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The Tea Ladies
They keep everyone's secrets, until there's a murder...
Sydney, 1965: After a chance encounter with a stranger, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene become accidental sleuths, stumbling into a world of ruthless crooks and racketeers in search of a young woman believed to be in danger.
In the meantime, Hazel’s job at Empire Fashionwear is in jeopardy. The firm has turned out the same frocks and blouses for the past twenty years and when the mini-skirt bursts onto the scene, it rocks the rag trade to its foundations. War breaks out between departments and it falls to Hazel, the quiet diplomat, to broker peace and save the firm.
When there is a murder in the building, the tea ladies draw on their wider network and put themselves in danger as they piece together clues that connect the murder to a nearby arson and a kidnapping. But if there’s one thing tea ladies can handle, it’s hot water.
' The Tea Ladies is a total joy! With her ear for dialogue and eye for authentic detail, Amanda Hampson has created a refreshing take on a murder mystery that is both wickedly funny and highly entertaining. Hazel, Betty, Irene and Merl leapt straight off the page and into my heart. I can still hear them laughing, gossiping and plotting, long after I finished this delightful book.' Joanna Nell
Sydney, 1965: After a chance encounter with a stranger, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene become accidental sleuths, stumbling into a world of ruthless crooks and racketeers in search of a young woman believed to be in danger.
In the meantime, Hazel’s job at Empire Fashionwear is in jeopardy. The firm has turned out the same frocks and blouses for the past twenty years and when the mini-skirt bursts onto the scene, it rocks the rag trade to its foundations. War breaks out between departments and it falls to Hazel, the quiet diplomat, to broker peace and save the firm.
When there is a murder in the building, the tea ladies draw on their wider network and put themselves in danger as they piece together clues that connect the murder to a nearby arson and a kidnapping. But if there’s one thing tea ladies can handle, it’s hot water.
' The Tea Ladies is a total joy! With her ear for dialogue and eye for authentic detail, Amanda Hampson has created a refreshing take on a murder mystery that is both wickedly funny and highly entertaining. Hazel, Betty, Irene and Merl leapt straight off the page and into my heart. I can still hear them laughing, gossiping and plotting, long after I finished this delightful book.' Joanna Nell
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2023
181 people are currently reading
3075 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Hampson
12 books213 followersMelbourne-based author, Amanda Hampson has been writing professionally for more than 30 years and is the award-winning author of nine novels: The Olive Sisters, Two for the Road, The French Perfumer, The Yellow Villa, Sixty Summers, Lovebirds, The Tea Ladies, The Cryptic Clue and The Deadly Dispute.
A runaway bestseller, The Tea Ladies won the 2024 Danger Awards for Best Crime Fiction and was Shortlisted for 2024 Davitt Awards Best Adult Crime & 2024 Ned Kelly Awards Best Fiction.
A runaway bestseller, The Tea Ladies won the 2024 Danger Awards for Best Crime Fiction and was Shortlisted for 2024 Davitt Awards Best Adult Crime & 2024 Ned Kelly Awards Best Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 546 reviews
May 12, 2023
This is a fun and fabulous cosy mystery, set in 1965 in Surrey Hills, Sydney and we meet the tea ladies who all work in one of the many fashion houses on Zig Zag lane ensuring the staff get their cuppas and their bickies for morning tea and afternoon tea, and cake on special days, never did they ever think that they would become sleuths, investigating kidnapping, arson and murder in the criminal world.
Hazel works at Empire Fashionwear and times are changing, the mini-skirt has just landed in Australia and Empire are not ready for the change and Hazel wonderful tea lady she is steps in and helps to sooth and settle the troubles, but she also has a few things to get to the bottom of as well like the woman she saw locked up in the old bond store, she calls on Betty and Irene to help and when the bond store burns to the ground and the bookkeeper at Empire is found dead the same night the tea ladies are on the case. There is also a personal investigation going on at the time which adds to the story, a story not to be missed.
Getting to know Hazel, Betty and Irene was a joy they all have such different personalities but work well together Hazel always the understanding one who knows how to calm everyone, Betty the worrier and so good at taking notes and Irene what can I say about Irene and her holy slippers and rough and ready ways, they make a team and will never give up till the crooks are caught and I was cheering them on.
I loved this book so much from start to finish, so many twists and so many laughs along the way, I do remember tea ladies and I always loved them and the setting was fabulous I remember that area a little after that time, this is one that I would highly recommend, don’t miss out on some laughs and seeing how these tea ladies get themselves out of hot water
Hazel works at Empire Fashionwear and times are changing, the mini-skirt has just landed in Australia and Empire are not ready for the change and Hazel wonderful tea lady she is steps in and helps to sooth and settle the troubles, but she also has a few things to get to the bottom of as well like the woman she saw locked up in the old bond store, she calls on Betty and Irene to help and when the bond store burns to the ground and the bookkeeper at Empire is found dead the same night the tea ladies are on the case. There is also a personal investigation going on at the time which adds to the story, a story not to be missed.
Getting to know Hazel, Betty and Irene was a joy they all have such different personalities but work well together Hazel always the understanding one who knows how to calm everyone, Betty the worrier and so good at taking notes and Irene what can I say about Irene and her holy slippers and rough and ready ways, they make a team and will never give up till the crooks are caught and I was cheering them on.
