In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . . Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going … suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.
Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instict to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.
But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.
Includes delicious recipes!
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
We are back in Willow Creek when a lot is happening. A wedding, a big move, a new baby soon to be delivered, an employee behaving oddly, and a new murder. Daisy is juggling a lot of teapots in the air.
Daisy’s daughter, Violet is nervous about her wedding that is just a few days away. Will she be a good wife? A good mom? Will she be able to handle it all?
Daisy’s employee, Karina has been taking leftover food to a homeless man and Daisy just can’t help but step in to help. But when the man becomes the prime suspect in a murder will Daisy be rethinking her generosity or will she go above and beyond to prove his innocence?
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Again the author has piled a lot of our protagonist’s shoulders but Daisy has proved she can handle it before so I knew just to hold on tight and let her go. Daisy doesn’t disappoint. She is a wise woman with great instincts and ideas and tons of patience when needed. She has raised two terrific daughters and surrounded herself with wonderful friends. Jazzi, her adopted daughter is trying to forge a relationship with her birth mom, and Daisy is so supportive. Aunt Iris is a treasure and I love the relationship she has with Daisy while her relationship with her mother is strained. Her relationship with Jonas continues to evolve. I really enjoyed the introduction of Keith Robert and his daughter, Mandy. The characters the author has created are what truly brings me back to this series again and again.
The mystery is very well-plotted and written. The author again blends work, home, and the murder investigation seamlessly. Daisy really gets involved in the life of the man police are focused on much to the dismay of Detective Zeke Willet. I really enjoyed the way the whole story played out. It had some really nice twists and turns.
Cherry Tarts are the focus of this book and I guarantee you will be craving them by the time you finish this book. Thankfully the recipe is included at the end.
Truly engaging characters and a curious mystery made Murder with Cherry Tarts a very delightful read. The book can be read on its own but I recommend you read the whole series in order for maximum enjoyment.
With her very popular flavor of the month and special events planned at Daisy’s Tea Garden, Daisy Swanson has more on her plate than usual. Her daughter Vi is getting married to another of the tea garden’s employees and moving in to a newly configured apartment over Daisy’s garage. Her younger daughter, Jazzi, has been trying to adjust to finding her birth mother and discovering if there is a way she can fit into that woman’s present family. Daisy finds herself in the attention spotlight more often than she is comfortable with, and discovers male friend Jonas may be showing signs of jealousy.
Together, she and Jonas have been helping a new friend, discovered living in a van, make a fresh start, when he, Keith, becomes a murder suspect in the eyes of a former rival to Jonas.
Plenty of directions to keep the readers’ focus as Daisy once again dives into an investigation to clear her new friend’s name.
The settings are alive with history and brought deliciously to colorful life as the action flows between the tea garden, various antique shops and wedding preparation venues. Will the mother of the bride survive to be escorted down the aisle? Can she picture herself as a bride once again?
Family dynamics and delightful food filled gatherings make this a delectable cozy read.
