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The Cozy Tea Shoppe Mysteries #1
Murder for Tea
Murder is While Beatrice Knight Timmons is part witch, the only thing she’s interested in nowadays is tea, and copious amounts of it. But that isn’t the only thing boiling in her life. No sooner does she open her very own tea shop in the small town of Nairobi, someone with a vendetta against young brides murders one and leaves the body in The Cozy Tea Shoppe. With her best friend’s wedding only weeks away, can Miss Knight stop the murderer while babysitting a monkey and serving difficult customers?
This is the first case in the “Cozy Tea Shoppe Mystery” series, where Jane Austen meets Lara Croft in colonial Africa. Tea isn’t the only thing that’s brewing in the delicious sequel to the “Society for Paranormals” series. Join supernatural detective Miss Knight as she attempts to keep the kettle hot and her customers satisfied (or at least alive) while dodging murder, mayhem and other inconveniences. Serving tea has never been more dangerous.
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This is the first case in the “Cozy Tea Shoppe Mystery” series, where Jane Austen meets Lara Croft in colonial Africa. Tea isn’t the only thing that’s brewing in the delicious sequel to the “Society for Paranormals” series. Join supernatural detective Miss Knight as she attempts to keep the kettle hot and her customers satisfied (or at least alive) while dodging murder, mayhem and other inconveniences. Serving tea has never been more dangerous.
Scroll up and Add to Cart!
222 pages, ebook
Published July 18, 2017
39 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Vered Ehsani
97 books313 followersI've been a writer since I could hold pen to paper, which is a lot longer than I care to admit. I live in Kenya with my family and other animals. When I'm not writing, I pretend to work as an environmental consultant.
Visit my world at http://veredehsani.co.za/free-books/ & pick up 3 FREE books about paranormal mysteries set in colonial Africa.
Visit my world at http://veredehsani.co.za/free-books/ & pick up 3 FREE books about paranormal mysteries set in colonial Africa.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 23, 2017
A mystery of dry and wry wit, July 22, 2017
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Murder for Tea (Cozy Tea Shoppe Mysteries Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
How can one hate a book with a beginning such as this: "A DEAD BODY doesn’t necessarily scare away customers,' I reassured myself the day we found the first victim amongst the teapots. Of all the lessons I learned from owning a tea shop, this was possibly the most crucial.". Vered Ehsani continues her stories of colonial East Africa, Narobi and the paranormal with her usual wry wit and dry observations. For those who don't know, Ms Ehsani lives in Narobi and writes of an Africa which she obviously loves.
To me the mystery in this novel is secondary to the oddball characters which include a flying horse, a baby monkey, a ghost, vampires, werewolves and Koki, an African "demon" who shape shifts into a giant mantis. She is married to a giant spider. Even the non paranormal characters are unusual people. But who, other than unusual people, would settle in the enlarged railway construction camp of Narobi in 1900?
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Murder for Tea (Cozy Tea Shoppe Mysteries Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
How can one hate a book with a beginning such as this: "A DEAD BODY doesn’t necessarily scare away customers,' I reassured myself the day we found the first victim amongst the teapots. Of all the lessons I learned from owning a tea shop, this was possibly the most crucial.". Vered Ehsani continues her stories of colonial East Africa, Narobi and the paranormal with her usual wry wit and dry observations. For those who don't know, Ms Ehsani lives in Narobi and writes of an Africa which she obviously loves.
To me the mystery in this novel is secondary to the oddball characters which include a flying horse, a baby monkey, a ghost, vampires, werewolves and Koki, an African "demon" who shape shifts into a giant mantis. She is married to a giant spider. Even the non paranormal characters are unusual people. But who, other than unusual people, would settle in the enlarged railway construction camp of Narobi in 1900?
December 23, 2017
If you're a fan of Vered Ehsani, then you probably have kept up with all of Mrs. Beatrice Knight Timmons' past quirky adventures. Well, Bea's newest plunge into paranormal trouble, Murder for Tea, takes her into a new arena and the results do not disappoint.
Beatrice is preparing to open her new tea shoppe in Nairobi. Considering Bea's propensity for odd mysteries and her obsession with England's national brew, what better way to christen her grand opening than with a dead body in her shoppe. Unflappable and pragmatic as always, Beatrice sets about solving this inconvenient occurrence, with her usual vigor, but also with a little more emotion peeking through her clipped attitude. I personally like this more mellow Beatrice. I also like that her wit and courage are a testament to what women from all eras are capable of when push comes to shove. I am glad that many of my favorite characters (including Koki) from past books are on hand for her latest entertaining, but slightly twisted, romp around Victorian Nairobi.
Murder for Tea is a stand alone book that, like the others in the series, is clean and suitable for any reader. It is well written and edited, and it's free of sex, vulgar language and really gross extreme violence. After the end of this book, don't miss the Facts and Fiction section. It's both entertaining and informative.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author and I decided to voluntarily leave an honest review.