I loved this book so much from start to finish, so many twists and so many laughs along the way, I do remember tea ladies and I always loved them and the setting was fabulous I remember that area a little after that time, this is one that I would highly recommend, don’t miss out on some laughs and seeing how these tea ladies get themselves out of hot water
September 2, 2023
Surrey Hills 1965
Three tea ladies Hazel, Irene Betty serve tea ☕️ in Zig Zag lane to all the businesses until a murder pops up & they become sleuths to solve the crime.
Did I like it yes didn’t love it that’s not to say it didn’t get me in …. It did but maybe my expectations were too high.
It was well written, had some laugh out loud moments I loved each character they had their own unique personality & all worked with each other & banter between the three.3. 75 stars.
Three tea ladies Hazel, Irene Betty serve tea ☕️ in Zig Zag lane to all the businesses until a murder pops up & they become sleuths to solve the crime.
Did I like it yes didn’t love it that’s not to say it didn’t get me in …. It did but maybe my expectations were too high.
It was well written, had some laugh out loud moments I loved each character they had their own unique personality & all worked with each other & banter between the three.3. 75 stars.
September 19, 2023
The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson
Synopsis /
They keep everyone's secrets, until there's a murder...
Sydney, 1965: After a chance encounter with a stranger, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene become accidental sleuths, stumbling into a world of ruthless crooks and racketeers in search of a young woman believed to be in danger.
In the meantime, Hazel’s job at Empire Fashionwear is in jeopardy. The firm has turned out the same frocks and blouses for the past twenty years and when the mini-skirt bursts onto the scene, it rocks the rag trade to its foundations. War breaks out between departments, and it falls to Hazel, the quiet diplomat, to broker peace and save the firm.
When there is a murder in the building, the tea ladies draw on their wider network and put themselves in danger as they piece together clues that connect the murder to a nearby arson and a kidnapping. But if there’s one thing tea ladies can handle, it’s hot water.
My Thoughts /
When I first started my current job way back in September 1996, I remember, we had a tea lady. Norma was her name, and she was delightful. She would wheel her trolley around to all the Partners on each floor at morning tea, providing cups of hot tea or coffee and a selection of 'high end' bikkies - chocolate coated Tim Tams and assorted cream filled goodness. While in the 'common' tearoom, which was overcrowded if there was more than one person in there, it was stocked with the plain biscuits, like Arnott's Milk Arrowroot or Milk Coffee. Still, you were grateful for something to dunk in your tea, white, with one. She knew everyone's name and knew how each Partner took their morning beverage. Stay on her good side and you might get some leftover good bikkies! The firm kept her on until she decided to retire. Norma had one of the biggest send-offs the firm has ever done, and I remember her fondly.
The setting for Hampson's Tea Ladies is 1965 Surrey Hills, in Sydney, Australia.
There's Mrs B: From the moment she steps out into the laneway before her morning shift, Hazel Bates, tea lady at Empire Fashionwear, has the curious feeling of being watched.
Mrs T: Irene Turnbuckle, tea lady from Silhouette Knitwear. She considers it an honour to be a member of such a noble profession for there is no staff member more beloved than the tea lady. The tea lady enjoys diplomatic privilege and is welcome at all levels of the firm, from the top of the building to the ground-floor factory. The sound of Hazel’s trolley, with its rattling crockery, brings a smile to every face as she moves throughout the building. (Irene, of course, does things a little differently. By her own admission, she remains employed at Silhouette Knitwear because they’re afraid to sack her.)
Mrs D: Betty Dewsnap, tea lady at Farley Frocks, considers herself to be the second most sensible of the four (after Hazel, obviously) and always brings a cushion to sit on. She’s not only anxious about getting piles (on top of her many other afflictions) but has a slight flatulence problem, and so the cushion serves a practical purpose.
And last but by no means least, Mrs P: Merl Perlman is the tea lady at Klein’s Lingerie. She’s twice the size of Irene (big-boned, as they say) with her iron-grey hair set in a rigid perm. She wears cats-eye spectacles with little diamantés in the corners that catch the light and sparkle when she’s cross – and she gets cross quite a lot. While Irene, Hazel and Betty have been meeting here for years, Merl only joined them a year ago.
All four tea ladies work in different fashion houses situated on Zig Zag Lane. Hampson's writing is like drinking a truly refreshing cup of hot tea - it's simple enough of the face of it, but complex and nuanced - littered with texture and balanced with lightly bantered humour. I loved delving into the world of what goes on in a 1965 fashion house. From the ground floor of the factory - where there were machinists, pressers and pattern cutters, and the factory supervisor and warehouse manager - where the floor is cold and damp in winter and hot and stuffy in summer - to the roar of the machines all going at once. Up one floor might sit the girls in accounts who type up the invoices, process orders and wages, and update stock sheets. Further up you would find the managing directors and their secretaries, where there might also be a showroom to display their garments. Tucked away in some part of the floor is the sales department working the phones for sales.
When a series of mysteriously wicked events occur one after the other - a factory fire; a death; and an unexplained kidnapping - the Tea Ladies' sleuthing skills are put to the test. Little do they know that their meddling will uncover a complex kidnapping ring spanning multiple Continents.
