I am becoming a huge fan of the cozy mystery genre due to books like this. You can read this as an escape from the everyday in a weekend. A really good mystery.

Tea by the Sea is a tearoom in Cape Cod owned by Lily Roberts. She is also the head pastry chef. Lily's grandmother, Rose runs the B&B next door. When Jack Ford wants to rezone the area near them to build a golf resort, neither is too happy. Ford is found dead on Rose's property and becomes the primary suspect in the murder. Lily vows to find the real killer and clear her grandmother's good name.

A new cozy mystery series, with Lily, the owner of a tea shop, and Rose, her grandmother and owner of the B&B next door, in the Cape Cod area. When Rose becomes the suspect in a murder, Lily and her friend Bernie begin to ask questions, since the local police detective appears to be focused on Rose. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and would read the next one to see what direction it takes. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Tea and Treachery: A Tea by the Sea Mystery
By Vicki Delany
Kensington
August 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

Pastry chef Lily Roberts always dreamed of opening her own traditional teashop. The opportunity to help her British grandmother Rose run her own Bed and Breakfast – not to mention Lily’s boyfriend chef coming at her with a chef’s knife – spurred Lily into finally opening Tea By the Sea in Cape Cod’s Outer Cape. Rose seems to view Lily as both her favorite relative and a lowly servant, but Lily adores being able to experiment with innovative teas and traditional British pastries. It also allows her to share a tearoom experience with her best friend Bernadette Murphy, who similarly left her corporate life in Manhattan to pursue her own dream as being a writer. Bernie seems more invested in calling herself an author than doing the actual job of writing, which may explain why she is so eager to jump in on the distraction of a police investigation. The developer who wanted to purchase the property next to Rose’s B & B in order to raze it down and build a hotel and golf resort has been found murdered, unfortunately just after he was seen having a rather loud confrontation with Lily’s grandmother. The police chief has a reputation for being lazy and circling down on the easiest suspects, which means that Rose is in the hotseat for a quick arrest and conviction.

Rose and Bernie together are A LOT, leaving Lily as the lone voice of reason and practicality. Fortunately for her, Lily has the support of the unexpected talented new gardener Simon McCracken, who has a charming British accent in addition to being a talented baker in his own right. So while Simon helps Lily prepare scones for drop-in tour buses, he is able to counsel Lily as she is dragged along on Bernie and Rose’s investigations. Affairs, jealous rivals, and land development schemes all could play a role in the murder of a man by a weapon that police believe resembles Rose’s missing walking cane.

Lily proves to be a charming and sympathetic lead character, one whose humor and wry observations have the reader on her side and rooting for her success. Bernie’s inability to focus on her actual writing while being completely uninterested in research is exasperating but entertaining, especially as it looks like she may be taking inspiration from her recent adventures. The hint of romance that is introduced for both Lily and Bernie will be fun to follow in future installments, and hopefully we will be given more insight into her romantic past. Recipes and descriptions of Lily’s baking tasks will have mouths watering and hungering for more, with tea lore and in-depth details making it a standout foodie mystery. This debut series by the prolific author highlights her experience in crafting nuanced plots while introducing a very likable and relatable heroine.

Tea & Treachery
Vicki Delany

Nothing I love more than a cozy mystery and starting it from the very first book of a series. This really was a delight to read with its fun characters and the a Victorian Tea Room, and a Victorian Bed and Breakfast, I was sold! The location was also perfect in the beautiful sea side town of North Augusta in Cape Cod - this was truly a delightful read. Delany's writing was so vivid and rich in detail that I did feel I was part of the town as I was reading this book. The dialogue and the goings on around town was really a joy to read.

Our wonderful sleuth Lily is a fantastic character who is a pastry chef, and Rose too whom Lily is keeping out of a jam. I found the murder mystery fantastic and highly entertaining. It was the perfect summer read for me and truth be told, a fun escape read too. The nice twist in the end will surprise you.

If you love cozies, you cannot miss this one.

