No one dreams of a killer Christmas…It’s Christmastime in Charm, North Carolina, and while Everly Swan would prefer to focus on decorating her iced tea shop for its first holiday season, Great-Aunt Fran has decided to run for mayor against her long-time nemesis. But when the other candidate turns up dead just before the first scheduled debate, all eyes turn to Fran as the suspect with the most … the suspect with the most obvious motive.
Everly knows her sweet, elderly Aunt Fran couldn’t have murdered anyone, but as she struggles to find the real killer, it begins to seem like this may be the last merry Christmas her family may ever have.
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Tide and Punishment is the 3rd book in the Seaside Cafe Mysteries written by Bree Baker. The series has settled in, and main character Everly Swan is a delight. She’s at romantic odds with the new detective in their North Carolina Outerbanks island, and she doesn’t hesitate to tell him she’s getting involved in an investigation whether he likes it or not. That said, she does get hurt a lot, and I hope she takes it a bit slower soon!
It’s Christmastime, and Everly throws a holiday party where her aunt plans to announce a run for mayor. The current mayor is stuck in history and won’t do the right things to help the town grow. Unfortunately, he’s decided not to step down this year, and Aunt Fran is unhappy. Not to mention that another candidate has thrown her hat in the ring, and she’s none other than the detective’s former mother-in-law who’s moved to the island to look after her grandson. When the mayor is found dead, Aunt Fran is in hot water… except someone keeps breaking all the gnomes Everly’s other aunt has created. How’s it all connected?
Baker has really developed a cozy and comforting series. I want to live there. I want to be friends with them. And I want to enjoy that kind of life… even with the murders. I’d be the first one investigating with her, but I’d take a few less risks. Can’t wait to read the next installment… these make my afternoon so much more enjoyable!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Christmas in Charm is plagued by snow, wind, ice, and murder this year. Everly Swan has planned a big holiday party where her sweet Great Aunt Fran plans to announce her run to become the town’s next mayor. When the current mayor steals her thunder with his own announcement she holds it together for a while but then she needs to get some air. When she finds her nemesis dead in the snow with no other witnesses she becomes the top suspect for his murder. Everly knows Fran is innocent and she thinks Detective Grady Hays knows it too. Christmas gnomes Great Aunt Clara has been painting and leaving in front of their shop, Blessed Be becomes debris as the killer is doing their best to frame Fran and Everly just isn’t having it no matter how many gnomes are lost trying to scare her away. Jailing her aunt on Christmas is not an option. Everly is “tea’d” off and will not rest until the real culprit is behind bars.
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Bree Baker’s stories are much more than mysteries, they are stories of family, friends, and community too. Bree has a strong bond with her aunts, she has a strong bond with best friend Amelia who owns Charmed Reads, and she would like to have a stronger bond with Detective Hays. Having her ex in town and now the good detective’s deceased wife’s mother moving to Charm that may be difficult. The core characters have continued to develop more in each book. Everly’s Sun, Sand and Tea has become a gathering place that really brings residents new and old together. I loved that the town had a holiday progressive dinner. What a fabulous idea for a beach town to stay connected even in the winter. The Giving Tree was also very heartening to read about. We had something in our town similar when our children were young.
The author strikes a quick pace in this well-plotted mystery. Everly really has her hands full but still finds time to do plenty of snooping. But key clues can be found just doing normal activities and keeping her eyes and ears open. Of course, there were those distracting clues that diverted her thinking and my thinking too. The story builds to a very exciting climax with the perfect holiday weapon. I loved it!
The best vacation our family ever experienced was to Caswell Beach, North Carolina many years ago. With a beach that matches our last name, we couldn’t resist. Books like this one take me back to those days. This installment had a rare winter snowfall and unseasonably cold weather but being from Wisconsin I would not be deterred by that at all. Charm is a place I would love to visit, heck it would be a place I would love to live.
A fabulous setting filled with charming characters and a multifaceted story that includes a great mystery, Tide and Punishment was a wonderfully entertaining story. Each book in this series has left me excited for the next. I hope I don’t have to wait too long for my next virtual vacay to Charm! I highly recommend all three of the books that have been released so far!
It’s Christmastime in Charm, North Carolina, and the residents are experiencing an unusual amount of snow this year. Everly Swan has her hands full keeping up with the demand for her holiday cookies and hosting a Christmas party. During the party, her great aunt, Fran announces her intentions to run for mayor, only to have the current mayor interrupt her speech to make his own speech. That same night, he is found dead and Fran becomes the main suspect. Everly knows her aunt is innocent and is determined to uncover the truth. This was an enjoyable Christmas themed cozy. It is beautifully written and the plot moves at a brisk pace. I really liked Everly as the main character. She’s strong and relatable, and I appreciate the fact that she didn’t make any rash decisions to put herself or her family in danger. I absolutely adored her two eccentric aunts, especially Clara and her obsession with gnomes. The mystery was a page-turner and it kept me guessing! The author did a wonderful job of wrapping up the story and I was very pleased with the ending. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tide and Punishment is the third instalment in the A Seaside Cafe Mystery Series by Bree Baker. I fall more in love with this series with each new book. This year the holidays are bringing murder and mayhem …
No one dreams of a killer Christmas. . .
