I really enjoyed this book! Although I am a little late with this review, it should definitely be on your books “to be read” list!
Daisy, Jonas, and the gang are great characters!
The Lancaster area setting really adds to the story for me, as I lived there for over 25 years!
I hope this isn’t the end of the series!

Daisy Swanson owns a very popular tea shop in Pennsylvania's Amish Country along with her aunt Iris. She's a very busy lady with her shop and her family & friends. As well as getting ready for her wedding.

Daisy's friend Trevor is trying to bring his podcast to the next level by solving a real time murder before the police have a chance to solve it. No one thinks this is a good idea except Trevor.

By trying to keep Trevor out of trouble, Daisy manages to put herself in danger.... and everything must be settled before her wedding day.

I like this author and this series. Highly recommended.

Murder with Chocolate Tea

By Karen Rose Smith

Chocolate Lovers Unite! At Daisy’s Tea Garden, the featured tea this month is Chocolate Tea which Daisy serves with a variety of sweet treats. It seems to go particularly well with chocolate chip cookies.

As always, delicious foods from soups and salads to high tea are served at Daisy’s teahouse. Daisy has a lot of things going on in Murder with Chocolate Tea. She and Jonas are planning their wedding, and she has put one of her enthusiastic employees, April, in charge of a tea celebrating a local covered bridge. Most importantly for the reader, Daisy is trying to solve a recent murder and a cold case. Is there a connection between the two? Daisy finds herself in danger as she draws closer to discovering the truth.

Daisy’s friends and family have their share of difficulties. Her daughter Jazzi is preparing to go to college. Her daughter Vi’s husband is overworking and over stressing over his new job. Aunt Iris still has two suitors who are getting impatient. Her kitchen manager’s boyfriend has begun a true crime podcast. He endangers many in his efforts to discover the truth including those he interviews.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in this mystery. Many friends of the the murder victims are suspected of the crimes, but we don’t get to know them as well as I would like. It’s mind boggling to watch Daisy juggle work and home commitments, but with the help of supportive employees and relatives, she manages well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #10 in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series
2. The author does a good job of reintroducing characters for the new reader. It could be a standalone, but there is a lot of backstory to be gained by reading the whole series.

Publication:  November 28, 2023—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

Courage is just something that happens when you want to get out of a predicament you didn’t intend to be in, and you don’t have another way out.

Daisy stroked Pepper’s back, and the cat turned over in her lap, showing her white belly. Daisy ruffled it, giving affection and taking comfort. The cats were so good at that.

I enjoyed this cozy murder mystery. I read it as a standalone but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read the others as I feel like some of the storylines carried over.

A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

This one was so much fun! I adore all of these characters. For this one though, i was more interested in everything that was going on in Daisy's life. I didn't really care that much about the murder or finding out who did it.

Murder with Chocolate Tea is an engaging shopfront cozy and the 10th book featuring Daisy Swanson and her friends and family by Karen Rose Smith. Released 28th Nov 2023 by Kensington, it's 320 pages and is available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU.

This is a well-established and long running series with characters who have developed over the series run and are believable and well rendered. Despite that, the mystery is self-contained in this volume and it works quite well as a standalone, with the understanding that the interrelationships have developed and reading them out of order could spoil some developments (but nothing game breaking).

Daisy is busy preparing for her upcoming nuptials, guest interviewing on a true-crime podcast about her previous "cases", running the tea shop, and preparing for an upcoming centenary celebration for a local landmark, when an anonymous tip to a clue about a long ago cold case draws her into another mystery.

This is a fun small town shopfront cozy series. It's full of slightly eccentric characters, clean language, and off page violence.

Four stars. It would make a good binge or buddy read. Light and entertaining.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Daisy and Jonas are finally getting married. I was so excited to get this book. Daisy is so busy. running the teahouse, helping her family, and friends, as well as helping solve another murder. This series is the perfect cozy mysteries. I love them all.

This book has two thing I love- mysteries and tea! And there are some yummy recipes in here too. This is a quick enjoyable read! Daisy owns a tea garden in Lancaster. She getting ready for her wedding while figuring out a twenty year old unsolved murder. Karen Ross Smith is a new author to me, but I will definitely check out her other books.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

This book was saved by the podcast angle. While I do generally enjoy this series, this particular book had so much going on. I liked that there was a cold case thrown. The setting and characters are still good. I just hope the next book is a bit more focused.

