Pull up a cozy chair and pour a steaming cup of tea as we settle back into life at the B&B. Unfortunately, this serene place has murder about. Lily's grandmother has friends visiting the B&B alongside the scrumptious tearoom. Suddenly a family member dies, from poisoned tea that he alone drank.

Lily has to scramble alongside her grandmother, Rose, to find the murderer before she loses everything she's built up.

Murder in a Teacup is another great book from Vicki Delany! Murder in Teacup is the second installment of A Tea by the Sea Mystery series. The book opens up when Rose’s friend, Sandra, and her family stay at Rose’s B & B. Ever since the family arrived, they have done nothing but bicker with each other. Their bickering flowed all the way into Tea by the Sea restaurant that is run by Rose’s granddaughter, Lily. When one of the people in Sandra’s party ends up dead from specialized tea served at Tea by the Sea, Lily, Rose, and their friends are on the case to find out what happened.

Murder in the Teacup is full of twists and has an unexpected ending. I highly recommend this book. I believe a mystery lover will love this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book! (This review is also on GoodReads.)

Lily and her grandmother Rose are getting ready for an old friend to come visit with her whole family. This family reunion is unfortunately going to take a turn for the worse. One of the family members dies after drinking tea of his own concoction at Lily's tea shop, Lily has to find out what happened before her restaurant takes the fall.

I made the mistake of listening to this one on audio. The narrator changed between the first book and this one and it was definitely not for the better. Other than the audio, I really enjoyed this story. I love Lily as a character and I find her so great to read about. I love her relationships with everyone. I do feel like she's a bit run over by her grandmother and her friend. I do hope to see her grow a backbone in upcoming books in the series. The ending of this one took me completely by surprise. I had no idea that was coming! I can't wait to see what is next for Lily!

A bed and breakfast, and a tea shop by the sea? Yes, please!
Thoroughly enjoying this series so far!

This was a fun read where you didn't know who the killer was and there were plenty of suspects and potential secrets being kept so Lily, her Grandma Rose and Lily's bestie Bernie have their work cut out for them. I haven't read the first book in the series but that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this and wanting to go back and read the first book to see how it all began for Lily. The characters were great and I especially loved Bernie and how Lily would try to get her back on track with her book, there are some love interests to intrigue you, guest you will dislike and distrust as well as the mention of food that makes your mouth water and a B&B that makes you want to visit it. When you finally find out who the killer is and the motive its a fantastic surprise and for one person you are torn for feeling bad for them and not! I can not wait to read more in this series.

Vicki Delany's second Tea by the Sea mystery is out, and I'm definitely hooked on this fun new series. In "Murder in a Teacup," Lily Roberts is busy establishing her new Cape Cod tearoom, Tea by the Sea, while making sure her colorful (in every way) grandmother, Rose, stays out of trouble. Lily also provides the breakfasts for guests staying at her grandmother's nearby B&B. A large family books a stay, and when they arrive with much emotional baggage in tow, it's inevitable that Lily and Rose get caught up in the family squabbles.

For Lily, this would all be mere annoyance except for the fact that the family of malcontents comes to tea one afternoon and one of the male guests—who insisted on drinking his own special blend of tea—ends up dead. Police close the tearoom and cart off the teatime fare so they can investigate the deadly event. Yes, the tea was the culprit, but of course we know that Lily didn't poison the man's tea. So who did? Just when we think we know who the killer might be, Delany delivers a twist that makes us consider someone else.

Returning characters like Lily's aspiring-novelist friend, Bernadette, and single friend and gardener, Simon, are welcome additions and provide a family feel to the cast. Delany also does a great job of making the picturesque Cape Cod setting one we would all like to visit, and her descriptions of the tea menus will make mouths water.

The planting of clues in this book is quite well done, and when I got to the end, I had to smile and say, "Ah! That's why she mentioned x a couple of times!" I love it when the clues are subtle yet significant, and she handles them with a deft touch.

