A catering job has come in for Daisy’s Tea Garden in Pennsylvania’s Amish country—but death will be served before dessert . . . Margaret Vaughn has hired Daisy to provide afternoon tea for her theater group. A local girl who left long ago for an acting career in New York, Margaret has returned home—with a multimillionaire husband in tow. But while Daisy bustles around Margaret’s historic … bustles around Margaret’s historic farmhouse, she senses that there’s tension behind the scenes. Then she discovers the hostess on the floor of the pantry—dead and covered with clotted cream.
Barely recovered from her previous sleuthing adventure, Daisy joins forces with the former detective she’s been dating to help solve the case. Should she cast suspicion on the stars of the upcoming play? Can Margaret’s sister shine a spotlight on potential culprits? Or are there clues to be found in the victim’s past? With plenty of family stress of her own to deal with, all Daisy knows is she better act fast . . .
Includes delicious recipes!
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Murder with Clotted Cream is the 5th A Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. Daisy Swanson has her hands full in this story. I thought the story contained good writing and it had steady pace. The characters are developed and continue to evolve as the series progresses. A Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series is character driven. Daisy has two children who are each going through different issues. There is also her mother, Rose and her aunt, Iris. I find the family experiences to be realistic and relatable. The author touches on PTSD, postpartum depression, and moving on after losing a spouse. Jazzi, Daisy’s youngest daughter, is reconnecting with her biological mother, but the husband has thrown a wrench in the works. I like how Daisy’s relationship with Jonas Croft is progressing. I was happy to see that they are not rushing matters. I enjoy the author’s descriptions of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania. Her word imagery brings the town alive for me. I like that there are English and Amish elements. The mystery was stimulating. There are multiple suspects who could have committed the crime. There are threats made against Daisy that provides action and suspense. This was my favorite whodunit of the series. I will, though, be avoiding clotted cream! It was fun following Daisy as she asked questions and assembled the clues. There are mouthwatering descriptions of the food served at the tea shop and at the catered tea. I am amazed at the variety of tea blends available. The author even mentions tea blends that pregnant women can and cannot imbibe. My favorite line from Murder with Clotted Cream is, “Tea calms the soul.” Murder with Clotted Cream is an enjoyable cozy mystery that has theater theatrics, clotted cream, a bouncing baby, missing memories, and tasty teas.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
There is tension in the ranks as the 1st play starts rehearsals at the new Little Theater. So Margaret Vaughn hires Daisy to cater a tea at her home to bring all the players together. Daisy is everything under control until she finds her hostess dead in the butler’s pantry covered in her special clotted cream.
Margaret’s husband, Rowan has heard Daisy has solved murders before and begs her to find his wife’s killer. So with Thanksgiving quickly approaches she teams up with Detective Rappaport and Jonas Groft to find the killer, but someone is making it difficult for Daisy. Are they pranking her or is she really in danger?
Karen Rose Smith continues to top herself giving her readers a really good story about family life and a top-notch mystery too.
The characters in this series continue to grow, face struggles and persevere, and support each other. The author takes on some heavy issues too and presents them in a clever informative way. She has created some of the strongest characters in this genre and I enjoy the time I get to spend with each of them within each story.
There are plenty of suspects and I really enjoy that Daisy thinks things through and tries to measure her response. She is such a smart sleuth even with the police trying to keep her out of the loop. I followed along with her each step of the way and was surprised when the actual killer was revealed.
This entire series is fun and entertaining and I highly recommend them all.
Murder with Clotted Cream by Karen Rose Smith is book five in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series. This is the second one I have read and it’s already becoming one of my favorites.
Daisy is awaiting to become a grandmother for the first time and has been hired to provide an afternoon tea for an actress, Margaret Vaughn, who has recently moved back to Willow Creek to start a theater. She also brought a few people to assist the opening production. In between courses at the tea, Daisy finds Margaret’s body with her brooch covered with the clotted cream she had ordered. Daisy really doesn’t want to get involved in the investigation, but she is again thrown into it.
