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Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries #1
A Fatal Twist of Lemon
Cops drink coffee.
They don't belong in Ellen Rosings's Victorian tearoom. But when her opening day thank-you tea ends in the murder of the president of the Santa Fe Preservation Trust, the police invade her haven.
Enter Detective Tony Aragon: attractive and unsympathetic, with a chip on his shoulder that goes beyond the murder investigation, and Ellen's delicate bone china cup is full. Is the murderer one of her honored guests, or the ghost rumored to haunt the building? Will Ellen solve the mystery, or will the Wisteria Tearoom's premiere turn out to be its―and Ellen's―finale?
They don't belong in Ellen Rosings's Victorian tearoom. But when her opening day thank-you tea ends in the murder of the president of the Santa Fe Preservation Trust, the police invade her haven.
Enter Detective Tony Aragon: attractive and unsympathetic, with a chip on his shoulder that goes beyond the murder investigation, and Ellen's delicate bone china cup is full. Is the murderer one of her honored guests, or the ghost rumored to haunt the building? Will Ellen solve the mystery, or will the Wisteria Tearoom's premiere turn out to be its―and Ellen's―finale?
325 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2012
290 people are currently reading
1670 people want to read
About the author
Patrice Greenwood
20 books109 followersPatrice Greenwood was born and raised in New Mexico, and remembers when the Santa Fe Plaza was home to more dusty dogs than trendy art galleries. She has been writing fiction longer than she cares to admit, perpetrating over twenty published novels in various genres. She uses a different name for each genre, thus enabling her to pretend she is a Secret Agent.
She loves afternoon tea, old buildings, gourmet tailgating at the opera, ghost stories, costumes, and solving puzzles. Her popular Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries are colored by many of these interests. She is presently collapsed on her chaise longue, sipping Wisteria White tea and planning the next book in the series.
She loves afternoon tea, old buildings, gourmet tailgating at the opera, ghost stories, costumes, and solving puzzles. Her popular Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries are colored by many of these interests. She is presently collapsed on her chaise longue, sipping Wisteria White tea and planning the next book in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
July 29, 2013
I was in the mood for a light mystery and this exactly hit the spot. I begin to see what people mean by a "cozy" mystery—or, at least I do if this is one.
In addition to the mystery I expected, this book also exudes a love for the city of Santa Fe that was unexpected. An interesting choice, as the main character is the owner of a brand new Victorian tea house so you'd think those themes would clash (they don't). So there's a lot of tea and the American Southwest, both things I'm not particularly fans of. And yet it's so lightly done that I felt included in a treasure the author values, rather than excluded by a measure used to judge others.
The mystery itself is rather light, but then, I expected that going in. The story follows Ellen in some detail and through many day-to-day tangents that don't really apply much to the main plot, so if you want something gripping or thrilling or ruthlessly on plot, you're probably better off looking elsewhere. I liked a lot of the surrounding characters, as well, so there's lots there to enjoy while the story wanders a bit. I particularly enjoyed Ellen's budding friendship with detective Aragón, even if I couldn't really respect him much as a cop at first (he jumps to conclusions rather fast and is abrupt, demanding, and kind of mean). He settles down after a bit, though, and turns out to be a fascinating character. I'm not sure Greenwood fully redeems him from my initial impression of him, but by the end I was happy to be along for his friendship with Ellen anyway. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for a hot guy in biker leathers and shades...
Anyway, it's a solid read and fun. A little light to push it much above three stars (for me), but it's solidly there and thus a promising start for a new author. I'll certainly be looking into her next book when the mood for a cozy mystery strikes me again.
In addition to the mystery I expected, this book also exudes a love for the city of Santa Fe that was unexpected. An interesting choice, as the main character is the owner of a brand new Victorian tea house so you'd think those themes would clash (they don't). So there's a lot of tea and the American Southwest, both things I'm not particularly fans of. And yet it's so lightly done that I felt included in a treasure the author values, rather than excluded by a measure used to judge others.
The mystery itself is rather light, but then, I expected that going in. The story follows Ellen in some detail and through many day-to-day tangents that don't really apply much to the main plot, so if you want something gripping or thrilling or ruthlessly on plot, you're probably better off looking elsewhere. I liked a lot of the surrounding characters, as well, so there's lots there to enjoy while the story wanders a bit. I particularly enjoyed Ellen's budding friendship with detective Aragón, even if I couldn't really respect him much as a cop at first (he jumps to conclusions rather fast and is abrupt, demanding, and kind of mean). He settles down after a bit, though, and turns out to be a fascinating character. I'm not sure Greenwood fully redeems him from my initial impression of him, but by the end I was happy to be along for his friendship with Ellen anyway. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for a hot guy in biker leathers and shades...
Anyway, it's a solid read and fun. A little light to push it much above three stars (for me), but it's solidly there and thus a promising start for a new author. I'll certainly be looking into her next book when the mood for a cozy mystery strikes me again.
June 29, 2014
3.5 stars, rounded up because I enjoyed it more than 3 stars' worth, despite niggles.
