I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Enjoyed the second book in a series. Highly recommend for all people who love murder mystery.

I'm finding the plot of In too Steep by Kaye Kingbury alittle far fetched and had a hard time concentrating on it. Vivian reads in the newspaper about a hermit being killed and sees a clock she sold someone in his houses. Shes so fixated on that clock she tries to track down the person who bought it so she can buy it back to remember him by. She doesn't know the man why would someone go crazy trying to buy back a clock you sell in your store you don't even like. And then go to the trouble of tracking down not 1 owner of the clock but multiple people makes no sense to me. Half the book was her going to people telling them a man died and did you give him the clock only to find out they didn't know him. I can't see a person having that much free time on their hands to do ths let along drag her friends along with her each time. She is literally harassing people for name's of people they gave the clock to. Then the second half of the book she revisits the same people trying to get info on the clock again as of the first time wasn't enough.

I just couldn't get into this plot it's very strange like the writer is having a had time coming up with a storyline so she pulled this out of the air. I was very disappointed with this book. I had high hopes for it, the cover is beautiful and I usually love tea shop cozies but I just can't get into this one. I had to put it down a few times and read somthing else inorder to finish this book.

I requested this book before I had read the first one. I didn’t enjoy the first one at all and was not looking forward to reading this one and having to write a review. I was hopeful some of the kinks from the first one had been worked out but that wasn’t the case. Vivian Wainwright, the main character, is pushy and obnoxious. Why she feels the need to investigate this murder is tenuous at best. There are so many TSTL moments that I lost count of the number of times I rolled my eyes. I will not be continuing with this series or this author.

Charming and entertaining cozy mystery. A delightful tearoom setting in a small coastal town of Oregon. A nice variety of characters, including a dog. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Author Kate Kingsbury continues her new Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery series with In Too Steep which follows the first instalment, In Hot Water.

Set on the Oregon coast it features Vivian Wainwright, sixty-plus-years-old, who is the proprietor of her tea room - The Willow Pattern. Vivian's late mother was English and Vivian has dreamed of owning her own tea room for years, her wish finally coming true. Vivian is flicking through a newspaper and spots an article about the death of Lewis Trenton, attacked in the living room of his hillside cabin. The local detective, Lieutenant Tony Messina has no suspects but Vivian recognises a clocktower on Lewis's mantelpiece, Big Ben, that's pictured in the newspaper...

In Too Steep was a thoroughly enjoyable, piece of humorous, well-executed escapism with a good blend of characters. As well as protagonist Vivian, I liked her employees, Jenna Ramsey and Gracie Jackson. The mystery was interesting and I was kept guessing. This instalment indicates there is plenty of potential for development, there are some lovely descriptions of delectable treats, and I liked Vivian's cheeky dog, Felix. I'm eager to read the third instalment on a return visit to Misty Bay.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed the first book in the “A Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery” series, and the second book, In Too Steep, is even better. A mystery with diamonds, British tea, Big Ben, and the death of a beachcomber make for a gripping plot. Readers will appreciate the nuance of the cast, setting, and story. But more than anything, they will adore Vivian and want to visit her shop, taste the food and enjoy a great cup of tea.

Vivian is a lover of all things British, from the famous tea servings to the landscape. Hence why she bought and sold a replica of Big Ben, which, although not necessarily pretty, is a good representation of her mother's home. So when the body of a beachcomber is found murdered in his rustic cabin, Vivian is curious about who would want to kill a lonely old man who, by all accounts, kept to himself and never bothered anyone. But when she spots one of her Big Ben statues in a picture of the victim's house, she sets out to find out who gave it to him. After running around all over and finally locating the statue, she and her accomplices, Gracie and Jenna, discover a hidden diamond in the cavity of the statue and a motive for murder.

