Madame Pompette Sets Up Shop

Madame Pompette's Tea Shop #1

by Libby Castle

Life in a small town isn’t always tea and scones… sometimes, it’s murder.

When former circus fortune teller Charlotte Pompette hangs up her crystal ball to open a quaint tea shop in the picturesque English village of Saint-Luke’s-Upon-the-Water, she hopes for nothing more than peace, quiet, and a dash of Earl Grey.

With her spirited pink-haired assistant Rosie, a cast of quirky neighbours, and her enigmatic black cat Tarot by her side, Charlie is ready to embrace a simpler life. The stars, she predicts, are aligned for success.

Until a customer drops dead on opening day, that is.

Now framed for murder, Charlie must turn her skills of observation and cold reading to the ultimate test—tracking down a killer before she becomes the next victim. But as secrets unravel and bodies begin to pile up, even her sharp instincts falter. And why is Tarot behaving so strangely?

Brimming with charm, witty banter, and eccentric characters, Madame Pompette’s Tea Shop is a delightful new cozy mystery series perfect for fans of Agatha Raisin and The Thursday Murder Club .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2025

Reviews

[Leyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfectly cosy, witty and engaging with some wonderful writing and top notch characters. A great book to curl up with on the weekend with a lovely cup of (you guessed it) tea!

I really enjoyed this, the setting was lovely and the characters were interesting and fun with some good banter and chemistry between them. The internal and external dialogue is quippy and fun to read and the writing creates this lovely atmosphere that really adds to the story. There’s some queer representation (the small town sapphic love story side plot was very much appreciated!) and of course we love some strong female characters!

I just know madam Pompette has plenty more adventures up her sleeve and I look forward to reading about them!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this author and my interest was piqued. I like cozies not set in the US (as I am not American) so this was a nice change.

We meet Charlie, Rosie and crew in a tea shop after Charlie arrives having left the circus (I'm curious to hear more about that!!) Of course, Charlie and Rosie end up witnessing a murder shortly after arriving and sleuthing occurs.

I enjoyed this book and found it easy to get into the characters as well as the backstories. I am looking forward to the next books in this series and to find out what is in store for Charlie, Rosie and her pregnant kitty, Tarot.

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line is not bad, though the construction uses every cliche available in a cozy. The immediate best friend/compatriot, the good-looking detective, the clue-giving pet, and the infuriating but good-looking man all conspire to cliche. Given that, it's a not-bad way to curl up in front of a fire, but it's not great.

There are too many chapter endings with the "little did I know that ....". The next few pages will reveal whatever; no need to up the word count in this manner. There are grammatical errors that, for me, automatically drop a star rating.

So it's far from a "don't bother" but it's certainly not the best of the genre.

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

a nope from me

It’s a no from me even though the blurb didn’t sounds all that appealing, I thought I’d give it a go and was surprised that I found it entertaining and interesting and thought, yes, this will be a good read.
That was until the profanity started. Then I stopped reading.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

fortune teller to tea shop owner

I enjoyed this cosy mystery. Charlie Pompette is a former circus fortune teller, who put her skills as a cold reader to work solving murders in her new town. This is book one in a series that has a lot of potential, interesting characters and a sweet town setting.

[Celest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby Castle Writes a Great Mystery

This is a very intriguing mystery with a lot of fun characters. Charlie and Rosie make a great team solving the issues and staying alive. Uncovering all of the clues and finding the guilty person was not easily accomplished. I loved this book and can't wait to get the next book in the series.

[Kathie Frobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madame Pompette

What a charming cosy mystery this is. Madame is a very intriguing lady; witty, snarky, intelligent, determined, and a former circus fortune teller.
Her new friend and employee Rosie is her Dr. Watson and guide to living in a small English village.
When a murder occurs in Madame's tea shop the game is afoot.

[Jenn Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely cosy murder mystery. I read this in one sitting. This was perfectly paced and the characters were developed well - I especially loved the black cat called Tarot! I will look forward to reading more in the series.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

An English village, a sassy cat, a smart but fun assistant, and a tea shop setting; what more could an intrepid hero ask for? How about years of skills built as a circus side show fortune teller!
I was definitely in the mood for a new series and I'm so glad to have found one with so many delightful elements, a fun cast of characters, and a lot of heart.
The book is queer friendly, age friendly, and I hope to read more soon!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.