I sure was happy to see Lily and Bernie back! I learned to love them along with their great adventures/mysteries.
This one was no different. I loooooove road trips! That's why I enjoyed this one so much.
Well written mystery and excellent writing that drew me in from the beginning! I simply couldn't put this cool story down!
Wonderful characters and plot that sometimes had me shaking my head and snickering through others.
5 stars for a wonderful adventure!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I really enjoyed this road trip with Lily, Rose, and Bernie! I am not always a huge fan of road trips, but in this case, it works. Lily and Bernie accompany Rose as she returns to the estate in England, where she worked as a cook before her marriage. The Dowager Countess of Frockmorton has reached her 100th birthday and has included some of her former servants from Thornecraft Castle to come to the grand celebration at the Castle House and Hotel. I am very grateful to the author for supplying a cast of characters at the front of the book because, believe me, there are a lot of characters, family, staff, party guests, neighbors and Yorkshire police. Our party takes a wild turn when the next in line to the title , the birthday girl's grandson, gets food that he is severely allergic to and dies. The question is, who and why? Was he trying to ease his grandmother out of the picture and take over the estate? Was it his soon to be ex-wife? Was it an old feud with a neighbor? To add to all the excitement, the Frockmorton Sapphires worn by the Countess for the celebration are missing! You know Lily and company will not be able to stay out of the search for answers. It's definitely a great road trip and mystery. Thank you to #Netgally, #Kensingtonbooks, and the author for an opportunity to read. #TeawithJam&Dread #ATeabytheSeaMystery #VickiDelany #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreaders

Lily’s grandmother Rose has been invited back to the castle where she served as a maid as a girl. Lily and Bernie are going along with her for the dowager’s 100th birthday party and to see Yorkshire. Simon is in England for the winter, so he and Lily will be able to see each other again. During the birthday celebration, one of the dowager’s sons dies from an allergic reaction. There are numerous suspects, including Lily, who had opportunity and some with motives. When the famous family jewels also go missing, the plot deepens.
It was fun to read about a modern family in the aristocracy. Some care about the title; others not so much. This was a good mystery with just the right amount of romantic interest and likable characters.
Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Lily Roberts owns and runs an English tearoom in Cape cod. Her grandmother Rose is invited to
attend a party for Elizabeth, the dowager countess at Thornecroft Castle in England where she had
worked as a kitchen maid before moving to the US. Lily, Rose and Lily's best friend Bernie travel to
England to attend the party. In order to maintain the castle's upkeep, it is now a hotel managed by
family members, some who disagree with Elizabeth's choices. When the heir is killed and the famous
Frockmorton Sapphires are stolen, the three wonder if the two events are connected. and are
determined to find the culprit and help Elizabeth safeguard the castle's future.
#TeaWithJamDread #KensingtonPublishing #NetGalley

Rose has been invited to a grand party in England so Lily, Rose and Bernie are on an adventure. They will be visiting Thornecroft Castle for the 100th birthday of Elizabeth Crawford, dowager countess of Frockmorton and Rose's former employer.

The castle where Rose once worked is now a luxury hotel where Elizabeth still resides. The hotel will be closed to the public for a week so it can house all the guests that have been invited to the party.

It doesn't take long for Lily and Bernie to overhear the grumblings of Elizabeth's grandchildren, especially Julien who is already making plans for what he will do when the castle is under his control. Unfortunately for him, he will never have that chance since he is murdered at the birthday party.

Everyone at the party is a suspect, of course. Especially after the Frockmorton Sapphires disappear on the same day. The family jewels are worth millions and are rarely out of the safe. Are the murder and the theft connected? That's what Lily, Rose & Bernie are determined to find out before they leave Yorkshire for home.

I love this series and this author. This was a great read. Can't wait for the next one.

