Callie Padget works in an Outer Banks bookshop and is about to have her first date with Tony Dodge, owner of a martial arts studio on the fictional Cattail Island. They find a body in his studio. There's also a pregnant wild mustang missing from the local sanctuary which Geri-Lynn asks Callie to help investigate quietly. I like the setting. I even like the characters better than I thought I might. I have not read [Smile Beach Murder], the first book in the series, but I didn't feel I'd missed too much by accidentally missing the first one. ( )

Murder On Mustang Beach is the second book in the An Outer Bank Bookshop Mystery series by Alicia Bessette.

After a devastating breakup, Tony Dodge had vowed not to date anyone for a year. Tony Dodge and Callie Padget have spent the last few months running Mustang Beach Path and working out at Tony’s Cattail Family Martial Arts.

The day that they can have their date has finally arrived. Callie and Tony are excited they can have their date later in the day. As they come from their morning run at the martial arts studio, their happiness turns to sadness as they enter the studio to find the body of Seth Goodnow, who had been strangled. Seth and his fiance had come to Cattail Island to be married on the beach and for their honeymoon,

Sadly, Callie and Tony’s first date has to be put on hold. As the police investigate, a note is found in Seth’s wallet. Tony had been bullied by Seth when they were in school. Tony had written a letter saying he would get even by killing Seth. Seth and three others had been in the Catail Martial Arts the day before. Callie and Tony will start investigating these people, along with members of the wedding party and guests who have stayed on during the honeymoon. Not only do they need to find the murderer and clear Tony’s name, but they need to get that first date planned.

Callie also gets involved with Geri-Lynn Humfield, who handedly runs the Mustang Beach Sanctuary. Her duties include looking out for health issues, watching that humans do not feed the wild mustangs, and searching for funds to keep the sanctuary financially solvent Callie was delivering a book from the bookstore where she works to Geri-Lynn. Callie helps Gero-Lynn search for a missing pregnant mare. They hope the mare has only gone into hiding until her foal is born and has not been stolen,

This story is well-written, plotted, and very descriptive in describing the island and the operation of mustang sanctuary. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable. The book reads at a good pace and has enough twists and turns that I was guessing until the end as to who the killer was.

I will be watching for the next book in this exciting series. ( )