"As the descendant of an Irish witch and the owner of a New Age tea shop, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has been living her most authentic life since moving home to California’s scenic Monterey Peninsula. But in the latest Crystals & CuriousiTEAS Mystery from USA Today bestselling author Lauren Elliott, not even her heightened senses can predict how to run a business—or catch a killer."
This is an okay book. I couldn't get interest in it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

Not nearly as good as the first one [MUCH more eye-rolling romance issues that borderline on ick and the whole "it is ALL my fault" issues made me crazy - until Gran practically smacks it out of Shay - hallelujah] with a very rushed ending [WHY is this a thing now with cozies/mysteries?? HOW can readers make it stop?? It is so frustrating] that was so...meh [I had guessed the killer, and soon after, the why] that I was left...disappointed. I will say that I liked it well enough that I will read book 3 [because, you know there will be another one due to the ending] and hope that the magic that was in the first one returns to that one. I will also say that this was better than some I have read as of late and I am grateful for that. It wasn't horrible, just not as magical as book one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Elliot, and Kensington Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder in a Cup: A Crystals and CuriosiTEAS Mystery
By Lauren Elliott
Kensington
December 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

After her ex-husband left her bankrupt and out of a job, the unexpected inheritance of Bray Harbor’s Crystals & CuriosiTEAS tea shop was a lifesaver for Shayleigh Myers. She didn’t expect to also learn that her intuition was actually something more, with her “inky feelings” actually a more psychic ability to sense people’s energies. The professional geologist still resists accepting her paranormal gifts though, and Shay attempts to find scientific explanations for the unexplainable. She has allowed the self-proclaimed psychic Madame Malvina to come into the late Bridget’s greenhouse to weed out the most poisonous plants growing there though, as despite their benefits Shay fears that misuse could be fatal. Which does ultimately happen when a group tea leaf reading party ends with the death of one of the participants.

Shay wasn’t enthusiastic about hosting the session in the first place, and now she fears that somehow one of her greenhouse plants may have been used to commit a murder. Even worse is that her teen assistant Tassi has become a prime suspect due to her arguing with the victim. Jasmine Massey was the new girlfriend of Tassi’s father, and he adamantly disapproves of his daughter’s employment in a “witchy” store. Following a possible clue left in Jasmine’s tea, Shay begins to look into Jasmine’s life and prove the teashop and Tassi’s innocence. As it turns out, Shay’s official police officer brother-in-law is able to take over most of the investigation, allowing her to focus on her own history and reasons behind her psychic gifts. The arrival of the grandmother of Liam Madigan, owner of the pub next door, shares with Shay her own Irish folklore and knowledge of the otherworld. Gifted with his own eerily-accurate abilities, Shay’s psychically-attuned white German shepherd Spirit joins Shay, Gran, and Liam in their efforts to solve the mysteries behind both the poisoning and their own mythical heritages.

This second in the series begins as a classic cozy mystery and evolves into a fascinating paranormal fantasy of Irish myths and legends. Shay continues to struggle with happenings that can’t be explained scientifically, but she is slowly becoming more comfortable with her new realities. She also seems to keep losing her windows of opportunities with Liam, and while she insists that he is only a friend he is also the one person with whom feels is able to relate to her unusual situation. Readers will become as invested as Shay in learning more about her psychic gifts, and the unfolding lore adds a compelling layer to this cozy mystery. Engaging characters and an adorable intuitive dog ensure that this blend of genres pleases an abundance of mystery and paranormal fans.

I am absolutely loving this series!!

Murder in a Cup is the second installment of the Crystals & CuriousiTEAS Mystery series by Lauren Elliot. We follow Shay as she learns the ins and outs of running her new age tea shop, study medicinal plants, help her friends/neighbors and…solve a murder? It’s magically cozy and full of all the good vibes! 10/10 recommend!

Thank you Kensington Books for the gifted copy!

I love reading this series. The mystery kept me guessing and I like the characters. Things always move forward. I look forward to more.

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

This is a good series and I enjoyed it: well plotted and entertaining. The characters are fleshed out and there’s enough world building to make the story intriguing
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Murder in a Cup
(Crystals & CuriosiTEAS 2)
Lauren Elliott


Lauren Elliott is the author of the new Crystals & CuriosiTEAS mystery series. This is the second book in the new mystery series!

We return to Bray Harbor, CA, for the second Crystals & CuriosiTEAS.

Shayleigh has a flourishing tea shop now. While she occasionally misses her former jewelry business she is focusing on her new love of tea, a gift of rebirth from her birth mother. Everyone from Steeped in Secrets, returns. We also welcome Connor and Gran, Liam’s relatives. Ultimately, the focus is on Tassi, Shayleigh’s young helper and friend. We subsequently meet Tassi’s father, Peter, and step mother to be, Jasmine. Turns out Tassi’s estranged father is taking her mom to court for custody! Starting from chapter one things go from bad to worse, fairly quickly for the ladies of Crystals & CuriosiTEAS!