The tension and terror begin early with the trip through the roundabouts. I've heard tales of these traffic aberrations, plus Lily must remember to drive on the other side of the road.
There's so many suspects when the murder occurs- a whole party full of people. As Bertie observes “The very opposite of a locked-room mystery." And then when the family jewels go missing as well, everyone wonders if it was a planned distraction or a crime of opportunity. Even with two possibly connected, possibly separate crimes, the story did move a little slower-more time spent going over the events than investigating. But I liked the solution in the end, everything came together and made sense.
I particularly enjoyed getting to see the place and people that Rose talked about for the last five books, and get this glimpse into her past. I do hope Elizabeth can make a trip to Cape Cod. Keeping track of the family members was a lot, and I think a family tree in addition to the list would have been helpful. As always, I liked seeing the recipes at the end. All sounded good, and it's neat hearing about the story and history behind the coronation chicken.

Lily and her grandmother Rose, along with Lily's best friend, Bernie, are in Yorkshire to celebrate Rose's previous employers 100th birthday. Elizabeth, dowager of Frockmorton, has invited them along with other family members & friends to the celebration. At the dinner, Elizabeth's grandson has an allergic reaction and dies. Once it is decided that he was actually murdered, our friends spring into action looking into the details. Lily is actually considered by the local authorities as a suspect, having helped with the food prep prior to the dinner.
Twists & turns of who could have done it (there were a few), along with the prize family jewels missing. Eventually the culprit's are found and the girls head back to the Cape.
A quick, easy read, always a delight. Thanks to NetGalley, Ms Delany & Kensington Publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Tea with Jam & Dread is the next installment of A Tea by the Sea mystery series and follows Lily, Rose, and Bernie as they travel to Yorkshire to visit Rose's former employer and friend - the dowager countess of Frockmorton. While celebrating Elizabeth's 100th birthday, Lily takes the opportunity to help with preparations in the kitchen in hopes of learning new recipes to take back to her tearoom. The actual birthday celebration is full of delicious food, aromatic teas, and pleasant conversation. However, things soon go downhill when one of the guests has a fatal allergic reaction. Just as the police and emergency responders are leaving, it is noted that the priceless Frockmorton sapphires have gone missing. Are the two events related? Was the guest intentionally targeted? Lily soon finds herself once again wrapped up in a potential murder investigation.

Tea with Jam & Dread is a delightful cozy with two intriguing mysteries. All of the usual characters, including Simon and Matt, are present in this book. I absolutely love Bernie and find her and Rose's shenanigans highly entertaining. While I thought it was a bit difficult to keep track of everyone in Elizabeth's family and how they were related, I still found the mysteries entertaining. I loved the descriptions of the villages, pubs, and British food. Tea with Jam & Dread is a great cozy with fun characters, a charming setting, and a puzzling mystery.

We're off to jolly ol' England in this installment of the series. Well, not so jolly. Not only is Elizabeth, a countess nearing 100 years-old, who has opened up the Thornecroft Castle estate as a luxury hotel, dealing with family drama, but there's a murder. Needless to say, long time readers won't be surprised to discover Lily Roberts in the middle of it. There with her grandmother Rose, a former kitchen maid at the estate who'd become Elizabeth's friend, and best friend Bernie/Bernadette, she offers to help out in the kitchen. While a kind offer, it puts her on the suspect list. To complicate matters, priceless family jewelry goes missing. Are the crimes connected?

I won't detail the plot but will note that I very much appreciated the cast of characters included at the front (and British recipes at the end). This one has a large cast and, quite frankly, even after finishing I'm not quite sure I have the family connections quite straight. As a result, the pace seemed leisurely at times as the various characters were introduced, many basically just passing through while others played a more active role. It was interesting that one character was part of a movement to do away with the nobility and status ranking, so to speak, as we heard others talk of the role such things had played in their lives and, yes, the personality of the victim. The usual cast, Rose, Bernie, and Lily were joined by Matt Goodwell, Bernie's boyfriend, a writer doing research in England, and master gardener Simon McCracken, Lily's romantic partner. .

Bottom line, I like these characters and it seemed like Lily was taking a bit more of the lead in the investigation this go-usual this round rather than following and being prodded by Rose and Bernie. For long time readers, enjoy getting a glimpse of the England Rose so fondly remembers, not to mention enjoy Lily's panic over not just roundabouts but driving on the, to her American mind, the wrong side of the road. Fortunately Simon eventually takes on the driver role or we might have gotten some insight into British hospital care. Lots of family drama and angst, spurned romances, and lively children running about. While the final reveal seemed to just happen, it was satisfactory and wrapped up the case nicely. Thanks #KensingtonPublishing- #KensingtonCozies for allowing me this early peek at the goings-on in Lily's life. How delightful to get this glimpse of Rose's past, in particular, and the aristocratic life of some in England, not to mention their police procedures. The quick glimpse of the barn activity was a bonus. Long nail file, indeed. Grin.

