What a delight this one was!
I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by the cover - but this one definitely drew me in. When I realized it was a cost mystery I wasn’t exactly sure I was going to like it as much as I did, but it didn’t feel cheesy at all like others I’ve read in the past. This felt more like a regular to me with lovely characters and witty banter. I definitely fell in love with the islands of Scilla. The main character Jem was a complete gem, for lack of a better word.
The mystery itself was typical, an old lady who pissed too many people off and then an assuming townie who saw too much. I’d say I figured out who did it a little before halfway through. To me, I wasn’t a fan of this so much as I was of the characters and dialogue. The mystery aspect was just a bonus.
Pleased to see this was the first of a new series and will definitely be tuning in for the next!

A Death at Seascape House is the first in a new cozy mystery series by Emma Jameson. It introduces us to amateur sleuth Jemima "Jem" Jago.

Jem is a special collections librarian who returns home to the Scilly Isles after being offered a job handling the redistribution of a family's special collection. This includes a rare and valuable poem written by Oscar Wilde.
Jem's arrival is swiftly followed by the discovery of a murdered resident of the island with whom Jem has her own difficult history.
A Death at Seascape House follows the mystery surrounding the murder victim and its connection to the special collection. But interestingly, it also slowly uncovers the past and explains why Jem's return to St. Morwenna is not a happy one.

It took awhile to warm up to Jem and the local residents. There are hard feelings and anger on both the side of Jem and her old neighbors and friends.
Although this at first made it difficult to care about these characters, I found that this made for an intriguing mystery, as Jem tries to uncover the truth while also dealing with freshly resurfaced pain from the past.

The setting is my favorite thing about this story. The islands, the boats, the sea air. I have never wanted to travel to Cornwall more!

The tension in the early parts of the book made me uncertain about whether I would enjoy the story, but by the end I was hooked.
I'm eager to revisit the beautiful St. Morwenna and see what trouble Jem will unearth in future installments.

I appreciate the opportunity to read an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

This is a likeable murder mystery set on a fictional island in the Scilly Isles. Jemima Jago is a complex and flawed character who carries emotional damage from her previous time on the island where she now finds herself. Now a respectable librarian, she is hired to catalogue a library of rare local artefacts donated by a childhood friend still living on the island. Emotionally she is wary of returning, but the job is too good to surpass.

Her meeting with the nemesis who made her teenage years so difficult is not what she expected, but she still ends up looking guilty. Determined to face her past demons and clear her name, she becomes an amateur sleuth in a bid to find the culprit.

This is an intriguing murder mystery with an edgy main protagonist who appears to revert to her teenage persona when she encounters people from her past. She is likeable once you appreciate why she is so prickly. New friendships and possible romantic entanglements add authenticity and depth to this story. The islanders are quirky characters. There are numerous suspects, twists and a satisfying and suspenseful resolution.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the Jemima Jago mystery series by Emma Jameson.

I have to admit, this was a very convoluted story. It seemed a lot of backstory had to be explained before the real story could begin. And realistically, Jem wasn’t my favorite main character. So it made it a bit of a challenge to navigate through the story. The story itself was fine. The mystery was compelling, well thought out and stellar. Lots of people to love and hate. I am just annoyed they made me hate the main character. I understand she is misunderstood and had a lot of responsibility thrown on her at a younger age, but before any of that was brought forth she sort of proved her reputation right at the murder scene when she stumbled upon it.

Jem has quite a past in this town and is immediately pegged as the killer before she can even get a hotel for the night. The police officer in charge has a grudge due to past mistakes she made. Now she is a Librarian with good job references but all her negative references are personality based.

I liked how they introduced the two new men in her life which I assume will be expanded upon in the next book. I just wish she was a bit softer and not so ‘I’m going to kill you if you look at me wrong.’

Overall it was a good read.

Definitely pick this up if you are a detective fiction or cozy mystery lover.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.

