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Seaside Cafe Mystery #1
Live and Let Chai
The first book in a delightful new beachside cozy mystery series!
Trouble is brewing in Everly's new caf'. Can she bag the culprit?
Life hasn't been so sweet for Everly Swan over the past couple of years, but now that she is back in her seaside hometown and the proud owner of a little iced tea shop and caf' right on the beach, things are finally starting to look up--until a curmudgeonly customer turns up dead on the boardwalk. With one of her hallmark glass tea jars lying right next to him and an autopsy that reports poison in his system, it doesn't look good for Everly or her brand new business.
As the townspeople of Charm, formerly so welcoming and homey, turn their back on Everly, she fights to dig up clues about who could have had it in for the former town councilman. With a maddeningly handsome detective discouraging her from uncovering leads and a series of anonymous attacks on Everly and her business, it will take everything she's got to keep this mystery from boiling over.
Trouble is brewing in Everly's new caf'. Can she bag the culprit?
Life hasn't been so sweet for Everly Swan over the past couple of years, but now that she is back in her seaside hometown and the proud owner of a little iced tea shop and caf' right on the beach, things are finally starting to look up--until a curmudgeonly customer turns up dead on the boardwalk. With one of her hallmark glass tea jars lying right next to him and an autopsy that reports poison in his system, it doesn't look good for Everly or her brand new business.
As the townspeople of Charm, formerly so welcoming and homey, turn their back on Everly, she fights to dig up clues about who could have had it in for the former town councilman. With a maddeningly handsome detective discouraging her from uncovering leads and a series of anonymous attacks on Everly and her business, it will take everything she's got to keep this mystery from boiling over.
Audiobook
First published July 1, 2018
About the author
Bree Baker
14 books606 followersBree Baker is a Midwestern writer, obsessed with small town high jinks, sweet tea and the sea. She's been telling stories to her family, friends and strangers for as long as she can remember, and more often than not, those stories feature a warm ocean breeze and recipe she's sure to ruin. Now, she's working on those fancy cooking skills and dreaming up adventures for the Seaside Cafe mysteries. Her debut title, Live & Let Chai releases from Sourcebooks in July 2018. Bree is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and the Romance Writers of America. She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 799 reviews
September 1, 2021
Decided to start this cozy on Hoopla audio because Therese Plummer is narrator gold. 😍 I can already tell this will be another favorite cozy series! I'm a big fan of the beach setting, the elderly aunts, and the budding romance between the main characters.
October 27, 2021
Live and Let Chai is the first book in the Seaside Cafe Mysteries written by Bree Baker, and author whose books I've previously read. After finishing another of her series penned under a pseudonym, I decided to check out this one, especially when I was approved for the latest installment from NetGalley. It's been awhile since I began reading a new series, and what a joy it is to get to know a new setting and characters.
Everly Swan lives on an Island in North Carolina. Her family has some prestige, at least all the Swan women do. Her parents died when she was quite young, and Everly was raised by a grandmother. Now, she only has two great aunts left on her mother's side, and they guide her into opening a tea shop on the beach. The local realtor has issues with her, a town board member doesn't want the cafe to open, and a construction deal seems to be progressing too quickly. Soon, one of these people ends up dead, and the new detective in town, while a hottie, suggests Everly off'd the guy to keep her restaurant from failing.
This was the perfect light read to remind me of fun at the beach. I'm intrigued by the possibilities of the family curse, and I can't wait to find out what really happened to her parents and other relatives. Plus, there is discovery of her father's side of the family and the potential for a romance with the new detective. All the right setups, and I plan to read one a month until I'm current in December. An exciting new but old series to catch up on!
Everly Swan lives on an Island in North Carolina. Her family has some prestige, at least all the Swan women do. Her parents died when she was quite young, and Everly was raised by a grandmother. Now, she only has two great aunts left on her mother's side, and they guide her into opening a tea shop on the beach. The local realtor has issues with her, a town board member doesn't want the cafe to open, and a construction deal seems to be progressing too quickly. Soon, one of these people ends up dead, and the new detective in town, while a hottie, suggests Everly off'd the guy to keep her restaurant from failing.
This was the perfect light read to remind me of fun at the beach. I'm intrigued by the possibilities of the family curse, and I can't wait to find out what really happened to her parents and other relatives. Plus, there is discovery of her father's side of the family and the potential for a romance with the new detective. All the right setups, and I plan to read one a month until I'm current in December. An exciting new but old series to catch up on!
March 22, 2022
I have read this whole series starting at Book #2. After reading it, I purchased this book, #1, but never read it. I just finished the last book in the series and decided to read this one and enjoyed it. It has been one of my favorite series, so I enjoyed reading the book that started it all.
