"Bones under the beach hut" by Simon Brett

Another of Brett's murder mysteries featuring amateur lady sleuths uptight Carole and curvaceous Jude in the seaside town of Fethering. What makes these special is the delicious range of characters effortlessly sketched by the versatile Brett, including:

• The girl endlessly rewriting her novel
• The short and sandals wearing corrupt council official who supervises beach huts and his menacing side kick the beach security guard
• The unmarried ex-schoolteacher self-important chairman of the Beach Hut Association who bullies his doormat secretary and collects naval memorabilia
• The poisonous grandmother who endlessly criticises her daughter-in-law's raising of the grandchildren
• The retired undertaker and his word puzzling wife
• The drunken local artist who charges ridiculous prices for watercolours and who is supported by his wealthy wife

I loved it as I have enjoyed all the Brett's, including the Charles Paris books such as A Decent Interval,  Blotto, Twinks and the Rodents of the Riviera and the other Fethering mysteries Blood at the Bookies and The Corpse on the Court.