Murder with Cherry Tarts

Karen Rose Smith

Nov 2019 · A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery Book 4 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .
 
Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.
 
Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.
 
But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.
 
Includes delicious recipes!
 

Ratings and reviews

Complex, clever and twisty: the story is a complete engagement from taste buds to brain! I’m addicted to cozies that feature a ‘foodie’ setting, from vintage to British, to coffee shops. And my first introduction to this series came with a ton of expectation – and all of it was met. Sure, it did take me a bit to get to know the characters as this was the first in this series I’ve read (although I have the earlier books on one of the kindles somewhere!) and I appreciated the bits of backstory and the characters that arrived well-realized to move me along. With Daisy worried about one of her employees, as well as planning a wedding for her daughter, she’s got plenty to think on – and the “adoption” of Kevin and his young daughter brought a sense of community and village helpers to the forefront, especially after he’s the main suspect in the death of an antiques dealer – bludgeoned with a marble rolling pin. (Oh I love those – my gran had one and it was great for rolling out sticky dough -but I digress). Soon Daisy finds herself in the chair as a ‘helper’ to Kevin through interrogation techniques, sifting through clues to find the “real” culprit, and still managing, somehow, to maintain her shop, work on the wedding plans and a few hiccups in her newly-minted relationship. Skills and the ability to ferret out the truth have made Daisy a bit careless where her own inquiries are concerned. Not that she’s asking the wrong questions, but she’s not always careful about how close she is to danger – and there is danger about. There’s some friction with the local police investigating the whole thing, and their responses, while understandable when you have a ‘civilian’ discovering more clues and answers – are not always concerned with her feelings OR her safety. Sure – there’s plenty to go around here – from twists, herrings and a few laughs, along with some newly risen issues to sort in her relationship with Jonas, the story is a treat…. Particularly with the desserts shared at the end. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I very much enjoyed this new mystery by Karen Rose Smith! Included are several great elements to keep the pages turning. The mystery is challenging. The author shares some history, which I particularly like. Relationships are a highlight, especially that of mothers and daughters and helping others. There is a perfect balance between mystery and relationship. A wedding is imminent and a baby on the way, adding to the joy and busy-ness of Daisy, her daughters Vi and Jazzi, and Aunt Iris. After Daisy’s husband died a few years ago, Daisy moved back to her hometown of Willow Creek, in Lancaster County. She and Aunt Iris opened Daisy’s Tea Garden, a popular meeting place and tourist attraction for those who enjoy her unique teas and baked goods. Karina is a single mom and a great server at Daisy’s, so she is concerned when Karina withdraws from others and ask for leftover pastries and soup at day’s end. One day Daisy and her significant other, Jonas, a former detective, follow Karina to a van parked near the shop of one of Daisy’s customers, Pirated Treasures. She took the food to the van, and Daisy heard a little girl cough. They introduced themselves and heard the young man’s story. A widower with a 3-year old, Keith has been trying to find a job and a home for himself and his daughter. He has been buying and re-selling antiques, including Civil War items, to Otis, owner of Pirated Treasures, and his nephew, Barry, to get enough for food and fuel for the van. Jonas and Daisy try to help others in need. Jonas did a quick verbal background check on Keith, then invited Keith and his daughter a room in his townhouse at least for the night and brainstorm to see what to do next. Keith ran into a little problem, though. Barry, nephew of the owner of Pirated Treasures, was found dead when Otis opened the shop, having been hit with a marble rolling pin. Otis, who can’t see very well, knew Keith had brought the rolling pin and other items in to sell a few days ago, and thought he was threatening Barry with it when he didn’t like the price offered. Without proof, the police can’t put Keith in jail, but he is the primary suspect in Barry’s murder, and his biggest concern is what will happen to his daughter if he is arrested. Daisy helped solve other murders in recent months, but the detective in charge of Barry’s case threatens to arrest Jonas and her if they get in the way of his investigation. Daisy doesn’t want to risk her safety again but does get curious. Helping Keith get off the suspect list and Otis get justice for Barry is important – as is getting the real killer off the street. Then she is threatened. This fast-paced mystery is fourth in one of my favorite series. There is a depth in Daisy’s character that is a blessing to those around her. She knows the right questions to ask in almost any situation and has an instinct and gift for helping others. The mystery is finely crafted and executed, and I was stunned to learn who really “dunit”! Plot twists and the various family situations keep the story moving. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates well-written cozy mysteries, tea and baking goodies (and recipes), and small-town family relationships. From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

About the author

In addition to writing the Tomes & Tea mysteries, Karen Rose Smith is also the author of the Daisy Tea Garden mysteries and the Caprice De Luca home-staging mysteries. Married to her college sweetheart, Karen has convinced her husband that felines can make purr-fect housemates. They share their home in the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania with their three rescued cats. For more about Karen, please visit her website, karenrosesmithmysteries.com.