How do two modern, quirky, twenty-something gals solve murders in a small, cozy USA town?Easy. With a little time travel, some humor, and a lot of hard work. When the skeptical Brooke first meets the psychic Abby, she’s not impressed. But with the help of her comfort cat, her middle-aged roomie, her childhood friend, and a hunky detective hinting at a sweet romance, Brooke not only accepts that … accepts that Abby has real gifts, it’s clear that these five people and one cat make up a crack team.
Got tea, anyone? In 1773, the Boston Tea Party sure did. Find out why going back in time helps break the case!
#Cozy mystery, #Time travel, #Paranormal, #Murder, #Cats #US History, #Humor
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First of all, I loved it. The characters are great as is the plot and no, I never saw the ending coming. I think it’s superb. I like the paranormal aspects and that, along with the time travel, was thoroughly enjoyable.
Truth be told, I’m not usually a fan of time travel, but this was very believable given who Abby is. It’s fitting, not like some afterthought to write to a certain audience. Very, very well done.
“Tea Anyone?” is a time-travel cozy mystery filled with unique (yet true to life) characters. Pay special attention to the names of the members of the Pride and Joy Gym. I got quite a few laughs out of the author’s creativity. There’s even a bit of romance blooming. And of course, before you know it, there’s a dead body.
Brooke has problems with authority. When she doesn’t pass the police exam, the chief places her in a researching position. Brooke’s new neighbor Abby, is a flower child, a hippie throwback from the 1960s who possesses the ability to time travel. Somehow the two women form a reluctant friendship. With the help of a few friends and Brooke’s cat, Junie, the group assists the police in solving a string of murders that reach back into time.
One of Mallery’s writing gifts is her love for history. Historical details abound, adding to the realistic feel in this mystery. The plot is sound and well thought out, and the characters are the kind of people who could be your neighbors.
The romance developing between Brooke and Tony only makes me want to read more. Where is their relationship going? This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait to see what Brooke and Abby get into next.
I’m always excited to read a new series by an author whose work I favor and Tea, Anyone? (A Brook and Abby Cozy Mystery Book 1), by S.R. Mallery is no exception.
Brook Anderson is a researcher for the police department who lives with Henry, a middle-aged, intelligent man she rescues from an ominous future, and both bonded by individual tragedies. Their neighbor Abby is a young hippie lady with a fondness for tea and Tarot cards, and the two girls are like oil and water, at first. With Henry’s gentle coaxing and faced with a murder in their hometown, the two girls woman-up and become a team, along with Henry and Larry, their police contact to help with the investigation.
Ms. Mallery craftily weaves mystery, time travel, and fantasy with romantic undertones within the plot of this exciting story, which always keeps the reader on her toes – and guessing incorrectly – about who’s behind the dirty deed.
But, wait! Two sisters at Brook’s gym are found murdered, with the same M.O. as the first victim, and although Abby shares she can travel back to the past hoping to discover clues (in an ancient Packard, no less), Brook scoffs until the evidence her new friend returns with, dating back to the Boston Tea Party, seem to confirm viable proof they can work with.
The focus – Are the answers to what’s befallen their tranquil community able to be answered by Abby’s journeys to the past?
Throw in a sexy detective who has his eye on Brook, an emotional support cat named Junebug, a few villains (whose identities surprised the heck out of me), and you have a hot fudge sundae mystery beginning this delightful, new series.
Bravo, Ms. Mallery, it’s always a pleasure to indulge myself within the pages of your superior storytelling. Five golden stars awarded – for keeping me intrigued.
A unique twist in this cozy mystery lured me in and left me wanting more. A touch of psychic powers and a dash of time travel, who knew a cozy could keep me reading and still intrigued through to the end. Not that I don’t enjoy reading a good cozy mystery from time to time, but I love a storyline I can sink my teeth into.
When I read the Tea Anyone blurb, and I realized this book was by an accomplished author of mystery, thrillers, and suspense I was immediately intrigued.