4.5 stars

Delany’s writing is the perfect blend of wit and mystery, and I’m always sure to laugh out loud at least once over the way she’s particularly phrased a scene to highlight its humor without dumbing it down. In Tea & Treachery, I found myself chuckling over Lily’s summing up of the chaos that ensued after a body was found on her grandmother’s property. It begins with “Whereupon the scene had descended into something out of a French farce,” continues with one intentionally (and humorously) long sentence of the kind of things one on top of the other that would make me break out into nervous laughter if I were an observer, ending with “And then the coroner arrived.” Because that’s exactly what a scene dissolving into a farce needs to make you feel better – the coroner. LOL.

I honestly loved everything about this story. I loved Lily as a protagonist. I loved her tearoom. I loved her employees. I loved Simon the gardener and his swooniness. I loved Rose (sassy grandmas are my jam) and Bernie, even though both had to grow on me a bit. I loved the Cape Cod setting & the supporting characters. Each word is smartly placed, and Delany does a great job of integrating the ‘hobby’ side without it feeling as though we’ve just stopped the story for a brief infomercial lol. The plot was nicely constructed and threw in some interesting twists that kept me on my toes, too.

Bottom Line: Tea & Treachery is a charming start to a new series, and I’m eager for future books to arrive ASAP! Engaging and relatable characters, yummy food, and a picturesque setting keep you turning the pages, trying to solve the mystery along with Lily and her crew of amateur sleuths. The story is both witty and warmhearted, and it’s sure to appeal to cozy mystery lovers all around. Perfect for fans of the author, but if you haven’t yet tried her books, this is also the perfect one to start with!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This was a really fun read. I loved the setting, it was so charming and the tea traditions seem to have been very well researched. I loved all of the details that went into it. I also loved the food and drink descriptions! The characters were all very likeable and while I really liked the main character, I also enjoyed the secondary characters. The mystery was well done and kept me guessing. I knew who it was when we got to the reveal but I still enjoyed it! Overall this was a great start to a new series and I look forward to the next book!

Tea & Treachery is the first book in a new tea shop and B&B based cozy series by author Vicki Delany. This book has some interesting characters and a wonderful setting. Readers will enjoy getting to the bottom of this case.

The characters are, for the most part, fun and entertaining, but some are a bit much for most readers to take. To say that Rose and Bernie take some time to warm up to is putting it mildly. But in the end, perhaps they aren’t as bad as readers will initially believe. Lily needs more of a spine when dealing with her friend and grandmother. She also seems to lack any normal desire to help in an investigation that will keep her grandmother from being arrested for murder. All of these issues combined make loving these characters difficult.

I love the idea of the tea shop and the B&B physically being close to each other. Each business supports the other, and this is a great combination to keep readers turning the page. The description of the teas, food, and recipes deliver a delightful background for the story and future additions to the series.

The murderer came as no surprise; the motive was as clear as a summer sky. The suspects, of which there were plenty, all fit within their respective roles. Even the inept detective fits in well with the other characters and lends a bit of suspense to the story. The B&B is described in enough detail, and the tea shop makes readers want high tea while they read. There are red herrings throughout, a good deal of action, especially towards the end, and ultimately a quick and believable resolution.

There is a great deal in Tea & Treachery that readers will enjoy. I do recommend this book to those who like their characters a bit rough around the edges, and who understand that characters grow with a series and shouldn’t be judge based on the introduction.

I like the tea room setting and the characters of Lily and her brash grandmother, Rose. And the mystery itself keeps my interest and feels well plotted. The character of Lily's friend Bernie, who has taken a leave from her big city job to come and visit and write a novel, though, doesn't work for me. She's just too much like Rose. I was so exasperated on Lily's behalf many times while reading. But Bernie's a good friend (even if I find her irritating). When 95% of the pages involve these 3 characters, though, I think having 2 of them be pushy and selfish and demanding is 1 too many. That said, I'll try Book 2 when it comes. Maybe Bernie will settle down or go back to the big city ;>)

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany is a new welcome approach in the cozy mystery world.

