I really liked this series, and how each entry had a tie to a holiday. I am sad that it isn't continuing. I also liked the setting and all the details about the house and gardens.

I enjoyed this series, but it felt obvious that something was off with this book. When I got to the end it was very apparent that this was the end of the series, and that made me sad.

The characters weren't jelling in this book and I felt like the author just wanted it over with. I don't want to say too much and give anything away, but it you have ever read a series and wished that the author had wrapped up everything, this book did just that. Unfortunately only 1 character was happy, that I could see.

The mystery itself was good, I still loved everything about the setting. But the characters make up the story for me, and they were all miserable.

This is definitely a series you need to read in order. This is book 3 in the series. I read book 1 and absolutely loved it. I missed reading book 2 so when I first started reading book 3 I was a bit confused because there were characters I didn’t know and how they fit into the story.

I truly did enjoy this story. Poor Callie and Iphy are at it again. Sleuthing to prove someone’s innocence. This time it’s an old friend of Iphy’s that they need to prove is innocent. Can Callie and Iphy figure out whodunnit before either one of them is next victim? With Callie helping Iphy will it be the end of Deputy Ace Falk and Callie Aspen? You’ll just have to read the book to find out.

This book for me had 1/3 a happy ending and left the other 2/3 in the air. Yes it makes me want to continue reading the series but it also had me feeling a little sad.

I definitely recommend this series. It’s a wonderful; cozy mystery.

Thank you to #netgalley, #crookedlanebooks, and #joyavon for allowing me to read such a wonderful book. All opinions are my own and were no way influenced by anyone but myself.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery story with the main character Callie Aspen and also the rest of the characters to.

Callie Aspen and her great-aunt Iphy owns and run a book-themed tea shop called Book Tea. They are helping with the fundraiser in their home town for Valentine's. The fundraiser will be held at the lovely Haywood Hall.  During this fundraiser something happens and someone ends up dead. Callie and her great-aunt try to solve it.

This was fun to read and listen to. I had fun trying to guess who might have done it. It was a little hard to guess with all the twist and turns that the author had within the story. It had quite a bit of laughter scenes within that I enjoyed. This is also the third in the series.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. I decided to buy the audio to listen to. This is my honest unbiased opinion.

This is a series I enjoy reading each book a little more that the previous. The characters are just so likable. Callie and her aunt have a special relationships. This is a well-written, well-plotted mystery with lots of suspects and surprises. Hopefully we will see more of this series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries. The cover appealed to me and it has several elements that I enjoy reading about. I really enjoyed the storyline and felt that the author has created excellent characters. I hope to see more from this author soon.

I really enjoy this series. I feel like it has just the right blend of mystery to backstory. And the characters are so much fun, Callie's great aunt Iphy is my favorite. It's hard to find any mysteries set at Valentine's Day, and I do love a holiday themed mystery. Add to mix an amazing setting and it's a winner. This is an author I can recommend with ease. Perfectly paired with a cup of tea and a cool night before the fire.

One of the genres I've always meant to delve more into has been cozy mystery. I've read a few over the years, but this is the first time when I've read more than one in a month, and I'm very happy that I started delving deeper into the genre. The first one I read this month has been In Cold Chamomile by Joy Avon. It's also my first book by this author and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Let me tell you all about it.
In Cold Chamomile is book 3 in the A Tea and Read Mystery series, but you can totally read it as a standalone, like I did. I do plan on reading the first two books in the series after ARC August ends, because I quite enjoyed this story.

Callie is running a fundraiser for Valentine's Day, but things are about to get messy. The guy they called to help with book appraisals is found dead, and as of yet, there are no suspects. I liked Callie. She was very curious, and she didn't jump to conclusions, and she just wants to help her great aunt. I couldn't fault her for that, because we all have that one family member we just can't say no to. I love how open minded Callie was. She had a hunch and she followed her gut, and it turned out she was right.

Deputy Ace Falk is convinced he has the right guy, and he keeps telling Callie to stop interfering. I really didn't like Ace that much. I felt as if he did just the bare minimum to get to the truth of who killed the appraisals expert. He was sure that since the evidence pointed at one person, then he didn't need to investigate more, which bothered me. He didn't even want to listen to Callie's reasoning, even if, based on what he himself said at one point in the book, he should have known better than that. Because apparently it's not the first time he jumped to conclusions, only to be proven wrong. So I felt as if he was kind of trying to do anything Callie wasn't doing.

The ending was very surprising to me. I definitely didn't anticipate who the killer might be, which is always good for me. I was mostly surprised by how things are left between Ace and Callie. Again, I feel like Ace needs to do some soul searching, and I hope there will be a book 4 so that we can see his journey.

I was lucky to have found this book on Spotify and I had a lot of fun listening to it. Laurel Lefkow is the narrator and she does a really great job bringing the book to life. It was my first time listening to her narrate, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I can't wait to listen to her narration of the first two books in this series.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story, and I hope there will be more books to come in this series.

True Delight!!

When I first started this series, I had no idea that I would fall in love with it. The books continue to get better and better and I do not give 5 stars easy.

I love the bond Callie and her aunt have. It is very special and heart warming and I love their shenanigans.

Although this book is set with a Valentine theme, its not about "love" in the traditional way. There is the love of family and love lost by not taking chances. Some characters are offered second chances in this book, but are they strong enough to take them? Oh yeah, and there is a murder for Callie to solve so YAY!

3.5 stars!

In Cold Chamomile is the third book in the Tea and a Read Mystery series! We meet up again with Callie as she’s gearing up for the Valentine’s Day season. Not only is love brewing in the distance, but there’s also murder too!

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this one fell a bit short in terms of plot. I found the ending very predictable. It was sort of obvious. There was also a lot of unnecessary filler and chaos that just wasn’t needed.

Also, the characters sort of lost their “charm” as well. Overall, it was still a good read but it was lacking a bit. Even so, I’ll still be picking up the next book in the series!

Not as good as the previous books in the series but still fun, light hearted read. All the series is worth a read. This one just seemed like she was spending too much time worrying about if the cop liked her. He was spending too much time trying to control his sister's life. Look foreard to the next book in the series, however!

In Cold Camomile

by Joy Avon

Callie Aspen and her great-aunt Iphy, who own the book-themed tea shop Book Tea, are managing a Valentine-themed fundraiser for lovely Haywood Hall. Callie is supervising the whole event with its many volunteers, and Iphy is providing her beautiful tea creations.

Unfortunately, there is a murder at the tea, and a long lost acquaintance of Iphy’s is a major suspect. The book includes several mysteries. Iphy is quite secretive about her relationship with the baritone guest singer. There are a pair of women overheard plotting revenge. No one seems to like the murder victim.

Callie risks her relationship with Ace, acting sheriff, to insure her aunt’s safety. Both ladies act rather rashly and contrary to Ace’s advisement as they investigate.

I enjoyed Joy Avon’s In Cold Camomile but never quite felt the thrill of the investigation. It is clear that Callie and Iphy are overstepping their bounds and that there will be negative consequences. This mystery is diverting, but not gripping. I look forward to the next book in the A Tea and a Read series as several personal relationships are at the cusp of transition.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #3 in the A Tea and a Read Mystery Series

Publication: February 11, 2020—Crooked Lane Books

Memorable Lines:

The wind played around them, and the darkness seemed to squeeze just a little tighter. Sometimes happiness seemed just out of reach, so tantalizingly close and yet too far away to ever grab hold of.

Callie had the unpleasant sensation that everyone was different that day than they usually were, and not in a good way.

She didn’t feel like eggs and yogurt with walnuts and honey anymore. Her stomach seemed too full to eat anything. Full of murder and manipulation, with no clear clues leading her anywhere.

This is the third installment in this series. I've enjoyed the series so far and the plot for this book was so promising. But, it just didn't meet my expectations, by the middle of the book I felt it was dragging. I will still read the next book in the series because I do like the plots, I just hope it will be a more enjoyable read.

Tea party organizer Callie Aspen learns that Cupid's arrows can be deadly when a Valentine's Day soiree ends in murder.

Callie Aspen can't think of a more appropriate place to spend Valentine's Day than her adopted hometown of Heart's Harbor, Maine. When she's not helping out at Book Tea, her great-aunt Iphy's vintage tearoom, Callie's adorning Haywood Hall with hearts and roses for the big Valentine's event, where townspeople will fall in love with sweet treats, heartwarming music, and delightful books. But tension is brewing: The librarian argues with the expert who is on hand to appraise precious volumes. And Iphy is shocked to recognize the baritone who's slated to sing at the event as an old acquaintance one she'd hoped she'd never meet again. And then, when a dead body is discovered, the stirring spoon of suspicion points at the many people who had reasons to want the victim dead.

When Iphy's old acquaintance draws the attention of Deputy Ace Falk, Callie finds herself in a spot. Ace, as usual, doesn't want Callie involved, but how can she ignore Iphy's anguish over the fate of a man she cares for more than she will admit? Bringing the killer to justice may endanger Callie's budding relationship with Ace and, quite possibly, her own life.

Callie and the Book Tea crew may think they have this case in the bag, but unsettling truths are yet to be decanted.

The mystery has a few red herrings, lots of suspects, and an engaging plot, that will have you guessing who the killer is right up to the life and death conclusion.

I liked the first two books in the series but this one had a few inconsistencies with the series story lines and some issues with the characters. I won't list the inconsistencies but if you have read the other two books you will spot them throughout the book. It seemed to me that the characters didn't do any growing or developing from book two and their development seems to be going backwards. An example of this is how in books one and two Callie was turning into a strong independent woman who didn't let people take control of her life, in this book she seems to be turning wimpy and is letting people walk all over her.

I also did not like what happened in the relationships of two of the couples, there seemed to be so much promise for two happy endings but all they get is sadness and pain.

If the series continues I'll read the next book to see if the couples finally get their happy endings and to see if the character development gets any better.

I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my honest review.

I was curious about the title and it is an important detail in finding the suspect with the killing.

The start was okay but suddenly I felt that in the middle I got lost and the ending was abrupt.

Plus the chemistry of Callie and Ace are going nowhere.

The only character that I like is Iphy.

Quite disappointed on how this story ended.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

Love it! The characters,the setting,the story,the ending! I hope this is a long series. Joy Avon is a fabulous story teller.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

This is another cozy series I greatly enjoy; when you find a good one, treasure it and eagerly await new volumes. All of the characters are connected, and these connections make for both an interesting read and a way to obstruct the sleuth from getting to the truth. Sometimes people aren't hiding murder, just embarrassed about the truth or where they really were. It's interesting following the tells though, and I had the killer nailed long before any of the characters did. Not a problem for me, it's actually satisfying seeing them reach the same conclusion.

Tea, books and murder combine for a great mystery, and I can't ask much more from either the writing or the characters. Can't wait for another book in this series! Five stars.

In Cold Chamomile by Joy Avon is the third book in the cozy A Tea and Read Mystery series. As with most cozy mystery series each book of this series will have it’s own fully solved mystery so each can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. However, there’s always some character development to carry over from book to book for those who follow from the beginning.

Callie Aspen had left Heart’s Harbor, Maine main years before after nursing a broken heart when her long time crush married another friend. After finally visiting her aunt last Christmas however Callie finally decided to move back and help her aunt in her bookish themed vintage tearoom, Book Tea.

When not helping out at Book Tea though Callie has been in charge with decorating Haywood Hall for a huge Valentine’s event. Of course though things never stay calm around Callie and a disagreement ends up breaking out at the event. And amidst it all Aunt Iphy recognizes the man set to perform and through all the chaos another dead body is found which leads Callie to another investigation.

Following the Tea and Read Mysteries from the beginning I think the series is one that has slowly come together and improved with each book. The beginning felt like being tossed into chaos without knowing the characters but the more I get to know them the more I’ve enjoyed the books so hopefully that enjoyment continues to build with each to come.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I read and enjoyed the first two books in this series. Sadly this time around the characters came off as spoiled, whiny toddlers. The mystery was decent but it was overshadowed by the characters' behaviors. Callie and her aunt could not be adults and actually discuss what was going on. Callie and her boyfriend were worse than tweens. Then Callie's friend and her boyfriend also refused to just have an adult conversation. I sincerely hope the mature characters from books one and two return.

Back with our good friend Callie for another fun holiday themed mystery I love the holiday theme it adds so much fun and charm to each book and the character of Aunt Iphy stole my heart! Quick, fast paced and fun as well of brimming with cute characters a cozy town and laugh out loud moment's this has all you could want in a cozy mystery!