A Death at Seascape House (Jemima Jago #1) by Emma Jameson
Genre: Mystery
Read: 26th April 2021
Published: 27th April 2021
★ 1 star
DESCRIPTION:
With its sweeping sandy beaches and rolling emerald hills, the island of St. Morwenna is an idyllic escape. But behind the perfectly pruned primroses and neighborly smiles a killer lies in wait…
When librarian Jemima Jago is offered the opportunity to catalogue Cornwall’s largest collection of antique shipwreck records it is a dream come true. The only problem? The collection is housed on the island of St. Morwenna, the childhood home she left years ago and vowed never to return to.
Shortly after Jem arrives back in town, island busybody and notorious grump Edith Reddy is found dead, with duct tape clamped over her mouth and nose. Jem, caught seemingly red-handed at the scene of the crime, mistakenly becomes the police’s number one suspect. The handsome Sergeant Hackman in particular can’t seem to leave Jem alone…
Jem must take matters into her own hands if she wants to clear her name. Snooping around Edith’s once-grand home, she is struck by the mess before her. The bedroom is completely ransacked and in the living room all the photographs have been removed from their frames. Was Edith’s death simply a break-in gone wrong, or is there more to the mystery that the police are missing?
Jem has a sharp eye for a clue and she soon realizes that many of the island’s eccentric residents had reason for wanting Edith out of the way. Could Declan, the curious café owner, or Bart, the fishy ferryman have killed Edith? Jem won’t rest until she uncovers the truth, but doing so will put her right in the killer’s line of sight…
A totally charming cozy mystery from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Emma Jameson. Brimming with intrigue and warm humor, fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love A Death at Seascape House.
MY REVIEW:
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.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Emma Jameson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Lord & Lady Hetheridge cozy mystery series. Book #1, ICE BLUE, Book #2, BLUE MURDER, Book #3, SOMETHING BLUE, Book #4, BLACK & BLUE, Book #5, BLUE BLOODED, and Book #6, BLUE CHRISTMAS are available now.
Her newest venture with digital publisher extraordinaire Bookouture is the Jem Jago cozy mystery series.
Ms. Jameson is also the creator of amateur sleuth Dr. Benjamin Bones. Set in Cornwall during the Second World War, book #1 is MARRIAGE CAN BE MURDER; book #2 is DIVORCE CAN BE DEADLY. Dr. Bones fans will also want to read the companion series, Magic of Cornwall. This includes DR. BONES AND THE CHRISTMAS WISH and DR. BONES AND THE LOST LOVE LETTER, two charming novellas set in untamed, romantic Cornwall
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