🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A Delightful Brew of Humor, Heritage, and Homicide!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Tea with Jam & Dread is a quintessential cozy mystery served piping hot with aristocratic scandal, vintage jewels, and one very suspicious sandwich. From the first chapter to the final twist, it’s a delicious blend of charm, cheek, and intrigue that will leave you craving a second cup—and maybe a scone or two.

Lily, our ever-resourceful and relatable heroine, is at her absolute best here. What starts as a charming family reunion-slash-English getaway quickly turns sideways when the grandeur of Thornecroft Castle’s centennial celebration descends into chaos. Between reconnecting with her sweetheart abroad, navigating the snobbish friction among the upper crust, and trying to keep her grandmother Rose’s memories from becoming bittersweet, Lily’s got her hands full—and that’s before someone keels over from her coronation chicken sandwiches.

The setting is to die for—literally. A historic Yorkshire manor turned luxury hotel, closed to the public for a private gathering of eccentric nobles, bitter heirs, and sparkling sapphires? Yes, please. The Frockmorton Sapphires themselves are the stuff of legend, and when they vanish in a puff of mischief and misdirection, the stakes (and the suspense) shoot straight through the gilded roof.

What elevates this book is its sense of humor. The wit is dry as a well-steeped Earl Grey, with moments of laugh-out-loud absurdity tucked between biting social commentary and clever sleuthing. Lily’s inner thoughts are sharp and hilarious, especially as she navigates the bizarre rituals of British nobility, flirts with class tensions, and endures a barrage of subtle (and not-so-subtle) threats.

The mystery itself is layered and satisfying. Between the stolen jewels, the poisoned party guest, and the whispers of inheritance disputes, there’s no shortage of motives or suspects. And just when you think you’ve got it sorted, the story throws in a twist that’s as satisfying as clotted cream on a warm scone.

Whether you’re here for the murder, the manor, or just the jam, Tea with Jam & Dread delivers. This one’s for lovers of classic whodunits with a modern voice, Anglophiles who live for tea-time drama, and anyone who enjoys their mysteries as richly layered as an English trifle. A charming, clever, and thoroughly bingeable read. Don’t miss it!

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of TEA WITH JAM & DREAD (Book – of the Tea by the Sea mystery series) by Vicki Delany in exchange for an honest review. Lily Roberts accompanies her grandmother Rose to England where they are invited to celebrated the birthday of Elizabeth, the dowager countess of Frockmorton, at Thornecroft Castle. Elizabeth still has fond memories of Rose, who, as a young woman, worked for the Frockmorton family as a kitchen maid before marrying an American and immigrating to the United States. When the heir to the earldom is murdered at the same time the dowager’s pricy famous sapphires disappear, the local constabulary seem to focus on the Americans as suspects closely followed by anti-royalist and servant-class attendees at the party. Lily upsets her previously made plans to visit with her boyfriend in order to exonerate the innocent, especially herself and her grandmother. Can Lily figure out whodunnit before her trip is over?

I liked the book and enjoy the series. I recommend the book to fans of the series and the series to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring tea and B&B themed misadventures.

#TeawithJamDread #NetGalley

Lily, Rose, and their friend Bernie are off to Yorkshire, where Rose worked as a servant in the early 20th century. They're celebrating the hundredth birthday of Rose's former employer, the Dowager Duchess of Frockmorton. Naturally, they're enjoying tea and gossip, just as they do back at their teahouse and bed and breakfast in Cape Cod.

But everything changes with the death of the heir apparent to the Frockmorton title. Lily, Rose, and Bernie can't help but try to solve the mystery, even if the local police don't want their help. As always, their intelligence, charm, and sheer persistence pay off.

The story is well plotted and filled with interesting characters and local color.

This series never disappoints. Each installment is original and always manages to make me hungry! I especially enjoyed that this one was set in Yorkshire—it added a charming backdrop to the story. Lily’s desire to visit her boyfriend added a sweet and personal touch, and the plot was filled with fun, twists, and unexpected turns.

The highlight, however, comes when the jewels suddenly disappear—turning the story on its head. Things escalate even further when a party guest tragically dies from an allergic reaction to almonds, which had been unknowingly smuggled into Lily’s coronation chicken sandwiches. A truly gripping and entertaining read!
#TeawithJamDread #NetGalley.

Book 6 in this series saw Lily, Rose & Bernadette (along with Simon & Matt) travel to England to visit Rose’s former Mistress. It was fun to see Rose & Elizabeth get to share old stories and a bond that only those who have lived for many years can have. It did feel a little odd that Simon and Matt just happened to also be in England, but it was a nice way to build up Lily & Simon’s relationship. The vacation quickly turned into 2 mysteries: a theft and a murder. Lily is compelled to try to solve both as her grandmother is affected, and everyone is under suspicion. I always enjoy Rose, but her interactions with the police were particularly fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

From start to finish 'Tea with Jam & Dread' by Vicki Delany was an absolute delight. The author expertly and plausibly transported her quirky characters from Massachusetts to Yorkshire and provided a suspenseful mystery of murder and theft with many twist and turns. I didn't want to put it down and was surprised by one aspect of the ending. There was an underlying warmth and affection that is of great appeal to me, even in a cozy. I can't wait for the next 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.