Murder with Cherry Tarts by Karen Rose Smith has Daisy Swanson preparing for her eldest daughter’s wedding in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania. She cannot help but notice that that something seems to be going on with Karina Post, one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden. Since Karina will not open up to Daisy, she is left with only one choice. Daisy and Jonas follow Karina one evening to discover that she is helping Keith Robert and his daughter, Mandy who are living in a van. Keith’s deceased wife has ovarian cancer which led to a number of medical bills and time missed from work. Keith lost his wife, his job and his home. The father and daughter duo have been living in the van with Karina providing food that she purchased from the tea shop and Keith earning money by selling antiques to Pirated Treasures. Jonas moves Keith and Mandy into his home while Keith works at getting back on his feet financially. Then Otis Murdock, owner of Pirated Treasures, is found bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin. Keith’s fingerprints are on it which makes him a prime suspect. Daisy and Jonas need to clear Keith’s name or Mandy will end up without her only parent. Murder with Cherry Tarts is the fourth novel in A Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series. It can be read on its own for those new to the series. Daisy is busy helping her daughter, Violet plan her wedding to Foster Cranshaw. She has an apartment created for them and they will be moving in after the nuptials. Violet is going to need her mother to get through the wedding and what lays ahead with the baby. Jazzi, Daisy’s sixteen years old adopted daughter, wants to invite her birth mother and her husband to the wedding. Jazzi wants to get to know her bio mom. As if Daisy does not have enough going on in her life, Karina has been acting odd. I like that Daisy was concerned about her employee and wanted to help her. In the real world, though, I have a feeling that following her would not fly. The characters are kind, thoughtful and relatable. The mystery was straightforward and those who read cozy mysteries frequently will have no problem fingering the guilty party. There were some clever developments in this whodunit that I enjoyed. I am not a fan of Detective Zeke Willet. I would like to see him replaced in the series. I thought the pacing was mild with it picking up near the end. Murder with Cherry Tarts focuses on the people. Daisy cares about her family and friends. She will go out of her way to help those in need. When it is time for a discussion, the food comes out. Cherry tarts and chicken soup were the two items featured in this cozy mystery. My favorite lines from Murder with Cherry Tarts is, “Happily ever after is not a fairy tale. It’s a choice.” Murder with Cherry Tarts is a lighthearted cozy mystery with tempting treats, wedding worry, mom melodrama, antique artifacts, and a disagreeable detective.
Daisy Swanson has her hands full with planning her daughter’s wedding and running her tea garden. When a homeless father is accused of murder, Daisy and her ex-detective boyfriend Jonas are determined to prove his innocence. Murder With Cherry Tarts is a delightful cozy mystery with delicious food, a wonderful cast of characters, and an intriguing murder mystery. The plot is engaging and well-paced. This was my first time reading a book in this series and I had no problem following the story. I immediately fell in love with the charming town of Willow Creek and enjoyed getting to know all the residents. As an added bonus, the author includes delicious recipes for readers to try. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Daisy is worried about one of her employees. When she follows her one night, she finds that Karina has been helping a homeless little family. Daisy’s boyfriend, Jonas, takes the little family in and they are determined to help. Daisy is especially concerned when the new detective in town is determined to pin a murder on her new friend Keith.
I truly adore this series. Daisy is such a great character and I love her. She’s a great mother to her girls, even when they do something that she’s not so happy with. I love her relationship with everyone. Again, I adore that we get to see so much of the characters’ lives along with the mystery. The ending of this one took me completely by surprise. I had no idea that that was coming. I cannot wait to read the next in this series!
Great book! I loved seeing Daisy and Jonas help a man with a little girl who had fallen on hard times and seeing the community help him out as well. The nephew of the antique store owner is murdered and Keith, the homeless man, is the prime suspect. Daisy, with help from Jonas, investigates to clear the Keith. Also, Daisy’s daughter, Vi, is preparing for her wedding and going through a pregnancy. It was nice to see Daisy and Vi bond and Daisy helping her daughter with learning how to deal with her fears. This is such a fun series with a friendly community and characters. I look forward to seeing what is next for Daisy and Jonas and seeing Vi and Foster’s baby be born!!
Daisy Swanson is one busy lady. She’s trying to balance family, the tea shop and her relationship with Jonas. She’s feeling the stress. Suddenly her life gets more complicated when she helps Keith, a homeless man, and his little girl. Now he’s suspected of murder. Can Daisy and Jonas find who really killed Barry? I like Daisy. She’s such a good and caring woman. With her understanding of people and their motives, she can be counted on to find the truth. I liked how Jonas is there to assist her. As a former policeman he has special skills that help Daisy get answers. I enjoy seeing Daisy and Jonas together. These two have such wonderful chemistry. I hope that they can find a future together. Karen Rose Smith has written a great book. It gave me insight into Daisy’s family life. I enjoyed Vi and Foster’s wedding. It was interesting seeing Jazzi establish a relationship with her birth mother. I found the murder of Barry was complex and filled with unexpected twists. I was shocked by the ending. I never saw it coming. The setting, the characters as well as the dialogue pulled me in. I enjoyed how Gettysburg and its history played a part in the mystery. I am anxious to see what will happen next in Willow Creek.
