I had a bit of time getting my bearings on this first in a new series by Joy Avon. I felt like the characters were scattered and the plot was all over the place. As I got into the rhythm and the characters started to settle down my enjoyment level went up. There was an Agatha Christie theme going on which was eventually revealed. There is also romance, heartwarming family back stories and enough humor to have me looking forward to more.

IN PEPPERMINT PERIL (Book Tea Shop Mystery #1) by Joy Avon is the start of a new cozy mystery series. A murder, a missing heirloom ring and greed over a new will to be announced by the dame of Haywood Hall all threaten the holiday spirit in Heart’s Harbor.
Callie Aspen has returned to Heart’s Harbor for the holidays to help her great aunt, Iphy run Book Tea, a vintage tea and pastry shop where every pastry is based on a mystery story or includes a mysterious clue to be solved. Callie travels the world as a tour guide, but has fond childhood memories of Haywood Hall and its occupants so she is excited to be helping her great aunt prepare for a special party at the hall. Instead of a surprise engagement and the announcement of the will’s new terms, a dead body is found in the conservatory.
Callie and Iphy use their love of mystery books to follow all the clues, but a certain deputy finds Callie’s interest intrusive. Callie persists because of her love for all involved and even Deputy Falk comes around to aid her in a mutual quest for the killer. Can Callie help the residents of Heart’s Harbor find a killer and help to reveal their secrets and true desires to celebrate a joyous Christmas?
This book was a fast and easy read that kept me guessing the identity of the killer. Callie, as the main character had to deal with her own emotional baggage on returning to the hall besides the murder mystery which gave her character depth. All of the secondary characters were interesting and entertaining including Callie’s foster Boston terrier. There are many twists and red herrings in the mystery plot. Overall, an enjoyable and entertaining cozy holiday mystery read.
Thanks very much to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really cute book. Didn't really understand the switch in motive for the murder but it's possible I just need to process it a bit more. Very enjoyable cast. Each person had secrets and surprises up their sleeve and it was fun to watch everything unfold. Looking forward to reading more in this series!

In this first book of the series we are introduced to Callie Aspen who has come back to Heart's Harbor, Maine for the holidays. After arriving her Aunt, who owns Book Tea, asks her to help with the catering for a party at Haywood Hall. The old woman who lives there, Dorothea, is having a gathering to share with all what her new will says and thinks a tea is the perfect setting. When a murder occurs during the party everyone starts looking at each other wondering who the culprit could be and are they finished with killing. After the police arrive Callie wonders if they will be able to do their job and find a killer among all those who hated the victim, they don't seem to be adept at the job they were hired to do. She decides she must try to figure out who the killer is before something else bad happens but is she canny enough to do just that? Follow along as Callie weaves her way through a murder, old relationships, and wonders where her life is headed. Will she be able to figure out who the killer is? Will she fix old relationships? Can she decide where she wants her life to be? The characters were interesting and the setting was great. I felt like I got to know them a bit but look forward to learning more about them in the future.

In Peppermint Peril is a fun, cozy mystery. This is the first in the new Book Tea Shop Mystery series.

I liked the main characters and the “whodunit” was clever enough. The plot was good, with twists and turns and a surprise ending, I enjoyed the setting of the Tea Book shop and the mouth-watering descriptions of Aunt Iphy’s scrumptious treats. Would recommend to readers who love cozy mysteries. 

I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my ARC in return for an honest review. I'm looking forward to more books in this series

She's catering a big event at a home she used to frequent as a child. The lady who owns the house is going to read her new will to them. Before that happens a diamond goes missing and the gardener is found dead in the conservatory. Maybe they shouldn't have catered this event!

Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published November 23rd.

The man was killed with a screwdriver so they go after the handyman first. Then they go after Ben who walked by the conservatory. The cops are jumping into solutions that don't work out. Callie decides she better do some sleuthing of her own. She finds out the gardener was not a nice man and he was blackmailing several people. But it wasn't just him. Who else was involved?

This was an interesting cozy mystery that I enjoyed. Why don't you give it a try?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are engaging and fun. The mystery really kept me guessing, with twists and turns that were unexpected, but believable. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A very good first installment of a new cozy series. I found the story entertaining with twists and turns and a surprise ending. The characters are well developed and the plot satisfying. I will anxiously await the next book in the series. Thanks you to netgalley snd the publisher for the ck complimentary Arc of this book. The opinion is my own

All I expect from a cozy mystery book. A very enjoyable read with a surprising ending and twists and turns along the way. It includes old friendships, greedy fortune seeking people and a lovely surprise for all involved, especially the heroin of the story, Callie Aspen

The storyline was interesting in this cozy mystery, and I think this has the potential to be a good series. I liked the author’s writing style.
Despite the fact that I had a hard time at first connecting with these characters, I’ll be interested to see what happens in the next book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Al opinions are my own.