Would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery that keeps you guessing till the end.

Thank you to Vicki Delany, NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for the arc of this book

Cape Cod tearoom owner, Lily Roberts' grandmother Rose used to work for Elizabeth the Countess of Frockmorton, at Thornecroft Castle in Yorkshire and reminisces about it often! After emigrating to the US she thought that part of her life was over but Elizabeth is celebrating her one hundredth birthday and Rose has been invited to attend the celebrations at what is now known as the Thornecroft Castle House and Hotel. Closing the tearoom and b&b was a big decision but Lily and Rose are definitely going along with best friend Bernie and her boyfriend Matt while Lily will meet up with her English beau Simon after the celebrations are over.

Unfortunately, as the event is winding down, Elizabeth’s grandson is taken ill, collapsing in front of everyone. Drawn into the investigation to find out what happened Lily, Bernie, and Rose, begin asking questions, considering suspects, and, after a theft also takes place, trying to find the famous Frockmorton Sapphires. Can they discover the identity of a killer and thief before someone else dies or are differences between the continents and investigations too great?

Vicki Delany's cosy series are some of my favourites and the fact this is set in England made it even more enticing. It didn't disappoint in any way and I had no clue whodunnit until the big reveal. It's clear the author did extensive research and there are even English recipes at the end.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cozies, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it highly.  More please.

Lily and her friend Bernadette take her grandmother to England to celebrate the 100 birthday of a employer and friend from the past. Murder and intrigue of a stolen necklace keep her on her toes. Enjoyed this one and have read others in the series. Good read and would highly recommend this book and author.

I really enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it. It is a good read. Lily travels to Great Britain with her grand mother Rose and becomes involved with a murder mystery and missing necklace.

Tea with Jam & Dread by Vicki Delany, the sixth book in the lovely A Tea By the Sea Mystery series has a surprise or two. Our charming characters have taken a week long trip to England for Rose to celebrate he old employer/friend's 100th birthday. However, the celebration is marred when one of the family members is killed at the tea. All signs seem to point to Lilly! She has to get cracking to solve the murder and the mystery to prove neither she nor her group had anything to do with it. I liked the busy plot with the various suspects--- and I always enjoy Lilly's methods of getting to the truth. COMING JULY 29th, 2025 Don't miss this fun addition to the series.

Thank you for the ecopy I requested, I enjoy recommending good books with friends and followers.
#TeaWithJamandBread #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #VickiDelany

I've loved every Vicki Delany book I've read and this sixth book in the Tea by the Sea series is among her best. Loved it!!

The recurring characters from New England travel to England so that Rose, Lily's grandmother could attend a 100th birthday celebration for Elizabeth, the dowager countess of Frockmorton, who Rose worked for many, many years ago.

This book has it all. Fancy English customs along with the murder and the theft of jewelry worth millions.

It's a fun, breezy read. Highly recommended!!

Tea with Jam & Dread by Vicki Delany is an excellent culinary cozy mystery that is the sixth book in the delightful A Tea By the Sea Mystery series. I loved it!

I have read all six books so far, and I still truly enjoy this series. At first I was worried about how much I would enjoy this book, as the plot takes our main characters out of the Cape and into Yorkshire. Sometimes the “travel abroad” novels do not live up to the “home-base” books. This actually did!

I enjoyed the murder/mystery, the location, and the characters exhibited growth despite being away from home. Elizabeth’s extensive family made for plenty of backstory and potential culprits. There was even dry humor scattered throughout that really made me chuckle!

I enjoyed the pace, content, and I really enjoyed the ending!!!!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/29/25.

As per usual reading Vicki delany is like coming home. I've loved every one of her books and this is no expecting. A wonderful addition to the series. A must read for cozy lovers

Tea with Jam & Dread by Vicki Delany (Tea by the Sea Mystery #6) 5 stars

A visit to merry olde England for Lily Roberts and company to celebrate the 100th birthday of Elizabeth, the Dowager Duchess of Frockmorton, Rose’s previous employer. On the agenda – (1) Have a nice visit with Elizabeth, the Dowager Duchess at her family estate, (2) sightsee the wonders of Yorkshire, and (3) visit Simon at his current job in a nearby district. No where on the list is solve a murder and a theft of heirloom jewelry. But when one of the guests dies from peanut allergy relating causes from a sandwich Lily assembled, all of a sudden Lily is the number one suspect. Can Lily find the true culprit and stay out of the jail?

This was a fun read, less the cozy tea room vibe and more step by step detective work. Lily and friend were very methodical in their approach – true textbook work. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC.

