their lifestyle of choice.
Of course, it was over the course of dinner one evening when Peggy and Mark discovered something in their room (which eludes to the title of this short prequel story!) which fancied them a bit of a turn at playing detective. They were also Wygal’s eyes and ears for his readers to become introduced to his version of Myrtle Beach and to give a curious presentation of how the towne was situated and the sights which visitors might expect to find there if they were to visit. It was lovely to see the area as they journeyed around and made the best of their time on their holiday.
The best moment by far for me was when Clark (at the bookstore) invited Peggy and Mark to have coffee and conversation with him at the table! It was one of those unexpected kind graces that you hoped to experience for yourself but don’t oft get the chance to find people that warmly hospitable!
Clark, of course, is the main character in the series – and it was a delightful introduction to who he is as a person and as a member of the community. The only surprising turn for me in the end of this delightful short story is how Peggy and Mark didn’t leave a note or story behind for their family about their adventure on the day we spent with them in Myrtle Beach. It had such an endearing ending – what they found and what it meant for the people in the past – I thought for sure they might have left something behind for their own family to understand their adventure and their discovery but in the end, they left it as an unspoken mystery with only a singular bit of evidence as a lasting clue of their time there. Although, I was curious if there might be a connecting reference in the general series to what they effectively achieved on behalf of one of the oldest residents of the area.
I would definitely recommend reading this story ahead of Death on the Boardwalk because it sets such a lovely tone of entrance into the expanding series as much as Peggy and Mark are the kind of characters which endear you to them quite immediately and leave a mark of joy on your heart.
Death on the Boardwalk
Subtitle: A Myrtle Beach Mystery
by Caleb Wygal
Source: Direct from Author
When death arrives on recently widowed bookstore owner Clark Thomas' backdoor, he gets drawn into the investigation. What he discovers changes his life.
The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is normally an idyllic place until the body of a local businesswoman and environmentalist gets dumped by the back door of his shop. Clark finds himself in a unique position to investigate the crime. But should he?
When it comes to murder, something else drives him he doesn't want to admit. As he launches his own search for the killer, Clark comes across a variety of colorful Boardwalk inhabitants who might have had reason to kill an otherwise beloved person.
Can he do it and start putting his wife's death behind him in the process, or will it open up a fresh wound?
Winner of the 2021 Pinnacle Book Award for Best Mystery
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 9781735437330
Also by this author: Death Washes Ashore
Published by Franklin Kerr Press
on 2nd February, 2021
Format: Paperback Edition
Pages: 257
The Myrtle Beach Mysteries:
The Brass Key (A Prequel, 0.5)
Death on the Boardwalk (Book One)
Death Washes Ashore (Book Two)
Death on the Golden Mile (Book Three)
Death on the Causeway (Book Four)
Published By: Franklin/Kerr Press (@thefranklinkerr)
Converse via: #ContemporaryMystery or #CosyMystery
as well as #DeathOnTheBoardwalk OR #MyrtleBeachMysteries
Available Formats: Trade paperback and Ebook
my review of death on the boardwalk:
Blessedly I had the chance to read The Brass Key and had met Paige ahead of reading Death on the Boardwalk which was quite important as it linked both stories together. Especially to the point of how interconnected Clark is to the beach community surrounding Myrtle Beach as a towne but also, as how his bookshoppe is a central route of communication for everyone who lives there who likes to read, converse and drink copious amounts of coffee! Laughs. He has a very nonchalant way about him and has the tendency of being someone who can pivot and adapt to traumatic circumstances. The cheekiness of Wygal’s dry wit and humour was on display as well and it was wickedly matched with Clark’s own reactions to the circumstance, he found himself involved in.
The detectives on the case were the typical ones you’d expect to find in a mystery like this one and yet, I had a feeling Clark was going to leave a stronger impression on them as time moved forward. He could intuit things moreso than he realised and I had a feeling his eyes of observation and his mind of memory for plots and mysteries might come in handy. There was a bit more to his personal story – as Wygal was only parsing it out and not giving a detailed background on Clark as this particular installment was unfolding. I had a feeling it had to do with what was going to be disclosed and also, further explain why Clark was a workaholic as I suspected I knew what might have happened but wanted to wait for confirmation.
In that respect, Clark found solace in his work – not just for connecting readers to books but for offering a space for the community as well. You could tell he took pride in both the coffee he could provide and the conversations which he encouraged as oft as he could to everyone who walked in this bookshoppe’s door. There was something to be said for his hospitality but also for his mindset and approach of being a book seller. Yet, when he was presented with a crime scene quite literally on his doorstep it brought out his detecting personality and I felt Wygal did a smashing job of showing the transition of Clark from bookseller to investigative amateur detective.
As Clark pooled together his resources by interviewing his business neighbours and colleagues, he also took a chance on speaking with one of the colleagues of the deceased which truly gave him inspiration to continue to pursue the chase towards the truth. He was crafty as much as he was clever about how he wanted to investigate the crime without letting on that that was his intensions all along. His personal life behind being a bookseller was quite a tragic one and I felt fuelled his desire to remain personally connected and involved in his community. The more he could find ways to contribute to the community, I felt the more he felt he was moving forward away from the trauma and pain of loss in the past. He wasn’t fully allowing himself to move forward outside of work as he hadn’t yet reconciled his grief but with these steps of progress with his sleuthing instincts, I felt he might find a new path forward in the end. Especially as amateur detectives who sell books might become a locally celebrated hero!