Vivian is one of those characters a reader can’t help but like. She is older, a widow, and a business owner but not someone with tons of experience. She loves her tea shop, holding authentic British tea for her customers, the souvenirs she sells, and even the ugly Big Ben statue that is at the heart of this mystery. The other characters in the story are delightfully human, with human faults, all of which have readers in the palm of their hands. Even the suspects are enjoyable. The killer almost ends Vivian and her future with Hal when she stumbles upon the truth while questioning a potential suspect. The victim is primarily unknown, but he is the crux of everything, along with the hidden diamond and a jewelry heist. The evidence will convince readers to follow the same meandering path as Vivian and her friends until they reach a conclusion, maybe even the right one.

In Too Steep is magnificently written with classic characters, a fun plot, and a well-done British twist that will have readers beaming with delight. The action is good, and there are plenty of twists to make readers question everything. The hidden diamond, Big Ben, the traditional tea, the personal relationships, and the killer will pull you in from the very first page until the very last. I am happy to recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one!

In Too Steep is book #2 in the Misty Bay Tea Room Mystery series by Kate Kingsbury.

Vivian Wainwright owns a tearoom. A man is murdered and Vivian see a photograph that has a Big Ben replica in the background, just like the ones she has in her shop. That sets her on a investigation to find the replica and track down who gave it to the victim.

I like that Vivian owns a tearoom and has a close relationship with the two women she employs. The are all women at different places in their lives, all opening up to the chance of romance. Felix is adorable. I thought it was nice that Vivian started trying to find who gave the victim the Big Ben replica. The story started losing me when there was a crime possibly associated with the people she was investigating and she was willing to put herself and the people she cares for in danger to clear the name of a dead man she never met. And then when she ignores all common sense and goes into the lion’s den, it was too much.

I enjoyed the characters and tearoom setting along with the romances or potential ones enough that I will check out the next book.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I love a tea room cozy!


Vivian Wainwright was shocked to find out hermit who love to come to beach had been murdered. when a newspaper article gathers Vivians interest. Showing a replica of a Big Ben, Vivian is sure she sold the clock a week before and her cozy little tea shop. Unable to keep the article and picture from her mind Vivian starts to do a bit of sleuthing and tracks down the object at a thrift store. Obtaining the object noticing it broken she thinks it’s almost worthless until a second look has her calling the police right away. This mystery has more and more layers as it goes on.


What an amazing introduction to this author and her series. Kate Kingsbury knows how to write a cozy mystery. She has engaging characters, a wonderful setting and describes her delectable treats so well that you could possibly be gaining weight while you read the book. I’m just joking on that but seriously they do sound good. We even get a little bit of romance sprinkled in here. Vivian has two employees that also are her friends that are a hoot. Vivian definitely grabbed your attention, and has no fear for danger. Well maybe she does but that’s still not gonna keep her from sleuthing. I love the town of Misty Bay Oregon. Usually if I don’t read the first book in the series I don’t go back because I feel like I’ve got enough to go on. I enjoyed In Too Steep so much that I will be going back and reading the first book and probably do a reread of this one just to feel like I’ve had my fill of tea and know everything that’s going on. Or that we know that’s going on at this point.

In Too Steep is the second book in the Misty Bay Tearoom by Kate Kingsbury.

Vivian Wainwright, the owner of the Misty Bay Teashop, is anxious to read the article on the murder of Lewis Trenton, a beachcomber, and recluse. Accompanying the article is a picture of Trenton’s cluttered living room. She notices in the picture a replica of Big Ben like the one she sold a week ago but doesn’t remember Trenton coming into her tearoom. Vivian wants to learn who gave him the Big Ben replica and discover who might have killed him.

Vivian's investigation soon leads her to a thrift shop with a Big Ben whose base has been damaged. Even though it is damaged, she decides to purchase it. When Vivian gets home and has a chance to examine it, she finds a diamond hidden in it. Vivian immediately takes the diamond to Detective Messina. Messina quickly comes up with a police report from Portland about an unsolved diamond heist. Messina believes Trenton must have been a “fence” for whoever stole the gems.

Vivian doesn’t believe that he knowingly was involved with the stolen gems. So Vivian and her employees, Jenna and Gracie, set off to clear Trenton of any suspicion and to find his killer.

