Lily Roberts' Cape Cod tearoom, Tea by the Sea has been chosen to compete in "America Bakes!", a popular baking show.
Filming has necessitated the closing of Lily's tea room during the busiest season. To make matters worse, one of the judges, Tommy Greene loses his temper with Cheryl, Lily’s server, resulting in an on-camera blowup between Tommy and the Cheryl. When Tommy is murdered it's up to Lily to identify the killer to keep Cheryl out of jail.
I love this series of books and can't wait for the next installment!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

This was a deliciously exciting read! I hope this series enjoys a long run, as I am invested in the characters and the Cape Cod setting. The mystery kept me guessing throughout; my suspect list was a moving target. The killer was staring me in the face the whole time, as if taunting me while waiting to pop up like a jack in the box with a canned cry of “Surprise!”

This is Lily’s first season at Tea by the Sea, the tearoom she owns on the grounds of Victoria-On-Sea, the B&B her beloved grandmother, Rose, has opened for its first season. Both have been enjoying success. Tea by the Sea is gaining a good reputation for its quality of teas, excellent baked goods, and the afternoon tea service. The B&B’s English Garden is a tourist destination, and the ocean view sounds amazing. Unbeknownst to Lily, her best friend Bernie and Rose applied for the tearoom to be part of a reality TV show, America Bakes! They know that nationwide exposure for the tearoom would increase both local and tourist business.

Lily was horrified to learn they applied for her and was accepted. Two of the three judges are renowned chefs who have had TV shows and upscale restaurants. The third judge is a beauty pageant winner with an attitude. The show contracted with Lily to film from her tearoom for up to five days on the first round, and she is the first competitor filmed. Her first-round competitor is the owner of a nearby second-generation bakery who is furious that an upstart in a tearoom would compete against her.

The filming has been a challenge to Lily and to Cheryl and MaryBeth, the usually proficient mother and daughter servers. On the second day, a top-notch but temperamental chef and judge, Tony, tripped Marybeth when she brought out more tea. The hot beverage spilled on him, and she was horrified and apologetic. Tony was furious, bringing Marybeth to tears. Cheryl lit into Tony, even tossing out a threat that many parents might have said in similar circumstances. Lily tried to throw out the cameraman and end the filming but was reminded of the contract she signed.

The judges and director were staying at the B&B, so it wasn’t a surprise to Lily to run into Tony later that night when walking her dog. What did surprise her was his sadness at what he had done. It sounded like he wanted to be done with television and return to his first loves, his family and his restaurants. He said he found and apologized to Marybeth and she forgave him. The next morning, Tony was found dead in the kitchen of the tearoom, having been clobbered over the head with Lily’s rarely used marble rolling pin. When the assistant director told the detectives about the threat Cheryl made, Chuck, the detective in charge, was ready to arrest Cheryl even without sufficient evidence. Bernie and Rose are prepared to investigate and got Lily involved. They were afraid Chuck would railroad Cheryl just to solve the case.

I am very fond of the three-dimensional characters in this novel. Well, except for Chuck. Lily is my favorite, and Simon, the genuinely British gardener, would be next in line. They are both dedicated to their work and loyal to their friends. Simon had learned to bake from his mother, who owns a catering company; he often helps Lilly bake in the evening after the tearoom closes. Rose and Bernie are as “alike as two eggs in a mixing bowl” with regards to their personalities, and I genuinely like them, also.

The plot is perfectly executed, with twists and turns that kept me on my toes. The armchair traveler in me would love to see Cape Cod and the ocean, so beautifully are they described. Not a fan of reality shows, I hope the real ones don’t treat contestants badly to make the shows dramatic and interesting. I was completely surprised to learn who the killer was. When Lily was sure she knew, I had no idea how she came to that conclusion. The resolution was satisfying in every way, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next in series. For those who enjoy new recipes, a few of Lily’s best are included. I highly recommend this cozy mystery and the earlier two in its series.

Princess Fuzzypants here: At the height of the tourist season, Lily has enough to do making her Tea Room a success. She is reluctant to get involved in a baking “reality” show. Her instincts prove right when one of the judges turns nasty and confrontational. When one of her servers is driven to tears, her mother takes the judge to task. So when the judge is murdered, Cheryl, the mother, is the first suspect. Lily does not believe it especially since the judge had confessed to her that he had apologized and was reconsidering his career options after the drama.

