Daisy and her staff at the tea garden anxiously awaited the arrival of Derek Schmaker a food blogger known his scathing review. While his meal seemingly went well, his death shortly thereafter threatens the very life of the tea garden. Daisy has to prove that neither she nor her staff are implicated. Besides the murder, problems with both her daughters and her own nascent relationship keep the pace moving and interesting.

Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches is the third book in A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series. I recommend reading the series in order to avoid confusion (there are a number of characters and ongoing personal situations). Karen Rose Smith has a relaxed writing style which makes for an easy to read story. I like the various characters that include the kindly Aunt Iris, the kitchen manager Tessa Miller, Foster Cranshaw, Jazzi, Violet, Daisy’s Amish best friend Rachel and various townspeople. While Daisy is busy looking into Derek’s death, she is also dealing with personal drama at home and at work. Foster Cranshaw, an employee & her social media expert, is acting unlike himself and needing extra time off. He refuses to tell Daisy what is bothering him. Jazzi, Daisy’s teenage daughter, wants to have a close relationship with her biological mother, Portia. First, though, Portia needs to come clean to her husband about Jazzi. Sean, Daisy’s father, has concerns and needs some helpful advice. Jonas Croft, Daisy’s boyfriend, is not happy when Daisy cancels plans with him for Violet (Daisy’s eldest daughter). Daisy wonders if Jonas is the right man for her. Violet has some important news to share with Daisy and it is going to change all of their lives. There is a regular customer interested in dating Iris, but first he needs to work up the nerve to ask her out. Murder with Cucumbers Sandwiches is heavy personal drama and light on mystery. There are multiple suspects for Daisy to question in her attempt to identify Derek’s killer. Detective Rappaport wants to keep her nose out of the investigation (as he tells her several times). I do wish the author had put more work into the mystery and had made it the focus of the story. My favorite quote from Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches is “children give us hope that a new generation will treat the world more kindly than we did”. Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches is a light cozy mystery with an unpleasant food critic, a jittery employee, a tearful teen, a hopeful beau, delectable delights, two affectionate felines, tasty tea, and a worried mom with a penchant for sleuthing.

I love this cozy mystery series by Karen Rose Smith. The tea room is a wonderful setting for the book as it allows a glimpse into the community and the patrons that dine there. I also love the “family” of characters. They seem to genuinely care for each other and support each other. The mystery part of the story is not always easy to solve and keeps me guessing until the last few pages of the book.

This particular story was interesting as it involved the tea room and the death of a food critic. There’s lots of characters who had reason to want revenge on him, and Daisy is an innocent bystander that gets caught up in the situation. But as clues keep coming her way, she finds herself desperately wanting to completely clear everyone at the tea room from the crime. Daisy also faces some unexpected family situations that demand her attention, and that adds to her anxiety over the way the clues could be pointing as to the murderer.

This is a clean cozy mystery that’s just the right length for the plot.

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

Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches is the third book in A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series. This can be read as a standalone.

March in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania has Daisy Swanson and her Aunt Iris. co-own of Daisy’s Tea Garden, preparing for a visit from food critic and blogger, Derek Schumacher.

Shortly after his visit, Mr. Schumacher is found dead. Did Daisy’s sandwiches kill him; was it accidental?
There is a lot going on. Foster, and employee and the social media whiz kid is acting strangely, another worker argued with the deceased before the review, and all is not well on the home front.

Of course, Daisy investigates to save her shop. See how the plot twists, turns , and unravels.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Life seems to be moving along well for Daisy and her tea house. True, her younger adopted daughter is going through some emotional trials after she contacted her birth mother who has kept the secret of Jazzy from her husband. Then a famous food blogger comes to review the tea house and before he can post his scathing review, he dies. In his stomach is the one dish he praised in his review, the said cucumber sandwiches of the title.
He is a local boy who made good first on a tv show and then as a blogger but he has a mean streak so there are any number of folks whose reputations and businesses he has trashed who might happily have killed him. But as Daisy soon learns the means of murder opens up the suspect pool in a major way. And once the rumour gets out that her sandwiches were the means of delivering the fatal blow, Daisy’s business begins to dwindle.
To increase the anxiety, one of her employees is acting very strange and her older daughter is coming home unexpectedly from college. What they are about to reveal will change everything in Daisy’s world. It is a good thing there is feline assistance both in Daisy’s two resident kitties and the kitty of someone who can help the younger daughter. Things might have spiralled out of control without it.
It’s a good story with an unexpected villain. It deals with the damage secrets can cause when revealed. All the characters learn in one way or another they can only control their own reactions and not what someone else might or might not do. A good message for us all.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

Have enjoyed this series so far however this one got bogged down too much in the title characters personal problems and had a very unsatisfactory ending

Daisy Swanson runs a tea garden along with her aunt. When food critic, Derek Schumaker, comes to review, the staff is concerned. Derek’s blog contained many negative reviews. But when Derek is found dead the next day, there are many suspects.