This story has a perfect mix of the mystery and personal life for Daisy and her family. There are plenty of suspects that have you guessing to the end. There is love of family and friends along with a new baby! You also get some romance and recipes.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
Daisy Swanson moved back to her hometown of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, after the death of her husband. She has two daughters, Jasmine, who is in high school, and Violet, who is expecting her first child with her husband, Foster Cranshaw. Daisy co-owns a lovely tea garden, Daisy’s Tea Garden, with her aunt. In this fifth installment in the Daisy Tea Garden Mystery series, Daisy is hired by former actress, Margaret Vaughn, to provide afternoon tea for her theater group. During the event, Daisy senses that there’s tension behind the scenes. When she finds Margaret’s body on the floor of the pantry, covered in blood and clotted cream, she decides to do her own investigation.
I thought this was a wonderful and relaxing read. The characters are well-developed, and the setting is delightful and easy to visualize. The mystery was interesting and kept me guessing until the reveal. Daisy is an admirable character. She’s hardworking compassionate, and a wonderful mother and friend. She’s smart in her sleuthing and does not rush into dangerous situations. Her family experiences are real and relatable, and the author shines a light on some very important topics – PTSD, postpartum depression, and losing a spouse. The relationship between Daisy and Jonas is progressing at a good pace. I really enjoyed the descriptions of different tea blends and the mouthwatering recipes. Overall, this was a light, enjoyable mystery, and I forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An easy read of a murder in a women’s world.
Daisy is catering a tea at a local actor’s house for the cast of an upcoming production. When Daisy finds the actor dead in the pantry, she is determined to stay out of the investigation this time. She has a new grandchild to take care of and her family to think of heading into the holiday season. Of course, when she is asked to see what she can find out, will Daisy be able to stay out of it?
I adore this series. I am obsessed with Daisy’s relationship with Jonas. Every time they’re together in a scene I get giddy. They are super adorable together. I love the balance of family and mystery in this series. I love that we get to know so much about Daisy’s family and see their growth. I had my suspicions about the “whodunnit” in this story. And I was right but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. I will say the fact that I have extensive knowledge in the runnings of a theatre, the parts in a theatre were a bit frustrating. I did try to look past that and ignore it, though. I am so ready for the next book in this series!
light fun to read story. enjoyed it.
This was my favorite book in the series so far! I loved seeing the relationships between the different characters. I felt that you could really feel what these characters were going through. The birth of Vi and Foster’s baby and the topic of post-partum depression made an interesting story in addition to the murder. Daisy finds herself involved investigating once again. The identity of the killer was definitely hard to figure out. Also really enjoyed seeing Daisy and Jonas grow closer and Daisy and her mom finally connecting. I look forward to the next book and hope to see Daisy and Jonas’s relationship develop more.
Daisy is hired by the town’s wealthiest resident to serve an afternoon tea for the local theater group. Things seem a bit tense but Daisy tries to keep things upbeat. However all goes wrong once Daisy finds the woman’s body. Now she must team up with her boyfriend, a former detective, to get the case solved before someone else is killed.
Daisy’s latest catering job has put her in the middle of another murder investigation. She found the body of Margaret Vaughn, who left Willow Creek years ago to become an actress. Now she and her wealthy husband are back and to show his love he built Margaret a theater where she can stage plays for the town to enjoy. Why would someone murder her? Daisy is wary of becoming involved. Her last case almost ended her life but Daisy’s heart tells her she needs to help find the culprit. I admire her strong values and her character. She’s always there to support her family. Her advice is practical and well thought out. Her daughters know they can come to her for advice. Her romance with Jonas is progressing nicely. The former policeman is there to support and encourage her. I liked that. Unfortunate family matters, the tea room and murder are a heavy load for Daisy to juggle. Karen Rose Smith has a writing style that pulls me in. I like the characters and find it easy to relate to them. The mystery is well written and interesting but it doesn’t obscure Daisy’s personal life which is good. I want to know the real woman. I hated to see Jonas suffering. He never expected his world to be upended as it was. I hope that he can put his past in perspective. This series keeps getting stronger. I’m anxious to see what happens next in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series.
In this next book of the series Daisy has been bored to do an afternoon tea for the local theater group run by Margaret Vaughn. Margaret was a local girl at.one time but she hated the simple life and ran off to bigger and better things. She has finally returned home and with the help of her multimillionaire husband opened up her own theater. On the day of the tea Daisy sensed tension among the group, the tea was suppose to help bring the actors together but it doesn’t look like it is actually helping much. When Daisy goes to get the items she needs to setup the next course she finds the hostess dead. Who would have wanted to kill Margaret and why? Even though she went through a bad experience with her last investigation she can’t help but stick her nose into this one. There are plenty of people to look at; there are the actors in her upcoming play, her sister who she hadn’t seen in years before moving back, there is even her husband who could be tired of shelling out money for everything. Meanwhile Daisy’s daughter has had her baby and seems to be having problems. Follow along as Daisy deals with everyday life, her daughter and new grandhcild, and an investigation that she feels she must help solve!