This is a fun and heart-warming read. Underlying themes of friendship and support for one another prove that by working together you can accomplish the most difficult of tasks.
'Irene dear, we're tea ladies - everything is our business,' says Hazel with a smile.
I'd love for this to be turned into a series!
Synopsis /
They keep everyone's secrets, until there's a murder...
Sydney, 1965: After a chance encounter with a stranger, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene become accidental sleuths, stumbling into a world of ruthless crooks and racketeers in search of a young woman believed to be in danger.
In the meantime, Hazel’s job at Empire Fashionwear is in jeopardy. The firm has turned out the same frocks and blouses for the past twenty years and when the mini-skirt bursts onto the scene, it rocks the rag trade to its foundations. War breaks out between departments, and it falls to Hazel, the quiet diplomat, to broker peace and save the firm.
When there is a murder in the building, the tea ladies draw on their wider network and put themselves in danger as they piece together clues that connect the murder to a nearby arson and a kidnapping. But if there’s one thing tea ladies can handle, it’s hot water.
My Thoughts /
When I first started my current job way back in September 1996, I remember, we had a tea lady. Norma was her name, and she was delightful. She would wheel her trolley around to all the Partners on each floor at morning tea, providing cups of hot tea or coffee and a selection of 'high end' bikkies - chocolate coated Tim Tams and assorted cream filled goodness. While in the 'common' tearoom, which was overcrowded if there was more than one person in there, it was stocked with the plain biscuits, like Arnott's Milk Arrowroot or Milk Coffee. Still, you were grateful for something to dunk in your tea, white, with one. She knew everyone's name and knew how each Partner took their morning beverage. Stay on her good side and you might get some leftover good bikkies! The firm kept her on until she decided to retire. Norma had one of the biggest send-offs the firm has ever done, and I remember her fondly.
The setting for Hampson's Tea Ladies is 1965 Surrey Hills, in Sydney, Australia.
There's Mrs B: From the moment she steps out into the laneway before her morning shift, Hazel Bates, tea lady at Empire Fashionwear, has the curious feeling of being watched.
Mrs T: Irene Turnbuckle, tea lady from Silhouette Knitwear. She considers it an honour to be a member of such a noble profession for there is no staff member more beloved than the tea lady. The tea lady enjoys diplomatic privilege and is welcome at all levels of the firm, from the top of the building to the ground-floor factory. The sound of Hazel’s trolley, with its rattling crockery, brings a smile to every face as she moves throughout the building. (Irene, of course, does things a little differently. By her own admission, she remains employed at Silhouette Knitwear because they’re afraid to sack her.)
Mrs D: Betty Dewsnap, tea lady at Farley Frocks, considers herself to be the second most sensible of the four (after Hazel, obviously) and always brings a cushion to sit on. She’s not only anxious about getting piles (on top of her many other afflictions) but has a slight flatulence problem, and so the cushion serves a practical purpose.
And last but by no means least, Mrs P: Merl Perlman is the tea lady at Klein’s Lingerie. She’s twice the size of Irene (big-boned, as they say) with her iron-grey hair set in a rigid perm. She wears cats-eye spectacles with little diamantés in the corners that catch the light and sparkle when she’s cross – and she gets cross quite a lot. While Irene, Hazel and Betty have been meeting here for years, Merl only joined them a year ago.
All four tea ladies work in different fashion houses situated on Zig Zag Lane. Hampson's writing is like drinking a truly refreshing cup of hot tea - it's simple enough of the face of it, but complex and nuanced - littered with texture and balanced with lightly bantered humour. I loved delving into the world of what goes on in a 1965 fashion house. From the ground floor of the factory - where there were machinists, pressers and pattern cutters, and the factory supervisor and warehouse manager - where the floor is cold and damp in winter and hot and stuffy in summer - to the roar of the machines all going at once. Up one floor might sit the girls in accounts who type up the invoices, process orders and wages, and update stock sheets. Further up you would find the managing directors and their secretaries, where there might also be a showroom to display their garments. Tucked away in some part of the floor is the sales department working the phones for sales.
When a series of mysteriously wicked events occur one after the other - a factory fire; a death; and an unexplained kidnapping - the Tea Ladies' sleuthing skills are put to the test. Little do they know that their meddling will uncover a complex kidnapping ring spanning multiple Continents.
This is a fun and heart-warming read. Underlying themes of friendship and support for one another prove that by working together you can accomplish the most difficult of tasks.
'Irene dear, we're tea ladies - everything is our business,' says Hazel with a smile.
I'd love for this to be turned into a series!
November 24, 2025
Such a fun and witty crime novel, set in Sydney Australia in the swinging sixties.
Hazel and her network of tea ladies become accidental sleuths and piece together the clues to solve several crimes in this cosy mystery.
Amanda Hampson skillfully immerses the reader in the nostalgia of the sixties.
Hazel and her network of tea ladies become accidental sleuths and piece together the clues to solve several crimes in this cosy mystery.
Amanda Hampson skillfully immerses the reader in the nostalgia of the sixties.
