I enjoyed reading about the three rookies, Vivian, Jenna, and Gracie. I love their relationship. How fun to have a job where you truly enjoy your co-workers and are true friends with them. Everyone has problems and a past. It was nice to see how these characters worked through their past so they could be happy in their future. I enjoyed the story line and the characters. I wouldn’t mind being with these folks again and seeing just what does happen in their future. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

When a loner is murdered Vivian Wainwright, owner of the British-style Misty Bay Tearoom decides to investigate. She sees a picture of the murdered man in the newspaper and notices a statue of Big Ben that was sold from her shop. Along with her two employees to help her she tries to track down the statue and find the murderer. Enjoyable cozy.

Amusing story of the women who work in a tearoom who play sleuth when a beachcomber is found dead, and the quaint townspeople who stand with them.

Who killed Lewis the beachcomber? And, who put the diamond in the Big Ben statue in his home? Those are the questions Vivian sets out to answer in this classic cozy set in a tearoom. Know in advance that there's lots of discussion about sweets (yum). Jenna, who works for Vivian is sweet on Det. Tony Messina, who is frustrated with the case (and with Vivian, Jenna, and Gracie) so of course Vivian sets out to solve it. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This is admittedly unrealistic in spots but it's a light read that entertains.

This second book in the Misty Bay Tea Room cozy mystery series stars tea shop owner Vivian Wainright. Vivian is in her early 60s and a widow. She's living her dream of owning a tea shop featuring many of her mother's favorite British recipes.

When Vivian learns of the death of beachcomber Lewis Trenton and sees a souvenir she sold a visitor to her tea shop in the photos the accompany the newspaper article, she becomes determined to find someone who knew him so that they can mourn his death.

As Vivian and her shop assistants Jenna and Gracie try to track down the purchaser of the souvenir, they discover a number of things including a diamond that was part of a recent jewelry store robbery. As they trace the path the souvenir followed, they find a lot of suspicious people who could be the fence who brokered the jewelry store robbery. Vivian's decision to be sure which one is the prime suspect for the position of fence before informing the police, puts her in a lot of danger.

The story also includes Vivian's new romantic relationship with Hal who owns the local pet shop and her fears that she might be showing the early signs of dementia because she keeps forgetting where she has left things. The story also includes her new rescue dog Felix who adds the pet component to this cozy mystery.

I enjoyed the story.

DNF at 30%

This one is a case of its not you it's me.

I don't know if it was just me being tired, if it was the Covid brain fog hitting hard, I just couldn't get myself to come back and finish this one.

My apologies to the author, I am sure this is a wonderful story and many others will absolutely love it

This was a bit disappointing to me. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't as fully fleshed out as I would have liked. The characters felt a bit flat, and the sleuthing wasn't as realistic. I will try the next book in the series.

I enjoy a good cup of tea. I had the chance to read the first book in the Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery series, In Hot Water. I'm happy to say that all the charm I enjoyed from the first book was found in the second book, In Too Steep. The characters, setting, and mystery in this book is wonderful. I felt as if I was enjoying tea and solving the mystery alongside the characters.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. I look forward to the next book in this series!

3 1/2 Stars

In Too Steep by Kate Kingsbury is the second book in the Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery series. This was an interesting story but something was missing for me. I like the characters but I couldn't get into why Vivian Wainwright, owner of the Willow Pattern Tea Room and amateur sleuth, insisted on finding someone to mourn the beachcomber who was murdered. It just didn't add up for me so I didn't get that page-turner feeling from this book. I can say that the characters are well-developed and I enjoyed the developing relationship between tea room server Jenna Ramsey and police detective Tony Messina.

In Too Steep is the second book of this new Misty Bay series. The things I like going for this book is our lead, Vivian is a sexagenarian widow with spunk and that there was a different spin when she confronted the mystery and eventually, the killer. The small town of Misty Bay and the series seems promising enough. I just dont like how Vivian decides.. and her blatant disregard of the police until she is "sure". And how many times will Vivian break her promise?

