Murder is a Teacup is a fast-paced cozy mystery that will have you immersed in family drama and scandal from the start. This page turner is a quick read that will leave you guessing right up until the end.

I apprecitate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this a really interesting mystery and the characters are quite engaging. it kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend.

I have not read the previous titles in this series, I will have to go back and read them. Either way, I really enjoyed this book. The setting is fantastic and the characters are entertaining. I would recommend this title and author!

I have not read the first book in the Tea by the Sea series, but after reading Murder in a Teacup, I will definitely go back and read the first one as well as any additional books. The characters are well developed and I loved the relationships between them. The delightful setting, the sometimes snarky conversations, the way the murder mystery was presented made this an entertaining cozy read. I was hooked from the beginning and the twists and turns kept me invested in the story. I am looking forward to more adventures with Lily and the Cape Cod Tearoom gang.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This was a cute cozy set in a Cape Cod tea shop. I love Vicki Delaney’s Sherlock Holmes series and I like this series too. I like the characters, the plot was good as well. Lily gets involved solving a murder that occurred when someone poisoned tea she provided.
4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It is the summer season on Cape Cod and Tea by the Sea and Victoria-on-Sea are both very busy. Lily is working overtime to make sure that her tearoom is a success since it is the first season. Her grandmother Rose is happy to have her friend Sandra and her extended family visiting from Iowa and staying at the Bed and Breakfast. There seems to be some tension among them, but Rose and Lily try to stay out of it. I love all of the information about the teas being served and the descriptions of the sandwiches and desserts in the tearoom. It makes me want visit one to experience it myself. The fun, easy to read mystery is an entertaining way to pass a summer afternoon.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was an interesting entry in the series. Rose's old friend brings her family to the B&B for a get away and murder ensues. Despite the small suspect pool, you're kept guessing who the actual killer is.

The story stands alone fine because all of the essential information provided in the first book is provided here (and in the next book).

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I've read the first book as well as three of the author's other series, all of which are wonderful books filled with great characters and charming settings. In this new series, we're swept away to the Massachusetts coastline where Lily Roberts has returned with her grandmother, Rose, to run a B&B and tea shop. Rose's friends from the Midwest are visiting this week, and one of them is murdered.

Delany is an excellent storyteller, from the first few chapters, you're immediately drawn into a family of eight who have major communication issues and personality disorders. Each has an argumentative one of a different shade, and alliances aren't very clear. Rose's friend Sandra attempts to control her children, grandchildren, their spouses, and two great-grandchildren. Heather is hoping to bring the family back together after her husband passed away, but when her in-laws also show up, there is definitely gonna be a showdown. Someone, or maybe a few, has something to hide. And we need to uncover why poison was put in the victim's teacup. Poor Lily is forced to close shop again... and the local police can be quite difficult to manage.

Whether you prefer the difficult family, the lush setting, the comical relationships between the main characters, or solving a murder, you get a bit of everything. This murder was mostly straightforward in terms of solving family secrets, but there was definitely a shocking twist. I 100% admit I was wrong in identifying the killer, and when it all unfolds... clearly, we weren't meant to solve this one on our own. We're meant to watch the characters have a go at it, and even they were stymied with the reason why. I mean this in a good way, because it's not predictable, and it makes you think about the possibilities of this happening in reality. I look forward to reading book #3 when it comes out to see what kind of mystery Lily and Rose find themselves involved in.

I really enjoy this series. The main character is awesome, though I wish her grandmother and friend would treat her better. Her ability to put up with all their demands does make her seem very kind and likeable, which may be the point of juxtaposing her selflessness with their sometimes selfishness. The mystery itself was good. Though it was a little challenging to solve, the clues and motivation all made sense once revealed. I am already looking forward to reading the next in the series!

