When Oxfordshire tearoom owner, Gemma Rose, enters her little tabby, Muesli, in the cat show at the local village fair, the last thing she expects is to stumble across a murder.And when her meddling mother and the nosy Old Biddies decide to start their own investigation, Gemma has no choice but to join in the sleuthing. She soon finds there’s something much more sinister sandwiched between the … the home-made Victoria sponge cakes and luscious jam tarts …
But murder isn’t the only thing on Gemma’s mind: there’s the desperate house-hunting that’s going nowhere, the freaky kitchen explosions at her quaint English tearoom and an offer from her handsome detective boyfriend that she can’t refuse!
With things about to reach boiling point, can Gemma solve the mystery before the killer strikes again?
** Traditional Victoria sponge cake recipe at the end of the story!
This book follows British English spelling and usage.
Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
Genre: humorous culinary, cat cozy mystery series / women amateur sleuth / British mystery
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This was another enjoyable mystery in the Oxford Tea Room Mysteries series! I have no complaints here. I didn’t figure out the killer ahead of time, and I was totally sucked in to the story all the way to the end. This is my favorite cozy mystery series!
Gemma’s sweet cat, Muesli, is entered in the local fair’s cat show. Of course, there is murder involved, and of course, the Old Biddies have their opinion. This series is so much fun and it is involving with lovely settings and fantastic characters. HY Hanna writes such lovely stories and I look forward to each and every one. I know that I’ve said this before, but Pearl Hewitt brings a voice to these stories that is perfect and really makes the stories come alive.
I do love the feisty biddies – but If you’ve read my books, I guess that’s obvious.
I loved it! Another awesome book! This is a must read series! I can’t wait for the next book!
* I received and ARC copy of “Till Death Do Us Tart (Oxford Tearoom Mysteries ~ Book 4)” from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own and I was in no way compensated for this review*
This story was a little different from the others in the series. Many new side characters were introduced in the beginning as Mom drags Gemma and Muesli to the Cotswold’s Cat Fancy Club Show where all h..l breaks loose. The police had decided the victim died of natural causes but Mom and the Old Biddies were sure it was murder, and work together to solve the mystery. Gemma against the advice of her boyfriend detective Devlin O’Connor cannot help but get involved.
Hsin-Yi did an awesome job developing so many characters in this cozy mystery from the victim to all the possible suspects, as well as continuing to grow the existing characters since book one “A Scone To Die For”.
I am either getting better at sleuthing myself or the suspect was easier to spot in this particular Oxford Tearoom Mystery. I challenge you all to see how long it takes you to spot who-did-it and how they did it. The how had me stumped until the end. I tip my hat to Hsin-Yi for writing the adorable furry mystery.
“Till Death Do Us Tart” earns 5+/5 Slices of Victoria Sponge Cake!
I am such a fan of H.Y. Hanna and her Oxford Tearoom Mystery series, nothing is comparable, and add Pearl Hewitt’s voice artistry and you have my all-time literary favorite. This fourth book shows us romance continues but not without its glitches, the dynamics between mothers and daughters can be both exasperating and rewarding, feline fanatics come in all sizes and temperaments, and murder just won’t leave Gemma alone.
Introducing us to all the interests and conflicts we first find Gemma Rose really looking forward to her weekend getaway with boyfriend Devlin O’Connor, and when he calls putting his job as CID Detective first, she is crushed…well, more like livid. He explains his chances at a someday promotion may improve by accepting the extra shift; ’agri-crime’ is a big concern, especially when the most recent victim is a multi-billionaire Hollywood actor. Now, what is Gemma going to do with a free weekend? Her only invitation for the weekend is from her mother who suggests she join her at the village fête and attend The Cotswolds Cat Fancy Club Show—populated by an entertaining community of quirky, if not intense, characters. Her mother is entering Muesli, a moggie (a cat without pedigree), and believes that the judges will overlook her jumble of breeds and just “fall in love with her.” Well, things go from bad to worse to worst in typical, delightful, and most entertaining H.Y. Hanna fashion! Amusements, arts and crafts, competition, threats, and murder. I love it!
Once again Hanna has penned a wonderful mystery to engage your inner “Sherlock” with lots of suspects and motives to examine sprinkled with more than a few misleads and questionable alibis making this story very engaging until the big reveal at the end keeps you turning the pages. This time Gemma’s investigation leads her to rely on her mother and the “Old Biddies” as a marvelous dynamic between these generations has developed over the series. Gemma’s romantic entanglement with CID Detective causes some frustration, but it is fun to follow how they are navigating their relationship in and around murder investigations. And the Victoria Sponge Cake? You get the recipe to try it yourself, sans the murder!
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Audio Version
Pearl Hewitt has enriched the whole experience with her voice artistry. From Gemma to her mother, the Old Biddies, and varying ages one discovers the vast variety of English accents. We are treated with an extraordinary narration that highlights each character’s personality, emotion, and tone that reading to yourself can not compare. Pearl even does a clever job with the ‘fur friends’ from Museli’s “Meorrw” to the high-strung Siamese’s “MAAAA-OOOWWW, and changing her tone for the few male characters that round out her talent. She is marvelous!
I highly recommend the series in any format, but the audiobook is an incredible experience…humorous, cringe-filled, and nail-biting are all magnified by Pearl Hewitt’s excellent voice talent.
Enjoyable cozy mystery. Love the old biddies.