Tea by the sea. That's the life for me. Seriously. I want to live in this book! Come to think of it, I want to live in the Lighthouse Library books that the author writes as Eva Gates too. I need books, tea, pastries, and the beach. Who's with me?

If you're anything like I am (and I know a lot of you cozy readers are), you are going to absolutely love Tea & Treachery. It's got all of the things I love about cozy mystery books: quirky characters, an idyllic setting, animals, food, family, friends, and an engrossing mystery. The only negative aspect about the book...I read it too quickly! Now I have to wait! Ah. It's a good problem to have I guess.

Vicki Delaney has such talent for making her characters unique. I don't read one of her series and then another and think, "Oh, these characters remind me of so and so in her Sherlock Holmes Bookstore series" or whatever series. They've got their own personality traits which make them memorable. Rose, Lily's grandmother, is my role model. I want to be her when I grow up though one cat is certainly not enough. I'll allow it though as she does own a B&B where even one cat is probably pushing it if the health department pops in to the kitchen... Tea & Treachery has so many colorful characters, and I could go on and on about them. But, you really need to experience them first hand to appreciate their quirks and foibles.

Living by the ocean (or any large body of water) has always been my dream. Since I'm stuck in Ohio, I live vicariously through the characters who do. Delaney's descriptive language really made me feel as if I were in Cape Cod...at the tea room, the B&B, or just strolling along the bluffs.

Figuring out who the killer is is always fun. I love putting my detecting skills to work. Having grown up reading Nancy Drew and watching Murder She Wrote gives me such an advantage...okay, not really. But, as I'm sure you can tell, I've loved solving mysteries since I knew there was such a thing as a mystery! If you love mysteries, you know you never outgrow that feeling you get when you have that aha moment! The Tea by the Sea series is sure to give us many of those moments.

I highly recommend this entertaining book! Tea & Treachery will keep you turning the pages and have you laughing out loud! Enjoy!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of this book! It was just released a few days ago and it is the first in a new series. It is so good! I really enjoyed the characters and getting to learn how well they work together.

Lilly runs a tea establishment where you can have a light tea service or full English tea like you might find in England. She also cooks breakfast at the B&B next door, which her grandma Rose is in charge of running. There is a murder on the property and the local cops are pointing at Rose as the murderer. Lilly and her best friend Bernie assist Rose in finding the truth about who killed Jack Ford.

I cannot wait for the next in this installment. Love that she has a new series! You might know this author as Eva Gates and her Lighthouse Library cozy series. She is a great author and I love how well she can tell a story. The ending of this book kept me wanting to read more.

Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany is the debut novel in A Tea by the Sea Mystery series. Tea & Treachery is set in Cape Code, Massachusetts where Rose Campbell, Lily’s grandmother, settled after the death of her husband. She purchased a large Victorian home on the cliffs above the sea which provides her with a beautiful view and plenty of peace. When Lily saw the little cottage on the property, she thought it was the perfect place for a tea shop which has been her dream. When not busy whipping up delectable delights and tea for Tea by the Sea, Lily is helping her grandmother with the bed and breakfast. I like that the author took the time to establish the main characters and provide beautiful descriptions of the B&B, tea shop, Lily’s little cottage, and the beautiful gardens. I could just imagine strolling along through the gardens and hearing the waves below. There are great facts about the history of tea, the various teas Lily’s serves, and food Lily’s whips up. It was interesting to learn about the different types of teas, and how tea time started. The mystery had a variety of suspects from the mayor, the victim’s wife, the mistress, to the son of the man trying to unload the land next to Rose. If you pay close attention to the details, this whodunit can be solved before the reveal. I liked that the mystery had a good wrap up (no questions left unanswered). The new head gardener, Simon McCracken seems to have taken a liking a Lily. There was some mild flirting between Lily and Simon. Bernie Murphy, Lily’s writer friend, provided humor while Éclair, Lily’s labradoodle, gave readers cuteness. Rose, Lily’s grandmother, was a hard character to like. She is stubborn, feisty, set in her ways, selfish, and opinionated. I found her frustrating with her “its my way or its my way” approach. Rose and Bernie together were a bit much. I hope both women will grow on me in future books. Also, Lily need to develop a backbone and learn to say no, or her grandmother will run roughshod over her. Tea & Treachery is an easy to read book and a good start to this new cozy mystery series. There are recipes at the end for coconut cupcakes, scones, and tea bath salts. Tea & Treachery is an engaging cozy mystery with tempting tea treats, a scarcity of scones, a dead developer, curious clues, shaky steps, a whimsical writer, and a burdened baker.