There are compelling but circumstantial bits of evidence that build up. Either someone is doing a good job of framing Cheryl or she is guilty. The more that Lily learns about the artifice of the show and the people involved, the more convinced she is that someone in the cast or crew did the deed. More things happen until an off the cuff comment convinces her that she knows who did it. Unfortunately the killer also know that Lily has twigged. There is a rather hair-raising struggle before the villain is brought to task.

The trouble with this book is the reader could gain a lot of weight if he or she succumbed to the lure of the traditional English teas. Clotted cream anyone? Lily’s baking is definitely drool-worthy. The characters are interesting without being too over the top quirky and it was a good mystery. Do not read on an empty stomach but do read it. Four purrs and two paws up.

I'm a big fan of Ms. Delany's mystery series (including the Lighthouse Library books under her pseudonym Eva Gates) and this addition to her tea series is no exception. This time a culinary cooking show is coming to Cape Cod and the proprietor of Tea by the Sea, enters against her better judgement. In her already cramped kitchen, tempers fly among the snooty celeb chefs and it's no surprise when one is murdered. Lily Roberts once again delves into the crime scene to sniff out clues.

These books have gotten better with each new book in the series. I'm so glad I gave them another chance as I did not care much for the first book, though maybe I should go re-read it given how much I enjoy Ms. Delany's mysteries. She always has strong heroine characters and charming supporting casts.

Delightful!

I used to find Rose unlikeable and condescending and Lily an impossible workhorse, but the characters have seemed to settle down about. I like them more now than I did in the first two novels. I really enjoyed this story, very surprised by the killer.

Absolutely delightful! Vicki Delany's third Tea by the Sea Mystery, Murder Spills the Tea, makes this reader want to drop everything, head to Cape Cod, find a Victorian B&B, and help solve a murder! Lily has her hands full running her tea shop, so it's a little overwhelming when a top cooking competition comes to town - and when one of her employees is accused of murdering the show's star, Lily and her pals must discover who really did the dirty deed! Lots of suspects, lots of fun, and lots of great recipes!!! 5 stars!!!

Pro:
* The author: I love, love, love her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series)
* The competition cooking show premise is timely and fun.
* I enjoy following Lily’s daily routine and feeling like I know the ins & outs is the business.
* I appreciate the measured pace of the developing romances among main characters.

Con:
* In general, way too much formulaic writing for the genre. I spent too much time rolling my eyes.
* The audiobook narrator is horrible: random inconsistent accents, choppy, overdramatic reading.
* Massive information dump in one scene as the conclusion nears
* A couple of the names feel off: in the father & son duo, I kept mistaking one for the other because the father’s name seems like it belongs to a younger generation.

Thank you to Vicki Delany, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The owner of "Tea by the Sea" Lily has agreed to be on a reality TV show American Bakes, though she seems somewhat reluctant to participate, as she will have to close the Tea Room during much of the filming, which she knows will be very disruptive. Plus after they film her tea room, the crew will switch over to another place in town that is owned by someone that totally dislikes Lily and her tea shop, which adds more drama!

As the crew is filming the first segment, the very rude head judge is found on the kitchen floor, dead! Why was he murdered, and by whom? Was it the poor server who he yelled at and belittled on camera? Was it her mother, who wasn't well thought of in the community, due to her past? Or possibly one of the other guests at the Inn, owned by Lily's grandmother, Rose Maybe it was someone else, like the owner of the competing shop? Or, could it be an unknown person? So many possible suspects,

The characters are are fun to follow, and swatch how they interact with each other! Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delany is a fun, easy to read, cozy mystery, set in Cape Cod! Perfect as a weekend read, and though part of a series, it works as a stand alone!

A shout out to NetGalley and the publisher Kensington Books for letting me read this cozy and fun mystery. This review is my own and honest opinion!