This is an interesting story. The mystery is just part of the story. The characters themselves have a whole different side story. I enjoyed the characters and stories.

I really enjoyed this trip to Willow Creek PA and to Daisy's Tea Garden. Spring was just beginning to peek out when there was another murder that Daisy felt like she needed to investigate, or her shop's reputation would suffer as well as the shop would experience financial losses. I like where she and Jonas are in their relationship. It's really sweet and right when they're together. By the end of this book, they'd both grown a lot as individuals as well as a couple. As a side story, Daisy knew that one of her employees was keeping something from both her and the police. That wasn't the only secret being kept. There were a number of suspects, and I didn't guess who the murderer was. The showdown was fairly quick, but it was a good one. After the surprises in this book, I'm really anxious now to read the next one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

This is one of my favorite book series to read. Daisy always has something happening. I recommend anyone who has not read it to do so. Each one of Karen rose Smith books are suspenseful and waiting to know who the killer is. I was actually surprised . I give this book 5 stars. Looking forward to the next book in the series

Daisy Swanson is once again mixed up in murder in the quiet tourist town of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, when highly critical food blogger Derek Schumaker is murdered and the poison was hidden in Daisy's cucumber sandwiches! Her two daughters keep her on her toes, and her romance with Jonas may not be going as smoothly as she'd thought, but Daisy puts on her deerstalker cap (figuratively, of course!) and starts to investigate on her own. Nice mystery with scrumptious recipes included. A+

Daisy and her Aunt have worked hard to make Daisy's Tea Garden a success. Currently they are preparing for a food critic to come and review their establishment. Everyone is concerned . They want Derek Schumacher to like their food. Unfortunately things don't go as planned. Derek is murdered right after his visit. Now everyone there is under suspicion. I like Daisy. She's a good mom and cares for the people around her. Her romance with Jonas Groft is filled with love and caring. I liked seeing them grow as a couple. Daisy has her hands full as she deals with family issues as well as business concerns. I admired how she uses common sense and compassion to deal with her problems. The dialogue reflects this. Karen Rose Smith has done an excellent job with this cozy. I was hooked from the first page. I liked the characters and cared about them. Daisy's two fur babies add charm to the story. The victim had many enemies so it wasn't easy for me to figure out who did it. I love visiting Willow Creek. It makes the perfect setting. I'm enjoying this series. An added bonus is the delicious recipes that are included.

This is the 3rd book in this delightful series by author Karen Rose Smith. The "Daisy Tea Garden" Cozy mystery Series has fast become one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I highly recommend the entire series. This book can be read as a stand alone.
Thank you to the author and to Net Galley for the opportunity . My opinions are my own.
In this next in series we return to the charming tea garden in Willow Creek in Amish Country. Daisy and her Aunt have a successful business running the tea shop and garden together. They have the help of Daisy's best friend Tessa and the support of the community. Their high teas are a success and the shop has proven to be well loved among the local residents. They both have a talent for baking and mixing the perfect tea blends for their customers.to enjoy.

Derek Schumacher is a well known tough food critic and he is soon to visit their tea shop. He is known for not being kind on his blog and Daisy is justifiably nervous about his visit as a bad review from him would ruin her business. When he takes some of her special cucumber and pimento sandwiches to go she feels that his visit was a sure success. Unfortunately he is murdered that night and was possibly poisoned. Daisy and her sandwiches are highly suspect with the police. Soon her business is suffering and Daisy is finding herself under scrutiny. She is determined to save her business and find the killer.As Daisy investigates multiple suspects abound and soon Daisy is deep into clues . She has a knack for solving mysteries and with the help of her friends and the townspeople she soon is on the right track.
The sleuth was a challenge to me and I did not guess the conclusion. This was a pleasing mystery and another winning mystery from Karen Rose Smith. I found myself surprised throughout and as suspects grew the clues were multi faceted. I love the supporting charcters and the enjoyable setting. The recipes are simply divine and you will love making the Pimento and cucumber sandwiches ! I highly recommend this series to those who love tea and a beautiful tea shop with charming charcters . I look forward to returning to Daisy's fabulous Tea Shop for the next in series. A winning cozy series with all the right elements for the perfect enjoyable read. Well done to the author. 5 stars .