This series setting is the town of Charm, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks where Everly Swan has returned home, purchased a lovely old Victorian home right on the beach. She lives on the second floor and has opened a tea shop and cafe' on the first floor. When Everly finds the body of a local town councilman in the marsh nearby she was seen arguing with earlier, she is a suspect. Detective Grady Hays has just moved to town and is investigating. This story has a mystery to solve in a great setting as we are introduced to the characters of the town and Everly's circle, including two great aunts, a sea gull and stray cat, the latter two seem to go with the house. Grady soon decides Everly needs extra protection as someone continues to target her. I highly recommend this series for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, great beach reads, and a possible thread of romance.
This series setting is the town of Charm, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks where Everly Swan has returned home, purchased a lovely old Victorian home right on the beach. She lives on the second floor and has opened a tea shop and cafe' on the first floor. When Everly finds the body of a local town councilman in the marsh nearby she was seen arguing with earlier, she is a suspect. Detective Grady Hays has just moved to town and is investigating. This story has a mystery to solve in a great setting as we are introduced to the characters of the town and Everly's circle, including two great aunts, a sea gull and stray cat, the latter two seem to go with the house. Grady soon decides Everly needs extra protection as someone continues to target her. I highly recommend this series for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, great beach reads, and a possible thread of romance.
July 15, 2019
All right...GR swallowed the first review, so here we go with a re-run. Well-written mystery, murder only barely on-page and not gruesome, and an engaging young woman as MC who is struggling to get her sweet-tea shop off the ground. It's squeaky clean and only two or three minor swears in the book.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
June 12, 2021
Everly Swann is back in Charm, NC after a bad break-up. She's looking forward to a new start. Opening a sweet tea shop inside her new home to help cover the mortgage, she just wants to move on with life. But town politics, a grouchy councilman, and a murder start things off on a rocky road. Can she prove she isn't a killer?
I live in NC, so I really love cozies set in my home state! This cozy is set at the NC coast near Nag's Head. The island town is fictitious, but the general area (Nag's Head, Kitty Hawk) is all real. And lovely! My favorite place to go to the beach!
The mystery is nicely paced. It kept me guessing until the end. I like the characters, especially Lou the gull and Maggie the cat. :) Everly is a determined main character. She does the best she can in a bad situation. And like most main characters in cozy mysteries her amateur sleuthing gets her into trouble with the local detective and the killer.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is just shy of 9 hours long...nice listening length. It kept me company on my commute to and from work for several days! Therese Plummer narrates. She does an excellent job of bringing the story and characters to life!
I had to smile as Everly discussed sweet tea multiple times throughout the book. The character stressed how important and special it is in the south to be able to brew sweet tea just right -- not too sweet and never bitter, etc. And that is perfectly true. Sweet tea is a staple in the south. One I do not enjoy myself. I was born in the midwest...so I find southern sweet tea gaggingly sweet and nasty. Where I come from iced tea is served unsweet, maybe with lemon or mint and the drinker sweetens their own or drinks it plain. For me, southern tea tastes like sugar with a little bit of tea added. Terrible stuff. When I first moved to NC almost 20 years ago, asking for unsweet tea at a restaurant got you blank stares and mumbled apologies that it wasn't available. Now, unsweet tea is served everywhere. I do remember being very very confused as a fresh transplant that people just assumed you wanted a huge dose of sugar already mixed in your drink....lol. In the midwest nobody would presume to presweeten or put additives in anybody's drink....it would be considered rude. Sweet tea was quite the memorable dose of culture shock!
I love tea -- I have a extensive tea stash and brew myself a cuppa several times a day. I read this book as part of a book club with other tea lovers. This was a fun tea themed cozy! The story definitely had enough suspense to keep my attention and I like the characters!
I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of this series!
I live in NC, so I really love cozies set in my home state! This cozy is set at the NC coast near Nag's Head. The island town is fictitious, but the general area (Nag's Head, Kitty Hawk) is all real. And lovely! My favorite place to go to the beach!
The mystery is nicely paced. It kept me guessing until the end. I like the characters, especially Lou the gull and Maggie the cat. :) Everly is a determined main character. She does the best she can in a bad situation. And like most main characters in cozy mysteries her amateur sleuthing gets her into trouble with the local detective and the killer.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is just shy of 9 hours long...nice listening length. It kept me company on my commute to and from work for several days! Therese Plummer narrates. She does an excellent job of bringing the story and characters to life!