Karen Rose Smith’s Murder with Chocolate Tea is the delightful story of Daisy, the 10th and final book in the Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book full of murder, suspense, and mystery.

This book is a delectable blend of mystery, romance, and tea, and is the 10th in the series. Daisy is a warm hearted protagonist and passionate about her tea garden. She also has a murder to investigate. The dual mystery- connecting a recent murder to a cold case, keeps the reader guessing.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Murder with chocolate tea" is the 10th book in the series of the tea garden mysteries. I was able to jump right in and follow what is going on even though this is my first book to read. I will go back and read the other books.
Daisy is amazing she has a ver busy schedule alot on her plate with getting ready to get married and she decides to mix herself into the murder that takes place. She does a great job. Characters are good and the book flows nicely that I just couldn't stop till I found out who the killer is.
Thank You for giving me and advanced copy.

I'm always delighted to spend time with Daisy at Daisy's Tea Garden. This is the 10th book in the series and it's as delightful as the previous 9. when Daisy is a guest on Trevor's true crime podcast all kinds of trouble follows. Can Daisy solve a murder and get ready for her wedding in 2 weeks? Grab a copy of this book and find out. I love the Amish community in this series, and I love Daisy and all her family. This is always a feel good cozy read for me.

Daisy Swanson owns Daisy’s Tea Garden in Pennsylvania Amish country. She’s engaged to Jonas, a local furniture builder, and their wedding is fast approaching. In the meantime, it’s almost time for her youngest daughter to go off to college. Her oldest is married with a young son and their family has moved into a place of their own after living in the apartment above Daisy’s garage. Things are clicking into place.

Trevor Lundquist is a local journalist and crime podcaster. He persuades Daisy to be a guest and talk about the latest murder she was involved in—as in helping solve it! After the show is broadcast, Trevor receives a phone call with a cryptic message about a 20-year-old murder and where to find a clue. He, of course, recruits Daisy to help. The questions are: where is the clue, was there a murder, and will the killer strike again to protect himself after so many years of being free?

When the body of a man is found in Willow Creek a few days later, they have the answer. The problem is now, Trevor is so focused on solving the crime before the police so his podcast will go viral, he drops Daisy’s name far too often. Has he put her on the killer’s radar?

This is book 10 in the series. Daisy and her family, her Amish friends, and the town itself have become familiar to readers. Daisy isn’t one for taking risks. She’s got a family and business to think about, after all. Her questions are low key and she hopes to keep her profile the same. To read one of Daisy’s adventures is like a visit to distant friends.

Tasty descriptions of the teas and pastries from the tea garden will leave readers drooling. Luckily, there are recipes for ham and cabbage soup, egg and olive salad, rhubarb muffin toppings, and rhubarb muffins at the back of the book.

Look for the first in a new series, Murder Marks the Page, in April. Smith also writes the Caprice de Luca mysteries, eight in total, several reviewed in KRL.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Daisy’s wedding day is fast approaching and there is so much to be done. Pick out dresses, flowers etc…. And solve a murder, possible two. Daisy has proven her mettle to the local cops in helping to solve murders and they often depend upon her help to find the killer. But it is a supposed friend, who is trying to build his brand as a podcaster, who seems determined to thrust Daisy right into the cross hairs of the murderer. The police also ask for her help in interviewing the wife of one of the deceased. It seems, her good intentions or not, Daisy is going to be drawn into the mystery and she will be put in danger.

I like the way that Daisy and the local police work together. They each respect one another but the so called journalists who is after the big scoop seems hell-bent at getting his scoop whatever the cost. But he does redeem himself a bit by the end. In spite of a tense standoff with the villain, Daisy does make it to her own wedding. Four purrs and two paws up.

Life is never uneventful for Willow Creek, Pennsylvania’s most celebrated amateur sleuth, Daisy Swanson, who is eagerly anticipating her impending backyard wedding to her beloved fiance Jonas Groft. In the meantime, she’s busy running her tea garden while helping sort out the personal lives of family and friends. In just two examples, her aunt Iris is caught between two boyfriends, and her son-in-law Foster is likely overworking himself, to the detriment of his relationship with his wife and child.