Excitement abounds when a food network comes to town to feature the Tea Room in its current competition show. Unfortunately, not everyone is as excited about the show and when a dead body pops up, the search is on to find the killer before they strike again. This series has the best characters that have such well-developed personalities that you feel like you are right there with them! The plot is baked with precision leading you to suspect multiple people, but you'll have to read to find out the guilty party! If you haven't read the entire series, I highly recommend that you do or you will miss out on hours of entertainment as well as the building of relationships and characters, however you could enjoy this book without having read the previous books as it works as a standalone if you must. I will be waiting impatiently for the next book in the series to come out! I just can't get enough of these characters!

What I wouldn’t give for a visit to Lily’s tearoom for a scone and a good cup of tea! But I do not want to watch a cooking show filmed or be in one. That aside, the newest book in the “Tea by the Sea Mysteries” series, Murder Spills the Tea, has fans ready for a tension-filled escapade that will leave them happy, hungry, and ready for more.

Lily has been roped into competing on a cooking show by her grandmother, Rose, and her best friend, Bernie. Her tearoom is overwhelmed by the film crew and the insufferable production team on the first day; she regrets agreeing to participate immediately. The judges, who all have personality issues, are tiresome, rude, and egotistical to the extreme. Namely, they are almost all unlikeable, uncaring, and nowhere near qualified to judge anyone's cooking or baking. But publicity wins out along with the threat of a lawsuit, and she has to follow through with the contest. But when the least objectionable judge is killed in Lily’s tearoom kitchen, and one of her employees is suspect number one, she jumps into the investigation.

The suspects in this story are easy to find, and all of them or any of them could be the killer. Even the tearoom employees are not without motives, and almost everyone on the cooking show and film crew has motives and the opportunity to commit the crime. There are plenty of red herrings to lead readers astray, and when the killer's identity is revealed, chances are most readers will be surprised. There is plenty of action, delightful locations, and some delicious recipes to try.

I love Lily’s tearoom; it has always been a dream of mine to have my own, combined with a bookstore, of course. The continuing characters, especially Rose and Bernie, who never fail to amuse me and keep Lily on her toes, are enjoyable and likable. I wasn’t crazy about the cooking show; it has been done many times in culinary-based series; I feared it would be stale and the same-old-same-old, but I was pleasantly surprised. Vicki Delany did a great job keeping the storyline fresh and filled with surprises, just like a cozy should be. I always enjoy this series; the characters are growing; granted, they are doing it slowly, but the growth is there. I would like to see the love interest ramp up or removed. Either option would be good; this change wouldn’t impact the fundamental bases of the series other than making room for more storylines in the future. Overall, I enjoyed Murder Spills the Tea and look forward to the next installment.

A television cooking show featuring two restaurants battling against each. Sounds fun! What could possibly go wrong??? Famous last words! As it turns out, alot can go wrong...including murder. Lily and her crew will need to be careful solving this murder mystery. They don't want to be next.

I loved the characters, the setting (I want to have a proper tea overlooking the sea), and the search for whodunit. So many twists and turns and red herrings. I was definitely kept guessing until the end.

Many thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Well played Vicki Delany, I did not suspect that character of murder at all. Although it made perfect sense once it was revealed. I always love the tea service at Tea by the Sea, it sounds lovely and inviting. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Boy did poor Lily have a hot mess on her hands with the drama from a crew of reality show people. I'm not a reality show fan at all and wasn't real thrilled with that theme as being part of the book, but at least it wasn't all about the show and everything that happened on it. The drama was the main thing leading up to the murder and investigation which did take priority. Although someone needs to tell Det. Williams that retirement called and wants him lol. Amy Richmond would be so much better off investigating the case alone, but she did at least manage to get her way when she felt he was being unfair.

I do love when Rose, Bernie and Lily go sleuthing, although I always feel bad for Lily who seems to be more on the outside of an inside joke when Rose and Bernie discuss a case. I really didn't have the person whodunit on my radar, but what an exciting showdown! It was definitely movie worthy!

I sure hope Lily and Simon can get a little closer now and maybe he won't have to go back to England after all when fall comes. They're awfully cute together as are Bernie and Matt, although she won't admit she likes him. Bernie cracks me up! Can't wait to see what these characters get into next time!

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

An enjoyable cozy mystery. Not sure which in the series it is, but doesn't matter, as can stand alone. Lily runs the English tea room and garden at her grandmother's B&B, and finds a body in her kitchen. When her waitress is set up to take the fall she steps in to help. Lots of twists and turns and good story. Would recommend.