This was a well-written cozy mystery. This being the second in the series the characters are still developing but the are likable, relatable, and interesting. The mystery has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

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

Murder in a Teacup

by Vicki Delany

The Locality: Cape Cod Bay in North Augusta, Massachusetts
The Setting: Victoria-on-Sea, a B&B owned by the elderly Rose Campbell
Tea by the Sea, a tearoom on the B&B property operated by Rose’s granddaughter Lily Roberts
Friends: Bernie, AKA the Princess Warrior, a frustrated writer
Simon McCracken, horticulturalist from England hired as a temporary gardener
Pets: Rose’s cat Robbie
Lily’s Labradoodle, Éclair

Vicki Delany’s Murder in a Teacup centers around a family reunion with events at both businesses. The organizer is Heather, a very wealthy, young, New York widow who is paying all expenses for the trip for her grandmother and her estranged, greedy family—her father, mother, brother and his wife and their two teenagers—all from Idaho. Also included in the fun are Heather’s brother-in-law and his wife. No one seems to know that the other side of the family is invited. If you look up “dysfunctional” in the dictionary, you will probably find this family listed as an example.

There is a death that is possibly attributable to something served at one of the establishments. That is bad news for both businesses when the police shut down the tearoom. Not only are cancellations necessary, but social media is going to have a field day. Lily cooks for both facilities. Rose and Lily desperately need to be open as they depend on summer tourist income to get them through the winter. The further complication is that the murderer must still be at the B&B and is probably part of the family.

I kept changing my mind as to who the murderer is: an easy thing to do with so many unlikable characters. Pulling together possible motives is easier than pinpointing opportunity once the method of murder is discovered. The identity reveal comes as a shock to the characters and to the reader.

There are subplots that add interest. Lily’s life has an intense pace as she puts in 12-14 hour days seven days a week struggling to make both businesses succeed. Bernie gave up her Manhattan job as a forensic accountant to become a writer but is having trouble settling into her new profession. There are the barest beginnings of a romance for both young ladies. The pets are ever-present but don’t participate much in the action. I enjoyed watching the conflict between the two detectives on the case play out. One is lazy and fumbling. His counterpart is sharp and cares. Both are limited in what information they can share with Lily and the others making it more difficult for Lily, Rose, and Bernie in their informal investigations, but they persist anyway.

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

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #2 in the Tea by the Sea Mystery Series, but is excellent as a standalone as the author provides all needed background information while diving into the current story.
2. Recipes at the end of the book include Chocolate Chip Cookies for children’s tea, Shortbread Cookies, and Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches.

Publication: July 21, 2021—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

Plump orange and raisin scones in the middle, perfectly cut sandwiches on the bottom, delicious sweets on the top: a carefully controlled explosion of color, shape, and flavor.

Matt was a true-crime writer, successful enough to have been able to buy his family property when his father wanted to sell it, but not successful enough to be able to pay for all the renovations it needed.

“Stay!” Her ears dropped, her face crumbled, her tail drooped. Slowly, ever so slowly, she crawled under the table and sat down. She let out a mighty sigh and stared at me through enormous liquid brown eyes. “Drama queen,” I said as I bent over and reached under the table to give her an affectionate pat.

I was excited to read the second book in the Tea by the Sea series. Lily is busy with her tea shop as well as cooking for the guests at her grandmother Rose's bed and breakfast. When Rose invites her friend Sandra to visit, Sandra brings her entire family for a not so happy family reunion. When a member of the family, Ed, is poisoned after eating at the tea shop, Lily must solve the mystery and clear her name. While Rose is still not my favorite character, I like the other characters enough to offset this. The mystery kept me going back and forth until closer to the end.

The plot of the book was such a great page turner. The plot of the book was very well written. I truly cannot wait to read another wonderful book from this author. This was a truly great book. New author to me.

RATING: 4 STARS
2021; Kensington Books

Lily, Bernie, Rose and the gang are back! Rose's longtime friend comes to visit with her children, grandchildren and grandchildren. Her wealthy granddaughter brings her late husband's brother and sister-in-law as well. This party alone is keeping Lily busy at the B&B and Tea room. I love how Lily tries to avoid any involvement and only finds herself further in the middle of a murder. I am loving the cozy mysteries by Delany! I am hoping to start her other series, written under Eva Gates, and maybe try her Christmas series later this year.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

As much as I am a fan of Vicki Delany's work, this one was not one of my favorites. It has taken me several tries to make my way through it. I am trying to put my figure on what made this one different. Some of it was that it pushed the bounds of believability in a few areas. Like a police detective so easily confiding in a civilian. But I think it was just a matter of not connecting with Lily, the main character. I didn't dislike the book; I just did not like it as much as I like the author's other books.

