*****
When she was left a widow with two teenage daughters, Daisy Swanson moved from Florida to her hometown of
Willow Creek in the Amish region of Pennsylvania. There Daisy and her Aunt Iris run 'Daisy's Tea Garden', a charming eatery that serves soup, salad, sandwiches, pastries, and tea.
Daisy has a lot on her mind besides managing the tearoom. Daisy's daughter Vi and son-in-law Foster need advice about their finances and help with their 4-month-old baby Sammy;
Daisy's 16-year-old daughter Jazzi asks permission for a classmate named Brielle - a rebellious girl with a nose ring, piercings, and tattoos - to stay over for two weeks, while Brielle's parents are traveling;
and Daisy's boyfriend Jonas, a custom wood craftsman, is suffering from a friend's betrayal.
In addition, Daisy is planning a children's tea AND an event for the local high school.
Willow Creek High School is organizing a student concert followed by a teacher appreciation tea, and Daisy has been hired to cater the party. To go over the menu, Daisy meets guidance counselor Stella Cotton and principal Megan Pratt in Willow Creek High School's teachers' lounge, which is filled with faculty and staff.
While Daisy, Stella, and Megan are discussing the refreshments for the appreciation tea, sixtyish English teacher Althea Higgins - who taught Daisy in her old high school days - makes loud unkind remarks about a newly hired instructor called Claudia Moore.
Later, Althea comes to Daisy's Tea Garden and confronts Daisy because no one asked her opinion about the appreciation tea. Althea wants gluten-free choices as well as organic produce. Daisy soon learns that Althea is an opinionated, outspoken, hard-nosed woman who's always complaining about someone or something.
At the appreciation tea, which is held in Willow Creek High School, Althea has a loud confrontation with Claudia, the teacher she dislikes. Afterwards, Althea's body is found in the school pool, strangled with a rope. Claudia is an early suspect for Althea's murder, as is guidance counselor Stella Cotton, who found the body. In actuality, though, there are many possible murderers because Althea angered almost everyone she met.
Daisy has previously solved homicides in Willow Creek, and several people - who fear they or their loved ones might be accused - ask Daisy to look into Althea's murder. Daisy agrees, but emphasizes that the police are the REAL detectives.
Nevertheless, the locals tend to come to Daisy with their observations and evidence, which Daisy inevitably investigates herself, planning to tell the police if things pan out.
In between interviewing people, data mining, searching apartments, making inquiries, and so on, Daisy deals with the issues in her personal life, some of which are very serious. Daisy also serves a lot of oolong tea, blueberry coffee cake, snickerdoodles, scones, cabbage sausage soup, and other goodies to family, friends, customers, and acquaintances.
Daisy is a caring woman who helps others and sticks up for the underdog, especially if someone is unfairly criticized in her presence. Daisy also has a fine support system, including her aunt and mother; the employees at Daisy's Tea Room; friends in Willow Creek; and the town police, who appreciate her assistance.
This is a fine cozy mystery with likable characters, a good plot, and recipes at the end. Highly recommended to fans of the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Rose Smith, and Kensington Publishing Corp. for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
The book includes recipes for Blueberry Coffee Cake, Cabbage Sausage Soup, and Coleslaw.
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Cabbage Sausage Soup
Coleslaw
Daisy has a lot on her mind besides managing the tearoom. Daisy's daughter Vi and son-in-law Foster need advice about their finances and help with their 4-month-old baby Sammy;
Daisy's 16-year-old daughter Jazzi asks permission for a classmate named Brielle - a rebellious girl with a nose ring, piercings, and tattoos - to stay over for two weeks, while Brielle's parents are traveling;
and Daisy's boyfriend Jonas, a custom wood craftsman, is suffering from a friend's betrayal.
In addition, Daisy is planning a children's tea AND an event for the local high school.
Willow Creek High School is organizing a student concert followed by a teacher appreciation tea, and Daisy has been hired to cater the party. To go over the menu, Daisy meets guidance counselor Stella Cotton and principal Megan Pratt in Willow Creek High School's teachers' lounge, which is filled with faculty and staff.
While Daisy, Stella, and Megan are discussing the refreshments for the appreciation tea, sixtyish English teacher Althea Higgins - who taught Daisy in her old high school days - makes loud unkind remarks about a newly hired instructor called Claudia Moore.
Later, Althea comes to Daisy's Tea Garden and confronts Daisy because no one asked her opinion about the appreciation tea. Althea wants gluten-free choices as well as organic produce. Daisy soon learns that Althea is an opinionated, outspoken, hard-nosed woman who's always complaining about someone or something.
At the appreciation tea, which is held in Willow Creek High School, Althea has a loud confrontation with Claudia, the teacher she dislikes. Afterwards, Althea's body is found in the school pool, strangled with a rope. Claudia is an early suspect for Althea's murder, as is guidance counselor Stella Cotton, who found the body. In actuality, though, there are many possible murderers because Althea angered almost everyone she met.
Daisy has previously solved homicides in Willow Creek, and several people - who fear they or their loved ones might be accused - ask Daisy to look into Althea's murder. Daisy agrees, but emphasizes that the police are the REAL detectives.
Nevertheless, the locals tend to come to Daisy with their observations and evidence, which Daisy inevitably investigates herself, planning to tell the police if things pan out.
In between interviewing people, data mining, searching apartments, making inquiries, and so on, Daisy deals with the issues in her personal life, some of which are very serious. Daisy also serves a lot of oolong tea, blueberry coffee cake, snickerdoodles, scones, cabbage sausage soup, and other goodies to family, friends, customers, and acquaintances.
Daisy is a caring woman who helps others and sticks up for the underdog, especially if someone is unfairly criticized in her presence. Daisy also has a fine support system, including her aunt and mother; the employees at Daisy's Tea Room; friends in Willow Creek; and the town police, who appreciate her assistance.
This is a fine cozy mystery with likable characters, a good plot, and recipes at the end. Highly recommended to fans of the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Rose Smith, and Kensington Publishing Corp. for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
The book includes recipes for Blueberry Coffee Cake, Cabbage Sausage Soup, and Coleslaw.
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Cabbage Sausage Soup
Coleslaw
Rating: 3 stars
Wow, Daisy sure has a lot on her plate. I have read a couple of books in this series, but not the last two. Nice post Barb. I love the images you chose.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carla. 🙂🍁🌞
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