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Oxford Tearoom Mysteries #10
Bûche et embûches
Ah ! Les fêtes de fin d’année ! Gemma Rose, la détective amatrice, se réjouit de passer des vacances pleines de douceurs, de passer du temps avec ses proches, et peut-être même de vivre enfin un « Noël blanc » à Oxford… Mais lorsqu’elle se retrouve bloquée par la neige dans un manoir de campagne, elle tombe sur un meurtre intrigant – avec un corps retrouvé dans la bibliothèque, une maison remplie de suspects et des empreintes mystérieuses ! Heureusement, les vieilles chouettes sont là pour l’aider, sans oublier sa chatte tigrée Muesli. Ajoutez à cela quelques chants de Noël, les spécialités des Fêtes et des sous-vêtements en flanelle, et la chaussette de Gemma risque bien de déborder. Parviendra-t-elle à résoudre ce crime à temps pour profiter de la plus belle période de l’année ?Les Thés meurtriers d'OxfordChou à la crim' (Livre 1)Beau thé fatal (Livre 2)Flagrant délice (Livre 3)Point de glas sage (Livre 4)Tôt ou tarte (Livre 5)Les entremets tueurs (Livre 6)Péchés pâtissiers (Livre 7)Advienne que mourra (Livre 8)Crimes glacés (Livre 9)Bûche et embûches (Livre 10) - Tome spécial Noël !Un soupçon de lait (Livre 11)
351 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2019
1567 people are currently reading
756 people want to read
About the author
H.Y. Hanna
66 books1,089 followersUSA Today bestselling author H.Y. Hanna has written over 30 mystery novels, many of which have been translated into several languages. Her mysteries blend humour and clever plotting with vivid settings, featuring quirky characters - and cats with big personalities! After spending years trying to fit in and do a “real” job, Hsin-Yi finally returned to her first love: writing.
Throughout her life, she has called many places home—from Taiwan to Oxford, Dubai to New Zealand. She’s finally unpacked for good in Perth, Western Australia, where she spends most days fighting with her rescue cat Muesli for the use of her office chair.
You can learn more about her and her books at: www.hyhanna.com
And don’t forget to join her newsletter to get updates on new releases, exclusive giveaways and other book news—as well as a free novella and short story! Go to: www.hyhanna.com/newsletter
Throughout her life, she has called many places home—from Taiwan to Oxford, Dubai to New Zealand. She’s finally unpacked for good in Perth, Western Australia, where she spends most days fighting with her rescue cat Muesli for the use of her office chair.
You can learn more about her and her books at: www.hyhanna.com
And don’t forget to join her newsletter to get updates on new releases, exclusive giveaways and other book news—as well as a free novella and short story! Go to: www.hyhanna.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
October 24, 2022
Book ten in this series about Gemma Rose, Tearoom operator and amateur sleuth, and the delightfully named cat, Muesli.
This time it is Christmas in Oxford and we get to enjoy a very English holiday. I had to smile at the explanations of things such as mince pies and crackers, for the benefit of the visiting American family. The descriptions of Muesli climbing the Christmas tree are amusing too, especially if you have ever owned a cat who did the same thing. That and playing with the baubles until they fell off and ripping the paper off the presents. (those two by my cat not Muesli).
There is a body in the library, multiple possibilities of who the murderer is, the four "Old Biddies" singing carols and a lizard attacking the stuffed turkey. Mayhem but luckily it all comes good and Gemma gets one lovely surprise on Christmas night. A fun read and I fully recommend this series especially to lovers of cosy mysteries and cats.
This time it is Christmas in Oxford and we get to enjoy a very English holiday. I had to smile at the explanations of things such as mince pies and crackers, for the benefit of the visiting American family. The descriptions of Muesli climbing the Christmas tree are amusing too, especially if you have ever owned a cat who did the same thing. That and playing with the baubles until they fell off and ripping the paper off the presents. (those two by my cat not Muesli).
There is a body in the library, multiple possibilities of who the murderer is, the four "Old Biddies" singing carols and a lizard attacking the stuffed turkey. Mayhem but luckily it all comes good and Gemma gets one lovely surprise on Christmas night. A fun read and I fully recommend this series especially to lovers of cosy mysteries and cats.
March 17, 2021
When Gemma Rose, owner of a well-established and respected tearoom in Oxford, promised to cater for a Christmas party at a nearby country manor just two days before Christmas, she had no idea what was ahead for her. Once the guests had left and the four Old Biddies – Gemma’s good friends and fellow sleuths – had sung their last carol, it was time to leave. But the snowstorm, which had been building up, had hit with a vengeance, so Gemma and the ladies were set to stay overnight, hopeful they would be able to leave the following day.
With Gemma up searching for Muesli, her mischievous cat, the house was silent. It was after midnight after all. But when she found her, curled up in the manger like she owned it, Gemma was shocked to see a body in a nearby chair. The following chaos and trauma for the household, along with the police being unable to arrive because of the snow, meant Gemma and the Old Biddies set about their investigation with vigour. Obviously, the murderer was in the house with them – but could Gemma identify which person was the killer? And would they be able to leave and have their own Christmas celebrations as planned?
The Mousse Wonderful Time of the Year is the 10th in the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries by Aussie author HY Hanna, and once again I loved it. Fun, entertaining, fast paced with lots of action, Muesli the cat is one of the stars of the show. I was sure I knew who the culprit was - but I was wrong! A wonderful series, I’m looking forward to the next soon. Highly recommended.
With Gemma up searching for Muesli, her mischievous cat, the house was silent. It was after midnight after all. But when she found her, curled up in the manger like she owned it, Gemma was shocked to see a body in a nearby chair. The following chaos and trauma for the household, along with the police being unable to arrive because of the snow, meant Gemma and the Old Biddies set about their investigation with vigour. Obviously, the murderer was in the house with them – but could Gemma identify which person was the killer? And would they be able to leave and have their own Christmas celebrations as planned?
The Mousse Wonderful Time of the Year is the 10th in the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries by Aussie author HY Hanna, and once again I loved it. Fun, entertaining, fast paced with lots of action, Muesli the cat is one of the stars of the show. I was sure I knew who the culprit was - but I was wrong! A wonderful series, I’m looking forward to the next soon. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2024
The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year (Oxford Tearoom Mysteries, #10) by H.Y. Hanna
Synopsis /
Tearoom sleuth Gemma Rose is looking forward to a holiday filled with delicious Yuletide treats, time with friends and family, and maybe even a “white Christmas” in Oxford… But when she’s snowed in at a country manor, she finds herself stumbling on a puzzling murder—complete with a body in the library, a house full of suspects and a trail of mysterious footprints!
Luckily, the nosy Old Biddies are on hand to help… not to mention her cheeky tabby cat Muesli. Add in some carol singing, Christmas baking and flannel underwear, and Gemma’s stocking is bursting at the seams. Can she solve this festive whodunnit in time to enjoy the most wonderful time of year?
My Thoughts /
I love a good Christmasin July read, and H.Y. Hanna’s Oxford Tearoom Mysteries series filled that slot nicely.
Someone tell me that you didn’t sing-song this book title in your head when you read it - let’s all croon Andy Williams’ “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” - I’ll wait.