Daisy is looking forward to catering an afternoon tea hosted by former actress, Margaret Vaughn, for the cast and crew of her upcoming theater production. To add a touch of elegance to the event, the hostess had requested genuine clotted cream. But things don’t go smoothly when Daisy discovers Margaret’s dead body in the pantry, covered in blood and clotted cream. As always, this is more than just a cozy mystery, exploring the who and the why. This series also presents the realities of family life, with Daisy dealing with her own relationships with her parents, and those with her two daughters, one of whom has just recently given birth. But what I found wonderful with this series, besides solving the murder, is the attention given to postpartum depression…an often ignored and misunderstood condition. As a society, we need to be more aware of how this can effect not just the mothers and their newborns, but also the entire family, and this story helps shine a light on some of those effects and support options. I look forward to more stories in this series. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.
In this story we see Daisy and Jonas getting closer. Foster and Vi having baby and some troubles, Jazzi happier,. Rose, Daisy’s mom has a talk with her that might change their relationship. And of course, Daisy finds a body, Margaret, who is her friend Vanna’s sister, who hired her to do a tea. Lots of twists and turns and complex interesting characters fill this book. I loved the story! Great recipes at the end of the book!
Murder With Clotted Cream by Karen Rose Smith is a cozy mystery that began as a rather ordinary example of the genre but somehow morphed into an absolutely wonderful story, full of real people with real problems and of course, a murder. Daisy Swanson is the co-owner, along with her aunt, of Daisy’s Tea Garden, in Willow Creek, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Not Amish, but pretty conservative. Their business was thriving during tourist season but Daisy was constantly looking for ways to bring the locals in during the off-season. One of these was by catering an off-site tea party for the cast and crew of a local little theatre, owned and operated by Margaret Vaughn, a former New York City actress, originally from Willow Creek. It had been on-again, off-again, and finally they day had arrived. Everyone was enjoying themselves until Daisy went to the butler’s pantry to retrieve her list and discovered…a body.
This terrific little book addressed some real-life issues (beyond murder) like post-partum delivery, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, birth parents (and their current spouses) getting to know the child that had been given up for adoption, and spousal cheating. The characters, both primary and secondary, were well written and multi-dimensional. Kudos to Smith for that major accomplishment! While the murder investigation progressed, the reader got to know the deceased, as well as many of those around her, exceptionally well, and began to understand how difficult it was to narrow the suspect list down. The mystery was decent; the investigation good. Cozy are, by definition, character-driven, and this, as mentioned, was no exception. I loved it. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of Murder With Clotted Cream from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #murderwithclottedcream
I love being back at Daisy’s Tea Garden where tea is elegant, treats tasty, and family comes first! Willow Creek in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is a great location that includes local, hand-crafted living items, cooking, and values. The characters are well-defined and grow through the seasons of their lives. This season includes a women’s health challenge approached with tenderness and dignity. I love Daisy, her family and friends and their concern for others. Daisy doesn’t want to be involved in investigating the recent challenging murder, yet events kept drawing her in.
Daisy and her teenage daughters moved to Willow Creek, where she grew up, after her husband passed. Daisy and her mother’s sister, Aunt Iris, co-own Daisy’s Tea Garden, which is successful with locals and tourists alike. Along with elegant afternoon tea service and catering, their menu includes many blends of tea, sandwiches, fresh soups, and pastries. Jazzi, her sixteen-year-old daughter, is going to visit her birth mother and her family, and older daughter Vi and husband Foster are soon to be first-time parents. Family relationships are explored, and Daisy wants to improve communication with her mom and sister.
Daisy is catering a tea at the home of Margaret, a woman who left the area years ago to pursue an acting career. She married a wealthy developer and returned to Willow Creek. She is producing the opening play written by a former actress turned playwright, at the Little Theater her husband built for her. The tea is attended by a few of those involved with the production, including Glenda, the playwright, and a New York City duo who travel to do stage management and lighting. Daisy went to the pantry while the guests take a brief break to find Margaret on the floor, murdered, with clotted cream poured over her.
