The peace and tranquility of the Misty Bay Tearoom is rocked by murder and a long-buried secret hidden in a most unlikely place in bestselling author Kate Kingsbury’s second charming book for fans of Cleo Coyle and Laura Childs.

It seemed like a simple case: the murder of Lewis Trenton, a beachcomber who lived alone in a cabin in the Oregon hills. But the newspaper article piques the interest of Vivian Wainwright, owner of the British-style Misty Bay Tearoom. The photo accompanying the article shows Lewis’s cluttered living room, and on the shelf is a replica of Big Ben. Vivian is sure she sold the clock a week before in her shop. Who could have given the replica to Lewis?
Vivian seems to find all the right places to be when she needs to be there she finds the replica of Big Ben and uncovers clues that take her to discover things that we hope leads her to a killer. But alas her hopes of solving this quickly are not to be. She locks on to the killer in a surprising way and uncovers the truth and brings peace back to the tearoom and much to everyone's pleasure. I would love to visit a tearoom like hers.

Kate Kingsbury's new novel In Too Steep is a comfy down home mystery that has clean content and a refreshing tone. It is a charming story with delightful characters.

Synopsis:
Lewis Trenton enjoyed spending time searching the shoreline looking for treasures. He was a loner so when he was murdered it was a shock to Vivian Wainwright. Vivian is a bit of an amateur detective and can't help but wonder why Lewis was killed. Rumors spread quickly that Lewis was involved in a fencing ring. Vivian is determined to find out the truth.

What I appreciate about the story:
Vivian makes you feel like she is someone you would enjoy having as a family member. She loves to cook her mom's recipes and home baked goodies are her favorite. The friendship between the ladies in the book is warm. I especially enjoyed the cute and loveable dog Felix. Kingsbury included just the right amount of romance sprinkled in to make the story shine.
(4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for allowing me to review this e-book. I appreciate your kindness. In Too Steep will be published August 9th.

In Too Steep was the perfect cozy mystery to read on a weekend afternoon. It had all of the ingredients to keep you guessing along with some really great characters.

Murder invades the Misty Bay Tearoom and although it seemed like an easy case, it's not and Vivian wants to know who killed Lewis Trenton. Unable to keep from doing a bit of sleuthing she discovers that the victim was part of a jewelry heist the previous month.

The police think he was double-crossed when he tried to sell the goods. And Vivian seems to agree.

Great cast and fun storyline, really enjoyed reading this book.

This was a nice cozy mystery. It is set in a tearoom on the Oregon coast ran by Vivian and her assistants Jenna and Gracie. The mystery revolves around a replica of Big Ben, stolen diamonds, and the death of a local beachcomber.

I appreciate having and older heroine who has a love interest. I am someone who likes some romance with my cozy mysteries. I think I enjoyed the romance of her assistant Jenna and Detective Messina more than Vivian and Hal. I just didn't feel their connection as strongly, just my opinion.

I will admit that I did not know who the killer was until Vivian realized the key to the killer's identity, which is always a big plus. I like to be surprised or at least be close to the end before I know the guilty party.

In Too Steep did not disappoint. A great read for an afternoon of mystery and enjoying tea.

This is the 2nd book in the Misty Bay Tearoom series. Vivian, of English descent, owns the Willow Pattern Tearoom in Misty Bay Oregon.This author does have several long standing cozy mystery series this being her latest . This is the first cozy mystery I've read by this popular author.

I connected immediately with Vivian and her 2 staff Jenna and Gracie. I liked that they were in different age groups and not just co-workers, but also friends. They were friends who helped each other with life's problems. They worked side by side and sleuthed the same way.

When a local man who lived a withdrawn, solitary life, is murdered in his shack the 3 women are drawn in to find out who did it. Vivian especially did not want this man to be buried with no justice and also tried to find someone who may have been a friend of his.

The last 20% of this book was heart pounding. I was yelling at the book like I sometimes yell at my TV!
I didn't guess "who done it" but was very satisfied with the outcome.

There is also a cute and heroic dog, named Felix who had a great role..There also was concentration placed on the 3 women's romantic situations all around the story.

I m sure you will want some scones with clotted cream and a cuppa while reading this book. I also felt the Pacific Northwest location was perfect.

Thanks so much to NetGalley. Crooked Lane Books and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. It publishes on 8/9/2022.

Like the earlier books in this series, these are very deliberately paced books that are more focused on the characters’ relationships. A nice development in one of these at the end of this book. A very reliable if somewhat slow moving series.

An easy to read book. It had all you like. Crime, sleuthing, love. The Hero is an Olper woman and her Friends.

This wasn't the fastest paced book I've read but it did hold my interest. I love cozy mysteries and this did not disappoint. There were areas where the writing could be improved through better editing, but overall, it was worth the read. I wish the dog had a larger role, but oh well. I love that the main character finally acknowledges her feelings for friend. If someone likes cozy mysteries, I think they would enjoy this book.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the beautiful cover. I thought it was bright and cheerful and reminded me of spring. This led me to read the description and I knew this book was for me. Although I’ve heard good things about the Author this is the first time I’ve read one of her cozy mysteries. Even though I’m a coffee drinker this tea shop mystery had me longing for a cup of tea. I have English blood flowing through my veins so this book captured me completely. I was drawn in from the beginning and gradually I felt like I was being pulled more into the story as the mystery grew more intense. Close to the ending I found myself on the edge of my seat. This cozy mystery was unpredictable, entertaining and I didn’t want to put the book down. I fell in love with the characters and I want to read book one of this series.

