Book Review: Murder with Darjeeling Tea by Karen Rose Smith

Murder with Darjeeling Tea (Daisy Tea Garden Mystery #8). Kensington (2022). 352 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.

First Line: "Daisy Swanson and her son-in-law, Foster Cranshaw, stood on a rural road outside the more bustling tourist area of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania."

Summary:  Daisy is on the hunt for the perfect birthday present for her boyfriend, Jonas.  She is visiting Rumple's Statuary Shop with hopes of finding a Golden Retriever statue.  While there Mr. Rumple suggests that Daisy might want something more special and insists on showing her some expensive miniatures that he keeps in a safe.  That is not exactly what Daisy has in mind, so they head back outside to look at the stone statues.  While Daisy is browsing, she hears an angry yell from the front gate.  After a heated argument, the customer tears off in his car.

A few days later Mr. Rumple is found dead at the Four Paws Animal Shelter where he volunteers.  He appears to have been hit over the head, but the murder weapon is missing.  Since Daisy has helped the police solve a few murders, the residents of the town seem to come to her with information.  When she becomes a target, the race is on to discover who wanted Mr. Rumple dead.

My thoughts:  I always look forward to a new installment at Daisy's Tea Garden.  The characters are like old friends and the mysteries always keep me guessing.

Besides dealing with another murder in town, Daisy is struggling to come to grips with the idea that her youngest daughter will be going off to college soon.  She is happy and excited for her, but is also dreading an empty house.  Her oldest daughter, son-in-law and grandson live in an apartment over her garage.  However, she agreed that they could live there rent free for one year and that time is coming to an end.  Vi and Foster are thinking about moving out.  I appreciated her very real feelings about all of this.  She knows these things will be good for her kids, but she wants to keep them close.  

Daisy's Amish friend, Rachel, plays a larger role in this story.  I enjoyed getting a glimpse into her life.  Daisy has known Rachel since they were children and has a deep understanding of the Amish lifestyle. I like the way Rachel and Daisy help one another while being respectful of their different lifestyles.  

Mr. Rumple was not a likeable man and was involved in some shady dealings.  His only redeeming quality seems to be his love of dogs.  There are several suspects, but Daisy doesn't know any of them well.  She just keeps following leads until the culprit is revealed.  

I always enjoy lovely descriptions of the location and we definitely get that here.  The story takes place in the fall and the author has done a good job of giving the reader a feel for the Pennsylvania countryside during this season of change. 

After the mystery is wrapped up, Daisy has a few things to sort out in her life.  It looks like she has some exciting things coming up in the future.  I look forward to reading all about it in the next installment.

Quotes: 

"She liked having her family around her and nearby."

"This Sunday evening, Rose had made her famous chicken potpie.  Daisy's aunt had brought a broccoli casserole.  Daisy baked the cheese biscuits that were going over so well at the tea garden, while Vi had put together an apple-walnut salad.  Jazzi had brought a snack mix that they would eat while sitting around and talking.  The meal wasn't really about the food.  It was about connecting with each other, catching up, and understanding what was happening in each person's life.  It was about spreading love around."

"The sky looked like a steel-gray cover overhead.  Clouds swirled, and she wondered if rain would fall before she finished her ride.  She followed her usual route as leaves rustled about her.  Trees were dropping them swiftly, readying for the new season.  Dampness soaked the air, not quite a mist."