Living here in Cornwall, I love to read many books based here. They are my comfort reads!

But I’m not sure where to start with my review for this one. I think I had higher expectations based on the description. It was an easy read, with a beautiful setting but apart from the main character Jem, I didn’t really like the others. I felt left wanting more from them. The murder mystery was pretty well thought out, although it needed a bit more depth to get my teeth stuck into. It started off pretty wow! With the murder of Mrs Reddy, then it slows down before picking up near the end.

As it’s the first Jemima Jago Mystery book, I would definitely give the next one a go. Just because I love the character of Jem. She’s a fantastic amateur sleuth and get’s stuck right into the mysteries. I would like to think in the next books we hear more about the Jem/Rhys relationship!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the first book in a new series featuring Jemima (Jem) Jago as the amateur detective. She’s actually a librarian who is returning to her childhood home island of St Morwenna one of the Scilly Isles, off the coast of Cornwall. With books, an idyllic setting and a small community, I really looked forward to reading this – and wasn’t disappointed.

It is twenty years since Jem left the island vowing never to return but now the opportunity to catalogue a huge collection of antique shipwreck records stored in the home of one of her childhood best friends is just too tempting. She’s unsure of her welcome as she left after tragic events for which she was blamed, but maybe now is the time to put that all behind her. However, within a short time of landing back on the island Jem discovers the murdered body of her arch nemesis, Edith Reddy, the old lady who never had a kind word to say about her and plenty of unkind ones. . . . . That’s not the only bad news for Jem as the officer who turns up to investigate the murder is someone else she upset as a teen – and he’s not forgotten, immediately arresting her on suspicion of being the murderer! She’s going to have to do some investigating of her own to help clear her name and bring the real perpetrator to justice!

This is a glorious setting, with a small community containing an eclectic mix of characters, many of whom assume that Jem hasn’t altered in the twenty years she’s been away. I’ll be honest, as usual, and say that for the first part of this story I really didn’t like Jem, she seemed so stroppy without the need to be, especially for someone who is thirty four years old and no longer a rebellious teenager. However, as she starts to reconnect with folks from her past and makes new friends she kind of grows on you and I totally changed my mind about her. There’s plenty of clues, lots of suspects, many secrets and surprises to keep you guessing. It is an engaging read and I can’t wait to read more stories featuring Jem in future – and to discover just how her relationships with friends old and new develop.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

This is a fantastic first book in the series, it is set in beautiful scilly islands. It has plenty of twists and kept me guessing. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Jemima Jago is a Special Collections Librarian and is eager to being a new job on the idyllic island of St. Morwenna. The new job will no doubt entail months of work as she hopes to work with a very large collection. However, St. Morwenna is no longer home to Jem. She left nearly 20 years ago and is worried that bad memories will stop her in her tracks.

However, something else stops Jem. She finds the body of the town's most obnoxious busybody Edith Reddy. Jem proves to be the #1 suspect so she is determined to remove herself from inquiry and is determined to clear her name. Who killed Edith and why?

Jem's powers of observation, process of elimination and genuine intuition are all come into play as she strives to identify the killer. What is more is that just about anyone could have killed Edith, with clear motive. Edith was evil, no doubt, so who is it who killed her?

This intriguing story flows between Edith's past as a teen and how, if at all, it plays into current circumstances. I loved meeting Jem as well as a few other characters including Pauley and Hack. I can't wait to see what else Jem will face in future installments in this series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is the first book in this series.

It's a murder mystery set in the scilly Islands.

I enjoyed this book mostly. It kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat and the setting was different then what I normally read about in this genre.

The story had a fast pace which always keeps me reading to find out what happens.

I will read the next one in the series.