Vivian Wainwright is the sixty year old owner of an English Tea Room. She has two employees working in her tea room, Gracie Jackson and Jenna Ramsey. Vivian is the proud owner of Flix, a dog that she recently adopted. She is on the threshold of a new romance with her friend Hal Douglas. In fact romance is in the air as Jenna is smitten by Detective Lieutenant Tony Messina and he with her. The town is stirred up over a recent murder of 65 year old beachcomber Lewis Trenton. The man was a hermit, lived alone with no family or friends. The question is why would someone kill him because he kept to himself and never bothered anyone?

While reading the story of his murder in the newspaper, Vivian notices in a picture of the inside of his cabin, a model of Big Ben. These models were sold exclusively in her tea room and she had imported them from England to sell in her shop. She can’t recall that Lewis came into her shop at anytime so someone must have bought it from the tea room and gifted it to him. Could this Big Ben model somehow fit in with Lewis’s murder? Vivian has promised she will not investigate anymore murder cases but the sleuth in her will not allow her to let Detective Messina do his job without her help.

I recommend this book to readers of Cozy mystery and fans of the Author. It can be read as a stand alone but I recommend first reading book one In Hot Water. This book is scheduled to be released on 8/9/22

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are my own.

#InTooSteep#NetGalley

In the second book in the series, we follow the exploits of the main character, Vivian, owner of the Misty Bay Tea Room. In this book, she faces doubts about getting involved in a murder investigation, based on the danger it brought to her and one of her workers in the first book. And she doesn't even know the dead man. But a porcelain figure of Big Ben, that appeared to come from her gift shop, showed up in the murdered man's home. She loses the battle with her sense of danger and jumps in with both feet.

I struggled with this book. The writing was well developed. And the solution was a good one. But my problem was that the author spent so much time on the romances of the main character, and one of her assistants, and then the other assistant. She would go on for page after page describing those relationships in great detail and in significant amounts of dialogue. A little love life is fine for a mystery novel. But when the readers are screaming to get back to the mystery, the book has gone down the other paths too far.

With a little less of the romantic subplots, this could have been a ripping good mystery. Please stick with the mystery next time.

I really enjoy this series. The are no shortage of tea cozies but this entry was very good. Interesting plot they kept me reading.

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It seemed like a simple case: the murder of Lewis Trenton, a beachcomber who lived alone in a cabin in the Oregon hills. But the newspaper article piques the interest of Vivian Wainwright, owner of the British-style Misty Bay Tearoom. The photo accompanying the article shows Lewis’s cluttered living room, and on the shelf is a replica of Big Ben. Vivian is sure she sold the clock a week before in her shop. Who could have given the replica to Lewis?

Unable to keep from doing a bit of sleuthing, Vivian hunts down the replica in a local thrift shop, noticing that the base is missing, rendering it worthless, but just as Vivian is about to throw it in the trash, a sparkle catches her eye. It’s a diamond, hidden away in a crevice in the clock. Vivian takes the diamond to Detective Tony Messina, who identifies it as part of a jewelry heist in Portland a month earlier. Portland police think Lewis was the fence who sold the jewels, and that he was killed after double-crossing the thieves—but Messina doesn’t believe the story.

What was the true motive behind Lewis’s murder? How did he come upon the diamond? And what secrets can the clock tell—before the killer strikes again? (Goodreads Synopsis)

I have not read any of Kate Kingsbury’s novels prior to this one.

I liked everything up to how the main sleuth, Vivian, handled her solution. It always bothers me when the character forgets that they are actual law enforcement and potentially put themselves, and others, in danger. Read the novel to find out what I mean, because that is all I am saying. It was also the only thing that bothered.

I enjoyed Vivian, Gracie, and Jenna and all of their interactions. I felt like they were all sisters and not employer with employees. They all seemed to genuinely care for one another. I think it also gave me insight for an older sister with two bickering sisters. It’s soft-hearted without being malicious.

The two ongoing romances were perfectly pitched as an undercurrent, and not at all distracting. Vivian and Hal are the best example of it doesn’t matter how old you are. But I was also glad to see Jenna and Messina begin. I will have to read the first novel to understand exactly what they had to overcome, but I didn’t feel that I was missing anything. The author does a great job of giving enough detail that the reader isn’t lost, but not so much that the reader knows everything about the first book.

I love the interactions with Felix. Though I kept thinking he was a smaller dog than what was featured on the cover. It doesn’t matter anyway, because whenever Felix is mentioned, he basically stole the show.

Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

No one enjoys the Great British Baking Show as much as I do, and I loved that Vivian opened an authentic British tea shop with authentic British baked goods, and I knew just exactly what Vivian was baking. Thank you Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry, and Prue Leith!