Can Lily stop Rose and Bernie from pursuing this case?

Lily Roberts
Lily is our main character and an unknowing sleuth, thanks to her grandmother, Rose, and her best friend, Bernie, investigating a crime that happened on Rose's property. She is the chief cook at her grandmother's B&B while owning and cooking at her tearoom at the front of the property in a cottage. I have to admit that this whole set up seemed like a dream as it was working well for these two ladies. Lily seems like a great person who ends up going along with whatever her grandma wants because she wants to keep her in line. I love Lily, and I can't wait to see more of her in the future.

Rose and Bernie
Rose is Lily's maternal grandma and is full-blown English. Meaning that's where she was raised until Rose married her husband and moved to Iowa to raise a family. Now Rose, in her last few years of life left, is in Cape Cod owning a beautiful home, is widowed, and sadly had to turn the house into a B&B to help pay the bills. She is a fantastic character who reminds me so much of Grandma Mazur from the Stephanie Plum novels. Not exactly like her, but I love it when little old ladies decide that they are going to investigate a murder investigation despite what everyone thinks.

Now Bernie is named Bernadette, and she is also a hoot. Bernie came to Cape Cod to finally write her book that she's been trying to write for two years. Well, let's say she gets distracted a lot, and I mean a lot, and she may also be changing the genres of her book a lot. Bernie is a friend that I wouldn't mind having in real life. She's such a fun person. These two ladies are a great addition to a fantastic cast of characters that are seen throughout this book.

The Mystery
The mystery in this one is quite funny. I had two possible victims in my head, but neither panned out. Rose was egged on to say some things that landed her the prime suspect spot that started Bernie and Rose investigating. Basically, what ended up happening early in the morning, the contractor came by early for a meeting to take place next door and somehow ended up on Rose's property and onto the beach dead. There were a lot of suspects to comb through, and wow, I wasn't able to pinpoint who could have done it. I was pretty shocked by who did it.

5 Stars
I am giving Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany five stars and recommending this to anyone that has a fancy for drinking tea while reading a cozy. Trust me; I did drink tea the whole time I was reading. Ms. Delaney has a great start to a new series with these fun new characters. I can't wait to see what else she brings to this small coastal town on the Cape.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the recipes in the back of the book!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

It's always a pleasure to start a brand new cosy mystery series and this one, Tea & Treachery written by Vicki Delany certainly lived up to my expectations!

The reader soon meets the star of the show, Lily Roberts, who has waved goodbye to Manhattan and settled in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She is the proud owner of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom on picturesque sea cliffs. She has plenty to keep her busy, including her Granny Rose who runs the Victorian B & B adjacent to Lily’s tea shop. Rose, who enjoys the peace and quiet, is incandescent because the building next door to the B & B may be sold to Jack Ford, a property developer with plans to build an expansive golf resort on the land. With tempers fraying, things really hot up when Ford is found dead on Rose’s premises and the police think she had something to do with his demise.

I thought this was a highly entertaining, really solid start to the series. I enjoyed reading the author's wonderful descriptions of the tea shop, B & B, Lily’s little cottage, and the beautiful gardens. I could easily envisage strolling through the gardens and delighting at the sound of the waves below. Vicki Delany has laid the the foundations of a marvellous set of characters to whom the reader was gradually introduced. Apart from Lily herself who I found to be smart, caring and considerate, I also liked Granny Rose for her spirit and vivacity, though she could be rather caustic and brusque.

The writing was comfortably and smoothly paced, and the mystery itself was very well executed, with abundant red herrings to sustain my interest. All in all, a top-notch opening instalment with snippets of humour, some fascinating facts about tea, and a soupçon of romance as a cherry topping. I will certainly be returning to Cape Cod to see what Lily is getting herself into next and I am eagerly anticipating book two.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I’ve seen Vicki Delany’s name around a lot as she seems to be a popular and prolific cozy author. I hadn’t remembered that I’ve actually read a book by Delany before — Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen — which didn’t make a big impression on me. Tea & Treachery is the first book in the Tea by the Sea Mysteries and I found it a big improvement.