Jemima Jago Mystery #1 is the start of a great cozy series. This book has all the right elements cozy readers love, murder, mystery and a beautiful atmospheric setting. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

We are introduced to a book loving librarian Protagonist Jemima Jago. She has been tasked with cataloging a collection of Cornwall's antique records of shipwrecks. .The job is on a idyllic island of of St. Morwenna. She had grown up on the island and dislikes returning but the job is calling to her. After she returns a nasty neighbor is found dead by Jemima and because she is found with the body she is suspect number one. Now she must save herself,, her new job and her reputation by clearing her own name.

I like Jemima as a savvy smart protagnist. She does not suffer fools and is good at finding clues among many red herrings. The sleuth was enjoyable to conclusion. This is a series I look forward to reading in the future. Very well done to the author.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "A Death at Seascape House" the first in Emma Jameson's new Jemina Jago series, in exchange for my honest review.

We meet Jemina (Jem) Jago a Special Collections Librarian in Hugh Town on St. Mary's largest of the Isles of Scilly. She is there to catalogue a private collection of books at her old friend Pauley Gwyn's family home - Lyonesse House. A Grade 1 house with a large wing filled with books going back as far as the 18th century. Jem left the island many years ago and vowed never to return. It doesn't take long for the village grump Edith Reddy to be accused of stealing a rare poem just to spite Jem. Later when she is found dead Jem quickly becomes the prime suspect in her murder.

When she feels that no one is believing her, Jem decides that the best way to clear her name is to take matters into her own hands and sleuth about. This might set her in the sights of the real killer and put her life in danger.

This is such a good read, and an excellent debut for Jemima Jago!

I really love my so called cosy mysteries and this series looks like another great addition to the genre.

Jemima (Jem) has an interesting backstory and personally I loved that she was a librarian. Her return to St Morwenna is marred by a tragedy and she finds herself as the prime suspect. The author really uses Jem’s intelligence throughout to navigate her situation, and to seek out the true guilty party.

I am really looking forward to the next in the series and getting to know Jem better.

As the blurb says, an easy cozy read. The characters are childish and there is nothing much going on in the name of investigation until the second death. But the narrative keeps it going until the conclusion which felt incomplete.

This was an entertaining cosy mystery with all the customary events and characters. We meet Jem, the beautiful, intelligent but misunderstood main character. Then there is the arrogant and biased Chief of Police, a dead body or two and (oh no) the setting up of a prospective love triangle for future books in the series.

Despite some rather weak dialogue, the story moves at a steady pace and the mystery is interesting. There are clues enough to recognise who the murder probably is and everything ties up neatly. An enjoyable but not especially memorable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Even though I primarily read thrillers, this one really caught my attention. Our main character is a librarian, and I really enjoy books with isolated locations. I could envision the cute shops and the tranquility of the island of St. Morwenna, where this novel is set. I love being able to armchair travel when I read!

Our main character Jemma travels to the island where she grew up to catalog a collection of work, but not without hesitation. When she left as a kid, it was not on good terms with the residents. An awful tragedy happened, and she was the one everyone blamed. Thinks quickly escalate upon her arrival when she finds a woman dead in her home. While trying to figure out the first murder, another resident is murdered as well.

While reading, I enjoy being able to form some sort of feelings toward the characters. I really did not feel anything toward Jemma. You can love or hate a character, at least something is there. I wish we were able to see more of her working on the books, or repairing more relationships that were severed when she was a kid. This is book one of a new series, so maybe that will be touched upon in the next installment.

I will say that if being a librarian doesn't pan out, Jemma could really be a detective. She either watches a lot of crime TV or she is just very hyper-aware of her surroundings.

If you are looking for a lighter mystery this one may be for you!

This is the first book in a new series from Emma Jameson featuring librarian Jemima (Jem) Jago, set on the idyllic island of St. Morwenna, Isles of Scilly.

Jemima is over the moon to be given the chance to catalogue a collection of antique shipwreck records, however, to do so she must return to her hometown, the place she said she would never, ever return to. She hasn't been back on St. Morwenna for very long when local busybody, Edith Reddy is found dead, her mouth and nose taped up with duct tape.

