ABOUT THE BOOK:
A catering job has come in for Daisy’s Tea Garden in Pennsylvania’s Amish country—but death will be served before dessert . . .
Margaret Vaughn has hired Daisy to provide afternoon tea for her theater group. A local girl who left long ago for an acting career in New York, Margaret has returned home—with a multimillionaire husband in tow. But while Daisy bustles around Margaret’s historic farmhouse, she senses that there’s tension behind the scenes. Then she discovers the hostess on the floor of the pantry—dead and covered with clotted cream.
Barely recovered from her previous sleuthing adventure, Daisy joins forces with the former detective she’s been dating to help solve the case. Should she cast suspicion on the stars of the upcoming play? Can Margaret’s sister shine a spotlight on potential culprits? Or are there clues to be found in the victim’s past? With plenty of family stress of her own to deal with, all Daisy knows is she better act fast .
READ AND EXCERPT:
MY REVIEW:
Murder with Clotted Cream by Karen Rose SmithMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Murder with Clotted Cream by Karen Rose Smith is a 2020 Kensington publication.
An absorbing page turner!
In troubling times, it is often comforting to turn to something familiar. Some folks binge watch favorite series, others are re-reading favorite books instead of searching for something that will hold their divided, distracted attention. For me, I have found reading new installments in my favorite mystery series to be very calming and cathartic.
This book happens to be the latest chapter in one of my favorite series, and is also an upcoming release- a win-win! I am also happy to report this book not only held my attention, it kept me guessing from beginning to end!
In this fifth installment, Daisy accepts a catering job for Margaret Vaughn, who is hosting a tea for her theater group. Margaret has recently moved back to Pennsylvania after pursuing a career in acting in New York. Now she is residing, with her millionaire husband, in her historic farmhouse.
Margaret isn’t exactly the warmest person, but when Daisy finds her body in the pantry, covered in clotted cream, she is shocked to the core- believing she might 'never view clotted cream the same way again'…
One of the great things about cozies is that they are 100% pure 'whodunits'. Trying to figure out who the culprit is and what the motive might be amongst the suspects is always challenging and fun. But the other great thing about cozies is checking in on the personal lives of the recurring characters, who over time begin to feel like old friends.
In this episode, Daisy is experiencing some anxiety due to the impending birth of her first grandchild, her mother’s odd behavior, and the prospect of her younger daughter’s first visit with her birth mother and her family.
The author does a magnificent job with balancing the mystery with the family drama. Both threads are interesting and compelling and kept me turning pages past my bedtime. I also appreciate the depth and maturity of this installment, which addresses some important mental health issues, without becoming too heavy. In fact, the writing here is so good, I’d go so far as to say this book would appeal to a broader audience, including those who enjoy contemporary or women's fiction.
The story has a few nice twists and some big surprises you won't want to miss out on.
Of course, it goes without saying, there are some delicious recipes included and I want to try all of them!!
Overall, this is another great addition to what has quickly become one of my very favorite cozy series. You can bet I will be the first in line for the next chapter! I can hardly wait!!
GRAB YOUR COPY HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Clotted-Daisys-Garden-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07W4MRSMC/
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Karen_Rose_Smith_Murder_with_Clotted_Cream?id=CdCnDwAAQBAJ
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-with-clotted-cream-karen-rose-smith/1132868166
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award winning author, Karen Rose Smith, wrties romances as well as mysteries. Her first book was published in 1992. Her romances have made both the USA TODAY list and the Amazon Romance and Contemporary Romance Bestseller lists.
She has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington and Harlequin. Readers can contact Karen through her website, Facebook, (Karen Rose Smith Author), and on Twitter @Karenrosesmith.
