A Slay Ride Together With You (Year-Round Christmas Mystery Book 7)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781639108793

Crooked Lane Books

288 Pages

$29.99; $17.99 Amazon

September 24, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rudolph, New York shop owner Merry Wilkinson's best friend Vicky Casey is newly engaged to Chef Mark Grosse and is moving into the historic Cole House -- a home surrounded by drama, intrigue, and a possible haunting that is in desperate need of renovation.  The wedding is just three weeks away, but all is not bliss for the newly engaged couple as estranged relatives of the late owner fight over her will.  The, late one night, Vicky and Merry come across a dead body in the garden of Cole House -- and Mark is the one standing over the corpse.

As Detective Diane Simmonds focuses on Mark as the prime suspect, Vicky asks for Merry's help to clear her fiancé's name in time for the wedding.  As they dig deeper into the connection between the house, Cole relatives, and town residents, past and present, it becomes clear that plenty of people wanted the victim dead.

With a bakery to run, the busy Easter weekend fast approaching, a house to renovate, and a fiancé to clear of a murder accusation, Vicky's wedding may end up on the chopping block.  It's up to Merry to put aside the chocolate bunnies and stuffed rabbits and help her best friend save her wedding -- and her life.

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Merry Wilkinson lives in Rudolph, New York, deemed "Christmas town" and owns Mrs. Claus's Treasures, a gift shop.  She's also best friends with Vicky Casey, who owns the local bakery.  While talking with Vicky one day she learns that Vicky and her fiancé Mark Grosse, a chef at a local inn, are purchasing a long-vacant Victorian mansion that has been dubbed as haunted.  Not wanting to say anything, she just congratulates her.

But then the troubles begin: a man accosts them in the street, claiming the Vicky stole the mansion out from under him and he is the rightful owner.  Even though neither of them believes it, Vicky is a bit shaken up.  Later Merry learns that Vicky -- and Mark -- have been hearing noises at night, more creaks than an old house should offer up.  There's also knocking at both front and back doors -- but no one is there.  After Mark arrives home from work, the women tell him, and he starts to search outside -- but not for long.  A body is discovered, and Mark has the person's blood on him from trying to turn it over.  Now he's a suspect in the murder, and Vicky asks Merry to help clear his name.  But in doing so, will she once again put herself in harm's way?...

I have to be honest and say that I have not read every book in this series, but I wish I had.  I love Ms. Delany's other series, and this book has the same charm as the others.  It pulls you in at the beginning and makes you want to continue to read it all in one sitting.  The characters are believable, the settings descriptive; so much so that I want to visit Cole House myself.  I love Victorian homes, and I love old mysteries within mysteries, so this book was perfect for me to read.

I love the fact that the author managed to convey both sadness in the previous owners of the home while encouraging the happiness of a new couple who would be beginning their lives together soon.  But will the wedding occur with the death hanging over them?  It becomes apparent that this was a homicide, and Mark may have had a motive -- or did he?  That's the pleasure of reading these stories.  You are given a plethora of suspects, and then you must weed them out to find the true culprit.  And, of course, Merry does -- as we know she will do.

The climax of the story is suspenseful, as it should be.  There is nothing light about it; and it is not until the epilogue (last chapter) that we see the new beginnings come into focus.  When we discover the reason for the killing it seems tragic at the very least; and it lets us see that almost anyone can be deranged in their thoughts.  A definite plus for the ending.  I am glad I read this and now will have to go back to the ones I missed and start all over.  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Slay-Together-Year-Round-Christmas-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CQWX976D/

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6729140244

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Trouble Is Brewing (Tea by the Sea Mysteries #5)

Author:   Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781496747273

Kensington Cozies

288 Pages

$27.00; $12.99 Amazon

July 23, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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.

https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Brewing-Tea-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B0CLZ117DP/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6565530392

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

 

Steeped In Malice (Tea By The Sea Mysteries Book 4)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496737724

Kensington Cozies

288 Pages

$27.00; $13.77 Amazon

July 25, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Afternoon tea isn't just about flavorful brews and delicious treats.  It's also about presentation -- fine China teacups (never mugs!) with carefully coordinated saucers and plates.  With her fragile stock running low, Lily has an excuse to indulge in one of her favorite hobbies: visiting an antiques fair for replacements.

Among other finds, Lily snaps up a charming Peter Rabbit-themed tea set in a wicker basket, perfect for children's events.  But a few days later, a woman named Kimberly marches into the tearoom, rudely demanding to buy it back -- then later returns and removes an envelope hidden in the basket's lining.

An acquaintance of Lily's named Rachel is on the trail of the tea set too.  Apparently, she and Kimberly are half-sisters, searching for their mother's final will.  To her annoyance, Lily is dunked into the middle of this mess -- especially when her ex-boyfriend turns out to be involved.  But it's more than a storm in a teacup when one of the sisters is found dead on the grounds of the B&B owned by Lily's grandmother, Rose.

