Book Review: Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon

Sweet Tea and Secrets (A Tea and Read Mystery #2)

Author:  Joy Avon

Publisher:  Crooked Lane Books (2019)

288 pages

In this second book in the Tea and Read Mystery Series, Callie Aspen has left her job as a travel guide to move to Heart's Harbor, Maine to help her Great Aunt Iphy at Book Tea. She continues to question whether she has made the right decision. It all seems so final. She really liked her job as a travel guide, but she is looking forward to helping Aunt Iphy at Book Tea and in the preservation of Haywood Hall, a rambling old house on the outskirts of Heart's Harbor. She is also looking forward to growing her relationship with Deputy Falk. However, she is not sure if they have a relationship as he didn't respond to the emails she sent him.

Aunt Iphy is thrilled to have Callie living in Heart's Harbor and has arranged a cottage for her to rent. The cottage has been uninhabited for several years and could use some updating. So, Iphy took the liberty of posting a notice at the community center looking for help with the updates. When they arrive at the cottage, they find a man with a clipboard inspecting the outside of the cottage. He tells them he is answering the notice from the community center and thought he would get started right away. He introduces himself as Quinn. Although it seems a little odd that he would show up this way, he seems like a good fit for the job. While Quinn is looking around inside the cottage, Aunt Iphy tells Callie she would like her to arrange something spectacular about the history of Heart's Harbor to present before the fireworks at the Fourth of July party they are planning on the grounds of Haywood Hall. Quinn overhears and suggests that the newspaper archives would be a good place to start and offers to go with her. Who is this mysterious man? Why is he being so helpful?

While at the newspaper archives, Quinn mentions the mystery of the movie star who disappeared from Heart's Harbor over thirty years ago. Callie decides that would make an interesting presentation and decides to find out more. Their first stop is to see the Editor-in-chief of the local newspaper. He was a reporter when the disappearance occurred. They don't learn much from him, except that he doesn't want to talk about the disappearance. The next morning, he is found dead at his office. Who would want to kill him? Is it related to the disappearance?

There are several mysteries at play in this story. One is Quinn. Is he really who he says he is? Why is he really in town? The second is the disappearance that was never solved. And the third is the murder of the Editor-in-chief. By the end of the story, after several twists and turns, all three are solved. As well as the mystery of why Deputy Falk didn't return Callie's emails. Aunt Iphy has a small part in this story. Very little time is spent at Book Tea or Haywood Hall. Much of the story is spent on building the character of Quinn. At first Callie is suspicious of him, but once she sees some of the truth behind his motivations, she becomes a good friend to him. I hope to see him in future books. The cute Boston Terrier, Daisy is back. And some of the other characters from the first book as well. This was an entertaining read that ends on a hopeful note.