It’s Christmastime in Charm, North Carolina, and while Everly Swan would prefer to focus on decorating her iced tea shop for its first holiday season, Great-Aunt Fran has decided to run for mayor against her long-time nemesis. But when the other candidate turns up dead just before the first scheduled debate, all eyes turn to Fran as the suspect with the most obvious motive.
Everly knows her sweet, elderlyAunt Fran couldn’t have murdered anyone, but as she struggles to find the real killer, it begins to seem like this may be the last merry Christmas her family may ever have.
Protagonist Everly I baking up her Grans Christmas cookies like crazy and trying to figure out who is framing her aunt for murder. I love the main group of characters, there each individual, quirky and heartfelt in their own way. I’m including the feathered friend Lou and fur baby Maggie in the mix. I like how she is also coming to grips with Wyatt being in town.
I did suspect the killer a few times but then was like nah, as there were just enough red herrings and twists and turns to keep you guessing.
The story was wrapped up with a nice helping of hope, kindness and Christmas blessings! I also agree with another reviewer it’s about time ~squeal~
I cannot recommend this series enough!
I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Charm is a whimsical and charming setting for a mystery that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Everly is proof you can go home again, and it can be more than you hoped for. An enjoyable book and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
https://cozyexperience.com/tide-and-punishment-book-review/
Tide and Punishment by Bree Baker is the third book in the Seaside Cafe series. It was an engaging book from the first chapter where Everly and her Aunt Fran and Aunt Clara are having a Christmas party at Sun, Sand and Tea.
A quickly paced plot that included not only murder, red herrings, several suspects, and a mayoral race but also community ties, kindness and charity during the Christmas season in Charm, NC. The characters are becoming more fully developed now and I enjoyed meeting Grady Hays’ mother-in-law. She is definitely a strong independent woman and a force to be reckoned with if she decides to stay in Charm. This is the type of small town setting that I love to visit. I would enjoy meeting these likable characters, visit the shops and get to know them all better.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
This is such a fun series. What’s not to love…the beach, iced tea, a cute cat and protective seagull, and some mystery and mayhem thrown in for good measure. This one is set at Christmas time. The perfect holiday read.
I enjoyed the read, but I have two comments. The story takes place at Christmas and despite the unusual snow, mentions of gnomes, gifts and community goodwill, I didn’t really feel the season. A character gets reintroduced at the beginning, comes on strong then disappears. That seemed strange.
I have been really enjoying this series. In this one it is Christmas in Charm, North Carolina and it is snowing. Everly is baking and her aunt is running for mayor. During her Christmas open house the current mayor is found dead outside and her aunt is the prime suspect. Everly decides to solve the murder and clear her aunt’s name. I really enjoy the town of Charm and all the fun characters. Spending the Holidays there just makes it more fun. The mystery was good and there were enough suspects to make it interesting. I look for word to reading the next book and visiting Charm. Enjoy
Great book! It’s Christmastime in Charm and Everly is having a holiday party so her aunt can announce her run for mayor. The current mayor shows up and also announces he is running again with Everly’s old classmate Mary Grace. The mayor is found dead outside during the party and Everly’s Aunt Fran is the prime suspect. Everly is on the case investigating as her Aunt Clara’s garden gnomes are being smashed all over the city as well. I love the characters in this series and the quaint town. I look forward to the next book and hopefully seeing Everly and Grady finally develop a romantic relationship!!
This was my first visit to Charm in the Outer Banks but it won’t be my last. I am in love with the idea of an iced tea shop and all the characters. I’m happy Tide and Punishment was my first visit. It was so magical with the snow on the island.
I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Grady. Hubba Hubba. He sounds just about perfect. Tall and sexy with a dark, sad side you want to love away.
I’ve already bought the first book of the series, Live and Let Chai, to read.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
10 Star Cozy Mystery Series
I love this book! In fact, the whole series is fantastic. I think that this book would stand alone well, but reading the books in order is better. The plot is wonderfully done. The climactic reveal was marvelous. The story has lots of humor to giggle along with and a few emotional spots that made me tear-up. In all, I can’t wait for the next episode. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
The unusual snowfall was the perfect backdrop for a Christmas party in the coastal town of Charm. Everly Swan welcomed guests to her Sun, Sand and Tea iced tea shop complete with a holiday buffet and lots of cookies. Her Aunt Fran was going to make an official announcement that she was running for mayor but they were all surprised when the current mayor showed up. Things went from bad to worse and someone ended up murdered outside of Sun, Sand and Tea.
