As one of my favorite cozy mystery series, I really enjoyed the plot and the clues in this one. It’s always a pleasure to return to the tea garden.

Murder with Chocolate Tea was read as a standalone book and it worked just fine for me.

The characters are well developed and I liked them all very much. The plot was really solid and clues will lead you to an excellent conclusion.

I love small town so that made it a winner for. I didn't think I would enjoy it this much

4 stars

Dollycas's Thoughts

Life sure is busy from Daisy Swanson. She works at her tea garden every day where she holds many special events too. She is finalizing all the plans for her upcoming wedding. Her daughter Jazzi is preparing to leave for college and her son-in-law Foster seems to be burning the candle at both ends to provide for what he thinks his family needs.

With all that on her plate, she takes time to be a guest on Trevor Lundquist’s crime podcast to talk about the last murder she solved. After the program, an anonymous tip comes in telling Trevor a chest is soon to be auctioned off and that it contains a clue that could solve a cold murder case. Then the police have a new homicide to deal with, but podcaster Trevor thinks it is connected to the 20-year-old murder and he is going to prove it.  When the police ask Daisy for help with the deceased wife, she can't say no. Soon after Daisy is investigating too and running interference between Trevor and Detective Morris Rappaport. Can she solve another murder and make it to her wedding on time?

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The author continues to breathe life into her true-to-life genuine characters. Daisy has such a big heart, she will always help everyone in any way she can, even with her own wedding quickly approaching. Her journey to find the perfect dress, making sure fiancé Jonas is part of every decision and his building the perfect place to have the ceremony just warmed my heart. Witnessing their relationship grow throughout several books and evolve so naturally is a true credit to the author. She has shown us how relationships have their ebbs and flows too. Vi and Foster's life had a bumpy start but with help from family and friends, they too have moved forward realistically. They have some rough times in this story but again family is right there for them. Jazzi has had an interesting life too. Daisy's support of her finding her birth mother, Portia, and including the woman in family events like her wedding is more evidence of Daisy's huge heart. Ms. Smith has created a remarkable cast of supporting characters as well. I have enjoyed all the time I have spent peeking into these character's lives.

The mystery was complicated and took some research and true investigation before the clues started to come together in a way that made sense but evidence to pin down the killer may have been lost forever. It may end up being another cold case.  But Trevor wasn't letting the case go and Daisy may not make it to her wedding. This book is so well-plotted and written. Each twist and turn pulled me deeper into the story and kept me guessing. An interesting visit to Daisy did push me toward a certain character but I still had several questions.  Happily, when all was revealed they were all answered.

I am very sad that this appears to be the last book in this series as the author begins a new spinoff series featuring Daisy's daughter Jazzi. I am intrigued to see her in a different way and seeing things from her point of view as the lead character. I do hope her family visits her often though. They are all characters I have become invested in after 10 books. I am holding out hope though that we will return to Willow Creek and Daisy's Tea Garden someday. It is such a great fictional setting.

Murder with Chocolate Tea is a wonderful addition to this series. Wonderful characters, a stirring mystery, set in a charming place where Amish and Englishers come together, along with a lot of chocolate tea make this a must-read for cozy mystery lovers. I have enjoyed every book in this series and highly recommend them all.

The towns historic covered bridge has been around for a hundred years and Daisy has been asked to hold a special tea event. She is happy to help but what really has her excited is her wedding to her fiance Jonas. With all this going on she makes the time to be a part of a podcast done by a local journalist Trevor Lundquist. The discussion surrounds the last crime she helped solve. When Trevor receives a tip that may help solve a twenty year old mystery Daisy is intrigued. Is the tip real or is someone making things up? When someone is murdered Trevor begins to think it may be tied in with the unsolved murder from twenty years ago. Daisy jumps at the chance to help Trevor figure out who the killer is and whether the murder is link to the one from so many years ago.