S.R. Mallory’s dynamic duo, comprised of Abby, a hippie throw-back with psychic powers that yank her from the unique ambiance and present day safety of her old Packard, into—in this case—the Boston Tea Party, a precursor of the US Revolutionary War…and her new found bestie, Brooke, a strong female heroine researcher—perhaps a sleuth in waiting—working at the local PD. Oh, and one mustn’t forget June-bug, her cat, which reminded me of the classic medium.
How did Mallory tie together a serial murderer with the eighteenth century? I’ll leave that mystery for future readers to unravel. But the richly drawn characters and unique storyline has me anxiously awaiting book #2, the path to which has already been paved for this fun new series, Brooke and Abby Cozy Mysteries. If you love cozies, but enjoy suspense with a dusting of supernatural or paranormal, keep your eye on this author.
If you are looking for a great cozy mystery, this is one you’ll want to pick up.
Brooke Anderson often helps out the local PD in uncovering details to unsolved crimes, and when two local murders leave the officials baffled, Brooke gets to work to help bring the killers to justice.
Her friends jump in to help her. Each brings something unique to the table, both in terms of their personalities and abilities, and the group of five gets to work solving the case that will lead to unexpected places.
This fun read will draw you in to not only the mystery but the characters that you’ll find yourself immediately invested in. “Tea, Anyone” will draw you in from page 1 and stay with you far after you reach the end. Highly recommend.
Tea, Anyone? (A Brooke & Abby Cozy Mystery Book 1) by S.R. Mallery is a unique cozy mystery with a unexpected twist.
This is the first book in a series that will feature two female investigators. Brooke Anderson has a job as researcher for the local police department. Her neighbor Abby is a psychic, and their friendship seems unlikely since Brooke is a skeptic, even when she hears that Abby has worked with other police departments, helping solve crimes.
When two women from Brooke’s fitness class are found murdered, she decides to conduct her own investigation, even if it means using the skills of her neighbor Abby, who claims she’s worked on similar cases in the past.
As the investigation progresses, Abby claims the case has a connection to the past, mainly The Boston Tea Party. And that’s were the story becomes unlike other cozy mysteries, leaping back to the Boston Tea Party, which holds a clue to the crime that they’re investigating.
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With the help of Brooke’s roommate, an ex-professor named Henry, along with a hunky detective named Tony, they stop at nothing to find the murderer.
Filled with well-developed, quirky characters along with a comfort cat named Junebug, this is a fast paced story filled with tons of humor. It’s a fantastic story, and just plain fun to read!!
S.R. Mallery
This is the first cozy mystery I’ve read from this author and it was enjoyable.
It’s a cozy mystery with a unique twist. A time travelling twist.
The storyline was engaging and original. The characters and the mystery solving kept me turning the pages until the end
Tea, Anyone? is a unique mystery which blends good old-fashioned detecting with time travel. This is the first book in the new Brooke and Abby Cozy Mystery series, a paranormal mystery kept my interest from start to finish.
S. R. Mallery creates characters of depth and distinction. From the main character, quirky police data researcher Brooke, to her new hippie-type neighbor, Abby, to Henry, Brooke’s middle-aged roommate, the relationships bloom and offer a number of surprises. On the surface, Brooke appears to be pessimistic and dismissive, especially when she realizes Abby has partnered with police departments using her psychic time-travel abilities. She scoffs at such things. But as time goes on, Mallery reveals a much deeper and kinder side of Brooke, particularly when the history of Brooke and Henry’s relationship is described. I loved this part of the story. Although it wasn’t fundamental to the plot, it defined Brooke in a way that engendered my allegiance to her character.
Brooke’s cat also won my heart. Junebug jumped off the pages as a true feline, from her empathetic efforts to comfort her owner to her little mews of sympathy, she was one of my favorites. It’s clear the author has loved some cats in her lifetime.