England Countryside, good friends, murder and mayhem.

Reading a book by Delany is always a treat. We learn more about Rose and her home in England before she moves across the pond. Rose is invited back to Yorkshire to help celebrate the Dowager Countess' 100th birthday. What is supposed to be a special homecoming and treat turns into murder when The Dowager Countess' grandson, the Viscount, is killed.

So many suspects. I did not see it coming, although in hindsight I guess the clues were still there. I was enjoying it so much that I wasn't paying attention.

We're off to jolly ole Yorkshire England in this one. Lily, Rose and Bernie are off to help Lady Elizabeth Frockmorton celebrate her 100th birthday at Thorncraft Castle House and Hotel. Rose had been a maid to Lady Frockmorton before marrying and going to America.. They had come to celebrate not witness a possible murder and the theft of some very precious jewels but that's exactly what they got. And worse Lily might just be the prime suspect in the murder as the victim died from an extreme allergic reaction and she was handling the item where that allergic item was in.!!! Can Lily clear herself without becoming the next victim ? And the theft? Could it had been an inside job to finance a failing family home / hotel? You'll never know unless you read the book. It's great!

In TEA WITH JAM DREAD , written by Vicki Delany, Lily is driving a car in England with her grandmother, Rose, and her best friend, Bernie (Bernadette). The GPS leads them to Thornecroft Castle House and Hotel in Yorkshire, England, where Lily, Rose, and Bernie will help Lady Elizabeth Crawford, the Dowager Countess of Frockmorton, celebrate her 100th birthday. I want to know what happens.

I like the list of characters at the beginning of the book. The story takes a while to get going with many chapters before the main incident occurs. The plot, while slow-moving, is good once it gets going. I want to know what happens with Lily and Simon and look forward to reading the next book in the Tea by the Sea series. Thank you, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of TEA WITH JAM DREAD.

I adore this series! This time we find Lily, Bernadette and Rose traveling back to England where Rose was once a kitchen made at Thornecroft castle. The family for whom Rose once cooked, is celebrating Elizabeth, dowager countess of Frockmorton's birthday. With it comes family tensions, inheritance games, missing jewelry and a suspicious death. It is up to Lily to clear her name and find out who did it before anyone she cares about it hurt. I really enjoyed this book, it was nice to go to a different setting and see the England that Rose talks about when they are back home. I cannot wait for another book and to see what happens next. Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the advance copy.

"Tea with Jam and Dread (Tea by the Sea Mystery #6)" by Vicki Delany has Lily and pretty much the whole gang of regular characters taking a trip to Yorkshire. Rose was invited to return to the Manor house she was employed at before moving to the United States. Her previous employer and sort of friend is about to 100 years old. While at the celebratory tea a relative of the hostess collapses and Lily becomes a suspect since she helped prepare some of the food.

So, this means they all have to start investigating. There are lots of suspects since the family isn't small and money is starting to get tight. There's also a few past employees that may have a grudge against the aristocracy.

Loved this cozy mystery.
Lily, Bernie and Rose go to Rose's old job for a 100th birthday celebration. While there they stumble into a murder and theft of valuable jewels. Lots of suspects and motives, but very little evidence. But, Lily is determined to figure things out, especially when fingers point at her!
Love these characters, and the change of setting was a fun twist to this series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book after I got past the few pages that listed all of the characters, their names and their relationships to the other characters. It looked daunting but ended up not being so. Lily, Bernie and Rose go to England for a 100th birthday party for a Countess whom Rose worked for and became good friends with. A person dies at the party and there is also a robbery. I enjoyed the descriptions of the house and the countryside. I was unhappy with who the murderer turned out to be. This was interesting for me as another series that I read also had its characters travel to England in its most recent book for a 100th birthday celebration and there was a murder in that one.
I really enjoy this Tea By The Sea series and look forward to the next book.