Rowan, Margaret’s husband, wants Daisy to find who killed his wife, as he heard about what she has done in the past. Daisy’s plate is full with the tea garden, family, and Jonas, her beau. She still suffers from PTSD after coming too close to a killer in recent months and doesn’t want to get involved again for the sake of her loved ones.
It is mid-November, time for Thanksgiving and celebrating family and friends. As Daisy chooses tasks most suited for the season, her curiosity also keeps her questioning what happened to Margaret. The police are narrowing their search, with her husband in focus. An ‘accident’ occurred at the theater, and a ‘prank’ with her baking supplies shows someone is feeling threatened. One by one, the people Daisy sees as most suspect are eliminated, but she has no idea who the police are looking at. I was unable to pick whodunit, or even why. I was quite surprised to see who the killer really was, and relieved with the final resolution to the mystery. All loose ends were tied up, and I am looking forward to the next in series. The recipes look fabulous, especially the gingerbread! The only thing that I was disappointed with is bringing up whether Daisy and Jonas are sleeping together, or at least in those terms, TMI in a cozy, and just my own opinion. I highly recommend this novel and series to those who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries with tea, family situations, and delightful recipes!
From a thankful heart: I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Another fun read by this author! This s book five in the series Poor Daisy is at it again with the sleuthing she is hired by Margaret to host a tea for her theater group but she is found murdered. Daisy enlists the help of her ex detective friend to help solve the crime. A fast moving fun cozy story. well written and great characters Daisy and her family are threaded throughout the book giving you glimpses into her life as well makes for a fun read.
I am loving this series. These characters are like people I know. In this story along with the mystery, we see Vi dealing with the pains of motherhood and learning what can be done to help with the diagnosis of postpartum depression. We also get to be with Jazzi as she deals with wanting acceptance from her “other” family. And just when things seem to be going full speed ahead for Daisy and Jonas and then bam. This is all going on while we are still trying to find out what happened to poor Margaret. Great storyline and wonderful characters. I can’t wait to go to Willow Creek again and hang out with these folks. I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley, but my opinion is my own. You’ll also get some yummy recipes too.
Murder with Clotted Cream earns 5/5 Gingerbreads…Engaging Fun!
Karen Rose Smith has penned another well-written, delicious cozy with an engaging mystery, well-developed characters over the five books, endearing friendships, fascinating information on tea, and realistic issues surrounding the upcoming birth of Daisy’s first grandchild. Daisy’s Tea Garden is expanding into catering, and their upcoming event is an afternoon tea hosted by Margarett Vaughn, a former New York actress whose multi-rich husband built her a theater making herself director. All that privilege results in a very “persnickety” attitude demanding Daisy serve genuine clotted cream. But, oh what trouble one invites when friends aren’t really friends…the hostess is found dead covered in “genuine” clotted cream! The murderous event is disturbing and Daisy feels that the victim deserves justice, but don’t say it didn’t cross your mind, this could ruin their business, too. Therefore Daisy is compelled to uncover the motive and the killer. Partnering with Jonas Groft and Detective Rappaport with whom she has fostered a pleasant rapport and banter about tea. I love it! Entertaining. Full of fascinating information. Characters well worth spending time with. Don your apron! These original recipes straight from Daisy and her aunt’s catering menu are easy-to-follow and perfect for your own gathering of friends and family: Apple Gingerbread (with clotted cream, of course), Beef and Lentil Soup, and Fall Fruit Salad.
Murder with Clotted Cream is the fifth book in Daisy’s Tea Garden series by Karen Rose Smith. Daisy Swanson the key character in this series returns and is anticipating the birth of her first grandchild. As co-owner of Daisy’s Tea Garden in Willow Creak, Pennsylavania, Daisy has began catering events do to business being lower during the off peak tourtist times. One such event is an Afternoon Tea at Margaret Vaughn’s historic farmhouse. Margaret was a former New York City actress and was known for her high expectations. Daisy and her Aunt Iris (the other co-owner) knew this could either make or break Daisy’s Tea Garden’s catering business.
Having read the previous books in this series, I was knowledgeable of each of the characters and how well rounded they are depicted. This book will also address the matter of baby blues and of course the support needed after a baby is born to first time parents. Ms. Smith has written this in a very fitting way. Daisy’s growing relationship with Jonas is included too. And of course there is a murder and Daisy feels she must work to find the killer. I guarantee you will not get bored.