The love angle between Brooke and Tony isn’t a primary facet of the story, but it sure is fun and it was interesting seeing Brooke finally accept the fact that she could love someone. I should probably add that Brooke’s past was abusive, and that much of her defensive personality is most likely due to that aspect of her life. See? I’m defending her now as if she’s real. That’s the sign of a good character building.
Another enjoyable facet of the story was Abby’s time travel back to the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Realistic and rousing, these scenes brought a fresh light to what might have been just another fun mystery. Truly enjoyable!
Tea, Anyone? is enthusiastically recommended by Aaron Paul Lazar.
Dead bodies with cloth bags over their heads are turning up in alleys, So how does the Boston Tea Party help solve this crime? Brooke is a police researcher. Her new friend and neighbor, Abby, time travels using tarot cards and a Packard, Former Yale professor, Henry who Brooke rescued from life of being homeless, aids in research. They work together to solve the murders and aid poice officer, Larry, long time friend of Brooke and his partner , Tony, love interest of Brooke in the solving this murder mystery. This teams of five follows the twists and turns and numerous suspects to a thrilling conclusion. Sit back with a cup of tea or a wine spritzer and enjoy.
“Tea, Anyone?” is a perfect choice for all fans of the cozy mystery genre. From page one, I “bonded” with the central heroine, Brooke, who works as a researcher for the local police department. Smart, sarcastic, and refusing to back away when lives are at stake, she’s just my type of character. Needless to say, when two women from her fitness class are found murdered, she refuses to be a simple bystander and decides to conduct her own investigation, even if it means using the help of her quirky neighbor Abby – a psychic who claims to have helped the police with similar cases. As the investigation moves forward and Abby’s claims about the case’s connection to the past, and namely The Boston Tea Party, start to make more sense, Brooke will stop at nothing to find a perpetrator – not that she doesn’t have enough suspects to work with. Witty, fast-paced, and sentimental in all the right places (Henry’s story in particular), this mystery will satisfy all fans of the genre. Highly recommend!
TEA ANYONE? By S. R. Mallery is the first book in the A Brooke & Abby Cozy Mystery series. It’s the story of Brooke Anderson, who works as a library researcher out of her home office and often helps the police department to help find answers or clues in open investigations.
Brooke shares her apartment with Henry Wiles, a man that lost his way from Yale professor to living under a freeway after the tragic deaths of his family in a car accident that he felt responsible for, and their cat, Junebug or Junie for short. Henry’s research abilities are superb especially when it comes to things in the past which has helped Brooke out on more than one occasion. He is like the grandfather she wished she had had instead of her own whose memory still gives her nightmares.
Brooke’s been best friends with Laurence “Larry” Sands since childhood. She’s sure nothing could ever drive them apart – not even his being sworn into the police force when she was overlooked by Chief Bruner even after she scoring exceptionally high on all but one of the tests. Larry works side by side with Anthony “Tony” Marino who seems to catch all the ladies eye, including Brooke’s, but her Grandfather’s hurtful words keep playing in her head.
Brooke’s neighbor, Abby Bennett, is about her same age and remarkably they have a lot in common from music to similar family backgrounds. Abby believes in psychic phenomenon and time travel which she experiences through the 1935 Packard Eight Sport Phaeton that her great uncle left her. Will she be able to convince Brooke that it’s real or better yet can they both convince Chief Bruner?
Between on duty officers and researchers covering both past and present events, can they work together for the greater good? When Henry was deliberately run down, does it mean they are getting to close to the truth? Will harm come to someone else before they find out who is behind all the killings? Can Brooke combine forces with her group of friends to help solve the cloth sack murders? Or will the murder find her?
TEA ANYONE? Is a wonderfully, well written paranormal cozy that I think anyone that loves a quick read, fun cozy would love. The characters are endearing and completely believable. The group of five friends and one cat are ones you would wish into your circle of friends and once you read the book you feel like you are one of them. The time travel and facts of history were woven into the story nicely making complete sense to the story. Can’t wait to see if a romance develops between Brooke and Tony in coming books. I look forward to reading what adventures they get into as the series continues. I think this first book of the series sits up a great anticipation for the coming books.
