The Death at the Vineyard is book #4 in the Shell House Detectives Mystery series by Emylia Hall.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I was able to read as a stand-alone. I really liked the characters and their interactions. The mystery was complex and I loved the setting. I was pulled into the story and couldn’t put it down. I have added the first 3 books to my Christmas list. I definitely want to catch up on this series.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

When I decided to request this AND read the first three, I knew I was taking a huge risk as I have been seriously burned by this practice before [and yet, here we are LOL], but the [vague] premise I read seemed right up my alley, plus CORNWALL [Oh how I miss the TV show "Doc Martin", my first introduction to the magnificence that is Cornwall], so I jumped in. Boy am I SO glad I did. What a ride these first four books have been.

1. I absolutely love Ally and Jayden. I love that their relationship is NOT romantic [SO REFRESHING], even though they love and respect each other [plus, Ally could be Jayden's Mom ya know?]. I love that Jayden is devoted to his family [including his in-laws that quite often do not understand him], but also to the jobs that he and Ally are hired to do. I also appreciate how Jayden's wife [sadly, I currently have old lady brain and cannot remember her name] supports him completely all while expecting [and getting] him to do what he needs to do at home. It is a very real example of what a relationship is and I am here for it.

2. I am 100% behind how the author has dealt with Ally's grief. Grief is NOT linear and y0u never know when and how it will strike/manifest and how Ally navigates this is very true-to-life and it has been so refreshing. Ally and Jayden using Bill's old office for their detective work in this one shows this and also shows how far Ally has come, even from Book 1.

3. Gus. <3

4. Saffron. I love her and her very real, chaotic, complicated life. What she does and how she reacts to all of it feels very real to me and makes for an even more enjoyable reading experience. I want only the best for her as she has had quite the life so far.

5. WHOOOSH, this mystery was...W O W.
From the very beginning to that VERY CHILLING end [GREAT. GOOGLY. MOOGLY.], this was just fantastic and, while I had glimmers of what was going on, I never had the full picture [I mean, who would IYKYK] until the reveal and GGM, I think I held my breath for a good portion of all that.

6. Book 3 saw a change in narrators and I was initially not a fan. Thankfully, in this book, she has seemed to settle in [as have I] and while I don't yet love her narration, it didn't affect me [or my experience reading the book] like it did in Book 3 and I feel like it will just continue to even out and I'll settle fully in.

If you are looking for a new excellent mystery series with great characters and a fantastic setting, I highly recommend this one; you won't be sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emylia Hall, Kristin Atherton - Narrator, Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

At Shoreline Vines, high on the Cornish cliffs, the Harper family are preparing to welcome glamorous investor Celine Chevalier to their vineyard. They desperately need Celine’s backing to keep their business afloat. But everything is jeopardised when a body is found in one of their fields. Police believe the death was a tragic accident but the victim’s family suspect otherwise and turn to the Shell House Detectives to investigate.
The fourth book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it as Jayden & Ally are the main focus of the book, I’m loving their relationship & how it is changing albeit slowly. A well written murder mystery that kept me guessing, yes there were twists, turns & red herrings, which all added to the enjoyment. Roll on book five
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Emylia Hall for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Death at the Vineyard coming out November 15, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I need to read the other books in the series. I really love cozy mysteries. I thought the setting was perfect. I thought the mystery was really good. Ally and Jayden were a fun duo. There were a couple parts of the book that were a little slow for me, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I would check out other books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

The fourth book in the Shell House Detectives Mystery series and I have read them all.

A dead body found at a Cornish vineyard is ruled an accident by the police but the victim's father refuses to believe this and asks Ally and Jayden to investigate. It certainly is an original method of killing someone - trampled to death by cattle. It is an interesting case and our intrepid duo get themselves mixed up in some danger.

I enjoyed the Cornish setting, the friendly relationship between Ally and Jayden, and especially the mystery which is complicated. I liked seeing Jayden getting help and information from the police. This book furthers Ally and Gus's relationship - a little bit anyway!

A fun, easy and entertaining read with red herrings aplenty and some exciting dangerous moments in the climax of the story. Another excellent book in this series.