I enjoyed the book, but I doubt if I’ll re-read it, unlike the first book. I enjoyed the action and absolutely fell in love with Gran!

Sadly, I felt like too much happened off “screen” with this story. I didn’t feel like we had enough direct interaction with Tessi’s family other than her aunt Jo to bolster this storyline. This book also did not, for me focus enough on continuing the previous storylines from Steeped in Secrets.

Overall, a good solo mystery but not enough follow through from the first book to make it feel like a real series player.
Stars 3***

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

The second book in this series, the story follows Shay as she tries to run her tea shop, solve a murder, and figure out her feelings for the handsome neighbor.

The plot had promise and I do like the magical elements in this series. I wish that had been fleshed out a bit more. Unfortunately, I really don’t care for Shay, and I found it hard to connect with most of the characters. I also found the over-emphasis on Gran’s accent distracting. I’m obviously in the minority, but I’m not planning to continue the series.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this book.

I didn't read the first book in the Crystals & CuriosiTEAs Mystery series, but after reading Murder in a Cup, I've added the first one to my list of books to read. I love cozy mysteries. Add, anything witchy or paranormal to them and it makes the book even better, at least in my opinion. I highly recommend this book, as well as, the series.

The second book in this series is just as exciting as the first! I love the character development by this author and she continues to give her readers wholesome fun and a little bit of mystery! Our protagonist, Shay, is doing well in her tea shop with many visitors from town spending their mornings and afternoons over great cups of tea and some intrigued by having their tea leaves read. While everything seems to be going well, in blows Tassi's estranged father and soon to be stepmom, making strong accusations towards Shay and her intentions towards Tassi and the business she practices. As words are being thrown and restraining orders are being served, another murder happens. There are plenty of suspects around and our author skillfully pieces everything together for us up until the very last page. Woven through the pages are fun family dynamics, heritage and a little bit of magic for every reader.

Murder in a Cup has just what you need to keep you guessing all the while thoroughly enjoying the story.

Shay is the owner of a quaint little tea shop by the name of Crystals & CuriositiTEAS. In Bray Harbor, CA. She inherited the shop along with a little cottage from a mother she did not know. Come to find out she has quite the family history that she was unaware of. Shay is a searer and is still learning who and what she is.

Murder in a Cup is almost two stories in one. Shay’s teenage assistant comes under the thumb of the law when her father returns to town, trying to take her back with him. And we get another dealing with Shay’s background, and who she is. The story is made up of fantastic characters.

Although this is a cozy mystery, there are some complex parts to the story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The book was at a good pace, and Devon kept me guessing.. This series 2 books in is starting off with a bang and our wonderful Author, I feel as set up quite the series just within these first two books. The more we learn of Shay the more interested and invested I get.

Murder in a Cup by Lauren Elliott is a cozy mystery steeped in Irish folklore. Shay Meyers had inherited the tea shop from her mother, a woman she had really never known. It was a rat’s nest at first: all kinds of oddities, plus the dried plants and all the other things that came with running a tea/herb/occult shop. They had cleaned it from top to bottom, thrown away a lot, and given plenty away. Now painted, with cute tables, chairs, and table cloths, it was a charming little tea shop and its business was growing. Shay was slowly getting rid of the reputation her mother had had as a witch and establishing her own. There were things sometimes, though, that she couldn’t explain. She had learned a lot from her mother’s journals and now that Liam had brought his widowed grandmother from Ireland, there was even more to learn. Gran had known her mother and her grandmother and was full of Irish stories and myths. Then, Tassi, her young employee’s father, Peter, had come to town and things rapidly fell apart. His girlfriend has wormed her way into the Little White Glove Society which met for tea at 10 every morning. This particular morning, Tassi was pouring when her father’s girlfriend, Jasmine fell over dead right at the table. It wasn’t long before Tassi was accused and Peter, starting his vendetta against Shay and her shop. What a mess.

Shay is a pretty normal woman. She kind of hankers after Liam, her Irish ex-cop friend, but he is living with Zoey so she keeps still. When Gran arrives, she moves in with Liam and Zoey and you can just imagine how that works out. Shay is intrigued by her Irish ancestry and the notes from her mother and things did happened that she couldn’t quite explain, but yet… She had also inherited a dog from her mother, a big dog named Spirit, who hadn’t been around a lot lately. He seemed to know Tassi needed him and so had been with her. The mystery was a complex one, and truthfully was only solved using a little magic. The characters in this book are beyond intriguing and the Irish magic and mythology is fascinating. As always, Elliott keeps the attention of the reader who is driven to turn the pages and move through the book. Great read!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder in a Cup by Kensington Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonBooks #LaurenElliott #MurderInACup

A cute cozy mystery.
This book was steeped in Irish folklore and I loved that aspect of the story!
I also loved the crystal magic that was more present in this book than the first.
As far as the cozy vibes and the actual story, I think I liked the first book better, but this one is a good, reliable cozy mystery when you need a palate cleanser or just something fun and lighthearted!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the copy of this eARC!

