Tea with Jam & Dread
Tea by the Sea Mysteries #6
By Vicki Delany
ISBN 9781496747303
Author’s website: vickidelany.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Cape Cod tearoom owner Lily Roberts leaves New England for old England to attend a party for an aristocratic centenarian—but what goes on there is anything but noble . . .
Long ago, Lily’s grandmother Rose worked as a kitchen maid at Thornecroft Castle, and now Elizabeth, dowager countess of Frockmorton, is celebrating her one hundredth birthday. Rose still has fond feelings for her onetime employer, so a group trip to Yorkshire is planned. It’s also an opportunity for Lily to visit her boyfriend, who’s currently working in England—and to indulge in some British tea.
Much has changed, however, and the ancestral home is now a luxury hotel, which will be closed for a week to accommodate the big bash, much to the chagrin of Elizabeth’s grandson, Julien—leading Lily to overhear an argument among the younger generation about the fate of the family fortune. Little do they know that Elizabeth plans to sell the famous Frockmorton Sapphires out of the family for the first time in centuries . . .
The icing on the cake comes when the jewels suddenly vanish—and things really go nuts when a party guest dies from an allergic reaction to almonds that someone smuggled into Lily’s coronation chicken sandwiches. Now she’ll have to scour the property to find out who would commit murder in such a manor . . . (From Goodreads)
Review:
This fascinating, fun, and compelling read takes us to the home of Lady Frockmorton, Elizabeth Crawford in the beauty of a Yorkshire autumn. Descriptions of the architecture and countryside enhanced my feeling of being there, and I was happy to see our regular characters. Watching Lily try to drive on the wrong side of the road was an adventure! The brief history of the castle ruins, the hotel, and the Crawford family was interesting.
Rose worked eight years for Lady Frockmorton and her late husband at Thornecroft Castle. It had changed over the decades since Rose left England to marry Eric, an American soldier she fell in love with. Rose had been the cook’s assistant. Elizabeth took a strong liking to her, and sometimes visited her in the kitchen.
Elizabeth’s husband died young in a riding accident. To keep the family home and raise their four children, she converted the home into Thornecroft Castle House and Hotel. It was, and is, a successful, luxurious hotel, complete with restaurant and bar.
Elizabeth is now celebrating her one hundredth birthday. The hotel is closed for a week, and many of her guests are staying there. Rose was invited, and brought Lily, her granddaughter, and Bernie, Lily’s best friend. After the celebration, Bernie would join her boyfriend, Matt, in York for a few days. Lily would enjoy a couple days with Simon, the summer gardener at Victoria on Sea, Rose’s B&B on Cape Cod. While Lily opened her tearoom, Tea by the Sea, she and Simon grew close. He is currently a winter gardener in England at Garfield Hall.
Elizabeth’s family were unhappy that she invited some of her favorite former staff. While at a nearby pub for dinner, Lily and Bernie overheard several of her grandchildren discuss the hotel. With Elizabeth’s gentle leading, it has been managed with excellence by her grandson Tony, with the passion for the property and its history. Julien, the grandson most likely to inherit the estate if passed by tradition, talked about having their grandmother declared incompetent so he could take charge.
Elizabeth hosted that evening’s party wearing the Frockmorton Sapphires, which had been safely stored for nearly sixty years. Elizabeth was given ownership of them through her late husband’s will. A daughter-in-law coveted them, believing she should wear the priceless set that had been in the family for generations. Elizabeth planned to sell the centuries-old treasure to make repairs and upgrades to the property for the benefit of the next generation.
The next day, Lily helped the kitchen prepare foods for the afternoon tea. Her tearoom specializes in afternoon tea, she always sought ways to improve her service. She helped prepare Coronation Chicken sandwiches that she wanted to try in her own tearoom. Much to her horror, a VIP died during the afternoon tea. He was severely allergic to tree nuts, and almond powder, was found in his and several other Coronation Chicken sandwiches. Lily knew she did not use it, however, having prepared the sandwiches made her a person of interest. Later that day, Elizabeth discovered someone had stolen the Frockmorton Sapphires. At one time, they had been valued at over ten million pounds! Was it connected to the death?
The three-dimensional characters are so well defined, it was like visiting family! I enjoyed learning more about Rose’s early life, as well as Elizabeth. She had a huge family, and I was thankful to see the helpful cast of characters. Bernie, an aspiring author, has changed her setting, characters, and plot in her first novel numerous times, based on murders they solved.
Lily and Bernie helped solved several murders at home. Simon and Matt contributed to their clues and research, as did Rose. Rose wanted to help Elizabeth through the murder and theft, and stayed at the estate with her. As long as Lily was a person of interest, she was desperate to solve the murder and to find who stole the jewels. It was devastating to learn who really killed the victim, someone I never anticipated, for a shocking reason! Recovering the jewelry was much easier in comparison. I highly recommend this cozy mystery and series for those who appreciate tearooms, Cape Cod and Yorkshire, and well-written cozy mysteries.