Is this a simple case of greed boiling over, or are there other suspects in the blend?  It'll take some savvy sleuthing from Lily, Rose, and their allies to find the answers before a killer shatters more lives....

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily Roberts is the proprietor of Tea by the Sea, a tearoom not too far from her grandmother Rose's beautiful B&B in Massachusetts.  After leaving her job as a pastry chef in Manhattan behind, she's finally achieved her dream and couldn't be happier.  What she needs now, however, is to peruse the aisles of an antiques fair in town, hoping to find new tea sets, because China is fragile and occasionally a piece or two gets broken.

When she, along with Rose and Lily's best friend Bernie arrive, they soon find what Lily is looking for: lovely things including a child's Peter Rabbit tea set nestled in a cute woven basket.  Although the price is a bit steep, Lily can't resist.  She's happy with her purchase and can't wait to use it.  However, the next day a young woman comes looking for her and demands she produce it.  Lily, irritated at the woman's rudeness, tells her it's being used right now and she'll have to come back after closing.  The woman argues for a while, then storms out.

When the woman, who states her name is Kimberly Smithfield, returns for the set, all she does is rip the lining and take an envelope, telling Lily she can keep the set and throws money at her.  Lily is surprised, but glad she gets to keep her prize.  Later, an acquaintance from her old New York days, Rachel Morrison, arrives, also looking for the set, is dismayed to find that Kimberly took the envelope.

But the real surprises come later:  Lily discovers that Kimberly -- and her new husband -- are staying at Rose's B&B.  Rachel and Kimberly are half-sisters.  And Kimberly's husband is none other than Lily's ex-boyfriend, Wesley, whom she broke up with and left behind along with her past.  But he doesn't seem to be done with Lily.  He wants her to come back to work for him, and seemingly won't take no for an answer.

When Lily hears a late night conversation and her little dog finds a body, the police are called.  Now Lily is reluctantly involved in another murder investigation, and it may take all her wits and the help of her friends and Rose to solve this one.  No one is saying anything, and Lily doesn't have a lot to go on.  Everyone is keeping secrets and lies...and one of them is a murderer...

This is the fourth book in the series and I have loved them all.  It just keeps getting better and better.  The author is not only a prolific writer, but a talented one who takes us places we dream about and would love to visit.  I can't imagine anything nicer than staying at a seaside B&B with a tearoom nearby.

I get a kick out of Bernie and her constantly changing book plots; it's amazing because she's so smart otherwise and knows her way around the inside of a computer (being married to an IT specialist myself, he knows the ins and outs and it leaves me in awe -- and I know computers pretty well myself).  Bernie has a knack for finding things out, and she's a great help to Lily.

Lily is a woman on a mission, and it's a good thing she has a good staff, because this investigation leaves her a bit stumped.  It doesn't help that her ex is a nasty piece of work, and his being in town is not something she's enjoying.  But at stake is an estate worth millions, and none of the parties are willing to give up until what was in the envelope is found, and it leaves Lily wondering about it.  

Watching her go through the motions of questioning people and trying to figure it all out is worth reading the book.  Lily and her friends conspire to find the truth of the matter, and when it all comes together at the end, there are unexpected resolutions and a killer who's been hiding just barely under the wire.  The ending is also worth reading the book for, and there are some recipes in the back that you might find interesting.  I am looking forward to reading the next in the series and highly recommend this book.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Steeped-Malice-Tea-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B0BKTY6CQ3/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5478960486

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Murder Spills The Tea (Tea by the Sea Mysteries Book 3)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496737694

Kensington Cozies

304 Pages

$23.99; $9.06 Amazon

July 26, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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 blowout 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.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily Roberts owns Tea by the Sea, a lovely tearoom centered right in Cape Cod.  Her grandmother Rose, transplanted from Yorkshire long ago, owns a lovely Victorian B&B nearby, and they live happily in the seaside town.  That is, until Rose and Lily's best friend Bernie enter her in a TV reality show, and she's been chosen as one of the contestants.  Now, the cast members are staying at the B&B and the crew is overrunning the tearoom and telling her what to  do.  Lily is not happy.

She's especially not happy when one of the judges, Tommy Greene, purposely trips her employee MaryBeth and MaryBeth's mother Cheryl has a few harsh words for him.  When Tommy is discovered dead the next morning in the tearoom, Cheryl is the main suspect.  But Lily is sure Cheryl's not a killer, but she's not sure about his castmates.  Even though the police tell her to leave it alone, she's not going to, and with the help of Bernie and Rose, she intends to find the killer before they get away with it...

This is the third book in the series and I have read them all.  I've become fond of the characters in this series, finding not a one of them evil or flighty.  (Except for Allegra, but she's new and no one could possibly like this woman).  The main characters are full of ideas about who might have killed Tommy, especially Bernie, who is able to get information due to her background as a forensic accountant.  

