The Emerald Heist : An Irish Heist and Murder Mystery

Sadie Stewart Cozy Mystery #5

by L.B. Dayton

A staged museum heist. A body left behind. And a secret someone will kill to protect.

After barely surviving her last investigation, art gallery owner Sadie Stewart swears she is done chasing crime. But when a celebrated Irish museum is robbed during Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities, the carefully orchestrated stunt turns into a very real murder.

The man behind the hoax insists it was meant to be harmless. Now he is desperate. If the police uncover the truth about the fake heist, his career is over. If Sadie does not find the real killer first, someone else may die.

What begins as damage control pulls Sadie deep into Chicago’s glittering art elite and the dangerous syndicates operating just beneath the surface.

And then she finds the connection.

The same shadowy network that destroyed her father.

As threats close in and long-buried secrets resurface, Sadie realizes this was never just about stolen art.

It is about unfinished business.

And someone is determined to make sure the past stays buried, even if it costs Sadie her life.

With time running out, Sadie must uncover the truth before the past—and the people willing to kill for it—catches up to her.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Another amazing book in this series (all can be read stand-alone). Sadie and her friends are wonderful characters, helping each other without question and trying to figure out what happened while making you smile. The storyline has a whole bunch of surprises, that make this an absolute page turner. So much fun to read!"



⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "The Emerald Heist is where glamour meets grit, where a museum theft feels both thrilling and intimate, and where Sadie's determination shines brighter than the jewels themselves. LB Dayton weaves high-stakes art intrigue with sharp humor, sass, and a heroine who refuses to sit still. The danger feels real, yet this world is full of quirky side characters, clever banter, and relationships that deepen every twist. It's exactly the kind of cozy mystery I love."

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 9, 2025

About the author

Graduate 73 and 75 from The Ohio State University with a BFA in Painting, Drawing and Graphics and a BAE in Art Education.

National Exhibition Director and National President of The Colored Pencil Society of America 1997-2004.

Yoga Teacher E-RYT500 2006-present

Competes in Ballroom Dancing

Lives with her husband in The Woodlands

Reviews

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I’m not a fan of love triangles so 1/2 star off for that especially if it’s not resolved by book 5. Sadie is at it again and this time she is asked by a fellow gallery owner to help investigate the thefts from his gallery where a security guard also died. The investigation is pretty basic but fast paced, Sadie is struggling with whether JD and she are a “thing”. Sigh.. you’re almost 40.. speakkkk uppp.
Daniel and Quince are great characters and hopefully if there’s more books in the series, the characters mature. Oh, I’m not a fan of Hugh.. he’s a bit to “swarmy”🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

[Louie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Emerald Heist : An Irish Heist and Murder Mystery

This was a fun introduction to Sadie and her friends. Even though this book is part of a series I was able to read it and not feel like I was missing anything having not read the previous books.

The key points of the mystery are a theft at an Irish art museum, Sadie reluctantly getting involved in solving the case, and the final adventure during St. Patrick’s day weekend involved figuring out not just who but how to capture the thief.

I think this book has a great mix of Chicago history, art education, and enjoyable characters at a medium pace to make it a relaxing read. The chapters are longer than I prefer but the content is very engaging.

I’ve not read the previous books in the series so I enjoyed meeting Sadie through the advance reader copy I received.

[JigsawGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read for me. Sadie's character seems a bit immature considering her age. I don't feel like Sadie has much of a personality. She is boring. I also can't get into the situation between Sadie, JD, and Hugh. Does she really want to have a relationship with JD or Hugh? I find her relationships with JD and Hugh to be more confusing than anything else?

The characters lack romantic chemistry, making the romantic subplot seem unnecessary. Hugh seems suspicious. At the rate the relationships are moving, they might as well just stay friends.

Some of the Chicago details were interesting, while at the same time they seemed excessive. I feel like it slowed down the pace of the story, and I sadly found myself losing interest. The actual murder mystery felt like it got lost in all of the detailed descriptions.

I liked Daniel and Quincy. They were humorous, quirky, and their witty banter was enjoyable. They were my favorite part of the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Susanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth Sadie Steward mystery, and the first one I've read. I liked Sadie, who's got a complicated past. She's a Chicago artist and gallery owner, who likes to detect on the side. After a group of Irish artifacts go missing from a small museum, the museum's owner asks Sadie to help track down the items and the thieves who took them.

