Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed on 6/10/2023 + 739 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Dollycas's Thoughts 

Daisy's Tea Garden is going to be the place to be for her Alice in Wonderland tea event complete with costumes and yummy treats and teas. Daisy is also planning an anniversary party for her parents but that will take place at a Willow Creek farm-to-table-restaurant, The Farm Barn, owned by her friend Lydia Aldenkamp. She and her fiancé Jonas are also trying to find the perfect date and place for their wedding. 

Daisy and Lydia have been taking little hiking jaunts regularly but one day the hike is abruptly canceled when Daisy and Jonas's dog Felix find Lydia dead on the trail. It looks like a hit-and-run but not an accident. The tracks show the victim was targeted. Who would want to kill Lydia? Daisy doesn't want to get involved but she does find herself right in the middle of another police investigation to find out who killed her friend.

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I was so happy to be back with Daisy and her family and friends. She always has a lot on her plate but she juggles everything like only she can. That is what makes her such a fantastic protagonist. You know her family is the most important thing in her life but if someone needs her help she will do the best she can to help them. In Murder with Earl Grey Tea, she loses a new friend that left a husband and young daughter behind. The woman had an Amish connection and Daisy knows she may be able to get answers her friend Detective Zeke Willet can't. I really enjoy the way Daisy cares so deeply. Her need to see justice served drives her so strongly that she can't not help Zeke in any way she can. All the characters Karen Rose Smith creates are so dynamic that they draw readers right into the story.

The author blends the mystery of Lydia's death with everything else going on in Daisy's life with ease. The pace ebbs and flows throughout the story but really ramps up with the suspense of the reveal and showdown. There were some nice twists and efforts to misdirect. I was following along closely and was able to determine the real culprit before it was all spelled out but that did not detract from my enjoyment at all. I was invested in some of the new characters and I needed to know how their stories played out.

I especially enjoyed the Alice in Wonderland tea. What a wonderful idea! I loved the simple costumes and the decorations used to make the event extra special. Daisy's Tea Garden is a really special place and all the events held there sound like so much fun.

I also enjoyed Daisy meeting more of Jonas's friends and the way she handled Vi and Foster's move. Jazzi will soon be headed off to college and Daisy is trying to prepare for that too. As a mom, I completely understood her feelings.

Murder With Earl Grey Tea is an excellent addition to this series. The characters are genuine and the mystery is well-plotted out. The setting is comfortable, I would love to live nearby. The author does write each book to stand on its own, but you really want to get to know these characters from the start. I can't wait for Book 10!

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