But the more information they have, the more they discover that Tommy was actually a nice guy who was devoted to his wife and family, making it harder to find out who might have had a grudge against the man.  Lily just watches the players in the TV cast, hoping that one of them will accidentally spill information.  And with them fighting amongst themselves, it's not long before she sees that there's more to them than what meets the eye.  Now all she has to do is find out who wielded the rolling pin...

I love this series, and while the killer didn't surprise me much (only because I read a lot of mysteries), at the very end we are given a glimpse of what the future might bring, and once again peace is brought to Cape Cod...for the time being.  I eagerly await the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Spills-Tea-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B09KP4WN5C/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4954868724

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

The Game Is A Footnote (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #8)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781639101450

Crooked Lane Books

320 Pages

$26.99; $13.99 Amazon

January 10, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts.  When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it.  Gemma doesn't believe in ghosts, but she agrees to 'eliminate the impossible.'  But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they're forced to consider an all too physical threat.

Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum.  With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for who might be the actual culprit.

Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, and much to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot.

Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, has special skills that allow her to discover things about others.  She has superb observation skills.  It's served her well in helping to solve more than one murder.  But now she's been asked to see if Scarlet House is haunted.  It seems things have been moving around at night when no one is there.  Not really wanting to, but since the asking came from her best friend Jayne's mother Leslie, she agrees to do so.  So she finds herself, along with Jayne and Jayne's fiancé Andy, spending the night in the old house.  The only other people there are out in the barn: a retired veterinarian who cares for the animals, and volunteer Craig Jones.  Gemma, who doesn't believe in ghosts, spends time walking through the house at various hours to see if there is any activity.  

But when there's noise in the kitchen, nothing seems to have been disturbed.  And when there's noise in the barn, it seems the animals have been spooked by something unknown.  Then a body is discovered on the premises and Gemma calls the police, with her boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton arriving to check it out.

Now, Gemma is once again in pursuit of a killer, with clues few and far between.  She'll need all her wits about her to solve this murder, even if the police don't want her involved.

Then there's a bit of a complication:  Gemma's sister Pippa shows up out of the blue, claiming she's taking a bit of a vacation while her employer is in Washington on business.  Gemma, ever alert as she is, knows something else is up with Pippa.  Pippa is Mycroft Holmes to Gemma's Sherlock, and together they might just be unstoppable...and now the game is afoot... 

This is the eighth book in the series, and I have read them all.  While in the first book I wasn't fond of Gemma, I have now grown to love her.  She's extremely intelligent, loyal to her friends and family, loves animals, her shop, and, of course, Ryan.  She's an extraordinary woman, and she doesn't actually accuse anyone without having facts to back it up.  She also has a sudden problem with one of her employees, and while she'd like to leave it alone, her curiosity gets the better of her and she needs the answers she's looking for.

But now Pippa has come on the scene, with the story that she's on vacation, but Gemma doesn't believe it one whit.  She knows there's something going on, and she's determined to figure it out.  What she finds out from Pippa isn't what she expects, and she's surprised at it.  Watching both Gemma and Pippa together is a lot of fun, and makes your brain work just a little bit harder to try and figure it out before they do.

It's a delightful romp of a book, bringing the staid British together with the emotional Americans, and watching the two combine and deliver conclusions at the end is quite worthwhile.  It leaves us wanting more and waiting impatiently for the next in the series.  I enjoyed this book so much that I have decided to revisit the great Holmes himself in A Study in Scarlet.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Footnote-Sherlock-Holmes-Bookshop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09XM5M8SC/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4842911731

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

A Three Book Problem (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #7)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781643857985

Crooked Lane Books

320 Pages

$26.99; $12.99 Amazon

January 11, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's a crisp, early October weekend, and business is slowing down as fall descends at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room.  Wealthy philanthropist and prominent Sherlockian David Masterson has rented Suffolk Gardens House, where he plans to entertain his friends in a traditional English country House weekend.

As the chosen caterers, Jayne Watson and Gemma Doyle get to work preparing lavish meals and setting up Sherlockian books and props for entertainment.  Meanwhile, police detective Ryan Ashburton has taken time away from his duties to assist in the kitchen.  It quickly becomes apparent that David's guests don't like each other -- or their host.  Plus, some of them aren't even acquainted with the adventures of the Great Detective.

Before Gemma can ponder their relationships a poisoned dart sails through the window of the library, presenting Gemma Doyle with a three-book problem.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Gemma Doyle and her best friend Jayne Hudson are asked to cater a Sherlock Holmes weekend at the majestic Suffolk House, they agree,  Both of them have always wanted to see the interior, and this is their chance.  But what they don't expect is to find that the people host David Masterson has invited are hostile toward each other.  What's more, some of them don't even know anything about Sherlock Holmes, which sets Gemma to wondering.  At least she has help from her boyfriend, West London Police Detective Ryan Ashburton, who has taken time off to help them.

