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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Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delany

Murder Spills the Tea

Book Summary

The country's hottest TV cooking show is coming to Cape Cod. And against her better judgment, Lily Roberts is entering America Bakes! with her charming tearoom, Tea by the Sea! Filming is already proving disruptive, closing the tearoom during Lily's busiest season. But tensions really bubble over when infamous bad-boy chef and celebrity judge, Tommy Greene, loses his temper with Lily's staff, resulting in an on-camera blowout with Cheryl Wainwright. Just as Lily thinks the competition can't get more bitter, Tommy is found dead in Tea by the Sea's kitchen . . . murdered with Lily's rolling pin.

Suspicion immediately falls on Cheryl, but the temperamental star has racked up plenty of culinary clashes in the past, both on- and off-screen. And nearly anyone associated with Tommy or the show could be the killer: be it one of Lily's fierce competitors, a member of the beleaguered film crew, or even one of Tommy's fellow judges--struggling cookbook maven, Claudia D'Angelo or beauty contest winner, Scarlet McIntosh. Now, while she's baking up a storm for the show, Lily must also whip up an impromptu investigation . . . before the murderer rolls someone else away. 

My Thoughts

Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delany is the third A Tea by the Sea Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series.  Lily Roberts finds herself on America Bakes! thanks to her grandmother, Rose and her best friend, Bernie.  Lily soon learns there is nothing real about reality television.  Lily arrives for her final day of filming to find Tommy Greene, one of the judges, dead in her tearoom kitchen.  Cheryl, one of Lily’s servers, ends up the prime suspect.  When the lead detective arrests Cheryl for the crime, it is up to Lily with help from Rose and Bernie to prove Cheryl’s innocence.  

I found Murder Spills the Tea to be well-written with developed characters.  I like the cast of regulars (Lily, Rose, Bernie, Cheryl, Simon, and MaryBeth).  The television people are a mixed bag.  There are some nice people and some you would like to toss into next week (and hope they get lost on their way back).  I enjoyed the descriptions of the Cape Cod as well as Rose’s bed and breakfast, the tearoom, and the lovely gardens.  The whodunit had good suspects plus misdirection.  There are clues to help readers solve the crime before the reveal.  Avid mystery readers will have no problem solving the crime.  I love Éclair, Lily’s labradoodle but I do not feel he should be allowed in the bed and breakfast’s kitchen (health department would have a field day).  Of course, Rose’s snooty cat should not be allowed free reign either.  The descriptions of Lily’s enticing pastries (lemon tarts, scones, cookies) will have your mouth watering.  There are recipes at the end of the book.  I was delighted with my latest visit to Cape Cod, and I look forward to returning in the next A Tea by the Sea Mystery.  Murder Spills the Tea is charming Cape Cod cozy with tasty tea, a bothersome baking competition, a derisive rival, a foul flirt, a bashed baking judge, a disdainful detective, and a killer to catch.

Murder Spills the Tea is available from Amazon*.  The first two books in A Tea by the Sea Mysteries are Tea & Treachery and Murder in a Teacup (you can read both novels for free if you belong to Kindle Unlimited).  You can find Vicki Delany's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today and reading my review.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Celebrate Lit Tour for Off the Chain by Janice Thompson.  It is the first book in the Gone to the Dogs series.  I am off to get items on my to do list done.  I have been putting off phone calls that I need to make because they always take longer than they should (a five minute calls ends up taking an hour).  I hope that you have jaunty day.  Take care, stay cool, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.