I had to smile as Everly discussed sweet tea multiple times throughout the book. The character stressed how important and special it is in the south to be able to brew sweet tea just right -- not too sweet and never bitter, etc. And that is perfectly true. Sweet tea is a staple in the south. One I do not enjoy myself. I was born in the midwest...so I find southern sweet tea gaggingly sweet and nasty. Where I come from iced tea is served unsweet, maybe with lemon or mint and the drinker sweetens their own or drinks it plain. For me, southern tea tastes like sugar with a little bit of tea added. Terrible stuff. When I first moved to NC almost 20 years ago, asking for unsweet tea at a restaurant got you blank stares and mumbled apologies that it wasn't available. Now, unsweet tea is served everywhere. I do remember being very very confused as a fresh transplant that people just assumed you wanted a huge dose of sugar already mixed in your drink....lol. In the midwest nobody would presume to presweeten or put additives in anybody's drink....it would be considered rude. Sweet tea was quite the memorable dose of culture shock!
I love tea -- I have a extensive tea stash and brew myself a cuppa several times a day. I read this book as part of a book club with other tea lovers. This was a fun tea themed cozy! The story definitely had enough suspense to keep my attention and I like the characters!
I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of this series!
February 23, 2021
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September 14, 2018
Easily one of my favorite books of 2018, and now in my top five must read series!
When I first read about the Seaside Café Mystery series, I knew I had to check it out. Between the shore atmosphere and the Sun, Sand, and Tea café that sells varieties of teas, I was sure I couldn’t go wrong. All I have to say is, I underestimated just how much I was going to love it!
LIVE AND LET CHAI is everything I look for in a cozy mystery. And I do mean everything!
1 - Starting with the characters. Everly Swan is 100% the protagonist that cozies call for. She’s bright, fun, hardworking, has self-doubts (don’t we all?), and is far from the perfect sleuth. The cast of supporting characters, Everly’s aunts, her friend Amelia, and Detective Grady Hayes, just to name a few, help to add enjoyment to every page.
2 - There is NO profanity in LIVE AND LET CHAI! While I am trying to learn to overlook certain small curse words such as h*ll and d*mn, if they are used in very short supply, I still feel profanity has no place in a cozy mystery.
3 - As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, the setting is ideal. And with author Bree Baker’s descriptions, I could vividly see every sight, hear every sound, and smell every aroma she spoke of.
4 - Ms. Baker knows how to write a captivating whodunit. There are two mysteries in LIVE AND LET CHAI. One is a smaller mystery within the main one. It was fun trying to figure out if they were related in any way. As for the main story . . . Oh my goodness. There were several suspects, all with good reasons for wanting the victim dead. I finally settled on who I thought was the most likely killer only to read the surprising reveal and discover I was wrong. And just when I thought everything was over and done, the author throws in a twist at the end that now has me not so patiently waiting for the next installment!
If you’re looking for a great cozy mystery, a true, old fashioned one, LIVE AND LET CHAI is the book for you!
When I first read about the Seaside Café Mystery series, I knew I had to check it out. Between the shore atmosphere and the Sun, Sand, and Tea café that sells varieties of teas, I was sure I couldn’t go wrong. All I have to say is, I underestimated just how much I was going to love it!
LIVE AND LET CHAI is everything I look for in a cozy mystery. And I do mean everything!
1 - Starting with the characters. Everly Swan is 100% the protagonist that cozies call for. She’s bright, fun, hardworking, has self-doubts (don’t we all?), and is far from the perfect sleuth. The cast of supporting characters, Everly’s aunts, her friend Amelia, and Detective Grady Hayes, just to name a few, help to add enjoyment to every page.
2 - There is NO profanity in LIVE AND LET CHAI! While I am trying to learn to overlook certain small curse words such as h*ll and d*mn, if they are used in very short supply, I still feel profanity has no place in a cozy mystery.
3 - As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, the setting is ideal. And with author Bree Baker’s descriptions, I could vividly see every sight, hear every sound, and smell every aroma she spoke of.
4 - Ms. Baker knows how to write a captivating whodunit. There are two mysteries in LIVE AND LET CHAI. One is a smaller mystery within the main one. It was fun trying to figure out if they were related in any way. As for the main story . . . Oh my goodness. There were several suspects, all with good reasons for wanting the victim dead. I finally settled on who I thought was the most likely killer only to read the surprising reveal and discover I was wrong. And just when I thought everything was over and done, the author throws in a twist at the end that now has me not so patiently waiting for the next installment!
If you’re looking for a great cozy mystery, a true, old fashioned one, LIVE AND LET CHAI is the book for you!
January 4, 2023
What a fun little cozy mystery with all the southern charm, tea, cafe and beach vibes you could want! I really enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the next in the series. This is set in the town of Charm, North Carolina on the Outer Banks. Everly Swan has returned home and has a beautiful little home on the beach. She has opened a tea shop called Sun, Sand, and Tea cafe that sells a variety of teas and foods! We love to see it! All of a sudden, Everly stumbled upon the body of the town councilman she has been arguing with for a long time, dead from what appears to be poision from her teas! She becomes the number one suspect and Detective Grady Hays starts trying to solve the case....but he won't be able to solve it without the sluething of Everly to clear her own name.