Beatrice is preparing to open her new tea shoppe in Nairobi. Considering Bea's propensity for odd mysteries and her obsession with England's national brew, what better way to christen her grand opening than with a dead body in her shoppe. Unflappable and pragmatic as always, Beatrice sets about solving this inconvenient occurrence, with her usual vigor, but also with a little more emotion peeking through her clipped attitude. I personally like this more mellow Beatrice. I also like that her wit and courage are a testament to what women from all eras are capable of when push comes to shove. I am glad that many of my favorite characters (including Koki) from past books are on hand for her latest entertaining, but slightly twisted, romp around Victorian Nairobi.
Murder for Tea is a stand alone book that, like the others in the series, is clean and suitable for any reader. It is well written and edited, and it's free of sex, vulgar language and really gross extreme violence. After the end of this book, don't miss the Facts and Fiction section. It's both entertaining and informative.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author and I decided to voluntarily leave an honest review.
July 20, 2017
What fun! Yes, it is a murder mystery, but it is so much more! You don't need to have read any other books by this author to thoroughly enjoy this one, but I'll bet that you will want to. I don't want to revisit the publisher's blurb nor do the spoiler thing, but I think anybody will enjoy all of the interesting characters and the uncommon setting of the rural town of Nairobi at the turn of the last century. The dialog had me snurfling my caffeine! There is a bit of sadness here and there, but it is still one of the best escape reads available.
Alison Larkin gives a marvelous performance as audio interpreter leaving no doubt as to which character is speaking.
Alison Larkin gives a marvelous performance as audio interpreter leaving no doubt as to which character is speaking.
March 28, 2018
I am a big fan of Vered Ehsani, the author, since discovering the beginning of the series, Society for Paranormals. I think she is a talented writer and really have enjoyed this series. This new chapter in her characters' lives is just as interesting as the previous one and as well written. Beatrice is up to her old tricks of getting into mischief. I do miss the more adventurous nature of the previous books with her investigating and chasing after paranormal creatures, but it was a good transition into a different chapter for the characters. It is funny and really well written and the characters are larger than life.
October 15, 2019
I love me some world-building, but man, I found it so heavy-handed in fitting all these cryptids and paranormal beings in.
I began to suspect that I may have dropped into an existing world, undoubtedly with multiple books, and a quick check told me I have. Which absolutely explained the "came to the conversation late" feeling. I have a lot to catch up on!
Back to the book, the out-of-the-loop feeling persisted throughout the book unfortunately - I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't, but I quite enjoyed the storyline.
Beatrice was fun to read and I'm sure I'll quite enjoy reading how her and her husband gets together.
I began to suspect that I may have dropped into an existing world, undoubtedly with multiple books, and a quick check told me I have. Which absolutely explained the "came to the conversation late" feeling. I have a lot to catch up on!
Back to the book, the out-of-the-loop feeling persisted throughout the book unfortunately - I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't, but I quite enjoyed the storyline.
Beatrice was fun to read and I'm sure I'll quite enjoy reading how her and her husband gets together.
December 7, 2020
There are not very many series that can really hold up well for more than 4 or 5 books. There are even fewer that can hold you attention to complete the entire series from book 1 to book 10 with that desperate need to know how it all ends. Miss Knight is like Parasol Protectorate meets Amelia Peabody. Victorian ladies all with little regard for the societal strictures of their day. Then there is Yao (a personal favorite of the many characters in this series). If this was a sitcom, he would be the one-off character who garnered so many fans that he had to be written in as a regular. Highly recommend.
July 18, 2018
Murder and mayhem in 1900(ish) Nairobi. While I'm not the target audience for this stuff the unusual setting and subject matter (the paranormal aspects - and a different mythology) provide a lot of the enjoyment. Beatrice has opened a tea 'shoppe' but someone has staged a tableau with a corpse just before the opening. There may be links to the 'Wedding Killer' a serial murderer who may or may not have been apprehended in England...
July 26, 2018
The adventures continues!
Again the life of Mrs Timmons continues to be complicated by murder, Mr Timmons absence and the new tea shop. The characters are just as active in her life. She is getting familiar to being an aunt to Grace. A new character is introduced in the police force and her health seems to be changing. The book continues to grab & hold my interest from page one to the very end! I highly recommend this book!
Again the life of Mrs Timmons continues to be complicated by murder, Mr Timmons absence and the new tea shop. The characters are just as active in her life. She is getting familiar to being an aunt to Grace. A new character is introduced in the police force and her health seems to be changing. The book continues to grab & hold my interest from page one to the very end! I highly recommend this book!
August 9, 2017
Another fine book by Vered Eshani. I really enjoy her writing style and humour.
This book picks up where Stones of Nairobi ends with Beatrice opening a tea shop...finding one morning a dead bride in her shop. Well, who else would have one? Trouble follows this lady around as we all know. Won't give away any spoilers though. It's a light and fun read. Looking forward to the next one.
