Vicki Delany is a wonderful cozy mystery author and I enjoy everything she has written (she has a few different series out). Murder Spills the Tea is another enjoyable book and I'd recommend it.

This is Book three of the Tea by the Sea mysteries but can easily be read as a standalone. It has a great setting, a good supporting cast and Lily, the protagonist is likeable and not too stupid to live. The mystery is well plotted, and I didn't find it easy to determine who the murderer was

When America Bakes" a reality cooking show announced they'd be in the Cape Cod area, Lily's friend Bernie and her grandmother Rose apply to "be one of the featured bakeries/restaurants without her knowledge. Lily wasn't happy about it but once they were in, she was going to do the best she could do.

Lily soon discovers that "reality TV wasn't about reality" and more about creating drama and interest. And she experiences it firsthand when one of the judges deliberately trips one of her servers and then berates her on camera. Tommy Greene has a reputation of being the bad boy and he lived up to it. Lily runs into Tommy later that evening and discovers that under the bluster he was a kind soul and that he had apologized to her server. Marybeth.

When Tommy is found bludgeoned to death the next morning in the tea shop, the Detective immediately wants to arrest Marybeth's mother Cheryl who also works at Tea by the Sea and who had harsh words for Tommy when he made Marybeth cry. He has the reputation as taking the easy way out while his partner is more openminded. When Cheryl is arrested, Lily and her friends know they'll need to get involved

I received an ARC from the publisher, but the opinion expressed is my own.

It’s such a good book. Great beach read, quick and fun. Loved the writing style. Would definitely recommend.

I received a free copy of MURDER SPILLS THE TEA (Book 3 of the Tea by the Sea Mysteries) by Vicki Delany in exchange for an honest review. Lily Roberts' reluctant participation in a reality cooking competition is complicated when one of the judges is murdered. Lily investigates to save her employee from the ineptitude of a local detective. I enjoyed this book as well as the prior two.

#MurderSpillstheTea #NetGalley

3.5 stars

Lily Roberts owner of Tea by the Sea restaurant 🌊 is hosting the third season of the most popular TV cooking show *America Bakes* in her restaurant in Cape Cod. Her friends and family are there to help: Bernadette “Bernie” Murphy, and Lily’s grandmother Rose Campbell who owns a B & B called Victoria-on-Sea; as well as Lily’s assistants: Cheryl and Marybeth.

America Bakes is the country’s hottest cooking show. One bakery each has the honor of being crowned America’s best. Restaurants and bakeries are judged by the quality of food and the ambiance of the restaurant, the friendliness, and professionalism of the staff, and the opinion of the patrons.

Lily had moved from Manhattan to the Outer Cape last winter and set up her tearoom on her grandmother’s B & B premises.

She didn’t want to be part of the cooking show but her friend Bernie and Rose entered her into the show without telling her.

Six bakeries in Cape Cod had been selected for this year’s competition. They’d compete with each other and make it to the finale, titled *All-America Bakes!*

Following an altercation between one of Lily’s servers and one of the judges, Tommy Greene is found dead in Lily’s kitchen the next day, with Lily’s marble rolling pin lying nearby. Who killed him and why?

An interesting culinary mystery in a good setting. The book includes some of Lily’s recipes such as Herbed Cucumber Sandwiches 🥪, Coconut Lime Cake 🍰, and coffee cake coffee ☕️ 🎂. Would recommend

Thank you to Vicki Delany, NetGalley, and Kensington for the arc of this book.

This is book 3 of the Tea by the Sea Mysteries, but the first I have read. It's and enjoyable read, full of likable characters, and not so likable ones, LOL. You'll be guessing who the starts of the cooking show might be based on in real life, if you're a fan of the cooking channels! Add in a reluctant heroine, a charming location, and some amazing tea food, and you'll be thoroughly charmed and craving a by the beach vacation when you finish this book! You may guess who the suspect is, but the why will have to wait til the end! The series will be perfect for vacation reading this Summer too!

