Karen Rose Smith

Terrific start to the series. After her husband died, Daisy and her two daughters moved home to Willow Creek, a community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania's Amish country. She and her Aunt Iris started Daisy's Tea Garden, a tea shop that serves soups, scones, and tea to locals and tourists. Things are going well for Daisy: the shop is thriving, and her daughters Violet and Jazzi are settled, with Violet recently off to college. She's a little worried about Iris, who is dating wealthy and show more not-quite-divorced men's shop owner Harvey Fitz. Then Harvey is found murdered in the tea shop's garden, and Iris is at the top of Detective Rappaport's suspect list.

I enjoyed seeing Daisy get involved in attempting to clear Iris's name. Her work is cut out for her, as the detective indicates that he believes Iris is the killer. She has plenty of suspects to choose from, whether it's Harvey's soon-to-be-ex, his possibly disinherited children, or one of several business rivals. The mystery was well done, as it kept me guessing who did it until the end. The final confrontation was intense, with Iris and Daisy surprised by the killer. The takedown was fantastic - I loved how Iris and Daisy kept their wits about them and saved themselves with a little bit of outside help.

I enjoyed the variety of characters. Daisy's family love each other but have their own personalities. Iris and Daisy's mother, Rose, are sisters who don't always get along. Rose can be a bit judgmental, which puts her at odds sometimes with others. Iris is sweet and well-liked by the guests at the tea shop but shows a feisty side when she gets riled up. I liked Daisy's daughters, Violet and Jazzi. Violet is away at college though we see some of her at the end. Jazzi is involved in a secondary storyline as she expresses her desire to find her birth mother. I liked how Daisy handled this issue.

Outside the family, we meet the tea garden employees, other business owners, and two intriguing men. I enjoyed the various employees who have unique personalities and stories of their own. I enjoyed Tessa, one of Daisy's friends and baking assistant. Tessa is also an artist, and I liked the scene of her gallery show and getting to know that side of her. Her new employee, Foster, is an interesting young man. I loved how easily he fit in and seeing his ideas for the tea shop.

There is a hint of romance running through the book. Cade, one of Daisy's high school classmates, appears to be interested in her. He's a nice guy, though he tends to be cautious. His warnings against investigating irritate Daisy though it doesn't stop her from going out with him. Jonas is new to Willow Creek. A former police detective, now a furniture maker and store owner, is often on the spot when Daisy runs into trouble. He is sweet and attentive, and I loved how he helped Daisy, Iris, and Jazzi. Daisy is a little surprised by the feelings he sparks in her. I look forward to future books and seeing what happens with both men.

The descriptions of the tea shop, the teas, and the food made me feel like I was there. As a tea drinker myself, I would love to pop in at Daisy's and enjoy a cuppa and a lemon tea cake or cinnamon scone. show less

Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes by Karen Rose Smith is a 2017 Kensington publication.

A fantastic start to a new and refreshing cozy mystery series!

When Daisy’s Aunt Iris finds herself under investigation for the death of her boyfriend, Harvey Fitz, who was murdered right there in the garden of their lovely tea shop, Daisy must rise to the occasion and find the real killer before her aunt is arrested.

Meanwhile, Daisy is dealing with her adopted teenage daughter’s desire to meet her birth show more mother, and wrestling with the possibility of dating again after the death of her husband.

Although this is the first book in a new series, I felt as though Daisy and I were old friends. I immediately bonded with her and really enjoyed the tea shop setting. The tea servings and all the various flavors of tea were described so beautifully, and the shop seemed truly delightful, even if it was a crime scene- and oh my- I could almost taste those lemon tea cakes! Having all the female characters named after flowers is a nice touch, as well.

The town square is picturesque, featuring other small businesses, and the characters are all very interesting and maybe a bit quirky at times. All these elements are very important with a cozy mystery of this nature and is part of the charm. The author did a very good job setting the stage for future installments.

The murder mystery is also connected to a coin collection that Aunt Iris has inadvertently found herself involved in and is not quite sure how she should proceed, which complicates an already tense situation. The mystery was cleverly planned out, with plenty of viable suspects, which kept me guessing from start to finish.

I am very much looking forward to more adventures with Daisy and am curious to see how her love life develops, as well.

I picked this book out on a cold, wet day and it was the perfect cure for a gray, dreary day. I love the bright yellow cover, too!

This is a very solid introduction to this new series, which also includes a few of the yummy recipes featured in the book!

4 stars show less

Shades of Wrath by Karen Rose Smith is a 2016 Kensington publication.

The deeper into this series, we go, the better it gets!

This sixth installment in the Caprice De Luca series sees Caprice helping with the redecoration of a transition home for abused women.

But, before she gets too far along with her plans the proprietor, Wendy Newcomb is found murdered. Caprice is once more sucked into the investigation as she prepares for a competition and irons out her future with Gant.

I love this show more series! The decorations, the pets, Caprice’s large and loving family, and the added element of romance and realistic relationships has me eagerly awaiting an update on these wonderful characters.

The mystery is always compelling, too. With many cozies the mystery can sometimes seem rather thin, but not with this series. Caprice is a terrific and smart amateur sleuth, and her eye for details helps her notice things others might miss.

In this case, Wendy’s death draws attention to a very important issue and KRS did an amazing job of handling such an edgy topic. Domestic violence is still a troubling and oft hidden problem in our society and I applaud the author for centering a story around it.

Once again, Caprice impresses me with her faith, value system, and dogged determination to find the truth.

Overall, if you love cozy mysteries, this series is outstanding and I highly recommend it. Those who have been following along, I think you are going to love joining Caprice on her latest adventure!!

4.5 stars show less

Shades of Wrath by Karen Rose Smith is the sixth book in the Caprice De Luca series and every book seems to get better than the last one. In this story, Caprice has been hired to redecorate a transition home for abused women. She is thrilled to be helping the Sunshine Tomorrow Foundation with the home that was willed to them by a wealthy patron and friend of the shelter's director, Wendy Newcombe. In her job helping abused women and their families, Wendy has made many enemies. This only show more makes the case more difficult to solve when her body is found in the mansion, dead from a hit on the head forcing her over a balustrade. Caprice is a busy bee in this book. She is competing in a competition to redecorate a home, she is trying to find out who killed Wendy, her courtship with Grant is moving right along and she is still trying to do her job as a stager/decorator.

I really enjoy this series! The home makeovers, the pets, Caprice’s large and involved family, and the added element of romance keeps me happily reading this series. The characters are realistic and are people that I would want to meet and be friends with. The mystery is not always the easiest to solve, as there are usually many viable suspects. Caprice is smart, caring and loyal which makes the reader want to know her, not just have her solve the mystery. This book touches on her faith and the importance of it in her life as well as her values and love of family. I like that there is usually some kind of important issue in each book. This one deals with domestic violence. It touches not only on physical violence, but also on emotional and mental abuse. This part of the story was well written and fit the story very well. Overall, if you enjoy cozy mysteries, this series is one that I highly recommend. You do not have to read them in order, but it will certainly help you get to know Caprice, her family and her friends. Pick one up and enjoy! show less