If you haven't yet checked out this series, I strongly suggest that you set aside an afternoon with a pot of tea and give it a try.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Lily’s grandmother Rose is looking forward to hosting the family of a dear old friend at her B & B. Right from the start, it is clear this “family reunion” is neither wanted nor appreciated by all involved. There are some deep chasms that time together is not improving. No one, however, anticipates one of the guests would be felled by a poisoned cup of tea at Lily’s tea room. Naturally the cop whom Lily bested in finding a previous killer looks upon this as serendipity. He delights in doing things to harm Lily’s business and reputation.

But when forensics determines the cause of death was a tea that the deceased brought himself, even he has to widen his search. With all the animosity that abounds in this extended family, there is no shortage of suspects. But how to find the real culprit and bring him or her to justice. Between Lily, her grandmother and her best friend, and another detective with an open mind, there are lots of secrets that are unearthed. But it is not until there have been close calls and lots of obfuscation that the mastermind is revealed. And it is a shocker.

The B & B and tea room are a pleasant way to spend some hours. The characters are likeable and do not go off half cocked getting themselves into deep trouble. It is a place I like to visit and I hope there are more opportunities to do so. Four purrs and two paws up.

Murder in a Teacup by Vicki Delany is the 2nd A Tea by the Sea Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you have not had time to indulge in Tea & Treachery. Everything a new reader needs to know is included. The author provides beautiful descriptions of North Augusta, Massachusetts where Lily’s grandmother, Rose runs Victoria-on-Sea Bed and Breakfast and Lily Roberts has her cozy teashop, Tea by the Sea. Rose has her friend, Sandra visiting from Iowa along with her family. Her granddaughter, Heather is footing the bill for the family reunion. Their bickering and backbiting is fraying the staff’s nerves. Lily is happy she has her cottage to retreat to at the end of the day. Unfortunately, one of the family members end up dead from poisoning casting suspicion on Lily and her staff. Lily wonders which one of the family members committed the evil deed. She intends to find out since another death has once again closed down her tea shop. I found Murder in a Teacup easy to read with a fun cast of characters. I love Lily’s grandmother, Rose. She is a classy lady. I also like Lily who is an excellent baker and her cute dog, Éclair. There are some good secondary characters that include Simon, the English gardener, and Matt, the new neighbor. I am not as enamored with Lily’s friend, Bernie. I find her flighty and annoying. The mystery was straightforward. There was a family of suspects along with misdirection. A piece of information early in the book provided me with the killer’s identity. It also helped me guess some secrets that would be revealed at the end of the book. I wish the whodunit had been more of a challenge (I love a good puzzle). There are mouthwatering descriptions of Lily’s baked goods that includes orange zest scones. I like learning about the various types of tea, foods served at teatime, and the different types of tea pots. I loved the description of Lily’s special china she received when she was eighteen. There are recipes at the end of the book for the tempting teats featured in the book. I enjoyed reading this lighthearted cozy mystery set by the sea. Murder in a Teacup is a cute Cape Cod cozy with bickering brethren, delectable delights, a gifted gardener, a bespoke brew, a cat conundrum, and a malicious murder.

What I Liked:

Cape Cod. A good cozy set a great scene, and Murder in a Teacup is right up there. The bed and breakfast/tea house sits on a bluff overlooking the sea, with beautiful gardens filled with native plants and meandering paths. The nearby town has quaint shops and beautiful sunsets, boardwalks to eat ice cream and ride your bike. I want to visit!

Lily and Simon. Okay, so they are moving glacially slow. However, I have to keep in mind that this is only book two, and Simon is a delectable potential love interest. Charming British accent, rides a motorcycle, knows his plants AND knows how to bake? Count me in. I wish Lily would get out of her own way and let them blossom (pun intended), but I did love each and every moment that Lily and Simon spent together.

