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 in a Teacup by Vicki Delany

 Murder in a Teacup

Book Summary

National bestselling author Vicki Delany's delightful Tea by the Sea mystery series continues, as Cape Cod tearoom proprietress and part-time sleuth, Lily Roberts, stirs up trouble when she unwittingly serves one of her grandmother's B&B guests a deadly cup of tea...

Lily has her work cut out for her when a visit from her grandmother Rose's dear friend, Sandra McHenry, turns into an unexpected--and unpleasant--McHenry family reunion. The squabbling boils over and soon Tea by the Sea's serene afternoon service resembles the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Somehow, Lily and her tearoom survive the storm, and Sandra's bickering brethren finally retreat to Rose's B & B. But later that evening, a member of their party--harmless Ed French--dies from an apparent poisoning and suddenly Tea by the Sea is both scene and suspect in a murder investigation!

Mercifully, none of the other guests fall ill. They all ate the same food, but Ed insisted on bringing his own special blend of herbal teas. So it seems, amid the whining and dining, someone snuck up to one of Lily's cherished teapots and fatally spiked Ed's bespoke brew, but who? Was it Ed's long-estranged sister-in-law? Did teenage troublemaker Tyler take a prank too far? Or perhaps the family's feuds have been steeping for longer than anyone realizes? It's up to Lily, Rose, and their friends to get to the bottom of the poisoned pot and bag the real culprit behind the kettle murder plot. 

My Thoughts

Murder in a Teacup by Vicki Delany is the 2^nd A Tea by the Sea Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone if you have not had time to indulge in Tea & Treachery.  Everything a new reader needs to know is included.  The author provides beautiful descriptions of North Augusta, Massachusetts where Lily’s grandmother, Rose runs Victoria-on-Sea Bed and Breakfast and Lily Roberts has her cozy teashop, Tea by the Sea.  Rose has her friend, Sandra visiting from Iowa along with her family.  Her granddaughter, Heather is footing the bill for the family reunion.  Their bickering and backbiting is fraying the staff’s nerves.  Lily is happy she has her cottage to retreat to at the end of the day.  Unfortunately, one of the family members end up dead from poisoning casting suspicion on Lily and her staff.  Lily wonders which one of the family members committed the evil deed.  She intends to find out since another death has once again closed down her tea shop.  I found Murder in a Teacup easy to read with a fun cast of characters.  I love Lily’s grandmother, Rose.  She is a classy lady.  I also like Lily who is an excellent baker and her cute dog, Éclair.  There are some good secondary characters that include Simon, the English gardener, and Matt, the new neighbor.  I am not as enamored with Lily’s friend, Bernie.  I find her flighty and annoying.  The mystery was straightforward. There was a family of suspects along with misdirection.  A piece of information early in the book provided me with the killer’s identity. It also helped me guess some secrets that would be revealed at the end of the book.  I wish the whodunit had been more of a challenge (I love a good puzzle). There are mouthwatering descriptions of Lily’s baked goods that includes orange zest scones.  I like learning about the various types of tea, foods served at tea time, and the different types of tea pots.  I loved the description of Lily’s special china she received when she was eighteen.  There are recipes at the end of the book for the tempting teats featured in the book.  I enjoyed reading this lighthearted cozy mystery set by the sea.  Murder in a Teacup is a cute Cape Cod cozy with bickering brethren, delectable delights, a gifted gardener, a bespoke brew, a cat conundrum, and a malicious murder.  

Murder in a Teacup publishes Tuesday, July 27 and is available from Amazon*.  Tea & Treachery is the first book in A Tea by the Sea Mystery series.  You can borrow it for free if you belong to Kindle Unlimited.  You can find Vicki Delany's other novels here.  A Three Book Problem by Vicki Delany is the next A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery and it releases January 11, 2022.  Thank you so much for stopping by today and reading my review.  I will return on Monday with A Deadly Deletion by Lorna Barrett.  It is 15th A Booktown Mystery.  I hope that you have a relaxing and sunny weekend.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany

Happy Book Release Day!  Here are some of the books that came out today:  From Beer to Eternity by Sherry Harris, Piece by Piece by Laura Bradford, Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits by A.L. Herbert, Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard, Witches and Wedding Cake by Bailey Cates, Romancing Nadine by Amy Lillard, Someone's Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass, Knot of This World by Mary Marks, and Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany.  Which one do want to read first?

Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany takes us to Cape Cod, Massachusetts where Lily Roberts owns Tea by the Sea.  In the mornings, Lily prepares the breakfasts for Victoria-on-Sea Bed and Breakfast which is owned by her grandmother, Rose.  Rose is currently in an uproar because her neighbor wants to sell his lot to a developer who intends to erect a golf resort.  Jack Ford, the developer, needs to get the zoning changed first, but he does not see that as an obstacle.  The day after an altercation between Rose and Jack Ford, Lily finds Ford dead at the bottom of their cliffside staircase.  Detective Chuck Williams believes Rose did in Jack Ford and is determined to put her behind bars.  Rose and Lily’s friend, Bernie decide to do a little digging into Jack Ford’s background and business practices.  Lily tries to dissuade them, but that is like trying to stop a steamroller going downhill with a tricycle.  Lily gets swept into the investigation and finds a multitude of suspects.  It appears that Jack Ford was not a well-liked man.  The killer is unhappy with Lily’s sleuthing which results in some scary threats.  Lily needs to work quickly, or she could end up the next victim.

Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany is the debut novel in A Tea by the Sea Mystery series.  Tea & Treachery is set in Cape Code, Massachusetts where Rose Campbell, Lily’s grandmother, settled after the death of her husband.  She purchased a large Victorian home on the cliffs above the sea which provides her with a beautiful view and plenty of peace.  When Lily saw the little cottage on the property, she thought it was the perfect place for a tea shop which has been her dream.  When not busy whipping up delectable delights and tea for Tea by the Sea, Lily is helping her grandmother with the bed and breakfast.  I like that the author took the time to establish the main characters and provide beautiful descriptions of the B&B, tea shop, Lily’s little cottage, and the beautiful gardens.  I could just imagine strolling along through the gardens and hearing the waves below.  There are great facts about the history of tea, the various teas Lily’s serves, and food Lily’s whips up.  It was interesting to learn about the different types of teas, and how tea time started.  The mystery had a variety of suspects from the mayor, the victim’s wife, the mistress, to the son of the man trying to unload the land next to Rose.  If you pay close attention to the details, this whodunit can be solved before the reveal.  I liked that the mystery had a good wrap up (no questions left unanswered).  The new head gardener, Simon McCracken seems to have taken a liking a Lily.  There was some mild flirting between Lily and Simon.  Bernie Murphy, Lily’s writer friend, provided humor while Éclair, Lily’s labradoodle, gave readers cuteness.  Rose, Lily’s grandmother, was a hard character to like.  She is stubborn, feisty, set in her ways, selfish, and opinionated.  I found her frustrating with her “its my way or its my way” approach.   Rose and Bernie together were a bit much.  I hope both women will grow on me in future books.  Also, Lily need to develop a backbone and learn to say no, or her grandmother will run roughshod over her.  Tea & Treachery is an easy to read book and a good start to this new cozy mystery series.  There are recipes at the end for coconut cupcakes, scones, and tea bath salts.  Tea & Treachery is an engaging cozy mystery with tempting tea treats, a scarcity of scones, a dead developer, curious clues, shaky steps, a whimsical writer, and a burdened baker.  

Tea & Treachery is available from Amazon*.  You can find more novels by Vicki Delany here.  She is the author of A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, A Constable Mary Smith series, and A Year-Round Christmas Mystery series.  Her next release is Dying in a Winter Wonderland which is the 5th A Year-Round Christmas Mystery.  Dying in a Winter Wonderland publishes on September 29.  Thank you for reading my review today.  Tomorrow I am sharing my thoughts on Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard.  It is the debut novel in The Maidels of Morning Star series.  I do hope that you have an uplifting day.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.