Peace, Love, and Cemetery Secrets
out of 5 stars
I’ve come to really enjoy the AJ Bailey series, and Cemetery Beach might be one of my favorite entries yet. I haven’t made it through all seventeen books, but every one I’ve read so far has been a blast, and this one had a particularly fun twist. Instead of diving deep into history, we’re dropped into the recent past: the rock-n-roll-laced 1969 timeline of a fictional British band recording their sophomore album on a yacht-turned-studio.
As a music lover, I was immediately hooked. The dual-timeline setup worked brilliantly here, tying the present-day mystery to the pulse of a band on the edge of fame, ego, and collapse. The way Nicholas Harvey connected the dots between then and now kept me intrigued, especially as AJ and Reg navigated both personal drama and an all-too-curious outsider snooping around the island.
I also appreciated that this story was more rooted on land, letting us see how information (and misinformation) travels in a tight-knit island community. There’s still diving, of course, this is AJ Bailey, after all, but the balance felt refreshing.
Kim Bretton’s narration continues to be excellent. She captures AJ’s wit, compassion, and sense of justice with pitch-perfect delivery.
If you love island mysteries, musical nostalgia, and strong female leads with a moral compass, Cemetery Beach is absolutely worth the listen.
Book Description:
A gruesome discovery. A perilous voyage. A secret awaits.
When her parents visit from the UK, AJ vows to take a break from her dive boat to enjoy much needed family time. But a relaxing shore dive off Cemetery Beach turns up an unexpected find, which plunges AJ into a frantic hunt for a long hidden truth.
Meanwhile, back in 1969, Luna and the Lanterns, a new rock band on the scene, are under pressure to produce their second album after their debut tops the charts. Recording on their brand new state-of-the-art studio aboard Soundwave, a converted luxury motor yacht, their path brings them to Grand Cayman… where not everything is peace, love, and calm seas.
How will Luna’s tense and exciting musical journey tie in with AJ’s latest discovery? Find out in another dual-timeline adventure ride with Cayman Islands dive boat operator AJ Bailey and her friend and mentor, Reg Moore.
Cemetery Beach by Nicholas HarveyNarrator: Kim Bretton
Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
Series: AJ Bailey #17
Published by Self Published on January 29th 2025
Genres: Mystery
Also by this author: Angels of the Deep, Graceless, Deadly Sommer, Solomon's Well
Also in this series: Solomon's Well, Queen of the Island Skies, Valley of the Rays, Neptune's Wall
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