Series:
Daisy's Tea Garden (Book 1)
In an old Victorian in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish
country, Daisy Swanson and her aunt Iris serve soups, scones, and soothing teas
to tourists and locals—but a murder in their garden has them in hot water.
Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling
protective, so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced
Harvey Fitz, she worried—especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a
scene at the party Daisy's Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip
she overheard about Harvey's grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy
didn't want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart—but she never expected Iris
to wind up a suspect in Harvey's murder.
Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back
burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene—and Daisy hopes that
Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her
aunt's name and bag the real killer before things boil over...
Terrific start to the series. After her husband died,
Daisy and her two daughters moved home to Willow Creek, a community in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania's Amish country. She and her Aunt Iris started Daisy's
Tea Garden, a tea shop that serves soups, scones, and tea to locals and tourists.
Things are going well for Daisy: the shop is thriving, and her daughters Violet
and Jazzi are settled, with Violet recently off to college. She's a little
worried about Iris, who is dating wealthy and not-quite-divorced men's shop
owner Harvey Fitz. Then Harvey is found murdered in the tea shop's garden, and
Iris is at the top of Detective Rappaport's suspect list.
I enjoyed seeing Daisy get involved in attempting to
clear Iris's name. Her work is cut out for her, as the detective indicates that
he believes Iris is the killer. She has plenty of suspects to choose from,
whether it's Harvey's soon-to-be-ex, his possibly disinherited children, or one
of several business rivals. The mystery was well done, as it kept me guessing
who did it until the end. The final confrontation was intense, with Iris and
Daisy surprised by the killer. The takedown was fantastic - I loved how Iris
and Daisy kept their wits about them and saved themselves with a little bit of
outside help.
I enjoyed the variety of characters. Daisy's family love
each other but have their own personalities. Iris and Daisy's mother, Rose, are
sisters who don't always get along. Rose can be a bit judgmental, which puts
her at odds sometimes with others. Iris is sweet and well-liked by the guests
at the tea shop but shows a feisty side when she gets riled up. I liked Daisy's
daughters, Violet and Jazzi. Violet is away at college though we see some of
her at the end. Jazzi is involved in a secondary storyline as she expresses her
desire to find her birth mother. I liked how Daisy handled this issue.
Outside the family, we meet the tea garden employees,
other business owners, and two intriguing men. I enjoyed the various employees
who have unique personalities and stories of their own. I enjoyed Tessa, one of
Daisy's friends and baking assistant. Tessa is also an artist, and I liked the
scene of her gallery show and getting to know that side of her. Her new
employee, Foster, is an interesting young man. I loved how easily he fit in and
seeing his ideas for the tea shop.
There is a hint of romance running through the book.
Cade, one of Daisy's high school classmates, appears to be interested in her.
He's a nice guy, though he tends to be cautious. His warnings against
investigating irritate Daisy though it doesn't stop her from going out with
him. Jonas is new to Willow Creek. A former police detective, now a furniture
maker and store owner, is often on the spot when Daisy runs into trouble. He is
sweet and attentive, and I loved how he helped Daisy, Iris, and Jazzi. Daisy is
a little surprised by the feelings he sparks in her. I look forward to future
books and seeing what happens with both men.
The descriptions of the tea shop, the teas, and the food
made me feel like I was there. As a tea drinker myself, I would love to pop in at
Daisy's and enjoy a cuppa and a lemon tea cake or cinnamon scone.
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