When Ally and Jayden are asked to look at the loss of a quad bike from Shoreline Vines, because the owners do not think it’s worth worrying the police about, they do not expect to turn up to find the police already there. But, the police aren’t there about the quad bike, there is a body in the field and the man has been trampled by the cattle in the field.
Initially looking like a tragic accident the father of the dead man asks Ally and Jayden to work out why his son was ever in the field as he was very scared of cattle.
An enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns, and an unexpected one right at the end too.

This book felt like it just elevated this entire series back to it's best. The structure of this mystery is really well done. And we finally have a return to focusing on Ally and Jayden for most of the book, which is something I found lacking in the prior two books. The series is definitely at its strongest when the protagonists are the main focus. The way in which Ally is written in this book is just amazing.

What a great setting for this mystery. And when you include the characters we're introduced to for this mystery, this book has a slight Gothic feel. I found the atmosphere from both setting and characters rich and even chilling at times. This book is much darker than the other books so far in the series. It's a book I found hard to put down and in fact I forced myself to stay up until some ridiculous hour to complete the final page.

What the author has also done in this book is stretch the two protagonists further with their investigative skills, which after four books you could even say is somewhat late, but at least the growth felt natural and not forced. I liked the use of Bill's old office as a new base of operations - it was a sweet touch in the book. Something lighter on the cosy side to balance with the darker mystery.

And I think that's what made this book so enjoyable as well. The balance with cosy and mystery was perfect.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc. I loved this cosy book which had mystery, heart and good writing. The perfect relaxing crime read.

I thought the first few chapters were a bit confusing due to the number of characters introduced. However, once the plot got going all was well. These Shell House books are a departure from a typical police procedural and require considerable suspension of reality to accept the amateur detective premise. Nevertheless, Emylia has created some sympathetic characters and you can’t help but hope for there success in solving the mystery.

Cornish-coast, mystery, small-town, ex-cop, detective, series, suspense, crime-fiction, local-gossip, local-history, local-legends, investigators, investigations, vineyard, survivor-s-guilt, cold-case, missing-persons, thefts, artist, murders, relationships, relatives, pet-dog****
Ally Bright is the still grieving widow of local Sergeant Bill Bright who has turned into an artist using plastic waste from the coast.
Jayden Weston is an ex-cop suffering survivor's guilt following the murder of his partner and lives near the in-laws as he and his wife adapt by turning campsite managers.
Together, they have become the Shell House Detectives who are on call by their friends and relatives and makes them feel right. This starts with the theft of an expensive vehicle, shifts gears to the body of a local who appears to have been trampled by cattle. Investigation leads to a cold case of a missing person and a whole lot more. it's the characters who keep bringing me back to this series as they are so very real and I stay interested in how they feel and what happens to them.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof copy from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you! Avail Nov 15, 2024
#TheDeathattheVineyard by @EmyliaHall #AShellHouseDetectivesMysteryBk4 #ThomasAndMercer
#NetGalley #CozyCrime

"'A punishment?' Ally's brow wrinkles. 'Did Frank hold himself responsible for the death?'.
'Are you asking me if he killed someone?' Shaun looks from one to the other. His eyes are red-rimmed and bleary, his voice slightly slurred. 'Yeah, I reckon he did.'...
Frank Harper killed someone, and the body's buried at the vineyard."

Book 4 of The Shell House Detectives Mystery series sees Ally and Jade investigating a sudden violent death on a farm and vineyard. It results in a cold case and uncovering secrets the family want to keep hidden.
I always enjoy this series, with its Cornish setting, returning and new characters, but I think this is my favourite so far!

Another great book in the Shell House Detectives series. This one is set at Shoreline Vines; a body is found in a field of cattle. Was he trampled to death or murdered? And are the rumours about a missing man from 30 years ago in any way linked? It's another case for Ally and Jayden. I love returning to all the characters in this series, it's like visiting old friends. A perfect cosy mystery for the autumn.
With grateful thanks to Emylia Hall and to NetGalley for providing a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Another excellent book in the Shell House Detectives series. Despite being 4th in the series, Emylia manages to bring a new take on the Cornish landscape, this time on a Vineyard and with the action in Autumn - the perfect book to read this time of year. I loved being back in Porthpella, and Emylia continues to build on creating the depth of the wonderful cast of characters. A great story, cleverly pieced together by Jayden and Ally. Really engaging cosy mystery! Can’t wait to read the next one

I absolutely love this series. The mystery is always engaging, the characters of this seaside town feel like family, and the shell house detectives are fast becoming my favorite mystery solving duo, aided by Ally’s pup Fox.