I am loving this series!! The characters are wonderful and are dealing with stuff just like I do, well, except I don’t deal with murders. I would love to have a place like Daisy’s Tea Garden to go to just relax. As always, there are some twist and turns to the story that makes it interesting and enjoyable reading. I can’t wait to see how some of the situations and relationships continue to play out. I’m ready for the next book. I received this book through NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Visiting Daisy’s Tea Garden is a sweet indulgence! The Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series is a favorite! It uses the perfect recipe of afternoon tea, mystery, family challenges, and sweet romance. Daisy, her family, and friends exemplify what we big city dwellers miss in the anonymity of crowds and traffic.

After Daisy’s husband died, she packed up her daughters and returned to Willow Creek where her family and friends are. She and Aunt Iris, a tea aficionado, opened Daisy’s Tea Garden. Daisy’s best friend and kitchen manager, Tessa, lives in the upstairs apartment. Daisy’s has been successful with locals and tourists, often preparing and serving special afternoon tea service on request.

Derek Schumacher is a food critic/ blogger, a tough one. Daisy and her staff watch his column regularly since he is coming to Daisy’s for his blog. They see the cruel things he says about other tea shops and are stunned when reading a threat in the comments of his blog.

Derek visited Daisy’s when planned, taking several cucumber and pimento sandwiches to go. Daisy anxiously awaits seeing the blog that could change their customer base. Sadly, the results weren’t what they hoped. The morning after Schumacher’s visit, a detective arrived at Daisy’s. Schumacher died the previous evening from an as-yet unidentified substance. With his visit to the Tea Garden and the sandwiches in his refrigerator, the suspect is someone at Daisy’s. The tea shop begins to look like a ghost town when it comes out he died from something in the sandwiches.

Crises are on the home front, also. Vi is making a special weekend trip home from college, making Daisy wonder if she and Foster, who works at the Tea Garden, broke up. Jazzi’s birth mother Portia is going to tell her husband about Jazzi. Since Jazzi found and met her, Portia wants to visit or talk with Jazzi with his blessing. Jazzi is on edge when she doesn’t hear back from Portia at all. Jonas, who Daisy recently began to date, struggles with Daisy’s daughters being her first priority when they need her. Daisy’s dad goes away on a week-long fishing trip alone, which is completely unlike him. I appreciated seeing how Daisy and her family handle each situation faced.

There is far more on Daisy’s plate this time than their delightful scones and delicate tea sandwiches. Almost every family member is in crisis, along with the Tea Garden. Other than those Derek had given nasty reviews to, there must be other suspects! Daisy takes the opportunity to meet Derek’s mother Harriet and Aunt June when Cora Sue, whose aunt was a good friend of Derek’s mother, took her on a condolence call. Interestingly, the family had no hard feelings against Daisy as owner of the Tea Garden. When a freelance investigative journalist came into the Tea Garden, Daisy learns about more suspects. I love the realistic family times in the novel as much as the mystery. It brings a good touch of daily reality and reflects family love and loyalty without one distracting from the other. Plot twists enhance both, and it was a challenge to guess who the killer was - and I didn’t! The end is full of surprises on all fronts. I highly recommend novel and series to those who appreciate tea and tea shop treats, hard to solve murders, close families, and sweet romance.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of the e-ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Murder with cucumber sandwich by Karen Rose Smith
Book 3 of 3 in the Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery Series
Daisy’s Tea Garden in Pennsylvania’s Amish country is known for its elegant finger foods—but now owner Daisy Swanson has to finger a killer . . .
Restaurant critic Derek Schumaker, notorious for his bitter reviews, is about to visit Daisy’s Tea Garden, and Daisy and Aunt Iris are simmering with anxiety. A bad word from the culinary curmudgeon could really hurt their business, but Daisy tries to stay confident. After all, how can he resist her cucumber sandwiches with pimento spread—not to mention the cheesy cauliflower soup and strawberry walnut salad?
Schumaker takes a to-go order when the afternoon tea service is done, which Daisy hopes is a good sign. But when he perishes from a seizure, it looks like his food was dosed with something deadly. Considering a threat that recently appeared on his blog—and whispers of scandal in his past—Daisy has quite an assortment of suspects to sift through . . .
Includes delicious recipes!
This is Daisy Swanson'story.
Daisy is a single mom with two daughters Vi and Jazzi.
her aunt Iris, who was her partner in the tea garden.
Restaurant critic Derek Schumaker, notorious for his bitter reviews.
Foster was one of Daisy’s assistants and her social media expert to boot.
“I can’t believe how he trashed that tea room,” Foster Cranshaw said, studying Daisy Swanson’s office computer screen on a Monday morning in mid-March.
Sitting at the desktop computer, Daisy worried her lower lip. Daisy’s Tea Garden hadn’t opened yet for daily business. She and her aunt Iris, who was her partner in the tea garden, had switched on the computer and googled Derek Schumacher. Soon, he’d be giving his professional opinion on Daisy’s Tea Garden’s offerings.
Foster was one of Daisy’s assistants and her social media expert to boot. She’d become fond of him, in part, because he was dating her daughter Violet who was on spring break from college. She would be coming into the tea garden tomorrow to help out. When Foster had arrived for his morning shift, he’d brought up Derek Schumacher’s blog to check on the critic’s latest reviews.
“Bradley Schumacher?” Daisy repeated. Where had she heard that name?
“His brother is the principal of the high school,” Foster elaborated. “Everybody there thinks he’s terrific—a great role model.”
Now Daisy remembered. She’d seen Bradley Schumacher’s name on the program when Vi had graduated. Her daughter Jazzi, who was a sophomore, had mentioned his name lately in regard to the talent show the school would be putting on. Jazzi had been texting with Vi about it for weeks, discussing what to sing, what to wear, and how to keep the jitters at bay.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Karen Rose Smith.
I highly recommend reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Murder with cucumber sandwich by Karen Rose Smith is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
more books by Karen
The Nanny Clause
(Furever Yours, book 1)
Montana Holiday Homecoming
(Home on the Ranch)
Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery
1. Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes
2. Murder with Cinnamon Scones
3. Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches
4. Murder with Cherry Tarts
Mommy Club
1. Wanted: A Real Family
2. A Match Made by Baby
3. The Cowboy's Secret Baby

