Murder with Orange Pekoe Tea (A Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Pennsylvania
Publisher : Kensington (September 7, 2021)
Paperback : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496733975
ISBN-13 : 978-1496733979
Kindle ASIN : B08P82JPHP
In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson is serving hot tea at a fundraiser for a homeless shelter—but tempers are getting heated too . . .
Daisy’s orange pekoe is flowing at a fundraiser—and she’s also made a new friend, Piper, a young woman whose hopes for motherhood were dashed by a foul-up at a fertility clinic. But before they can settle into a long conversation, the event is disrupted by masked protestors who object to building a shelter in Willow Creek. Among the angry crowd is Eli—who left his Amish community some time ago, with help from a lawyer named Hiram.
It just so happens that Hiram is also representing the fertility clinic in a class-action suit—and soon afterward, he turns up dead, felled by an insulin injection. Daisy can’t help but get drawn in, especially since Piper’s husband had been pretty steamed at the victim and didn’t hide it. She’d love to spend some time with the dog she and her boyfriend have just adopted—but first, she’ll be straining to find a killer . . .
Includes delicious recipes!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this 7th Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery, Willow Creek is planning for a homeless shelter and is trying to raise the needed funds now that the land has been donated. Daisy Swanson is doing her part by providing tea (Orange Pekoe) and some delicious sweets. But everyone is not in favor of the shelter and a bunch of masked protestors try to shut the event down by overturning the tables and causing a ruckus. Daisy notices that one of the protesters is a young man, Eli Lapp, who left the Amish community. She is surprised he would be involved in such an altercation. He did take a moment to confront his friend and local lawyer, Hiram Hershberger.
Hiram is a busy man because he is also representing a local fertility clinic that through an employee error several embryos were lost. The affected individuals are bringing a class-action suit against the facility. Daisy met Piper a young woman who lost her embryos in the tragic event and her husband, Emory who is blaming everyone connected to the event, even Hiram. When Hiram is killed Daisy fears Emory may be responsible. Because of her budding friendship with Piper Daisy decides to do a little investigating of her own.
The author continues to put Daisy in some hot-topic situations. A fertility clinic that killed a batch of embryos and a homeless shelter that could bring some unsavory people to the neighborhood. Daisy has a good head on her shoulders that allows her to see both sides of a situation. It is to the author’s credit to create such a well-developed protagonist for this series and it is not just this main character that is well-developed. All of the core characters have grown over the course of the series but she has left plenty of room for future growth. Family is always a clear focus in any story in this series. I did enjoy that Daisy’s daughters were more involved in aspects of this story. I am also very happy with the way Daisy’s relationship with Jonas is proceeding and that they have added a wonderful canine to the mix. The author does blend the Englisch and Amish communities that are close in Willow Creek with a balanced hand. I always seem to learn something new about the Amish way of life in each book.
I do love the tea shop setting where many of the suspects could drop in at any time. Daisy just needs to keep her ears and eyes open. The foods described always make my tummy rumble. I am not a big tea drinker but Daisy could convert me quite quickly.
Ms. Smith has penned a perfectly plotted mystery with plenty of suspects. The method of murder was unique and the clues were well placed throughout the story. I was very wrapped up in all that was happening and I didn’t hone in on anyone decisively. The ending was very exciting and surprising. I do enjoy it when that happens because that means the author did an excellent job of diverting my thinking.
Murder with Orange Pekoe Tea 
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About the Author
Karen Rose Smith is the author of the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mysteries
Also by this Author
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”