Vivian’s gentlemen friend, Hal, is having heart issues that worry her. In addition, Vivian is worried about her well-being, as she has been forgetting things and is concerned that she may have the beginning of dementia.

The story is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable. There were plenty of twists and turns in the story that I was kept guessing until the thrilling ending as to who the killer was.

I will be watching for the book in this enjoyable series.

I wasn't a fan of the first book in this series and wasn't a fan of this one as the mystery took the backseat to the romance.
The dog is lovely and I think there's potential. The cover and the descriptions of the food are mouthwater, I love the style of writing.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was so excited to be able to read In Too Steep by Kate Kingsbury. This is the second book in the series, but I do not feel you would be missing too much from this cozy if you have not read the first book. For this read, we have an older gentleman, Lewis, who is found to have a replica of a Big Ben clock. All might seem normal if Lewis was not also found dead. Vivian knows she had sold Big Ben to someone else, and she is unsure of how Lewis might have come to have it in his possession. As it seems like with all cozy mysteries, Vivian is not about to go straight to the cops and leave this to the professionals. No, she is going to be the major sleuth she knows she is and do some investigating on her own. Detective Vivian is going to find out why Lewis was killed and has a lead. After doing some… er… “investigation…” snooping, she notices the clock is damaged. First, she does not pay much attention, however, she thinks the clock is not worth anything now, until she finds something that gives her a shock. A diamond! Now, the hunt is on for a killer! Could this have to do with Lewis’ death? The rumor mill begins to gossip, and Vivian is out to find the truth.

Per usual, there is romance in this cute cozy, amazing descriptions of all the amazing foods I just have to try, and a true delight to read. I cannot wait to read more!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was hoping that I would like the second Misty Bay Tea Room mystery better than the first. It has wonderful elements - a tea room, Oregon coast setting, nice main characters. But when a seemingly logical mature woman puts herself and others in danger when she doesn’t even know the man who was murdered, it reduces the appeal.
I just don’t understand why Vivian got involved in the first place. She had plenty to keep her busy with the tea room, a new dog and a developing relationship with Hal.
The good - the setting on the Oregon coast in a tea room; the relationships developing between Vivian and Hal and Jenna and Messina; Felix and his exuberance; and the friendship between Vivian, Jenna and Gracie.
The questionable - Vivian getting involved in a murder because of a Big Ben model, and her really dumb actions and decisions as the book progressed.
With the added element of a jewel theft ring, I did have enough interest to see where it went. I knew who the culprit was long before the main character.
The thing that saved this book from a less than 3 star rating was the relationship development between Vivian and Hal. I did like the ending.
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC.

This is a Halloween-based cozy mystery about Vivian and her co-workers solving the mystery around the death of a hermit Beachcomber in their small Oregon coast town.
I loved the warm and friendly characters and the way they interacted with each other. I also liked the love interest between Vivian and Hal. I enjoyed that the plot was easy to follow with a bit of action at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

When Vivian Wainwright, owner of the Misty Bay Tearoom, heard that the old hermit who lived in a shack near the beach had been murdered, she was shocked. Who would want to kill a harmless old man? But it was a photo depicting his room, with a Big Ben statue in the background that had her interested. She sold those at her tearoom, and knew she'd only sold one around a month prior. Her interest in finding the statue saw her eventually pick it up from a Thrift store, but it was what she found inside that made her head to the police station. When Detective Tony Messina identified the diamond Vivian handed him as one that had been stolen in a jewellery heist a month prior, she knew that their idea of the hermit being a fence was wrong. And she would prove the poor man innocent.

Once again, Vivian and her two helpers, Jenna and Gracie - the three rookies - were up to their necks in sleuthing. Interviewing people was all very well, but if any one of them was the killer, they would find themselves in danger once again. Would Vivian and her friends discover who the killer was?