On the heels of solving a murder with her two employees/friends, Vivian sees a picture of the house of the hermit who was recently murdered. In the background was a statue that had been purchased at her shop and she can't give up looking until she finds the person who gave it to him. With Jenna, Gracie, and her newly adopted dog, Felix to help her, Vivian methodically follows the trail of the statue where it leads.

Very cleverly written cozy mystery. The characters are delightful and romance is in the air. As the book goes on several of the characters are finding themselves in new relationships, new roommates, new friends, the series has a lot of leeway in where the characters can go now and I hope the author keeps series going.

I enjoyed In Too Steep and can definitely see myself reading the whole series, if only.to keep an eye on Gracie and Felix and see how much trouble they can get into. Those two add comic relief in every tense situation. It's great to see the three main characters get closer and build lasting ties.

#MistyBayTeaRoomMysteries #Book2 #KateKingsbury #InTooSteep #CrookedLaneBooks #TheQuickBrownFoxAndCompanyLLC #Netgalley #ARC #murder #WomenDetectives

I absolutely love a cozy mystery, especially when I need a break from hard core thrillers. I enjoyed this one very much!

Another cosy crime set in a tea room, what is it with tea room owners and murder? This was well plotted and the characters were believable - although the American idea of icing scones may put British readers off a little!

I truly enjoyed this cozy mystery. I haven't read the first book in the series, but look forward to going back and reading it, as well as to reading future books in the series.

What I especially liked was how close-knit the characters were. It was also fun to see all the romance popping up around them. The focal point, though, was the pursuit of justice for a dead man who had been wrongly accused of a crime Vivian was convinced he didn't commit.

It made for a wonderful cozy read this afternoon, as Vivian followed the leads, trying to track down the true criminal, but ultimately finding herself in deep trouble.

This isn't the first mystery series I've enjoyed that's set in a tearoom run by a sleuthing female with a pet for a sidekick, and that trope does seem to be a bit formulaic. But it's still enjoyable nonetheless if you're looking for a light read.

And I'm grateful to Kate Kingsbury, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced review copy.

Very cozy mystery book for a lazy or rainy afternoon. I enjoyed the twisty mystery, talk of pastries and baking, and always like having a dog in a story. Somewhat of a Hallmark movie vibe, and just a warm, witty mystery. It was delightful centering the mystery around a British tearoom, and some fine sleuthing to solve a jewel heist.
Thank you to Netgalley, Ms. Kingsbury, and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in this cozy mystery series. The main character Vivian Wainwright is in her 60's and owner of a tea room. When a local hermit and beachcomber is murdered in his shack on the beach, Vivian and her employees, Jenna and Grace, put on their sleuthing caps to figure out who did it. There were a few red herrings that kept me guessing til the end. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a nice light read. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy!

In Too Steep, by Kate Kingsbury
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A few years ago, I started reading a series of books about a writer and amateur detective who lives in Sanibel/Captiva, Florida that are written by a former co-worker of mine, Jennifer Schiff. I thoroughly enjoyed them. Since then, I’ve discovered additional series of relatively short books (Lighthouse Mystery series) with the same theme and story set up, and now this:

• Several main and recurring characters appear in each book
• The books are all set in the same town/place – usually someplace interesting and potentially touristy
• In each book there is a murder that must be solved – and it usually occurs in either the workplace or the main location of the book.
• The main protagonist can’t resist getting involved and ultimately helps to solve the murder, along with the local police
• There’s always a sub-plot of romance with another one of the primary characters
• It reads like a novel of the Murder She Wrote series.

The Misty Bay Tearoom series is just that! I was able to read this one; but haven’t yet had the chance to read the first book in the series, “In Hot Water.” The lovely setting is on the Oregon coast – and I appreciated all of the descriptions that brought it to life.

Main character Vivian Wainwright is the owner of the Willow Pattern Tearoom. The murder victim is a reclusive resident named Lewis Trenton who enjoyed beachcombing. There’s a clock involved and missing diamonds.

I enjoyed the characters and I didn’t solve the mystery on my own – which is a bonus because it makes the story more interesting through the finish. I hope this author and others like her don’t take too many liberties with their main characters overstepping too much in terms of investigating crimes/amateur sleuthing. While it makes for an interesting read, it also makes it less likely to have occurred in the way the story is outlined.

Fun, but light reading.

Book 2 in a series about Vivian and her Willow Pattern Tearoom in Misty Bay, Oregon. Together with her two assistants, Jenna and Gracie, Vivian tries to discover the killer of a local beachcomber.

I liked the first book and this one was even better. The mystery was interesting as Vivian tried to find the owner of a souvenir who may have been a friend of the poor man who has died. In the event it transpires that the item has changed hands a few times and is in fact central to the murder. As is usual for a cosy she does not take her information to the police and ends up in a sticky situation.

There are two ongoing romances, a kleptomaniac but heroic dog and lots of references to yummy English cakes like Bakewell tarts and cream horns. A pleasurable read and I look forward to the next one.