1951. Brighton. With the excitement of the war over and the Nazis brought to justice at Nuremberg, Mirabelle Bevan (retired Secret Service) thinks her skills are no longer required. After the death of her lover she moves to the seaside to put the past behind her and takes a job as a secretary at a debt collection agency run by the charismatic Big Ben McGuigan. But when confronted by the case of Romana Laszlo, a pregnant Hungarian refugee, Mirabelle discovers that her specialist knowledge is vital. With enthusiastic assistance from the pretty insurance clerk down the corridor, Vesta Churchill, Mirabelle follows a mysterious trail of gold sovereigns, betting scams and corpses to a dark corner of Austerity Britain where the forces of evil remain alive and well.
Brighton Belle (A Mirabelle Bevan Mystery)
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'Sara Sheridan never fails to surprise. Unfailingly stylish, undeniably smart, Miss Bevan is destined to ?bring the exploits of the past to the best-seller lists of the present' - Daily Record 'An entertaining romp' - Bookseller's Choice, The Bookseller 'Beautifully realised vivid characters, both heroes and villains, the atmospheric Brighton setting and plot that zipped along at a lovely pace left me in no doubt that Sara Sheridan and Mirabelle Bevan are a crime force to be reckoned with' --Good Reads
'Will engage the reader from the first page to the last. Highly recommended' --Bookbag
'I was gripped from start to finish' Newbooks Magazine 'Beneath that prim exterior lies a fearless, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of gal. One part Nancy Drew, two parts Jessica Fletcher, Mirabelle has a dogged tenacity to rival Poirot' --Sunday Herald
'Will engage the reader from the first page to the last. Highly recommended' --Bookbag
'I was gripped from start to finish' Newbooks Magazine 'Beneath that prim exterior lies a fearless, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of gal. One part Nancy Drew, two parts Jessica Fletcher, Mirabelle has a dogged tenacity to rival Poirot' --Sunday Herald
About the Author
Sara Sheridan writes fiction for adults and children. Her previous novels include 'Truth or Dare' (1998), 'Ma Polinski's Pockets' (2000) and 'The Pleasure Express' (2001), all Random House. 'The Secret Mandarin' (2009) and 'The Secret of Sands' (2011) were published by Harper Collins. She has been included in GQ Magazine's Young Talent and Company Magazine's Top Ten Young Writers Under Thirty. In 2000 Truth or Dare won a place in the 100 Best Scottish Books, as part of the Scottish Library Award. She has been awarded two bursaries by the Scottish Arts Council and from the K Blundell Trust.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This `cosy noir' (author's description) mystery introduces us to Mirabelle Bevan, whose WW2 was spent in the secret service. Seven years later she is bored, bereaved and living in Brighton - enough to make anyone seek distraction and excitement when it's on offer. It comes to her through the office door of the debt-collection agency she works for, a one-man/one woman band whose one man goes missing. And it does start rather `cosy' but it warms up!
The period is early 1950s and the author is at pains to immerse the reader in that period of history - a little disconcerting for those who actually remember when you could fill the tank of your car for ten shillings as long as you had the petrol coupons. (NB I don't - well not quite!) In many ways this is still the Brighton of Brighton Rock but this novel does not have the same dark intensity as Graham Greene's novel or depict quite such a crime-ridden, morally starved atmosphere. However there are certainly plenty of morally bankrupt characters, sinister plot-twists and shock tactics to keep the reader turning the page. It starts like an Agatha Christie story but towards the middle I found myself thinking of John Buchan and in some ways Mirabelle is a female version of Buchan's Richard Hannay, especially when she finds herself in a railway compartment with unpredictable company!
I won't give anything more away but will explain my reasons for awarding 4 stars. I admit to rarely giving 5 because I think they get splashed about too much, which dilutes their effect when a book truly deserves them. So don't get me wrong, I definitely recommend this as an exciting and intriguing introduction to a new detective character who I hope will grow and develop into a 5 star attraction during the series Sara Sheridan promises to give her.
The period is early 1950s and the author is at pains to immerse the reader in that period of history - a little disconcerting for those who actually remember when you could fill the tank of your car for ten shillings as long as you had the petrol coupons. (NB I don't - well not quite!) In many ways this is still the Brighton of Brighton Rock but this novel does not have the same dark intensity as Graham Greene's novel or depict quite such a crime-ridden, morally starved atmosphere. However there are certainly plenty of morally bankrupt characters, sinister plot-twists and shock tactics to keep the reader turning the page. It starts like an Agatha Christie story but towards the middle I found myself thinking of John Buchan and in some ways Mirabelle is a female version of Buchan's Richard Hannay, especially when she finds herself in a railway compartment with unpredictable company!
I won't give anything more away but will explain my reasons for awarding 4 stars. I admit to rarely giving 5 because I think they get splashed about too much, which dilutes their effect when a book truly deserves them. So don't get me wrong, I definitely recommend this as an exciting and intriguing introduction to a new detective character who I hope will grow and develop into a 5 star attraction during the series Sara Sheridan promises to give her.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By George Allan
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have read both historical novels by Sara Sheridan, The Secret Mandarin and The Secret of the Sands and I really enjoyed them. When her new novel came out I couldn't wait to read it. It is a departure from her usual period of history but its a time I find fascinating, post war with all the austerity and social history of the early fifties.
