Death by Clotted Cream

Treggan Bay Mysteries #5

by Jern Tonkoi

A perfect cream tea. A body in the cream pan. A story arranged to hide a murder.

November 1996. An exceptional jar of clotted cream arrives at Drift Café with three kisses for Leo. Before Noah Yalland can decide whether to mind, a telephone call takes them to Mallowcombe Barton—an old Devon farmstead turned artisanal creamery—where chef and restaurateur Julian Marwood lies dead over a heated pan.

An overturned step suggests an accident. A conspicuous can of Jersey cream points to a local quarrel. Both explanations are almost too obliging. Behind Mallowcombe's polished beauty lie strained partnerships, family expectations and secrets reaching from the Devon lanes to Julian's fashionable London restaurant.

Working alongside DS Scott Langdon, Noah follows altered records, missing minutes and accounts refined until they shine. The truth may depend on the detail nobody thought to look for.

Death by Clotted Cream is the fifth Treggan Bay Mystery: a self-contained, low-graphic British village mystery with wry first-person sleuthing, tangible clues and a quietly queer heart.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2026

About the author

Jern Tonkoi writes atmospheric queer fiction about love, secrets, memory, and the strange courage of being known.

Her books move between Devon coast mysteries, Cork psychological crime, speculative romance, gothic tenderness, and contemporary M/M romance, but they keep returning to characters under pressure: people carrying grief, desire, guilt, old histories, and the difficult hope of telling the truth.

Jern lives between Thailand and the United Kingdom, publishes independently through Tonkoi Books, and is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. Because her catalogue crosses genres, heat levels, and age categories, jerntonkoi.com is the best place to choose a starting point.

Reviews

[Sharon Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shakespeare famously wrote: "To thine own self be true". For closeted gay men, this is often a difficult guide to follow. In this mystery, part of the Treggan Bay series, two gay couples are at the core of this tale. Leo and Noah, have a recent, but complex relationship. Leo is a baker and owner of a pub called Drift. Noah is a reporter with an eye for detail and a zeal for truth. Leo received a call and brings Noah to a creamery where he is introduced to Darren. Darren tearfully announces that Julian is dead. Julian was found dead with a head injury face down in a tub of clotted cream. Leo comforts him in a personal way which confuses Noah.

Soon it is obvious that Leo and Darren have a history and that Darren and Julian were current partners. The dead man was a successful, but obsessed chef, running a celebrated London restaurant; Darren managed their business interests. Although their London friends were aware of the relationship, Jeremy's parents were not.

The police, arrive and secure the scene. Noah's friend, Detective Scott, leads the investigation. Darren, who claimed to have just returned home from several business meetings in London, said he did not find Jeremy until after he had showered and changed. Eventually Scott allows Noah to travel with him to the expansive family estate of Vellacott to speak to Sir Hugh and his family about who would have wanted Jeremy dead. As in all criminal investigation they look for inconsistencies in a time line, variations in an alibi or stories that don't quite mesh.

Noah is good at reading between the lines, so to speak He senses a story and pitches it to his London team. As part of his research, he and a friend dine at the London restaurant. (I would loved to have had a chance to enjoy the gourmet dinner as described here.) Jeremy's sister managed the service there.

Eventually Noah learned that Darren helped a young Leo address his identity and Leo remains grateful. And, although Leo long knew that he loved Noah, Noah came slowly to that recognition and mutual affection.

This is the third book in this series I have read. I have enjoyed them all. I find the mystery compelling and the solution unique. Seldom does one ever commit the perfect crime. Read this to learn how the criminal mind is not the only one capable of addressing a meandering set of clues. Enjoy the excellent descriptions that place you easily at a scene. Read this book.
I received an advance copy for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Pranav Bhatnagar · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something wonderfully comforting about a murder mystery that can make you laugh while someone is being investigated for murder. Death by Clotted Cream gave me exactly that feeling. Noah is the kind of narrator who can walk into a serious situation and somehow make me smile with a completely inappropriate thought, and I really enjoyed being inside his head. His curiosity gets him involved in the investigation, but it is his relationship with Leo and his friendship with Scott that made the story feel like more than just a mystery to me. Leo brings so much warmth to the book, and the small moments between him and Noah gave the story a heart that I wasn't expecting. The mystery itself kept me thinking. I enjoyed following the clues, listening to the different accounts, and trying to work out what mattered and what was simply there to distract me. The creamery setting also worked surprisingly well. There is something almost funny about taking such a peaceful Devon setting, filling it with tea, scones, clotted cream and village gossip, and then placing a murder right in the middle of it. The humour never completely takes away from the grief either. There are moments where the loss feels very real, especially when the characters are simply trying to stand beside someone who is hurting. That balance worked beautifully for me. I came for the mystery, but Noah's voice and the little world around him are what made me want to stay. This is the kind of cosy mystery I could happily spend another rainy afternoon with.

[Sharon Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read in this series although it is book 5 in the Treggan Bay Mysteries. When reading the blurb it stated that this could be read as a standalone so I decided that I would check this claim out. Conclusion - yes you can read it as a standalone but you will want to go back to book 1 so you can see the character and relationship timeline.
The synopsis is available so I wont rehash it.
I gave the book a 4 star rating but this is rounded up from a three and half star. I liked the story and I definitely liked the characters but I did not like that it is written in the present tense. For some reason I prefer books to be written in the past perfect tense but this is just me. There was a time when I wouldn't read books written in the first person but those times are long gone. I think that I will eventually grow to accept books written in the present tense.
The book really appealed as I love cozy mysteries and this is a good example. Small English town, scones and clotted cream, gossiping locals, cute main characters, good writing and a murder. What else could I want? I loved the atmosphere of the book and I will recommend it despite my previously stated dislike.
I will be reading book 1 as I want to know about Noah and Leo's relationship and what happens to them.
I was given a free copy of this book by BookSirens in return for an honest review.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noah and Leo are drawn into the investigation of the death of Julian Marwood. Julian is a young and upcoming chef. His London restaurant is a success. Julian is a stickler for quality and taste. In his pursuit of perfection he started Mallowcombe Barton Creamery to make the perfect clotted cream. A call to Leo from Darren sees Leo and Noah landing on the crime scene as the police are just starting to investigate. Detective Scott Langdon is the lead investigator and has found Noah's journalistic insights useful in the past and his abilities are no less useful in this investigation. The police look for the obvious and sometimes easiest answer. Noah isn't satisfied with the easiest answer and often thinks outside the box, seeing things others miss and making connections by asking different questions. Not being bound by the chain of evidence like the police he sees things differently. This is very much about the crime and the mystery of solving it. The ongoing relationship between Noah and Leo is becoming more widely known and quietly accepted, something that sees Noah growing more into himself.

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

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young man was found dead at a dairy farm. After a thorough investigation it was found out whodunit . I was stunned wordless. When the reason for the murder and whodunit was revealed it became even more sad, if that's possible.

The way the book ended was a pleasant surprise. Some good and some sad but an all engrossing, quick, enjoyable read.

I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.

[Tara Cicora · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

What a fun read this book was. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. I highlyrecommend.

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