Sadie gets help from her urban family, which includes her Doberman, Solomon, and is able to successfully recover the items before they're shipped back to Ireland, and identify the men who killed the museum guard. The City of Chicago plays a major role in the book, and while I appreciated the author's local knowledge, there were places where it slowed down the story.

I was happy to be given an advance review copy and a chance to meet Sadie for the first time.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Sadie Stewart mystery series. Sadie is the owner of a Chicago art gallery and it is during the St. Patrick's day celebration which she is looking forward to. When a famous Irish museum is robbed and the guard is murdered, once again, Sadie, along with her Doberman, Solomon, and friends are involved in finding a murderer and the gem and keep Lex Carroll safe from his lie. Sadie is caught in the dark and deadly deception that may even have an answer to who killer her father. But her time is limited as the museum display will be going to Ireland and those thugs that want secrets kept don't get her first. This is a fast fun series that I highly recommend. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie shares her Irish Heritage in this cozy that takes place during St. Patrick's Day celebrations. From turning the lake green, to parades and festivities in Chicago. Sadie encounters a museum owner who claims to be the victim of a theft. He blames her for some reason and turns out to have a significant role in the burglary of his establishment.

The most upsetting part is the death of the security guard during the robbery, who may or may not be an innocent victim. Sadie and Hugh, along with Daniel and Quincy work to find the truth and bring the culprits to justice.

This is an enjoyable cozy mystery that can be read in a day or two. It’s entertaining and keeps you engrossed until the end.

[Trina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. It was a page turner and the suspense was intense. I was on the edge of my seat and I couldn't even put it down. Sadie was the art owner in a famous gallery in her town. Now Lex was the culprit of stolen art work and now Sadie past has caught up with her new life in this moment. There many secrets and twists and rumors of deaths and madness and solving the crime of the underground chaos. Will the truth come out in time or will be next from this crime.
I highly recommend this book and you won't be disappointed. I received advance copy of this book via Bookfunnel and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Trina Jones

[Jessica Gaiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

LB Dayton does it again. She’s written another great mystery that I highly recommend. It’s a fast paced story that deals with burglary for hire, unexpected murder, and stolen Irish artifacts. Sadie is drawn into a bungled burglary for hire when a security guard is murdered. Through ingenuity, she is able to track down the people hired and identify the killer. You are biting your nails to the end to see if she is able to bring the killer to justice. Add in childhood fantasy stories, descriptions of great artwork, hilarious dancing leprechauns during the investigation, and new friendships, and you’ve got a winning story. I can’t wait for the next installment!

[Linda Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifth book in the series about Sadie and her dog Solomon is an interesting read. This time the gallery is safe, but there’s been a heist elsewhere that goes wrong. People are greedy. Who is the murderer? How best can justice be served? It’s complicated.
I recommend reading the books in the series in order for the best enjoyment and understanding. Enjoy!
I received a complimentary copy from the author and I am writing a voluntary honest review.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book in this series (all can be read stand-alone). Sadie and her friends are wonderful characters, helping each other without question and trying to figure out what happened while making you smile. The storyline has a whole bunch of surprises, that make this an absolute page turner. So much fun to read.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Paul Crome · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book tremendously and have read all of the authors books in this series. I would recommend this book and in fact would recommend the whole series to anyone who wants to enjoy having a good read. I will definitely be reading all future books that the author brings out in this series

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another really great Sadie Stewart story. This time she gets involved in helping bring to justice some jewel thieves that rob some Irish jewelry from a local museum. Except this isn't a standard robbery and the way the group gets involved isn't the norm. Great story!

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irish Chicago

Great characters and wonderful Chicago setting. The St Patrick’s Day Chicago Irish tour was very informative and fun to envision. The plot was believable and the antics fun and gave the book a comedic flair. I enjoyed it throughly.

[Genesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book. With elements of theft, murder, humor, and the importance of friendship, it truly is a page-turner. Everything about the story makes it worthwhile to read. However, it also leaves me with questions: Who will Sadie choose in the end, and will she continue her sleuthing?

Thank you to the author for providing me with an advance copy. I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie and the gang are at it again. This time trying to find those responsible for theft at the Irish Heritage museum. What a whirlwind of events this turned out to be. Absolutely loved it.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book. Recommend reading.

[Deborah Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie is investigating a robbery of a Museum and the death of a guard. The Museum owner contacts Sadie and asks her to find the robbers and find the jewelry. This was a fun story and I recommend it.

[Susan Mahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Wow, what an interesting mystery with every thing turned on it's head which comes to an interesting end in Saint Patrick's Day.

[G. Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series.