A mystery set in a book/tea shop located in a quaint town, and at Christmas! It's a cozy reader's dream come true! I was in cozy heaven. I really liked this book--it's definitely got me ready for the holidays! A, absolute recommendation for all cozy readers.

This book ticked off all the required elements for a cozy/Christmas read.
A grand hall covered in snow and colorful decorations.
Mugs of frothy hot chocolate, served with mystery novel inspired sweets of course.
And a tea time murder.

Best of all it's a fast read, including light action and a small cast of easy to remember characters. It's exactly the kind of relaxing book I reach for during the crazy holiday season.

In Peppermint Peril is the debut of the A Book Tea Shop Mystery series featuring tour guide Callie Aspen and set in the town of Heart's Harbor, Maine. Callie has come to visit her Great Aunt Iphy for the Christmas holiday and is caught up in helping her aunt cater a tea for Iphy's wealthy friend, Dorothea Finster, at her luxurious Haywood Hall.

Dorothea is planning on revealing the contents of her will, but one of the guests has plans of her own. Sheila Du Bouvrais is the wife of Dorothea's only living relative, Stephen, and she has planned a surprise engagement party for her daughter Amber. With Callie's help Sheila hides the ring box inside the cake with the idea that when Amber's beau, Ben sees the box he'll propose. However, things go horribly wrong when the cake box is found to be empty.

The guests are in shock and begin milling around the mansion on their own. It's not long before Callie hears Amber screaming for help in the conservatory. Running to the girl she finds her hovering over the body of the manor's long time gardener, Leadenby. Known for his harsh demeanor there are plenty of people that wanted to see the old man gone. Callie soon finds herself drawn into the investigation alongside Deputy Falk.

I had a really hard time getting into this story, in fact I was tempted to just quit reading at several points. The characters are very hard to relate to, there is basically no background regarding the relationship between Iphy and Callie, and with the exception of a couple of brief mentions of the Tea Shop and the cakes that Iphy is famous for, the entire plot takes place outside of the Tea Shop. The premise is very similar to an old Agatha Christie. By the time I got to the last page I had warmed up a little bit to Callie, so will look for the next in the series just to satisfy my curiosities on what happens next.

I received an advanced copy of In Peppermint Peril from NetGalley via Crooked Lane Books. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

A cute book. A good read for around Christmas time. I don’t really like the name of the series, it just doesn’t have a good flow to it.

Now I need some chocolate! The tea room sounds divine and the cleaver cakes and cookies make my mouth water. The mystery has so many suspects! And I certainly did not see the ending coming. Callie is a delightful character. Would not mind reading more of her and her Aunt Ipsy. Falk is also an interesting character with his seemingly tough ways but with a bit of heart showing through. This is a good mystery with a delightful setting and cast of characters.

Callie Aspen travels the World as a tour guide, but when she spends the holidays with her Aunt Iphy in Heart’s Harbor, the small town speaks to her heart. Old friends, new friends, a Boston Terrier, a family all wrap Callie up in a murder. Sometimes the past doesn’t haunt us as much as the present and the future isn’t always as we had planned.

This first book in the new Book Tea Shop Mystery series is a great start to a new series. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

What a delightful cozy mystery! I love small town mysteries with lively characters where you can almost see yourself strolling down the cute town streets having conversations with the people your reading about and that’s exactly how this story was! Perfect read for the holiday season or anytime you need a cheery pick me up read!

The debut of the Book Tea Shop Mystery is a nice, quick read. Protagonist, Callie Aspen, a tour guide who’s travelled the world, is visiting her Great Aunt Iphy’s vintage tearoom, Book Tea, in Heart’s Harbor, Maine. Callie brings along a sweet Boston Terrier she’s fostering. The Book Tea is catering at Haywood Hall mansion where matriarch Dorothea Finster is ready to reveal the changes in her new will and, thus, has summoned a family gathering. However, the tea party is interrupted by a vicious crime.

New author, Joy Avon, scatters trails of cookie crumbs from one suspect to another, and so forth, and does a good job of keeping the murderer’s identity a secret until the reveal. There is a second mystery plot that ties up all loose ends, and I enjoyed it, also. As I read this cozy, some of the characters grew on me, and I look forward to future developments with them. I just couldn’t get into the Deputy Falk. The story’s premise has great potential and it will be interesting to read the next book and see what happens to Book Tea.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. Thank you.

In Peppermint Peril by Joy Avon is a new cozy mystery with promise.

