What a delightful cozy mystery! I love small town mysteries with lively characters where you can almost see yourself strolling down the cute town streets having conversations with the people your reading about and that’s exactly how this story was! Perfect read for the holiday season or anytime you need a cheery pick me up read!

The debut of the Book Tea Shop Mystery is a nice, quick read. Protagonist, Callie Aspen, a tour guide who’s travelled the world, is visiting her Great Aunt Iphy’s vintage tearoom, Book Tea, in Heart’s Harbor, Maine. Callie brings along a sweet Boston Terrier she’s fostering. The Book Tea is catering at Haywood Hall mansion where matriarch Dorothea Finster is ready to reveal the changes in her new will and, thus, has summoned a family gathering. However, the tea party is interrupted by a vicious crime.

New author, Joy Avon, scatters trails of cookie crumbs from one suspect to another, and so forth, and does a good job of keeping the murderer’s identity a secret until the reveal. There is a second mystery plot that ties up all loose ends, and I enjoyed it, also. As I read this cozy, some of the characters grew on me, and I look forward to future developments with them. I just couldn’t get into the Deputy Falk. The story’s premise has great potential and it will be interesting to read the next book and see what happens to Book Tea.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. Thank you.

In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon is a new cozy mystery with promise.

Callie Aspen is visiting her Aunt Iphy who owns Book Tea in the small Maine town of Heart's Harbor for Christmas. She agrees to help her aunt organize a tea party at Haywood Hall for Dorothea Finster. Callie is drawn into two mysteries when a lovely ring disappears from the cake being served at the tea party and then an employee is killed during the party. As this is the first book in a series, this book took sometime introducing the characters so the book did start slowly. However, the paced picked up as the red herrings and twists led me from page to page to discover who was behind the murder and why. A satisfactory read and I would definitely consider reading the next one in this series.

When I started this book, I didn't know what to expect, since this is a new author and the beginning to a new series. While I felt it began slightly slow, as the story went on I realized that this could indeed be a nice series to come home to. Why, you ask? Well, my review should tell you what I mean.

Callie Aspen has come home to spend the holidays with her Aunt Iphy, who runs the Book Tea tearoom. Iphy has been asked to provide a tea for an old friend, wealthy widow Dorothea Finster. Dorothea's family and friends are attending because they've been told that she wants to make an announcement regarding her will.

But unbeknownst to Dorothea, the wife of her only relative, Stephen Du Bouvrais, has a surprise of her own. Sheila has decided to turn the occasion into an impromptu engagement party for her daughter Amber - without even consulting the girl. When Callie arrives, she sees Sheila again and is surprised that she's manipulating everything the way she wants it, not Dorothea. She shows Callie the ring she wants hidden inside the cake - which will be cut by Amber's prospective husband Ben - and when everyone arrives and that indeed occurs, Callie is surprised to find the ring missing from the box.

With Ben feeling humiliated and running away, Amber upset and leaving the room, and Sheila demanding to know where the ring has gone, Dorothea realizes that everything has gone wrong. It's not too long after that when Callie hears a scream and Amber comes out of the conservatory exclaiming that the old gardener Leadenby is dead. Callie is trying to keep the situation under control but it's nearly impossible, and wonders who would have wanted to kill him?

But before she can find out the truth, she's going to have to deal with the people around her wanting to keep their secrets hidden, and a surly Deputy who never expected he'd have to deal with a murder in their quiet town. But which one of these people wanted Leadenby dead, and did he have secrets of his own that got him killed?

I felt that this book was slightly different because the protagonist isn't the usual type we find in cozy mysteries. She's a 39-year-old tour guide who's come home to spend Christmas with her great aunt. She didn't lose her job or break away from a bad relationship. There's a hint that she left town because she was hurt that Stephen chose Sheila over her, but there's no angst over it. She actually wears makeup (not lip gloss which I really feel is better suited for teens, not grown women) and isn't Too Stupid To Live.

Callie asks questions of people, but isn't really invasive and is truly interested in helping them. She seems to me to be a bit of a Fixer; because she's a tour guide she probably has to deal with 'people problems' and I get the feeling that she truly wants to help people, not just grill them about the murder.