In Too Steep is the 2nd in the Misty Bay Tearoom series by Kate Kingsbury and I enjoyed it very much. Felix, Vivian's dog, is adorable, and Hal, Vivian's friend and Felix's sometimes walker, is a great character. It was good to catch up with Jenna and Gracie, along with the main characters, and I'm really looking forward to #3. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'm really enjoying this series and the fact that Vivian's finally coming around to having a more than friendship relationship with Hal. Life's too short to let a good someone go--now if Jenna would take that advice, she'd make Viv a happy camper!

I got a suspicion when a character was introduced that they might be the perp, and I was actually right. But wow what a twisted journey that little model of the Big Ben took! From one owner to another, how could this innocent decorative piece have gotten involved in a jewel heist? Vivian and her pals were determined to find out.

The side story with Hal and how this particular incident seemed to bring him and Viv even closer was really enjoyable for me. And I believe there might be hope for Jenna and Tony too! That showdown was tense, but all ended up well with the right help coming along when needed. I'm eager to read more now that all three ladies seem to be in a good place with possible relationships! This book releases Tuesday, August 6, 2022.

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

This cozy mystery lives up to the genre. It is cozy! All the mention of tea and British pastries is enough to make anyone feel cozy. Too bad there aren't recipes to help recreate the experience at home. Maybe another thing that helps it feel cozy is that it is set at the end of October and the beginning of November.

The mystery seems to take a back seat to the relationship between Vivian and Hal, the owner of the local pet store. Even the relationship between Jenna and Messina appears to be more forward in the book than the mystery itself.

Is it wrong to say that my favorite character in the book is Felix? He's the adorable dog on the cover. Felix works hard to get Vivian's attention and steals the scene whenever he is there.

This cozy mystery sends readers back to the Willow Pattern tea shop with owner Vivian, and assistants Jenna, and Gracie. They become involved in two mysteries: the death of a local recluse, and the origin of a dazzling diamond discovered in a souvenir of Big Ben. The descriptions of the tea room and its British tea delicacies will please readers who love a good tea party. The added spice of a little romance extends the story in another direction and adds a layer of interest. And who could resist Felix the dog, whose picture appears on the cover? Readers who enjoy a cozy mystery with a little romance thrown in will appreciate this latest in the series, which can be read as a stand alone novel.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Vivian Wainwright owns a tearoom in Misty Bay, Oregon. One morning while watching the news she sees that a man in her town has been murdered. For some reason she can't get the man out of her head. She starts following a big Ben statue that the man owned. It's a mystery she needs to solve.

I liked this book. The mystery was intriguing and kept me hooked. I liked the relationship between Vivian and Hal. I liked the side characters name, Jenna. *smiles. This is the second book in the series but I was able to read it as a standalone.

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Vivian is in her middle sixties and, with the help of her two employees, Jenna and Gracie, she runs a true English tea room. Her delectable treats come from her British mother. The Willow Pattern Tearoom is running smoothly, a nice addition to the coastal Oregon town of Misty Bay. That is until another body turns up, the second one in a month. As Det. Lt. Tony Messina had left the Portland police dept. in search of a quiet small town police force, this situation has him questioning his choice. Add to that he has to deal with the three above mentioned ladies who see themselves as amateur detectives. This time the victim is a beachcomber who lives the life of a hermit in a dilapidated cabin up in the wooded hills. What would make somebody kill him?
Vivian soon sticks her nose into the investigation when she sees a newspaper photo of the interior of his cabin and notices that there is a figurine of Big Ben, sold in her tearoom but not to the dead man. If it was by chance given to him by a friend she wants to find out who that is so somebody will know what happened to him. That's when start getting sticky and then dangerous. What is a solitary diamond, stolen with others in a Portland theft, doing lodged in Big Ben? Much as Messina wants them to leave it to the police to catch the killer, Vivian, Jenna and Gracie get way too involved and take unnecessary risks to get their answers. But it's no surprise in a cozy. Add some romance and a sweet pup named Felix with a well plotted mystery tied up nicely at the end and you have a nice cozy escape read.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.