This third installment of the Tea By the Sea cozy mystery series features even more than the usual choas at the tea room when the America Bakes! reality TV show starts filming there. One thing leads to another, which leads to murder, and owner Lily finds herself in the center of it all. This series is so enjoyable, with an interesting cast of characters, beautiful Cape Cod settings, and unlimited tea and baked goods that always make me want to eat allll of them. I can't wait to find out what happens next! Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the advance digital copy.

Reality TV, America Bakes!, visits Tea by the Sea, resulting in murder. The leading suspect is Cheryl Wainwright, a waitress in the tearoom. Lily Roberts, tearoom owner, friend Bernie, and Grandmother Rose begin investigating when Tommy Greene succumbs to a blow from Lily’s rolling pin after losing his temper with one of Lily’s staff and confronts Cheryl on camera.

Since Tommy enjoys a reputation as an infamous bad-boy and celebrity chef, there is no shortage of suspects. And then, there is the struggle for power among the show’s executives. Vicki Delaney writes a well-developed mystery with comfortable characters and evolving relationships.

Reading some of these food related cosies really makes my mouth water and I would just love to be able to visit Tea by the Sea and have scones and cream and jam, lemon tarts and Earl grey tea while watching the waves.

Lily is the owner and resident baker for this beautiful tea shop and in Murder Spills the Tea she is in a state of stress. Grandma Rose and friend Bernie have signed her up to take part in a TV show called America Bakes and she is finding it a very unpleasant experience. Things get worse when a body is found in her kitchen and one of her staff is accused of murder.

Of course Lily, Bernie and Rose set out to discover the real killer. There are many possible suspects and they make slow progress, as do the police. Finally Lily has a light bulb moment which gives the game away and of course puts her in danger. Equally of course everything turns out all right in the end. This is a cosy after all.

A very good one too. I am ready and waiting for the next.

Another great book by Vicki Delany! Enjoyed the thrill of the mystery in this cozy book. Can't wait to read more in the series! Highly recommend!

Lily Roberts is in a state. Busy in a good way with her fairly new business and helping her grandmother, Rose, with her B & B. Said Grandmother has entered Lily in a reality-themed cooking show, without her knowledge.

With this being the busy season, Lily’s plate is full, and filming a show is the last thing she wants. These show people are rude and loud, and just plain mean. Some of it is for the drama, but some of it is just people behaving badly.

When one of the judges turns up dead in her kitchen and her waitress is accused, Lily has another item on her plate. Find out who killed Tommy.

All of these people are sketchy. They all lie. And it isn’t just the show people. Some people in town are willing to kill to win this food contest.

The food in here is to die for. I know bad pun. But it is true. Glad we got a few recipes too!

NetGalley/July 26, 2022, Kensington

Murder Spills the Tea was a fun break to the seaside! The normal tourist chaos is amped up by a tv show filming at Tea By The Sea.

Murder Spills the Tea is the first Vicki Delany book I’ve read. I’ve read her as Eva Gates (the Lighthouse Library mysteries) and truly enjoy them. This particular book started off slow and never really picked up speed. It’s not a bad read, but I was confused as to the relationships in the book (maybe because I picked up mid-series). I did enjoy the idea behind the book - a baking reality show at a tea shop/B & B on Cape Cod. It was a true cozy - no cursing, no graphic violence, etc., which is always nice. I may go back to read the previous books and wouldn’t mind reading future books.

Murder Spills the Tea, Vicki Delany (A Tea by the Sea Mystery)(published July 26, 2022)

Murder Spills the Tea is the third book in the Tea by the Sea Mystery series. This series set in a small town on Cape Cod, where Lily owns the Tea by Sea tea shop and bakery next to her grandmother, Rose’s Victorian Bed & Breakfast. Lily is a contestant on the America Bakes, a realty TV show where Liy will compete against a local bakery with a chance to move on further. Supporting characters include mother and daughter teashop pair, Marybeth and Cheryl as well as Rose, Lily’s best friend/aspiring writer Bernie and the colorful show producers and hosts. The trouble starts when one of the hosts is murdered and Lily must solve the crime to save one of her own.

This book has detailed descriptions of both the food and tea served so do not read it hungry. I found the characters including Lily to be likeable and the dialogue to be realistic and relatable. I had not read the prior books in the series, but was able to follow and understand the story without issue. I am excited to go back and read the first two books, which starts with Tea and Treachery.

