"Gull and Bones" By Sally Goldenbaum: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it. 

Gull and Bones is book eight in the Seaside Knitters Society cozy mystery series by Sally Goldenbaum. If readers are new to the series, the author provides a list of characters and their connections to others as well as the setting.

While tourist season may be wrapping up, the residents of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts are busy preparing a spectacular celebration. Long-time resident Angus McPherron will be turning 100 soon and the town is going all out for a party to remember.

Image Source Kensington

Yarn shop owner Izzy Perry is also thrilled that her brother Charlie Chambers is in town to fill a nursing position at the town’s clinic. Charlie is staying in one of the cottages Angus owns, along with Annie Smith. Annie is new to town and no one knows much about her or her history.

The day before the big birthday celebration, Charlie discovers that Angus has died in his sleep. Determined to celebrate the life of Angus, the town continues with the party. But when a dear friend of Angus’s is found unconscious, suspicions arise. Could there be more to Angus’s death than it first seems? 

Readers should give themselves time to settle into this story as there is a lot to take in. As a reader new to the series, I needed time to figure out who the characters were and their ties to both the place and each other. The mystery does not happen immediately in the story, but once it does, the plot begins to fly. There are suspects galore to consider and Izzy and her friends dig deep into the past to uncover truths that tie to the present circumstances. 

The characters are some of my favorite parts of this story. It’s a close knit (no pun intended) group of characters, many of whom have known each other for years. There’s a strong bond between each and a willingness to always help each other when needed.

The setting of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts is lovely, written vividly so that this reader could easily picture each scene. I wished for more time in Izzy’s yarn shop as those descriptions were cozy.

The author includes a knitting pattern and a recipe at the end of the story for further enjoyment once readers have wrapped up this latest entry into the series. Fans of small town mysteries and closely connected characters will enjoy Gull and Bones.

To enter to win a copy of Gull and Bones, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "gull,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 14, 2026. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!

You can click here to purchase this book.

 

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.