The Dysfunctional Family Trope. Yet again, I find myself engrossed in a murder mystery centering on a dysfunctional family who all have various motives to kill the victim. While Ed wasn’t as unlikeable as many other cozy victims, he still lived enough life to make many enemies, and most of those enemies are there drinking tea with him. I love this trope because perfect families are boring, and the more insane a family is, the harder the murder is to solve. Vicki Delany sure knows how to write a good mystery.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Lily, Rose, and Bernie. Rose and Bernie, Lily’s grandmother and best friend respectively, are amateur sleuths and professional bullies when it comes to getting what they want from Lily. They are relentless and constantly interfering with Lily running her tea business. While the first book was significantly more egregious with Rose and Bernie walking all over Lily, Murder in a Teacup only slightly mitigates their overbearing influence. Could Lily lighten up? Sure. However, the two of them aren’t interfering with Lily for her benefit, but rather their own.

The Police Force. While I am happy that the newer Detective Redmond is receptive and more competent than her partner, the bumbling Detective Williams, both characters are caricatures of law enforcement. Redmond is described as never relaxing, always looking cop-like even off duty, and never not “on,” while Williams is described as an overweight, lazy, old white man cop who loves publicity and not dealing with his upstart colleague. I know that this gives Lily and the gang room to investigate, but Williams and Redmon deserve more personality than this.

The Pace. I can’t really explain it, but Murder in a Teacup dragged for me. The murder was interesting, but didn’t occur until 30% into the book, and the red herrings and thrilling conclusion couldn’t disguise a meandering time getting to the finish line. Worth the wait, but I did skim a bit in the middle.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie

I enjoyed this second in series even more than the first, Tea and Treachery! This talented author brings us a refreshingly different cast of characters, a gorgeous Cape Cod setting, humor, and a mystery with a most unlikely set of sleuths and bad guys.

Grandma Rose owned her gorgeous home-turned-B&B on a bluff overlooking Cape Cod Bay three years before in desperation she asked her granddaughter, Lily, to come help her. Victoria-by-Sea has enjoyed many guests to date. Lily’s primary role there is to prepare breakfast and bake. The bulk of this talented chef’s time is spent at Tea by the Sea, her tearoom converted from an old structure on the property. She caters to tourists and locals, specializing in afternoon tea and excellent baked goods.

Sandra, an old friend of Rose from the decades she lived in Iowa, and Sandra’s family, including the in-laws of her beloved granddaughter, Heather, will be at Rose’s for a family reunion. Heather had married a man who later sold his start-up company for a huge sum of money. They moved to Manhattan and Heather had the life she could never have imagined. He was hit and killed by a cabbie shortly after their move. When Sandra and Heather were going to Victoria-by-Sea, Sandra talked Heather into making it a family reunion and perhaps settle old differences between everyone.

It wasn’t a fun reunion. Except for Sandra, the family squabbled like little children. There was one issue nobody wanted to get over. Heather’s family, the McHenrys, and her late husband’s family, the Frenches, were not willing to set aside long-ago business differences. A couple days into the vacation, the entire family met at Tea by the Sea for a royal afternoon tea. Heather’s brother-in-law Ed wasn’t feeling well that evening and didn’t join the family when they went out to dinner. Late that night, his wife Trisha called an ambulance; he was taken to the hospital and later died. Several tried to blame Lily’s tearoom staff until opposing family members squabbled more family dirty laundry.

The regular characters are likable and well depicted. Rose and her old friend Sandra are octogenarians but seem at least a decade younger. They enjoy evenings on the veranda talking about their lives, families, and old times in Iowa. Lily most resembles Rose in appearance, but the outgoing personality of Bernie, a childhood friend of Lily, is like Rose’s. When it comes to adventure, Rose and Bernie are in it from the first minute; Lily, an introvert, is usually reluctant to go along. One thing I appreciated is that Lily’s primary focus is the B&B for Rose and establishing the tearoom as opposed to actively seeking a relationship.