Callie eliminates suspects one by one, but she doesn't withhold information from Deputy Falk, going so far as to seek him out to share what she's learned so far. While he doesn't specifically tell her to stay out of the situation, he does tell her to be careful - giving us the impression that this is his first murder investigation and he's also learning as he goes; it gives him a human quality that's nice.

There were a couple of disappointments, however; I did feel that it was irresponsible of Falk to offer her a beer knowing she had to drive - in winter, no less, and a long way into town from where he lived. He should have said something along the lines of: "I'm going to have a beer. I'd offer you one, but you're driving. Would you like a soda or coffee?" I can forgive a lot in books, but I do have a hard time with people drinking and driving, and worse when it comes to a police officer doing it like it's no big thing. I would also like to see it expanded on as to why Falk doesn't like Christmas. There's a mystery there about him that's worth exploring further.

I didn't much care for the character of Sheila; she seemed pretentious and I hate pretentious people. Yes, she married well and has money, but that's no reason to act superior around people and order them to do things. I also didn't feel the connection between her and Stephen, but since it wasn't a major plot point, it didn't really matter.

But I did wonder why Agatha Christie kept coming up when there was nothing about Dame Christie in the book at all. Yes, the cake had book clues, but none about this particular author, which left me a little disappointed, especially since I don't read the author they did concern.

However, it was written fairly well and I liked how it all came together in the end. I enjoyed the fact that there was no 'evil nemesis' to throw a wrench in the works (let's hope the sheriff doesn't come back to town and decide off the bat he doesn't like Callie and try to make her life miserable). Callie proved herself to be a capable woman who doesn't fall apart in a crisis and can think on her feet. In other words, an admirable person.

While the murder itself wasn't too involved, it was still a delightful endeavor, and there were some nice subplots along the way that kept the story moving along. All in all, a gratifying story with a decent ending that leaves us looking toward the possibilities of Haywood Hall in the next in the series. Recommended.

First book in a series so spends time developing the characters. The mystery was interesting and the relationship between the great-aunt (Iphy) and the main character (Callie) was done well Although I'm not sure about the clues in the book themed teas.

I received an eARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley for an honest review. - I look forward to more in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this adorable new series! I will admit initially I was having a hard time getting into it but I stuck with it and thoroughly enjoyed this debut. Of course whats not to like? Takes place in Maine at Christmastime - thats a win win right there. I look forward to seeing how the characters develop in the next installment.

A wonderful start to what promises to be a intriguing new series! The characters are well developed and easy to love or hate. Even though the premise of the story has been done before, the author does a really good job of keeping it fresh for the reader. Overall, a great read and I am hopeful it will do nothing but get better as the series hits its stride.

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. The main character, Callie, was very rough and I couldn't relate to her at all.
The story felt disjointed and I felt like I was missing something.
I couldn't finish it, so I have no idea how it ends.

I did volunteer to read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
I will not be reading more in this series.

I loved the characters and the setting of this book. What a great start to a new series!Thanks to crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A lovely introduction to the Book Tea Shop Mystery series. It sets up the foundation for future stories perfectly and introduces characters I already love. This begins in very much an Agatha Christie vent with all the suspects brought together for a will reading, before finding the obligatory dead body in the (of course) conservatory. The characters develop as the murder is solved. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

First of ...I finished this 175 pgs novel (let's round it to 200 shall we?) In ±6 hours...on a road trip!
It's been so difficult for me to binge books lately that this is an achievement!
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Review time.
<I> Earc recieved from Netgalley </I>
This story revolves around a woman in her 40's returning to her childhood town to assist her aunt in a pre- Christmas gathering in an ancient manor...while the main reason behind the party is of the aged owner's will reading but our MC is more involved in a more intimate setting of the party...which is to be a surprise.

But things don't turn out anyone hopes it to be, starting from one small amiss to a full-blown murder case, this story never bored me even for a minute.

She seemed to depend on her wits most her time, although she tended to go about impulsively snooping but she wasn't that nosy...the characters whose meaningless dialogues fill out pages...but enough tid bits to piece together the mystery at then end.