Murder with Chocolate Tea is another excellent read by Karen Rose Smith. The characters are well developed and likable. I enjoy the small town setting of Pennsylvania as the backdrop. The elements of a podcast with murder also make this read more relevant in today’s time. A good solid plot and excellent clues will lead you to a satisfying end. I highly recommend it!

This fabulous mystery is the best in the series! Her wedding is a few short weeks away, and Daisy has important things to do before that special day, like choose a dress, select flowers, and help her younger daughter, Jazzi, get a bridesmaid dress. Daisy’s Tea Garden keeps her busy, also. There is no time to get involved with another murder.

Since moving back to Willow Creek, in Lancaster County, Daisy helped solve several murders. It just kind of happened, such as when the main suspect was her beloved Aunt Iris. From then on, if somebody she was close to was involved with a murder, whether as a suspect or a victim, Daisy asked questions and found whodunit.

Daisy’s fiancé, Jonas, is a former detective from Philadelphia who moved here when he left the force. Being an excellent craftsman, he opened a shop called Woods, where he sold or took commissions for furniture he builds. He also sells furniture made by local Amish craftsmen. With his background, Jonas’s help was invaluable to Daisy.

This time, Jonas and Daisy can be valuable to Trevor. He is a reporter, dates Daisy’s best friend, Tessa, and is trying to establish his niche in podcasting. After interviewing Daisy regarding murders she helped solve, he got a call on his tip line. A man called anonymously to report that the contents of two storage units would be auctioned in a few days. A trunk containing evidence of a murder from twenty years ago was in the units.

Trevor, Daisy, Jonas, and a friend, Amelia, went to the auction. It was poorly attended, allowing them to obtain both units, five trunks, and furnishings. Amelia and her husband owned a B&B, so she could use some of the furniture. Jonas would take the rest to repair, refinish, and sell at his shop. They would split the trunks, as long as Jonas and Daisy were able to thoroughly search Amelia’s. All they found was an older photograph with no information on it.

A couple days later, the body of a man with no ID was found in Willow Creek, having been murdered and dumped there. A burner phone was found on the river bank. The phone number of it matched the one used to call Trevor’s hotline with the tip. Daisy helped the police by helping calm down the victim’s wife so they could interview her.

Trevor was stubborn, and didn’t want to share any information with the police. He believed he and Daisy could solve the crimes before the police could. He was taking critical risks on his podcasts, including clues he’s found, names of people he’s talked to, and indiscreet use of Daisy’s name.

I enjoyed watching the friends discuss their finds and concerns about the current case even as they struggled to find who was murdered twenty years ago and by whom. The cold case is one of the things I found fresh and exciting. I also enjoyed seeing how far the main characters have come since Daisy and her daughters arrived, not long after the death of her first husband. I appreciate how Daisy, her family, and her friends act with wisdom and maturity. I wish I hadn’t abandoned my favorite suspect as a red herring, but I did…and I was surprised, and very saddened at the motives and the years of deception. I highly recommend this novel and series to those who appreciate clever sleuths, well written mysteries, tea rooms, and romance.

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

Book 10, in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery. I haven’t read this author before nor the series and i am hooked, cant wait to go back to the beginning! I really enjoyed the mystery and the character, i really liked this one even though i jumped in too far in the series.

I love cold cases being solved in mysteries; the thought of long-deserved justice being served is so satisfying. The mystery was interesting in this one and there’s a lot of investigation (and not a lot of working) in this one. There’s also a lot of tying up of loose ends so the series can end with all questions answered. Lots of twists and turns but there was just too much going on in this one and yet it seemed to have something missing.