Tea with Jam and Dread was a fun read. Rose Campbell has been invited to attend the `1ooth birthday party of Elizabeth Crawford - the Dauager Countress of Frockmorton. She is the owner of Thornecroft Castle House Hotel. Rose's family had worked for their family. Rose brought her granddaughter, Lily Roberts and her friend Bernadette (Bernie) Murphy along as her companions. They are going to Halifax, England. They arrive at the hotel and are going to meet Elizabeth for an afternoon tea. Elizabeth's children are all arriving for the celebration except for her son, Thomas who lives in Canada as he has hurt his leg and is not able to travel. His daughter, Emma, will be there. They are on their own for dinner. Rose says she is too tired and doesn't go to the White Hart Pub for dinner with Lily and Bernie. While there they overhear a group at the table next to them. They are Frockmorton's. They are complaining about their grandmother. Julian whose father will inherit the castle when their grandmother dies.

Bernie will be meeting up with her boyfriend, Matt Goodwill who is Lily's neighbor. He is in England doing research for his next book. Simon McCracken is the gardener at Victoria-on-the-Sea. Rose's gardens. He is back in England over the winter to take a job at a manor house. Lily will be going to see him for a few days.

At the cocktail party Julian greets them. He doesn't realize that Lily and Bernie saw him at the pub the night before. He introduces Rose to his mother, Annabella, Countess of Frockmortan. She doesn't give them the time of day and goes to greet other people arriving. Anthony (Tony) Waterfield is the hotel's general manager. Loves his job as well as his grandmother. He introduces them to his cousin, Emma, and his sister, Susannah Reilly.

Elizabeth comes into the cocktail party on the arm of her son, Robert. She is wearing the Frockmortan Sapphires. Everyone is surprised to see them. They have not been seen in 50 years. Elizabeth asks Rose and Reggie, her old stableman, who is there with his grandson, Josh Hanson who is a farrier (blacksmith) to join her at her table. They are enjoying themselves talking about old times.

The next day Lily has gotten permission to help out in the kitchen. She wants to see how things are done in England for ideas for her tea cafe, Tea by the Sea. She is assigned to make the Coronation Chicken and the Watercress sandwiches. Alicia Boyle was there helping in the kitchen as a favor for her mother. She helped Lily put the sandwiches together. She later got ready for the birhday tea.

At the birthday tea the next day everyone is eating the sandwiches, etc. Julian all of a sudden collapses. An ambulance is called. He is taken to the hospital. He is allergic to nuts.

Elizabeth asks Rose and Lily to help her back to her quarters in the hotel. While there she goes to her jewelry box to show them the necklace that she plans to sell to get money to put into repairs needed with the castle. When she opens the box the necklace and earrings are not there. She calls downstairs and tells someone to call the police as someone has stolen the necklace and earrings.

DS Capetti and DI Ravenwood arrive at the castle to speak to Tony. They tell him that Julian has died. Both Suzannah and Emma are upset when they hear. Lily and Bernie are there in the corner. When DS Capetti sees them she asks why they are there. Bernie tells them that Elizabeth wants to see the police on another matter. She tells them that she will see Elizabeth in due course.

The police put a stop on anymore dinners until lfurther notice. They question Lily as she was one of the persons who made the sandwiches. Nuts had been found in the cornation chicken. DS Capetti goes and sees Elizabeth and tells her that Julian is dead and it is murder. Ravenwood when told about the jewels said that the two incidences could be related.

Ravenwood questions Lily again. Asks why she was working in the kitchen and why she was making the sandwiches. She tells him that people were coming in the kitchen all morning. The chef got angry and told Annabella to get out. He asked her what she thought about the family. She told him to speak to them himself. She tells him that Alicia had helped her put the sandwiches together. She said that Alicia had put the sandwiche in the refrigerator. The police hinted that being American she coud have put something in the salad. Lily denied doing everything. She as on DI Ravenwood's radar. DI Ravenwood also wanted to see Bernie.

Lily and Bernie decide they don't want to leave Rose as planned at the castle by herself. They call Matt and Simon and ask them to come there. Since there are cancellations they are able to get them rooms. Both men arrive. Going to dinner they run into Suzannah. She tells them she is going to the pub to meet her husband to go back to London. She told them about her family and how no one would benefit from stealing the jewels. As they are rounding a corner a car with no lightd on comes right at them. Simon pushes them away and the car nearly misses them. Matt and Simon don't think it is an accident.