This was a lot of fun. I need to try the recipes out in the back of the book! Some great tea recipes! Liked we had a little romance going on toward the end too. Really engaging story and really appreciate no language or explicit content. A fun clean cozy mystery!
This was a lot of fun. I need to try the recipes out in the back of the book! Some great tea recipes! Liked we had a little romance going on toward the end too. Really engaging story and really appreciate no language or explicit content. A fun clean cozy mystery!
August 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this debut cozy by Bree Baker. It has a cozy beach setting in a town as charming as its name—Charm, North Carolina. I liked the characters, especially protagonist, Everly and her wonderful great aunts, Clara and Fran. The plot is action packed with lots of humor. There’s a white kitty to love named Maggie who hangs out with Evie. Not only does the plot contain a murder mystery, it also has a mystery involving several Little Library houses and some sneaky sand bandits trying to spoil the generosity of Everly’s friend, Amelia. I warmed up to the towns new detective, Grady Hays, his son, Denver, and au pair, Denise. The ending of the story clearly wraps up the murder mystery and leaves intriguing questions about Grady’s past! I’m eagerly anticipating the next story!
January 1, 2019
Everly Swan is back in the seaside town of Charm, North Carolina, where she grew up. Despite some objections from those on council especially Benedict Paine, she opens a sweet tea shop and café in her historic home. After suffering heartbreak during her time away from Charm, Everly is glad to be back doing what she loves doing. That is until one of her opponents ends up dead and she is almost publicly accused of his murder, thanks to the words of the new Detective, Grady Hays and the evidence of one of Everly’s glass tea jars right next to dead man. As Everly struggles to win back the fickle townsfolk of Charm who have turned against her, her great aunts Clara and Fran do their best to encourage her. Meanwhile Everly is determined to try and find the real murderer. Along the way she finds more trouble than she bargained for.
This is a fun cosy mystery by an author previously unknown to me. I’m not often a fan of cosy mysteries but the title of this appealed. It is light and entertaining read. As well as the plot uncover the murderer, there is also another mystery. Everly is equally as determined to help her friend, Amelia, find out who is destroying books by filling her Little Libraries with sand. Everly is naïve and impetuous but extremely likeable, although her detecting skills leave a bit to be desired.
The first in a new series, the ending of this book leaves the reader with the knowledge that there is a lot more to come about Detective Hays and his five year old son Denver. I’m definitely interested enough to read another in this series. For those convinced by the joys of sweet iced teas, which I am not, there are a couple of recipes at the end of the book to try. A fun read to start the new year.
This is a fun cosy mystery by an author previously unknown to me. I’m not often a fan of cosy mysteries but the title of this appealed. It is light and entertaining read. As well as the plot uncover the murderer, there is also another mystery. Everly is equally as determined to help her friend, Amelia, find out who is destroying books by filling her Little Libraries with sand. Everly is naïve and impetuous but extremely likeable, although her detecting skills leave a bit to be desired.
The first in a new series, the ending of this book leaves the reader with the knowledge that there is a lot more to come about Detective Hays and his five year old son Denver. I’m definitely interested enough to read another in this series. For those convinced by the joys of sweet iced teas, which I am not, there are a couple of recipes at the end of the book to try. A fun read to start the new year.
July 10, 2024
An interesting start to a cozy mystery series. Everly is a nicely flawed but good hearted new sleuth trying to clear her name. Narration was good. I'll be delving into the next installment soon.
August 4, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Welcome to Charm. Everly Swan has just opened her iced tea shop and café in a historic home on the beach, but not everyone is happy about it. Benedict Paine is being a royal pain. He is using his position as councilman to try to close Everly down. When he is found dead on the boardwalk with one of the canning jars she serves her tea in close by, she quickly becomes the prime suspect. Why would she do that? Sabotage her new business over a grumpy old man? Unfortunately, the town of Charm is no longer charming. Thanks to a certain detective Everly has lost all her customers and the formerly charming residents believe she actually killed Paine. Everly is teed off and knows the only way to save her business is to find the killer herself, no matter how much trouble she gets into with that certain detective. But that also puts her in the killer’s crosshairs.
This new series is off to a delightful start!
Bree Baker has created realistic and engaging characters. Everly has come home to Charm and opened Sand, Sun, and Tea. Her aunts own the Blessed Bee honey shop not far from Everly’s. There is a superstition that the woman in the family are cursed when it comes to love. Enter one hunky detective, who is new in town and seems to set Everly’s heart aflutter, that is when he is NOT announcing to everyone she is a murderer or lecturing her NOT to get involved in his case. Our amateur sleuth does get in a little over her head and enough to make the real killer nervous. I really enjoyed her relationship with her aunts. They are an amazing support system. They are there to help her in any way she needs and their confidence in her success shines through.