This is only my third author, Vicki Delany novel. I totally loved the other two.
This is Book #1 in the Tea by the Sea Mystery series.
Lily Roberts is the proud proprietor and pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, English tearoom, located on grounds of her grandmother’s BB on the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod. (Sign me up ~ I totally want to go there!)
However, a developer believes this location is the perfect spot to put in a resort. Grandma Rose sees his idea as changing the landscape and not in a good way. She threatens the developer and since this is a mystery... sure enough he falls off the cliff on Rose’s property. Okay we are sure Grandma didn’t push him but “whodunit?”

Want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 28, 2020

I was thrilled to read Tea & Treachery by Vicki Delany. This is the first book in the Tea by the Sea mystery series. It didn’t feel like a first book, there was none of the awkward over explaining of characters or world building. Protagonist, Lily, runs a tea shop on the grounds of her grandmother’s Cape Cod bed and breakfast. When a developer, who wants to rezone the neighboring property for a loud hotel, is found dead on the grounds Lily must find the killer or risk her feisty grandmother being implicated. These feel like my beloved Hanna Swenson mysteries, with an addition of tea and set at the beach! Lily has a best friend to sleuth with and loyal staff at the tearoom along with a potential love interest and this book contains bonus recipes! What more could a cozy lover ask for?

Lily Campbell has shucked her job as a pastry chef back in Manhattan and moved to Cape Cod to be closer to her grandmother Rose, who runs a B&B by the sea. She's doing what she loves best -- creating delicious delights for her tearoom, Tea by the Sea. But lately there's been a problem: developer Jack Ford wants to buy the Victorian next to Rose's home and turn it into a gigantic golf resort. While both women are against it, Rose is extremely vocal, going so far as to write a letter to the editor about it. When Ford is found dead at the bottom of the stairs on Rose's property, the detective in charge, Williams, is sure that she's done it, and doesn't seem to be looking for anyone else.

Luckily - or not so luckily - there's a new detective in town that is listening to Lily, even if she can't do much about it. But Lily, in between trying to run a business and cook breakfast for guests over at the B&B, has her best friend Bertie to help, along with her new British gardener, Simon. While Lily doesn't want to investigate at all, Rose does, and she knows she has to if she's going to keep Rose safe. But will she put her own life in hot water by looking for a killer...

This is the first in a new series and I did like it quite a bit; although I felt there were a lot of characters to sift through. There were employees at the B&B and the tearoom that offered up conversation and were ever-present along with the main characters. Then there were the guests at the B&B and the suspects, of which there were many. It was a lot to take in at once, and even with clues, it was difficult to point the finger at any one person for quite awhile. It did feel slightly 'cluttered with characters.'

However, I did like the mystery and the way it was carried out, and the descriptions of different types of afternoon teas was very nice. The recipes in the back are a bonus, too. I would have liked to have more description of the seacoast, but perhaps that will be in later books.

When we get close to figuring out the murderer, it comes as a surprise right along the time that Lily figures it out, and I'm glad to say that she doesn't panic and is capable of keeping her head while in a dangerous situation. When the ending comes everything comes together nicely, and I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in a new series by Delany, being a tea drinker myself I enjoyed the descriptions of teas and the goodies. I liked Lily, the main character. Rose was definitely a hand full and a hoot. The mystery was well plotted and action packed at the end. I look forward to how the characters and the tea shop develop in the coming books.

