Tea by the Sea #6
In Vicky Delany’s latest, Tea with Jam and Dread, teashop owner Lily Roberts, her grandmother Rose, and her friend Bernadette are all headed to Yorkshire, England for a party at the Thornecroft Castle House and Hotel. Rose had worked in the kitchen at the castle and was personally invited by Elizabeth Crawford, Dowager Countess of Frockmorton, to celebrate her one hundredth birthday alongside other friends and relatives. Lily also has a little side motivation to join Rose on the trip (other than it sounds amazing and she wishes to be there for her): her long distance boyfriend, Simon McCracken, is nearby, and can meet up with them. Everyone is beyond excited for their English adventure.
Things start off roughly with Lily having to learn one of the most infamous obstacles any tourist can face in Europe – driving in the roundabouts. With Rose and Bernadette helping her to navigate the horrifying traffic obstacle, they manage to make it safely to Thornecroft Castle. Elizabeth is beyond happy to see Rose and surprises everyone, including Rose, to learn that she had considered them to be quite close before Rose had left and always regretted losing contact with her. The castle is gorgeous, their accommodations small but comfortable, the staff friendly and hardworking, and the food and drink delicious. The only drawback seems to be the atmosphere brought in by Elizabeth’s many descendants.
The Crawford clan is more than a little dissatisfied that Elizabeth has not stepped down or distributed control of the castle or hotel to any of them, or of her fabulous Frockmorton sapphire necklace. Lily overhears many a shocking and shallow comment about Elizabeth and the state of her affairs as she enjoys the neighborhood tavern later over drinks with Rose and Elizabeth. It all seems like nothing more than petty squabbling until the Frockmorton sapphire necklace goes missing and someone dies from an allergic reaction to the food. Unfortunately, Lily’s good will in helping out in the kitchen makes her a suspect in the eyes of the local authorities. To clear her name and help her grandmother’s old/new friend Elizabeth, Lily will gather her own amateur sleuthing team to figure out who is responsible.
Lily is a heroine who understands human nature as only someone in the service industry can. To be successful in any form of customer service, it is important to know how to read and react to customers in favorable ways so that they enjoy their experience in your business. She can read not only an individual, but also how they interact with others with uncanny accuracy. While at times it sounds like she is just making up theories, it quickly becomes clear that her assumptions and perceptions of the guests and family are closer to true than any of them would care to admit.
For those who have read the previous five books, Tea with Jam and Dread is a must read, especially since some interesting developments occur regarding Lily and Simon. For first time readers, author Delany makes it easy to jump into the story, and she includes a character index at the start of the book so readers can have some idea of who to expect as they read. Tea with Jam and Dread is an amusing mystery with plenty of intrigue that will keep readers glued to the page to find out if Lily can manage to solve these mysteries before she has to leave the country and return home to her own tea house. — Carla Schantz