There are a couple of mysteries to solve. Of course, the murder of the councilman, but there was also someone vandalizing the cute little box libraries along the beach. It gets me pretty upset when people destroy books. Okay, back to the main mystery, the murder. Knowing Everly didn’t do it I zeroed in on two suspects right away. There were many clues telling me I was correct in my thinking and it wasn’t long before I narrowed down the suspects to one. I love it when I am right!
The setting, a beach, sand, sun, iced tea, a bookstore, little libraries, was a wonderful escape. I would give almost anything for a beach vacation. And this book is a wonderful book to read while lounging on the beach or by the pool. Ms. Baker’s words will take you there too if you are sitting on your deck with no water around or in your comfy chair inside your house like I was.
This was a very entertaining read. My interest has been piqued, I want to get to know these characters better and am very interested in where the author is going to take them.
Welcome to Charm. Everly Swan has just opened her iced tea shop and café in a historic home on the beach, but not everyone is happy about it. Benedict Paine is being a royal pain. He is using his position as councilman to try to close Everly down. When he is found dead on the boardwalk with one of the canning jars she serves her tea in close by, she quickly becomes the prime suspect. Why would she do that? Sabotage her new business over a grumpy old man? Unfortunately, the town of Charm is no longer charming. Thanks to a certain detective Everly has lost all her customers and the formerly charming residents believe she actually killed Paine. Everly is teed off and knows the only way to save her business is to find the killer herself, no matter how much trouble she gets into with that certain detective. But that also puts her in the killer’s crosshairs.
This new series is off to a delightful start!
Bree Baker has created realistic and engaging characters. Everly has come home to Charm and opened Sand, Sun, and Tea. Her aunts own the Blessed Bee honey shop not far from Everly’s. There is a superstition that the woman in the family are cursed when it comes to love. Enter one hunky detective, who is new in town and seems to set Everly’s heart aflutter, that is when he is NOT announcing to everyone she is a murderer or lecturing her NOT to get involved in his case. Our amateur sleuth does get in a little over her head and enough to make the real killer nervous. I really enjoyed her relationship with her aunts. They are an amazing support system. They are there to help her in any way she needs and their confidence in her success shines through.
There are a couple of mysteries to solve. Of course, the murder of the councilman, but there was also someone vandalizing the cute little box libraries along the beach. It gets me pretty upset when people destroy books. Okay, back to the main mystery, the murder. Knowing Everly didn’t do it I zeroed in on two suspects right away. There were many clues telling me I was correct in my thinking and it wasn’t long before I narrowed down the suspects to one. I love it when I am right!
The setting, a beach, sand, sun, iced tea, a bookstore, little libraries, was a wonderful escape. I would give almost anything for a beach vacation. And this book is a wonderful book to read while lounging on the beach or by the pool. Ms. Baker’s words will take you there too if you are sitting on your deck with no water around or in your comfy chair inside your house like I was.
This was a very entertaining read. My interest has been piqued, I want to get to know these characters better and am very interested in where the author is going to take them.
May 31, 2020
*cute cozy mystery
*love the cover
*didn't guess the murderer
* amazing narrator
3,5 stars
*love the cover
*didn't guess the murderer
* amazing narrator
3,5 stars
March 17, 2021
Eeeeppp!!! Eeeeppppppp!!!! Eeeeeeeeppppppp!!!! I am in an ecstatic dither of fangirling over this (new to me) cozy mystery series. Especially when the writing is paired with the incredible narration performed by Therese Plummer. And I do mean performance. She brings Everly and all the characters in this seaside town to life in such an amazing way.
In fact, the narrator is the reason I discovered this series in the first place. I did an audible search to see what she has narrated and, voila, I discovered one of my fave ever cozy mysteries! Have to say that Bree Baker and Therese Plummer make a lethal combination. Hence my enthusiastic bubbling. I'm such a fan that I listened to the first three books in this series back to back in two days and now I'm bereft because the fourth book doesn't come out until the end of May and I'm not sure when the audible edition will become available after that. :-(
So what has me all in a twitterpated tizzy over Live and Let Chai? Concise answer: absolutely everything! It is cozy personified...and on steroids! Really. From the catchy title and the cute cover to every blessed word within its pages. Baker is an exquisite wordsmith which means she drives home every emotion, every sensation as well as creating the perfect seaside ambiance and small town charm. I swear there was sand in my shoes when I finished this book!
And Everly is the kind of heroine it's easy to connect with. She has insecurities, wrestles with doubts and nerves but she also has an inner strength and go-to spirit that helps sees her through the tought times. She's an extrovert with a big heart.
