The Shell House Detectives

Ally Bright’s peaceful life on the Cornish coast is shattered one night when a young man knocks on her door talking incoherently.

The next morning he’s doing at the foot of the nearby cliffs. Was he pushed? Overall a good mystery. Would recommend

Thank you to Emylia Hall, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the arc of this book

Enjoyed this one a lot. Ally’s husband had been a policeman, and when he died she was left alone in her little cottage in Cornwall. When a near death on the beach, and a missing wife, she gets involved asking questions. With the help of new friends they work together to solve the cases. A good start to hopefully a new series. Look forward to more.

I received this copy from Netgalley on the read now section.

My review: It's okay. Personally I find it kind of bland. I don't find it very exciting or thrilling. It's definitely a mystery but I think it needs more umph. A bit more of something to make it want to read it. I didn't enjoy it enough to finish. I do appreciate the chance to try it though.

The Shell House Detective was a fun book to read. I must admit that the beginning was a little confusing to follow but once I got into it I enjoyed it very much. It is the first in the Shell House Detective series. The book takes place in England in the town of Porthpella a seaside town. Ally Bright is the main character. She lives in a house called The Shell House with her dog, Foxy, at the end of a lane and overlooks the ocean. Her husband was a policeman who was loved by all died a year ago. One night she goes to bed but is awaken by Foxy as there is someone at her door late at night. A young man named Lewis Pascoe is there asking for her husband. He seems confused , He tells her that he just got out of prison and her husband promised him that he would help him. She tells him that her husband is dead. Upon hearing this he leaves. He also went to a house called Sea Dream that has been built where his grandmother use to live. The man who lives, Roland Hunter, tells him that his grandmother, Maggie Pascoe, sold him the house and moved away. She had recently died. He also leaves. Helena is his wife who was frightened by his arrival. Lewis again goes back to Sea Dream the next morning and confronts Roland again. Helena goes out for her run.

Jayden Weston has moved to Porthpella with his wife, Cat, who is pregnant with his first child. Cat grew up here and wanted to come home. Jayden was a policeman who has left the force because he was recovering from the death of his partner, Kiernan.

Jayden Weston is sitting in his truck overlooking the beach. He is there to surf. While in his car he sees a woman running but looks like not for fun but running away. When he looks up again she is not there. He goes to surf as he is learning. When getting out of the water he hears someone calling for help. He goes to see what the problem is. A man has fallen off the cliff and is lying on the rocks. The man is Lewis who is still alive but unconscious. Ally walking on the beach goes and finds out that the young man who arrived at her house is the one hurt. She and Jayden starting talking and she tells him that Lewis had come to her house the night before. Jayden suggests that they go for coffee as he is concerned about her. Lewis has been taken to the hospital and is ICU still unconscious.

Roland is concerned that his wife has not returned from her run. He reports it to the police as she is missing. Could her missing and Lewis's fall have something to do each other. His brother, Nathan is there for the weekend to visit. There are two other characters that make up this story. One is Saffron who owns the coffee shop and Gus Munro who is renting the house next to Sea Dream. He is an author who is there to write his novel and recovering from a recent divorce.

This is where the story takes off with Allie and Jayden deciding to find out more about Lewis and to try to find what happened to Helena. I will leave the story to the reader to enjoy and all the mystery that goes with it.

I loved the friendship that develops between Allie and Jayden as well as her relationship with Gus. I look forward to the next book in this series and what adventure the Shell House Detective Agency will getting into.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

This novel is settled at the sea. While reading you can smell it and hear the waves and the wind. The novel tells about the history of Porthbella and the resulting crimes. Apart from the interisting protagonists, which are carefully described, the absolutely main charakter is the ocean. Enjoy!

I loved this cozy mystery. It was just a good sweet comfort read set in beautiful Cornwall . I really liked it . Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

What a wonderful mystery to read on a cold winter's day. Taking place in Cornwall, the novel introduces us to a variety of characters, all bought together to solve a case that is linked to a man's suicide years before. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope the author plans to continue the series. For those readers looking for a good read, I highly suggest this mystery.

Ally Bright lives in a little cottage by the sea with her little dog Fox. She’s lived in the place the community of Porthpella on the Cornish coast of England, known as "The Shell House," for nearly 40 years. Everyone knows the little cottage not only for the exterior that named it but as the home of former Sergeant Bill Bright. Late one night, she’s scared by loud knocking on her door and an overwrought young man looking for her husband. Ally is confused by the late hour, the man’s distress, and not knowing of Bill’s death as it has been a year. Before she can explain, the man has left. But the next morning, the young man is dead, and it wasn’t an accident.

Ally has so many questions. But others have questions too. Jayden Weston, an ex-cop that runs to answer cries for help, and Gus Munro, on holiday, to write a detective novel, and now there’s a mystery on his doorstep.

I loved this story. The atmospheric writing took me to the little cottage by the sea and allowed me to completely imagine the coastal town, the characters, and their lives. A widow, a cop trying to make his way after the loss of his partner, and a man adjusting to life after divorce. As the character development is portrayed for Ally, Jayden, and Gus evolving and moving forward with their lives, it may give others inspiration and hope. As Ally and Gus consider their partnership, readers will welcome the addition to cozies featuring senior sleuths.

I look forward to the future of the Shell House Detectives.

Thank you to Emylia Hall, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.

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