Tea is for Traitor

Haunted Tearoom #5

by Karen Sue Walker

April May needs a new hobby—something other than finding dead bodies!

There’s more to life than running a tearoom and baking tasty treats. As the weather cools and fewer tourists visit, April decides to explore a new hobby. At a painting class, she’s befriended by a group of women, and she’s enjoying having a social life.

When she sees what looks like a body fall from a plane into the ocean, no one believes her until a body washes up on shore. Turns out, he happens to be the husband of one of her new friends.

April will need to cook up some new theories before the killer strikes again.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fantasy, Audiobook, Paranormal, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 12, 2022

About the author

Karen Sue Walker is a lover of cozy mysteries, from Agatha Christie to Joanne Fluke. When not working or writing, she spends time with her very talented daughter and ever so fun granddaughter.

Reviews

[Sassy Mystic Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable fun read

[Short, Sweet and Cozy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tea Shop, Friends & A Cozy Mystery

I love the Haunted Tearoom Cozy Mysteries. The friendships are what makes this series so enjoyable! April May owns a tearoom. During the fall and Winter the tearoom is only open 4 days a week so April wants a hobby. She signs up for an art class. She meets Cheryl, Debbie, Bree, and Sandra. Jennifer, Irma and Freddie are still April's best friends. Chef Emile is still haunting the kitchen but isn't around all that much. There is a hint about a new Asst Sheriff but April doesn't meet him. Mark is totally out of the picture. April sees what looks like a body drop from a plane and then a body washes up on shore near April's home. A coincidence? A new character, Parker helps April with the investigation. There weren't many suspects and there were some helpful hints to guess the culprit but it kept me guessing. #TeaIsForTraitor. #AHauntedTearoomCozyMystery.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

April May runs a tea room in Serenity Cove, and during winter, she only opens a few days a week, leaving her with time on her hands. She needs a hobby and finds a painting class at the nearby college.

Whilst at the class, she is invited to join a group of ladies, but she feel the is an ulterior motive in their friendship when the body of the husband of one of them is found.

April is convinced she saw a body fall from a plane. Could this be the same person?

April's estranged brother arrives in town with his wife! Of course, he wants something, and April soon finds out what. However, she likes his new wife, which her brother hadn't bargained for.

I really enjoy this series of cosy mystery, each book a separate story. However, the books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and wider storyline.

If you like easy to read cosy mystery, with some romance, humour, friendship, and a ghost, then this is the series for you.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Another great installment in the Haunted Tearoom series. The story engaged me from the get go even though the mystery really didn’t begin until a third of the way in. But when the mystery did start, I thought it was an interesting one with April being a witness to it by a body being thrown out of a plane. The story took off after that, and I was very invested as April investigated more and more. There was a twist with the new sheriff, that I thought was very interesting, and added another dynamic to the story. It was just a fast pace, quick and easy read that I was looking for. I have been just really enjoying this story.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took forever to read :(, but it was still fun. Unfortunately, the author uses logic with holes big enough that a truck could roll through it, and the ghost didn't play very much of a role, but I still liked it. There are three more books in this series, and I'm hoping that Amazon will include them as a set as it in the Two sets of the previous 6 books (two sets of three) I don't know if I can justify buying the last three individually, particularly when I own a couple of thousand audio books to which I have not yet listened ... At least my addictions and neither terribly expensive nor physically dangerous and harmful...

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Sue Walker just continues to delight with her well-plotted stories and hard-to-predict endings. I was pretty sure I'd figured out who the traitor was... but the reveal was better than anticipated. Walker's books have continued to improve with each new entry into the series. Can't wait for the next one! There were some 'unresolved issues' in this one that I hope she'll come back to in the next book, but even if she doesn't, it's still a great story and the 'issue' wasn't that critical to the overall plot. Just a great addition to it!

