Author: Vicki Delany
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496725097
Kensington Publishing
304 Pages
$26.00; $12.99 Amazon
July 27, 2021
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Lily has her work cut out for her when a visit from her grandmother Rose's dear friend, Sandra McHenry, turns into an unexpected -- and unpleasant -- McHenry family reunion. The squabbling boils over and soon Tea by the Sea's serene afternoon service resembles the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Somehow, Lily and her tearoom survive the storm, and Sandra's bickering brethren finally retreat to Rose's B & B. But later that evening, a member of their party -- harmless Ed French -- dies from an apparent poisoning and suddenly Tea by the Sea is both scene and suspect in a murder investigation!
Mercifully, none of the other guests fall ill. They all ate the same food, but Ed insisted on bringing his own special blend of herbal teas. So it seems, amid the whining and dining, someone snuck up to one of Lily's cherished teapots and fatally spiked Ed's bespoke brew, but who? Was it Ed's long-estranged sister-in-law? Did teenage troublemaker Tyler take a prank too far? Or perhaps the family's feuds have been steeping for longer than anyone realizes? It's up to Lily, Rose, and their friends to get to the bottom of the poisoned pot and bag the real culprit behind the kettle murder plot.
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Lily Roberts owns and runs the Tea by the Sea tearoom next door to her grandmother's B&B. Both are doing a good business which is great because they need the money to get through the leaner winter. Rose is pleased when her old friend Sandra is coming with her entire family for a reunion - The McHenrys. But things aren't what they seem: Sandra's granddaughter Heather married a man who became a millionaire and then conveniently died, is footing the bill. Plus, Heather has invited her in-laws, the French's, whom the McHenry clan doesn't like. It makes for a tense situation and bickering among the crowd, who all seem to have their own problems with each other.
While just hoping to get through the week while they're here. Lily just wants to serve her daily teas and get through it. However, things go awry when Ed French falls ill and is taken to the hospital, where he dies. When it's soon treated as a homicide, that's when the chaos starts. People start pointing fingers at each other -- including their pointing them at Lily and Rose -- and no one can figure out the truth. But Rose, Lily's best friend Bernie, and Lily (reluctantly) have to find out who killed Ed or their businesses might just go out with the tide forever...
This is the second book in the series, and I'm glad I read the first so I have a bit of familiarity with the characters. I also enjoyed this book as much as the previous one. I do like the fact that Lily doesn't go around accusing people of murder, but allows things to fall into place before putting them together. She remembers snippets of conversations that allow her to reveal the truth.
The McHenrys, in my mind, are an unpleasant band of people, and I wouldn't want to spend any time around them if I could help it. The Frenchs are, on the other hand, somewhat decent people. In any event, there are wonderful descriptions of the area around the B&B, and it makes one want to visit and take a walk along the pier.
When we get closer to the end everything comes together nicely, with an unexpected twist that no one saw coming, and it makes the book even more intriguing to read. Ms. Delany packs her mystery with both likable and unlikable characters, a delightful setting, and people you'd want to spend time with, and those you wouldn't. What results is a fun mystery that's a treat to read. Highly recommended.
More on Vicki Delany's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/
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