And, oh my, (cue the fainting couches, smelling salts and fans) Grady Hayes. Ex US Marshal, new-to-town detective. Complex. Steadfast. Focused. And a man of mystery. The meet cute is hysterical! And then Everly discovers a body and Grady goes into cop-mode and all the evidence points to Charm's newest business owner as the likeliest suspect.
So many great secondary characters -- many potential murderers among them! Baker takes time to develop relationships but the pacing never lags. And the mystery is edge-of-your-seat thrilling. And, of course, there's humour and cute animals and the sweet hope of romance. Absolute cozy perfection.
In fact, the narrator is the reason I discovered this series in the first place. I did an audible search to see what she has narrated and, voila, I discovered one of my fave ever cozy mysteries! Have to say that Bree Baker and Therese Plummer make a lethal combination. Hence my enthusiastic bubbling. I'm such a fan that I listened to the first three books in this series back to back in two days and now I'm bereft because the fourth book doesn't come out until the end of May and I'm not sure when the audible edition will become available after that. :-(
So what has me all in a twitterpated tizzy over Live and Let Chai? Concise answer: absolutely everything! It is cozy personified...and on steroids! Really. From the catchy title and the cute cover to every blessed word within its pages. Baker is an exquisite wordsmith which means she drives home every emotion, every sensation as well as creating the perfect seaside ambiance and small town charm. I swear there was sand in my shoes when I finished this book!
And Everly is the kind of heroine it's easy to connect with. She has insecurities, wrestles with doubts and nerves but she also has an inner strength and go-to spirit that helps sees her through the tought times. She's an extrovert with a big heart.
And, oh my, (cue the fainting couches, smelling salts and fans) Grady Hayes. Ex US Marshal, new-to-town detective. Complex. Steadfast. Focused. And a man of mystery. The meet cute is hysterical! And then Everly discovers a body and Grady goes into cop-mode and all the evidence points to Charm's newest business owner as the likeliest suspect.
So many great secondary characters -- many potential murderers among them! Baker takes time to develop relationships but the pacing never lags. And the mystery is edge-of-your-seat thrilling. And, of course, there's humour and cute animals and the sweet hope of romance. Absolute cozy perfection.
October 2, 2020
This was really enjoyable and easy to read. I liked the characters and the setting. This series has lots of promise and I’m looking forward to reading more!
December 16, 2018
I don't usually review books; but this one showed such complete lack of knowledge about so many things. I should have stopped after page 9, when the iced tea shop owner didn't know that honey is a sugar.
January 13, 2019
I'm glad the next one comes out soon! This one left me hanging! Not the mystery, that was tied up but the personal part with the hunky detective lol.
May 10, 2019
A quick, easy read. Great setting. A solid 3.5* for this first in the series.
February 16, 2020
honestly this book would have been way better if it turned out Everly killed the dude on accident by telling him that fruit purees and honey aren’t sugar
March 19, 2018
It always fun to discover a new author with a new series. Everly has returned to her hometown and opened a tea shop in the first floor of her new "old" house. When a grumpy neighbor who opposed the shop ends up dead Everly is the main suspect since he died drinking a glass of her tea. Set in small town North Carolina the town's population looks good for many additional stories. Some good tea flavored drink recipes. I received an advanced reading copy of this book for an honest review.
Want to read
September 3, 2019Absolutely love the book covers for this series. I bought the first two books based on the covers alone -- actually bought one of them at a cute bookshop in the Outer Banks where these stories supposedly take place; although, to me, the author's description sounds more like a cross between Maine and maybe South Carolina than the NC Outer Banks. Overall, I like the premise and the characters. BUT I'm finding way too many things that are distracting and annoying and ridiculous to me. Seems very much like a first book attempt for the author and she's just trying too hard and throwing every cozy mystery book idea she ever jotted down all into this first book. I'm going to put this one aside for a bit and come back to it later when perhaps my mood will be different and I'll enjoy it as much as some of my friends have.
April 21, 2022
Fast read and a well written first in the series! I really enjoyed reading about the town and the aunts. Everly was a nice lead and her "crew" works with her perfectly. My only negative comment is that I wanted more tea recipes in the back! I love sweet iced tea and am always willing to try new flavors! I hope the next book has some good ones in it.
May 14, 2023
4.5 ⭐️Eeek🤩This was a great time. I loved the setting of the Eastern Shore beach setting and food. The mystery was fun and exciting as well. I absolutely adored the heroine as well. She was spunky, messy (but in a charming southern way-bless her heart😂😂💜). And the ending had me quite intrigued to continue.
June 20, 2023
I enjoyed it, but it still had a hard time holding my attention. I'm not exactly sure why... the narrator of the Audio Book did a great job!
