Beach Hut 512 by Dorothy Koomson #amazonfirst #suspense #thriller #mystery #shortstory #bookreview
I’m delighted to share my review today of Beach Hut 512 by Dorothy Koomson. This was a bonus read from Amazon Firsts, and you get this if you are a member of Amazon Prime. If you fancy this title, you have until the end of this month (June 2025) to grab your copy.
When vandals destroy beach hut 512 on Brighton’s iconic seafront, they reveal a dead body that has apparently lain undisturbed for two months. But according to the hut’s owner, Sims, its locks rusted shut three months ago and she hasn’t had access to it since. So how could the man have got in, and why is there no evidence of the murderer?
Sims has spent the past three years recovering from the trauma of being targeted by a serial killer and narrowly escaping with her life. But this grim discovery feels like too much of a could the person who put the body in her hut be the same man who wants her dead? In a desperate race against time, can she uncover the truth behind beach hut 512 before a murderer with a chilling obsession strikes again?
MY REVIEW
This is a short story, and it was one that was offered as a bonus book on Amazon Firsts in June. Not one to pass up a freebie, I decided to give it a go.
The story is a one-sitting read, well, for me it was. Its main character is Sims, who bought a beach hut in Brighton as a favour to help someone out. This did not go down well with some of “the committee”, as there is a waiting list for these huts. The control by the beach huts committee sounds very similar to some of the extreme Homeowners Associations you hear about in the US.
Sims doesn’t spend much time at her hut over the winter, but when vandals wreck it, she makes the effort to visit. The police are in attendance, far more than necessary, until she is told that there is a body that has been discovered!
For a short story, the author definitely packs a lot of information, detail, and storytelling into this. It is the first time I have read anything by this author, so this was a great introduction. There is a second character, Ronald. The author flips between the two, and gradually the full picture emerges. Sims has been a victim before, she doesn’t want to be one again.
I really enjoyed this, and if you are looking for a quick read that is full of intrigue, drama and suspense, then this is one that I would be happy to recommend.
Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx
