I love this series and this one did not disappoint. When a famous actress comes to Charm to help Everly's great aunts with their bee documentary is murdered Everly once again sets out to solve the crime and clear her aunt. I really like the characters and the small beach town setting. The Seaside Cafe is a place I would love to visit. The mystery was good with plenty of suspects and the solution made sense. I look for word to reading more in this series. Enjoy

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun series!
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2020
I love Everly and her great-aunts. All the characters are just perfect. The story is twisty and fun. Charm is a great place to visit. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion

Everly Swan is as busy as a bee running her beachside iced tea shop in Charm, North Carolina. Her aunts own the Blessed Bee Shop in town. They are filming a documentary on bee keeping. The actress that came to town to be in this film is found dead., which disrupts the peace of the towns’ people. Full of emotion. I love the way the author described the beach and the surf. She didn’t reveal the killer until the very end.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review.

This is a fun series to read especially when you are craving beach time. The sleuth, Everly, likes to be independent but knows how important friends and family can be to a balanced life. Her aunts provide entertainment throughout each book.

A Call for Kelp is book 4 in the Seaside Mystery series and we are starting to get more into her heritage which I find very interesting. I hope we continue to see the "magic" recipes as we did in this book. We have been given her rum cake recipe in the back and I am planning on fixing for Labor Day for my family.

The romance is very secondary and light throughout each book. It gives realness to the plot without dragging it down.

Fans of cozy mysteries need to swim, run, or power walk to your nearest book dealer (whether it be store or library) and get started on this series. I admit I read book three first and then went back and read the first two. While I was ok in following the storyline I recommend starting from the beginning.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

This is book 4 in the Seaside Cafe Series and is probably best read as part of the series. Everly is busy with her tea shop in North Carolina and the town is buzzing with a production crew making a documentary with her aunts on bees and honey. When Mitzi, a retired Hollywood legend comes to narrate the film and is found dead Everly helps out Detective Hays find the killer. Their romance is coming along nicely. A good mystery to solve and good catch up with previous story lines. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A Call for Kelp by Bree Baker is the fourth book in the Seaside Cafe Mystery series. Everly has her hands full with her seaside cafe but makes time for her great-aunts' beekeeping documentary. A famous actress, Mitzi, is in town to help with the promotion. When she is found murdered apparently by bees, the town is overrun by her distraught fans. Everly begins to investigate and finds herself the killer's next target. The book has several things going on aside from the murder, and readers will find it helpful not to start with this book without reading any of the previous ones. I love the setting and am always glad to escape to the island town with each new book.

This was a fun and entertaining read. It was a pitch perfect novel of suspects, intrigue, twists, and turns. I loved the setting!
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I learned more about bee habit, and it’s surrounding culture, thanks to this installment of seaside mysteries. Everly is knee deep in this one. As are her aunts who are making a documentary about their beekeeping. Keeping it chaotic is the death of a Hollywood star no one has any love lost on and you have the makings of a mystery. Mitzi Calgon’s appearance in their little hamlet has added star power to the great aunts project that us until she is found murdered and the game to find her killer begins. Everly uses her local smarts and a couple of friends to solve the mystery and get the guy.

Princess Fuzzypants here: As Grady reminds her, Everly has a knack for getting into dangerous situations; And Grady has a knack for rescuing her. This outing is no different. When a retired movie star arrives in Charm to narrate a documentary on Everly’s aunts and their bees, she is surprised to learn the actress was a close friend to her grandmother. She looks forward to having Mitzi share stories of their youth so it is doubly tragic when Mitzi is murdered before they get a chance to connect.
At first it looks like her death was caused by her allergy to bee stings but soon it becomes apparent the bees were innocent bystanders. There is a far more dangerous predator on the island. Two attacks on Everly and the murder of another person involved in the mystery should have discouraged her from digging any deeper. But Everly does not how to bee careful. She is sure she know the identity of the killer but she is wrong- dead wrong. And it’s a toss up whether the rescue party arrives in time.
Everly is an interesting heroine. She manages to get herself into pickles without doing foolhardy things. In fact, she tries to play down her sleuthing creds. She’s got some great sidekicks and I do enjoy her relationship with Grady. Plus Maggie, the cat, gets to pull off a nifty rescue of her own. This is a good summer book.
Five purrs and two paws up.

A Call for Kelp by Bree Baker is the 4th A Seaside Café Mystery. It can be read on its own if you are new to the series. Personally, I would read the series in order so she can follow the characters from the beginning. I thought A Call for Kelp was well-written with friendly characters in a cozy seaside town. The story moved along steadily thanks to all the action in the story. Everly lives in Charm, North Carolina where she owns the iced tea café called Sun, Sand and Tea (in a Victorian on the beach). Her great-aunts, Clara and Fran live in the family home where Everly was raised. There are some delightful characters in this series. They are the highlight of this character driven series. Everly is upset when Mitzi is killed before she can talk to her about her grandmother. She was looking forward to learning more about her grandmother and maybe the identity of her mysterious grandfather. The mystery starts off with a bang when Mitzi is found dead inside a plexiglass educational hive. There are several promising suspects, a variety of clues and misdirection. Detective Grady Hays does not want Everly investigating, but we know her curiosity will win out. Everly gets several scary threats. They frighten her, but it does not stop her from sleuthing. All the details of the whodunit are wrapped up at the end. There is a side story involving Detective Grady Hays and the case he has been working on for his mother-in-law, Senator Olivia Denver. I like the humor sprinkled throughout the story as well as the hint of magic. There are recipes at the end of the book for items served at Sun, Sand and Tea (the Swan Family Rum Cake is one of them). A Call for Kelp is an enchanting cozy mystery with buzzing bees, threatening texts, sharp stings, documentary drama, and tasty teas.

Southern Charm on the Carolina Beach, sweet tea, boardwalks, tourist shops, and murder, what's not to love???

In A Seaside Cafe Mystery Series, Everly Swan moves home to small town Charm, North Carolina where she opens her dream tea shop, Sun, Sand, and Tea.

She has been under the microscope since moving back to Charm. The Swan women of the island are said to be cursed in love; falling in love and losing their mate at a young age. Swan women don't leave the island either. Well, Everly did and returned after suffering at love but since she has been back, death has followed in her wake. Since her return, the easy life of Charm has seen one too many murders, and the town is starting to think there is something to this curse of the Swans.

With an amazing core cast (the eccentric aunts, handsome detective Grady, the best bestie Amelia, Denise, and Wyatt), Everly has the support team she needs to run her dream business and solve murders.

In this installment, A celebrity visitor meets an unfortunate demise. Knowing that the deceased had a past with her grandmother, Everly decides to put on her sleuthing hat. However, someone has it out for Everly before she even starts digging. Can Everly get to the bottom of this mystery BEEfore its too late??

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley. I cannot wait for book 5, Closely Harbored Secrets to release December 29, 2020.

Bree Baker writes an adorable cozy mystery that will have you turning the pages to find out who done it. This is the first book I have read in the series and will be coming back for more.

Excellent addition to the Seaside Cafe Mystery series that can be read as a standalone, but you would enhance your enjoyment by reading them in order for the development of the characters and their relationships. Everly Swan is the owner of an iced tea cafe on a small island off the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Her aunts' businesses feature bees, honeys and all manner of organic products related to bees. They've enlisted an old friend and ex-movie star in the making of a documentary detailing the plight of the honeybee. When the ex-movie star dies in a bizarre manner, Everly begins investigating to keep her loved ones from being arrested. Characters are interesting and engaging. The plot is multilayered to keep it interesting and I was not able to guess the perpetrator. Settle in for a fun beach read.

A Call for Kelp is a great summer./beach cozy mystery that definitely kept me guessing until the end! I really enjoyed this can't put down read! This book is number 4 in the series, so my TBR pile just grew by 3! Can't wait to read the rest! Highly recommend!

This is the fourth book in the Seaside Cafe Mystery series by Bree Baker. They should be read in order because you learn about the character's development along the stories. A Call for Kelp was a delightful cozy mystery that was well thought out. I love Everly's great aunts so much and want them in my life. They are supportive and protective of Everly. I also enjoy the relationship and how it is developing between Everly and Detective Grady. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Bree Baker’s A Call for Kelp is a fun and charming cosy with great characters. I like the book but I was a bit disappointed. The mystery storyline was too thin and I wish the plot was less crowded. This is the fourth book in the series but it works as a standalone.

Our protagonist is Everly Swan, owner of a beachside iced tea shop on the picturesque island of Charm. The townspeople are buzzing with excitement because famous Hollywood actress Mitzi Calgon has arrived! She’s working on a beekeeping documentary with Everly’s great-aunts. Everly is looking forward to getting to know Mitzi because she was an old friend of Everly’s late grandmother. However, Mitzi is soon murdered! Everly begins sleuthing to get justice for her grandmother’s dear friend. She juggles dire threats to her life, a lengthy suspect list as well as the mystery of her relationship with Detective Hays who has been distant since their Christmas kiss.

The well-paced plot is interesting and has good suspense and viable suspects. However, the murder mystery sometimes played second fiddle to the subplots. I wish the mystery was better written. There are several interesting suspects and I wish more time was spent developing their characters. The big reveal could have been built up more organically. The killer’s intentions are a bit weak and didn’t make much sense. The ending is also abrupt and could have been stronger.

However, I love Baker’s mature writing. It is so descriptive and lovely that I feel like moving into Charm and never leaving! I also love the well-developed and likeable characters as well as their genuine interactions with each other.

Everly is a great and relatable protagonist. I love reading about all the food and teas she serves in her shop! I like the addition of nosy reporter Ryan and mysterious assistant Denise to the crime-solving team. I wish Everly worked more with these two because their interactions are fun and well-written.

However, there are too many subplots involving the side characters. The storyline with Grady’s in-laws as well as Denise’s budding romance with Everly’s ex-boyfriend could have been trimmed in favour of developing the mystery.

A Call for Kelp is a good and quick cosy read. I love the characters and setting but the mystery plot could have been stronger. However, I love Baker’s writing and this lovely world she has created so I will definitely return to this series!



🍯 🍯 🍯 honey pots out of 5!

I like this series. Small town charm, delicious sounding food, delightful characters, a budding romance; it checks all my cozy mystery boxes. A Call For Kelp contains the murder of a former movie star, beekeping, ice tea, mysterious back stories, good friends, and a wee bit of romance. I've only read two books in this series and I've enjoyed them both enough that I think I'll read the rest of the series while I wait for the next instalment.

This was a fun addition to the series. The mystery was definitely unique, and there were lots of twists and turns and exciting situations throughout the story. I already enjoy the Outer Banks island setting, and the iced tea shop theme, and feel more connected to the characters with each book. I look forward to the next installment in the series!

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the advance digital copy!

A Call for Kelp by Bree Baker is the fourth in the Seaside Café Mysteries. This series is one of my of favorites. I want to visit Charm and have lunch at Sun, Sand, and Tea.
Everly's great aunts have a documentary being filmed about the importance of honey bees and an older actress is in town to narrate it. Mitzi Calgon has a cult following due to her films so the town is buzzing. She has also agreed to speak at a luncheon but, before she can step on stage , her body is found in a display case full of bees and it was a known fact, she was highly allergic.
Everly really doesn't want involved in another murder investigation but everyone keeps dragging her in. After all, she has helped solved past murders in Charm. Of course, Detective Grady Hayes has already told her to stay out of it. Everly just can't help herself and her curiosity gets the best of her but will it be the end of her.....
This is a well written cozy mystery with a great side story. The plot twists have you guessing until the end. The main characters are likeable and relatable, the setting will have you craving the beach, then throw in some humor and romance and you have a perfect cozy. There are also recipes included.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

A Call for Kelp is the fourth book in the Seaside Cafe Mysteries Series, but the first I have read.

Sometimes when one jumps into the middle of a series, the reader can be lost as to what happened to the protagonist in earlier books. When I began to read, I wasn't even aware that this wasn't the first in a series. The author was good about referring to the past so that it was just like meeting someone and slowly learning their history.

Every owns a tea shop/cafe named Sun, Sand, and Tea. She is just out of the main district of the town of Charm where her elderly aunts keep bees and have a store that specializes in bee products. Her ancestors founded the town years ago. Her grandmother has died and Everly misses her terribly. I found no mention of her parents. Strange. Some of the recipes that Everly uses in her cafe can be found at the end of the book.

A film crew wants to make a documentary about the importance of saving honey bees and an old retired movie star is helping in the production. It turns out that Mitzi Calgon was a friend of Everly's grandmother and aunts. Everly is thrilled to have the opportunity to talk to Mitzi about her grandmother. But, as is the way with these books, Mitzi dies before they can have that talk. And it is pretty clear that it was a murder.

The format of cozy mysteries is pretty pat. Everly gets involved because she wants justice for Mitzi which brings her in conflict with the local detective who wants her to stay out of it. There is romantic interest, Everly is in danger, suspects are determined and then eliminated. Ultimately Everly must be rescued. As is often the case, the murderer is someone you wouldn't normally consider.

I truly enjoyed the story line and all the characters. My big problem came with the setting which is on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Kelp grows on a rocky coastline. North Carolina is not at all rocky. So to begin with the title of the book would be better suited to a story set in Oregon or Northern California.

I have to wonder if the author ever spent time on the Eastern seaboard. I grew up in Charleston, SC and am very familiar with sea islands that have the ocean on one side and marsh on the other. My husband and I are both familiar with beaches in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. He has been to the Outer Banks although I have not.

In her story, a critical scene takes place in a cave which is on the ocean and fills with water at high tides. I cannot imagine any place from Florida to New Hampshire that would have a cave like the one described. The land is just too low to have a cave. Although sand dunes might be high, a cave cannot exist under one.

All too often authors will write about an area they have never been and use what they know about similar places to fill in what they imagine about a location. This seems to be an instance of an author imagining a place she has heard about, but never been. That one misstep caused me to give this book only 4 stars. I wish she had done better research of the Outer Banks.

I have had the opportunity to live in many different places in the US and overseas. I love reading books well described by the author in which I can see in my mind's eye the exact location mentioned. It was easy to do that in this book until we got to the cave. I could no longer suspend my disbelief and the book became a fantasy instead of a mystery.

As much as I enjoyed the story, I doubt I will seek out more by this author as there are so many who do a better job of making their venues real.