Murder with Cherry Tarts by Karen Rose Smith is book four in the Daisy’s Teagarden series. This was the first in the series for me, but I was able to get up to speed quickly.
This is a well written mystery with enough plot twists to have you guessing until the end. The setting and cast of characters are enjoyable.
I am now a fan of this series.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Daisy is trying to cope with keeping her tea shop running as well as preparing for her daughter, Vi’s, upcoming wedding/move into the newly renovated garage apartment/pregnancy concerns. And then there’s trying to help Jazzi sort out her feelings about her new relationship with her birth mother. So why does she feel she has to look into what’s going on with one of her employee’s when she notices her taking more than the usual share of leftovers at the end of her shift. When she asks Jonas to help her check it out, they find out she has been helping a down-on-his-luck single father and young daughter. What they didn’t expect was to get caught up in defending this young man from accusations of murder. I enjoy this series because not only does it provide an enjoyable cozy murder mystery, but it also has interesting main characters that provide the reader with a sense of family…one that definitely has its ups and downs, but tries to work things out as best as possible. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.
I am loving Daisy and family and friends. In this story they help Keith and Mandy, who have hit upon hard times. A lot of us could be in their same situation. I hope there is a Karina, Daisy, and Jonas around if you or I find ourselves in need of help. How nice is it that folks have the Tea Garden to go and visit with friends and just unwind from some of the stress in their lives? I love how close Daisy and her girls are even through they are both going through growing pains and changes in their lives. I can relate to some of the characters and I bet you can too. It’s fun to have some Amish facts come out in the story. They are of course in Amish country and I think they are a very interesting group of people. I hope Keith and Mandy will continue to part of this awesome group of folks that I have come to love. I also am very curious about Zeke. I can’t wait to see what direction he might take. I received an ARC of this book through Net Galley, but my opinion is my own. I will be waiting for the next book in this series, so I can visit with my friends again. There are also some yummy recipes included too.
In this next book of the series Daisy is starting to worry about one of her young employees. Karina has been acting a bit weird, taking extra food at the end of her shifts, being seen in the bad part of town, not quite answering questions truthfully. Daisy decides she must find out just what kind of trouble Karina is in and soon learns she isn’t in trouble at all, she is just trying to help out a young father and his little girl. Daisy steps in and agrees to help the young man as much as she possible can. She has a ton of things going on; her daughter’s upcoming wedding not to mention her pregnancy and getting the young couple !over into their new home. Meanwhile the son of one of her customers ends up dead and the young father she is helping looks to be the only suspect. Daisy can’t let a father and child be separated so she starts looking into the murder. She soon learns the young man was cheating people out of money now she must figure out who hated him the most. With so many things going will she be able to handle everything and could it all possibly work out in the end? Follow along as Daisy tries to do just that. This is such a lovely series filled with engaging characters and a mystery that will have you looking at everyone!
It’s a pleasure to spend time in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania in the company of Daisy Swanson and her family – some by blood, others by choice. Daisy is not only running her family’s tea shop with her Aunt, she is also helping pull together her daughter, Violet’s upcoming wedding. Then there are renovations to the garage apartment to oversee and her adopted daughter wants to connect with her birth mother. For most people, that would be more than enough but not for Daisy. She has noticed that her employee, Karina, has been taking the tea shop’s leftover food at the end of the day. This concerns Daisy and she and her ex-detective boyfriend follow Karina into a not very nice part of town. There they find Keith and his daughter, Mandy, living in their van – homeless. Keith has been working for a local antique store called Pirated Treasures. When another employee, Barry, is found murdered, the police focus on Keith. Not if Daisy has anything to say about it. She is certain that there is no way Keith could be the killer and that sets her on the trail of who in Willow Creek had reason to bash Barry over the head with a marble rolling pin, one that has Keith’s fingerprints all over it.
