Murder with Earl Grey Tea (A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery)

Skillfully blending everyday matters into a murder case is once again expertly handled by Karen Rose Smith, and the ninth book in her Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series is just as intriguing as the first installment. The characters, whether a person featured in each story or just introduced, always come across as truly conceivable with a realistic personality. I especially like the main character of Daisy as she is so relatable being a mom or even an inquisitive sleuth. During every situation in MURDER WITH EARL GREY TEA, I was caught up in her life while also trying to deduce who wanted her friend dead.With several significant events happening soon, Daisy Swanson knows the coming year is going to be not only exciting but also have some big changes. Getting married again will help to distract from having her daughter leave for college, and continuing to manage Daisy's Tea Garden that sells a variety of the beverage along with baked goods will keep her busy. When a friend inquires if Daisy would like to join her on a hiking trail the next morning, she accepts the offer as the woman seems to have a problem and wants to talk. When the individual cannot be located at their appointed time, Daisy is completely shocked after finding her deceased and then learning that the death was intentional. Though she has assisted the police in several previous murder cases, this time it is very personal which makes determining what happened even more important.As the list of potential murder suspects mounted, I kept going over the clues that had been scattered throughout the story. What I thought would be revealed next was often wrong, and this led to lots of additional guesses. I really enjoy a mystery where the outcome is never certain until the very end, and Karen Rose Smith has readers contemplating numerous possibilities in MURDER WITH EARL GREY TEA.While wanting answers to the unknowns connected to the murder, I was also interested in discovering how the daily experiences that Daisy had to live through would impact her. From interacting with fiancé Jonas Groft plus her family to all the hours spent working at the tea garden, I found her reactions to be insightful and convincing.In this series, Karen Rose Smith repeatedly talks about food, and the latest book certainly mentioned quite a few tasty sounding treats. I especially want to try those goodies which are often found locally in Pennsylvania. There are also several adorable animals featured in the book, and I was frequently amused at the antics of one canine and two felines.

Daisy's life is changing. With Jonas by her side, she's ready to begin a new chapter in her life. With Foster and Vi moving to their own place and Jazzi leaving for college, she's ready to set a wedding date. I like Daisy. She has such a positive attitude. Her desire to help makes people confide in her. Daisy and Lydia Aldenkamp, a new friend, like to hike together. Daisy wasn't surprised when Lydia want to get together so she could talk privately. When Daisy arrived, she found Lydia's body. Her friend had been intentionally run over and killed. Now Daisy wants to find why her friend was murdered. I understood why this was so difficult for Daisy. She did find the body. Lydia's husband is the prime suspect but he swears he didn't do it. Can he be trusted? I wasn't sure. He hasn't been truthful. Also, what caused the tension between Lydia and Leah, her twin? Unfortunately there are very few clues available. I didn't want the killer to escape. Murder with Earl Grey Tea is an excellent mystery. It showcases Daisy's life in Willow Creek with her Tea Room, her romance with Jonas and her relationship with her daughters. I loved the characters and the setting. It was nice to see how supportive of each other all the characters were. Karen Rose Smith pulled me into these mysteries and made me care. I wish there was a Tea Room like Daisy's near me.

Spring is around the corner and Daisy has a lot on her plate: setting the date for her wedding to Jonas, her daughter Vi and Foster are moving out of the apartment at Daisy's into a home of their own, Jazzi is looking at colleges and planning a dinner for her parent's anniversary at the Farm Barn. This is all on top of running her successful Daisy's Tea Shop along with her Aunt Iris.When her new friend Lydia who owns the Farm Barn with her husband Neil, asks her to meet her to go hiking, Daisy takes a break from planning and agrees to meet her the next morning. Daisy sets out with Jonas' dog, Felix, to meet Lydia, only to find Lydia's body at the meeting point. Lydia was a victim of a hit and run and tire tracks prove it was no accident. Soon Daisy is looking around for clues to her friend's death, but will her sleuthing lead to the killer or to her own demise?The characters are well developed and likeable and the underlying reason for the murders in this series is always a surprise to me. I find the plots are well developed and the stories read at a steady pace. Personally, this is one of my favorites. If you like clean cozy mysteries, this series is for you.Note: I obtained an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.com. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another intriguing “who done it” mystery! I love how Karen Rose Smith weaves my favorite characters down a road of clues. All supported by tasty tea and pastries! Daisy is. Natural sleuth…and as she amassed clues, my mind constantly thinks about the identity of the killer! We are drawn into the Amish world as well! Smith writes well rounded characters with flaws and strengths. I love this! Can’t wait till the next mystery is written.

It is a clean book to read and anyone can read it. Kept my interest through out the book