Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.
Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . .
With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s so-called accidental death, Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three. (Goodreads synopsis)
I have not read any of Lauren Elliott’s novels prior to this one, however I will be adding her to my list of cozy mystery authors.
I was very happy to see that Shay does not have a law enforcement jerk to deal with (it’s actually her brother-in-law!). Nor does she put herself in unnecessary danger! I figured out the inheritance and all the reasons fairly early. I also figured out the killer, but it wasn’t until the end when they admitted to Shay that one potential possibility still had me questioning. I hope this question gets answered in the next novel as I really don’t want it to be dragged out. I also have another question that I hope Lauren Elliott answers, and I was surprised that Shay didn’t ask.
I liked Tassi and can understand her to a degree. I hope she gets a little more attention in the series. I also liked Liam, but I really don’t want a love triangle. I hope there are more interactions with other residents of Bray Harbor in further novels, and we don’t settle with the individuals that we have already met.
I have a German Shepherd and I laughed out loud at the “dancing-prancing”, because mine absolutely does that. I also understand the soul wrenching howling and the over protectiveness. German Shepherds form intense bonds with (usually) one human, and everyone be forewarned if you try anything with that human. I love the humanness that Spirit had but also the dog instincts. It made the relationship more real. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Shay and Spirit.
One last thing, but it has no bearing on the novel. I would have liked an index about any books that Lauren Elliott used for research. Specifically, any about tea and reading tea leaves. I just find this information fascinating and can’t wait to see how Shay’s (and Tassi’s) education progresses.
Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
Comments
Post a Comment