As the proud proprietor and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom on the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod, Roberts has her hands full, often literally. But nothing keeps her busier than steering her sassy grandmother, Rose, away from trouble. Rose operates the grand old Victorian B & B adjacent to Lily’s tea shop . . . for now. An aggressive real estate developer, Jack Ford, is pushing hard to rezone nearby land, with an eye toward building a sprawling golf resort, which would drive Rose and Lily out of business.
Tempers are already steaming, but things really get sticky when Ford is found dead at the foot of Rose’s property and the police think she had something to do with his dramatic demise. Lily can’t let her grandmother get burned by a false murder charge. So she starts her own investigation and discovers Ford’s been brewing bad blood all over town, from his jilted lover to his trophy wife to his shady business partners. Now, it’s down to Lily to stir up some clues, sift through the suspects, and uncover the real killer before Rose is left holding the tea bag.
Release Date: Jul 28, 2020
Series: Tea by the Sea
Book: 1
Publisher: Kensington
Price: $12.99
Lily Roberts has relocated from New York City to Cape Cod to run a traditional English tearoom. Her grandmother Rose owns a bed and breakfast next door to Lily’s restaurant. Rose is livid that the property next to hers may be developed into a golf resort and is outspoken about her opinions. When the real estate developer is found dead on Rose’s property, she becomes the primary suspect in his death. Lily knows her grandmother isn’t guilty, and her own investigation uncovers several possible suspects. Lily has plenty of help from Rose and her friend Bernie, an aspiring writer. The three of them are determined to find the real killer and clear Rose’s name before it’s too late.
I have enjoyed many other books written by Vicki Delany as well as those written under her pen name Eva Gates. I like the main character and the setting of this debut book in a new series by the author. The descriptions of the area sets the stage for the story. They are so vivid, I wish I could have joined Lily for afternoon tea. The different teas and pastries Lily prepares sound delicious and further add to the cozy atmosphere of the book. There are a couple of recipes at the back of the book, including one with instructions on how to make your own tea-scented bath salts. I like the pace of the book and the fact that there are plenty of suspects that could be guilty of the crime to add some suspense. I liked how the case was resolved and appreciated that the book didn’t end abruptly after the killer is identified and instead there are a couple of additional chapters afterwards to wrap the book up as a whole.
I really like the main character of Lily and how hard she is working to establish a successful business, while finding time to help her grandmother. The police are portrayed as completely incompetent, so it makes sense Lily would feel compelled to do some of her own sleuthing on the side. However, as the story went on, I found Rose’s character to be so annoying, it detracted from the book as a whole. It’s fine that she is outspoken, but she takes it too far and just comes across as rude and childish. Since I like Lily and because Vicki Delany is a talented writer, I think there is a lot of potential to this new series. If Rose tones things down a bit in future books, I think she and Lily could make a good team. I also like the hint of romance for Lily, but glad it is starting slowly to give the reader something to look forward to in future books. Tea & Treachery is a great choice for readers who enjoy Vicki Delany’s other cozy mysteries or for fans of Laura Childs.
~ Christine
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