Tea, Anyone is a well-crafted, original story that keeps the reader’s attention. Brooke is a young police researcher who lives with her middle-aged roommate Henry, who she found living under a bridge. She meets her neighbor Abby, a young hippie with paranormal abilities. Although Brooke disdains these traits, Abby has worked with the police department and seems to be favored by Henry and Brooke’s cat Junebug. A murder in town forces the girls together and they help Brooke’s police friend Larry with the case. When two more murders occur, Abby travels back to the Boston Tea Party to find the essential clues to solve the case. There are plenty of twists and turns, humor, and surprises waiting in the pages of this book.
This was my first exposure to S. R. Mallery’s stories and it was a delightful and enjoyable experience. She cleverly blended the key elements of a cozy mystery with an historical event and paranormal phenomenon. Her characters were believable in spite of the fact that one of her characters was described as having psychic abilities. The interaction between the characters is one of the elements that help this story to shine. I recommend this book for those who love cozy mysteries with a twist. Ellen Quay’s narration is good and her voice is pleasant and expressive. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily left this review.
Starting a new series of cozy mysteries, this book sets a high bar when it comes to unusual ways of solving a murder.
Brooke, the main character in the story, does research for the police, working closely with her childhood friend Larry. Her cat brings Abby into the story. Abby is Brooke’s neighbor, and a psychic. Not really open to the idea of psychics, she only slowly warms to the idea of letting her help with the murder case. Her tarot card induced time travel experiences lead her to the Boston Tea Party. But what do the events of 1789 have to do with the modern times murders?
An interesting book with unique characters, a fascinating plot that engages the reader and keeps them entertained.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brooke was one of the highest scoring police academy cadets – but the chief of her local department complained she showed a lack of respect for authority on her psych eval.
Abby is a quirky psychic with a well to do family with some serious baggage
Both women suffered the loss of family members to drunk driving- as did Henry, when his wife and daughter died in an accident when he was behind the wheel with too much to drink, and hit head on by a reckless driver.
The trio shares some mad research skills into genealogy, time travel, and background info on suspects and their families
Their research leads them into danger and helps them aid detectives Larry and Tony in solving off the wall murders
Intense, odd, and very compelling
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was Fantastic!. The author created a world I could visualize and one that I want more of. I will certainly read another book by this author. If you like cozy mysteries, your going to love this book. I cant wait for book 2 in this series!
This was a fun mystery to listen to. Although I was able to guess who was the guilty party, I enjoyed listening to the mystery unfold and would definitely look for more from this new to me author.
Great mystery, keeps you on the edge of your seat guess ‘who dun it’! I love the way the author interwove American history into the story. I can’t wait to read more in this series!
I picked up “Tea, Anyone?” thinking it’d be a quirky blend of romance and mystery. I was in for even more than I bargained for. Time-traveling elements can be hard for authors to incorporate, but Mallery did it with style. I was thoroughly engaged by this book. I found Brooke, Abby and Henry to be extremely likable, well-developed characters. They were different than the normal tropes you see in books, but still incredibly interesting and approachable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. If you want something good to read on a trip or while you are relaxing on the weekend, this is the book to choose.
When one thinks of having tea, one often imagines a quiet cuppa by a cheery fire, but this cozy mystery, Tea, Anyone? is far from a quiet cuppa by a cheery fire. Lovable, quirky characters (and a few nasty ones, too), murders to solve, time-travel via a vintage Packard, broken family relationships, and the beginnings of romance–this engaging mystery has it all. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries will not want to miss this new series. I am looking forward to reading more about Brooke and Abby as they deepen their friendship and collaborate to solve more mysteries. I listened to the audiobook and Ellen Quay did a great job narrating the story which made for an enjoyable listening experience. I was given a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.