I even liked how Wygal created this ‘other’ life for Clark, too. How he was still dearly close to his parents who blessedly were able to live near him and not stay in Ohio. How their story was hinged to the recovery of his Mom’s Cancer treatments and how he also was a ghost writer who had a healthy career which seemed to go largely unnoticed in the wider community. Those interpersonal notations about Clark were both charming and realistically grounding for a character who didn’t like to take himself too seriously or put himself in a spotlight of interest with his peers.
My favourite scene was when Clark went off in search of Julieta and we were treated to such a wickedly lovely scene of a family awaiting to eat dinner! He etched in such a warmth of time and setting and place which spoke to the humbling traditions of cooking dinner and the cultural ways in which families love to come together over a meal. It was such a well-thought-out sequence and one that I delighted in reading as Wygal made you feel so comfortable in that environment as if you were the second uninvited guest that evening and just as warmly received to be there.
I had a feeling my favourite scene might hold more clues to the crime than meets the eye, as well. There was something a bit foreshadowing about how Wygal set the scene for dinner at Julieta’s that my mind just tagged that scene as being of import lateron in the story. By the time all the clues came together, I just smiled. It was the kind of mystery that made you think about the motives and the means, as much as the opportunity. Wygal did a good job at throwing out some red herrings and also, giving us a winsome character in Clark who was motivated by his own desire to avenge the loss of his wife. He needed something to focus on outside of his own grief and somehow, he found sleuthing about the tragic death of another man’s wife was filling the void he felt himself as a widower.
All the secondary and support characters each had their time and place in the story, too. It was a bit of a larger cast of characters to shuffle through but the most endearing ones were the locals within the community Clark was most engaged with himself. They provided the backbone of the beachside towne and made it feel tangible and connected at the same time. Whilst you go through the motions of how Clark finds his own instincts of how-to sleuth, you also remain connected to his family by way of his parents. His Mom stands out the most – as most mothers will encourage their children to pursue something that interests them. However, in this instance, Clark’s Mom held a lot of sage advice about how he could improve how he sleuths as much as how to learn how to sleuth wiser in the height of an investigation!
I believe this would be a wicked Cosy series for the Cosy Mystery reader who wants to soak into the beachy atmosphere whilst endeavouring to walk alongside Clark and perhaps pick up on the clues as he does whilst potentially connect the dots just ahead of Clark, too! It was a lovely reprieve from reading harder hitting Cosy Crime dramas and I am eager to dive into Death Washes Ashore!
NOTE: I’ve been referencing this series to have a small towne community atmosphere as that is the way in which it is presenting to me through how Wygal is depicting Myrtle Beach. In truth, it is a small city of just over 35,000 people but I believe it maintains that small towne vibe due to the people who are genuinely friendly towards tourists and residents alike which shines through this series quite well.
on the cosy styling of intrigue by caleb wygal:
Wygal set a delightful tone of entrance into this Myrtle Berach Mysteries within his prequel of The Brass Key which also laid out the towne itself and gave us a warm entrance of place and setting. However, moreso than even that, I appreciated the chance to get to know Peggy and Mark, as through their own adventure in the towne, it opened the door to meet Clark ahead of his own purposeful position within the series, as well. Wygal has a dry wit about him and writes humour into the backbone of his Cosy series in a way that feels both modern and contemporary at the same time. He isn’t overly comedic either – which gives his series a refreshing voice and style.
The pacing of the series is wonderfully slow-brewing – to where you can settle into the atmosphere of the setting and appreciate where Wygal leads you to traverse through his version of Myrtle Beach. I had to smirk though a bit about the ‘golf car lifestyle’ images because that was something I had previously become familiar with in other stories as well as through travelling to different areas which have far more carts than cars! Laughs. Wygal gently touches on the background of his series setting whilst keeping the focus shifting forward through Clark (his main character) and the persons who interact with Clark as well. From their vantage points, we retreat closer to what is suspending itself behind the evolving mystery whilst gaining a bit more traction into getting our bearings about the community, too.
There is a light-heartedness to this series as much as there is just enough drama percolating in the background to draw your attention forward, too. I found myself delighted in reading the series – from the prequel into the first installment due to how light of a read they were and how enjoyable they were to read, too. Sometimes you want lighter fare in your readerly life and these fit that category brilliant for me. They also were a great transition back into reading after months of non-reading due to personal circumstances affecting my family, too.
On being delightfully Cosy for Cosy:
For readers who are worried about descriptive scenes within Cosy Mysteries, this series is delightfully cosy for cosy – meaning, you don’t have to worry about descriptive crime scenes. The very first crime scene experience happens in the opening chapter(s) and Wygal shares less depiction of that scene than other Cosy Mystery authors which makes this a very gently told Cosy and a new spin on how you can lead a hearty Mystery without depicting violence.