Quick aside: I adore this cover! It’s so bright and summery, and I really like all the little details of the afternoon tea.

As the blurb says, the book is set in an English-style tearoom in Cape Cod. I loved the setting! I found the clifftop, sea-view location really vividly described. Both Lily’s Tea by the Sea tearoom and her grandmother Rose’s victorian B&B were very easy to envision and clear in my mind. For me, the setting and supporting characters were a big strength of Tea & Treachery.

For the investigation, there are three main characters: Lily, Rose, and ditzy aspiring writer Bernie. All three of the women had clear, memorable personalities. I found both Lily and Bernie immediately likable but Rose was a harder sell for me. At first, I found her annoying — the kind of character that makes decisions to cause hiccups in the plot – but over the course of the book she made more sense to me and I saw the humanity in her.

Tea & Treachery is a solid cozy mystery with a fun cast and I really like the tearoom setting. The cakes sounded delicious and there were lots of interesting characters milling around. I’d pick up another book in this series to find out how Bernie’s book comes alone, what treats are on offer at the tearoom, and how both girls burgeoning romantic relationships work out.

Tea & Treachery is the first book in the Tea by the Sea Mysteries series! We meet the main character, Lily who is head chef and owner of her own traditional English Tearoom—Tea by the Sea in Cape Cod. She also helps her grandmother Rose run her B&B. At the moment, her business is thriving and she’s ecstatic but she might not be for long. A real estate developer is trying to rezone, wanting to build a golf resort, which could put both Rose and Lily out of business. When said real estate developer is murdered and Rose is the main suspect, Lily and her friends try to find the real murderer.

I really enjoyed this debut entry. It was a very fun and yummy read! Lily is constantly cooking throughout the mystery and everything was just delish! It literally made me so hungry lol. I even went out and bought the supplies for cucumber sandwiches because they sounded SO good!

Another high note was the characters! They were very entertaining, but Rose did kind of rub me the wrong way. The way she treats people and treats Lily sometimes is kind of just... rude. There’s blunt and honest and there’s just giving your opinion and insight when it’s not needed and no one asked. Besides that, I really liked the rest of the cast.

The mystery itself was really good! It unfolded rather slowly at first, but once we hit the 1/3 mark of the story, everything moved rather fast. It was very twisty at times as they interviewed suspects, revealing their hidden motives and secrets. One of the suspects seemed very random to me like their motive wasn’t but how they showed up in the story felt very sudden and filly—like they were just added in to help meet the required word count. They really could’ve been introduced better, but still, overall, the mystery was very well done!

Overall, a great start to a wonderful series!

Tea & Treachery was an absolutely fun mystery that is sure to keep you guessing. I loved the idea of have a tea shoppe and introducing people to the joys of drinking tea. Lily was a great character that was willing to do whatever it takes to protect her grandmother and you will instantly like her. The mystery had so many twists and turns, so I enjoyed the fact that it kept me guessing. This is the first book in a brand new series and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.

I was unsure of this book at first because I found the character of Rose to be very unlikeable but as the story progressed she grew on me. I liked reading about all the goings on at the tea shop and bed & breakfast as well as all the ladies working at both (most of them were so sassy!). A fun first in a new cozy mystery series for fans of Vicki Delany's other series as well as foodie mystery fans.

I loved this first in the new Tea by the Sea series! The setting is on Cape Cod overlooking Cape Cod Bay and sounds amazingly beautiful. Three women have a heady taste of the lives they dreamed of and are willing to work hard to keep their dreams a reality. The primary characters are three dimensional, and all others are defined as necessary. There is much humor sprinkled throughout the hard work and camaraderie, and a complex, challenging mystery arises with a death that could cost two of the women and their employees their livelihoods.

When octogenarian Rose’s husband died a few years ago, she took their life savings and purchased a mansion on Cape Cod. Almost every cent she had went into it, leaving little for expenses and daily living, so she turned it into a B & B. Granddaughter Lily lives on the property and has a tea shop dedicated to serving traditional English afternoon tea. Lily cooks the breakfasts at the B & B before opening the tea shop. Rose is originally from England and shares her love of all things British with Lily. Rose and her husband lived in Iowa all their married life.

Next door to the B & B is a tumbledown mansion that the heir is selling. Lincoln made poor investments and lost most of his inheritance. To keep what he has left, he needs to have the land rezoned before the sale goes through to a developer who is planning a resort hotel. Without the rezoning, it is worth far less. Rose is irate. She doesn’t want a golf course or fancy hotel next to her quiet property for her own peace of mind or the enjoyment of her visitors. Lily and her best friend Bernie find Rose embroiled in a threatening conversation with Lincoln, Jack the developer, and Roy, the town councilman introducing the rezoning. The next day, Lily and best friend Bernie are outdoors before the tearoom opens to find that the gate and part of the fence at the top of the stairs leading to the bay is torn off, and there is a body at the bottom. Jack, the arrogant developer, lies at the bottom, dead. And the fingers are pointed at Rose, despite her advanced age.

Lily and Bernie are concerned that Rose might be railroaded without solid evidence, even though Jack was not a well-liked man. Rose, with Bernie’s help, tries to find other suspects. To keep them out of trouble, Lily joins them when possible. When Lily tries to speak with the woman detective who recently moved from Boston and is an excellent investigator, the woman listens to some of what Lily brings her. However, the long-employed lazy senior detective decides to put her on some minor break-in cases to take care of the good old boy network.

There are many things I loved about this mystery. There are other cozies set on Cape Cod, or in tea rooms, or B & B’s. The combination of the characters and their various personalities, the setting, the business, the wit, and the intricacies of the mystery itself combine into a delightful, yet challenging novel. I absolutely did not guess whodunit, no matter how hard I tried. The killer and motive were a complete surprise, as were some of the various outcomes. I was very satisfied with the outcome and have high hopes for this series! I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the author, of well-written cozy mysteries that include pets and elegant settings, and middle-age and mature protagonists.

From a thankful heart: I received an eARC of this from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Tea, scones and murder await you at the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod.

Tea by the Sea is a quaint traditional English tearoom in a unusual setting of the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod bringing a little bit of England to this part of America. Lily runs the tearoom and her grandmother Rose owns the Victorian B&B next door, but it appears that the threat from a land developer who is pushing to rezone the land nearby to build a golf resort could see them out of a home as well business.

Rose is not shy in her objections to the plans and she has an altercation with Jack Ford the developer which sees her announce nothing will happen unless its over her dead body or someone elses! Of course we all know when someone says something like that someone does end up dead – in this case its Jack who is found at the bottom of the cliff steps near the B&B!

The police zone in on Rose whilst Lily and her friend Bernie discover a whole host of other suspects that would easily want to see Mr Ford dead, and they do everthing they can to take the heat off Rose and find the real killer. With twists and turn, a great setting, wonderful characters and a potential romance for Lily that might come Tea &Treachery was a brilliant cozy mystery and I can’t wait to see what is going to happen next in this series.

This is a new series by Vicki Delaney and it does not disappoint! A tough as nails British grandmother named Rose and a very clever culinary wiz of a grandduaghter named Lily. One owns a bed and breakfast, the other manages the B&B as well as owning and running the Tea by the Sea Tearoom. Rose's dream was to own a B&B and Lily's was to own a tea room. Neither had anticipated those ventures being threathened by a developer who wanted to build a resort right next door to the Victory-on-the-Sea B & B. Even more surprising when the local detective has his sights set on eighty-five year old Rose as the number one suspect in the death of the nextdoor neighbor whose land was going to be sold to the developer, that is, until he ended up dead on the rocks below the cliffs adjacet to the Victory-on-the-Sea. and now Lily must do all she can with the help of her BFF Bernie and the new English gardner, Simon. It's a pity that Simon is only there for the summer as he seems just as capable in the kitchen as he is in the garden, looks to me like it would be a smart match. I do appreciate the detail that went into describing the afternoon tea and the small bit of history. If you have haven't been to one I would suggest finding a tea shop that offers afternoon tea (a British shoppe would be ideal) to have a cuppa and relax with this new cozy and get to know the folks at the Victory -by-the-Sea B&B as well as the clever and caring owner of Tea by the Sea

Such an enjoyable new series!  I can just imagine visiting Cape Cod and having tea at Lily's tearoom or even staying next door at Rose's B&B.  It is very picturesque and the descriptions provide the motivation to visit that area at some time in the future.

Since this is the first in the series, the author does a wonderful job of sharing the character's past and how they ended up here since they were not born and raised on the Cape.  I felt like that added to the depth of the characters to have information about how they ended up here and even some past situations that enhance the character's portrayal.  Lily is sucked into helping solve the murder of Jack Ford especially since he was found dead on Rose's property and the ineffective police detective wants to railroad her into a conviction.  Thankfully, there is a new detective on the force and she has the experience to know that perhaps something isn't right.

The mystery itself is well written and there are some clues to point you in the killer's direction but not many.  The list of possible suspects is small but I couldn't figure out the motive until it was revealed.  Let's just say it is one of the oldest reasons in the world, but I'll let you figure out what that reason is so I don't spoil anything for you.

I really like Lily.  She is probably the most level headed character in the book.  Her best friend, Bernie, is kind and caring but a bit scattered when it comes to her writing. I will admit that I don't really like Rose.  I found her to be selfish and perhaps a bit too blunt.  I felt like she expected everyone to cater to her whims with no questions asked.

There are a couple of potential romantic twists but no love triangle and I look forward to seeing these potential relationships develop.

This is a series that I will look for the next book to see what Lily is up to this time around.  We give the book 4 paws up.

When Lily Roberts moved to Cape Cod—leaving her high-stress Manhattan restaurant job and abusive boyfriend behind—she imagined her fresh start would bring a slower-paced life. She knew running an English tearoom beside her Grandmother’s bed and breakfast would be demanding, but this was the pastry chef’s dream come true. What Lily never expected, however, was that she’d have to defend the feisty Rose against a murder charge.

Eighty-five-year-old Rose Campbell has been a community activist all her life, and when local developer Jack Ford announces plans to build a hotel and golf resort next door to her B & B, she very vocally expresses her opposition. Shortly after clashing with him over the project, Jack’s lifeless body is found on Rose’s property, making her the police’s prime suspect. There is never any doubt in the minds of Rose’s family and friends that she is innocent, but convincing Chuck Williams, the local detective assigned to the case, is a daunting task.

Rose’s network of allies comes to her defense. They quickly discover that in the small town of North Augusta, Jack has made numerous enemies over the years through shady business deals and ill-fated romantic liaisons—many of whom have strong reasons to do him harm. As clues to the perpetrator’s identity fall into place, Rose finds herself in the killer’s crosshairs. Can she save herself, her grandmother, and their businesses from danger and disaster?

Tea & Treachery is a winning start to Delany’s newest series. It has so many of the trademark elements of a successful cozy mystery: a desirable location (Cape Cod); a charming residence (Victorian B & B and adjoining tearoom); lovable pets (a cat named Robert the Bruce and a dog named Eclair); an appealing menu (varieties of tea, delectable sandwich morsels, and desserts); an ample amount of red herrings and suspects; love interests; and a loyal cast of engaging characters. The mix of old and new friends complements the plot’s development and reader interest in this and future installments. Delany has proven that she knows how to write a first-rate series, and with her expertise the groundwork is laid for another entertaining ongoing series—in this case, one that is sure to delight cozy mystery lovers, Anglophiles, beach-goers, and tea enthusiasts alike.