Murder Spills The Tea by Vicki Delaney 🫖🔎
There’s nothing quite like a cozy mystery featuring my favorite cozy beverage in a quaint seaside bed and breakfast! I loved all of the mystery, intrigue, and cozy fun! Go get your copy of Murder Spills The Tea!

Release Date: July 26, 2022

📖📖📖📖📖

When the American version of the great British bake off ‘America Bakes!’ comes to cape cod, Lily is persuaded by Bernie and Granny Rose to enter the tea room! When tensions bubble over and a contentious judge is found dead in Lilys kitchen, Lily and crew don their investigation hats. While baking for the competition, Lily tries to exhonerate the person police believe to be the killer. Can Lily save an innocent women or will the killer win this round?

This is the third book in the tea by the sea mystery series and it was just as good as the previous two! I live on cape cod and I would LOVE to have a tearoom like this near me! The characters are great, though Rose is truly my favorite character. I love most books set on cape cod since it’s where I live but this is one of my favorite (#capecodfoodies being the other). I can’t wait to read more in the future!

#teabytheseamysteries #kensingtonbooks #vickidelany #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #cozymysteryseries #murderspillsthetea

America Bakes! TV Cooking show has started a new competition and Lily Roberts' Tea by the Sea is entered. Her grandmother and best friend convinced her that this would be great to draw in more business, but things go horribly wrong when one of the judges is found dead at the tea shop! Even without all the judges, the competition goes on - was the judge murdered because of the competition or because of who he was? Lily keeps baking until all the ingredients produce the solution.

Fun series with good characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Advaced Readers copy.

I Have read and loved Vicki Delany other series under the pen name Eva Gates and it's one of my favorite series ever (at the top with Harry Potter).

Vicki Delany got me again with this book. The magic she creates with these characters is unmatched. You just fall in love with them and feel like they are real people, like you could hang out with them.

As usual, the mystery aspect is excellent and made me guess the whole time.

It's a must read.

Murder Spills the Tea is book #3 in the Tea by the Sea Mysteries series by Vicki Delany.

A reality TV baking show is filming at Lily Roberts’ tea room. Things don’t go well as Lily and her friends and family learn there isn’t a lot of reality in reality TV. When there is a murder, things become very real.

I enjoy reality baking shows so that was interesting premise. It is an interesting group of characters that re there for each other. I’d love to vacation at a B&B like the one in the book and go for afternoon tea. There was a bit of the book that seemed slow, but overall I really enjoyed it and it kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, Kensington , and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Baking up a Murder

The third book in Vicki Delany’s Tea by the Sea Mystery series is an absolute delight. It’s summertime, and a visit to the bluffs of Cape Cod is just what I needed. In Murder Spills the Tea, Lily Roberts has been coerced by her grandmother Rose and BFF Bernie into taking part in a reality TV show called America Bakes! Who knew baking delectable treats and serving a proper British tea would end up with a murder in her charming tea room by the sea?

From squabbling celebrity judges to the nasty baker competition in town, Lily has her hands completely full. Coming in to work one morning, she finds one of the celebrity judges dead in her tea room kitchen. Word quickly gets out that the victim had publicly, and on camera, berated one of Lily’s assistants, only to be dressed down by the assistant’s mom, Cheryl. Before long, Cheryl is arrested, and Lily, Rose, and Bernie are on the case to figure out who the real culprit is.

I adore this series, and couldn’t put the book down. I’ve been needing a beach vacation, so it was a pleasure to visit, at least in my mind, Cape Cod. The author has a wonderful skill with writing so the reader feels as if they can hear the waves crashing against the rocks, and smell the sea air and the abundant roses on the property of the B&B.

Ms. Delany also has a skilled hand at writing intricate mystery plots. I was convinced I knew whodunnit, but was completely wrong at the end. It can be difficult to weave clues in so the ending isn’t given away, and this author is great at it.

The characters are wonderful, and freshly written. It’s like visiting old friends, or wanting to get to know them better.

I can’t wait for the next submission in this series! Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Murder Spills the Tea. I’m happy to share my thoughts and opinions of this book.