This is where the story takes off. There is so much going on that I will leave it to the reader to enjoy to the surprising ending.

I enjoyed the book but felt that it was a little long to get to the conclusion. I have read this series and have enjoyed Rose, Bernie, Lily, Matt and Simon.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A Delightful Brew of Humor, Heritage, and Homicide!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Tea with Jam & Dread is a quintessential cozy mystery served piping hot with aristocratic scandal, vintage jewels, and one very suspicious sandwich. From the first chapter to the final twist, it’s a delicious blend of charm, cheek, and intrigue that will leave you craving a second cup—and maybe a scone or two.

Lily, our ever-resourceful and relatable heroine, is at her absolute best here. What starts as a charming family reunion-slash-English getaway quickly turns sideways when the grandeur of Thornecroft Castle’s centennial celebration descends into chaos. Between reconnecting with her sweetheart abroad, navigating the snobbish friction among the upper crust, and trying to keep her grandmother Rose’s memories from becoming bittersweet, Lily’s got her hands full—and that’s before someone keels over from her coronation chicken sandwiches.

The setting is to die for—literally. A historic Yorkshire manor turned luxury hotel, closed to the public for a private gathering of eccentric nobles, bitter heirs, and sparkling sapphires? Yes, please. The Frockmorton Sapphires themselves are the stuff of legend, and when they vanish in a puff of mischief and misdirection, the stakes (and the suspense) shoot straight through the gilded roof.

What elevates this book is its sense of humor. The wit is dry as a well-steeped Earl Grey, with moments of laugh-out-loud absurdity tucked between biting social commentary and clever sleuthing. Lily’s inner thoughts are sharp and hilarious, especially as she navigates the bizarre rituals of British nobility, flirts with class tensions, and endures a barrage of subtle (and not-so-subtle) threats.

The mystery itself is layered and satisfying. Between the stolen jewels, the poisoned party guest, and the whispers of inheritance disputes, there’s no shortage of motives or suspects. And just when you think you’ve got it sorted, the story throws in a twist that’s as satisfying as clotted cream on a warm scone.

Whether you’re here for the murder, the manor, or just the jam, Tea with Jam & Dread delivers. This one’s for lovers of classic whodunits with a modern voice, Anglophiles who live for tea-time drama, and anyone who enjoys their mysteries as richly layered as an English trifle. A charming, clever, and thoroughly bingeable read. Don’t miss it!

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of TEA WITH JAM & DREAD (Book – of the Tea by the Sea mystery series) by Vicki Delany in exchange for an honest review. Lily Roberts accompanies her grandmother Rose to England where they are invited to celebrated the birthday of Elizabeth, the dowager countess of Frockmorton, at Thornecroft Castle. Elizabeth still has fond memories of Rose, who, as a young woman, worked for the Frockmorton family as a kitchen maid before marrying an American and immigrating to the United States. When the heir to the earldom is murdered at the same time the dowager’s pricy famous sapphires disappear, the local constabulary seem to focus on the Americans as suspects closely followed by anti-royalist and servant-class attendees at the party. Lily upsets her previously made plans to visit with her boyfriend in order to exonerate the innocent, especially herself and her grandmother. Can Lily figure out whodunnit before her trip is over?

I liked the book and enjoy the series. I recommend the book to fans of the series and the series to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring tea and B&B themed misadventures.

#TeawithJamDread #NetGalley

Lily, Rose, and their friend Bernie are off to Yorkshire, where Rose worked as a servant in the early 20th century. They're celebrating the hundredth birthday of Rose's former employer, the Dowager Duchess of Frockmorton. Naturally, they're enjoying tea and gossip, just as they do back at their teahouse and bed and breakfast in Cape Cod.

But everything changes with the death of the heir apparent to the Frockmorton title. Lily, Rose, and Bernie can't help but try to solve the mystery, even if the local police don't want their help. As always, their intelligence, charm, and sheer persistence pay off.

The story is well plotted and filled with interesting characters and local color.