I enjoyed this little murder mystery. The description of the murder was perfect; mentioned but not described in great detail. The interactions were handled in a believable fashion. It was a nice change that the female lead wasn't nosy; didn't want to be involved in the investigation; didn't want her friends and family interfering in the investigation. The descriptions of the tea room and gardens were lovely. The described differences in the tea steeping requirements, in addition to the High tea, low tea, and afternoon tea differences were interesting and informative. There were several twisty red herrings skillfully thrown in. There was a good blend of enjoyable characters mixed in with the unpleasant. I would definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy formal teas, as well as those who enjoy cozy mysteries.

Have you ever picked up a book that had all the makings of something you should love but you just couldn't get into it? This was that book for me and it breaks my heart. Kensington Books and Netgalley were so kind as to approve my request for this one. I have been reading it for several days now. One thing I can say is that it kept me guessing until the end. There were so many leads and a tangled bit of it that I couldn't always make heads or tails. I did enjoy the setting, especially the tea room. I just didn't connect with this one as I had anticipated. I do want to continue on with the series though.

TEA & TREACHERY by Vicki Delany
The First Tea by the Sea Mystery

Lily Roberts is living her dream by running her own tearoom, despite family telling her she's crazy to work with her grandmother, Rose. Rose certainly doesn't pull any punches and is furious with the developer who wants to turn the neighboring property into a hotel and resort center. When the man is found dead off the cliffs on Rose's property the local police zero in on Rose as a murderer. Egged on by her friend Bernie and Rose herself, Lily is pulled away from her tearoom and Rose's B&B in order to investigate who else could have wanted the developer silenced. She soon discovers shady business dealings as well as unexpected relationship issues. Will Lily find the real culprit or will she find herself in hot water?

The first Tea by the Sea Mystery introduces readers to an interesting group of characters. I found it difficult to like the brash and demanding Rose and Lily comes off a bit like milquetoast compared to her grandmother and the loyal, but extremely flighty, best friend, Bernie. I was suspicious of everyone else, including the seemingly perfect new gardener. The setting was actually my favorite character in the book. Cape Cod can be an idyllic locale and I could picture the charming tearoom with the stately home decor and the Victorian Bed and Breakfast with the gingerbread trim, too small kitchen, and secret room perfectly. The scents also made the story come alive, and not just the baking from the tearoom and sausages frying for the B&B breakfasts. I could actually smell the salt from the bay as it wafted through the gardens and cliffs and I wish I could actually stroll through the grounds.

Despite not warming to the main characters, the story was compelling. I appreciated the complex mystery as I wondered who actually killed the shady developer. There were several appealing suspects and the author lay plenty of red herrings to lead readers astray.

TEA & TREACHERY serves English tea with a dollop of murder in an engaging start to a new series.

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the Tea by the Sea mysteries series by Vicki Delany.

Lily is running her own tea room in Cape Cod. Her grandmother is running a bed and breakfast that she is pulling away from and wanting Lily to take over the running of. Lily doesn’t really need more work to do. When a real estate developer falls to his death near the tea shop, Lily and her grandmother becomes high on the suspect list.

I thought this was a great cast and fell in love with the little tea shop and all the people who came in and out of scenes. Definitely a series I want to continue with. I am a sucker for anything tea related. This is just my jam.

Loved so much about it. If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

There's plenty to like about Tea & Treachery. Let's begin with a likable protagonist—okay, I liked Lily, but wasn't so thrilled with her grandmother. She's a bit too pushy for my taste. Then again, she's not the protagonist.
The plot unfolded at a nice pace with only the necessary information brought up when it was needed—no unnecessary backstory or data dumps here.
With the story set in a small community on the coast, this is a place most of us would want to visit—sans the murders, of course. Characters in the story were brought in only when necessary, so the storyline remains clear throughout. Even the romantic storylines played well with the main mystery and didn't take away from the suspense.
Overall, I was entertained from beginning to end by this witty mystery with some very nice twists.

A former NYC pastry chef, Lily, is settling into her new life as a tea shop owner on the bluffs of gorgeous Cape Cod. She has a sassy grandmother, a flighty but tough best friend, and the romantically intriguing English gardener to keep her company.

A pushy real estate developer is found dead on grandmother's B&B property, and Lily starts playing amateur sleuth when the local bumbling police force accuses her grandma of pushing the developer over the edge of the cliff.