Rose and Bernie were prepared to do all they can to find who killed Ed so Sandra’s family could go back to Iowa and Rose’s next booked guests can arrive unhindered. Lily was a reluctant sleuth, at least until Rose’s life was put in jeopardy, then the gloves came off. She asked questions and gathered information and brainstormed with Bernie and Rose. There was no end of suspects in this family! Nobody felt right, however, and oh, was I surprised to learn the truth! The ultimate plot twist showed who the real killer was. The mystery and ending are very satisfying, and I highly recommend it.

-Genre
Culinary cozy mystery

-Opening Lines
“Do you suppose this is what heaven smells like?”
“I wouldn't be at all surprised, but I hope once I get there, I don't have to do all the work. I love baking, but I wouldn't want to think it's all I'll do throughout eternity.”
Simon McCracken sipped his tea. “Maybe you'll have an enormous staff of assistant bakers and kitchen helpers. I wouldn't mind being heaven's chief gardener.”
I smiled at him as I patted a ball of dough with sticky, floury hands. As I did several times a day, I was making currant scones for afternoon tea. “If we can't be in heaven, then North Augusta, Massachusetts, in late June is a pretty close second.”
Simon drained his cup and put it in the dishwasher. “I'll second that. Time to get back at it. Thanks for the tea." I looked up at the hesitation in his voice, then followed the direction of his eyes.
“Yes,” I said, “you may have a strawberry tart.”

-My description

Lily, owner and chief baker at her tearoom located on the grounds of grandmother Rose’s B&B overlooking Cape Cod, is looking forward to a busy summer season when an old friend of Rose comes to stay and her extended family joins her. Tension abounds, culminating in an afternoon tea where one member of the family is poisoned and dies. Lily is forced to shut down and all her baked goods are seized. Lily and Rose are joined by gardener Simon and best friend Bernie to solve the murder and save the tearoom.

-How it made you feel
Like booking a stay at a Cape Cod B&B (minus the family dram and murder, of course!)

-Favorite part
The ending, I didn’t see it coming at all.

-One-word description
Charming

-Would you recommend?
A big thank you to whichever bookish friend suggested reading at least 3 volumes of any cozy mystery series before passing judgement. I liked, didn’t love, the first in this series. But book 2 is a fantastic read. The recurring characters—Lily, Rose, Bernie, Simon and others—really start to click and the Cape Cod setting is lovely, not to mention all the descriptions of baking, food, and tea. Sprinkle in some witty dialogue and throw in a family where almost everyone has a reason to dislike someone else. And a murder, of course.

Thank you @kensingtonbooks and @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this visit to North Augusta. The mystery was well laid out and the story moved quickly. Lily's tearoom is definitely somewhere I would love to visit as well as the B&B her grandmother, Rose, runs, although Rose is somewhat annoying. Lily's friends and staff are loveable and make the whole story so much more engrossing. As for the mystery, there were so many characters involved but it wasn't confusing. I did, however, figure out the murderer fairly early on but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book. Looking forward to the next one.

I really enjoy this series! The tea theme is fantastic, and the author does a great job of fleshing out the characters and the setting. The story was well-paced, and I had so much fun trying to solve the mystery.

Lily’s grandmother Rose owned the B&B next door to Lily’s café, Tea by the Sea, and during tourist season both were filled to capacity with visitors. When Rose’s old friend Sandra McHenry arrived with all her family, for the family reunion which had been decades in the making, little did everyone know that before too many days were over, someone would be dead. But between the McHenry’s and the French’s, the reunion was filled with arguing, back-biting, bickering, snarling at one another folks who shouldn’t have attended. And Lily and Rose couldn’t work out why they all came.

But it was Lily’s café and Lily’s teapot and delectable foods which came under fire when one of the family members died. And the police closing both places until they had the evidence they needed would see both Rose and Lily out of pocket in peak tourist season. So Lily, Bernie and Rose decided to do their own investigation to speed things up. But would they flesh out the killer before someone else was hurt?

