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

Review of "Listen For The Lie: A Novel of Suspense" by Amy Tintera

Five years ago, twentysomethings Savannah Harper (Savvy) and Lucy Chase of Plumpton, Texas - who were best friends - went to a wedding, and drank and partied with the other guests.

After the wedding, Savvy was found in the woods, with a crushed skull, and Lucy was found nearby - injured, dazed, and covered with blood.



Lucy claimed to have no memory of what happened, and the police found no evidence to prosecute her. Nevertheless, the residents of Plumpton labeled Lucy a murderer; Lucy's marriage ended; and Lucy's parents acted like she was guilty. So Lucy left town and moved to Los Angeles, California.



Now, half a decade later, Savvy's murder is in the news again. A true-crime podcaster named Ben Owens, whose podcast is called 'Listen for the Lie', has taken it upon himself to solve the case (in other words, to prove Lucy did it). Thus Ben is interviewing people who knew Savvy and Lucy, and reconstructing the night Savvy died.





Ben's podcast goes viral, after which Lucy loses her job and gets the cold shoulder from her boyfriend Nathan.

Meanwhile, Lucy's grandmother Beverly is planning a big bash for her 80th birthday, and she implores Lucy to come to Plumpton for the celebration.



Lucy is VERY reluctant to set foot in her hometown, knowing that people will stare and whisper and possibly do worse. Nevertheless, Lucy agrees to visit Plumpton for her grandma's party.

As it happens, podcaster Ben Owens is in Plumpton at the same time as Lucy, and he asks her to give him an interview. Lucy is tempted, but the truth is, Lucy isn't convinced of her own innocence. She continually hears a voice in her head telling her to kill people, and suggesting ways to do it.



Still, Ben seems to be getting the local folks to open up and reveal new evidence. Moreover, Ben is handsome and personable, and Lucy finds him very attractive. After awhile Ben and Lucy get friendly, and decide to work together to reveal the truth.....even if it means proving Lucy DID kill Savvy.





The narrative is interspersed with episodes of the 'Listen to the Lie' podcast, where we learn - bit by bit - about what happened in Plumpton five years ago. The town was chock full of podcast-worthy occurrences, such as unrequited love; domestic abuse; violent outbursts; marital infidelity; and more.



At the book's climax we see how all the chicanery in Plumpton resulted in Savvy's death.

The best characters in the book are Lucy, whose observations are sarcastic and amusing; and grandma Beverly, a feisty octogenarian with a long line of admirers.



I enjoyed the mystery, but the plot isn't totally realistic. It seems that ALMOST EVERYONE in Plumpton lied about where they were at the time of Savvy's murder, but the police (apparently) didn't suss any of this out. They just focused on Lucy and let the investigation go stale.

Still, this is an engaging thriller with interesting characters and a touch of romance.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, who do a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amy Tintera, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Heiress: A Novel of Suspense" by Rachel Hawkins

When Camden is a young boy, he's adopted by much-married heiress Ruby McTavish Callan Woodward Miller Kenmore, who lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tavistock, North Carolina.



Ruby has a very notorious history, having been kidnapped as a toddler, and then being repeatedly widowed in tragic circumstances. Ruby becomes infamous in Tavistock, and the local people gossip and call her Ruby Kilmore (instead of Kenmore).



After Ruby's fourth husband dies, she adopts little Camden, who grows up with the extended McTavish family in their luxurious North Carolina mansion, which is called Ashby House. Camden is a bright amiable boy who goes to school, goes to camp, and calls his mom Ruby.



It isn't easy for Camden at home, though, because - aside from Ruby - the McTavishes are selfish, manipulative, entitled, bullying snobs.



Moreover, the family resents Ruby because the McTavish patriarch made her sole heir to the estate, which includes the house as well as HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. The one caveat is the extended McTavish family is allowed to remain in Ashby House.



When Ruby dies, she leaves the whole kit and caboodle to her adopted son Camden. However Camden wants nothing to do with the family, the mansion, or the money, and he leaves town.



It's now a decade later, and Camden is married and living in Colorado. Camden is an English teacher, his wife Jules works in a historical village tourist attraction, and they're both very happy.







Then an email arrives from Camden's cousin Ben in North Carolina, who's now an estate attorney. Ben implores Camden to come back for a visit. It seems the McTavish mansion is in need of costly repairs, and Camden is needed to oversee, and release funds for, the renovations.



Camden VERY reluctantly agrees to return to Tavistock, but his wife Jules is thrilled. Jules grew up poor, and the idea of an opulent mansion - not to mention all that money - is very enticing to her.



The story is told in the rotating voices of Ruby (via letters she wrote), Camden, and Jules. Ruby's letters are about her history, her family, and her husbands;



Camden's sections include memories of growing up in Ashby House and his current interactions with his McTavish relatives;



and Jules' chapters describe her upbringing in deprived circumstances, meeting and marrying Camden a decade ago, and her current interactions with the McTavish clan.



It turns out the three main characters are all hiding secrets, which are revealed little by little.

The novel is engaging and suspenseful, with plenty of twists and surprises.



I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Dan Bittner; Eliza Foss; John Pirhalla; and Patti Murin, who do an excellent job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Rachel Hawkins, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars