A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery by Valerie Taylor #Review #Giveaway #GreatEscapesBookTour @ValerieETaylor

A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery
by Valerie Taylor

About A Jewel of a Crime

A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Set in Chatham Crossing, a fictional whaling town between Providence and Cape Cod
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Aspetuck Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 2, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
Paperback
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986599564
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GVPVMJBS
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986599571
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GRCG64BR

With green streaks in her hair and “Rock the Shamrock” polish on her nails, Venus Bixby is ready to trade dance recitals for airplane tickets.

After selling her dance studio, she has a brand-new plan: travel the world and recover stolen art. But life deals Venus an unexpected card. When she pulls back a curtain in the studio and finds the new owner dead on the couch, her next adventure becomes a very public nightmare.

With Chatham Crossing’s whisper mill in overdrive, Venus is now a prime suspect (because of course she is). In the process of clearing her name, she discovers her late husband secretly bought an emerald ring—and now it’s missing.

As burglaries ripple through this charming town, Venus wonders if the studio owner’s death and the missing emerald are part of the same glittering crime spree.

Between gossiping neighbors, buried secrets, and one very inconvenient corpse, Venus will need sharp instincts—and maybe a touch of Irish luck—to solve the case before her passport dreams are grounded for good.

A Jewel of a Crime is book three in the Venus Bixby Mystery series. Expect cozy clues, small-town charm, amateur sleuthing, cats, and a mystery that keeps sparkling with surprises.

Includes cookie recipes and an oldies playlist!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Venus Bixby had big plans: sell the dance studio and jet off on a new career recovering stolen art. With fresh green streaks in her hair and bright green nail polish, she and the owner of the Bay Wash hair salon decide to deliver grand opening gifts from Bea’s Buds to the dance studio’s new owners. When the space appears to be empty, Venus ventures further in and finds co-owner Margo Abbott dead on a couch. As the former owner of the business, Venus is a prime suspect.

Also happening in Chatham Crossing: several burglaries rock the neighborhoods.

Venus starts investigating to find the true killer, and while doing so, finds out her late husband bought her a beautiful emerald ring that she never received and is now missing. When one of her top suspects is killed, Venus pulls out the stops to not only find a killer but also a thief. A little luck of the Irish, along with some help from her friends, would be appreciated to trap the murderer so she can figure out what to do with her life next. That is, if she doesn’t become the killer’s next victim.

Venus Bixby is a woman with her fingers in a lot of pies and is happy to dig into a few more. “Bookseller, song and dance lady, cat lover, aspiring lost art detective,” and amateur sleuth, she can do it all and hates being left out of anything, like the newly formed Moonstone Guild. She is also still grieving her husband, Paul, which holds her back in a new relationship with Budd.  She has a great relationship with her sister, Sherrie, who will fly across the country when she knows her sister needs her, even when Venus doesn’t ask. Venus has a huge heart, first helping the victim’s husband tell his adult children about their mother’s death, then opening her home to those children when they come to town. Ms. Taylor’s characters have layers that are peeled away throughout the story, making them feel true to life.

The mysteries were complicated. Are the burglaries connected to the murders? Venus is a clever investigator. She is very observant and uses her daily connections to pick up on local gossip, asks pointed questions, and relies on her instincts as she follows each clue. She also has a strong connection with Detective Oscar Donovon. They know each other well and trust each other. I had a delightful time following along with Venus as she unraveled every twist of the mysteries.

A Jewel of a Crime is a marvelous mystery filled with humor and small-town charm. Venus is a determined protagonist surrounded by an eclectic supporting cast. Fun, entertaining, with a comfortable pace makes this An Enjoyable Gewaway! A strong 4-star read!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.

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About Valerie Taylor

Valerie Taylor considers herself an “average Jane.” She might remind you of a reclusive neighbor who’s secretly writing her next novel. Unlike many of the writers she admires, she doesn’t hold a degree in literature. Instead, she credits her love of storytelling to a steady diet of classic comedy and suspense.

She’s the award-winning author of the romantic comedy trilogy What’s Not Said, What’s Not True, and What’s Not Lost, as well as of the first two books in the Venus Bixby cozy mystery series, A Whale of a Murder and Switched at Death. Her affinity for humor and whodunits was shaped early on by watching Carol Burnett, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, and The Twilight Zone.

When she’s not writing, Valerie enjoys oldies music, a passion sparked by hours growing up spent listening and dancing to Elvis Presley and The Beatles—and by proudly belonging to the Bobby Darin fan club.

Valerie lives close to her family in Connecticut.

Author Links
Website   Facebook     Instagram      Substack

Purchase Links

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July 1 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
July 2 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org, and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.