A Jewel of a Crime in the third book in Valerie Taylor’s Venus Bixby series. Venus has a new plan in life. She’s sold her dance studio, and she wants to chase stolen art across the world. But in Venus’s world, nothing ever goes according to plan. The new owner of her studio is dead, and she’s the main suspect. She’s got no choice but to put her plans on hold and find the real killer, but she’s not prepared for what she uncovers. An emerald ring bought secretly by her late husband is missing, and that’s not the only burglary in Chatham Crossing. Is the dead body part of it? Only Venus can find out, and she’s got her work cut out if she wants to be free to follow her dreams.

I’ve already read the first two books in the fantastic Venus Bixby series by Valerie Taylor, and it just got better with A Jewel of a Crime. In the same vein as the others, this is a fun but intense murder mystery with plenty of clues and red herrings to make it hard to guess the culprit. It’s full of twists and turns, and you’ve no chance of guessing the ending until you get there. It’s the perfect cozy mystery in a small-town setting with cats for company and no end of fun along the way. The addition of a character list and places of interest at the start is helpful, and at the end of the book are all the recipes mentioned in the plot and a Spotify playlist of the featured golden oldies. You could get away with reading this as a standalone, but reading the whole series in order gives you a much better feel for the characters that appear in every story. If you love a good cozy mystery you can lose yourself in, I recommend this book and series.

A Jewel of a Crime by Valerie Taylor is the third novel in the Venus Bixby cozy mystery series. The story unfolds in the town of Chatham Crossing. Venus Bixby, a widowed bookseller, cat lover, and amateur sleuth, sells the dance studio she had inherited from her late husband and looks forward to travelling the world. But the unexpected death of the dance studio’s new owner, jewellery thefts, and the missing emerald ring Venus’s late husband had bought but never given her make her stay and help the town’s detective. What – or who – caused the death of the new dance studio owner? Who was stealing jewellery in town? And why did Venus’s late husband never give her the emerald ring he had bought?

What an awesome read! Valerie Taylor’s A Jewel of a Crime is a rare cozy mystery that has everything: an enticing cover, a well-paced, twisty story, quirky characters, an atmospheric setting, suspense, sparking humor, and even an oldies playlist and cookie recipes for a special, unforgettable, ultimately immersive read. It was my first meet-and-greet with Venus Bixby, and the story read perfectly well as a standalone. Chatham Crossing’s historic center captivated me instantly. As the plot thickened, I enjoyed every moment of sleuthing alongside Venus. I was thoroughly assessing the motives, opportunities, and means, but could not guess the perp until the very end. I look forward to reuniting with Venus in the prequels and, hopefully, sequels. If you love cozy mysteries, this book will delight you.

Reluctant amateur sleuth Venus Bixby is finally ready to reach for her secret lifelong dream of searching the world for lost art in A Jewel of a Crime by Valerie Taylor. An art‑hunting team is forming, and she’s desperate to be part of it. But she has a life in Chatham Crossing—businesses, friends, and a man who loves her. All these wonderful anchors are holding her in place. Then her plans are catapulted into chaos when she finds her former business partner murdered, and Venus is pulled into the crosshairs of a dangerous killer. Chatham Crossing is a small town, and she knows everyone in it. So, which of her good friends is watching her next move? Venus can’t leave now—not without risking the lives of the people she loves. A stolen artifact becomes central to the mystery, and as the author reveals, Venus doesn’t need to leave town to find lost art.

A delightful addition to the cozy genre, A Jewel of a Crime has all the right ingredients. Chatham Crossing reflects that beautiful small‑town vibe, with its vibrant cast of colorful characters swirling in a sea of innocence and ill intent. Venus is feisty but adorable, downplaying her vital role as the town’s pivotal figure. The main theme is transparency, and I found it incredibly clever. No one is what they seem, and each character searches for the illusion of significance, not realizing they already possess it. Venus’s secret plan parallels the secret society of businesswomen seeking visibility within the town. I love how Valerie Taylor advocates for inclusivity, as lists, groups, and friendships become transparent and welcome others into their fold. A hilarious yet poignant read. I thought I was the only one who kept losing my phone and finding it in the linen closet!

A Jewel of a Crime by Valerie Taylor unfolds as Venus Bixby, the protagonist, stumbles on the body of the co-owner of a dance studio that was set to open soon. Venus is a fifty-something-year-old businesswoman with two stores and is part of the Harpoon Square owners. They called it the Moonstone Guild. She had lived in Chatham Crossing for more than thirty years, and it was not the first time she had discovered a body. Venus and her friends help Detective Oscar untangle the mystery and try to solve the case. The mystery is tied to her deceased husband’s treasured gift to her, an expensive emerald ring. They have a long list of suspects, including Venus. Will they be able to crack the case?

A Jewel of a Crime: A Venus Bixby Mystery by Valerie Taylor is a charming sleuth story that mystery lovers will enjoy. My curiosity was piqued as to where the missing emerald ring could possibly be. The dialogue was well-written for each character. Taylor was good at including several elements and kept me guessing until the very end as to who could be the real murderer. The clues that Venus picks up along the way were beautifully crafted as cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. This shows the expertise of a seasoned writer who knows the strategies to keep the reader hooked, chapter after chapter. I enjoyed how the action increased more toward the end. A brilliant read.