October 3, 2023
4.5★
The Tea Ladies by Aussie author Amanda Hampson is set in 1965 in Surrey Hill Sydney. This was such an enjoyable read. Reading about the tea ladies brought back fond memories of my Auntie who I remember was a tea lady back in the day.
A cosy mystery with twists and turns and characters that will have you laughing out loud. Recommended.
The Tea Ladies by Aussie author Amanda Hampson is set in 1965 in Surrey Hill Sydney. This was such an enjoyable read. Reading about the tea ladies brought back fond memories of my Auntie who I remember was a tea lady back in the day.
A cosy mystery with twists and turns and characters that will have you laughing out loud. Recommended.
April 20, 2023
Thank you Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Tea ladies are now a thing of the past, they were salt of the earth type people who interacted daily with all staff within the hierarchy.
By default they tended to be in on any gossip and formed close relationships with staff and cohorts alike.
Hazel Bates knows her job well and can recite who has what in their tea and how many biscuits they have.
She starts her morning on the factory floor and works her way up to the management floor.
She has been widowed and remarried.
A creature of habit but quite content.
A series of events that include a fire, death and a kidnapping entangled the garment district of Sydney in the 1960’s.
The tea ladies from different factories team up and investigate the untoward happenings.
Ladies that were underestimated in many respects.
Hazel’s sleuthing skills are top notch and her investigative habits are not just confined to her work.
Things are amiss on the home front.
This was an absolute joy to read and the details around the fashion period of the era added to the atmosphere and authenticity.
I was successfully transplanted to the era and it made me reminisce how similar our culture and infrastructure was to England in the day.
I had images of TV show Coronation Street as the descriptions of life and habits came alive from the pages.
A highly recommended read.
Tea ladies are now a thing of the past, they were salt of the earth type people who interacted daily with all staff within the hierarchy.
By default they tended to be in on any gossip and formed close relationships with staff and cohorts alike.
Hazel Bates knows her job well and can recite who has what in their tea and how many biscuits they have.
She starts her morning on the factory floor and works her way up to the management floor.
She has been widowed and remarried.
A creature of habit but quite content.
A series of events that include a fire, death and a kidnapping entangled the garment district of Sydney in the 1960’s.
The tea ladies from different factories team up and investigate the untoward happenings.
Ladies that were underestimated in many respects.
Hazel’s sleuthing skills are top notch and her investigative habits are not just confined to her work.
Things are amiss on the home front.
This was an absolute joy to read and the details around the fashion period of the era added to the atmosphere and authenticity.
I was successfully transplanted to the era and it made me reminisce how similar our culture and infrastructure was to England in the day.
I had images of TV show Coronation Street as the descriptions of life and habits came alive from the pages.
A highly recommended read.
March 21, 2023
Many readers of this fabulous novel won’t remember tea ladies – the older women who, once upon a time, wheeled a tea trolley through every floor of a business, bringing tea, biscuits, a sympathetic ear (and occasionally gossip) to everyone from the mail room to the executive suites. But that doesn’t matter at all, because Amanda Hampson brings that history, and four very different tea ladies, to perfect life in The Tea Ladies.
It’s 1965 in Sydney’s rag trade district, and four tea ladies who work in the surrounding fashion manufacturers meet regularly on their own breaks. The gentle Hazel, bossy Merl, slightly ditzy Betty and rough-as-guts Irene (who herself has a colourful past).
The story kicks off when Hazel sees a woman seeming to ask for help from an upper window of the abandoned bond warehouse beside her workplace, Empire Fashionwear. The police aren’t particularly interested, even when the warehouse burns down a day later – and Hazel discovers the corpse of the new accountant inside the Empire building.
Hazel Bates is calm, sensible, kind and has a special skill for knowing when somebody is lying. Frustrated at the lack of interest from the police, she and her network of tea lady friends begin their own investigation. It’s always a treat to see older women as lead characters in a book, and these four very different women, with a common job but vastly different lives, create a terrific set of storytelling dynamics.
But Hazel isn’t just a Miss Marple type – she has her own approaches, and her own troubles, too, with her discovery of her husband’s secrets (and keeping one of her own). These elements weave around and through each other as the tea ladies court get deeper into dangerous territory and begin to wonder who they can trust.
At the same time, Jean Shrimpton has sent shockwaves through Australia’s fashion industry by appearing at Derby Day in Melbourne in a miniskirt. Amidst all the mysteries surrounding the murder, orders of their old-fashioned designs have dried up. The response of the factory floor is another delightful thread of gold weaving in and out of the main crime plot.
All of these elements are beautiful combined with a powerful sense of place and time, a hint of nostalgia, wonderfully crafted characters and friendships, a soupçon of magic realism, and an intricate crime plot that brings deadly danger to one of the most delightful amateur sleuths I’ve read.
The Tea Ladies is a fabulous book, and highly recommended.
It’s 1965 in Sydney’s rag trade district, and four tea ladies who work in the surrounding fashion manufacturers meet regularly on their own breaks. The gentle Hazel, bossy Merl, slightly ditzy Betty and rough-as-guts Irene (who herself has a colourful past).
The story kicks off when Hazel sees a woman seeming to ask for help from an upper window of the abandoned bond warehouse beside her workplace, Empire Fashionwear. The police aren’t particularly interested, even when the warehouse burns down a day later – and Hazel discovers the corpse of the new accountant inside the Empire building.
