The Madeira Mermaid Mystery: A gripping, cozy crime murder mystery

by Lynn Joseph

A cozy mystery full of travel, treasure clues, a mysterious mermaid, and a cat who won’t stay out of the case.

Noelle and Finn travel to the volcanic island of Madeira to trace the origins of a mysterious wine bottle—one that may finally reveal where the legendary pirate Black Caesar buried his treasure. But what begins as a romantic research trip quickly turns dangerous when Noelle discovers a stunning painted door of a mermaid in Funchal's winding streets, hiding secrets her father left behind twenty-five years ago.

The closer she gets to the truth, the more deadly the island becomes. Someone powerful is watching. And they've kept this secret buried for two hundred years.

With Finn's steady presence, Cabby causing chaos at every turn, and a trail of clues leading from ancient monasteries to volcanic caves, Noelle must decode the mermaid's message before she becomes the next secret Madeira buries.

Book 6 in the Mermaid Bay Wine Mystery series.

Grab your copy of The Madeira Mermaid Mystery today!

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 10, 2026

About the author

Lynn Joseph's adventure travel, island hopping, and lifelong wandering have a purpose. And it's not just to find the best crepes, gelato, and champagne! She swears! Lynn writes about the places she falls in love with. She's discovered in her travels that everyone is looking for a romance and a happy ending! Especially romance authors! Her USA home base is the charming Ferry Village in South Portland, Maine, and her international home base is the Caribbean Island of Tobago, where she’s known as the Mermaid Queen. Lynn believes in protagonists of color traveling and changing the world. And falling in love, of course! She almost always finds a way to work in crepes, gelato, or champagne as part of the story (to support the research!) If you're ready for some sweet romance, join Lynn on her journey of love, food, and romantic destinations (not necessarily in that order).

Reviews

[Polly Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book based on the setting, Madeira. It’s a place I’ve visited and I thought it would be fun to read this story. It was a fun read!

The book reads easily and the mystery is engaging. I enjoyed looking up the landmarks mentioned as the story went along. The description of strong coffee and pastries prompted me to have some as I read.

I appreciated the storyline’s connection to history, giving a deeper layer to the story. The author writes in a way to help readers see the meaning.

Now I see I started in the middle of a mystery series. I think I’ll move on to book 7.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun cozy mystery from Lynn Joseph. I enjoy that the same characters appear in the books with the story continuing from the prior book. The lead characters are Nicole Knight and Finn McClanahan. Nicole has returned to her hometown after being fired from her job. She had inherited her aunt’s wine shop and returned to run it. Nicole finds dead bodies and is trying to learn about a pirate’s treasure. She and Finn are trying to navigate their relationship. They travel to Madeira to try and learn more about her father’s disappearance and Black Cesar. A great book!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Read!

I love this series!!! I think Hallmark needs to pick up for a new series.
Can’t wait to see how the books wrap up.