Restaurant critic visits Daisy's Tea Garden, he takes an order to go and is found dead. Daisy is one of many suspects in his death. Interesting faced paced mystery, lots of twists and turns. Complex and interesting characters. This is a wonderful series and I cannot wait for the next booK! lOVE the recipes too! Received an arc from NetGalley and I honestly love this book!

I loved this series and I liked this book.
There was a lot of character building and lot happened to characters.
I liked to read about the developments in the character life but I was expecting a mystery and I got something that was women's fiction with some mystery elements.
I appreciated that Daisy avoided to be saved at the last minute but I'd have preferred more mystery and less family drama.
It's not a book I would recommend to anyone is new to this series but I surely recommend to anyone who read the other books in this series.
I look forward to reading the next installment.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This wonderful series continues to delight. And with MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES, author Karen Rose Smith has out done herself! Looking forward to the next installment.

Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches by Karen Rose Smith is the 3rd book in a Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery, and another fun addition.  Daisy Swanson, a widowed mother of two daughters. Daisy along with her Aunt Iris own Daisy's Tea Garden, in Pennsylvania. When the mean food critic Derek Schumaker visits Daisy's, and is later found dead, Daisy is determined to find the killer. Once I started this book I could not stop reading it. It was a quick read that kept me guessing. I look forward to the next book in the series. I recommend this book for all cozy mystery book lovers, you will not be disappointed.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you

Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches is the third installment in the Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series set in the small Amish town of Willow Creek, PA and featuring Daisy Swanson and her Aunt Iris, partners in Daisy's Tea Garden. Daisy and the staff of the Tea Garden are bracing for a visit from food critic Derek Schumacher. The once popular reality TV Chef has lost his show and has taken to blogging and reviewing Tea Shops, all in a very harsh light and sometimes causing businesses to shutter their doors.

The visit goes better than anticipated and when Derek asks to take some of the delicious cucumber sandwiches home, Daisy is thrilled. Unfortunately it's not long before the police arrive to share the news that Derek has been found dead in his home, poisoned by cucumber sandwiches. The unfriendly Detective Rappaport is anxious to pin the blame on either Daisy or her employees and faced with the possibility of seeing the Tea Garden close, Daisy sets out with the help of her beau, retired Detective Jonas Groft to steep out a killer.

A fast paced plot with likable characters, plenty of suspects including the victims family and co-workers keep the pages turning. The author does a fantastic job of combining a mystery with the continuing development of the main characters. Things are quickly changing for the Swanson girls as Jazzi tries to become closer to her biological mother Portia, Violet and her boyfriend Foster are faced with a life changing event and Daisy struggles to maintain her relationship with Jonas.

I received an advanced copy of Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.