A curious note from a reader:
I should have caught this a bit sooner than I had – but with everything going on in my life lately, I just picked up the book to read, re-read the synopsis on the backcover and had this reaction initially as I was reading the story:
Of course, the more he started to dig into the life of the deceased the more curious the case started to become – which is why I was surprised the synopsis for this installment focused on an entirely different case altogether because the initial crime takes up such a large part of both the plot and purpose of the novel. I was expecting this first case to wrap itself up quite quickly and then, have the novel shift forward into the second crime – however, even by the midway point, we’re still sleuthing to solve the first case! I wasn’t disappointed but I did question the choice in what the synopsis was choosing to focus on as it was limiting what was actually inside the novel.
In actuality – the synopsis I had read ahead of reading Death on the Boardwalk was the synopsis for the sequel Death Washes Ashore. Apparently, my copy of the first novel was misprinted with the second novel’s plot on the backcover. Ergo, I doubt this will affect other readers and I only caught the error after I was editing the layout and proofing my review to go live on my blog! Laughs. Which of course shows that sometimes IRL stress and emergencies can truly be very distracting indeed to not recognise the wrong plot on a backcover! Oy.
I decided to share this as it was part of my experience of reading the novel but also, to share a laugh with my readers, too, as honestly, I should have recognised the error as I was reading the story but somehow, I just overlooked the obvious as we all sometimes do.
This book review is courtesy of:
the author Caleb Wygal
About Caleb Wygal
Caleb is the author of the award-winning and critically acclaimed Death on the Boardwalk : Book 1 of the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and Southeastern Writers Association, the author of seven novels, including the breakout hit, Death on the Boardwalk: Book 1 of the Myrtle Beach Mysteries. He is also a social media marketer, woodworker, occasional golfer, reacher of things on tall shelves, beach walker, shark tooth finder, and munchkin wrangler.
His two Lucas Caine Adventure novels, Blackbeard’s Lost Treasure and The Search for the Fountain of Youth, were both Semi-Finalists for the Clive Cussler Adventure Awards Competition.
He is currently at work on the fourth book in the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series, Death on the Causeway.
He lives in Myrtle Beach with his wife and son (the munchkin).
This review is cross-posted to LibraryThing.
{SOURCES: Book covers for “The Brass Key”, “Death on the Boardwalk”, “Death Washes Ashore” and “Death on the Golden Mile”, book synopsises, author photo and biography and are used with permission of the author Caleb Wygal. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. LibraryThing banner provided by librarything.com and used with permission. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #CrimeFicFridays banner and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2023.
I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life
.@joriestory NEW #WWWednesday🦉
Dipping my toes back into #amreading!
* Cosy Mysteries
* WW1 Historical Thriller
* HistRoms
* Romantic Suspense
* SciFi & FantasyFind out what #JorieReads this New Year:
📖🗒️https://t.co/dTz6zi0CMG pic.twitter.com/ZwWq7PTdHB
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) January 20, 2023
It might be February, but I’ve locked in a solid foot into #amreading again! Peggy and Mark w/in @calebwygal‘s “The Brass Key” were just the right kind of characters to warm up to right now! Their hilarious as much as their curiously adventurous😁#JorieReads | #CosyMysteries
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) February 9, 2023
Wow. I *finished!* reading “The Brass Key” (a short story prequel) to @calebwygal‘s #MyrtleBeachMysteries. Peggy and Mark are the kind of characters which endear you to them quite immediately and leave a mark of joy on your heart. I loved how Wygal stitched this story together💜
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) February 9, 2023
The best part about reading this morning is that I had an unexpected day ‘off’ and I took a leisure route of joy just soaking into a story; I haven’t felt that relaxed into a story for MONTHS and I am grateful to feel re-anchoured without looming stress or worry overiding the joy
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) February 9, 2023
I can’t remember when I’ve half devoured a #CosyMystery as much as I have this afternoon; curled up inside “Death on the Boardwalk” by @calebwygal has me itching to solve the expanding Mystery; the community is a delight to explore as is Wygal’s dry wit & humour😉
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) February 9, 2023
“The cheekiness of Wygal’s dry wit and humour pulls you into the #MyrtleBeachMysteries whilst the pacing of the series is wonderfully slow-brewing as you sleuth alongside Clark and feel anchoured to the setting.”
📖🕵️https://t.co/MXIHVPNMdm#CosyMystery | #CrimeFicFridays pic.twitter.com/ob0QFFhVMJ
— Jorie Story 📖🎧 (@joriestory) February 11, 2023
comments on Twitter:
Sounds like a delightful mix of cozy and mystery! https://t.co/fiqNxb6qRH
— Carolyn Steele (@CarolynSteeleUT) February 12, 2023
A very insightful and in-depth review for both THE BRASS KEY and DEATH ON THE BOARDWALK from @joriestory. Thank you for the kind words!
Give her review a read and discover other #cozymysteries at the same time: https://t.co/xx33VrTKTI
— Caleb Wygal (@calebwygal) February 14, 2023
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