I like the flow of the story and how the characters buildup. I like how bold the characters and the author were able to input lessons in life that somehow touch me throughout the story.

This is book 2 of the series (In Hot Water is book 1) and my introduction to Vivian and her crew. It's a fun little cozy that half the readers will deduce the possible killer early, but just not know why until late in the book. But it's an enjoyable read, that will satisfy those "I cant go on vacation' vibes you might be having right now, and perfect for reading if you are on vacation on the beach too!

Not much happening in this one, it was laid-back, with mild intrigue, excitement, and captivation. Not as captivating as I wanted but entertaining nonetheless.

In Too Steep is the second book in the Misty Bay Tearoom series, but the first one I read. And given all the hints given by the author regarding the first one, I felt really caught up on the characters' background, which was great.
It was a compelling cozy mystery and I really enjoyed it.

In Too Steep by Kate Kingsbury, with its punny title, beautiful cover, and intriguing description, tempted me enough to request an advanced copy from #NetGalley. The book is proficiently written and promises a page-turning mystery and two budding romances to sweeten the pages.
However, it gets bogged down by drawn-out descriptions and excessive thought processes of the main character, which quickly become repetitive and overwhelm the actual plot of the story. It reads as though the author had a word count she had to meet and padded the book accordingly.
But even well-written padding is still padding.
As a result, I struggled to get into the book, care about its characters, or find interest in the well-buried mystery. This just isn't the author for me.

'In Too Steep' is a classically, well done cozy mystery. The main character is perhaps unreasonably snoopy and there is an engaging cast of complimentary characters. The locale in Oregon and in a Tea Room is delightful, as is the budding romance. There is a suspenseful mystery and many potential suspects. I look forward more in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Second book in the Misty room tea shop mystery series. The book has a very very relaxing setting and has fun characters.

Obligatory this is the second in a series and I did not read the first. In this book, Vivian has an adopted dog, Felix, who I found Annoying and Uninteresting. This book also has a lot of ‘thriller’ elements — it surrounds a diamond theft and then a ‘surprise’! murder. It’s paced kind of weirdly, and there’s multiple points of view, which I Also Hated. There are incredible food descriptions, but no recipes in the back. 2.75 stars from me, rounded up to 3 stars for NetGalley.

I enjoy cozies, and this one does not disappoint. Vivian owns an English Tea Room on the Oregon Coast. When a beach comber is found dead she feels sorry for the man. Then she notices in a newspaper photo that he owned a Big Ben replica that only she sold. She decided someone had to give it to him, so she found the original buyer who had given it to a friend. This starts Vivian on an adventure to locate the person who gave Lewis, (the beach comber) the little statue. Soon she and her friends are involved in the murder and a jewel heist.

These books are relaxing and fun. The characters are likeable and there are some potential romances in the offing as well. Felix, Vivian's adopted dog, adds a bit of "ah gee" to the story. If you loved cozies, especially with more mature characters, this is the story for you.

Vivian has realized her ambition to own a tea shop featuring her English mother's recipes. The business is thriving, keeping Vivian and her two employees busy. When the body of Lewis Trenton, a recluse, is found shot to death in his run down cabin it touches something in Vivian's heart. No one should die without being acknowledged and she doesn't think the police are doing enough to find anyone who knew the man. When she sees a newspaper photo of the interior of Lewis's cabin she recognizes a souvenir model of Big Ben sold in her shop. Lewis didn't buy it and she wonders how it came to be in his cabin. Looking through her sales records she finds the name of the buyer and assumes that person gave it to Lewis as a gift. Vivian only wants to let someone who knew him know that he died. And there begins a dangerous search. Despite her dear friend Hal's pleas to let the police investigate, Vivian is on the trail of a killer.
This is a nail biting adventure with a bit of romance thrown in. I could have used fewer "go potty" references as regards Vivian's dog Felix.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the opportunity to read the second in the Misty Bay Tea Room series.