Murder Spills the Tea. Vicki Delany

Published: Kensington
Date 26th July 2022
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

The country’s hottest TV cooking show is coming to Cape Cod. And against her better judgment, Lily Roberts is entering America Bakes! with her charming tearoom, Tea by the Sea. Filming is already proving disruptive, closing the tearoom during Lily’s busiest season. But tensions really bubble over when infamous bad-boy chef and celebrity judge, Tommy Greene, loses his temper with Lily’s staff, resulting in an on-camera blowup with Cheryl Wainwright. Just as Lily thinks the competition can’t get more bitter, Tommy is found dead in Tea by the Sea’s kitchen . . . murdered with Lily’s rolling pin.

Suspicion immediately falls on Cheryl, but the temperamental star has racked up plenty of culinary clashes in the past, both on- and off-screen. And nearly anyone associated with Tommy or the show could be the killer: be it one of Lily’s fierce competitors, a member of the beleaguered film crew, or even one of Tommy’s fellow judges—struggling cookbook maven, Claudia D’Angelo or beauty contest winner, Scarlet McIntosh. Now, while she’s baking up a storm for the show, Lily must also whip up an impromptu investigation . . . before the murderer rolls someone else away.

Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delany is a fun mystery murder story set in a very pleasant B&B and Tea by the Sea tearoom. Lily is the owner of the latter, and her grandmother owns and runs the B&B.

Vicki is right up to her ears in the chaos of a TV filming of a baking tearooms contest. She is not all that pleased to be taking part and even less so when a murder happens one night in her tearooms. And what is worse one of her staff is accused of the murder.

The TV crew and judges are an interesting lot and most, if not all of them, not that likeable, and some even less likeable than the others. Added to that the other competitor in the town is not that sweet either. Just as well that Lily’s friends and staff are far more likeable.

I didn’t really spot any clues along the way that would lead to the murderer, however when the murderer was finally revealed that person had been at the top of my list, only one other had made me question it, but I couldn’t see any motive for that person.

So an enjoyable story and I would happily try another one in the series.