A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery

by Valerie Taylor
(Venus Bixby Mystery, #3)
Publication date: June 2nd 2026
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

Venus Bixby is ready for a fresh start. With green streaks in her hair and “Rock the Shamrock” polish on her nails, she’s sold her dance studio and set her sights on a glamorous second act: traveling the world to recover stolen art. But before she can book her first flight, she stumbles over the new studio owner’s dead body behind a drawn curtain.

In a town like Chatham Crossing, secrets don’t stay buried and gossip travels faster than the morning coffee line. Suddenly Venus is a suspect in a very public investigation. As she scrambles to clear her name, she uncovers a troubling secret from her late husband’s past: he purchased an emerald ring she’s never seen—and now it’s missing.

When a string of burglaries rattles the town, Venus begins to suspect the murder and the stolen emerald are connected. With rumors swirling, neighbors whispering, and her passport dreams slipping, she’ll need sharp instincts—and a dash of Irish luck—to catch the real culprit.

A Jewel of a Crime is a sparkling cozy mystery filled with small-town charm, amateur sleuthing, loyal cats, and twists that keep the pages turning. Includes cookie recipes and a nostalgic oldies playlist.

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Misty’s inquiry about the book clubs reminded me I needed to let the Tuesday crowd know we’d be meeting on Thursday instead. Before I did that, though, I had to confirm with Grant Croft that he was available, since he’d agreed to lead the discussion of A Simple Plan.

I stopped short of texting Grant when I realized I was holding Oscar’s phone, not mine. I exhaled, shook the cobwebs out of my head, and headed down the hallway toward the kitchen in search of my own phone. The odd aroma of coffee mixed with popcorn—nutty and toasty—drifted up my nostrils. I stifled a sneeze.

At the exact moment I caught myself from contaminating Oscar’s phone, it buzzed with an incoming text. I halted. Voices floated in from the kitchen. I could hear Oscar asking for milk for his coffee.

So I did what anyone would do. I tilted his phone just enough to read the message.

Evening, Detective. The Velvet Clasp alarm just went off. Sending patrol there now.

Thrown off balance, I read it again before joining everyone in the kitchen. My first thought was: thank goodness Gracie installed that alarm system. My second was: what on earth was going on in Chatham Crossing? Murders and break-ins? I could assist in the investigation of one crime—but two, three?

And what did I know about catching a jewel thief? …

I tugged at the emerald stud on my right ear. Something foul had infiltrated our cozy town. My nose twitched. I rubbed it and reminded myself to stay focused on the Abbotts.

When I entered the kitchen, I handed Oscar his phone. “There’s a message for you,” I said as he passed me mine. “You might want to read it.”

I collapsed back into my chair and stared at him, waiting.

He studied the screen, then looked straight at me—no one else. “Never a dull moment in Chatham Crossing,” he said, exhaling loudly.

“What now?” my sister asked, eyes wide.

“A break-in,” I said.

“Where?” Carole asked.

“The Velvet Clasp,” Oscar and I said at the same time.

Realizing I’d read the message on Oscar’s phone, the crew glared at me. “Okay, guilty,” I said, throwing my hands in the air. “The message came in right after I hung up with Misty. There was no way I couldn’t see it.”

While they processed that confession, I clutched my phone and texted Grant.

Moving book club to Thurs night. Good for you?

I hit send. Almost instantly, a phone pinged.

My head snapped up. Too fast. There was no way Grant could reply that quickly. We all looked at one another until Carole waved her phone in the air. “Alert about The Velvet Clasp,” our mayor said. “You heading over there, Detective?”

I was surprised when Oscar said he’d stop by Harpoon Square later …

“Okay, let’s finish this up and call it a night,” Oscar suggested.

*****

Valerie Taylor lives in Connecticut and considers herself a typical “average Jane.” She might remind you of the reclusive neighbor who fancies herself a novelist. Unlike many of her peers whom she admires, she does NOT have a degree in literature. But she is the award-winning author of the romantic comedy trilogy: WHAT’S NOT SAID, WHAT’S NOT TRUE, and WHAT’S NOT LOST. The roots of those three novels, as well as the books in the Venus Bixby Mystery series—A WHALE OF A MURDER and SWITCHED AT DEATH and A JEWEL OF A CRIME—most likely took hold during her early years watching Carol Burnett, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, and The Twilight Zone. Her love of oldies music stems from hours listening and dancing to Elvis Presley and The Beatles, and being in the Bobby Darin fan club.

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