A Gem of a Problem

She believed his death was the worst of it.

But Emma Berry is shocked to discover that her husband wasn't the only thing lost in the Murray River when the PS Mary B sank. A valuable emerald necklace entrusted to her husband for delivery to a jeweller in Echuca is missing and the owner is threatening ruin if it isn't found before his wife returns from England.

The whole thing smacks of smuggling and evasion of customs duties to Emma but what can she do? Travelling down the Murray on her quest for the missing necklace she's determined to avoid a scandal and keep the matter of her husband's shady activities a secret from her family. But her brother-in-law is furious that she now owns half of his riverboat, and she's worried that he knows more than he's saying.

While she longs to be back on the river as much as Daniel wants his own deck under his feet again, the Mary B lies rotting in a boatyard awaiting repairs. Can she make a deal with the owner of the boatyard to speed up the work without Daniel's agreement? Or will that just rub salt into the wound? Whatever she does it's sure be wrong in his eyes.

Now with her search taking her through the port town of Echuca and inland to Bendigo she eventually finds herself back on the river empty-handed. Has she finally run out of options? With her deadline looming and her angry brother-in-law the only person she can call on for help will he risk his reputation to provide the assistance she needs before she becomes a pariah to her family?

Don't miss the second instalment of the Murray Valley Mystery series, A Gem of a Problem, for a thrilling journey through the heart of Australia's river country. You won't be able to put down this atmospheric and suspenseful cozy mystery. Buy A Gem of a Problem for a journey of a read today!