Hazel Bates is calm, sensible, kind and has a special skill for knowing when somebody is lying. Frustrated at the lack of interest from the police, she and her network of tea lady friends begin their own investigation. It’s always a treat to see older women as lead characters in a book, and these four very different women, with a common job but vastly different lives, create a terrific set of storytelling dynamics.
But Hazel isn’t just a Miss Marple type – she has her own approaches, and her own troubles, too, with her discovery of her husband’s secrets (and keeping one of her own). These elements weave around and through each other as the tea ladies court get deeper into dangerous territory and begin to wonder who they can trust.
At the same time, Jean Shrimpton has sent shockwaves through Australia’s fashion industry by appearing at Derby Day in Melbourne in a miniskirt. Amidst all the mysteries surrounding the murder, orders of their old-fashioned designs have dried up. The response of the factory floor is another delightful thread of gold weaving in and out of the main crime plot.
All of these elements are beautiful combined with a powerful sense of place and time, a hint of nostalgia, wonderfully crafted characters and friendships, a soupçon of magic realism, and an intricate crime plot that brings deadly danger to one of the most delightful amateur sleuths I’ve read.
The Tea Ladies is a fabulous book, and highly recommended.
July 29, 2023
As cosy mysteries go this has to be one of the best.
Never underrate a tea lady!
Made me feel nostalgic, even though much of my working life that involved tea ladies was in University tea rooms or while visiting public servants in government buildings, not in Sydney clothing factories, as in this story.
Set in the 1960s as women's fashion is encountering The Mini-skirt for the first time. What a fashion revolution that one was. Also, The cold war comes into play, with Russian intrigue.
It would have to be one of the most entertaining and cosy audiobooks I've listened to this year. Right up there with The Thursday Murder Club.
Never underrate a tea lady!
Made me feel nostalgic, even though much of my working life that involved tea ladies was in University tea rooms or while visiting public servants in government buildings, not in Sydney clothing factories, as in this story.
Set in the 1960s as women's fashion is encountering The Mini-skirt for the first time. What a fashion revolution that one was. Also, The cold war comes into play, with Russian intrigue.
It would have to be one of the most entertaining and cosy audiobooks I've listened to this year. Right up there with The Thursday Murder Club.
July 10, 2023
Set in 1960s Sydney in the rag trade, a group of tea ladies solve a series of related crimes.
A simple fun read, nothing taxing, just a cozy crime that requires some suspension of reality and is at times predictable. Setting and historical context well executed. Overall an enjoyable read.
A simple fun read, nothing taxing, just a cozy crime that requires some suspension of reality and is at times predictable. Setting and historical context well executed. Overall an enjoyable read.
November 9, 2024
3.5 stars. I found it an easy and entertaining book to read.
January 19, 2025
Sometimes, you want to curl up with a mystery novel that doesn't shout at you. One that doesn't have dead bodies strewn over the landscape. One that doesn't go into painful detail of the damage that one human being can do to another.
The so-called 'cosy mystery' genre can deliver clever mysteries that don't make you wince.
The Tea Ladies is a fine example of what a cosy mystery can be. While there is a body, the writing focuses on the mystery behind that body.
A clever plot, easy flowing writing, and characters that were engaging and endearing.
This was a lovely investment of a few hours reading and a book that left me very satisfied.
Would I recommend this to some of my fellow readers? Absolutely.
Would I read more in this series? I have book 2 next to me as I type this.
The so-called 'cosy mystery' genre can deliver clever mysteries that don't make you wince.
The Tea Ladies is a fine example of what a cosy mystery can be. While there is a body, the writing focuses on the mystery behind that body.
A clever plot, easy flowing writing, and characters that were engaging and endearing.
This was a lovely investment of a few hours reading and a book that left me very satisfied.
Would I recommend this to some of my fellow readers? Absolutely.
Would I read more in this series? I have book 2 next to me as I type this.
April 10, 2024
4.5 ⭐ I really enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to reading the second instalment.
June 22, 2024
This book was such an unexpected pleasure. I was afraid that it might be too cute, or irritating, in the way “The Dinner Lady Detectives” was. Instead, author Amanda Hampson's story, set in1965 Sydney, Australia suburb Surry Hills, and centring on tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene was funny, but also had enough bite to keep me reading well into the night.
The tea ladies ensure everyone at the companies they work at are well provisioned with tea, cookies and cake to fuel their working days. The tea ladies know what everyone likes, and they see and hear more of what is going on than the employees perhaps realize.
Hazel Bates is the protagonist of this story, and is the tea lady for Empire Fashionwear. Hazel has a happy marriage with Bob, a travelling salesman. He travels during the week, and then spends a few days with her before taking off again. This is Hazel's second marriage, and she's content with her life and where she lives. She has a grown up daughter and two grandsons, good relations with her neighbours, and meets regularly with other local tea ladies for drinks.
Her two friends are:
-Better Dewsnap, tea lady at Farley Frocks. She's anxious, but is friendly, outgoing and curious.
-Irene Turnbuckle, tea lady at Silhouette Knitwear. Irene is crude, outspoken, has an incarcerated safe cracker for a husband, and knows she is still employed because everyone is too frightened to fire her.