But after a tense first night, Jayne and Gemma have plans the next day to meet someone in the library.  That is, until that person is killed by a poisoned dart, which struck accurately and fatally.  Now Jayne and Gemma are in the middle of another murder investigation, and with a surfeit of suspects, Gemma's got to use her attention to detail to discover a killer before they kill again...

I initially didn't care for the first book in this series, but I am glad that I stuck with it.  Each book has gotten better than the last, and the characters are evolving in their lives with each one.  It's delightful to become involved with them, living in their world temporarily, and taking in the descriptions of West London, the characters, and their problems.  This book, -- a three book problem, as it were -- is from Sherlock Holmes, when he would have a particularly sticky problem, and call it a three pipe problem.  The titles are whimsical and anyone familiar with Holmes will understand them.  But be aware that even if you are not familiar with Holmes that you will still enjoy the books.

Gemma is off and running once again wondering who would want to kill the person, and so begins her questioning of the guests for the week.  Sometimes subtle, sometimes not; she intends to find out who had something to hide and why they wanted this person dead.  But it soon becomes apparent that finding a killer isn't as easy as it could be, when everyone seems to not want to talk about it and even shies away from her.

So between the police doing what they need to do and Gemma doing what she's inclined to, we have a mystery that is not easy to solve and a group of people who might have all had a reason to kill.  It gives a tantalizing story of greed, lies, blackmail, and murder, and keeps you on your toes while you search for a killer.  When the ending comes, it is a surprise indeed, which makes it more than ever a most pleasant read.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Three-Book-Problem-Sherlock-Bookshop/dp/1643857983/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4173372142

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Murder in a Teacup (Tea by the Sea Mysteries Book 2)

Author:    Vicki Delany

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781496725097

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$26.00; $12.99 Amazon

July 27, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

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.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Teacup-Tea-Sea-Mysteries/dp/1496725093/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3974630841

More on Vicki Delany's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

A Curious Incident (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #6)

Author:  Vicki Delany

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781643854748

Crooked Lane Books

304 Pages

$18.79; $13.99 Amazon

January 12, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I am not a Consulting Detective," Gemma Doyle reluctantly tells 11-year-old Lauren Tierney, when the little girl comes to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to beg Gemma to find her missing cat, Snowball.  Gemma might not be able to follow the clues to find the cat, but her dog Violet follows her nose to locate the missing kitten in a neighbor's garden shed.  Gemma and Violet proudly return Snowball to her grateful owner, and Gemma basks in praise for a job well done.  But a few days later Lauren is back with ten dollars in hand, wanting to once again hire a consulting detective, and this time for a far bigger job:  Her mother has been accused of murdering her garden club rival.

Sheila Tierney's garden, which everyone said was the one to beat for the West London Garden Club trophy, has been vandalized thee night before the club's early summer tour.  Sheila confronted her former friend and gardening partner Anna Wentworth in a towering rage, and the women nearly came to blows.  Later that night, after having won the trophy for best garden, Anna is found murdered and Sheila Tierney is the police's prime suspect.

Despite herself and despite the disapproval of her police detective boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, the game is once again afoot, and Gemma finds herself and Jayne Wilson using their powers of deduction to ponder yet another curious incident.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle owns and runs the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, and is known to have helped the police solve crimes in the past.  When a little girl enters her shop begging for her help, Gemma won't commit to it, but tells her she will keep her eyes open in finding Lauren Tierney's kitten.  Fortunately, she's able to do so, making Lauren happy.  But the next day Lauren wants to hire Gemma to keep her mother out of jail.  It seems that Sheila Tierney has been accused of the murder of Anna Wentworth, once her friend.  Sheila's garden was touted as the one to beat in this year's Garden Club contest, and when she awoke she found her garden destroyed.  Knowing it was Anna, she had a very public confrontation with the woman, coming to blows between them.  But when Anna's body is discovered later that evening, Sheila is the prime suspect.

But Gemma isn't so sure, and even though she's warned off the investigation, her innate curiousity and sharp mind won't let it go.  Looking high and low for clues, Gemma might have gotten too close to the killer, and once you kill, it's easy enough to do it again...

This is one of the series that have actually gotten better over time.  I will admit that I wasn't fond of the first book in the series, but I did especially like the last one and this one.  Gemma isn't as pushy as she was, and she's actually kinder to people than she first appeared.  She's shown her love and loyalty to those around her just by her actions.  I do like the fact that Donald has a bigger role in this book, and he also is showing his affection for Gemma -- even if she's a bit wary of it, and Donald has his own way of doing things. which are rather humorous.

When Anna is killed, there actually are plenty of suspects, ranging right down to Gemma's frail elderly neighbor.  But Gemma's mind is always working, and even if she can't get answers from the police, it really doesn't matter, since she's able to come to the correct conclusion on her own.  It's actually fun trying to find the murderer before Gemma does; although she always has the reasons why and the murder weapon at hand in the end.

Lauren is delightful, actually acting like an eleven-year-old would act, instead of being a adult in a child's body, as many writers portray them.  Her actions are those as they should be, and it shows her eagerness for love and acceptance without actually saying so.

When Gemma starts asking questions, there's no stopping her, and when she gets too close to the killer, they plan to put her out of commission, but still she presses on, this time more deeply, and at last comes to the realization of the identity which we might have known (or not) all along.  This is a welcoming addition to the series, and I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to the next.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Sherlock-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/1643854747/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3841762612

More on Vicki Delany's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

There's a Murder Afoot (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #5

Author:  Vicki Delany

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781643850344; 9781643855738

Crooked Lane Books

336 Pages

$21.35; $7.99; $7.99 Amazon

November 24, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The 6th of January is Sherlock Holmes's birthday, and lucky for Gemma Doyle, January is also the slowest time of the year at both the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room.  It's a good time for Gemma and her friends to travel to England for a Holmes convention.  For Gemma, the trip provides an opportunity to visit her parents, Jayne Wilson is excited about seeing all the sites London has to offer, and Ryan Ashburton just wants to spend time with Gemma.  But the trip is immediately derailed when Gemma's father Henry recognizes his brother-in-law Randolph Denhaugh, who disappeared more than thirty years ago on the night he stole a valuable painting from his own parents.

Henry, a retired detective with Scotland Yard, has been keeping tabs on the man's career as a forger of old masters, and he warns Randy to stay away from his family.  But when Randy is found dead after the banquet with a dazed and confused Henry Doyle standing over him, the police leap to assume his guilt, it's up to Gemma, with the help of her friends, to plunge into the "lowest and vilest alleys" of London to save her father from prison.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle, along with her great-uncle Arthur, own the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London, Massachusetts.  She, along with her friends Jayne, Donald, Grant, and boyfriend police detective Ryan Ashburton, are in London, England to attend a banquet where Arthur is to be given an award and Gemma is going to accept it for him.  She's also planning on doing some shopping for the bookshop and visiting with her parents and older sister Pippa.  While attending the expo, she comes across a man who seems to know who she is and gives her a message for her mother, Anne.  But Gemma doesn't do so, and finds out from her father that he's her uncle Randolph, who absconded with the one thing her grandparents wanted.  No one has heard from him since.

Then her father has a public scene with him, telling Randy to stay away from his family and they leave.  But after the banquet, Gemma goes looking for her father and finds him standing over Randy's body looking dazed.  The police detective on the case has an old grudge against Henry and decides he's guilty of murder.  But when Pippa asks Gemma to get involved - telling her she can't be involved herself due to her job - Gemma, with the help of her friends, determines to find the guilty party, even if it means staying in London indefinitely....

This is probably my favorite book in the series.  I have to say that while it started out slow (so slow I put it down a couple of times) once the action picked up, then I continued on to finish it in one sitting.  In this book we get to meet Gemma's parents and sister, and it helps us understand more about her upbringing and why she is the person she is.  I did enjoy the rapport between them, and the closeness they share as a family.  It's delightful not to see a mother who harasses her daughter constantly, as many books portray them.

We also get to see parts of London through Gemma's and her friends eyes, and that's rather fun.  Especially when it came to Gemma trying to ditch her friends while she played detective, much to the consternation of Ryan, who wasn't happy that she was investigating, especially since she wouldn't allow him to help.

The plot was done nicely, with the 'villains' in full view but still not so easy to find.  The red herrings thrown throughout kept us busy traveling the streets of the city hunting for the person who wanted Randolph dead, and the reasons why.  When we finally come to the climax of the book, with Gemma finding her prey, it's rather interesting and fun, and watching it all come to a head is worth the wait.  I look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Murder-Afoot-Sherlock-Bookshop/dp/1643855735/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3839505021

More on Vicki Delany's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Tea and Treachery (Tea by the Sea Mysteries #1)

Author:  Vicki Delany

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496725066

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$19.53; $12.99 Amazon

July 28, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

As the proud proprietor and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom on the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod, Lily Campbell has her hands full, often literally.  But nothing keeps her busier than steering her sassy grandmother, Rose, away from trouble.  Rose operates the grand old Victorian B&B adjacent to Lily's tea shop...for now.  An aggressive real estate developer, Jack Ford, is pushing hard to rezone nearby land, with an eye toward building a sprawling golf resort, which would drive Rose and Lily out of business.