The author did an amazing job setting the scene. Her descriptions were so complete you could almost see and feel the winter weather. The plot moved along at a good pace and there was just the right amount of romantic tension.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
Crime and Christmas in Charm, North Carolina. Not what Everly Swan has on her list of holiday plans. A Christmas party at her business, Sun, Sand and Tea with lots of Christmas cookies is what she has planned, spending time with her two great Aunts, Fran and Clara, yes. Getting involved with a homicide, no way. Well, Great Aunt Fran ends up the focus of a murder investigation when she is found standing over the corpse of her nemesis, the current Mayor. She had declared her intention of running against him in the upcoming election. Then the police put her at the top of their suspect list. Everly is not about to let her dear Great Aunt spend her twilight years behind bars and sets about investigating.
The cast of characters is wonderful, a group of people I wouldn’t hesitate to spend time with. The mystery is a very satisfying puzzle with enough red herrings to keep me guessing – I guessed wrong. This was the perfect reading escape and, if you are new to this series, not to worry, it works fine as a stand alone. I’m looking forward to book #4, A Call for Kelp, due out May 26, 2020.
Tide and Punishment by Bree Baker is a light, cozy mystery with some interesting characters and a lovely setting of a fictional town on the Outer Banks. This is the third book in the series, and my first read, but I had no trouble becoming acquainted with all the characters and their relationships to Everly Swan, the protagonist.
The book takes place in the week leading up to Christamas with all the accompanying activity that might occur for a baker who specializes in homemade cookies and specially blended tea. Add to that the extremely rare occurence of a snow storm, an aunt who has suddenly, and uncharacteristically started painting countless garden gnomes and giving them away and another aunt who has decided to run for mayor, and you have an interesting backdrop for the murder of the current mayor, who is “done to death” by a gnome just outside Everly’s cafe where everyone has been gathering to hear the official announcement of her aunt’s mayoral candidacy.
Everly is drawn into the investigation because suspicion immediately falls on her aunt, the mayoral candidate. As she pursues the killer, Everly is stalked by someone who keeps threatening her to stay away from the investigation, and uses the other aunt’s gnome’s to make their point. All of this activity is set against a beautiful backdrop of a small seaside town, glistening in newfallen snow with many of the residents still trying to traverse the streets in their golf carts.
There is a secondary story that is following the growing relationship between Everly and the town’s widowed Detective Hays and at the same time has Everly still recovering from a broken heart courtesy of a cowboy who has returned to the town to run the nature center. Throw in Detective Hays’ son, his high-pressure former mother-in-law who has bought the local mansion and is working to insinuate herself into his life and you have enough multiple threads to keep you satisfied as you try to solve the mystery of the murder’s identity.
Everly’s Aunt Fran falls under suspicion in quick succession, based on little except circumstantial evidence which seem a little contrived, especially in their rapid acceptance as reasons to threaten her arrest. While there are other potential suspects and plenty of clues and red herrings, it seems suspicion falls on her aunt purely as a way to justify Everly’s interest in the case. That doesn’t diminish the enjoyment of the book for what it is, a light cozy read that is easy to pick up for entertainment and is easy to interrupt while going about the day’s other more pressing activities.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me an advanced digital read copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. I look forward to reading additional books in the series.
Series: Seaside Café Mysteries – Book 3
Author: Bree Baker
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Holiday/Tea Shop
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Page Count: 384
Publishing Date: September 24, 2019
From Poisoned Pen Presscomes the 3rd cozy mystery book Tide and Punishment in the “Seaside Café Mysteries” series by Bree Baker. An exciting and enjoyable addition to this fun series. Everly loves her family. She begins to understand how fortunate she is to have the two greatest aunts around. And when one of them finds herself the number one suspect in a murder, she has no choice but to find the real killer before her aunt spends Christmas in prison.
Everly is a wonderful character who is surrounded by more wonderful characters. It isn’t hard to like any of them or to empathize with one or more. The characters in this cozy mystery book are well-rounded, with personalities readers can understand and happily spend time with. The name of the town says it all, Charm. This is a charming series, and Tide and Punishment only adds to the appeal of this series.
Ms. Baker knows how to delight readers, move a plot forward, and keep you guessing. Cozy mystery books can sometimes wander off-topic and take the long way around to get back to the main focus, but this is not a problem with this book or series.
The murderer is found and gets their comeuppance, although not in the way readers will expect. The red herrings splashed throughout the book add more intrigue to the story and keeps you turning the page to make certain everything will turn out alright. The tea descriptions make readers want to give them a taste, and if you are in the south, chances are you will try at least one of them this winter. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery book and am thrilled to recommend it to readers of standalone mysteries as well as cozy mystery series.