This mystery is full of family and friends pulling together for others. The plot was satisfying and kept me guessing to the end. It works fine as a stand alone but, if you enjoy this one as much as I did, line up the previous three books and binge read them. We will get to spend time with Daisy, Jonas and the rest of her family and friends next year when Kensington publishes Murder with Clotted Cream – July 30, 2020.
I very much enjoyed this new mystery by Karen Rose Smith! Included are several great elements to keep the pages turning. The mystery is challenging. The author shares some history, which I particularly like. Relationships are a highlight, especially that of mothers and daughters and helping others. There is a perfect balance between mystery and relationship.
A wedding is imminent and a baby on the way, adding to the joy and busy-ness of Daisy, her daughters Vi and Jazzi, and Aunt Iris. After Daisy’s husband died a few years ago, Daisy moved back to her hometown of Willow Creek, in Lancaster County. She and Aunt Iris opened Daisy’s Tea Garden, a popular meeting place and tourist attraction for those who enjoy her unique teas and baked goods.
Karina is a single mom and a great server at Daisy’s, so she is concerned when Karina withdraws from others and ask for leftover pastries and soup at day’s end. One day Daisy and her significant other, Jonas, a former detective, follow Karina to a van parked near the shop of one of Daisy’s customers, Pirated Treasures. She took the food to the van, and Daisy heard a little girl cough. They introduced themselves and heard the young man’s story. A widower with a 3-year old, Keith has been trying to find a job and a home for himself and his daughter. He has been buying and re-selling antiques, including Civil War items, to Otis, owner of Pirated Treasures, and his nephew, Barry, to get enough for food and fuel for the van.
Jonas and Daisy try to help others in need. Jonas did a quick verbal background check on Keith, then invited Keith and his daughter a room in his townhouse at least for the night and brainstorm to see what to do next. Keith ran into a little problem, though. Barry, nephew of the owner of Pirated Treasures, was found dead when Otis opened the shop, having been hit with a marble rolling pin. Otis, who can’t see very well, knew Keith had brought the rolling pin and other items in to sell a few days ago, and thought he was threatening Barry with it when he didn’t like the price offered. Without proof, the police can’t put Keith in jail, but he is the primary suspect in Barry’s murder, and his biggest concern is what will happen to his daughter if he is arrested.
Daisy helped solve other murders in recent months, but the detective in charge of Barry’s case threatens to arrest Jonas and her if they get in the way of his investigation. Daisy doesn’t want to risk her safety again but does get curious. Helping Keith get off the suspect list and Otis get justice for Barry is important – as is getting the real killer off the street. Then she is threatened.
This fast-paced mystery is fourth in one of my favorite series. There is a depth in Daisy’s character that is a blessing to those around her. She knows the right questions to ask in almost any situation and has an instinct and gift for helping others. The mystery is finely crafted and executed, and I was stunned to learn who really “dunit”! Plot twists and the various family situations keep the story moving. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates well-written cozy mysteries, tea and baking goodies (and recipes), and small-town family relationships.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Murder with Cherry Tarts is the fourth book in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series. You do not need to read the previous three to be able to follow this book. Daisy Swanson and her Aunt Iris are co-owners of Daisy’s Tea Garden in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania. The tea garden was well known for their teas, soups and baked goods along with their formal Victoria tea and quite a tourist draw. Daisy is still working on making the tea garden and success while being a mother, daughter, niece, boss while still building her relationship with Jonas Croft, owner of Woods. Violet, Daisy’s oldest daughter, is pregnant with her first child and plans are in the works for her and her fiance, Forster’s wedding. As if this isn’t enough for Daisy to handle, there is the finishing of the apartment above her garage for Violet and Foster, dealing with her youngest daughter, Jazzy’s search for her birth mother, and now a murder. Daisy is a sleuth and searches to clear a young man with a small daughter who were living out of their van after loosing their home and also his wife. I guarantee you will enjoy the plot and the characters in this story. As always Karen Rose Smith provides us with a well written story and characters that are believable and loved.