Lily Roberts owns a tearoom on Cape Cod, and her grandmother Rose owns the neighboring B&B, which they have closed down for a week so that Rose can attend a birthday celebration in England for her old employer, Lady Elizabeth Crawford, dowager countess of Frockmorton. Along with them is Lily's best friend Bernie, who will be visiting her boyfriend Matt Goodwell, a writer who is researching his next novel in England.

At a pub, Bernie and Lily overhear a family argument, and later learn that these are Elizabeth's grandchildren, and all of them (or most) are worried about what Elizabeth is going to do with her fortune. Even though they have turned the ancestral home into a hotel, they have also closed it for the week for the birthday.

Elizabeth and Rose's reunion is a happy one, as they grew to be friends when Rose was working as a kitchen maid and Elizabeth was the countess. Despite their opposite statuses, they grew close and are still so to this day. When Elizabeth arrives at the party wearing the Frockmorton Sapphires, everyone is in awe. Beautiful, ostentatious, but still overwhelming. And when Elizabeth wants to show Bernie, Lily, and Rose the sapphires privately, they discover them missing.

But even more disturbing is when one of the party guests collapses at tea, and is later declared dead. But the worst part is it seems it was the chicken coronation sandwich that they ate -- and was prepared by Lily herself. Now she's a suspect in the murder, along with a several others. Calling her boyfriend Simon, who is working nearby but has taken a holiday, he arrives to help her find the person who committed the crime.

Even if the local police ask her to stay away, they seem to know that she won't, having investigated her past and discovering that she's involved herself in other murders. Yet Lily has an innate curiosity that won't let go, even as she's worried about a killer in hotel, her relationship with Simon, and who stole the sapphires. Will she discover the truth, or will she be put on ice forever?...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all. I do try to write reviews without giving away any spoilers, and this one is no different. Lily is lost in England, mostly by the different driving methods, but still...and she doesn't know how to go about asking questions without it seeming like a true inquiry to the murder. Yet she wants to clear her name, and it won't be easy as she doesn't know these people, and many of them are related to Elizabeth, whom she herself has grown fond of in the short time she's known her.

But Lily does what she does best, and with the help of others around her, she perseveres until she gets to the truth. And the truth isn't what anyone would expect, nor want to know in the long run. Yet sometimes truth is strange, and sometimes killers aren't what you expect them to be. But in the end, Lily finds out a bit more about herself, and has something to look forward to when she returns to the states.

I urge you not to have a peek at the ending, as you will enjoy this book more if you read it straight through. The final clue comes and should you find it, you will find the murderer as well. I loved this book and look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Lily’s grandmother Rose has fond memories of her time working at Thornecroft Castle and of her friendship with Elizabeth, now the dowager countess of Frockmorton who has invited them to help celebrate her one hundredth birthday. Lots of family drama exposed even before one of the grandsons is murdered in full view of the partygoers. If that wasn't dramatic enough, the morning brings evidence that a historic multimillion dollar piece of jewelry has vanished. Lily and friends have a tough time sleuthing and dancing around the local law enforcement. Great story in a winning series.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof copy from Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you!
#TeaWithJamAndDread by @vicki.delany #TeabytheSeaBk6 @kensingtonbooks #cozymystery #familydrama #classissues #visitingEngland #murdermystery #recipes #amateursleuth #inheritance #MilvertonMysteriesBk2 #centenarian #birthdayparty @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble ***** Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk @kobo @Waterstones #jeweltheft #writers #hospitalityindustry #relatives #grandmothers #localpolice

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This is the latest installment of the Tea by the Sea mysteries where our main protagonists Lily, Rose, and Bernie along with Matt and Simon are off to England to revisit Rose’s past at Thornecraft Castle. The tea to celebrate Lady Frockmorton promises to be an enjoyable walk down memory lane when a member of her family is murdered and the Frockmorton Sapphires are stolen. Lily and her friends are on the case to solve these mysteries and more.

I enjoyed the different setting of being in England since the continuing deaths in their home can feel unrealistic, but I did miss the familiar connections of the police since the characters struggled to find out information without their usual sources. I love Lily and Simon so I was excited to see them back together and I also enjoyed that Lily took the lead this time around. So often Rose and Bernie seem to bully her into investigating so this was a nice change of pace.

My one gripe with this book was that there weren’t many indications of the killer and seemed to wrap up rather suddenly without anyone seeming to suspect the true culprit. The same seemed to be true about the theft. All in all, I prefer a mystery where the clues are there but don’t make sense until the end, but we don’t really get that here. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early arc. All opinions are my own.

I have been waiting for the next book in this series and it's here! It did not disappoint. It was so fun to be back in the same world with these characters. I can't wait for the next one now!

It was nice to learn more about Rose’s youth and her time as a kitchen maid. The exploration of class dynamics, even in the same family, was interesting. England has such a strict class structure, with those with titles still “lording” it over everyone else.