I know I did. And every single time I opened the book to start reading I was sing-songing this earworm. It was only when I started writing this review that I realised something was missing from the book title. I’ll wait.
In this, the tenth book in the series, it’s Christmastime in Oxford, and you know what that means...families get together, there’s festive cheer, joy and laughter, lots of snow, carollers singing Christmas tunes, roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, and mince pies - lots and lots of mince pies (OMG get in my belly now).
This year, Gemma’s boyfriend, Devlin O’Connor is away for the Christmas holidays visiting his mother, so Gemma will be doing Christmas Day at her parent’s place solo. Gemma’s mum meanwhile, has been frantically cooking up a storm, as family guests are arriving for the holidays.
Meeting her mother in town for tea and cake at the Randolph Hotel, Gemma was a little surprised when her mother arrived with a companion - Annabel Floyd. Both ladies were organising a tea party for the Sinterklaas Foundation. A charity that helps children from underprivileged families who can’t afford to buy their child even something simple for Christmas, so the Foundation raises funds to purchase and distribute gifts to the children of those families. During afternoon tea, Annabel explained that the children’s Christmas function might need to be cancelled as there had been a mix-up and the caterers had had to pull out. Gemma’s mother immediately offered up the Tearoom to do the catering. And that is how Gemma (and Muesli) ended up at Thurlby Hall two days later.
This wouldn’t be an Oxford Tearoom Mystery without a dead body, and sure enough, on this particular evening, when Gemma was hunting around the rooms of Thurlby Hall for her mischievous cat, she discovered a body in the library. The body belonged to Ned, the long-lost son of Sir Hugh Morecombe and current owner of Thurlby Hall estate. Ned, Sir Hugh’s favourite, had left decades ago and no-one had heard from him since. Ned’s return had been greeted with mixed emotions by family members, as it was likely to mean a rewriting of Sir Hugh’s Will.
With Devlin on the other side of the world visiting his mother, Gemma is left to solve the mystery of who murdered Ned Morecombe. Of course she’ll have a little help - and I’m talking about the four resident grey-haired busy bodies Mabel Cooke, Glenda Bailey, Florence Doyle, and Ethel Webb—affectionately called the “Old Biddies”.
Will the Sinterklaas Foundation’s children’s Christmas charity event go ahead?
Will Gemma be able to solve the mystery of Ned Morecombe’s untimely demise?
Will Gemma’s mum cease her cooking frenzy?
Will Muesli finally behave?
And more importantly.....Will I make the Christmas mince pie recipe that’s at the end of the book?
It truly is the most wonderful time of year!!
Synopsis /
Tearoom sleuth Gemma Rose is looking forward to a holiday filled with delicious Yuletide treats, time with friends and family, and maybe even a “white Christmas” in Oxford… But when she’s snowed in at a country manor, she finds herself stumbling on a puzzling murder—complete with a body in the library, a house full of suspects and a trail of mysterious footprints!
Luckily, the nosy Old Biddies are on hand to help… not to mention her cheeky tabby cat Muesli. Add in some carol singing, Christmas baking and flannel underwear, and Gemma’s stocking is bursting at the seams. Can she solve this festive whodunnit in time to enjoy the most wonderful time of year?
My Thoughts /
I love a good Christmas
Someone tell me that you didn’t sing-song this book title in your head when you read it - let’s all croon Andy Williams’ “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” - I’ll wait.
I know I did. And every single time I opened the book to start reading I was sing-songing this earworm. It was only when I started writing this review that I realised something was missing from the book title. I’ll wait.
In this, the tenth book in the series, it’s Christmastime in Oxford, and you know what that means...families get together, there’s festive cheer, joy and laughter, lots of snow, carollers singing Christmas tunes, roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, and mince pies - lots and lots of mince pies (OMG get in my belly now).
This year, Gemma’s boyfriend, Devlin O’Connor is away for the Christmas holidays visiting his mother, so Gemma will be doing Christmas Day at her parent’s place solo. Gemma’s mum meanwhile, has been frantically cooking up a storm, as family guests are arriving for the holidays.
Meeting her mother in town for tea and cake at the Randolph Hotel, Gemma was a little surprised when her mother arrived with a companion - Annabel Floyd. Both ladies were organising a tea party for the Sinterklaas Foundation. A charity that helps children from underprivileged families who can’t afford to buy their child even something simple for Christmas, so the Foundation raises funds to purchase and distribute gifts to the children of those families. During afternoon tea, Annabel explained that the children’s Christmas function might need to be cancelled as there had been a mix-up and the caterers had had to pull out. Gemma’s mother immediately offered up the Tearoom to do the catering. And that is how Gemma (and Muesli) ended up at Thurlby Hall two days later.
This wouldn’t be an Oxford Tearoom Mystery without a dead body, and sure enough, on this particular evening, when Gemma was hunting around the rooms of Thurlby Hall for her mischievous cat, she discovered a body in the library. The body belonged to Ned, the long-lost son of Sir Hugh Morecombe and current owner of Thurlby Hall estate. Ned, Sir Hugh’s favourite, had left decades ago and no-one had heard from him since. Ned’s return had been greeted with mixed emotions by family members, as it was likely to mean a rewriting of Sir Hugh’s Will.
With Devlin on the other side of the world visiting his mother, Gemma is left to solve the mystery of who murdered Ned Morecombe. Of course she’ll have a little help - and I’m talking about the four resident grey-haired busy bodies Mabel Cooke, Glenda Bailey, Florence Doyle, and Ethel Webb—affectionately called the “Old Biddies”.
Will the Sinterklaas Foundation’s children’s Christmas charity event go ahead?
Will Gemma be able to solve the mystery of Ned Morecombe’s untimely demise?
Will Gemma’s mum cease her cooking frenzy?
Will Muesli finally behave?
And more importantly.....Will I make the Christmas mince pie recipe that’s at the end of the book?
It truly is the most wonderful time of year!!
December 24, 2021
A return of the prodigal son after 25 years to the manor. He had been assumed to be dead. Now he is back in the will. It's just before Christmas and they are having a party for the less fortunate children of the town. The tea is being catered and after everything is cleaned up the snow is coming down so heavy that it's not safe to drive so they are invited to spend the night. The son is found dead in the library and it could only have been someone in the house that did it. It was interesting finding out about everyone's alibi's and how it was finally revealed who the killer was and why.
January 22, 2020
The Mousse Wonderful Time of the Year earns 5+/5 Mince Pies...Proper English Fun!
