Sweet Tea And Secrets: A Tea and a Read Mystery

(Hardback)

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Description

Sleuth Callie Aspen wants to light up the Fourth of July tea party by solving a celebrity's decades-old disappearance-but her digging results in more fireworks than she expects Last Christmas, Callie Aspen left her tour guide job and settled in Heart's Harbor, Maine. Now, she helps out at Book Tea, her great aunt's vintage tearoom, where each treat has a bookish clue. Though she's excited to start her new life, Callie worries she may regret having burned her bridges behind her. Fortunately, she finds immediate distraction in the preparations for a spectacular Fourth of July tea party, which will recreate key moments from the town's rich history. Intrigued to learn that 1980s TV star Monica Walker was last seen in Heart's Harbor before she vanished-allegedly to elope-Callie probes the townsfolk for information. She's stunned when several locals share contradictory stories about the last day before Monica's disappearance. Did she intend to leave her hit TV series Was she being stalked by her ex And why is the newspaper editor who investigated the story at the time so anxious about the cold case heating up When one of the talkative townspeople turns up dead, Callie aims to catch the killer. But it's no picnic- Deputy Falk doesn't want her meddling, and the locals suddenly know more about the past than they'd been at liberty to admit. If Callie and the Book Tea crew can't crack the case, they'll pay a very steep price in Joy Avon's explosive second Tea and a Read mystery.

Reviews

Praise for Sweet Tea and Secrets:
Plenty of suspicious characters, romantic overtones, and two delightful canines.
Kirkus Reviews

Pleasant...Beloved cozy tropes include a plucky young woman starting a new life, a handsome but distant deputy sheriff, a cadre of charming local folks, and a couple of lovable pooches.
Publishers Weekly

The coastal Maine setting, along with an engaging plot and a sympathetic cast, should draw fans of Leslie Meiers Lucy Stone series.
Booklist

"A lot of fun with great characters and some fun twists and turns along the way for the reader."
Red Carpet Crash

Praise for In Peppermint Peril:
A delightful debut that combines the ambience of the board game Clue with whodunits in the family-secrets mold of Mary Roberts Rinehart and Leslie Ford.
Kirkus Reviews

Will appeal to fans of Molly MacRae and Jenn McKinlay.
Booklist

"Joy Avons In Peppermint Peril will fill your holiday with Christmas spirit, charm, and intrigue."
Paige Shelton, New York Times bestselling author of the Scottish Bookshop mysteries

"The quaint setting drew me in, the characters captivated me, the mystery kept me turning the pagesa perfect cozy read.
Lucy Arlington, New York Times bestselling author of the Novel Idea mysteries

Joy Avons Tea and a Read mystery, In Peppermint Peril, is a delightful Christmas cozy. Ms. Avons charming descriptions draw the reader into the village of Hearts Harbor and holiday celebrations.
Karen Rose Smith, USA Today bestselling author

Callie Aspen is home for the holidays but a murder wasnt in her plans. With a fierce determination and sleuthing skills to leave the local police in awe, she makes a strong debut in In Peppermint Peril. This is a new cozy series to watch.
Linda Wiken (aka Erika Chase), author of the Dinner Club mysteries

"Hearts Harbor, Maine is a charming town where murder never happensuntil it does...Cozy to the core!"Terrie Farley Moran, Agatha and Derringer winning author of the Read Em and Eat mysteries

"She has assembled an interesting cast of characters, her plot moves along at an enjoyable pace with enough twists and turns to satisfy, there is just enough romance to spice things up, not to mention the mouthwatering descriptions of the confections coming out of the tea shop make one wish it was around the corner. All in all, a pleasure to read.
Isis Crawford, author of A Catered Costume Party

Author Bio

A lover of books, tea and sweet treats, Joy Avon decided to combine these in a mystery series about an organizer of the book-themed tea parties Joy herself would love to attend. When not writing or reading, Joy can be found buying bonbons, fluffy socks or notebooks with pretty patterns to write down her next idea. This is her second Tea and a Read mystery.