Callie Aspen is visiting her Aunt Iphy who owns Book Tea in the small Maine town of Heart's Harbor for Christmas. She agrees to help her aunt organize a tea party at Haywood Hall for Dorothea Finster. Callie is drawn into two mysteries when a lovely ring disappears from the cake being served at the tea party and then an employee is killed during the party. As this is the first book in a series, this book took sometime introducing the characters so the book did start slowly. However, the paced picked up as the red herrings and twists led me from page to page to discover who was behind the murder and why. A satisfactory read and I would definitely consider reading the next one in this series.

When I started this book, I didn't know what to expect, since this is a new author and the beginning to a new series. While I felt it began slightly slow, as the story went on I realized that this could indeed be a nice series to come home to. Why, you ask? Well, my review should tell you what I mean.

Callie Aspen has come home to spend the holidays with her Aunt Iphy, who runs the Book Tea tearoom. Iphy has been asked to provide a tea for an old friend, wealthy widow Dorothea Finster. Dorothea's family and friends are attending because they've been told that she wants to make an announcement regarding her will.

But unbeknownst to Dorothea, the wife of her only relative, Stephen Du Bouvrais, has a surprise of her own. Sheila has decided to turn the occasion into an impromptu engagement party for her daughter Amber - without even consulting the girl. When Callie arrives, she sees Sheila again and is surprised that she's manipulating everything the way she wants it, not Dorothea. She shows Callie the ring she wants hidden inside the cake - which will be cut by Amber's prospective husband Ben - and when everyone arrives and that indeed occurs, Callie is surprised to find the ring missing from the box.

With Ben feeling humiliated and running away, Amber upset and leaving the room, and Sheila demanding to know where the ring has gone, Dorothea realizes that everything has gone wrong. It's not too long after that when Callie hears a scream and Amber comes out of the conservatory exclaiming that the old gardener Leadenby is dead. Callie is trying to keep the situation under control but it's nearly impossible, and wonders who would have wanted to kill him?

But before she can find out the truth, she's going to have to deal with the people around her wanting to keep their secrets hidden, and a surly Deputy who never expected he'd have to deal with a murder in their quiet town. But which one of these people wanted Leadenby dead, and did he have secrets of his own that got him killed?

I felt that this book was slightly different because the protagonist isn't the usual type we find in cozy mysteries. She's a 39-year-old tour guide who's come home to spend Christmas with her great aunt. She didn't lose her job or break away from a bad relationship. There's a hint that she left town because she was hurt that Stephen chose Sheila over her, but there's no angst over it. She actually wears makeup (not lip gloss which I really feel is better suited for teens, not grown women) and isn't Too Stupid To Live.

Callie asks questions of people, but isn't really invasive and is truly interested in helping them. She seems to me to be a bit of a Fixer; because she's a tour guide she probably has to deal with 'people problems' and I get the feeling that she truly wants to help people, not just grill them about the murder.

Callie eliminates suspects one by one, but she doesn't withhold information from Deputy Falk, going so far as to seek him out to share what she's learned so far. While he doesn't specifically tell her to stay out of the situation, he does tell her to be careful - giving us the impression that this is his first murder investigation and he's also learning as he goes; it gives him a human quality that's nice.

There were a couple of disappointments, however; I did feel that it was irresponsible of Falk to offer her a beer knowing she had to drive - in winter, no less, and a long way into town from where he lived. He should have said something along the lines of: "I'm going to have a beer. I'd offer you one, but you're driving. Would you like a soda or coffee?" I can forgive a lot in books, but I do have a hard time with people drinking and driving, and worse when it comes to a police officer doing it like it's no big thing. I would also like to see it expanded on as to why Falk doesn't like Christmas. There's a mystery there about him that's worth exploring further.

I didn't much care for the character of Sheila; she seemed pretentious and I hate pretentious people. Yes, she married well and has money, but that's no reason to act superior around people and order them to do things. I also didn't feel the connection between her and Stephen, but since it wasn't a major plot point, it didn't really matter.

But I did wonder why Agatha Christie kept coming up when there was nothing about Dame Christie in the book at all. Yes, the cake had book clues, but none about this particular author, which left me a little disappointed, especially since I don't read the author they did concern.

However, it was written fairly well and I liked how it all came together in the end. I enjoyed the fact that there was no 'evil nemesis' to throw a wrench in the works (let's hope the sheriff doesn't come back to town and decide off the bat he doesn't like Callie and try to make her life miserable). Callie proved herself to be a capable woman who doesn't fall apart in a crisis and can think on her feet. In other words, an admirable person.

While the murder itself wasn't too involved, it was still a delightful endeavor, and there were some nice subplots along the way that kept the story moving along. All in all, a gratifying story with a decent ending that leaves us looking toward the possibilities of Haywood Hall in the next in the series. Recommended.