H.Y. Hanna thrilled me once again with this tenth book...the perfect holiday cozy! This well-written drama puts a spotlight on “Me, too” issues, and fortunately karma steps up as judge, jury, and executioner! It starts with Gemma and an awkward chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Later Gemma‘s mother introduces her to Annabel Floyd, daughter of Sir Hugh Morecombe, and gets Gemma to agree to last minute catering for Annabel’s Sinterklaas Foundation Christmas party for underprivileged children at her family’s estate. However, during the event, Gemma is shocked to discover the stranger is the long-lost son of Sir Hugh Morecombe, Ned, who left decades ago. His return is met more with anger than tears of joy since it means a rewriting of Sir Hugh’s will. Cleaning up is interrupted by a massive storm stranding Gemma in the company of some very angry relatives, but the dead body in the library was not without its karmic influences. Gemma starts informally questioning everyone gathering clues until the police can arrive. She is surprised at the discovery of Ned’s questionable past and other family secrets that mean everyone has a motive bouncing from revenge to family disfunction to just plain greed made worse by the animosity from the detective-in-charge. If murder isn’t enough, there’s the Christmas lunch with the Rose family and some American cousins as guests that is well-worth rereading. The final solution was briefly on my radar, but well-devised misdirection sent me off in several directions enjoying realistic gathering of clues, spying, and entertaining “sticky” situations with the “Four Biddies.” In the end she reveals the solution in her best Miss Marple manner. Family is always prominent in the cozy genre, and Hsin-yi has created a marvelous group that lifts, inspires, and challenges. The proper English Christmas lunch with Gemma’s family, inebriated Uncle Ronnie, and what I saw as nicely depicted American cousins was delightful fun plagued with uninvited guests, accidents, and a stand-off with Muesli.
Bonus! As with most people, I matured finding some childhood “yucks” to be “yummy,” like my mother’s own version of mincemeat pie. H.Y. Hanna included a proper Christmas Mince Pie recipe in her book with directions for homemade mincemeat flavored with your favorite brandy and offering two pie crust recipe choices: Traditional Shortcrust Pastry and an Easy-Peasy Pie Crust. Enjoy the Chapter 20 scene with Gemma and her mother making “...a recipe your grandmother used to make...” Either way you are in for a proper Christmas treat worthy of being a family tradition!
Disclosure: I received an ARC. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
Updated 1/21/20
I always challenge readers to become listeners having myself become a fan of audiobooks. I love being read to; it’s relaxing and often frees me up to better multitask those boring household chores. I am mesmerized by narrators who go beyond a traditional reading performance to include accents and dialects, age and gender tones, squeaks and squeals, and a wide range of emotions. That’s why I absolutely love Pearl Hewitt who is the resident narrator in the world of H.Y. Hanna’s work. Pearl Hewitt is my favorite narrator and here she has used her voice artistry to greatly enrich my enjoyment with a delightful tone in her voice and performing well the emotions and different personalities. She manages well the challenge of performing several British accents and dialects, a group of delightful Americans, more than a hand full of male characters, and Muesli’s “Meow.” I so enjoyed the emotions she performed throughout all the chaos, breaking and entering with the “Four Biddies,” and the “everything goes wrong” Christmas lunch. Her inebriated Uncle Ronny is my favorite! The whole experience was very entertaining! The one item missing in the audio version is the recipe for a proper Christmas Mince Pie...so pick up the print or eBook to make sure you have this special holiday treat!
H.Y. Hanna thrilled me once again with this tenth book...the perfect holiday cozy! This well-written drama puts a spotlight on “Me, too” issues, and fortunately karma steps up as judge, jury, and executioner! It starts with Gemma and an awkward chance encounter with a handsome stranger. Later Gemma‘s mother introduces her to Annabel Floyd, daughter of Sir Hugh Morecombe, and gets Gemma to agree to last minute catering for Annabel’s Sinterklaas Foundation Christmas party for underprivileged children at her family’s estate. However, during the event, Gemma is shocked to discover the stranger is the long-lost son of Sir Hugh Morecombe, Ned, who left decades ago. His return is met more with anger than tears of joy since it means a rewriting of Sir Hugh’s will. Cleaning up is interrupted by a massive storm stranding Gemma in the company of some very angry relatives, but the dead body in the library was not without its karmic influences. Gemma starts informally questioning everyone gathering clues until the police can arrive. She is surprised at the discovery of Ned’s questionable past and other family secrets that mean everyone has a motive bouncing from revenge to family disfunction to just plain greed made worse by the animosity from the detective-in-charge. If murder isn’t enough, there’s the Christmas lunch with the Rose family and some American cousins as guests that is well-worth rereading. The final solution was briefly on my radar, but well-devised misdirection sent me off in several directions enjoying realistic gathering of clues, spying, and entertaining “sticky” situations with the “Four Biddies.” In the end she reveals the solution in her best Miss Marple manner. Family is always prominent in the cozy genre, and Hsin-yi has created a marvelous group that lifts, inspires, and challenges. The proper English Christmas lunch with Gemma’s family, inebriated Uncle Ronnie, and what I saw as nicely depicted American cousins was delightful fun plagued with uninvited guests, accidents, and a stand-off with Muesli.
Bonus! As with most people, I matured finding some childhood “yucks” to be “yummy,” like my mother’s own version of mincemeat pie. H.Y. Hanna included a proper Christmas Mince Pie recipe in her book with directions for homemade mincemeat flavored with your favorite brandy and offering two pie crust recipe choices: Traditional Shortcrust Pastry and an Easy-Peasy Pie Crust. Enjoy the Chapter 20 scene with Gemma and her mother making “...a recipe your grandmother used to make...” Either way you are in for a proper Christmas treat worthy of being a family tradition!
Disclosure: I received an ARC. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
Updated 1/21/20
I always challenge readers to become listeners having myself become a fan of audiobooks. I love being read to; it’s relaxing and often frees me up to better multitask those boring household chores. I am mesmerized by narrators who go beyond a traditional reading performance to include accents and dialects, age and gender tones, squeaks and squeals, and a wide range of emotions. That’s why I absolutely love Pearl Hewitt who is the resident narrator in the world of H.Y. Hanna’s work. Pearl Hewitt is my favorite narrator and here she has used her voice artistry to greatly enrich my enjoyment with a delightful tone in her voice and performing well the emotions and different personalities. She manages well the challenge of performing several British accents and dialects, a group of delightful Americans, more than a hand full of male characters, and Muesli’s “Meow.” I so enjoyed the emotions she performed throughout all the chaos, breaking and entering with the “Four Biddies,” and the “everything goes wrong” Christmas lunch. Her inebriated Uncle Ronny is my favorite! The whole experience was very entertaining! The one item missing in the audio version is the recipe for a proper Christmas Mince Pie...so pick up the print or eBook to make sure you have this special holiday treat!
January 8, 2020
A very good addition to this fun series. 4.5*
December 29, 2019
The clock strikes
Book Ten of the Oxford Tearoom series is even better than the ones before. Hanna has offered to cater a children's Christmas party and is snowed in along with the Old Biddies. Trouble is never far away from Gemma and this Christmas is no exception.
Book Ten of the Oxford Tearoom series is even better than the ones before. Hanna has offered to cater a children's Christmas party and is snowed in along with the Old Biddies. Trouble is never far away from Gemma and this Christmas is no exception.
January 18, 2020
A Memorable Christmas
You know by now that no matter where Gemma Rose goes murder follows. And not even Christmas gets in the way.
While dropping off her boyfriend Devlin at the train station she encounters a man returning to his family home after disappearing 25 years ago.
While catering a charity tea at Thurlby Hall the prodigal son returns. And after much upset to everyone but his father, is promptly murdered while a snow storm rages outside.
And while that story line was quite good what made the book for me was the Rose family Christmas. Complete with 1 drunk uncle, 5 relocating cousins, an unexpected guest and 1 iguana. And Gemma's mom trying to hold it all together.