All the essential elements of a contemporary cozy mystery can be found in here. Like other books that have a food based theme to the series there's a little bit too much focus on the menu for my taste at times, but it's common for these. All in all the mystery was good and the characters were solid. A good start to a new series by Delaney.

Sigh.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did [the bestie really enjoyed it so I was very hopeful]. Unfortunately, there were several things that made it just an average read for me [and I really enjoy this author typically, so this is kind of sad for me to have to write].

1. Rose. OH. MY. GOSH. Though I will admit by the end of the book that she had grown on me some, I was not impressed or enamored by her [and from what I am reading, not many are, so I feel better about that] initially [and for most of the book - for someone who worked in service for years in England, she certainly knows how to put on the airs and and snottiness better than Lady Whatshername from Dowton Abbey, which really got on my last nerve]. The way she treats Lily [and really all of those who are around her] and the expectations she has of Lily when that poor girl is up to her eyeballs in her own business....I just wasn't a fan of her.

2. The inept, overweight, incompetent, moronic, I-only-look-through-blinders cop. I mean, really? Suspecting ROSE?? SO. MANY. EYEROLLS.

3. I knew who the killer was when they were introduced in the book [this has become problematic for me, even amongst tried-and-true series that I adore, but absolutely more in newer books I am reading] and I knew the why when the dead body is found. I just has to wade through the rest of the book to get there [there was a moment of hesitation, but that was quickly squashed].

4. I like Lily very much. And Simon. And Bernie [though not as much as other sidekicks that I have read]. I really like Detective Redmond - she is just what you want a cop/detective to be; smart, not easily swayed, and fair. She will be a great addition to this series [especially if they do away with #2]. I LOVE the tea room and all the fun things that they serve there. The people that work for Lily and at the B&B are great side characters and I hope that we get to see more of them [just NOT as suspects in a murder] as the series moves forward. They are really interesting and I think they add a lot to the story.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book. I can see why people are loving it and are rating it high. I have no doubt that my other friends, who read cozies. will also love this like the bestie did. And I have high hopes for the next book [WHICH I will read - I once read 5 books in a series before I got a 4 star read in it; I can be tenacious when I want to be LOL], as sometimes the characters just need to settle before everything clicks. So I am hoping that is the case here. I would still recommend this book to people because I truly enjoy this author and her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tea & Treachery is the first book in a new culinary cozy mystery series by the author of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and the Lighthouse Library literary cozy mystery series.

On Cape Cod, Lily owns a tearoom right next to her grandmother Rose’s bed and breakfast. Rose’s other neighbor is a rundown Victorian mansion that has been on sale for years.

The owner of the mansion is planning on selling to a developer with plans for a golf course. When Rose finds out, she explodes and threatens to kill the developer. Rose then submits an outrageous op-ed to the local newspaper.

Even though the newspaper declines to publish it, the developer sues Rose for slander. The next day, the developer is found dead on Rose’s property. The police, of course, suspect Rose so Lily vows to find the real killer!

Tea & Treachery is a superb beach read at a time when all the beaches are closed. Here is your chance to bookcation in a Victorian B&B in scenic Cape Cod. Sit under a tree in your backyard and read this soothing cozy mystery with a glass of iced tea by your side.

The book’s characters are well-developed and believable. There are also two romances brewing. The mystery is intriguing. Plus, there are three recipes for two desserts and a tea-infused bath bomb included. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series! 4 stars!

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lily is the proprietor and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom on the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod. Rose is Lily's sassy grandmother who owns and operates a grand old Victorian B & B adjacent to Lily’s tea shop.

Jack Ford is planning on building a sprawling golf resort on the neighboring property if he can get it rezoned. This would put Rose and Lily out of business.

When Jack's dead body is found at the foot of Rose's property the police see Rose as an easy target. It's up to Lily to find the true killer.

I have read just about all of Vicki Delany's books and this first in a new series was wonderful. If you like cozies that take place in a small town and a tea shop, you're sure to love this one! Another great hit for Vicki Delany!

