The Drowning Sea by Sarah Stewart Taylor

THE DROWNING SEA by Sarah Stewart Taylor is a new mystery which offers a perfect escape to Ireland’s rural coast, specifically Ross Head in County Cork. That’s where Maggie D’arcy, a former Long Island police investigator, is spending the summer with her Irish boyfriend, Conor Kearney. It’s meant to be a relaxing attempt at getting Maggie’s teenage daughter, Lilly, acclimated to Ireland and the possibility of a move to Dublin to join Conor and his son, Adrien. However, the remains of a body wash up in the sea; there are parallels to an earlier death associated with a drug raid in the area and Maggie is worried about everyone’s safety. She also starts exploring the history of the manor house after a request for help from the former owner, artist Lissa Crawford.  With several puzzles to solve and appearances by characters from past books in the series, THE DROWNING SEA is a complicated mystery. The marvelous seaside setting adds greatly to the enjoyment and it generally works as a stand-alone; I am looking forward to reading more from Sarah Stewart Taylor.