Tempers are already steaming, but things really get sticky when Ford is found dead at the foot of Rose's property and the police think she had something to do with his dramatic demise.  Lily can't let her grandmother get burned by a false murder charge.  So she starts her own investigation and discovers Ford's been brewing bad blood all over town, from his jilted lover to his trophy wife to his shady business partners.  Now it's down to Lily to stir up some clues, sift through the suspects, and uncover the real killer before Rose is left holding the tea bag...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily Campbell has shucked her job as a pastry chef back in Manhattan and moved to Cape Cod to be closer to her grandmother Rose, who runs a B&B by the sea.  She's doing what she loves best -- creating delicious delights for her tearoom, Tea by the Sea.  But lately there's been a problem: developer Jack Ford wants to buy the Victorian next to Rose's home and turn it into a gigantic golf resort.  While both women are against it, Rose is extremely vocal, going so far as to write a letter to the editor about it.  When Ford is found dead at the bottom of the stairs on Rose's property, the detective in charge, Williams, is sure that she's done it, and doesn't seem to be looking for anyone else.

Luckily - or not so luckily - there's a new detective in town that is listening to Lily, even if she can't do much about it.  But Lily, in between trying to run a business and cook breakfast for guests over at the B&B, has her best friend Bertie to help, along with her new British gardener, Simon.  While Lily doesn't want to investigate at all, Rose does, and she knows she has to if she's going to keep Rose safe.  But will she put her own life in hot water by looking for a killer...

This is the first in a new series and I did like it quite a bit; although I felt there were a lot of characters to sift through.  There were employees at the B&B and the tearoom that offered up conversation and were ever-present along with the main characters.  Then there were the guests at the B&B and the suspects, of which there were many.  It was a lot to take in at once, and even with clues, it was difficult to point the finger at any one person for quite awhile.  It did feel slightly 'cluttered with characters.'

However, I did like the mystery and the way it was carried out, and the descriptions of different types of afternoon teas was very nice.   The recipes in the back are a bonus, too.  I would have liked to have more description of the seacoast, but perhaps that will be in later books.

When we get close to figuring out the murderer, it comes as a surprise right along the time that Lily figures it out, and I'm glad to say that she doesn't panic and is capable of keeping her head while in a dangerous situation.  When the ending comes everything comes together nicely, and I look forward to the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Treachery-Sea-Mysteries/dp/1496725069/ref=

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3473639337

More on Vicki Delany's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

A Scandal in Scarlet (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery)

Author: Vicki Delany
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; Trade Paperback; Audio CD; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781683317906; 9781683850276; 9781974922963
Crooked Lane Books
320 Pages
$17.70; $15.99; $29.99; $12.99 Amazon
November 13, 2018 (July 9, 2019 TP)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Walking her dog Violet late one night, Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, acts quickly when she smells smoke outside Scarlet House, the West London Museum.  Damager to the historic house is extensive, and Baker Street's shop owners organize an afternoon auction tea to raise funds to rebuild.

Excitement fills the air (along with the aromas of Jayne Wilson's delightful scones) in Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, but before the gavel can fall, museum board chair Kathy Lamb is found dead in the back room with a long rope of decorative knotted tea cups wrapped tightly around her neck.

The suspect list is long, and the case far from elementary.  Does Kathy's killing have any relations to a mysterious death of seven years ago?  Gemma has no intention of getting involved in the investigation, but when fellow shopkeeper Maureen finds herself the prime suspect she begs Gemma for her help.  Detective Ryan Ashburton knows Gemma's methods and isn't happy when she gets entangled in another mystery.  But with so many suspects and so few clues, her deductive prowess will prove invaluable.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop in Cap Cod, and is half-owner in the adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, along with Jayne Wilson.  While walking her dog Violet one evening, she sees a fire at the historical society, Scarlet House.  After the fire is extinguished it's determined it was accidental.  Now the society members need to raise money to restore the building.

Gemma is once-again roped into helping Jayne, and they meet with Leslie, Jayne's mother, and Kathy Lamb, the chair of the society.  While they are talking, Maureen McGregor enters.  She owns a shop across from Gemma and is disliked by everyone in town.  Once they decide to hold an auction, Kathy tells them that Maureen is the only person who didn't donate anything.  Gemma, in her way, convinces Maureen to donate something.

But the day of the auction, Maureen brings in a hideous painting and has a verbal altercation with Kathy.  Later, when Kathy can't be found, Gemma looks for her and discovers her dead in the storage room of Mrs. Hudson's.  Most people think Maureen killed her, and Maureen grudgingly pesters Gemma for help in proving her innocent.  But Gemma doesn't really think Maureen killed anyone, and decides to go along with it - upsetting her boyfriend, Detective Ryan Ashburton.  There's a killer on the loose, and if one person is dead, it's easy enough to figure out there might be another...

I've read every book in this series and I think this one is my favorite.  Probably because Gemma isn't as annoying in this book, talking down to everyone around her.  She actually listens to her employee Ashleigh, and doesn't hound Jayne constantly to help her.  She also spends more time with her Cocker Spaniel, Violet, and that's the biggest plus.  So the woman is coming around a bit.