Many of the scenes in this novel occur at Empire Fashionwear, which is a family-owned and -run company that has been making well-made and increasingly fussy women's fashions. They're not interested in keeping up with the new and changing demands women have for simpler but also lighter and flirtier looks. The owner, and the company's designers, is unwilling to entertain new fashion ideas of any kind. Meanwhile, his son Frankie purportedly runs operations, but everyone around him knows that he's incompetent, lazy and uninspired.
When Hazel sees a woman in the building across from Empire signalling for what Hazel firmly believes is help, no one, except for her friends, believes her, including the police. When this building goes up in flames and Hazel finds Empire's bookkeeper murdered, she decides something must be done, and enlists the help of her friends.
They use their many personal connections, and what they know from their work, to begin piecing together a picture of the local crime scene, and the corruption of certain police officers. Hazel finds herself also dealing with fears of lay-offs, thanks to Frankie's mismanagement, as well as shocking revelations pertaining to her personal life.
I totally loved this story and its tea ladies, particularly Hazel, whose unflappable, kind self steered the women's investigation, and aided in keeping tempers cool at Empire while they figured out how to reverse their financial and design woes. There is much humour in the character interactions, but there is also criminality, selfishness and callousness exposed during Hazel and Co's sleuthing. I was greatly entertained and really can not wait to read the next book in this series.
The tea ladies ensure everyone at the companies they work at are well provisioned with tea, cookies and cake to fuel their working days. The tea ladies know what everyone likes, and they see and hear more of what is going on than the employees perhaps realize.
Hazel Bates is the protagonist of this story, and is the tea lady for Empire Fashionwear. Hazel has a happy marriage with Bob, a travelling salesman. He travels during the week, and then spends a few days with her before taking off again. This is Hazel's second marriage, and she's content with her life and where she lives. She has a grown up daughter and two grandsons, good relations with her neighbours, and meets regularly with other local tea ladies for drinks.
Her two friends are:
-Better Dewsnap, tea lady at Farley Frocks. She's anxious, but is friendly, outgoing and curious.
-Irene Turnbuckle, tea lady at Silhouette Knitwear. Irene is crude, outspoken, has an incarcerated safe cracker for a husband, and knows she is still employed because everyone is too frightened to fire her.
Many of the scenes in this novel occur at Empire Fashionwear, which is a family-owned and -run company that has been making well-made and increasingly fussy women's fashions. They're not interested in keeping up with the new and changing demands women have for simpler but also lighter and flirtier looks. The owner, and the company's designers, is unwilling to entertain new fashion ideas of any kind. Meanwhile, his son Frankie purportedly runs operations, but everyone around him knows that he's incompetent, lazy and uninspired.
When Hazel sees a woman in the building across from Empire signalling for what Hazel firmly believes is help, no one, except for her friends, believes her, including the police. When this building goes up in flames and Hazel finds Empire's bookkeeper murdered, she decides something must be done, and enlists the help of her friends.
They use their many personal connections, and what they know from their work, to begin piecing together a picture of the local crime scene, and the corruption of certain police officers. Hazel finds herself also dealing with fears of lay-offs, thanks to Frankie's mismanagement, as well as shocking revelations pertaining to her personal life.
I totally loved this story and its tea ladies, particularly Hazel, whose unflappable, kind self steered the women's investigation, and aided in keeping tempers cool at Empire while they figured out how to reverse their financial and design woes. There is much humour in the character interactions, but there is also criminality, selfishness and callousness exposed during Hazel and Co's sleuthing. I was greatly entertained and really can not wait to read the next book in this series.
April 8, 2024
Hazel Bates is employed as a tea lady, which means she is almost invisible to the management of Empire Fashiowear. As a result she hears a lot of interesting titbits as she delivers tea and biscuits from the managing director’s office, all the way to the factory floor. The tea ladies, Hazel, Irene and Betty are good at keeping secrets. Then a kidnapping, arson and a dead body occur and Hazel and her friends, go searching for answers. Answers that could put Hazel’s own life and maybe that of others in danger. The story starts in 1965 in the Sydney area of Surry Hills. The details of fashion, including the mini dress worn by model Jean Shrimpton to the scandal of many people, adds to the fun.
This is an entertaining, cosy historical novel, that created a lot of smiles for this reader. Hazel Bates has a heart of gold. She is endearing if a bit unrealistic. But this is very much a light, feel good read meant to be enjoyed and not taken too seriously. I definitely recommend this book.
This is my first read by this author and if this is a sample I will be keen to read others by her that are already on my to read list, thanks to friends here on Goodreads.
This is an entertaining, cosy historical novel, that created a lot of smiles for this reader. Hazel Bates has a heart of gold. She is endearing if a bit unrealistic. But this is very much a light, feel good read meant to be enjoyed and not taken too seriously. I definitely recommend this book.
This is my first read by this author and if this is a sample I will be keen to read others by her that are already on my to read list, thanks to friends here on Goodreads.
April 17, 2024
If you want to revisit the good ol days when David Jones, Mark Foys, and the fashion outlets in Surrey Hills were the purveyors of modern fashion then
The Tea Ladies
is for you. Bonus points if you want to know the finer points of what part a tea lady played in the running of 1960s fashion establishments.
