Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Death on Dickens Island: A Books on the Beach Mystery by Allison Brook! Today we are featuring a review of the first book in this new cozy mystery series. A divorced sleuth in her thirties must bring peace back to her small town after a murder tears neighbors and family members apart in this series debut from Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook, perfect for fans of Cynthia Riggs and Eva Gates. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews, and more! There is also a Giveaway for three copies of the book — Hardcover or epub winner’s preference—US only. ENTER HERE! ⬅️

Death on Dickens Island: A Books on the Beach Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – On Dickens Island, a fictional island in the Long Island Sound between Long Island and CT.
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2025
Hardcover
Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892420488
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892422536
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892420495
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DTNMGQTK

About the Book:

Delia Dickens has come home to Dickens Island, a small island in the Long Island Sound, after a twelve-year stint in Manhattan. She’s looking forward to helping her father revitalize the general store that the family owns as well as curating a small book nook. Most importantly, she wants to reunite with her fifteen-year-old son. But Dickens Island isn’t the peaceful town Delia remembers–and she might be in more danger here than she ever was in the big city.

Delia’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Brad, both prominent community leaders, are at odds over the sale of a farm and its future use. This has created friction, not only in their marriage, but amongst the citizens of the town. When a young woman, new to the town council and friendly with Brad, is found murdered, everything escalates and reaches a new boiling point.

With Reenie and Brad both suspects in the case and at each other’s throats, the townspeople start to take sides. When the ghost of her grandmother visits her, Delia learns how past events have impacted the present, and it is up to her to expose the farm’s sordid secrets in order to catch a murderer and restore peace to her beloved island.

 My Review:

A fun start to a new cozy mystery series, and this time with a grandmother as the resident ghost! Loved that! 

It took me a minute to settle into this mystery, mostly because I struggled to understand how Delia had been absent so long from her now 15 year old son’s life. Once I learned more about Delia and her history, I came to accept her more. 

I adored the setting of Dickens Island and wished so much I could visit – I’m sure it’s beautiful in the fall. The descriptions of the setting were delightful. I also enjoyed how the past of the island impacted the present and that her ghostly grandmother could help with that piece of the puzzle. 

I’m a big fan of this author’s past work, so I’m happy to get a chance to be introduced to a new series! 

About the Author:

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, novels of suspense, and books for kids. Her books have received many accolades. As Allison Brook she writes the Haunted Library series. Death Overdue, the first in the series, was an Agatha nominee for Best Contemporary Novel in 2018. Other mysteries include the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series, the Twin Lakes series, and Giving Up the Ghost. Her suspense, Come Home to Death, was released in April 2024, and her suspense, Dangerous Relations, will be republished in 2025. Death on Dickens Island is the first book in her Books on the Beach series.

Marilyn’s juvenile novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council Children’s Choice and has recently come out in a new edition. Rufus and the Witch’s Drudge, the second book in the series, has been released, and the third, Rufus and the Dark Side of Magic, will be out later this year. And Don’t Bring Jeremy was a nominee for six state awards. Her YA horror, The Devil’s Pawn, came out in a new edition in January 2024.

Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her books take place. She loves traveling, reading, doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, chatting on FaceTime with her grandkids, and playing with her kittens, Romeo and Juliet.

Author Links:

| Website/Newsletter Sign Up |

| Allison Brook’s’ BookBub | Marilyn Levinson’s BookBub |

| Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | X (Twitter) |

Purchase Links: Amazon    B&N      Bookshop.org     PenguinRandomHouse

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

• October 21 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
• October 21 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
• October 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
• October 22 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
• October 22 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
• October 22 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT  
• October 23 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
• October 23 – Wine Cellar Library – SPOTLIGHT
• October 23 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
• October 24 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
• October 24 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
• October 24 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
• October 25 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
• October 25 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
• October 25 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• October 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
• October 26 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT
• October 27 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
• October 27 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT
• October 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
• October 28 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
• October 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

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