Author: Lauren Elliott
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496739070
Kensington Cozies
304 Pages
November 28, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Self-taught "seer" Shay has much to learn as autumn hits the quaint coastal town of Bray Harbor. Since attempting the art of blending herbs at her popular shop, Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, she's set on growing ingredients in the mysterious greenhouse on the second floor -- if only she can separate the medicinal plants from the deadly ones. Her new skills are put to the test when she meets pub owner and ex-detective Liam Madigan's Gran. A psychic from Ireland known for interpreting tea leaves and people, Gran encourages Shay to build upon her natural talents and hold her own group reading...
Despite Shay's reservations about putting herself in the spotlight, the evening goes off without a hitch. At least, until she does a reading and a customer goes from chatty to dead in a flash, poisoned after sipping a toxic substance recently grown in the greenhouse. Worse, Shay's assistant is suspected of intentionally serving the lethal brew and committing cold-blooded murder. Now, aided only by Liam and her dog Spirit, Shay must exonerate her employee and save the future of Crystals & CuriosiTEAS. But when clues start lining up like leaves in a teacup, she'll need to understand the signs right in front of her to catch the manipulative murderer before it's too late...
✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽
When the local owner of a mystical shop dies, she leaves everything to Shay. After Shay figures out why, she and her sister Jen proceed to turn the shop into Crystals and CuriosiTEAS, a teashop that also offers special blends to people needing help or guidance. Occasionally, Shay will also do tea leaf readings, which has become popular amongst the locals.
One group, known as the white gloved ladies, has made the shop a weekly visit, and because they are so respected, Shay's new tearoom is booming. Between her, Jen, and their teenage helper Tassi, they manage to make things work. For a while, anyway -- until Tassi's dad shows up and declares that he's fighting her mother for custody. Tassi dislikes her dad's fiancée, and refuses to go with him. But one night, during a group reading, one of the women in the white glove group dies, prompting Tassi's father to get a restraining order against Shay and vowing to ruin her.
Shay is distraught, but when pub owner Liam Madigan returns from Ireland with his grandmother, known as 'Gran', the woman seeks out Shay and takes her under her wing. To make matters worse, Liam is having troubles of his own, and his cousin shows up out of nowhere.
Shay has her hands full and her pockets temporarily empty, but will she be able to rectify the situation? Will she be able to find out who really killed the woman? And more so, will she be able to get her life back to where it was?...
This is merely the second book in the series but I am completely hooked on it. I loved the first, and this one even more. Shay is growing as a person, and being accepted for who she is. Her life in this village begins to round out, until Tassi's unfortunate being of a father shows up. She's sure he has an ulterior motive, but when he starts harassing her, she wonders why.
I love the character of Gran. She's completely delightful. A bit of the 'Old Country,' if you will. I am pleased that the author brought her into the series, and hopefully will keep her there. I did like Liam quite a bit, but as most men (don't get upset, we all know), he's a bit oblivious when it comes to certain things. Read the book and you will know what I am talking about.
And let's not forget Spirit, the magical dog who appears just where he's needed most. He's more than just a dog, but an intelligent friend who senses danger and knows just what to do to prevent it. Ah, if only humans could understand what he is trying to say...
The murder itself is very well planned out, and quite a bit intriguing as well. We watch as Shay tries to navigate her desire to help Tassi and figure out who the murderer might be at the same time. While I knew who it was before Shay, it was entertaining to watch her figure it out and put the clues together. In the end, it gives us a glimpse of what to look forward to in the next book, which, I think, will be just as enjoyable as this one. Highly recommended.
I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Lauren Elliott's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/lauren-elliott/
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