Emylia Hall
Top Ten bestselling author of cozy crime, notably The Shell House Detectives series, and women’s fiction including The Book of Summers, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick.
Emylia Hall is the author of four women’s fiction novels and an eight-book cozy crime series, The Shell House Detectives Mysteries.
Her writing career began in 2012 with The Book of Summers, a coming-of-age story inspired by childhood holidays. Published by Headline, it was one of the bestselling debuts of the year, a Richard and Judy Book Club selection, and went on to be voted the favorite read of the summer by readers. Three more novels followed: A Heart Bent Out of Shape (2013), The Sea Between Us (2015) and The Thousand Lights Hotel (2017), this last being a recent selection for Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Book Club. Emylia’s work has been translated into ten languages and broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music.
In July 2023, The Shell House Detectives, the first in her bestselling crime series set on the Cornish coast, was published by Thomas & Mercer. It was a Kindle Top 10 bestseller and has been optioned for television by Playground Entertainment, the makers of Wolf Hall and All Creatures Great and Small. Since then the series has continued to go from strength to strength, with the release of The Harbour Lights Mystery, The Rockpool Murder, The Death at the Vineyard, The Arts Trail Killer, The High Tide Murder, and The Lone Island Mystery. The eighth mystery, The Death of a Wrecker, will be published in November 2026, and there are more Shell House Detectives mysteries planned for 2027 and beyond. The series follows the exploits of sleuthing duo Ally and Jayden and the people in and around the fictional village of Porthpella. With books set in rural Hungary, the Swiss Riviera, the Tuscan isle of Elba, and Cornwall’s wild and wonderful west, Emylia’s work—whether women’s fiction or crime—is strongly influenced by place and matters of the heart.
Emylia has taught creative writing workshops in Kigali, Zurich, at the University of Lausanne, and as a regular tutor for Arvon. In 2018–20 she was a Fellow for the Royal Literary Fund, based at the University of the West of England. She believes passionately in writing as a way of enriching life experience. If you’re writing reading group fiction, literary fiction or cozy crime and mystery, you’ll find Emylia an encouraging and caring tutor.
Emylia’s Genres
- Contemporary & Women’s Fiction
- Cozy Crime
- Crime & Suspense
- Literary Fiction
- Mystery
- Reading Group Fiction
- Book Club Fiction
Please note: all genuine emails from Emylia Hall will come from @thenovelry.com.
The Lone Island Mystery
Lone Island is a remote and windswept spot, but for nature reserve warden Pippa Grant, it’s always been a haven. Until a body washes ashore—and she’s the one to find it.
The police believe the deceased, Axel Marks, accidentally fell from the cliffs near Porthmerrin House, the grand estate on the mainland where Axel’s mother once served as housekeeper to the Grey family. But Pippa is adamant that there’s more to Axel’s death, and begs Ally and Jayden, the Shell House Detectives, to take the case.
Soon it emerges that Axel had a troubled past, and a complicated history with both Edward Grey and his son, Lucas. As the reasons behind Axel’s visit to Porthmerrin become clear, Ally and Jayden feel sure that the house holds the key, and both owners and staff come under scrutiny. But when the police switch their focus back to Lone Island, Ally and Jayden are forced to question whether it’s their client who has something to hide.
Was Axel murdered out of jealousy and greed, or because of an ancient betrayal? And how far will the killer go to achieve their ultimate goal? As Ally and Jayden finally bring the devastating truth to light, it’s clear that Axel’s death was just the beginning of the story...
The High Tide Murder
A violent storm. An isolated hotel. A brutal murder. The Shell House Detectives are on the case—and everyone here is a suspect in the sixth novel in the series.
The High Tide Hotel, overlooking stunning Trebaron Cove, is a dream destination for an autumnal getaway. But the serene atmosphere of this luxury enclave is shattered when the body of a guest is discovered on the terrace, directly below their balcony.
The victim’s friend is adamant that this was no accident, and when it emerges that the dead man was a detective with a checkered past, the police inquiry intensifies. Meanwhile, fellow guest Jayden, one half of the Shell House Detectives, wastes no time in bringing Ally on board to help find the killer.
With the hotel cut off by a storm on the night of the murder, everyone at the High Tide is a suspect. As Ally and Jayden delve deeper into the pasts of both guests and staff, they uncover a mass of secrets and complex connections. Who wanted this man dead—or rather, who wanted him dead most? As the tide turns, the investigation leads them into a life-or-death situation. Who will pay the final price for discovering the truth?
The Arts Trail Killer
Springtime on the Cornish coast and Porthpella’s artistic community are throwing open their doors, welcoming visitors to the annual Arts Trail. And this year, celebrity artist Harrison Loveday is the guest of honor.
However, the light mood soon darkens when there’s a dramatic death at the opening-night party, and after threatening messages start appearing around the village, fear takes over. Before long, Porthpella is shocked by a second brutal murder, and whisperings of a ‘serial killer’ start to circulate.
With the press descending on the Arts Trail for all the wrong reasons, the Shell House Detectives find themselves vying with the police to hunt down the killer, fast. As the pair uncover bitter rivalries and hidden agendas, plus a growing list of suspects, the question of who has both the means and the motive makes this the most complex case Ally and Jayden have faced yet.
Can the Shell House Detectives stop the Arts Trail Killer before they strike again?
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