Murder with Orange Pekoe Tea

Karen Rose Smith

Sep 2021 · A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery Book 7 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson is serving hot tea at a fundraiser for a homeless shelter—but tempers are getting heated too . . .
 
Daisy’s orange pekoe is flowing at a fundraiser—and she’s also made a new friend, Piper, a young woman whose hopes for motherhood were dashed by a foul-up at a fertility clinic.But before they can settle into a long conversation, the event is disrupted by masked protestors who object to building a shelter in Willow Creek. Among the angry crowd is Eli—who left his Amish community some time ago, with help from a lawyer named Hiram.
 
It just so happens that Hiram is also representing the fertility clinic in a class-action suit—and soon afterward, he turns up dead, felled by an insulin injection. Daisy can’t help but get drawn in, especially since Piper’s husband had been pretty steamed at the victim and didn’t hide it. She’d love to spend some time with the dog she and her boyfriend have just adopted—but first she 'll be straining to find a killer . . .  

Includes delicious recipes!
 

Ratings and reviews

fertility, amateur-sleuth, Amish, Pennsylvania, family, family-dynamics, friendship, protests, post-partum-depression, relationships, law-enforcement, small-business, small-town, murder, murder-investigation***** Daisy is an Englisher in an Amish neighborhood, has many friends, and operates a tea shop in their small town. There has been electrical accident in a fertility clinic nearby which has made a major impact on several local families. Then comes the protests and soon after there is a related murder. Let the sleuthing begin. Add in insights into the character's lives and the story becomes well rounded. Good read! There is much good information on such clinics and how they affect people as well as issues of post partum depression in this story. I requested and received a free temporary ebook from Kensington Books via NetGalley.

This newest in the series is fabulous! I always welcome the opportunity to visit the idyllic area of Willow Creek in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The elegant tea garden serves goodies from Daisy’s kitchen that sound so tasty, and recipes included. I was happy to see Brielle and Glorie again as well as meet Felix. I also appreciate Daisy’s ties to the Amish community and how a couple if significant women’s health concerns are noted. The mystery is well-plotted and executed, keeping me guessing throughout. Daisy is a middle-aged widow with two daughters and a grandson. She and her Aunt Iris are partners in Daisy’s Tea Garden. Her best friend, Tessa, is Daisy’s kitchen manager and an artist. Vi and Foster, Daisy’s daughter and son-in-law Foster and their little Sammy live in an apartment over the garage. Her other daughter, Jazzi, will only be home for another year until she leaves for college. This month’s special tea flavor is Orange Pekoe. Daisy’s Tea Garden is providing it, and pastries, at the fundraising kickoff for the New Beginnings homeless shelter to be built in Willow Creek. The land has been donated, and they are ready to receive donations toward building the shelter. One attendee is a local attorney, Hiram, who is defending Hope Clinic against a class action lawsuit. Someone at the fertility clinic miscalculated setting the temperature where eggs and embryos were stored, accidentally destroying the contents by improper chilling. Several devastated couples who had paid significant sums of money lost it and their hope of a son or daughter of their own. Piper and Emory were one such couple; they would at least want their money refunded to pay back the loans taken for the procedures, but the clinic CEO refused. Soon after the celebration, Hiram was found murdered in his office. The cause of death was quite unusual; whoever did it was clearly prepared. Determined to not get involved this time, Daisy focuses on her family, her business, and her friends. She and Jonas continue to build their relationship, which is sweet to watch. A detective on the case asks Daisy to let him know if she hears any tidbits of conversations from her customers that could concern the murder of the attorney. Over time, the detective had ceased being an adversary and knew how well she observed and listened to people as she went about her work. The information she has provided has helped solve several cases. The one caveat is that she does not get involved with actively investigating, which is easy at first. But what could pursuing a few answers hurt… The more we learn about the murdered attorney, the more suspects there are. Daisy isn’t looking for justice for him, but two of the suspects are people she doubts committed the crime. Despite her moments of doubt, she wants to see her friend and another young man out of the spotlight. I was stunned and saddened to find out whodunit. The case was completely wrapped up without any loose ends. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries that include elegant tea service, family and good friends, and pets. From a thankful heart: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

About the author

Karen Rose Smith is the author of seven 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 www.karenrosesmithmysteries.com.