This is one of the best instalment in this series I read in some times: well plotted, twisty and entertaining.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and the evolution of the relationship of Daisy's extended family and friends.
I was glad to catch up with the characters and enjoyed the plot that I found entertaining and enjoyable.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Murder With Chocolate Tea by Karen Rose Smith is a Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery and a great entry into the series. Daisy and Jonas’ wedding is just days away. She is totally preoccupied, so much so that she decides to let Abigail be the lead on planning a tea to celebrate the reopening of the local covered bridge. She was also involved slightly with her friend Tessa’s boyfriend, Trevor Lundquist, who was trying to get his podcast off the ground with an interview with Daisy. After the podcast, he got a call from an unknown number giving him a tip about a clue to a twenty-year-old disappearance being in a trunk that was being auctioned this Saturday by a storage place. He was determined, so Daisy and Jonas, plus their friend who owned a bed and breakfast, went, bid, and won two units, both of which had trunks. They found nothing in the trucks but someone had come to their home and tried to break into Jonas’ SUV where their two were until he had help to bring them in, and someone had broken into the shed at the bed and breakfast. Trevor was not letting this go. Then, there was a murder, and Trevor connected the anonymous call to the burner phone found with the body. Despite police warnings, he was ramping up the podcast, and mentioning Daisy’s name far too often.

This is a cute series and Daisy is a good lead. She is a widow and has found love a second time with Jonas, who is an ex-police detective turned woodworker, who owns his own business. They are a wonderful couple and he backs her up, while worrying, every step of the way. The wedding is small, in their back yard. Jonas build a gazebo for them to be married under and she is wearing her grandmother’s wedding dress. Everything is perfect, but the case gets more and more complicated. Of course, things eventually fall into place and Daisy is able to give the correct clue to the police and they solve both the twenty-year-old disappearance and the current murder. It’s never easy though, and things almost go awry. This is a terrific cozy series and this was a good book!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder With Chocolate Tea by Kensington Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonBooks #KarenRoseSmith #MurderWithChocolateTea

Murder with Chocolate Tea promised to serve up a cozy mystery. As with any brew, it has its nuanced flavors.

As the narrative unfolded, the writing did not really engage me. It felt like I was listening to a friend recount the plot of the book to me; it felt very procedural and action-based rather than crafting an engaging plot (i.e.: The cat jumped up on the chair. I reached for the teacup. We drove to the scene. I answered the call.). This was my first book by this author, which might explain why I felt this way.

I did appreciate the unhurried and cozy vibes, as well as the description of the town and teahouse... and perhaps I would have felt more engaged if I had read any of the other books, as I would have been more invested in the characters. I have seen that others found this to be a delightful mystery. It just wasn't my cup of, well, tea.

I was so excited to spend time with Daisy, Jonas, and friends in the Amish country of Pennsylvania in the latest installment to the Tea Garden Mystery Book series, Murder With Chocolate Tea. Chocolate tea is one of my favorite flavored teas, while the Tea Garden Mystery series is also a favorite---I knew I was instore for a good read.
So much is happening in Willow Creek in this fast-paced story, but the biggest interest to me are the preparations for Daisy and Jonas' wedding. A local podcaster discovers a tip that causes Daisy to jump in and investigate. As illustrated in the blurb there are two cases--one is twenty years old, and one is current. The mystery is twisted, the clues are helpful---though I did not quite guess the culprit correctly. A very enjoyable read.

I recommend this book and series to other cozy mystery lovers, tea drinkers, and to those who enjoy trying new recipes. I am waiting for Spring to try the rhubarb muffins. Yum!

What a pleasure to have received a copy of this novel from #NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks, #KensingtonCozies, #KarenRoseSmith to read and give an honest review. #MurderWithChocolateTea #NetGalley

Here I am jumping in at number ten of A Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery Book series. It is a good story with nice characters and I need to go back and read the earlier nine books!

In Murder with Chocolate Tea Daisy Swanson, owner of Daisy's Tea Garden, is preparing to for her wedding to Jonas. Meanwhile she becomes involved in a twenty year old cold case and a brand new murder. Are they related and who dunnit?

There is an Amish angle to the book which is nice. The mystery is twisty and intriguing and it is altogether an excellent read.

