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.

The Death at the Vineyard is the 4th book in the Shell House Detectives Mystery. It takes place in the town of Porthpella. Ally Bright owns Shell House. She is a partner in the Shell House Detective Agency. Jayden Weston is a retired police officer who is a partner in the Shell House Detective Agency. Tim Mullins is a police constable.

Cliff Thomas, Jayden's father-in-law has asked Jayden to look into the stealing of a red honda fourtrax 420 quad bike from the farm Shoreline Vines. It is owned by the Harper family for generations. Ruth Harper and her sons Owen and Edwin run the farm. Karensa is married to Edwin. Jayden and Ally go to the farm to follow-up on the quad bike. When they get there Jayden is told that a person had been killed by a herd of cows. the person identified is Russell Tre,maine. Did he steal the quad bike? Shaun Tremaine. is Russell's father. Shaun use to work for the Harper's but he was let go because of their financial situation after Frank Harper died. He was offered a package which he refused.

Jayden and Ally go to Yew Tree Cottage to make sure that Shaun is alright. Shaun remembers Ally's husband who was a police officer. He tells them he does not believe his son stole the quad. Said that Russell hated cattle. He would never go into a field with them. He couldn't figure out why his son was at the farm and in the field. He hadn't seen his son in 2 weeks. He asks them to look into it for him. He wants to hire them. They accept to look into it. He also told them that Edwin was at The Wreakers Bar bragging about the big plans for the farm. They have an investor from London who was going to give them loads of money.

On the way home Jayden and Ally go over all that has happened. When Jayden gets home he looks up Russell's profile on the computer. He sees pictures of Russell with Nicky Ballard 2 days ago.

Saffron owns Hang Ten coffee shop. She has been hired to cater the dinner planned at the farm. Edwin comes in and tells herl that the party will still go on. He mentions that Celine Chevalier as the investor and there will be 12 for dinner. As he leaves Jayden and Ally are coming in for coffee. Saffron tells them she is catering the dinner party.

Jayden and Ally go to Mackay Motors to speak to Nicky about Russell. He tells them he saw Russell on Tuesday, They were at a bar in Newquay. Russell told him he had money coming in and was planning a big holiday. He said somethin g big was in the pipeline. They called it a night around midnight. While at the shop Jayden sees a red quad but it wasn't the one stolen. He also tells them that Russell was a gambler.

When at the farm Russell sees Karensa and Owen kissing. She is having an affair with him. She realizes she loves Owen and not Edwin. She is concerned that he will tell Edwin.

Jayden and Ally go back to the farm to check things out again. Owen sees them and goes to talk to them. He said he was in his trailer when the accident happened. They go into the house and Ruth invites them to stay for lunch. They are talking about the lunch the next day.

Celine has come to town. She is staying at a hotel before staying with the Harpers. She had gotten a letter from Ruth asking her to invest so they woiuldn't lose their farm. She had known Frank before he had the vineyard. Edwin calls her and tells her about Russell's death. She doesn't know him so decides she will gol to the party and say the right things. Does Ruth really know about the past. She use to be an au pair for the Harper children. She left abruptly.

Jayden and Ally go to speak to Greg Sullivan. He is happy to speak to them. Molly, his daughter, is home for the weekend. He told them he had dropped off the feed but didn't see Russell has he had gone into the field through the other gate. They all go to see the field from the other gate. They can see the other gate and the roof of the farm house. Greg told them that if Russell had approched the field he would have seen the cattle.

DC Mullins is at home sick in bed when his boss calls and tells him about the raid on a warehouse and found farm machinery equiptment and ATV's. Mullin sends Jayden a text about the raid. Mullins also wonders why Russell was in the field. Allie tells Jaydlen she thinks Russell was already dead before being in the field. Jayden does not think he was dead but probably unconcious. He thinks he was killed close to the gate and that the cattle were used to cover up.

Jayden is in bed when his daugter wakes him up. She tells him that her grandfather is dying. Her grandfather isn't dying but has the flu. The grandmother wants Jayden to come to the party instead of her husband. While at the party Jayden goes into the kitchen to talk to Saffron. She tells him that she was Owen and Karensa. She thinks they are having an affair. Said that Karensa sounded scared.

Shaun decides to go to the party and walks in. He gets their attention. He sees Jayden there and thinhreks he has doubled crossed him. He swings and hits Jayden. He is tackled. Jayden and Broady take Shaun back to his house. Jayden calls Ally who comes.d He tells them that Frank told him about a body he buried. It was 25 years ago. He said that he had told Russell just after Frank died. Could the Harper's know about the death and buriel. He thinks this is the connection between Russell and the Vineyard. Which one of them killed Russell.

This is where the story takes off. There is too much to put on paper so I will leave it to the reader to enjoy to the exciting ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC.

Another difficult case for the Shell House detectives,Jaydon and Ally . They will have to feel deep to solve this one.

This series gets better and better! I love the whole concept of Ally and Jayden running their detective business from the Shell House. They are such an unlikely partnering on paper but they draw out the strengths in each other and form a brilliant team. Once again the glorious Cornish setting steals every scene! The mystery was cleverly plotted and kept me guessing, but that’s only part of the appeal of these books for me. I love the beautiful, atmospheric writing and the well-drawn, intriguing characters. I’m looking forward to the next book already!

I love this series, so when I saw the next book was on Netgalley I was too excited not to immediately request to read it!

I was craving a dose of Ally, Jaden and the rest of the gang so I jumped straight in. We’ve got another classic mystery and it was nice to see this one kept a little more local where the others saw police rolling in from further afield.

The family at the centre of the case were all equally suspicious and I wasn’t sure how it would all be resolved until the big showdown!

As always the relationships between the characters tug on your heartstrings. Ally and Gus continue to get closer, Saffron faces some tricky decisions as she has to decide whether to stay in town for the off season or head to Hawaii with boyfriend Broady, PC Mullins is his usual slightly bumbling but ultimately helpful self and we get to see a bit more of Jaden’s relationship with his in-laws.

I loved it and will be getting the physical copy when it’s released to add to my collection 🤩

Would 4.5 for me. This is everything I love. I love a crime story. Ally and Jayden try to uncover the truth of the murder while they discover local myths about buried bones and even a curse on the land itself. Are these just rumours or is there something more sinister about this.

I do love a crime mystery book. And this may be a new favourite author of mine.

As the Shell House Detectives investigate a mystifying death, they discover rumours, betrayal and murder. Will a decades-old secret finally be unearthed too?! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!