March 5, 2019
I really loved this first book in the series! I've had it since it came out, and since I'm wanting to read the second book soon, I definitely wanted to be sure I read this one.
After a local man died from having been poisoned using tea from Sun, Sand and Tea, Everly Swan was not going to take it lightly. She was nearly accused of killing the man herself, so she got busy and with the help of her good friend Amelia went sleuthing. Of course the handsome detective on the case had to warn her off multiple times, but he did come in fairly handy when she had a showdown with the killer. Everly was no slouch at defending herself though, since she'd hit the person with a hot teakettle, fairly appropriate when you think about it! I hadn't really guessed the killer because of some good red herrings.
I fell in love with the town of Charm and Everly's aunts! They were so quirky and could get on her nerves at times, but they fiercely loved their grandniece and made sure that her new cafe was going to be a success. The white cat Maggie was really cool and I'm glad she came around and started being friendlier to Everly who was pretty sure the kitty used to live in her house. Amelia was an amazing friend, and I really liked how she was running four Little Libraries in Charm. The side story was about how someone kept pouring sand into the libraries and messing up the books. Everly and Amelia were determined to catch the persons doing this.
I'm really happy about Grady the detective being firm but not a power-hungry jerk to Everly--he really does care about her. She was impulsive and inquisitive and clearly needed to slow down when it came to snooping into things, but he at least was patient and not getting mad at her all the time. Since I have the second book right here, I'm going to start it next or right after the next book I read.
After a local man died from having been poisoned using tea from Sun, Sand and Tea, Everly Swan was not going to take it lightly. She was nearly accused of killing the man herself, so she got busy and with the help of her good friend Amelia went sleuthing. Of course the handsome detective on the case had to warn her off multiple times, but he did come in fairly handy when she had a showdown with the killer. Everly was no slouch at defending herself though, since she'd hit the person with a hot teakettle, fairly appropriate when you think about it! I hadn't really guessed the killer because of some good red herrings.
I fell in love with the town of Charm and Everly's aunts! They were so quirky and could get on her nerves at times, but they fiercely loved their grandniece and made sure that her new cafe was going to be a success. The white cat Maggie was really cool and I'm glad she came around and started being friendlier to Everly who was pretty sure the kitty used to live in her house. Amelia was an amazing friend, and I really liked how she was running four Little Libraries in Charm. The side story was about how someone kept pouring sand into the libraries and messing up the books. Everly and Amelia were determined to catch the persons doing this.
I'm really happy about Grady the detective being firm but not a power-hungry jerk to Everly--he really does care about her. She was impulsive and inquisitive and clearly needed to slow down when it came to snooping into things, but he at least was patient and not getting mad at her all the time. Since I have the second book right here, I'm going to start it next or right after the next book I read.
July 20, 2019
I borrowed this book from my library and finished it this evening. It was that good and I couldn't put it down until I found out who murdered Mr. Paine and was trying to hurt Everly. I really enjoyed Ms. Baker's writing style and the plot moved at just a perfect pace to keep me turning the pages to follow the clues through the twists and turns. I've already got the second book in this series on hold at my library and look forward to the third in this series when it releases later this year.
March 30, 2021
I must say what I enjoyed the most was all the talks about food and ice teas.
Two things were annoying.
* The main character is sort of obsessed with her weight, I gather because she has eaten food while in culinary school? 🤷♀️
So there's probably some content warning here > CW body shaming.
* I... guess this was quite heteronormative? The main character was raised by her grandmother and aunts. (Through the books, the couples and parents mentionned are usually a man + a women). And then, near the end, the main character says something along the lines of wishing for "normal parents".... yikes.
Apart from that, the solution to the mystery didn't make that much sense. Or it happened too fast. I'm not sure which one is it, maybe it's both.
The romance also didn't make sense. I mean sure, it's such a trope in cozy murders, the main character and the police officer. But here they just suddenly seem to like each others at some point, I don't know, why?
Two things were annoying.
* The main character is sort of obsessed with her weight, I gather because she has eaten food while in culinary school? 🤷♀️
So there's probably some content warning here > CW body shaming.
* I... guess this was quite heteronormative? The main character was raised by her grandmother and aunts. (Through the books, the couples and parents mentionned are usually a man + a women). And then, near the end, the main character says something along the lines of wishing for "normal parents".... yikes.
Apart from that, the solution to the mystery didn't make that much sense. Or it happened too fast. I'm not sure which one is it, maybe it's both.
The romance also didn't make sense. I mean sure, it's such a trope in cozy murders, the main character and the police officer. But here they just suddenly seem to like each others at some point, I don't know, why?