It was good to visit with Daisy, Jonas and friends again. The Tea Garden is always a fun place, but I really want some of the furniture Jonas makes. This was an interesting story line with a cold case and a current case. Loved the thought process to get it solved. I love how the Amish and the English folks all live in and around Willow Creek in harmony. We certainly need more of that. I received an ARC of this book, but my opinion is my own.

Daisy and Jonas are preparing for their wedding. Daisy does an interview with Trevor's podcast. When an anonymous phonecall comes in with a tip on the hotline. A storage shed is about to be sold with chests and one of the chests has information on a twenty year murder. Trevor, Daisy and Amelia jump at the chance to buy the contents. A dead body is found in the creek. Trevor wonders if they are connected. Trevor and Daisy start their own investigation.
I enjoyed following the clues with Daisy. I wish I knew all the characters better. Sometimes I was confused as to who was who. Probably better to read the series in order.

A nice addition to a series that's just as much about friends and family as it is about murder- and it should be just fine as a standalone. Daisy's meant to be working on her wedding to Jonas but Trevor, a podcaster, ropes her into his exploration of a 20 year old murder case. And of course, that turn into a current case when a body is found. Meanwhile Daisy's got her daughters to help and her business to run. I like the setting of this series in a small town populated with both Amish and English people (it adds to the atmospherics) as well as the mysteries but I most enjoy reading about Daisy, Jonas, and the girls. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Twisty enough to keep you guessing.

Release Date: November 28, 2023
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Daisy has a lot to celebrate this summer. She’s supervising a special tea event to help commemorate the 100-year-anniversary of her town’s historic covered bridge. But the main event is her upcoming wedding to her beloved fiancé Jonas. Somehow Willow Creek’s busiest brewer of specialty teas and amateur sleuth still finds time to be a guest on local journalist Trevor Lundquist’s crime podcast to discuss the last murder she solved. After the podcast, Trevor receives an anonymous tip from a caller who claims a travel chest that’s about to be auctioned holds a clue to a twenty-year-old unsolved murder. Is it a hoax or a genuine lead? When a body turns up in Willow Creek, Trevor suspects a connection between this current homicide and the cold case. Has the murderer killed again to cover their tracks? Now Daisy has another mystery steeping and Trevor may just have his next podcast . . .

I enjoyed this book. I do feel like I missed a lot of context and backstory. The wedding planning seems to be frequently interrupted for murder matters but I hope to hear more about that gazebo in future books. I would read this series again.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#murderwithchocolatetea #Daisysteagardenmystery #karenrosesmith
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tea-shop, small-town, small-business, wedding, family, family-dynamics, friendship, friends, series, amateur-sleuth, ex-cop, cozy-mystery, Pennsylvania, pets, relationship-issues, relationships, relatives, recipes, suspense, woodworker, local-law-enforcement, murder-investigation, murder, Amish, podcaster, cold-case, disappearance*****

First there was an anonymous tip to the podcaster regarding an antique trunk with revelations in it about a cold case murder. Then there were attempted robberies and a current murder. All this plus the countdown to her wedding, helping her friends' families, both Amish and Englisher. Daisy is an Englisher in an Amish neighborhood, has many friends, both Amish and Englisher, an ex-cop/woodworker for a boyfriend, and operates a tea shop in their small town.
Good sleuthing with interesting twists and red herrings. Nice addition to a fine series. This is not an unbiased review because I love this series!
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Fun, cozy read. I ended up picking up the first book in the series after starting this one, and I hope to read the entire series.

What a great addition to the wonderful series. Daisy and Jonas are eagerly awaiting their wedding day, when Trevor discovers a little mystery that draws them in. But, when someone is found murdered, things get risky. Somehow the recent death and a 20 year old missing person is related, and of course Daisy can't resist poking around. But, this time it is Trevor's podcast that may cause Daisy's life to be In danger.
As always, the characters are like old friends the reader gets to visit, the plot is exciting and flows easily from scene to scene. And.... the gazebo seems so enchanting. Overall a must read for lovers of cozy mysteries.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.