Gems and Feathers
(2025)(The first book in the Sparkling Mysteries series)
A novel by Vera Langley and Maisy Marple
A small-town jeweler. A talking parrot. A priceless gemstone. What could possibly go wrong?
Poppy Goldstein is perfectly content crafting custom jewelry in her quaint coastal shop, with only her talkative African Grey parrot, Detective Sherlock, for company. But when Seabreeze Cove's annual Artisan Festival brings the legendary "Mermaid's Tear" aquamarine to town, Poppy finds herself reluctantly playing gemstone guardian.
The festival should be a simple affair—local artists, eager tourists, and the stunning blue gemstone that's been the town's claim to fame for over a century. Instead, Poppy's keen jeweler's eye notices something fishy about some of the visitors taking an intense interest in the priceless stone.
When the Mermaid's Tear vanishes in the night despite security measures, all eyes turn to outsider Marcus Webb, a rival jeweler from the next town over. But Sherlock seems convinced that the charming Marcus is innocent, and Poppy's parrot has an uncanny knack for being right.
With the stone missing, a museum curator drugged, and suspicious characters fleeing by boat, Poppy must untangle a web of deception before the legendary gemstone disappears forever. Could the Mermaid's Tear be hiding an even more valuable secret than anyone suspected?
Armed with her gemologist's loupe, her remarkable parrot's insights, and the help of Seabreeze Cove's quirky townspeople, Poppy dives into her first investigation. Along the way, she'll discover that sometimes the most precious things in life are hiding in plain sight—and that perhaps she has a natural talent for solving mysteries.
"Gems and Feathers" is the sparkling first installment in a clean, humorous cozy mystery series featuring a jeweler with an eye for detail, a parrot with an ear for clues, and a charming coastal setting where small-town secrets and big-time crimes collide.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Poppy Goldstein is perfectly content crafting custom jewelry in her quaint coastal shop, with only her talkative African Grey parrot, Detective Sherlock, for company. But when Seabreeze Cove's annual Artisan Festival brings the legendary "Mermaid's Tear" aquamarine to town, Poppy finds herself reluctantly playing gemstone guardian.
The festival should be a simple affair—local artists, eager tourists, and the stunning blue gemstone that's been the town's claim to fame for over a century. Instead, Poppy's keen jeweler's eye notices something fishy about some of the visitors taking an intense interest in the priceless stone.
When the Mermaid's Tear vanishes in the night despite security measures, all eyes turn to outsider Marcus Webb, a rival jeweler from the next town over. But Sherlock seems convinced that the charming Marcus is innocent, and Poppy's parrot has an uncanny knack for being right.
With the stone missing, a museum curator drugged, and suspicious characters fleeing by boat, Poppy must untangle a web of deception before the legendary gemstone disappears forever. Could the Mermaid's Tear be hiding an even more valuable secret than anyone suspected?
Armed with her gemologist's loupe, her remarkable parrot's insights, and the help of Seabreeze Cove's quirky townspeople, Poppy dives into her first investigation. Along the way, she'll discover that sometimes the most precious things in life are hiding in plain sight—and that perhaps she has a natural talent for solving mysteries.
"Gems and Feathers" is the sparkling first installment in a clean, humorous cozy mystery series featuring a jeweler with an eye for detail, a parrot with an ear for clues, and a charming coastal setting where small-town secrets and big-time crimes collide.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Used availability for Maisy Marple's Gems and Feathers