Trouble is Brewing by Vicki Delany

 Trouble is Brewing

Book Summary

Lily Roberts’s Cape Cod tearoom is hosting a bridal shower—until a gruesome gift sends the guest of honor running in fear . . .

Members of the Reynolds and Hill families are staying at Lily’s grandmother’s bed and breakfast, and now they’ve gathered at Tea by the Sea to sip some delicious blends while they shower bride-to-be Hannah Hill with presents. But the last package Hannah unwraps contains a beheaded Raggedy Ann doll and triggers a bloodcurdling scream. A doll like this was the last gift from her father before he died long ago, and she’s chilled to the bone.

Lily senses that the shocking anonymous gift just might be related to other tensions she’s picking up on. The mothers-in-law have been sniping at each other—and then Lily, out walking her dog, overhears the groom’s father, Ralph, offering his son a very sizable bribe to call off the wedding. She’s relieved when Greg angrily turns him down, but with so many people steamed at each other, can this event possibly go smoothly?

The answer is no. It suddenly has to be postponed—when Ralph is found dead in his bed, a bottle of whiskey beside him. When tests indicate the booze was infused with a lethal substance, it becomes a murder case, and of course, accusations are flying wildly with the guests all too willing to believe the worst about each other. Now, to find out whether all this family drama led to a fatality, Lily will have to turn up the heat . . .

My Thoughts

Trouble is Brewing by Vicki Delany is the fifth A Tea by the Sea Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone as the author provides the needed background information for new readers. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the area, the tea shop, the bed and breakfast, and the food. I was disappointed that there was more telling than showing in the story.  The mystery is simple.  The father of the groom is murdered after the bridal shower.  Lily shows little interest in solving the whodunit until an innocent party becomes the prime suspect (of course).  I wanted more sleuthing with less baking and romance.  I could have done with a lot less of Bernie’s antics (I wanted to shove her off a cliff).  The same details are repeated over and over.  There were many missed opportunities.  Lily would walk away too soon, or the scene ends early.  The guilty party stands out (there might as well be a giant neon arrow pointing at the killer).    I had an idea as to why this person committed the crime, but I had to wait for the reveal to be sure.  The reveal felt anticlimactic. While Trouble is Brewing is a pleasant, lighthearted story, I found it lacking.  I am hoping the next A Tea by the Sea Mystery will have more mystery to go with the cozy elements.  

Trouble is Brewing is available from Amazon* along with the other A Tea by the Sea Mysteries.  You can find Vicki Delany's other novels here and her books written as Eva Gates here.  I appreciate you taking time out of your day to join me.  I will return on Tuesday, July 23,  with Montana Abduction Rescue by Jodie Bailey.  My raised flowerbeds were blooming with poppies until late May.  I have cleared the poppy vines out of the beds. I ordered seeds for flowers that enjoy the sun and do not mind drought conditions (summer in Florida).  In the evenings, I have been planting seeds.  I have seedlings popping up in all but one of the flowerbeds.  I am going to try the organic seeds that just arrived (fingers crossed).  I hope that you have a relaxing weekend and that you stay cool (it is so very hot and humid).  I will be reading two new books that I just received.  The books are Keeled Over at the Cliffside by Nancy Stewart and A Berry Suspicious Death by Peg Cochran.  What will you be reading this weekend?  Do you have any recommendations for my garden?  I would love to hear from you!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

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