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.
This is #4 in the Haunted Library Mystery series and I have enjoyed the first three via audio. So this is a definite series to follow through.
The Royal Spyness series and I am up to this one #7 Heirs and Graces. So well narrated and a load of fluffy royal British fun. Such easy listening and some interesting murders and situations.
Look at those yummy scones on the cover, plus the books of course. I enjoyed #1 and The Whispered Word is #2 of The Secret, Book and Scone series. It has a group of women, one of them Nora, runs the bookshop and she knows how to pick the right book for you. Again the narrater Cris Dukehart presents the books really well.
This is #1 of the Liz Talbot Mystery series. I haven’t started this one but its in my library at Audible …. waiting! Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her grandmother is murdered, Liz high-tails it back to her South Carolina island home to find the killer.
This is #5 in a series. No I haven’t read any others and I won’t listen to this one until I come to it most likely. It is set in County Cork.
I am on #5 of this series and so far have listened to them on audio. Georgie the heroine is about 30 something in line to the throne in England. She is a very poor member of the aristocracy, but that doesn’t stop her from becoming involved in solving murders. I see it goes up to #15. Not sure if I will get that far!
Murder in the East End was the last one I read – it’s #4. Again its set in England and has an Upstairs/Downstairs feel to it. Kat Holloway is the cook, quite young and very astute.As well there is Daniel McAdam who turns up every so often and is a bit of an enigma. They solve murders though! The next one comes out in July 2021.
I am reading through this series, I have two more coming from the Library, I just bought the next two because they aren’t at the library and then Kensington will publish I think about #9 mid year and I’ll be all ready for it! I enjoy the characters and the things they get into. Plus the quilting tips of course.
I’ve read two in this series set in Maine. I enjoy the characters, Elvis the cat and I want to know more about Mac in relation to Sarah. So this is another mystery series I’ll read on much further into.
The Book Date 