Murder in a Cup by Lauren Elliott takes us back to Bray Harbor where Shay Myers has reopened Crystals & CuriosiTEAS. I wanted to give Crystals & CuriosTEAS Mysteries a second chance after its lackluster beginning. I began reading Murder in a Cup and I struggled with the writing (I believe a technical manual would have been more interesting). I did not find many of the characters to be likeable. I find Shay to be annoying (let’s just say that if I lived in that town, I would avoid visiting her shop and head the other way if I saw her on the street). I did not feel any chemistry between Liam and Shay (it is only the second book so why is there a rush for romance). The paranormal aspect of the story is lacking. I read Steeped in Secrets and I still find the magic confusing. It needs to be explained better. I get tired of Shay fluctuating between wanting to learn more about her power and finding a scientific explanation for her mysterious powers. I would like Shay to embrace her special gift (it would be a nice change) and learn how to use it. The mystery was okay. The method of murder was obvious from the beginning as well as who die. Tassi is one whiny teenager (Tassi and Shay have something in common). Shay works with Liam (of course) to prove Tassi’s innocence. I am amazed that Shay managed to solve the crime. She does not believe in herself (and she will need confidence to use her powers). Shay often ran away instead of getting the answers she needed (which led to more issues). The whodunit is neatly wrapped up at the end. Murder in a Cup is the second book in A Crystals & CuriosTEAS Mysteries. I recommend reading Steeped in Secrets before embarking on Murder in a Cup. Murder in a Cup was not a happy reading experience for me (I was eager to reach the end).

Oh this was so good and had so many awesome twists and possibilities. I absolutely adore Gran’s character, what a great addition to an already stellar cast. I was so happy that Shay finally and someone who could explain things to her about her abilities and actually had memories of Shay’s family.

The author cleverly created a loathable character in Tassi’s father who was trying to get custody of her. I wanted to send that guy to the moon, one way lol. But all worked out well for the sweet teen. I’d partially figured out whodunit as clues started coming together and wow, that was one heck of a showdown! I loved how Shay’s dog Spirit rushed in and helped save the day too.

There was a fun, family type ending and a continuing thread was brought back in so I’m eager to see how that plays out. And a new business to thr then showed up…was this gonna cause Shay any harm? Guess we’ll just have to be patient and wait on the next book!

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

Murder in a Cup is book #2 in the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery series by Lauren Elliott.

This was another entertaining book in the series. I like Shay and Spirit and felt bad for Tassi. Her father is something else. I enjoyed the magical element in the story. The mystery was intriguing and I didn’t guess who the guilty party was. I look forward to the next book.

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

This is the second in the series but the first one I have read. I could understand what was going on but it is obvious there is a lot of carry over from the first book and I would know a lot more nuances if I had read the first book.

Shay is the owner of a tea and crystal shop that offers tea readings and some other psychic offerings. Shay is new to her powers and is not completely comfortable with them but is settling down and enjoying her new life. When her young assistant is accused of killing a customer, of course Shay gets involved to prove her innocent.

The mystery is solid and I liked that Shay's powers help her but don't solve the mystery. She and others do a lot of investigating. There are also a lot of subplots that are not tied in this book, and in fact, there is every indication they are going to become bigger and more complicated in future books.

I like Lauren Elliott's writings. This series has promise but at times I had a little problem getting into the characters. Maybe because there was a lot to digest not just what was going on with the main mystery. That said, I would probably read another one.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

MURDER IN A CUP is the second entry in the Crystals and CuriosiTEAS mystery series, and it did not disappoint.

The characters, especially protagonist Shay and her friend/potential romantic interest Liam, are well drawn and interesting. I can already tell that newly introduced character Gran, Liam’s grandmother, is going to be my favorite. Other characters central to this story include Shay’s shop assistant Tassi’s despicable father and his girlfriend. When the girlfriend Jasmine drops dead during a tea leaf reading, Tassi becomes the prime suspect, Shay steps up to find the real killer.

Author Lauren Elliott has become one of my favorite authors. This mystery is compulsively readable with plenty of twists and turns, a few red herrings, and subplots that keep the story moving along at a quick pace. At this point, I consider it lightly paranormal, but I think as Shay’s abilities progress there will be more weight given to the mystical. I do love the growing emphasis on Irish lore, and learning about poisonous plants.

MURDER IN A CUP is well worth seeking out. I highly recommend it to any cozy mystery reader.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lauren Elliott for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder in a Cup coming out November 28, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I didn’t read the first book, but I thought it might be a fun book. I love cozy mysteries and I love stories about witches. I loved the Irish folklore and the cozy small town feel of the book. The characters weren’t my favorite though. They made some odd decisions at times. I didn’t find the murder mystery part very interesting. I didn’t really understand their motives. I didn’t think it was strong enough for me. I would check out other books by this author though.