This book picks up where Stones of Nairobi ends with Beatrice opening a tea shop...finding one morning a dead bride in her shop. Well, who else would have one? Trouble follows this lady around as we all know. Won't give away any spoilers though. It's a light and fun read. Looking forward to the next one.
August 23, 2017
Murder for Tea, Vered Ehsani
If you have not read one of Vered Ehsani’s e-books, you are depriving yourself of an extraordinary treat.
In MURDER FOR TEA, Ehsani once again shines with her entertaining wit and engaging use of the English language which I find amusing and entertaining. She has a way of pulling thoughts out of her head and weaving a story to captivate and engage you. Very few authors can use words with such spin as Ehasani does.
If you have not read one of Vered Ehsani’s e-books, you are depriving yourself of an extraordinary treat.
In MURDER FOR TEA, Ehsani once again shines with her entertaining wit and engaging use of the English language which I find amusing and entertaining. She has a way of pulling thoughts out of her head and weaving a story to captivate and engage you. Very few authors can use words with such spin as Ehasani does.
December 19, 2017
Such cute silliness
I have enjoyed several of Ms. Ehsani’s meditations on life, death and the African colonies of 1900. She is imaginative, fun to read, and the stories are wildly creative. No, I don’t feel thrills of dread down the back of my neck, but I sure have a good time reading.
I have enjoyed several of Ms. Ehsani’s meditations on life, death and the African colonies of 1900. She is imaginative, fun to read, and the stories are wildly creative. No, I don’t feel thrills of dread down the back of my neck, but I sure have a good time reading.
July 26, 2017
A very enjoyable fun read. It flows very nicely with the characters from the Society for Paranormals, but would be very much enjoyed as a first read as well.
Definitely well worth the purchase, the only down side is I enjoyed it so much, I read it to fast and now need to wait for book 2 !!
Definitely well worth the purchase, the only down side is I enjoyed it so much, I read it to fast and now need to wait for book 2 !!
July 31, 2017
So Happy for this Spin Off Series
I love Miss Knight. She has Victorian manners but with some snark and sass. She is powerful and has powerful friends to back her up. Mystery with strong paranormal aspects. Great book.
I love Miss Knight. She has Victorian manners but with some snark and sass. She is powerful and has powerful friends to back her up. Mystery with strong paranormal aspects. Great book.
August 11, 2017
Fun series
Love this series and can't wait for the next book. I enjoy a light cozy read once in a while and this fits the bill perfectly.
Love this series and can't wait for the next book. I enjoy a light cozy read once in a while and this fits the bill perfectly.
October 9, 2017
Mr.Bees review.
A very entertaining read, with its unique blend of normal and paranormal people. I look forward to the next book.
A very entertaining read, with its unique blend of normal and paranormal people. I look forward to the next book.
January 11, 2018
This is such a wonderful series! I love the characters - and the fact and fiction section at the end of each book!
May 14, 2018
This was the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed it very much. There were a lot of different types of characters in this book. There was a witch, a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf (just in one family). I also received two other books from the author (Thank you very much!). I just finished the first one (review to follow).
September 27, 2020
This was light and entertaining as always. I think she's scrapped this series and integrated it into the original making book 8 in the paranormal books. 4 stars.
November 8, 2019
5 STARS ALL THE WAY !!!!! The first reading had me enthralled with this author’s talent, skill and dry humour! I then purchased as many stories written by Vered as I could possible find. Which are many ! All entertaining, all filled with her style of wit and humour, and all so magically spellbinding. It wasn’t long (book 2 ) that Vered became my absolute #1 FAVOURITE AUTHOR. Each book thereafter confirmed my choice in making Vered my #1.
5 STARS ALL THE WAY !!!!!
5 STARS ALL THE WAY !!!!!
July 19, 2017
Any fan of Vered Ehsani's Society for Paranormals series of books (ME!) will be thrilled that our dear friends from those stories are back. This is what Murder She Wrote/Cabot Cove/Jessica Fletcher would be like if the writing on that TV series was edgier, the settings more treacherous, and the characters were quirkier and more FUN. The humor is dry, the "paranormals" are fantastical, and the murder mystery is Case One for this new Cozy Tea Shoppe Mystery series. The very first sentence, "A dead body doesn't necessarily scare away customers," tells you everything you need to know about what lies ahead - and had me LOL. Our heroine, Bee, is as clever and awkward and endearing as ever in her new endeavors. These include opening a tea shoppe in Nairobi in the year 1900, worrying over her beloved husband's in-house incarceration and subsequent trial, dealing with her relatives' idiosyncrasies and issues (including the ghost of her meddlesome dead first husband), solving the mystery before someone very dear to her is the next victim, and most troubling - trying to be a good aunt to her baby niece and a good surrogate mother to a baby monkey when she barely has any maternal instinct at all. I highly recommend this book, and hope you will fall in love with this new series as much as I did. I can't wait for Case Two...
I was given an advance copy of this book, and have given it my honest review - honestly!
I was given an advance copy of this book, and have given it my honest review - honestly!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews