Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Murder With Chocolate Tea: A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery" by Karen Rose Smith

Friday, December 29, 2023

Review of "Murder With Chocolate Tea: A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery" by Karen Rose Smith

This review was first posted on Mystery & Suspense Magazine. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/mu...

In this 10th book in the 'Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery' series, tearoom owner/amateur sleuth Daisy Swanson helps investigate a disappearance and a murder.

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.

When Daisy's Aunt Iris was suspected of murder, Daisy helped the police find the real culprit, and Daisy has subsequently helped the police solve eight additional homicides.

As the story opens, journalist Trevor Lundquist is interviewing Daisy for his podcast, called Hidden Spaces. Trevor and Daisy talk about investigating murders, and before signing off, Trevor tells his listeners, "If you know a secret that involves our community or if you have evidence of a crime, call my tip line, and I'll follow up."

A few minutes later, a caller, who insists on anonymity, tells Trevor that several chests will be auctioned off at Bonner's Storage next weekend, and one of the chests holds a secret to a twenty-year-old murder. Daisy and Trevor arrange to attend the auction along with Daisy's fiancé, Jonas Groft - a former police detective who now makes and sells custom furniture;

and Daisy's friend Amelia Wiseman - who runs a bed-and breakfast. Jonas and Amelia plan to use the chests after they're searched for clues.

Daisy and the others acquire five chests at the auction, and before the chests can be thoroughly examined, someone tries to tamper with them.

This confirms the suspicion that one of the chests harbors a secret, and - after careful examination - Daisy finds a hidden space containing notebook papers, newspaper clippings, and a photo of a teenage boy and his parents. The boy is identified as Axel Strow, who vanished twenty years ago.

In the meantime, a murdered physical therapist named Henry Kohler is found in Willow Creek, and the police determine that Kohler's phone made the anonymous call about the chest.

Daisy and podcaster Trevor Lundquist believe Henry Kohler's homicide is connected with Axel Strow's disappearance, but Police Detective Morris Rappaport isn't convinced.

So Daisy and Trevor do their own investigation, which involves interviewing people who knew Axel twenty years ago. These include former high school students who were on the track team with Axel;

a woman who had a crush on Axel when she was fourteen;

and vendors at the farmer's market where Axel's mother sold baked goods.

At one point Daisy comes across an important clue that helps solve the case.

While all this is happening, Daisy is busy with many other things, including managing Daisy's Tea Garden, which is currently promoting chocolate tea; making plans for her and Jonas's wedding, scheduled to take place in two weeks; helping her daughter Jazzi get ready for college; giving marital advice to her daughter Vi and son-in-law Foster, who have a toddler son named Sammy; helping Jonas design his new backyard workshop; assisting with a tea party for the 100th anniversary of Willow Creek's covered bridge; and more.

In the course of the story, Daisy serves many cups of chocolate tea accompanied by comestibles like snickerdoodles, rhubarb muffins, chocolate chip cookies, blueberry coffee cake, lemon tea cake, and cheese biscuits. To add to the book's charm, there are descriptions of the fine china used for serving tea, such as a Stechcol Gracie teapot with a black background decorated with colorful flowers in orange, red, yellow, and white;

Royal Copenhagen blue-flowered braided cups and saucers;

vintage Aynsley Marine Rose cups and saucers;

Churchill Blue Willow cups and saucers; and more.

At the end of the book there are recipes for ham and cabbage soup, egg and olive salad, and rhubarb muffins.

Ham and Cabbage Soup

Egg and Olive Salad

Rhubarb Muffins

This is an entertaining cozy mystery with likable recurring characters, including Jonas's golden retriever Felix, who enjoys being petted and pampered.

Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Rose Smith, and Kensington Books for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Barb's Book Reviews

Friday, December 29, 2023

Review of "Murder With Chocolate Tea: A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery" by Karen Rose Smith

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