Even as Daisy is applying her calm warmth to resolving these issues, she’s been invited to speak on Hidden Spaces, the podcast of a friend. Journalist Trevor Lundquist is intent on exploring and discussing the Willow Creek secrets that deserve greater attention, and is happy to play up Daisy’s involvement in solving a number of recent murders. He’s also put up a tip line for people to anonymously report crimes they may not feel comfortable going to the police with, to some modest success in deterring local vandalism.

When a tip line caller tells them that one of the chests soon to be auctioned off from a storage unit holds the key to a twenty year-old murder however, Daisy and Trevor are understandably a little skeptical. Still, they’re happy enough to bid on the various chests and examine them after they win the auction lots. None of the lots seem to contain the evidence they’re looking for, but when someone tries to break in to Daisy’s garage to access the chests, it becomes clear that the call wasn’t merely a hoax.

Tragedy strikes soon after when thirty-six year-old Henry Kohler is found strangled to death after failing to return home from work one evening. The presence of a burner phone close to his body indicates that he was their anonymous caller. When Daisy finally unlocks the secret of the auctioned chest, she strongly suspects that Henry was killed due to a long ago disappearance and murder. The harried Willow Creek police force wants to focus on who might have had beef with Henry in the here and now, leaving Daisy to investigate the past. Will her inquiries, alongside Trevor’s insistence of talking her up skills on his podcast, place her in mortal danger once more?

I love the thoughtful nature of this series, with Daisy, her family and friends feeling like real people with fully realized lives. The way the murder mysteries are interwoven into their personal dramas feels entirely organic. While solving the murders clearly has greater immediate weight in the grand scheme of things, I do love how the emotional issues are dealt with care and compassion, too.

There were three original recipes included in the back of this book. I absolutely had to try out this one, as I have a weakness for any variation on an egg salad:

QUOTE
Egg and Olive Salad

5 jumbo-sized hardboiled eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use Hellmann's Olive Oil Mayonnaise Dressing)
1 teaspoon mustard (I use French’s)
⅛ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
5 chopped green olives without pimento (add more to taste)

Shell, chop, and put eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

This recipe makes 4 to 5 scoops of salad to serve on a bed of lettuce… or it will fill 4 to 5 sandwich rolls.
END QUOTE

This is served as a sandwich filling in the book, which is how I chose to enjoy it as well, with potato bread. Because I’m all about saving time and effort, I also chose to use pre-hardboiled eggs, which always come out beautifully. In addition, I used a whole grain Dijon mustard instead of French’s. Between that and the olives, I was pretty impressed with the layers of flavor in this seemingly simple dish. Perhaps ironically given the directive to not use pimento, my co-parent and I both agreed that the egg salad would have benefited from a touch of paprika, as it tasted overall like a very delicious deviled egg sandwich. This recipe also makes for a generous amount that chills well in the refrigerator, though you’ll likely want to eat all of it within a day.

Next week, we head to the west coast to solve the mystery of an unpopular figure’s death while baking up some curry buns. Do join me!

3.5 stars

In this 10th book in the 'Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery' series, tearoom owner/amateur sleuth Daisy Swanson helps investigate a disappearance and a murder.

When she was left a widow with two teenage daughters, Daisy Swanson moved from Florida to her hometown of Willow Creek in the Amish region of Pennsylvania. There Daisy and her Aunt Iris run 'Daisy's Tea Garden,' a charming eatery that serves soup, salad, sandwiches, pastries, and tea. When Daisy's Aunt Iris was suspected of murder, Daisy helped the police find the real culprit, and Daisy has subsequently helped the police solve eight additional homicides.

As the story opens, journalist Trevor Lundquist is interviewing Daisy for his podcast, called Hidden Spaces. Trevor and Daisy talk about investigating murders, and before signing off, Trevor tells his listeners, "If you know a secret that involves our community or if you have evidence of a crime, call my tip line, and I'll follow up."

A few minutes later, a caller, who insists on anonymity, tells Trevor that several chests will be auctioned off at Bonner's Storage next weekend, and one of the chests holds a secret to a twenty-year-old murder. Daisy and Trevor arrange to attend the auction along with Daisy's fiancé, Jonas Groft - a former police detective who now makes and sells custom furniture; and Daisy's friend Amelia Wiseman - who runs a bed-and breakfast. Jonas and Amelia plan to use the chests after they're searched for clues.