If however you want a mystery story to confound, entertain and dazzle you with the tension and foreboding it creates I recommend you look elsewhere! The Tea Ladies is a pale imitation of good murder mysteries which are not really my cup of tea! anyhow.
A tedious, disappointing read.
If however you want a mystery story to confound, entertain and dazzle you with the tension and foreboding it creates I recommend you look elsewhere! The Tea Ladies is a pale imitation of good murder mysteries which are not really my cup of tea! anyhow.
A tedious, disappointing read.
January 4, 2024
A pretty easy and entertaining book- perfect to read at the beach or by the pool.
It could have benefited from cutting at least one sub-plot to keep the pacing and tension a bit better, and it does lean a little hard into “Thursday Murder Club” vibes with some of the characterisations.
It could have benefited from cutting at least one sub-plot to keep the pacing and tension a bit better, and it does lean a little hard into “Thursday Murder Club” vibes with some of the characterisations.
April 2, 2024
“Never underestimate a tea lady”.
Hazel and her friends are so loveable! Set in Sydney in the swinging sixties, Hazel is the tea lady at a fashion manufacturer- and well, being the tea lady she knows everyone’s business!
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This was such a fun read, it did take me a little bit to get into it, but it was thoroughly enjoyable and a cosy mystery where you really need to enjoy it with a cup of tea and a iced vo-vo 😉 The audiobook for this was very good too!
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If you like The Thursday Murder Club then you’d love this! And the second in the series, The Cryptic Clue, is out in April ☕️
Hazel and her friends are so loveable! Set in Sydney in the swinging sixties, Hazel is the tea lady at a fashion manufacturer- and well, being the tea lady she knows everyone’s business!
.
This was such a fun read, it did take me a little bit to get into it, but it was thoroughly enjoyable and a cosy mystery where you really need to enjoy it with a cup of tea and a iced vo-vo 😉 The audiobook for this was very good too!
.
.
If you like The Thursday Murder Club then you’d love this! And the second in the series, The Cryptic Clue, is out in April ☕️
September 19, 2023
Absolutely delightful. I read it in 3 x 1.3 hr readings over 3 months. I enjoyed it so much. Great characters. Clever plot development.
October 15, 2025
What a great read. Never underestimate the strength of a strong group of women. Loved going back in time. How different life was in the sixties.
September 10, 2023
The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson is a delightful and heartwarming cozy crime novel that unexpectedly brightened my life. Set in the bustling clothing manufacturing district of Sydney, the story revolves around four endearing tea ladies: Hazel, Betty, Irene, and Merl. These women play a crucial role in the company, offering them a unique vantage point into the inner workings of the business, from high-level management to the factory floor.
One fateful morning, Hazel's keen eye spots something intriguing across the road, sparking her curiosity. She enlists her fellow tea ladies in her quest for answers. Little do they know that their investigation will lead them into a complex web of kidnapping, murder, and arson, thrusting them right into the heart of a perilous mystery.
What makes this novel truly enjoyable are the charming characters. Each tea lady has her distinctive voice, making them feel like dear friends. Against the backdrop of 1960s Sydney, the city itself becomes a character, evoking a nostalgic trip back in time. Familiar locations come alive on the pages, immersing the reader in the era.
The mystery at the core of the plot keeps you guessing, adding an element of suspense. But what truly shines is the empowering message of the story. These women, despite their seemingly mundane lives, prove that they can accomplish extraordinary feats when they unite and harness their strengths. Their unwavering friendship and support for one another are heartwarming testaments to the power of women coming together.
The Tea Ladies is a heartwarming and uplifting read. It showcases the resilience and strength of women while delivering an engaging mystery. I highly recommend it to those in search of a feel-good, light-hearted book. After finishing this delightful tale, I eagerly anticipate the next instalment, The Cryptic Clue, scheduled for release next year.
One fateful morning, Hazel's keen eye spots something intriguing across the road, sparking her curiosity. She enlists her fellow tea ladies in her quest for answers. Little do they know that their investigation will lead them into a complex web of kidnapping, murder, and arson, thrusting them right into the heart of a perilous mystery.
What makes this novel truly enjoyable are the charming characters. Each tea lady has her distinctive voice, making them feel like dear friends. Against the backdrop of 1960s Sydney, the city itself becomes a character, evoking a nostalgic trip back in time. Familiar locations come alive on the pages, immersing the reader in the era.
The mystery at the core of the plot keeps you guessing, adding an element of suspense. But what truly shines is the empowering message of the story. These women, despite their seemingly mundane lives, prove that they can accomplish extraordinary feats when they unite and harness their strengths. Their unwavering friendship and support for one another are heartwarming testaments to the power of women coming together.
The Tea Ladies is a heartwarming and uplifting read. It showcases the resilience and strength of women while delivering an engaging mystery. I highly recommend it to those in search of a feel-good, light-hearted book. After finishing this delightful tale, I eagerly anticipate the next instalment, The Cryptic Clue, scheduled for release next year.