I also like the fact that perhaps Detective Estrada is beginning to let up a little on her dislike of Gemma.  I know people don't mind a 'nemesis' in books, but I find them tiring.  The constant sniping at people gets old, so this was a nice change.  I do wish, though, that Gemma could make friends with Moriarity, especially since he proved his worth in this book.  I have several cats, and the only people they've ever disliked have turned out to be worth disliking.  I trust them implicitly when it comes to their 'radar' on people.

I also liked the fact that while there were plenty of suspects, it took awhile before you come to the conclusion of who the murderer is.  Many times you can figure it out almost immediately, but this book took longer, and that's always interesting.  The mystery itself was done nicely, and while there were clues, it took some time to decipher them.  Because of this, I will read the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Scandal-Scarlet-Sherlock-Bookshop-Mystery/dp/164385027X/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3190355008

More on Vicki Delany's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

The Cat of the Baskervilles (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #3)

Author:  Vicki Delany
Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Trade Paperback; [Audio CD]; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781683314714; 9781683318064; [9781520096797]
Crooked Lane Books [Dreamscape Media]
320 Pages
$19.47; $10.99; [$26.62]; $10.99 Amazon
October 9, 2018

⭐⭐⭐

Legendary stage and movie star Sir Nigel Bellingham arrives on Cape Cod to star in a stage production of The Hound of the Baskervilles put on by the West London Theater Festival.  When Sir Nigel, some of the cast, and the director visit the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop at 222 Baker Street, Gemma Doyle realizes that Sir Nigel is not at all suited to the role.  He is long past his prime and an old drunk to boot.

The cast, in particular the much younger actor who previously had the role, are not happy, but the show must go on.

Before the play opens, Leslie Wilson, mother of Gemma's best friend Jayne, arranges a fundraising afternoon tea to be catered by Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room.  The tea is a huge success, but when it's time to leave, Sir Nigel has gone missing -- on;y to be found at the bottom of the rocky cliff, dead.  Along with the dead body, Gemma finds evidence incriminating Leslie Wilson.  When the police, in the presence of handsome detective Ryan Ashburton and suspicious detective Louise Estrada, focus their attention on Leslie despite the numerous other suspects, the game is once again afoot and it's again up to the highly perceptive Gemma and the ever-confused but loyal Jayne to clear Jayne's mother's name.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Gemma Doyle owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop in Cape Cod, and her best friend Jayne owns Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room next door.  When a famous actor, along with others in the cast who are performing The Hound of the Baskervilles for a local theater festival show up at the shop, she's at first pleased to have them until the lead, Sir Nigel Bellingham, is rude to everyone around him and is obviously a drunkard.

After being railroaded by Jayne to help out at a tea being given in honor of Sir Nigel, she notices several people are angry at him.  But it isn't until Jayne's mother Leslie confronts him about his behavior, and Sir Nigel goes missing, that Gemma wonders what is really going on.  When she later discovers him lying at the bottom of a cliff, she once again finds herself involved in a murder investigation - without the police's consent.  But with the main suspect being Jayne's mother, she's determined to find the killer since the police don't seem to be looking anywhere else...

I'm of two minds about this book: I really love Sherlock Holmes and the idea of an Englishwoman come to America and opening a bookshop dedicated to all things Sherlock intrigued me.  I do realize that Gemma is supposed to have the qualities of Sherlock, but they don't work so well for her.

For one thing, Holmes would never disturb a crime scene by removing evidence and hiding it.  I also don't think he would treat people the way Gemma does.  I may be the only one who notices it, but she "talks down" to everyone, as if she thinks they're beneath her.  For example, instead of having a talk with her employee about what she wants for her shop, she puts her off or changes the subject.  She also makes dates that aren't dates - she's basically using Grant as a device to get information, while poor Grant can't figure this out.

I do understand that she's supposed to be as analytical and logical as Holmes; but while he was charming despite this, Gemma has a rude side to her that she needs to focus on.  (She also needs to spend more time with Violet and discover why Moriarity doesn't like her).  I also don't understand why Estrada despises Gemma.  Yes, I understand many authors need for a 'nemesis' as it were, but Estrada is over the top.  I fully expect them to get into a brawl eventually.  I, for one, don't much care for the nemesis angle, but that's just me, and I won't ding a book because of it.

However, I did think that there were a few red herrings thrown in, and the mystery was done quite nicely, so kudos for that.  When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, it is satisfying enough so that I will read the next in the series.

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Baskervilles-Sherlock-Bookshop-Mysteries/dp/1683318 064/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2135606358

More on Vicki Delany's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen (A Year-Round Christmas Mystery #1)

Author:  Vicki Delany
Genre:  Mystery, Christmas

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9780425280805
Berkley Prime Crime
294 Pages
$7.99; $7.99 Amazon
November 3, 2015

✮✮

In Rudolph, New York, it's Christmastime all year long.  But this December, while the snow-lined streets seem merry and bright, a murder is about to ruin everyone's holiday cheer...