Mirabelle Bevan is an elegant and beautiful woman, she was in the secret service during the war, working in an office, not an active agent but involved in intelligence just the same. After the war she moves from London to Brighton to try and forget her past. We will find out about her past life as the story unfolds. Now In Brighton she has a different kind office job, working for Big Ben McGuigan a dept collector. When Ben is out the office a dodgy London spiv comes in looking for him to collect a dept from a young woman who has moved to Brighton. Mirabelle takes on the job. We are then taken into a world of ex-SS and Nazi stolen gold. From the plush Grand Hotel to the Race track from Brighton Pier to London's underworld. There is intrigue, sex and red hot violence. With a cast of well drawn characters. I love the writers quirky style, so when the violence comes along it hits you right in the guts. I thoroughly enjoyed Brighton Belle and read it in quick time. This is part one of the series and I'm looking forward to more from Mirabelle and her sidekick Vesta!
Mirabelle Bevan is an elegant and beautiful woman, she was in the secret service during the war, working in an office, not an active agent but involved in intelligence just the same. After the war she moves from London to Brighton to try and forget her past. We will find out about her past life as the story unfolds. Now In Brighton she has a different kind office job, working for Big Ben McGuigan a dept collector. When Ben is out the office a dodgy London spiv comes in looking for him to collect a dept from a young woman who has moved to Brighton. Mirabelle takes on the job. We are then taken into a world of ex-SS and Nazi stolen gold. From the plush Grand Hotel to the Race track from Brighton Pier to London's underworld. There is intrigue, sex and red hot violence. With a cast of well drawn characters. I love the writers quirky style, so when the violence comes along it hits you right in the guts. I thoroughly enjoyed Brighton Belle and read it in quick time. This is part one of the series and I'm looking forward to more from Mirabelle and her sidekick Vesta!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By BarbaraM
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the first Sara Sheridan that I've read, and it seems it is her debut into detective writing.
I would like to see the characters fleshed out in the next book. I found the gender and racial bias interesting - was it that "old fashioned" in the fifties? Mirabelle may have made mistakes that a field agent would not, but she was a wartime desk jockey very much dealing in theory, and I would imagine that diving into field work would in fact be quite disorienting and would indeed result in just the sort of mistakes on the ground that other reviewers found unacceptable. She did seem to learn from her mistakes.
I think that this is an easy reading thriller, and I enjoyed the period background. I think the writer has the potential to improve on her style and produce a good next novel in the series.
I would like to see the characters fleshed out in the next book. I found the gender and racial bias interesting - was it that "old fashioned" in the fifties? Mirabelle may have made mistakes that a field agent would not, but she was a wartime desk jockey very much dealing in theory, and I would imagine that diving into field work would in fact be quite disorienting and would indeed result in just the sort of mistakes on the ground that other reviewers found unacceptable. She did seem to learn from her mistakes.
I think that this is an easy reading thriller, and I enjoyed the period background. I think the writer has the potential to improve on her style and produce a good next novel in the series.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Crime & Society in the 50s
Mirabelle Bevan, is bored it must be said. Her life during the Second World War was slightly more exciting even though it was from a desk within the Secret Service and her lover... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Joanne D'Arcy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A really good read which kept me guessing to the end
A really good read which kept me guessing to the end
I will buy the next book as is is not too gritty but also not a soft read
I will buy the next book as is is not too gritty but also not a soft read
Published 23 days ago by Pauline Brighton
3.0 out of 5 stars
reasonable read
I found this very slow to get into. However, it got more exciting and more intriguing as it went on.
Published 1 month ago by Michele Murray
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely mystery/thriller
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, loved the setting and timing - would definitely read more by the same author and more Mirabelle Bevan.
Published 1 month ago by Nuala Ogden
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brighton Belle
Good story line. A quick easy read. Held interest during a long journey. Would read the next in the series.
Published 1 month ago by Helen O'Neill
1.0 out of 5 stars
Belle. No, I do NOT hate it. It just isn't my cup of tea.s
No, I do NOT hate it. It just isn't my cup of tea. prefer the historical based novels she writes.
Published 1 month ago by Mary Spetses
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Mystery
This is a book of intrigue . Very well written and hard to put down. The leading character is just right for the adventure.
Published 1 month ago by sid berry
5.0 out of 5 stars
An unexpected treasure
I got this because it was reviewed on the Madame Guillotine blog and I fancied reading something different. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Fren
2.0 out of 5 stars
Leslie
What a disappointment! It started with some promise but quickly declined into a juvenile 'Girls' Own' spiffing adventure in which our gallant girls overcame every obstacle, having... Read more
Published 2 months ago by LFJ Hardwick
1.0 out of 5 stars
No hook, No story worth reading about
A sadly disappointing book. I have read many Sara Sheridan books and absolutely loved them. But I just couldnt find an interesting enough storyline to capture my attention. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mike & Jacquie Lamont
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