Daisy and the others acquire five chests at the auction, and before the chests can be thoroughly examined, someone tries to tamper with them. This confirms the suspicion that one of the chests harbors a secret, and - after careful examination - Daisy finds a hidden space containing notebook papers, newspaper clippings, and a photo of a teenage boy and his parents. The boy is identified as Axel Strow, who vanished twenty years ago.

In the meantime, a murdered physical therapist named Henry Kohler is found in Willow Creek, and the police determine that Kohler's phone made the anonymous call about the chest. Daisy and podcaster Trevor Lundquist believe Henry Kohler's homicide is connected with Axel Strow's disappearance, but Police Detective Morris Rappaport isn't convinced. So Daisy and Trevor do their own investigation, which involves interviewing people who knew Axel twenty years ago. These include former high school students who were on the track team with Axel; a woman who had a crush on Axel when she was fourteen; and vendors at the farmer's market where Axel's mother sold baked goods.

At one point Daisy comes across an important clue that helps solve the case.

While all this is happening, Daisy is busy with many other things, including managing Daisy's Tea Garden, which is currently promoting chocolate tea; making plans for her and Jonas's wedding, scheduled to take place in two weeks; helping her daughter Jazzi get ready for college; giving marital advice to her daughter Vi and son-in-law Foster, who have a toddler son named Sammy; helping Jonas design his new backyard workshop; assisting with a tea party for the 100th anniversary of Willow Creek's covered bridge; and more.

In the course of the story, Daisy serves many cups of chocolate tea accompanied by comestibles like snickerdoodles, rhubarb muffins, chocolate chip cookies, blueberry coffee cake, lemon tea cake, and cheese biscuits. To add to the book's charm, there are descriptions of the fine china used for serving tea, such as a Stechcol Gracie teapot with a black background decorated with colorful flowers in orange, red, yellow, and white; Royal Copenhagen blue-flowered braided cups and saucers; vintage Aynsley Marine Rose cups and saucers; Churchill Blue Willow cups and saucers; and more.

At the end of the book there are recipes for ham and cabbage soup, egg and olive salad, and rhubarb muffins.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery with likable recurring characters, including Jonas's golden retriever Felix, who enjoys being petted and pampered.

Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Rose Smith, and Kensington Books for a copy of the book.

This has been one of my favorite cozy series. I just love the family element so much and a middle-aged protagonist that we could actually relate to. The series dealt with deep issues, but they never took over the storyline. The life progression was engaging, and the mysteries were just suspenseful enough. I think that this is the last book, and it wrapped up nicely. I am sad for the end but excited for a new series from the author.

Murder with Chocolate Tea is the tenth and most recent Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery. Daisy and Jonas are only a short time away from their upcoming wedding. She is also supervising the special tea event to help commemorate the 100-year-anniversary of her town’s historic covered bridge, participating in a podcast about her crime solving and helping her daughters deal with some situations in their own lives. Shortly after the podcast, someone calls in a tip about a 20 year old crime and then a man is found dead in a creek. Who killed him and is it because of the tip? This time around, Detective Rappaport asks for Daisy's help in calming the wife of the dead man so he can question her. He knows that Daisy has a way with people and that gets her involved in another murder. Will they find out who killed the man and will they solve a cold case as a result?

This book introduces us to Trevor Lundquist, the podcaster and Tessa's boyfriend. Tessa is an assistant manager at the Tea Garden. He drops hints, gets calls and interviews people who stir things up. Did his podcast cause the death? Daisy sticks her nose into the investigation and talks to friends of the two men, those who knew both of them years ago. Unfortunately, this puts Daisy in the crosshairs of the murderer. Will the wedding go off as planned? As always I enjoyed the mix of mystery and personal storylines. I don't know if this will be the last book in the series or not, but all the personal stories are well wrapped up, if it is. I enjoyed this mystery with it's plot, and intriguing story. It was not an easy one to solve and it was one little clue that leads Daisy in the right direction. One thing I like about Daisy, is that she is always in contact with the police, sharing what she learns and letting them know what she is doing. It might just save her life.