I love to start a cozy mystery series from the very beginning and A Death at Seascape House did not disappoint. Jem made a great protagonist and was a very interesting and intriguing character to follow. Jem was 14 when she persuaded her friends Pauley Gwyn, Rhys Tremayne and Rhys’ younger brother, Cam, to take a trip out on a boat one night. They were unlucky enough to be hit by a huge wave which resulted in Cam’s drowning. The Islanders blamed Jem and she left under a cloud of anger causing her to be extremely traumatised. Now, Pauley, her former best friend has a collection of books, maps, papers and other library material, some of which is over 350 years old, she wishes to donate to the Royal Institute of Cornwall (RIC). The RIC need a librarian with the training, knowledge, and desire to take on the project as well as a willingness to live on St. Morwenna for up to a month, leading them to Jem.

This is a promising series opener and a gritty cosy mystery with plenty of intrigue, action and drama. Awash with memorable and eccentric characters, there are red herrings scattered about and I did not guess the murderer's identity before the denouement. A Death at Seascape House is a fantastic, richly drawn cozy and with the promise of interesting things to happen in future instalments.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is the first book I’ve read by Emma Jameson and I absolutely loved it. Her writing style is very captivating, and I found the characters to be intriguing.

This story is about a librarian Jemima Jago in the emerald hills of Cornwall who is sent to catalog antique shipwreck records. It’s her dream job but the only problem, it is located in the house she grew up in. But when the town busybody, Edith Reddy is found dead, Jem is cought at the scene of the crime. Jem is then the police’s number one suspect. She must clear her name and the only way to do that is to find the real killer and prove it to the police. So many people in the town had different reasons for wanting Edith dead. These characters are so entertaining and eccentric, I found myself completely addicted to each one, I couldn’t wait to read more. The twists and turns of the plot had me on the edge of my seat, a true roller coaster of a ride.

This story has all the feels. It was so exhilarating, and will keep your attention from beginning to end. I am so glad this is the start of a series. Oh my goodness, I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Thank you Emma Jameson for this wonderful, exciting and enjoyable page turner. I loved it! It is a must read.

I’ve read and really enjoyed all of the books in Emma Jameson’s Lord and Lady Hetheridge series. So I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the first title in Jameson’s new series featuring Jemima (Jem) Jago and set in the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall. And I’m very glad I got a chance to read A Death at Seascape House.

Jem Jago is a Special Collections librarian with a difficult past – at the age of six she was dumped on her grandmother’s doorstep on St. Morwenna by her father after her mother died of cancer. We find out early on that Jem was a “wild child” when young, that she was involved in some sort of incident with tragic consequences, and that she regards one of the island’s residents, Edith Reddy, as the catalyst for her rejection (and her grandmother’s) by the St. Morwenna community after that incident. So when it appears that the most valuable book in the collection Jem has returned to St. Morwenna to catalog has been stolen by Reddy, Jem decides to confront her, but finds her dead instead – a victim of a recent murder. Reddy was a thoroughly unpleasant woman, and there are a number of suspects with cause to wish her ill. However, Jem again turns out to be a convenient scapegoat for the islanders, and author Jameson takes us on a ride through both the past and the present as Jem searches for answers to clear her name of this second tragedy.

I have to admit that it took me a while to warm up to this book, and to Jem herself in particular. I found the hints and allusions in the first few chapters to the earlier mysterious incident to be sort of frustrating, and if this hadn’t been a review copy, I might even have put the book down. But I’m glad I persevered, because the book really picked up once we find out what really happened so long ago, and the story moves into more of a detection/investigation phase. In the end, I enjoyed watching Jem grow throughout the book, making some new friends, and resolving issues with some old ones. And, of course, figuring out whodunnit, which kept me guessing until the denouement at the end.

