A Death at Neptune Cove

I previously had the opportunity to review the third in Emma Jameson's Jemima Jago series, A Death at Silversmith Bay. It was delightful, so I was pleased to have the chance to be on the blog tour for A Death at Neptune Cove.

Emma Jameson does not disappoint!

Jem is only trying to find help fixing a squashed birthday cake when she and Pauley let themselves into Neptune Cottage. Instead of a helping hand, though, they found the tenant, one Arthur Ajax, dead on the kitchen floor. The murder weapon? Apparently a loaf of pumpernickel bread. Clarence, a local amateur baker, handed them out to everyone. Jem realizes the police will take this to mean Clarence was the killer, so she and her friends jump into action to figure out who really dunnit.

And not only is there a murder. There's also treasure! Rhys Tremayne's little dog Buck unearths a cache of jewels. Are the jewels related to the dead man? Jem is determined to find out.

This is another fun read! Arthur Ajax is definitely not what he seems. Several things don't make sense – a stash of letters addressed to someone else and a very expensive sewing machine found in the cottage don't seem to fit what people know of Arthur. The more Jem digs, the more she realizes that several people might have wanted to see an end to him. As they unravel the clues, we get international intrigue, a yacht that Arthur may or may not have owned, and a line of hearts he trifled with that could wrap around the island. The twists and turns kept me guessing.

The island setting is, as always, delightful. I want to visit the Isles of Scilly now. Jameson uses the environment and the things associated with it, particularly boats, to good effect here.

And I was thrilled to see progress in Jem and Rhys' relationship! I give nothing away, but they do make me smile.

This is another tremendously enjoyable read from Emma Jameson, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good cozy with a side of romance and a lovely British setting. Five stars from me!