July 7, 2021
2021 reread:
Watch the livestream discussion
https://youtu.be/hYQjFtY6Kik
2019 First Read:
Loved loved loved this book! The setting, whimsical. The characters had so much depth and you fell in love, or hated them, with a passion. Everly was so sweet and sincere, I just wanted everything to work out for her (and I wanted her to just shut up and kiss and certain Detective *swoon*)
Who the Murderer was caught me by surprise. Well done Ms. Baker
Watch the livestream discussion
https://youtu.be/hYQjFtY6Kik
2019 First Read:
Loved loved loved this book! The setting, whimsical. The characters had so much depth and you fell in love, or hated them, with a passion. Everly was so sweet and sincere, I just wanted everything to work out for her (and I wanted her to just shut up and kiss and certain Detective *swoon*)
Who the Murderer was caught me by surprise. Well done Ms. Baker
July 16, 2021
I haven't had a good cozy mystery read yet this year so I'm glad I listened to Nicole(https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...) and got the audiobook for this one.
Everly runs a tea shop in North Carolina and after an argument with a patron he ends up dead. She's immediately accused of killing him and becomes the center of local gossip. Everly must clear her name because all her savings were poured into this business so she can't have it fail.
I was ready to just get lost in this seaside town and listen to great descriptions about food. So seaside cafe was the perfect setting because I love tea! I love tea cups, tea sandwiches and all the different flavors. So the descriptions in this story satisfied that nerdy part of me. Gosh, I want some lemon cake after listening to this. Though I did have a iced chai at one point while listening.
Everly was quirky but not in an overly annoying way. She was messy and clearly trying to figure her life out after a bad breakup and moving back to town. I enjoyed her relationships with her superstitious aunts. Normally in cozies I also don't care for the detective love interest. But Grady was funny. I liked his snarky personality. And he and Everly had good chemistry. I was rooting for them.
The narration for this story was really good as well and I feel like a flew through this. This story had a lot of genuinely funny jokes that made me smile and laugh.
Everly runs a tea shop in North Carolina and after an argument with a patron he ends up dead. She's immediately accused of killing him and becomes the center of local gossip. Everly must clear her name because all her savings were poured into this business so she can't have it fail.
I was ready to just get lost in this seaside town and listen to great descriptions about food. So seaside cafe was the perfect setting because I love tea! I love tea cups, tea sandwiches and all the different flavors. So the descriptions in this story satisfied that nerdy part of me. Gosh, I want some lemon cake after listening to this. Though I did have a iced chai at one point while listening.
Everly was quirky but not in an overly annoying way. She was messy and clearly trying to figure her life out after a bad breakup and moving back to town. I enjoyed her relationships with her superstitious aunts. Normally in cozies I also don't care for the detective love interest. But Grady was funny. I liked his snarky personality. And he and Everly had good chemistry. I was rooting for them.
The narration for this story was really good as well and I feel like a flew through this. This story had a lot of genuinely funny jokes that made me smile and laugh.
July 29, 2021
“Welcome to Sun, Sand, and Tea.”
“Looks like poison.”
“I was going to find the real killer, clear my name, and save my shop, with or without his help. Right after I googled myself.”
This was a fun and well written whodunit cozy mystery. I loved the fictional beach/island setting of Charm, North Carolina, located near the Outer Banks. Of course, as a cozy, it features a amateur woman sleuth who gets involved in a murder investigation. I enjoyed heroine Everly Swan, who moves back to Charm to buy an old house that she turns into an iced tea shop. When a recent patron turns up dead from poison, she is an immediate suspect who must do whatever she can to clear her name and save her business’s reputation. There is a nice blossoming love interest that was not too over the top. I loved all the red herrings throughout and the final reveal was a good surprise. Unlike some cozy mysteries, this one was well written and had a great mix of description and dialogue. Perfect for the summer, it reminded me of some of Christy Barritt’s cozy mysteries with beach settings. Both have a great mix of mystery and humor.
“Looks like poison.”
“I was going to find the real killer, clear my name, and save my shop, with or without his help. Right after I googled myself.”
This was a fun and well written whodunit cozy mystery. I loved the fictional beach/island setting of Charm, North Carolina, located near the Outer Banks. Of course, as a cozy, it features a amateur woman sleuth who gets involved in a murder investigation. I enjoyed heroine Everly Swan, who moves back to Charm to buy an old house that she turns into an iced tea shop. When a recent patron turns up dead from poison, she is an immediate suspect who must do whatever she can to clear her name and save her business’s reputation. There is a nice blossoming love interest that was not too over the top. I loved all the red herrings throughout and the final reveal was a good surprise. Unlike some cozy mysteries, this one was well written and had a great mix of description and dialogue. Perfect for the summer, it reminded me of some of Christy Barritt’s cozy mysteries with beach settings. Both have a great mix of mystery and humor.
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