I received this book in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you Net Galley and Kensington Books!

I seriously can't resist a cozy mystery series with a tea shop setting! Or a library setting, Or a B&B setting.
Maybe it's just the author!

Lily Roberts runs a tea shop and a B&B with her irascible but charming grandmother and quirky friends. She's taking part in a baking show --reality TV at its finest even if it isn't quite real.

The producers want drama, and they get it in the form of a murder. When the police arrest one of Liily's waitresses, she has to get involved.

The small coastal town offers up plenty of old grudges and new alliances, and the characters are believable. The story is fast-paced and plausible. There's a bit of romance and some tasty-sounding recipes, too.

Always a pleasure to read this author and this book continues my enjoyment. A TV Reality competition show is always fun but murder is on the menu. Lily, her grandmother Rose and best friend Bernie get tangled into the hunt for the killer. Awesome characters and their relationships with each other are a plus. Good plot. Thanks #netgalley and #Keningston for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

This is the first Vicki Delany book I've read, and I really enjoyed it. I'll go back and read the first two in the series. I love the Cape Cod setting for Lily's Tea-by-the-Sea. I can just taste the tea and her baked confections, yum! When a TV Reality show comes to film in her tea room, and one of the characters in the show ends up dead in her kitchen, then all heck breaks lose. Lily eventually figures out who did it, but will it be too late? Not only will I go back and catch up on the first two books in this series, I'll start reading Ms. Delany's other series.

Having reluctantly agreed to appear on a reality baking show, the show's production crew keep reminding Lily Roberts that a reality show has nothing to do with reality. Unfortunately, the dead body she discovers is very real. So, too, is the arrest of one of her staff for the murder. Lily, her grandmother Rose, and best friend Bernie must work together to find the real killer of Tommy Greene.

Lily and her friends and associates are likeable and the setting itself is a essentially a character in the book. Set in Cape Cod, you find yourself virtually traveling from the delightfully soothing beauty of the tearoom itself, with its quaint British aura and its garden, with it's tinkling teacups and drifting aromas from the flowers so lovingly tended by Simon, to the shoreline's crashing waves, rapidly rising tide, and slippery rocks. And, hey, there's a dog, too, not to mention a cat. Toss in hints of a growing romance, a budding author, and old world eloquence and it's all the more startling that a murder took place.

So, who did it? I'm obviously not telling. Could it have been the mayor's obnoxious husband? How about the mayor herself? Did one of the other judges kill Tommy for reasons not even connected to the show? Who is related to who? Does all the food talk make you hungry? Or, maybe thirsty for a cup of properly prepared tea? How far would you go to protect a member of your family? Does Lily really, really want to go where the evidence leads? Who was the mystery woman in the garden? Did Lily lock that door or not? And, what's going on with Simon? You'll have to read the book for answers to these questions and more. It's fast paced and will keep you turning the pages.

Thanks #NetGalley and #KensingtonBooks for inviting me to Tea By the Sea to spend a bit more time getting to know Lily and friends. I'd like a table in the garden, please.

I waited a few days after I finished this book to review. I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. The tea recipes were great and the history as well. But I was a little bored by Lily and Bernie and most of the characters. The idea of a TV show contest was really interesting to me but I felt it never got going. I skipped ahead to the end about 3/4 of the way through.

Loved this cozy mystery. The characters are great, the plot was a bit different and flowed smoothly, and the ending was fun!
Lily, runs a tea shop and has reluctantly agreed to be a part of a TV Competition type reality show. During filming, there is a lot of tension among the cast and some members of the community, some of whom are also in the competition. When one of the members of the TV crew are found deceased in Lily's Teashop kitchen, fingers start to point to her friend and co worker, Cheryl. While Cheryl may be a little rough around the edges, she would never kill someone, or would she? Lily, her grandmother Rose, and best friend Bernie are determined to get to the bottom of things. Even though of course they promise they won't interfere with a police investigation!
Love the banter amongst the characters, the antics they get into while sleuthing, and of course the sprinkle of a budding romance is always enjoyable. Truly recommend this book and series, although the book can be read as a stand alone.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.