I didn’t like the first part of this book. It feels disjointed and jumps all over the place. You really don’t get to know the characters very well. The 2nd half is better as all the different threads come together. The settings aren’t described very well, it’s just kind of she/he went there or there. Nothing given in relationship to each other. The killer is just sprung on readers by a last minute clue. #TheHarbourLightsMystery #NetGalley

Christmas is getting ever closer and the lights are about to be switched on in Mousehole, Cornwall. A popular and eagerly anticipated event, the harbour is full of people wrapped up against the inclement weather, enjoying the carol singers, and their festive repertoire. Ally Bright has taken her friend, Gus, along to enjoy the spectacle but when a scream rips through the air, it effectively ends their evening.

As Ally, and her partner, in the newly established Shell House Detective Agency, Jayden Weston, both know, murder is way above their pay grade but a friend in need definitely isn't. When they are asked to find someone who could be linked to the Mousehole death their investigation soon involves them in both cases. As clues begin to lead toward one suspect in particular will Ally or Jayden realise before they become targeted by a killer with nothing to lose?

The second in Emylia Hall's brilliant new detective series is like returning to your favourite holiday destination and reconnecting with the locals. Once again the case is a complex mix of twists, turns, and surprises, which merge seamlessly with the private lives of the main protagonists and their small Cornish village. Although not a quick read it is absolutely worth the time spent enjoying every word.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this and recommend it highly and unreservedly.

A fun, atmospheric mystery! I enjoyed reading about the physical and temporal settings. This is a part of a mystery series featuring The Shell House Detectives who operate in Cornwall, and this novel opens with a murder at a Christmas Carol sing. Fans of mystery series will appreciate the characters and the plot. This is the perfect cozy mystery for a winter's night!