I usually give 4 stars to easy reads like this but going with 5 because of how much I really do enjoy reading each of this author’s book in the series.

Grateful to get an ARC through NetGalley although will be buying this one and the previous book for a Christmas gift for a mystery loving family member to add to the first 2.

This series is perfect for those who like gentler murder mysteries but don’t want the kitschy ness of a cozy.

I am loving this series. I become fully involved with the characters each time I read the books. Thus story line had me gripped from the start. I look forward to reading more

It's autumn in Cornwall, and the weather is decidedly inclement, which could be one of the reasons the Shell House Detectives don't have an awful lot on! When an investigation is suggested by ex-detective Jayden Weston's father-in-law, he and partner Allie Bright are straight on the case. The large police presence at Shoreline Vines seems a little over the top for a missing quad bike, but not, they have to agree, the discovery of a very dead, very trampled body in one of the fields!

Hired by the devastated father of the victim, puts them right in the middle of everything. Discovering how bad the timing of the death is for the family who own the land picques their interest while horrifying the Harpers. The last thing they need are investigators looking into their secrets, especially as Jayden and Ally’s reputation precedes them!

Once again, Emylia Hall has written an absorbing, detailed, and brilliant novel that never lets up for a minute. There are two secondary stories running throughout, both of which are written in such an empathetic manner that they held me as spellbound as the main murder. Without spoilers, Gus's internal narrative made me love him even more, which is a definite relief, especially after book 3!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Thomas and Mercer, but the opinions expressed are my own. There are no spoilers, so this can be read as a standalone, but this is a wonderful series to lose yourself in at any time. I absolutely loved it.

Thanks to Emylia Hall, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for access to the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book in a continuing series but the author has done a great job setting up the story to ensure this book can be read independently of the previous books.

I liked this book. The author has created interesting characters and developed them well, so that you feel you know them by the end of the story. Not only know them, but you want to stay engaged with the people of this community.

The story starts with the theft of a quad bike, and then develops into more serious issues. I liked the pacing and the way the story developed. This is a good mystery and will likely lead to visiting the other books in the series. Recommended.

I haven't read the previous book before getting to this one, but usually these books work as stand-alones.
So, maybe it was the main characters themselves or the writing style that didn't really clique with me.
The vineyard setting was nice, though.

The Shell House Detectives are called in to investigate the theft of a quad bike by Owen Harper, oldest son and part-owner of the late Frank Harper's farm turned vineyard Shoreline Vines. Owen, his mother Ruth and younger brother Edwin, together with Edwin's wife Karensa run the vineyard together but Frank's death uncovered that the vineyard was not in a good financial state.

Just as Ally and Jayden are approaching the vineyard they see the police are already in attendance, apparently a man has been trampled to death by their neighbour's cattle which he keeps in a field he rents from the Harpers. Although the body is unrecognisable the Harpers are sure it is Russell Tremaine, the ne'er do well son of their former odd-job man, Shaun Tremaine. Their story is that Russell stole the quad bike and was coming back to see what else he could steal when he got scared, hid in the field and got trampled by the cattle.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Owen is no longer interested in finding the quad bike (although the loss of a £10,000 practically new machine must be a blow to a struggling business), but Shaun asks the Shell House Detectives to find out what really happened to his son, because he's convinced that nothing on earth would have persuaded Russell to go anywhere near cattle.

Their investigations uncover all sorts of secrets and come to a very satisfying conclusion - nice to know I was right in my suspicions!

I think this series has really hit its stride. The personal stories are advancing slowly, the characters are deepening and the investigations are more organic. I still have a soft spot for Mullins and Saffron, but he still has some developing to go.

And can I just say how much I love these covers? Honestly its what drew me to the series in the first place.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley.

The fourth book in the Shell House Detectives series sees Ally and Jayden investigate the tragic death of a young man at a vineyard. I love the characters and the setting. My only fault is at times the narrative was a little repetitive.