Murder in a Teacup is the 2nd in the Tea by the Sea Mysteries by Vicki Delany and I enjoyed it. Light, entertaining and fun, the mystery was good – I didn’t pick the perpetrator at all! The location on the edge of the sea at Cape Cod was delightful – I could visualize the beauty of the place. I’d love to stay at that B&B as well – well written and satisfying, I’m looking forward to #3. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I only just learned today that Vicki Delany also writes as Eva Gates, that makes me so happy! I have enjoyed reading so many of her books written under both names. Any time a new book is announced it gets added to the wish list so I won't forget.

I love the detail that Vicki provides regarding the traditional English tea service. I also love how she is able to get you to feel the necessary emotions (like, love, or hate) as she introduces the characters. I immediately felt a strong dislike towards Sandra and her entire family! I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

Highly recommend Vicki's books to everyone!

Bk #2 in series, but the first one I've read. I didn't feel lost. I liked the characters and the setting. Loved the idea of a tea house. I look forward to visiting the place again in the next book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in this series and it is even better then the first. This series has great characters and is set in a wonderful location. I cannot wait for the next book.

This story is properly titled given the method of murder, but who could have done it. Several people as it turns out, had both motive and means. Except for Rose, she did not have the motive regardless of what the local detective might try to pin on her. Good thing Lily is around to help keep her Grandmother Rose out of trouble, even though Bernie and Rose try to proverbial PIs. Not sure how Lily doesn’t get as steamed as her tea with their misadventures. This second cozy is just as good as the first, with an engaging group of characters who offer not only a stiff cup of tea but also a stiff upper lip. Which will be quite necessary when dealing with the McHenry family, creating such chaos and discord. Unlike this plot which keeps you at the table wanting more. Twists and turns and a little romance maybe? Definitely some nice recipes to try out in the back of the book, who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven? I for one am going to try my hand at the Darjeeling poached chicken sandwiches.

I'll be honest I did not like the first book in this series. I am a big fan of Ms. Delany and her pen name Eva Gates. She is a talented writer and I enjoy getting lost in all her book series but the first book of this one I just did not enjoy. That being said, I am glad I gave it another shot because this book was sooooooooo much better!

I enjoy Delany's ability to create strong, smart, sassy female protagonists, side kicks and other colorful characters and Lily Roberts is no slouch. She not only makes traditional English breakfasts for her grandmother's B&B but runs a tea room that puts out absolutely delicious treats (even if I do hate raisins) and some sleuthing on the side. This time a friend of Lily's grandmother, Rose, and her family arrive at the B&B amidst a tumult of family drama. I found myself frustrated at first because this batch was so unlikeable I thought "here we go again" with the first book but the intrigue was strong and I adore Lily's best friend Bernie and her ever changing novel plot.

I do look forward to more books in this series. I hope Ms. Delany keeps them coming in all her series!

NOT my favorite read as of late. There were too many negatives for me to fully enjoy the book [I really dislike Rose and I am not 100% sure why, but every time she's in a scene I find myself grinding my teeth and waiting for her to leave the scene, which is tough when she is in most of the book. There were too many characters shoved at you at the beginning to deal with and NONE OF THEM WERE LIKEABLE, Lily is a workaholic AND lets people walk all over her and never stands up for herself, especially with Rose etc etc etc] and I had a lot of the murder plot figured out early on [the who and the what and the how and the why, though I did get a teeny bit of it wrong, if you an call it that] and the fact that the police were totally just working with Lily was such a turn off for me [why would the cops all of the sudden be okay with giving them TONS of info and be okay with Lily doing work for them? It was totally a 180 that was very jarring and so not believable].

I will probably read one more of these because I totally am about waiting to get into a series and its been proven to me over and over that sometimes it takes until book 4 for it all to settle; I am hoping that this the case here. I so want to enjoy these books, because the good about them is VERY good. Who wouldn't want to stay in Cape Cod and have high tea [orange scones!! Yes please] amongst friends and sunshine and the water? The way these scenes are written make you want to be RIGHT THERE RIGHT NOW and that is a huge bonus with this series. If the focus was on this and the mystery, it would almost be a perfect book IMO. So here's hoping.

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