4 Stars

Tea and Treachery is a charming and funny start to the Tea by the Sea Mysteries.


Lily Robert is the owner and Confectionery goddess of Tea by the Sea. An amazing re-creation of a traditional English tea room. She also provides her culinary skills to her grandmother's B&B, Victoria by the Sea. Keeping up with her grandma is a full time job in itself. Lily is a hardworking and her favorite place to be is in a kitchen backing. Her best friend Bernie is a bit undecided about life but she is trying to work her way through it. She’s loyal, willing, larger than life and funny. Grandma Rose is a hysterical riot. She is on the brass side but somehow that just works for her. An elderly english woman who's set ih her ways, not afraid to speak her mind, has an opinion for just about everything and can cause trouble like a teenager. I can see many more entertaining moments coming from Grandma Rose. Being a romance fan first and foremost, I really enjoyed the playfulness of the English Gardner Simon.



Tea and Treachery is an entertaining, well plotted fantastic beginning to what is going to be a fun and charming series. The setting of Cape Cod It’s brought to life on the page through beautiful descriptions that allow the reader to transport themselves to another place. The characters are entertaining and charming. Each character throughout the story has a distinctive personality that contributes to the enjoyment factor overall. The mystery was well plotted and very believable. I love the way Lily and Rose go about getting to the truth of the matter. Tea and Treachery will keep you on your toes guessing and really wanting some tea with a scone.

I knew I'd love this book as much as I do the author's other series, and it didn't disappoint. The setting is amazing, and I really enjoyed the main characters. Rose is another grandmother character I've read recently that isn't quite the loving or huggified grandma that we're all used to in cozy mysteries--she'll take some getting used to, but she's growing on me already because she's clever and likes to use the old lady card to her advantage sometimes--but she knows her limits and doesn't abuse it.

Rose had a tremendous love for Lily that she expressed just by looking at her. It was fun that Lily's bestie, Bernie just moved to Cape Cod to write a book, and she provided a lot of the comic relief by her constant outbursts of how she was changing the book. I got such a kick out of her final decision! She and Rose made the best sleuths, while Lily tried to attend to her tearoom. More than a few times though, they wrangled her into their sleuthing circle. Lily and Bernie had a couple of cute guys interested in them as well, so I hope that progresses well. I liked how Lily evolved in her thinking regarding guys. I could tell she was mellowing ;) Simon was a sweetie.

I hadn't guessed the killer, and I liked the little twist dealing with the detectives toward the end. The showdown was great with everyone pitching in to help and catch the killer. I'm really anxious for the next book whenever that happens.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Tea and Treachery by Vicki Delany is the first in a promising new series, taking place at a B&B (Victoria-on-the-Sea) and tea house (Tea by the Sea) on Cape Cod. Lily is the owner of the tea house which sits on the property of her grandmother, Jane's, B&B. She also cooks the breakfast at the B&B with the help of Edna, a cohort of her grandmother's. This is the first summer for the tea house and expectations are high and the work is all consuming. Lily loves it. Her friend, Bernie (Bernadette) from Manhattan has just rented a house nearby in order to (ostensibly) write a novel. Their gardener, Gerry, has just quit, having called from the car on his way out of town. Scared of Grandma Jane. He had informed her grandmother that his nephew was at odd and would be happy to take over. A glitch, but not too big a one. The big one was the ratty old house next door: a developer wanted it to tear done and build a hotel and golf course. The zoning change hadn't gone through yet so there was still hope...until the developer went and got himself killed on Grandma's property.

Delany has begun, what will be, a wonderful series full of interesting characters, including potential love interests for both Lily and Bernie; a new-to-town, talented detective; and a fun cast of characters rounding out the list with Robert the Bruce, a cat and Eclair, the dog. The setting is spectacular on several fronts and the characters are typical of a small town. All masterfully written. Lily, the protagonist, is a reluctant investigator, pushed into it by Bernie and Jane. Jane is the quintessential quirky old lady and Bernie is the comic relief. They are a great bunch and this will be a terrific series. Who would expect less from Vicki Delany? I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Tea and Treachery by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #teaandtreachery