I really liked how the emotional aspects of the book was dealt with, slow burn and with sensibility when needed. Really appreciated that in contrast to the usual tropes where either every is either too fast or too dramatic to make any sense.

Look forward to more of such stories!

What a Joy this book was, the author is aptly named. It was unlike anything that I've read before, truly refreshing. It had drama with the murder mystery, which I never guessed who it was. And then there are the wonderful characters that came alive in my head. One particular storyline made me tear, in a good way..

I don't want to write much more as I don't want to give anything away. If you love a good plot-line with no gory parts, just a good old who dunnit, with a grand house, and an ensemble of very different characters who you get to know well, you will love the Peppermint Peril. I so hope that there is a second book very soon. A gem of a new author..

In Peppermint Peril is the debut book in Joy Avon new series: A Book Tea Shop Mystery.

The book takes place in a charming little town in Maine called, Hearts Harbor. The main character of the story, Calliope (Callie) returns to Hearts Harbor to spend Christmas with her Great Aunt Iphigenia, (affectionately referred to as Aunt Iphy). Aunt Iphy runs a Book Tea Shop that serves up loads of yummy treats all with a "book clue" in them.

As you get into the book you discover that a special Tea Party has been set up at Haywood Hall where Callie spent many happy times as a child. Callie is now a Travel Tour Guide but is spending the Christmas Holiday with her Great Aunt.

As the town all gathers at Haywood Hall for what they believe to be the reading of the owner's new will a murder takes place.

Callie takes it upon herself to help solve this crime because it involves people she cares about. She meets up with the town Deputy Sheriff Falk , whom at first she isn't even sure he's qualified to solve a murder. As the story unfolds they end up more or less working together to put the pieces of puzzle together to solve the murder.

There are a couple of "subplots" in the story that tie into the story line without distracting the reader from the main plot.

After the inital confusion of trying to figure out what a Book Tea Shop actually was I started to really get into the story. The characters were easy to follow and relatable. There seemed to be a hint of a "romance" to possibly follow between Callie and the Deputy in future books in this series.

It's an, easy to read book free from foul language and explicit sexual situations. If you are looking for a charming read with a bit of mystery I would recommend trying this new series. Available here on Amazon for Pre-Order.

Thank you to Net Galley and Joy Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book. - I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out. I give this book a 4 Star Rating.

A lovely book. I don't actually understand the title, but it is a rewarding read. Love the people, the atmosphere and the place. Very Agatha Christie. A real old fashioned who-dunnit.

A great start to a charming, adorable series! I can't wait to read the rest!

Callie is a book tea organizer (no, I didn't know it was a job either and now I really want to be one!) When the a dead body shows up in the conservatory at the big Christmas tea, Callie (and her adorable Jack Russell terrier) are on the case.

Sprinkle in a bit of romance with the handsome, stubborn police investigator and you have the perfect cozy Christmas treat.

Can't wait to read more books by Ms. Avon.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Review of In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon



I think the secret to really enjoying a cozy mystery is understanding the genre when you begin reading. Yes, there will likely be some dubious evidence. Yes, the super sleuth will often act in ways that make you go "hmmmmm." All of that is par for the course when you have a book genre that typically involves an amateur (usually with a job that either involves book or baking) solving a crime. Because let me put it this way: if you are reading this blog, you are probably into books, right? Does your bibliophile status qualify you to solve crime? I think not.

In Peppermint Peril, a first novel by Joy Avon, was not super different than other cozy mysteries I've read and, to be completely fair, the things that slowed my enjoyment of the book were pretty much all genre convention issues. Why is Callie butting into a police investigation of people she barely knows at this point in her life? How is she so nosy that she can just barge into people's lives and insist they answer personal questions? Beyond that, WHY are these people answering her? Especially considering the fact that to be forty years old, she seems a little naive.

Here's the other thing... the romance is weird. She spends a lot of time with this policeman that she initially butts heads with and even though he resents her totally unsolicited and overbearing presence in his police case, they seem to fall in love (it's open-ended). I thought about putting a spoiler warning here, but honestly, if you've ever read a book you'll smell it from their first interaction. Still, it was a cute romance, Falk seems like a nice guy who loves his family, and he tolerates Callie's busybody tendencies (that extend beyond amateur sleuthing) very well.

I would read this book. I know I'm not selling it, but again, you have to know what it is: it's a quick read; it's a whodunit without gore or excessive violence; it's charming.

Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

3.5/5

My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an advanced digital copy of In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon. The book takes place in the week leading up to Christmas and as such has some pleasant asides featuring winter and Christmas activities. Also, this book serves as an introduction to characters and a location for a possible new series featuring a protagonist, her aunt and a mystery themed tea shop. It will be interesting to see if there are future books written to develop a series.

The town depicted here is a charming place that offers some appeal to visiting or at least spending time reading about it and it’s inhabitants. While there are several characters who have potential to be likeable, they are not written with enough depth for me to develop any strong feelings for them. While I had no difficulty in keeping the cast of characters separated, none of them seemed to have much in the way of a unique voice.

The book opens with a lovely description of a mansion and the surrounding area as the protagonist arrives to set up for a book themed tea. It was disappointing that although the tea was said to have a mystery book theme, the centerpiece cake, the major clue for the tea itself, was not described fully enough to give the reader an opportunity to figure out what book was being featured. In addition, although much of the atmosphere is alluded to being Agatha Christie-like, the theme, which we don’t learn until the end of this novel, wasn’t written by Agatha Christie but rather by an altogether different writer who, while prolific, did not write books that took place in what I would call the golden age of mysteries. This left me feeling cheated at the end for having tried to determine the theme for the tea party with little chance based on information provided.

The mystery itself was easy to solve and this writing style, which eliminates suspects chapter by chapter is not my preferred type of mystery. I prefer to have a book where clues can be sprinkled throughout the book with a denouement at the end. Perhaps this style was what contributed to an overall feel of separate chapters being written then linked together rather than a smooth movement from one to the next. There were at least two chapters where the transition was so abrupt I went back to reread the last page of the previous chapter to make sure I hadn’t missed anything.

Overall, this book is a very light read. It is easily put down and picked back up when time and inclination exits.

In Peppermint Peril is A Book Tea Mystery by Joy Avon. The murder takes place at a Christmas party at Haywood Hall in Maine. Family and friends as well as the mayor, and important city officials are all invited. The supposedly rich matriarch of the estate, Dorthea Finster, is planning to read her will while her niece-in- law is planning to force a suprise engagement on her daughter and boyfriend . The big surprise is that Dorthea plans to leave the mansion to the woman ( Great Aunt Iphigenia) who owns a vintage tea shop and is catering the holiday party along with her visiting niece,Callie Aspen. Dorthea thinks they can use the mansion as an events center and museum to salvage the estate. The engagement doesn't occur, an expensive heirloom engagement ring is missing, and before Dorthea can read her will, the body of the murdered elderly groundskeeper is found in the conservatory. Callie is determined to solve the murder and help Dorthea find a solution for saving Haywood Hall.

Can Haywood Hall be saved? Will Callie help solve the murder? Is Maine in her future? Hopefully the murderer will be discovered and solutions for saving the estate will be found before Christmas arrives. This cozy may be a good choice for a holiday themed read but was not one that I really liked.

I am a HUGE Christmas lover (literally, I love anything and everything Christmas), and I love a good mystery, so I was very excited to get the opportunity to read this book! With "In Peppermint Peril", Avon was able to give an amazing mystery and still leave you with warmth in your heart at the end.

**spoilers**
Callie is home for the holidays and to help at Book Tea, her great-aunt's (Iphy) vintage tea room. Iphy and Callie host a tea party in Haywood Hall for Dorothea Finster (the old, wealthy widow of Heart's Harbor). Dorothea has called upon friends and estranged family to hear the reading of her new will. This causes quite a stir and everyone wants a piece of her wealth. Things go awry when a family ring goes missing and someone winds up murdered.

In Peppermint Peril will keep you guessing, along with the characters, in its many twists. The background theme of Christmas is also relevant enough to smell the cinnamon and pine through the pages! Definitely an interesting read if you love mysteries and Christmas all rolled up together like I do!

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Joy Avon (the author) for allowing me to have this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

This book is full of twists and turns. The plot line is easy to follow and interesting. This is a nice relaxing and enjoyable read.