Author: Vicki Delany
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)
ISBN #: 9781496747273
Kensington Cozies
288 Pages
$27.00; $12.99 Amazon
July 23, 2024
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Lily Roberts's Cape Cod tearoom is hosting a bridal shower -- until a gruesome gift sends the guest of honor running in fear...
Members of the Reynolds and Hill families are staying at Lily's grandmother's bed and breakfast, and now they've gathered at Tea by the Sea to sip some delicious blends while they shower bride-to-be Hannah Hill with presents. But the last package Hannah unwraps contains a beheaded Raggedy Ann doll and triggers a bloodcurdling scream. A doll like this was the last gift from her father before he died long ago, and she's chilled to the bone.
Lily senses that the shocking anonymous gift just might be related to other tensions she's picking up on. The mothers-in-law have been sniping at each other -- and then Lily, out walking her dog, overhears the groom's father, Ralph, offering his son a very sizable bribe to call off the wedding. She's relieved when Greg angrily turns him down, but with so many people steamed at each other, can this event possibly go smoothly?
The answer is no. It suddenly has to be postponed -- when Ralph is found dead in his bed, a bottle of whiskey beside him. When tests indicate the booze was infused with a lethal substance, it becomes a murder case, and of course, accusations are flying wildly with the guests all too willing to believe the worst about each other. Now, to find out whether all this family drama led to a fatality, Lily will have to turn up the heat...
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Lily Roberts owns Tea by the Sea, a teahouse in Cape Cod, which stands at the front of her grandmother's Victorian B&B, the best in their town of North Augusta. The B&B is full up of guests, most of them belonging to the Reynolds family who are there to celebrate their son Greg's marriage to Hannah Hill. Perhaps celebrate isn't the right word...
When the bridal shower is held at the tearoom, everything seems to be going splendidly until Hannah opens her last gift, which is a beheaded Raggedy Ann doll, which causes her to let out a scream. Prank or warning? At any rate, the shower is ruined, and Greg and Hannah retreat to the B&B so she can collect herself. But does that stop accusations from flowing? Not at all. It's well known that the Reynolds family does not like the Hills -- Hannah and her mother, Jenny -- but why? Finding out the reason isn't any of Lily's concern. Not until patriarch Ralph is murdered, and his mother and widow are accusing each other, and Jenny, of the crime. Not until her beloved tearoom and the B&B might get a negative reputation. Then Lily, her best friend Bernie, and grandmother Rose go into action. Hopefully, their investigation won't get any of them killed...
This is the fifth in the series and I have read them all. I also have loved them all. The idea of a teahouse near Cape Cod sounds delightful. The food and tea sounds delicious. I love that the author can pull us into the story and make us want to visit. It's a talent, to be sure. We also have the lovely descriptions of the gardens, the B&B, and, of course, the tearoom, which are pleasant to read about.
The murder, which occurs near the front of the book (gratefully) gives us plenty of time to search for suspects and rule out those who had no reason to want him dead. Those people are few and far between. It turns out that Ralph not only had skeletons in his closet, some of them were walking around causing trouble to everyone. But that doesn't make someone a killer, does it?
There are plenty of twists and turns in this mystery, and a few red herrings along the way to keep things interesting. We follow along with Lily and Rose to try and put things together, and it's a fun way to spend an afternoon. I discovered the murderer right around the same time as Lily, but I still needed the motive -- which was given admirably -- to complete the tale. This is a wonderful cozy to read, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I am looking forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Vicki Delany's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/
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