April 24, 2023
This book had been described as very similar to the Richard Osman series and it was definitely along the same lines
Tea ladies was an interesting role for the characters as they go everywhere and see so much more than perhaps anyone else. They're like the walls people don't notice them. And that gives them power. This was such a fun read, with a great cast of characters all so unique and different which made them more special. I loved how they worked together and supported each other. This was a really sweet read as well you could tell the characters had been friends for years. I loved how the mystery unfolded and definitely didn't figure out all the twists and turns
This was a debut, but definitely an author I will be interested in reading when she next releases something
Tea ladies was an interesting role for the characters as they go everywhere and see so much more than perhaps anyone else. They're like the walls people don't notice them. And that gives them power. This was such a fun read, with a great cast of characters all so unique and different which made them more special. I loved how they worked together and supported each other. This was a really sweet read as well you could tell the characters had been friends for years. I loved how the mystery unfolded and definitely didn't figure out all the twists and turns
This was a debut, but definitely an author I will be interested in reading when she next releases something
April 13, 2023
Goodness did these tea ladies get into some hot water (haha) this was the cosiest of cosy crimes and I absolutely loved everything about it! Thursday Murder Club wishes they had Hazel; I was a professional waitress and completely can relate to ‘keeping everyone’s secrets’ I loved the obvious friendship between the tea ladies and love seeing older women living their best lives with celery wine, the Taj Mahal and plum cake!
August 6, 2023
Truly not sure how I finished. I skimmed through the last third honestly, it was very slow. Maybe the cosy crime genre is not for me.
June 17, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next one. I really love the friendship these lovely Tea Ladies have with one another.
October 23, 2025
I absolutely adored The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson. I listened to it on Spotify and the narrator did an excellent job of bringing each character to life with distinct voices — it made the story even more enjoyable.
What a great cosy read! The 1960s Sydney setting, the humour, and the warmth between the tea ladies had me smiling and chuckling more than once. The friendship between the women felt so genuine, and that shock with Bob — I definitely wasn’t expecting that twist!
The murder mystery element was such a fun surprise — just the right balance of intrigue without ever losing that cosy charm. It kept me guessing right until the end.
It’s the perfect mix of charm, mystery, and fun, and I loved every minute of it. If you enjoy cosy mysteries with heart and a touch of nostalgia, I can’t recommend this one enough.
Thank you Bookclub! 🤩
What a great cosy read! The 1960s Sydney setting, the humour, and the warmth between the tea ladies had me smiling and chuckling more than once. The friendship between the women felt so genuine, and that shock with Bob — I definitely wasn’t expecting that twist!
The murder mystery element was such a fun surprise — just the right balance of intrigue without ever losing that cosy charm. It kept me guessing right until the end.
It’s the perfect mix of charm, mystery, and fun, and I loved every minute of it. If you enjoy cosy mysteries with heart and a touch of nostalgia, I can’t recommend this one enough.
Thank you Bookclub! 🤩
April 18, 2024
I decided to answer one of the book club questions. Number 3 asked if I could imagine the time when tea ladies served tea to employees.
Yes I could as I worked in such a place in my school holidays in the ‘60s & the tea lady was the heartbeat of that establishment.
There were many of these factories & warehouses in the suburbs in the 1960s. This book evoked memories of those times and places.
There were so many changes & I liked that the older female’s perspective to change & their daily lives was portrayed.
I also remember the change in fashions in the 60’s it was a revolution, they were amazing days. Unfortunately the book was not.
2
Yes I could as I worked in such a place in my school holidays in the ‘60s & the tea lady was the heartbeat of that establishment.
There were many of these factories & warehouses in the suburbs in the 1960s. This book evoked memories of those times and places.
There were so many changes & I liked that the older female’s perspective to change & their daily lives was portrayed.
I also remember the change in fashions in the 60’s it was a revolution, they were amazing days. Unfortunately the book was not.
2
February 13, 2024
Oh my word, I loved this book from page one.
I fondly remember the tea lady from my job in a carpet mills back in the 80s. Nothing got past her.
I highly recommend this for anyone wanting a little suspense, a dash of murder and a spoonful of mischievous detecting.
I fondly remember the tea lady from my job in a carpet mills back in the 80s. Nothing got past her.
I highly recommend this for anyone wanting a little suspense, a dash of murder and a spoonful of mischievous detecting.
May 5, 2024
Fun cozy crime written by an author who knows what she’s doing. You can tell this is not her first rodeo.
Keep it in your TBR for those times when you need a palate cleanser.
Love the super short chapters, the subtle historical references (set in 1965 inner Sydney), and the subtle feminist vibe.
It’s not quite Thursday Murder Club but it’s close.
Keep it in your TBR for those times when you need a palate cleanser.
Love the super short chapters, the subtle historical references (set in 1965 inner Sydney), and the subtle feminist vibe.
It’s not quite Thursday Murder Club but it’s close.
August 13, 2023
Heel schattig boek, las lekker weg. Soort feel good crime? Deed me denken aan de boeken van Richard Osman. Prima vakantie voer. Leuke vondst in de ruil bieb.
November 13, 2024
Lovely little mystery novel set in 1960s Sydney. Follows a collection of tea ladies, each with their own lovely quirks, as they solve mysteries tied to the factories they work for and uncover things about their own lives. An interesting mystery and likeable characters. I love when old ladies stand on business 😌 Well recommend by my coworkers
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