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual Culprit
When she sees what looks like a body fall from a plane into the ocean, no one believes her until a body washes up on shore. Turns out, he happens to be the husband of one of her new friends. April will need to cook up some new theories before the killer strikes again
This culprit wasn't the usual. She was pretending to be someone else. I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

[Jeannie E. Hennig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best set of cozy mystery books I've ever read

I usually don't read cozy books because I find them too short and boring. These books even though they are less than 200 pages, I have found delightful. I highly recommend them. The recipes at the end are an added bonus. I love tea but I have just drank breakfast black tea, chai tea and earl grey. Because of these books, I'm going to try the Rose Petal Black tea. I have already ordered some.

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Sue Walker’s new entry into her cozy mystery series of April May and her tea room is well written with quirky characters and an enjoyable plot. A hobby, and socializing with new friends keeps April May busy. But not too busy, as once again she has a murder on her hands. I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this fun book. The review is my honest opinion.

[Sarah Baines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Series!

Tea is for Traitor is another fantastic book in the Haunted Tearoom series. As usual the characters were amazing and the story was superb. I love this series so much that although I've read it on KU, I'm going to have to buy it!! My only complaint? I NEED to know Chef Emile's full backstory!!!!

[Lavender Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review.

I loved this book, it is full of charm and subtle humour. April May and her friends are fantastic, the story flows easily, and there is plenty of suspense. Mary Castillo’s narration Is perfect for this story.

A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series but I did not feel that this was one of the better books in the series. I really can't say why but it was just not as good for me. Maybe because while the regular characters in the series were in the book they just not feature as much in the central plot as they did before. I will keep reading the series. I do want to find out what the French chef's secret is.

[Vicki Chicago-Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It was a change from the sort of books I typically read, but I still found it heartwarming & I loved the recipes at the end of it. I especially liked the cat Whisk & his mischievous antics & the handsome dead French chef that no one else can see that gives the heroine cooking lessons. I read this book on Kindle.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

April May just can't help being suspicious of coincidences. Another wonderful mystery with April and her gang with excellent recipes and lots of fun. I love this series and am looking forward to the next book.

[Sherry D'ambrosio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tea, Family and Mystery

Tearoom Cozy Mysteries is a fun series. There is an Interesting group of female characters, a tea room you'd love to visit, and a surprising number of mysterious deaths in a small community. This time there is also believable family discord.

[Rita Pierrottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

This is an engaging unique mystery set in a delightful seaside community with loving cherry characters. After happening upon book #1 in the series I couldn't stop reading. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhat different

I have been reading all of the wonderful stories about the haunted tea room. This story is shorter and not filled with too much suspense. I FELT THE STORY WSS STILL GREAT.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME

I am just so happy when I read these books. This is number 5. I still have three (3) more. YAY. I love April, Whisk the cat, Emile the Chef GHOST, Irma, Freddie, and Jennifer. They are such great characters!!!! Love the murder solving!!!

[Kelsey Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one really got me. I absolutely love the friendships and we all need people there to always have our backs and support.
Stories like these just reiterate those thoughts and I absolutely love this series. I’m onto book 6 and I just find such comfort with these books :)

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who killed Eric Vitrllo and why??? April May certainly has her hands full this time, doesn’t she??? I enjoyed this story and recommend the book.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant standalone story in an excellent series from master storyteller Karen Sue Walker❣️

Next please 🐈

[Vicki Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and absolutely loved it! This series has only gotten better. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend it.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this Series

Only April May can be looking for dolphins and see 👀 a body shaped bundle being dropped out of a plane. Once again she finds herself with a mystery to solve.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read.

Another great read. I have enjoyed all the books so far. Now I am going to read number 6 and number 7.

[Sanderella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good series. 😊

[Sandra Bensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family can be difficult at times, whether NY blood or by choice,nut you love and need them in hour life. April finds this in more than one way. She also finds another mystery to solve.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun cozy

Tea is for Traitor offers it's reader a good plot line, and April May and her friends continue to keep you entertained.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast enjoyable read

Who knew that looking for a new hobby could almost cost you your life. April finds herself in the middle of another murder case.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was a good cozy mystery. But it was not as good as the earlier novels in this series. Hope the next novel is better.

[Barbara A Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all of this series I wish it would keep going on. I have read the whole series.