Throw in the 4 old biddies who brought the Christmas pudding with Uncle Ronnie and his toupee and what can I say but another hit for H.Y. Hanna
You know by now that no matter where Gemma Rose goes murder follows. And not even Christmas gets in the way.
While dropping off her boyfriend Devlin at the train station she encounters a man returning to his family home after disappearing 25 years ago.
While catering a charity tea at Thurlby Hall the prodigal son returns. And after much upset to everyone but his father, is promptly murdered while a snow storm rages outside.
And while that story line was quite good what made the book for me was the Rose family Christmas. Complete with 1 drunk uncle, 5 relocating cousins, an unexpected guest and 1 iguana. And Gemma's mom trying to hold it all together.
Throw in the 4 old biddies who brought the Christmas pudding with Uncle Ronnie and his toupee and what can I say but another hit for H.Y. Hanna
December 4, 2019
It’s Christmas time in Oxford, and they’re actually having a white Christmas. While Gemma’s boyfriend is off spending the holidays with his mother, Gemma gets convinced to cater a party at a large estate outside Oxford. Gemma and the “old biddies” (her term for the four annoying 80-year old women who pop up everywhere) get trapped at the estate when the roads are completely snowed in. And during the night, someone is murdered.
While on the surface the wealthy family hosting the party has it all, they’re hiding a lot of secrets, and those secrets gradually come unraveled. The patriarch of the family pressures Gemma to solve the murder when it becomes apparent that the police can’t get through the snow.
I like Gemma a lot but could do with a lot less of the “old biddies.” I also like her boyfriend and wish he had been on page more often. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the first part of this latest entry in the series, with its seasonal emphasis, and a setting reminiscent of many old house party mysteries. However, things were a bit over-the-top for me once Gemma and the “old biddies” left the manor house, particularly during her mother’s Christmas day dinner with the odd mix of relatives and just far too many bizarre occurrences.
So overall mixed feelings about this one, and will give it a C, or three stars here, and hope that I like the next in the series more, and also that the “old biddies” feature far less prominently.
While on the surface the wealthy family hosting the party has it all, they’re hiding a lot of secrets, and those secrets gradually come unraveled. The patriarch of the family pressures Gemma to solve the murder when it becomes apparent that the police can’t get through the snow.
I like Gemma a lot but could do with a lot less of the “old biddies.” I also like her boyfriend and wish he had been on page more often. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the first part of this latest entry in the series, with its seasonal emphasis, and a setting reminiscent of many old house party mysteries. However, things were a bit over-the-top for me once Gemma and the “old biddies” left the manor house, particularly during her mother’s Christmas day dinner with the odd mix of relatives and just far too many bizarre occurrences.
So overall mixed feelings about this one, and will give it a C, or three stars here, and hope that I like the next in the series more, and also that the “old biddies” feature far less prominently.
January 3, 2020
THE MOUSSE WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR is another delightful installment in the Oxford Tearoom Mystery Series. Full of Christmas spirit and shenanigans, it is perfect holiday reading.
In this tenth installment, Gemma finds herself snowed in at Lord Hugh’s country manor after catering a children’s party. Though the party goes well, things go awry when Ned, whom his family has not heard from in decades and thought might be dead, arrives on the doorstep. The reunion is short lived, though, as Gemma finds him murdered later that evening. Everyone, including Gemma, who had her own unsavory run-ins with Ned, is a suspect, and Gemma puts on her sleuthing cap to unmask the killer.
THE MOUSSE WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR has a wonderful Golden Age of Mystery feel about it with a good portion of the book set in the English manor with the residents and guests somewhat isolated from the rest of the world. Gemma even explains how she figured everything out and confronts the killer in Hercule Poirot style. I did figure out whodunit fairly early on, but there were plenty of other suspects to consider. Even though the mystery remains the main emphasis of the tale, Gemma’s Christmas dinner fiasco is utterly hilarious. Of course, the Old Biddies also provide humor, and Gemma’s cat Muesli is adorable.
THE MOUSE WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR is great fun. Highly recommended.
I received and ARC of this book from the author and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
In this tenth installment, Gemma finds herself snowed in at Lord Hugh’s country manor after catering a children’s party. Though the party goes well, things go awry when Ned, whom his family has not heard from in decades and thought might be dead, arrives on the doorstep. The reunion is short lived, though, as Gemma finds him murdered later that evening. Everyone, including Gemma, who had her own unsavory run-ins with Ned, is a suspect, and Gemma puts on her sleuthing cap to unmask the killer.
THE MOUSSE WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR has a wonderful Golden Age of Mystery feel about it with a good portion of the book set in the English manor with the residents and guests somewhat isolated from the rest of the world. Gemma even explains how she figured everything out and confronts the killer in Hercule Poirot style. I did figure out whodunit fairly early on, but there were plenty of other suspects to consider. Even though the mystery remains the main emphasis of the tale, Gemma’s Christmas dinner fiasco is utterly hilarious. Of course, the Old Biddies also provide humor, and Gemma’s cat Muesli is adorable.
THE MOUSE WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR is great fun. Highly recommended.
I received and ARC of this book from the author and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
December 4, 2019
The Mousse Wonderful Time of the Year by H.Y. Hanna
Oxford Tearoom mysteries #10
Every book in this series gets better and better! This time Gemma and her boyfriend, Devlin, spend most of the book apart but he is still an integral part in her life. As she is alone she takes on a catering job and gets snowed in only to be faced with another murder to investigate and a murderer to find. I have to say that this time I was left guessing till the end. I had an inkling who it might be but wasn’t sure till the person was finally brought to light.
What I liked:
* The plotting and the way the story was written
* The humor in the Christmas dinner at the home of Gemma’s parents – an iguana?
* The Old Biddies – they add that little bit of je ne sais quois
* Muesli – what a charming cat and also a life saver
* Not being upset by the loss of the murder victim...what a creep he was!
* The hint that Seth and Cassie might be moving forward into a relationship
* The growth Gemma has made as a sleuth
What I did not like:
* The murder victim – Ned – what a waster!
* The father of the murdered man – a lot like his son
* The officiousness of the policeman assigned the murder case
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Oxford Tearoom mysteries #10
Every book in this series gets better and better! This time Gemma and her boyfriend, Devlin, spend most of the book apart but he is still an integral part in her life. As she is alone she takes on a catering job and gets snowed in only to be faced with another murder to investigate and a murderer to find. I have to say that this time I was left guessing till the end. I had an inkling who it might be but wasn’t sure till the person was finally brought to light.
What I liked:
* The plotting and the way the story was written
* The humor in the Christmas dinner at the home of Gemma’s parents – an iguana?
* The Old Biddies – they add that little bit of je ne sais quois
* Muesli – what a charming cat and also a life saver
* Not being upset by the loss of the murder victim...what a creep he was!
* The hint that Seth and Cassie might be moving forward into a relationship
* The growth Gemma has made as a sleuth
What I did not like:
* The murder victim – Ned – what a waster!
* The father of the murdered man – a lot like his son
* The officiousness of the policeman assigned the murder case
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
December 4, 2019
Keeps you guessing
Getting snowed in with a family that doesn't actually love each other and the Old Biddies while at a catering job is not how Gemma thought she would spend the holidays. Especially after an obnoxious stranger she met at the train station who just wouldn't take no to drinks as an answer shows up as a long thought dead heir to a fortune. Later when Gemma finds him dead in the library shenanigans ensure with the old biddies as Gemma searches to find the killer.
As if all that wasn't enough Christmas at her parents with a group of American cousins and her uncle proves to be different than anyone could have imagined. There are lots of laugh out loud moments as Christmas dinner takes place and Gemma gets a wonderful Christmas surprise all after solving the mystery of whodunit.
I got a great CLUE vibe from this story and hope there are more holiday books in the series.
Disclaimer I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.The opinions expressed are my own.
Getting snowed in with a family that doesn't actually love each other and the Old Biddies while at a catering job is not how Gemma thought she would spend the holidays. Especially after an obnoxious stranger she met at the train station who just wouldn't take no to drinks as an answer shows up as a long thought dead heir to a fortune. Later when Gemma finds him dead in the library shenanigans ensure with the old biddies as Gemma searches to find the killer.
As if all that wasn't enough Christmas at her parents with a group of American cousins and her uncle proves to be different than anyone could have imagined. There are lots of laugh out loud moments as Christmas dinner takes place and Gemma gets a wonderful Christmas surprise all after solving the mystery of whodunit.
I got a great CLUE vibe from this story and hope there are more holiday books in the series.
Disclaimer I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.The opinions expressed are my own.
November 18, 2024
The tenth in the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries and I thought the mystery was very well done. Gemma is asked to cater a tea over the holidays at a local mansion. Unfortunately, a murder happens when the son of the lord of the manor is killed. Ned was a prodigal son, returned home to claim his home/money. Unfortunately, he is not liked by many. Gemma finds him dead one night (everyone has to stay overnight due to a snow storm) and she is asked to try to start questioning everyone by the lord before the police arrive. It is a classic locked room mystery.
My only issue with the last few books in the series is no Devlin!! I miss him!!
My only issue with the last few books in the series is no Devlin!! I miss him!!
December 16, 2021
Here's the thing - the idea behind the series is great. The main character is actually neat.
The problem is, quite frankly, the info dumping. In the opening, there is a conversation between the lead and her boyfriend which is conveys points that the lead tells the reader directly. Seriously the conversation was enough. I stopped reading because I was editing the section to make it better.
The problem is, quite frankly, the info dumping. In the opening, there is a conversation between the lead and her boyfriend which is conveys points that the lead tells the reader directly. Seriously the conversation was enough. I stopped reading because I was editing the section to make it better.
December 7, 2019
I received a free copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.
The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year is the 10th book in the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries series. It's a fun Christmas cozy mystery. The book has a slightly different feel than most books in this series, but it also has all the things I've grown to expect from this series from the mystery, to the funny scenes, The Old Biddies, Gemma's mom, Muesli and more. And the main character Gemma who ofcourse gets dragged into another mystery.
The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year is set around Christmas. The whole book takes place over the course of only a few days, starting a few days before Christmas and ending on Christmas day. I liked the Christmas vibe this whole book. While there is a solid mystery, there also was a lot of attention to the Christmas festivities, traditions and food. I liked how this book gave a good feel what a British Christmas is like. I think this is the first Christmas novel set in the UK that I read, so it was really interesting to learn about British Christmas traditions and foods, things like mince pies, watching the queen and crackers. I liked getting a feel for what a British Christmas is like.
The other big part of the book was ofcourse the mystery. I thought the book started off with a bit of a forced set-up, it's obvious all the main characters have to be in the same location at a certain point and it felt a tad forced at times. With coincidences and certain events conspiring to get everyone at the same place. And Devlin goes out of town for Christmas so he won't be there (and can't help Gemma with the mystery). A sudden snowstorm and doing the dishes makes sure there is no way to leave and then while they're snowed in at the same house while a murder takes place.
Once the murder has started things improved a lot. I liked the locked room type of mystery, with it begin clear the murderer probably was on of the characters who had been snowed in. I also liked that they don't stay stranded at the house for the whole mystery. The mystery felt a bit shorter or like it developed quicker than most of the books in the series, but maybe that's just me or because the Christmas festivities also took up a big part of the story. There were some interesting clues, red herrings and plenty of suspects. It was fun to see how Gemma pieced everything together. I managed to guess the murderer correctly, but guessed the motive wrong, so I liked that revelation at the end.
This series has a fun cast of characters. I like reading about Gemma, how she gets involved in another murder mystery and how she also wants to think the best of characters. She does jump to conclusions at times, but I also like how she can be open minded and looks at the mystery from all sides. There are some fun scenes with her mother, Muesli and the Old Biddies as well. Although Muesli again got used as a plot device a few times to get Gemma to go to a certain place. I had fun reading the Christmas day scenes, while it might be a bit too much, it did feel realistic and funny with the way how the holidays not always go smoothly and everything that can go wrong goes wrong.
Due to certain events there was very little of Devlin and Gemma together in this book. There also isn't as much about the tearoom as usual, but with the Christmas focus and the tearoom being closed that made sense and I think it worked here. I didn't really care about the new characters the mystery circled around, but that's probably because most are suspects and Gemma doesn't really get close to them. It was interesting to see all the family dynamics and how they all had their own motives and almost everyone had something to hide.
To summarize: This was a fun Christmas themed cozy mystery read. I like how both the mystery and Christmas festivities take up a large part of the story. I thought it was fun and interesting to read about a traditional British Christmas and what traditions and foods play a role. The mystery also got plenty of attention, although it did feel like things developed a bit quicker than normally. I managed to guess the murderer right, but not the motive. I liked following Gemma along as she and the Old Biddies try to figure out what happened. There are some funny scenes as well and Muesli also makes some appearances. If you're looking for a fun Christmas themed cozy mystery I would definitely recommend this one.
The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year is the 10th book in the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries series. It's a fun Christmas cozy mystery. The book has a slightly different feel than most books in this series, but it also has all the things I've grown to expect from this series from the mystery, to the funny scenes, The Old Biddies, Gemma's mom, Muesli and more. And the main character Gemma who ofcourse gets dragged into another mystery.
The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year is set around Christmas. The whole book takes place over the course of only a few days, starting a few days before Christmas and ending on Christmas day. I liked the Christmas vibe this whole book. While there is a solid mystery, there also was a lot of attention to the Christmas festivities, traditions and food. I liked how this book gave a good feel what a British Christmas is like. I think this is the first Christmas novel set in the UK that I read, so it was really interesting to learn about British Christmas traditions and foods, things like mince pies, watching the queen and crackers. I liked getting a feel for what a British Christmas is like.
The other big part of the book was ofcourse the mystery. I thought the book started off with a bit of a forced set-up, it's obvious all the main characters have to be in the same location at a certain point and it felt a tad forced at times. With coincidences and certain events conspiring to get everyone at the same place. And Devlin goes out of town for Christmas so he won't be there (and can't help Gemma with the mystery). A sudden snowstorm and doing the dishes makes sure there is no way to leave and then while they're snowed in at the same house while a murder takes place.
Once the murder has started things improved a lot. I liked the locked room type of mystery, with it begin clear the murderer probably was on of the characters who had been snowed in. I also liked that they don't stay stranded at the house for the whole mystery. The mystery felt a bit shorter or like it developed quicker than most of the books in the series, but maybe that's just me or because the Christmas festivities also took up a big part of the story. There were some interesting clues, red herrings and plenty of suspects. It was fun to see how Gemma pieced everything together. I managed to guess the murderer correctly, but guessed the motive wrong, so I liked that revelation at the end.
This series has a fun cast of characters. I like reading about Gemma, how she gets involved in another murder mystery and how she also wants to think the best of characters. She does jump to conclusions at times, but I also like how she can be open minded and looks at the mystery from all sides. There are some fun scenes with her mother, Muesli and the Old Biddies as well. Although Muesli again got used as a plot device a few times to get Gemma to go to a certain place. I had fun reading the Christmas day scenes, while it might be a bit too much, it did feel realistic and funny with the way how the holidays not always go smoothly and everything that can go wrong goes wrong.
Due to certain events there was very little of Devlin and Gemma together in this book. There also isn't as much about the tearoom as usual, but with the Christmas focus and the tearoom being closed that made sense and I think it worked here. I didn't really care about the new characters the mystery circled around, but that's probably because most are suspects and Gemma doesn't really get close to them. It was interesting to see all the family dynamics and how they all had their own motives and almost everyone had something to hide.
To summarize: This was a fun Christmas themed cozy mystery read. I like how both the mystery and Christmas festivities take up a large part of the story. I thought it was fun and interesting to read about a traditional British Christmas and what traditions and foods play a role. The mystery also got plenty of attention, although it did feel like things developed a bit quicker than normally. I managed to guess the murderer right, but not the motive. I liked following Gemma along as she and the Old Biddies try to figure out what happened. There are some funny scenes as well and Muesli also makes some appearances. If you're looking for a fun Christmas themed cozy mystery I would definitely recommend this one.
December 14, 2019
THE MOUSSE WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, the tenth book in the Oxford Tearoom Mystery series by H.Y. Hanna, is a delightful Christmas cozy that captures the feeling of an Agatha Christie book! When the protagonist, Gemma Rose, is roped into catering a traditional Christmas children’s tea at a local mansion, little did she know she’d be snowed in with a murderer. From a letch of a prodigal son, to an unloving octogenarian, to an Oxford professor, to a chauffeur, to a doormat of a wife, to the housekeeper, it takes all Gemma’s experience to find out who had reasons to murder...and to keep the four Old Biddies out of trouble. To make matters worse, her adorable cat, Muesli, is back to making mischief for Gemma while endearing herself to everyone else. While the suspect list was limited because of the “locked house” scenario, each of the people there had plenty of reasons to want the victim dead which kept me guessing. With the reveal (again done in an Agatha Christie fashion) I enjoyed the way the clues were pieced together to find the culprit.
Once again, the Old Biddies steal the scenes they crash and provide some laugh out loud moments. I love their feistiness and the fact that they formed a granny band of carolers called ‘The Twelve Greys of Christmas’. Over the course of the series, Ms. Hanna has created a wealth of supporting characters for Gemma, each well-developed. However, in this newest release, we don’t see many of them or if we do, it’s very limited. Instead, Gemma is surrounded by strangers (except for the Biddies) and it has forced her to be more independent and resourceful. While I missed the supporting characters, like the hot Detective Inspector Devlin O’Connor, it was nice to see Gemma on her own and see how she’s grown over the series. Ms. Hanna does end the book with a Christmas gathering at Gemma’s parents’ house that added levity to the book and left me with holiday cheer.
Once again, the Old Biddies steal the scenes they crash and provide some laugh out loud moments. I love their feistiness and the fact that they formed a granny band of carolers called ‘The Twelve Greys of Christmas’. Over the course of the series, Ms. Hanna has created a wealth of supporting characters for Gemma, each well-developed. However, in this newest release, we don’t see many of them or if we do, it’s very limited. Instead, Gemma is surrounded by strangers (except for the Biddies) and it has forced her to be more independent and resourceful. While I missed the supporting characters, like the hot Detective Inspector Devlin O’Connor, it was nice to see Gemma on her own and see how she’s grown over the series. Ms. Hanna does end the book with a Christmas gathering at Gemma’s parents’ house that added levity to the book and left me with holiday cheer.
December 10, 2019
The 10th book in a fun series that gets you involved from the very first page! With Gemma and her detective boyfriend, Devlin having to spend Christmas apart, with the encouragement from Gemma's mother, she decides to cater a charitable Christmas party for a well to do family. Of course the old Biddies show up (Gemma's name for 4 nosey 80 year olds) to the party. And the missing son, Ned, who the family thought was dead shows up making the father happy, the gold digging father's fiance unhappy, his sister guarded with her nasty husband VERY unhappy and Julian the cousin not too thrilled as NED has always picked on him. Then things begin to go awry with taunting, teasing, and unwanted advances to Gemma. When Gemma was cleaning up, a snow storm made it impossible for her and of course the biddies to be driven home so they are put up at the mansion. When she went downstairs looking for Muesli, her cat, she finds the cat and finds Ned dead in the library. And so begins the murder mystery and lots of twists, turns and red herrings. Will Gemma with the Biddies be able to solve the murder and unravel the clues before they unravel her? A great series you would love to get involved in! I received and ARC from the author but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
December 2, 2019
The flying toupee and the animal throw down are brilliant
A wonderful read. Read it for the two incidents mentioned in the header if nothing else. I couldn't help laughing. A terrific read about old grudges, dysfunctional families, Christmas and murder. A murder based on the old snowed in house routine but with some additional twists. The return of the prodigal son, old hurts and grievances, a downtrodden wife, a gold digging fiance, affairs, a new will and two men whose nose will be put out of joint with the son's return. Then there's the Old Biddies who have crashed the children's Christmas tea party and have been snowed in along with our heroine after everyone else (apart from the family, the fiance, the chauffeur and the replacement cook)had left. When the son is found murdered the question is Who Did It? It could only have been one of the people in the house. However it is not until she's having Christmas with her family and the relatives from across the Pond that she starts to make the connection. So who is the killer and why? Will she see her boyfriend soon as he has gone to spend it with his mother?
A wonderful read. Read it for the two incidents mentioned in the header if nothing else. I couldn't help laughing. A terrific read about old grudges, dysfunctional families, Christmas and murder. A murder based on the old snowed in house routine but with some additional twists. The return of the prodigal son, old hurts and grievances, a downtrodden wife, a gold digging fiance, affairs, a new will and two men whose nose will be put out of joint with the son's return. Then there's the Old Biddies who have crashed the children's Christmas tea party and have been snowed in along with our heroine after everyone else (apart from the family, the fiance, the chauffeur and the replacement cook)had left. When the son is found murdered the question is Who Did It? It could only have been one of the people in the house. However it is not until she's having Christmas with her family and the relatives from across the Pond that she starts to make the connection. So who is the killer and why? Will she see her boyfriend soon as he has gone to spend it with his mother?
January 18, 2020
A fun Christmas installment! The mystery is always engaging, and this one is no exception. There were enough twists to keep you guessing, and you become invested in the outcome. The old biddies are always entertaining, as is Gemma’s mother. I love Gemma and Devlin, although that aspect took a bit of a backseat in this story. Gemma is really growing as a character throughout this series, which is great to see. There was also a bit of Seth and Cassie, and I always hope to see more of them. The Christmas elements were fun and festive, but I probably could have done with just a touch less of that. Overall a fun holiday cozy!
*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
December 16, 2019
While Devlin leaves town to spend Christmas with his mother, Gemma closes her tea shoppe and plans to spend the holidays with her parents. A sudden snow storm throws Gemma right in the middle of a murder investigation. If you like to read cozy British mysteries about strong females that have wonderful family and friends, then you should read the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries. One of my favorite series that I never want to end. They are chock full of British life. Easy to read, but hard to put down!
December 9, 2019
A lovely, old fashioned, Christmas 'whodunnit'.
This gentle series finally has a Christmas murder for Gemma to solve.
It includes everything you need - from a snowed in country house, an argumentative family with staff to give you plenty of suspects, to the usual interference from the old biddies!
It really gets you in the festive mood.
A very entertaining read
This gentle series finally has a Christmas murder for Gemma to solve.
It includes everything you need - from a snowed in country house, an argumentative family with staff to give you plenty of suspects, to the usual interference from the old biddies!
It really gets you in the festive mood.
A very entertaining read
June 20, 2021
This is the final book in the Oxford Tearoom series and like the previous books it was silly at times but also funny and an interesting mystery. I wanted more closure for the characters since this was the final book. Also there was a moment where a character was outed that I didn’t love.
December 20, 2023
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2023/1...
Que diriez-vous d'une petite enquête en pleine fêtes de fin d'année ? Gemma, notre détective amatrice avait promis de se tenir loin des ennuis pendant les fêtes et en l'absence de Devlin. Mais combien y avait-il de chance pour que le goûter caritatif pour lequel elle est traiteur tourne au meurtre en pleine tempête de neige à quelques jours de noël. La voilà bloquée sur place, avec un mort dans la bibliothèque et le coupable sous le même toit.
Je crois qu'on tient là mon tome préféré pour le moment. Vous ne le savez peut-être pas, mais je suis une joueuse de jeux de société et particulièrement du Cluedo. Emettre des hypothèses, surtout dans un lieu clos, ça me botte bien. Sans pour autant partir dans un policier pur et dure. On reste sur du Cosy Mystery. Alors forcément, cette nouvelle affaire au cœur d'une famille aux multiples secrets a de quoi tenir en haleine.
Et puis, la touche noël est assez présente, tant au niveau des traditions (surtout culinaires) typiquement anglaises que de retrouvailles familiales. La mère de Gemma me fait toujours mourir de rire avec ses idées de cadeaux, l'arrivée de membres de la famille éloignée qui mettent un peu dans une situation gênante est également de la partie. Et enfin, toujours un soupçon de romance avec l'histoire de Gemma et Devlin mais également les histoires en arrière plan qui continuent de progresser, je pense notamment à Seth.
Avec Devlin absent pour cette nouvelle affaire, un climat qui empêche quiconque de sortir, voilà que l'enquête débute sous la direction de Gemma. Après tout, son intuition est toujours aussi affutée. Et comme toujours, elle pourra compter sur les vieilles chouettes alias les Mères noël et leurs chants pour fouiner un peu partout. Le tout, avec une petite Muesli bien volatile qui mènera notre héroïne sur des pistes insoupçonnées. Le côté huis-clos est le bienvenue et réduit le champ des possibles. Résultats, tout le monde à un mobile. J'avais des soupçons sur le coupable à un moment donné, mais je ne me doutais pas de l'envers de l'histoire, je suis donc restée à l'affut du début à la fin.
En conclusion, une nouvelle enquête prenante, du mystère, des secrets de famille, de l'humour, de l'amour et toujours un fil conducteur plaisant, le tout avec un peu de noël ! Que demander de plus. J'ai vraiment passer un bon moment avec Gemma, les vieilles chouettes et les autres.
Que diriez-vous d'une petite enquête en pleine fêtes de fin d'année ? Gemma, notre détective amatrice avait promis de se tenir loin des ennuis pendant les fêtes et en l'absence de Devlin. Mais combien y avait-il de chance pour que le goûter caritatif pour lequel elle est traiteur tourne au meurtre en pleine tempête de neige à quelques jours de noël. La voilà bloquée sur place, avec un mort dans la bibliothèque et le coupable sous le même toit.
Je crois qu'on tient là mon tome préféré pour le moment. Vous ne le savez peut-être pas, mais je suis une joueuse de jeux de société et particulièrement du Cluedo. Emettre des hypothèses, surtout dans un lieu clos, ça me botte bien. Sans pour autant partir dans un policier pur et dure. On reste sur du Cosy Mystery. Alors forcément, cette nouvelle affaire au cœur d'une famille aux multiples secrets a de quoi tenir en haleine.
Et puis, la touche noël est assez présente, tant au niveau des traditions (surtout culinaires) typiquement anglaises que de retrouvailles familiales. La mère de Gemma me fait toujours mourir de rire avec ses idées de cadeaux, l'arrivée de membres de la famille éloignée qui mettent un peu dans une situation gênante est également de la partie. Et enfin, toujours un soupçon de romance avec l'histoire de Gemma et Devlin mais également les histoires en arrière plan qui continuent de progresser, je pense notamment à Seth.
Avec Devlin absent pour cette nouvelle affaire, un climat qui empêche quiconque de sortir, voilà que l'enquête débute sous la direction de Gemma. Après tout, son intuition est toujours aussi affutée. Et comme toujours, elle pourra compter sur les vieilles chouettes alias les Mères noël et leurs chants pour fouiner un peu partout. Le tout, avec une petite Muesli bien volatile qui mènera notre héroïne sur des pistes insoupçonnées. Le côté huis-clos est le bienvenue et réduit le champ des possibles. Résultats, tout le monde à un mobile. J'avais des soupçons sur le coupable à un moment donné, mais je ne me doutais pas de l'envers de l'histoire, je suis donc restée à l'affut du début à la fin.
En conclusion, une nouvelle enquête prenante, du mystère, des secrets de famille, de l'humour, de l'amour et toujours un fil conducteur plaisant, le tout avec un peu de noël ! Que demander de plus. J'ai vraiment passer un bon moment avec Gemma, les vieilles chouettes et les autres.
December 18, 2022
Gemma caters an event at an English country house and is trapped there because of snow. The owner's son and heir is murdered. He's not very likable and most present possessive a motive for killing him. The detective can't get there right away because of the storm so the owner asks Gemma to begin interviewing everyone. The "Old Biddies" who appear to be recurring characters helped Gemma with her inquiries. The cat Muesli steals the show! I suspected the person it ended up being, but the author incorporated enough red herrings to make it interesting. Because I did not read previous installments, I missed out on a lot of character development, including the main character and the Old Biddies. I didn't feel these characters were developed enough that this works really well as a stand-alone holiday read. Without the back story, it's only mediocre. Someone who has read previous installments might enjoy it more.
May 3, 2021
This one had even more of a Miss Marple feel. I didn't really like how the author portrayed the American relatives, though. Overall, however, it was a solid installment. I do hope Devlin and Gemma have some more together time in the next book. :)
May 26, 2022
es wäre eine 5 star review gewesen bis gemma girlbossily jmd gegen deren willen geoutet hat 😍
March 24, 2025
Un tome un peu en huis clos, un de mes tomes préférés pour le moment !
August 21, 2020
Gemma gets roped into catering a Christmas tea for underprivileged children held by a friend of her mother in her stately manor house. Her boyfriend is visiting his mother for the Christmas holiday and Gemma will spend the holiday with her parents and some American relatives, for whom her mother is determined to provide with a traditional English Christmas.
A huge snow storm (by English standards, no doubt) isolates Gemma and the Old Biddies at the manor house for the night. The prodigal son, who has just returned from 25 years in America and was thought dead, is murdered, and it seems that the murderer could be just about anyone in the house. Even Gemma threatened to kill the conceited jerk when he couldn't keep his hands off her. Sir Hugh, the patriarch, changed his will once he knew his beloved son was alive, and it is possible that his daughter Annibel's husband killed Ned because he had been promised that he would become the new CEO of his father's company once he died. Julian, the cousin, would have inherited the estate and the title. Poor Annibel, who tried so hard to win her father's affection, would only get a small allowance, because after all, she was just a woman and had a husband to look after her. Then there is the old man's young fiance, who slept with anyone she fancied- and she fancied a lot.
Once the storm ends, Gemma and the Biddies leave the manor house and Gemma goes to spend Christmas with her family. The honorary uncle is a lush, and her cousin is a 40 year old with a mohawk hair cut, band t-shirt, and a pet lizard. He and Gemma's cat do not get along. When everyone is distracted by family an accident in the kitchen when Gemma's dad drops the trifle bowl on the floor, they return to the dining room to find the lizard with his head inside the open end of the turkey, happily munching on the sage dressing.
Gemma returns to the manor house when she realizes who the killer is and confronts the entire group along with the police inspector.
This is a fun English manor mystery with a few Old Biddies and a mischievous cat thrown in for extra entertainment.
A huge snow storm (by English standards, no doubt) isolates Gemma and the Old Biddies at the manor house for the night. The prodigal son, who has just returned from 25 years in America and was thought dead, is murdered, and it seems that the murderer could be just about anyone in the house. Even Gemma threatened to kill the conceited jerk when he couldn't keep his hands off her. Sir Hugh, the patriarch, changed his will once he knew his beloved son was alive, and it is possible that his daughter Annibel's husband killed Ned because he had been promised that he would become the new CEO of his father's company once he died. Julian, the cousin, would have inherited the estate and the title. Poor Annibel, who tried so hard to win her father's affection, would only get a small allowance, because after all, she was just a woman and had a husband to look after her. Then there is the old man's young fiance, who slept with anyone she fancied- and she fancied a lot.
Once the storm ends, Gemma and the Biddies leave the manor house and Gemma goes to spend Christmas with her family. The honorary uncle is a lush, and her cousin is a 40 year old with a mohawk hair cut, band t-shirt, and a pet lizard. He and Gemma's cat do not get along. When everyone is distracted by family an accident in the kitchen when Gemma's dad drops the trifle bowl on the floor, they return to the dining room to find the lizard with his head inside the open end of the turkey, happily munching on the sage dressing.
Gemma returns to the manor house when she realizes who the killer is and confronts the entire group along with the police inspector.
This is a fun English manor mystery with a few Old Biddies and a mischievous cat thrown in for extra entertainment.
December 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, it is a real Christmas cracker. I like the laughs and the situations that Gemma finds herself in and the mystery is good to. Despite them being snowed in there was plenty of suspects to keep you guessing and lots of motives. The characters are fun and the old Biddies managed to get snowed too, and Muesli (the cat). All are full of the Christmas spirit as they help Gemma accuse everyone of being the murder before finally figuring out all the clues to catch a killer.
With her boyfriend away visiting his mother for Christmas, Gemma decides to help cater an event for children at a country estate. Apon arriving she wonders if she has stumbled in to an old Agthra Christie novel with everything going on from family bickering, to stiff upper lips, the old buddies singing carol's, chauffeur driven rides and even the prodigal son returning. But it is when she come across the body in the library that she really starts to ask what she has got herself involved in now. The police have no way of getting to them because of the snow storm and rather than let his sons killer get away the head of the manor asks Gemma to question everyone and get there alibi's before they forget. Reluctantly Gemma has no choice but to get involved, with the Old Biddies help, even if it means she might have to accuse her friend of killing her own brother. Can Gemma workout who the killer is and get back home in time for her Mother's family Christmas dinner and even there things don't quite go to plan.
This book is just right for helping you get in the Christmas spirit with many English traditions mentioned and even contains a few recipes at the back for if you feel like baking. So sit back with a mince pie and enjoy.
With her boyfriend away visiting his mother for Christmas, Gemma decides to help cater an event for children at a country estate. Apon arriving she wonders if she has stumbled in to an old Agthra Christie novel with everything going on from family bickering, to stiff upper lips, the old buddies singing carol's, chauffeur driven rides and even the prodigal son returning. But it is when she come across the body in the library that she really starts to ask what she has got herself involved in now. The police have no way of getting to them because of the snow storm and rather than let his sons killer get away the head of the manor asks Gemma to question everyone and get there alibi's before they forget. Reluctantly Gemma has no choice but to get involved, with the Old Biddies help, even if it means she might have to accuse her friend of killing her own brother. Can Gemma workout who the killer is and get back home in time for her Mother's family Christmas dinner and even there things don't quite go to plan.
This book is just right for helping you get in the Christmas spirit with many English traditions mentioned and even contains a few recipes at the back for if you feel like baking. So sit back with a mince pie and enjoy.
December 10, 2019
The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year by H. Y. Hanna is the tenth installment in Oxford Tearoom Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.
Gemma is eagerly awaiting Christmas, tearoom is doing well and she couldn't be happier. The only thing that is ruining her perfect holiday is the fact that Devlin is spending time with his mother.
Gemma gets pulled into helping one of her mother's friend cater for the children's party. Storm sets in before she can leave and together with Old Biddies she is forced to spend the night in the country manor.
Even though the setting is picture perfect, murder of the long lost prodigal son shatters the serenity of the scene. As they are snowed in and even the police can't get to them, lord of the manor insist that Gemma starts investigating and collecting information for when the police come.
Perfect blend of holiday cheer and mystery. It has a classic mystery feel to it.
Beautiful setting along with the gruesome murder and well timed humor is the winning combination.
After this many stories in the series the main protagonists have become friends and it is lovely to have the chance to spend Christmas time with them.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Gemma is eagerly awaiting Christmas, tearoom is doing well and she couldn't be happier. The only thing that is ruining her perfect holiday is the fact that Devlin is spending time with his mother.
Gemma gets pulled into helping one of her mother's friend cater for the children's party. Storm sets in before she can leave and together with Old Biddies she is forced to spend the night in the country manor.
Even though the setting is picture perfect, murder of the long lost prodigal son shatters the serenity of the scene. As they are snowed in and even the police can't get to them, lord of the manor insist that Gemma starts investigating and collecting information for when the police come.
Perfect blend of holiday cheer and mystery. It has a classic mystery feel to it.
Beautiful setting along with the gruesome murder and well timed humor is the winning combination.
After this many stories in the series the main protagonists have become friends and it is lovely to have the chance to spend Christmas time with them.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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