As the owner of Mrs. Claus's Treasures, Merry Wilkinson knows howto decorate homes for the holidays.  That's why she thinks her float in the semi-annual Santa Claus parade is a shoo-in for best in show.  But when the tractor pulling Merry's float is sabotaged, she has to face facts:  there's a Scrooge in Christmas Town.

Merry isn't ready to point fingers, especially with a journalist in town writing a puff piece about Rudolph's Christmas spirit.  But when she stumbles upon the reporter's body on a late-night dog walk and police suspect he was poisoned - by a gingerbread cookie crafted by her best friend, Vicky - Merry will have to put down the jingle bells and figure out who's really been grinching about town, before Vicky ends up on Santa's naughty list...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Merry Wilkinson owns a Christmas-themed gift shop and lives in Rudolph, New York, also known as Christmas Town.  It's getting close to Christmas itself, and she's got her float ready for the Christmas parade.  She's also convinced she's going to win this year...at least until mechanical difficulties disqualify her from the parade - it seems by the time she finally was able to get her float up and running, it was after Santa Claus's float, and that's a big no-no here; so, disqualification.  Her best friend Vicky, who owns a bakery, won - which isn't a surprise, since she usually wins anyway.

Also there this year is a reporter, Nigel Pearce, who works for World Journey magazine is there to do a story on their little town.  While he's in Merry's shop, it seemed he's more interested in her employee Jackie than he is in the shop itself - although he hides it with a series of shots of Jackie around the merchandise.  Later that evening there's a party in which Vicky bakes a special set of gingerbread men for Mr. Pearce.  And later on after that,  Merry is walking her puppy in the park and finds his body.

When it's discovered that he's been poisoned, and the culprit seems to be a gingerbread cookie, the natural suspect is Vicky.  But Merry is convinced her friend isn't guilty, and knows there has to be a better explanation, and another guilty party.  But can she - and the police - figure it out before Vicky's finally cooked herself and behind bars?

A series centered around Christmas?  What could be better?  Well, this book apparently.  I should have known in the beginning when her float was disqualified for coming after Santa.  Really?  It was minor at best, and I doubt if the visitors to their town would have been horrified by that fact.  Yes, traditionally Santa is last, but honestly, disqualified?

I felt that there were so many things that didn't make sense to me - more than did.  For one, children don't take singing lessons - their voices will change by the time they're teens, so there's no point in it.  She also surrounds herself with unlikable people:  Jackie, who's completely narcissistic - thinking only of herself and what she can get out of men - and Vicky, who's a gloating nag.  She gloats when she wins a trophy, (a true friend wouldn't, she'd go to bat and insist the float not be disqualified), then nags her about what she eats.  She berates Merry for eating poached eggs, hashbrowns, sausage and toast for breakfast!  Gasp!  She'll clog her arteries with fried eggs - except poached eggs aren't fried.  They're poached.  Cooked in water, no grease added.  Hardly artery-clogging food.  Then practically the next sentencee Vicky says as how she's making pastries and bread pudding with maple syrup - which everyone knows is soooo good for you and low-fat, right?  I think she just disdains any food she doesn't serve at her bakery, but that's just my opinion.  (Besides, doesn't Vicky, as the best friend, know what Merry eats?  And still berates her?)

Merry is also a bit of a hypocrite.  She mentions how she and her family believe that gifts are for children only, yet she sells gifts for adults to give to other adults.  Uh-huh.  Shouldn't she only be carrying toys, if that's her belief?  (For the record, gift giving to others doesn't stop at eighteen.  It's a way to show you care about another human, regardless the age).  Practice what you preach and all that.

Not to mention she acts like she's a teenager herself - fending off two would-be suitors without really saying so.  How old is she, anyway?  I certainly hope this series isn't going to turn into a love triangle.  As I've said before, I absolutely abhor them.  Put it this way:  If it were a man who was seeing two women, you'd probably think he was a dirtbag of sorts.  Yet for some odd reason, it seems to be perfectly fine when a woman strings along two men.  Strange.  She also never says why she does or doesn't want to date anyone.  I never got the feeling there was any attraction to either one of them (maybe on their part, but definitely not on hers).  No connection of any kind.

And at the end, I felt that the reason the murderer did everything was rather convoluted.  It didn't really make any sense to me, since it wasn't really connected in any way; and Merry didn't really do any investigating. (See Goodreads for hidden spoiler).  As it were, I felt the book wasn't about a murder, it was about trying to figure out who was sabotaging everything.; and it all just rather fell into her lap.  I usually try to give a pass on the first in a new series, and in this instance I am hoping that it will improve.

https://www.amazon.com/Murdered-Gentlemen-Year-Round-Christmas-Mystery/dp/0425280802/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2228457664

More on Vicki Delany's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/