Abigail and Hyperion uncork a murder… new wine in old bottles is now the least of their problems.
Good thing amateur detectives Abigail and her partner, tarot reader Hyperion Night, have a nose for murder. Their investigation takes them from elegant wine cellars to chic tea parties on the California coast. But just as the investigation starts to get its legs, Abigail discovers there’s more than wine at the bottom of this crime…
Hostage to Fortune is book 2 in the Tea and Tarot cozy mystery series. Start reading this hilariously cozy caper today!
Tearoom recipes in the back of the book.
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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I am new to this series but as a fan of the author I had to check it out. I was not disappointed and now I need to go back to read the others in the series. Abigail owns a tea shop and her partner Hyperion (great name huh?) does the tarot half of the business. Abigail gets pulled into a stake out by her friend Razzzor (these names have me dying laughing) who links someone is tampering with his wine brand. After two people go and out quick they go in to check only to find the owner dead. Abi tries to stay out of it but Razzzor gets arrested making that impossible. The investigating duo is a hoot and when you Add in a few more eclectic chats stars it just gets even better. Makes for a humorous good time as the clues play out leading one doozy of an ending. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Abigail and Hyperion are back in a new mystery in their sleepy little town in CA. This time we get to know Razzzor and prove to Hyperion that he isn’t Abigail’s imaginary friend. Of course, there is Brik, Grandpa, and Tomas throwing in their 2 cents to help solve the case and protect Abigail.
I love tea and find tarot interesting, so this is the type of shop I would like to visit. Abigail is making tarot themed teas and the recipes sound delicious. I’m not sure I would make them since that isn’t my expertise, but if I could buy them somewhere I certainly would. I won’t even go into the scones….I think I gained 5 lbs just imaging them in my mouth!
As I mentioned above, we get to know a bit more about Razzzor other than he plays a Nazi Zombie game with Abigail online. He is a bit eccentric and maybe that is due to his wealth and protecting himself at all costs. In this book, he ropes Abigail into helping him figure out who is counterfeiting his wine. Abigail is a true friend and doesn’t know how to say no to anyone. So she lands in the middle of another case trying to protect Razzzor from being charged with murder and almost ends up dead herself. There are a few suspects and when the true killer was revealed I was very surprised because I did not suspect this character. I had it pinned on someone else. My suspect wasn’t totally innocent but was not the killer.
Abigail’s relationship, such as it is, with Brik is expanded upon and there are a few scenarios that might bring these two together in the near future. Hyperion seems to have his eyes set on Detective Tony Chase and the feeling might be reciprocated. Only future books will delve more into this potential relationship.
I have really enjoyed this series so far and look forward to more tea and tarot books. We give this 4 paws up.
HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE by Kirsten Weiss
The Second Tea and Tarot Cozy Mystery
Abigail Beanblossom is more than happy to help her friend and former boss, Razzzor, who believes his wines are being counterfeited. When their first stakeout reveals a dead body, Abby is worried, but her partner, Hyperion, is ready to sink his teeth into another investigation. Stalkers, romantic entanglements, and wine prove a deadly combination, but will they prove lethal for Abby?
There’s adventure, excitement, and danger, along with a good dose of humor and tea in HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE. Plenty of action scenes keep the story moving with lots of surprises to keep readers, as well as Abby, on their toes. We also see depth in the characters, joking aside, they care for each other and go to bat for each other, risking it all.
In Tarot, the Hanged Man represents being caught in a negative cycle. You can escape it, but you have to do the work. There are several negative cycles in which several of our characters find themselves in this second Tea and Tarot Mystery. We see unresolved relationships, bad relationships, addictive behavior, and more! Who will be able to escape it?
As both a tea and Tarot aficionado I’m thrilled that Abby is making Tarot themed teas, and even more excited that the author is sharing them. Interest in these subjects make the book even more appealing and compelling. But, even if you don’t know anything about Tarot and don’t like tea, you will still be captivated by the fun characters and the engaging mystery.
HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE incorporates wine, tea, Tarot, and fun in a delightful mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me an e-copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
I love these characters!! Abigail Beanblossom is getting her bearings as a small business owner when her former boss drags her into his troubles. And Abigail and her business partner, Tarot card reader, Hyperion Night (what great names!) are off again on a romp to find out whodunnit. This is a delightful read!
A very tangled mystery that combines a look at the Millionaire Next Door with a Tarot reading partner who enjoys taking the mysterious to another level. We get a glimpse into how a wealthier set lives, while seeing that running a business can be complicated and exhausting. So can tripping over dead bodies.
Romance can turn deadly when relationships fall apart. But who is responsible and why?
Motive, means and opportunity all play roles but nothing becomes clear until things turn dangerously deadly for our heroine and friends.
I loved this book! The characters are great and blend very well together. I love that they put their detective skills to work although neither are professional ones. This book is funny, witty and a page turner.
This was an exciting, intense, and thrilling multiple murder mystery! It was also interesting. I had no idea that there was such a thing as wine fraud and that it was depicted in the book like it really happens. I also didn’t know that wine could be so expensive! Seriously, why would someone spend $10k or more for a bottle of wine? Crazy! But this story had me all over the place with who did it. And when suspects became victims, well, that really made things even more interesting!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Kirsten writes stories about unique characters and there is no shortage of them in this book. Her mysteries are often amidst a lot of humor and I usually enjoy reading her writing. this was no exception. So if you enjoy quick easy reads with lots of laughs this is a book for you. enjoy it. I did.
Hostage to Fortune by Kirsten Weiss is a magically written mystery with likable characters and wine.
Will Abigail figure out what is going on before Razzzor is arrested for murder?
Abigail
Our sleuth is Abigail Beanblossom. She’s a personal assistant turned tea maker and baker. Tea and Tarot is her place of business in which she partnered with Hyperion. Abs does the tea side and Hyperion handles the tarot card reading side. Abigail doesn’t have a boyfriend but there are some prospects. She and Hyperion like to stick their nose in police business, possibly because they seem to find dead bodies. Abigail’s parents abandoned her with her grandfather when she was little, so Abs grandfather is still a big part of her life.
What I like about Abigail is she is a true friend. I have a feeling that if she actually wanted a boyfriend she could find one, but Abs seems to be waiting for the right one. I also like that Abigail is confident in her tea maker and baking skills. I wouldn’t mind stopping by her tea room.
The Mystery
Abigail and Razzzor, her former boss, are following up on a business that seems to be selling counterfeit bottles of Razzzor’s wine. Razzzor has the Midas touch when it comes to business. So, he knows that his wine isn’t right. Abigail being a good friend is trying to help him, in the process they stumble across a dead body or two. She knows Razzzor didn’t do it so when the police start asking questions about him, Abs jumps to his defense.
The Cover
So, throughout the story, I was trying to figure out the meaning of the cover. I will tell you that it made me laugh out loud. What a hilarious event. Remember the cover while reading the book as it couldn’t have happened to a more righteous person.
Four Stars
Hostage to Fortune by Kirsten Weiss is well written with humor, family, and just the right amount of suspense. I enjoyed reading the book and figuring out who was the murderer and why they would do it. I am giving Hostage to Fortune four stars and recommending it to all you cozy readers out there.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Hostage to Fortune by Kirsten Weiss.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Great book.
Wine, tea and murder a wonderful combination to read about. You’ll find lots to love about this book with the mystery, surprises, and laughter. Abby and her pals try to get to the bottom of counterfeit wine and find more than they bargained for. Once again I found myself falling asleep as I struggled to stay up way past my bedtime to finish this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Abigail and Hyperion run Tea and Tarot which is just what it sounds like: a tearoom where you can get Tarot cards read. I adore Abigail and Hyperion in all of their quirky glory. They’re so funny! I wanted to drink tea and eat fairy cakes, scones, and tiny sandwiches while reading this!
Abigail’s former boss and good friend Razzzor asks her for help in tracking down the person responsible for selling counterfeit wine using his labels. Razzzor’s wine sells for $1000 a bottle and can’t have someone ruin his reputation. Their mission leads to them finding a dead body which leads them to HAVE to investigate!
When Razzzor is arrested, Abigail and Hyperion start snooping. Razzzor isn’t in jail long, so he joins the investigation. Along the way, two more murders happen and things get even more complicated for Razzzor, Abigail and Hyperion.
I love the characters in Hostage to Fortune. Abigail has a great relationship with her grandfather, who raised her. Her grandfather’s friend Tomas is her honorary uncle. The two make sure Abigail doesn’t get into too much trouble. I loved them because they’re so concerned about Abigail, and they’re fun! I thought Abigail’s neighbor Brik was going to be a huge jerk, but you can’t always trust your first impression!
This book was hard to put down! I loved how unique the mystery was. I’ve never heard of wine counterfeiting, but it really is a thing! And bottles of wine going for 10s of 1000s of dollars?! It’s crazy to think that some grapes that were growing years ago are now in a bottle of wine that costs $30,000! Anyway, I digress. The mystery and finding out whodunit will keep you flipping the pages in Hostage to Fortune. You’re going to love it!
Raazzzor was a friend, former boss, a mutual crush who upgraded to a triple timing fancier version of Abby – and he needed help sorting out wine fraud.
What happens when a friendly crush is crushed? It’s no fun being second choice, and Abby is far likelier to push away than pull close – isn’t she?
When murder gets added to the mix, a mixed circle of folks near to Abby get tangled in it. Will Abby or her friends suffer law suits, PR damage, or death?
An intricate web of stalkers, friends and neighbors
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.