Tea with Milk and Murder (Oxford Tearoom Mysteries ~ Book 2)

ByH.Y. Hanna

Release Date: 2017-07-12
Genre: Cozy Mysteries

Score: 4.5

4.5

From 537 Ratings

Description

Murderous scones, meddling village grannies, and a kitty with a talent for mischief… Gemma ditches her corporate job to return to Oxford and open a traditional English tearoom, only to discover that life in an English village has never been so deliciously deadly! ~ While at an Oxford art gallery, tearoom owner Gemma Rose overhears a sinister conversation minutes before a University student is fatally poisoned. Could there be a connection? And could her best friend's suave new boyfriend have anything to do with the murder? Gemma decides to do some snooping, helped by the nosy "Old Biddies" from the local Cotswolds village. But sleuthing isn't as simple as she'd imagined, particularly when she keeps bumping into her old college flame, now the CID detective in charge of the investigation. And with her mother causing havoc at her quaint English tearoom and her best friend furious with her suspicions, Gemma finds herself in a sticky spot…

The dead girl had no shortage of enemies and there are motives galore: was it the the angry rival student desperate for revenge? Or the resentful employee with a bitter grudge? Or maybe even a sly ex-lover determined to end their affair once and for all? Gemma finds that this mystery is turning out to have more twists than a Chelsea bun. Too late, she realises that she could be the next item on the killer's menu… or will her little tabby cat, Muesli, save the day?
(** Velvet Cheesecake recipe at the end of the story!)

With a nod to the classic whodunits of Agatha Christie, Tea with Milk and Murder is a charming British culinary cozy mystery, set in historic Oxford and the beautiful English Cotswolds villages - with quirky characters, heart-warming humour, clever twists and a dash of romance! Perfect for fans of Agatha Raisin, and TV shows like Midsomer Murders and Inspector Morse.

This book follows British English spelling and usage.
Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
Genre: traditional mystery / British whodunit / cozy mystery series / culinary cozy mystery / cat cozy mystery / funny cozy mystery / women sleuth / amateur sleuth / English village mystery / British detective / cosy crime

The OXFORD TEAROOM MYSTERIES

•A Scone To Die For (Book 1)
•Tea with Milk and Murder (Book 2)
•Two Down, Bun To Go (Book 3)
•Till Death Do Us Tart (Book 4)
•Muffins and Mourning Tea (Book 5)
•Four Puddings and a Funeral (Book 6)
•Another One Bites the Crust (Book 7)
•Apple Strudel Alibi (Book 8)
•The Dough Must Go On (Book 9)
•The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year (Book 10)
•Wrongfully Infused (Book 11)
•A High Whisk Situation (Book 12)

Reviews

Super cozy mystery!
5
By Srkdk
This book had just the right amount of intrigue and relationships . . . who WAS the main character going to be more interested in?
Nice book
5
By VaFJax
Enjoyed the read, there were suspects galore, and you weren’t sure who it was up until the very end. I had my suspicions but I had my doubts. Enjoyed it and would recommend.
Wonderfully British
5
By molecule3d
A taste of the English countryside in a teapot. The characters are a hoot, particularly the elder foursome who know everyone and everything, or are happy to engage in B&E to find out.
“Tea With Milk and Murder” earns 5/5 Slices of Velvety Cheesecake!
5
By Kat Costa
Gemma Rose is not thrilled about the art exhibition, but friends will do almost anything for a friend. BFF Cassie Jenkins is having her first exhibition courtesy of John Kelsey, gallery owner and new boyfriend. Gemma isn’t a fan of much of the art, and definitely not a fan of Cassie’s new boyfriend. Her opinion of him seems validated when she thinks she overhears him plotting in the shadows, and a self-proclaimed girlfriend shows up causing a scene and dampening the festivities for Cassie. The event is further damaged when Sarah starts flailing, fighting for air, collapsing on the ground…dead. Gemma rushes to her side smelling a curious scent of ‘bitter almonds.’

Nothing is quite what it seems when Gemma once again meets with CID Detective Devilin O’Conner, a former boyfriend, and starts looking into the strange events. Some suspects have means and motive, but opportunity is nixed with alibis. Other suspects had opportunity and motive, but not everyone has access to deadly poisons. The "Old Biddies,” four nosy octogenarians, add their own insights with a few covert explorations finding hidden flats, lacy thongs, and more suspicions. Gemma treads lightly since she doesn’t want to damage her friendship, but she decides to employ serious due dilligence when someone else falls victim.

"Tea with Milk and Murder,” second book in H.y. Hanna’s Oxford Tearoom Mystery series, ranks right at the top of my favorite list! She once again has written an engaging mystery with several possibilities to ponder. The final solution didn’t come to me until…”Oh, no! Is that…?” Gemma Rose is a strong female character delightfully clever, and even with some confidence issues, I find her quite entertaining. There’s a bit of a romantic triangle, cat antics, interesting mother-daughter dynamic (No, I didn’t order that!), and four octogenarians who steal the scene. Many know I've always been a fan of all things British, so I am in ‘seventh heaven' with all the references to Oxford University and the local haunts, Meadowford on Smythe, and tea and treats. The recipe for Gemma’s mother’s Velvety Cheesecake is included…It is 'jolly good fun’!