Thank you to Kensington Books and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the Tea by the Sea Mystery series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The series features a great location and extremely likable characters, I'm particularly fond of Lily's grandmother Rose. The mystery has enough twists and turns to keep the reader entertained and is wrapped up nicely. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Murder in a Teacup, the second in Vicki Delany's Tea by the Sea Mystery series, finds Lily Roberts, grandmother Rose, and Lily's friend Bernie trying to solve a murder in the midst of a "family" reunion, all while running the tea shop and B&B.

Rose is excited to have long time friend Sandra McHenry and her family visiting the B&B. Unfortunately, this family defines dysfunctional. Sandra's granddaughter Heather married a much older man and became very wealthy upon his death, a fact that Heather's parents, brother, and sister-in-law resent. Heather's brother and his wife have serious marriage issues, and since Heather has paid for this event, her family treats her as their personal tour guide/activities host. Heather has invited them all to Rose's B&B for a reconciliation, but unknown to her family Heather has also invited her husband's brother Ed and his wife who have a long not-so-friendly history with the McHenry family. Following an afternoon tea at Lily's Tea-by-the-Sea tea shop, Ed becomes ill and dies. The majority feel Ed died of natural causes, however the police determine he was murdered. Lily and Rose, having been involved in a murder in the first book, a crime for which Rose was the main suspect, quickly decide that they need to investigate before Detective Williams tries to pin this murder on them. Involving Lily's best friend Bernie in the investigation, Lily is able to piece all of the clues together and with Rose's help capture the culprit.

This book draws you in from the start as the story picks up where the first book left off, with Lily spending the summer laser-focused on establishing her tea shop and trying to keep the B&B from going under. As with the author's other series, all of which are wonderful, the characters are complex, the setting detailed and well-defined and most importantly, the story is so well-written that just as you (and Lily) think you know who the murderer is you discover that both of your are wrong and very much surprised by the ending!

Even though part of a series you can read the book as a standalone as excellent backstory is provided without giving anything away from the first book, which, if you haven't read Tea & Treachery you should!

I highly recommend this series and will look forward to the next installment.

This is the second in the Tea by the Sea mystery series. I enjoyed the first book last year and was happy to see another book with chef Lily Roberts, her grandmother Rose, and their friends on Cape Cod. This time, Rose's old friend Sandra and her granddaughter Heather come the cape, having arranged a mini family reunion at Rose's B&B. Heather invited her estranged brother-in-law and his wife, trying to make amends after the two fell out after Heather's husband's death. There is a lot of sniping and ill will between the family group. but then someone is murdered in Lily's tearoom, and Lily, Rose and their friend Bernie swing in to action to find the killer before they strike again. I like this series because Lily doesn't investigate the murder because she thinks the police are incompetent; rather, she thinks that she can get information people may hide from the police and then she turns that information over to Detective Redmond. The location in Cape Cod is a strong reason why I like the book, as I have a longstanding yearning to visit the cape, but there really isn't much description of the setting; I wish Ms. Delaney would include more. The cast of characters that surround Lily are likable and realistic, and I'm especially impressed with her friendship with Bernie. Lily recognizes when her friend is being annoying and calls her out on it, for example, when Bernie is underfoot in her tiny kitchen, but offers unstinting support of Bernie's dream to be a writer. The love interests for both women are likable; heck, I'd date either one of them. And the twist at the end caught me off guard, so well done, Ms, Delaney, I can't wait for the third book in the series.

I want to like this series more than I do. The problem is that while Lily is main character I connect with, everybody around her is unpleasant and I can't figure out why she tolerates them. Her grandmother Rose is the worst, but her friend Bernie is almost as bad. I am not sure why I even finished it. The mystery is decent, but the endless parade of horrible characters ruined this one for me.

Murder in a Teacup by Vicki Delany is book two in the Tea by the Sea Mysteries. This was the first one I have read but was able to get current quickly.
This easy to read Cozy is full of plot twists and suspects. You will be guessing to the end. I like the main characters as they are relatable and likeable. I enjoyed the tea room setting. There is family and friendship. Overall, this is a great Cozy.
I was given an ARC by Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.