All-in-all, after its slow start, I really enjoyed A Death at Seascape House, and I’m looking forward to the new title coming out in August. And hopefully, since the characters are already established, that new book can get off to a quicker start! I tend not to give a lot of 5-star rankings, saving them for a very few of the many books I read, so my 4-star rating is a solid recommendation to read this book. Oh yeah, and Jameson does a wonderful job of portraying the Isles of Scilly, so be forewarned that you’ll find yourself trying to figure out how soon you can visit! And my thanks to the publisher, Bookouture, and to NetGalley for the advance review copy.

As the first book I have read by this author, as well as the first in the Jemina Jago series, I was excited to delve into it as the setting was somewhat different as being on the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall. I am partial to books set in and around Cornwall (or anywhere along the West Country coastline) so naturally I jumped at the chance to read this book. Unfortunately, I think my interest was left in Penzance because it certainly didn't make it to St Morwenna or anywhere on the Isles.

The story goes with Jemima Jago, former resident of St Morwenna on the Isles of Scilly some twenty odd years ago, returns to the Isles to catalogue a bunch of shipwreck records including a previously undiscovered poem by Oscar Wilde. Jem is excited by this rare find in the library of the island's oldest house which belonged to a former school friend of hers. Shortly after she arrives in town, she discovers that the book and the Oscar Wilde poem has gone missing, possibly stolen by the island's resident busybody Edith Reddy. So Jem makes her way over to St Morwenna to confront Edith and upon finding her door ajar and hearing a crashing noise coming from inside, enters the house whilst alerting anyone inside to her presence. After slipping in some blood and losing a shoe, she soon discovers Edith's body on the bed, her mouth and nose bound repeatedly in duct tape. Someone really wanted to make sure the job was done.

Hearing a sound coming from beyond the window, Jem then sticks her head out and comes face to face with the wild eyes of a bearded man that left her screaming and reeling in shock. Perhaps he is the murderer. But then the murderer wouldn't re-enter the house calling her name...would they? Turns out, the "wild man" was none other than her first boyfriend and first love, Rhys Tremayne. For a couple that used to be so in love and joined at the hip, they did nothing but snipe at each other the entire time. Jem called 999 afterwhich the island's police chief "randy Andy" arrived and taking one look at the mess and Jem snapping photos and going through the kitchen, arrested her.

Honestly, I don't know much of what happened after that as it all seemed to go in one ear and out the other and by almost halfway through nothing much was happening. In fact, it took about 20% of the book for Jem to actually get to St Morwenna and the body being discovered. I ended up tossing it and I could not be bothered with continuing to find out who killed Edith Reddy and why. By that point, I really didn't care. Jem and Rhys had me tearing my hair out with their constant bickering. The police chief was arrogant and annoying. Bart was just weird. Everyone else I couldn't connect to or care less about.

I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't connect with the characters. They were all equally unlikeable, maybe apart from Micki who I thought was a hoot, but not enough to engage me. Jemima was far from interesting. In fact I found her downright annoying. For someone who supposedly had enough brain cells after watching plenty of true crime drama she sure as hell made a good job of contaminating the crime scene when she knew that any evidence needed to be preserved. No wonder she was arrested on the spot for suspicion of murder...she left traces of herself absolutely everywhere! And I am puzzled as to how she came to be suddenly BFF's with a bartender after a 5 minute conversation!

I'm not sure why it is classified as a cosy mystery because there is nothing cosy about it. It's picturesque setting isn't enough to make it cosy. And the characters are all repugnant. Nope, nothing cosy about it. Trying to draw on fans of Agatha Christie doesn't endear me to it either. I did, however, love the cover which initially drew me to it.

If you are looking for a delightful cosy read, then A DEATH AT SEASCAPE HOUSE is not for you. It is, however, if you like drama and irritating vile characters.

I would like to thank #EmmaJameson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #ADeathAtSeascapeHouse in exchange for an honest review.

Just wonderful. Loved this from start to finish. A brilliant mystery. Satisfying. Tense. Thrilling. Addictive. Loved it.