The Swimming Club by Rachel McLean – Jurassic Coast Mysteries Book 1
Updated: 2 days ago
The Swimming Club – at a glance
Key facts about The Swimming Club, Book 1 of the Jurassic Coast Mysteries series by Rachel McLean:
Title: The Swimming Club
Series: Jurassic Coast Mysteries (Book 1)
Author: Rachel McLean and Millie Ravensworth
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Genre: British cosy mystery; amateur sleuth murder mystery
Setting: Lyme Regis, Dorset, England – the Jurassic Coast
Main characters: Detective Tina Abbott, Annie Abbott, and the Lyme Regis Women’s Swimming Club
Series position: Book 1
First published: 20 November 2025
If you enjoy: Richard Osman, MC Beaton, Faith Martin, LJ Ross
Formats: Ebook, paperback
Language: English (en-GB)
Next in series: The Missing Corpse (novella), then The Empty Easel (Book 2)
What is The Swimming Club about?
The Swimming Club is the first book in the Jurassic Coast Mysteries series by Rachel McLean, co-written with Millie Ravensworth. Detective Tina Abbott of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigations Team is on maternity leave, spending time with her mum Annie in Lyme Regis. Then two members of Annie’s swimming club discover a dead body in another member’s car – a body that later vanishes into thin air. When it turns up in another location, Tina gets involved, despite being told she is not supposed to be working. Will the swimming club members tell the police what they know? And can anyone stop Kevin, the angry seagull?
Where is The Swimming Club set?
The Swimming Club is set in Lyme Regis, Dorset, on England’s Jurassic Coast – the seafront, the beach, and the world of the Lyme Regis Women’s Swimming Club.
Who is the detective in The Swimming Club?
The detective in The Swimming Club is Tina Abbott of Dorset Police, on maternity leave and drawn into the case. Her mum, Annie Abbott – founder of the Lyme Regis Women’s Swimming Club – leads the amateur sleuthing. If you are looking for a cosy mystery with a mother and daughter sleuth, the Jurassic Coast Mysteries series is built around one.
Who are the main characters in The Swimming Club?
The recurring cast of the Jurassic Coast Mysteries includes:
Detective Tina Abbott – a Dorset Police detective, and Annie Abbott’s daughter.
Annie Abbott – Tina’s mum; retired, amateur sleuth, and founder of the Lyme Regis Women’s Swimming Club.
Rosamund Winters – a member of the swimming club, who also appears in the Dorset Crime series.
Helen Cruickshank – owner of the Cruickshank Gallery in Lyme Regis. Helen is married to Harper McCoppin.
Harper McCoppin – a metalwork sculptor; Helen’s wife.
Figgy Edmunds – a member of the swimming club.
Kevin the seagull – Lyme Regis’s angriest seagull.
Where does The Swimming Club come in the Jurassic Coast Mysteries series?
The Swimming Club is Book 1 of the Jurassic Coast Mysteries by Rachel McLean. It is followed by the free novella The Missing Corpse, then Book 2, The Empty Easel.
Is The Swimming Club the first in the series?
Yes. The Swimming Club is the first book in the Jurassic Coast Mysteries series and the best place to start. The series is best read in order.
What books are similar to The Swimming Club?
Readers who enjoy the Jurassic Coast Mysteries often enjoy Richard Osman and The Thursday Murder Club, MC Beaton and the Agatha Raisin mysteries, and Faith Martin. Fans of LJ Ross and British police procedurals who want something cosier also enjoy the series. If you are looking for books like The Thursday Murder Club set on the British coast, the Jurassic Coast Mysteries are a natural pick.
Where can I buy The Swimming Club?
The Jurassic Coast Mysteries by Rachel McLean are available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and paperbacks. Start with Book 1, The Swimming Club. You can see all of Rachel McLean’s books at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