When I saw this on two friends' shelves, and noticed the "Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries" series title, and then discovered it was set in Santa Fe, I knew it was a must-read. As it happens, I ended up liking it more despite the tearoom than because of it, which was surprising. The tearoom, which is a huge part of the story (being both the place where the murder occurs, and protagonist Ellen's life, pretty much) is kind of everything I hate. Aside from the actual part where they serve tea, of course! It's expensive, "elegant", Victorian-style, COVERED IN CHINTZ, and the kind of place where mismatched china would be an unthinkable gaffe. They take reservations! For a tearoom! (I mean a tearoom that's NOT in a swanky British hotel, which is a totally different thing.) I like casual, friendly and mismatched, without the chintz, thanks. (Also, the real killer is that one time Ellen mentions making the pot of tea for the party who have a reservation - before they get there. That doesn't make any sense, and not only because of the fact that a tearoom should offer different types of tea.)
Anyway, that may have been unnecessarily harsh, but it shows how much I enjoyed the Santa Fe part, to have gotten over the tea not being my kind of tea stuff. The other criticism I have is the potential romantic interest for Ellen, the detective who comes to investigate the murder. He has a massive chip on his shoulder about wealthy Anglos grabbing up exclusive Santa Fe property, which is fine, except that he's so unprofessional I don't think he'd have survived long in the police force. Of COURSE he's going to treat everyone there as a suspect, and of course that involves not taking Ellen's word for things and maybe being cold and suspicious to her. However, I couldn't get over his yelling at her for pulling the necklace off the victim's neck to try to see if she could be revived. That's beyond ridiculous. When he finally apologises, he admits to having acted unprofessionally, and from then on I was much happier with his character and the very slow development of the friendship between him and Ellen.
[The following paragraph is entirely skippable, as it's got nothing to do with the book.] I've loved Santa Fe since visiting as a child with my mother, when we stayed with a friend of hers. She was a fibre artist (NOT a gallery owner blow-in, mind!) and I got to go with her to an embroidery workshop, we visited the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, which is astonishingly beautiful, Taos, a festival on a reservation, even went to the opera, and I fell in love with everything. (Also had my first ever panic attack, possibly in part because of the altitude, but hey!) We went back when I was pregnant with younger daughter, and had a wonderful time again, with 3-year-old Becca becoming very fond of going into churches of all types. Go figure. We almost moved to New Mexico (though it would probably have been Albequerque) the following year, but opted for Tucson instead. (Oh well!)
All that rambling is just to say that the setting was going to work for me if it was done in any way that evoked a sense of the place, which this absolutely does. It worked a lot better because the author highlighted the problem (which, sadly, it is) of race relations in New Mexico, rather than ignoring them, which she could have done. The tearoom is very -- well, its *staff* is diverse, but the clients are so not (mostly older and always Anglo women), which makes sense with the kind of place it is. Hot detective Tony may be out of line in allowing the injustices done to his family in the past cause him to behave both unfairly and unprofessionally, but it doesn't mean the injustices themselves don't need to be seen as such. Ellen certainly hasn't recognised her own privilege(s) in the past, and likes being challenged about it as little as most people. She does come to acknowledge it to a degree, and the issue wasn't something I expected to see in a cozy mystery.
There was a bit too much detail (of the "I put a cozy on the teapot" variety, repeated times quite a lot) in places, and the mystery wasn't amazingly convincing, but overall this was enough fun that I got the next one immediately.
When I saw this on two friends' shelves, and noticed the "Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries" series title, and then discovered it was set in Santa Fe, I knew it was a must-read. As it happens, I ended up liking it more despite the tearoom than because of it, which was surprising. The tearoom, which is a huge part of the story (being both the place where the murder occurs, and protagonist Ellen's life, pretty much) is kind of everything I hate. Aside from the actual part where they serve tea, of course! It's expensive, "elegant", Victorian-style, COVERED IN CHINTZ, and the kind of place where mismatched china would be an unthinkable gaffe. They take reservations! For a tearoom! (I mean a tearoom that's NOT in a swanky British hotel, which is a totally different thing.) I like casual, friendly and mismatched, without the chintz, thanks. (Also, the real killer is that one time Ellen mentions making the pot of tea for the party who have a reservation - before they get there. That doesn't make any sense, and not only because of the fact that a tearoom should offer different types of tea.)
Anyway, that may have been unnecessarily harsh, but it shows how much I enjoyed the Santa Fe part, to have gotten over the tea not being my kind of tea stuff. The other criticism I have is the potential romantic interest for Ellen, the detective who comes to investigate the murder. He has a massive chip on his shoulder about wealthy Anglos grabbing up exclusive Santa Fe property, which is fine, except that he's so unprofessional I don't think he'd have survived long in the police force. Of COURSE he's going to treat everyone there as a suspect, and of course that involves not taking Ellen's word for things and maybe being cold and suspicious to her. However, I couldn't get over his yelling at her for pulling the necklace off the victim's neck to try to see if she could be revived. That's beyond ridiculous. When he finally apologises, he admits to having acted unprofessionally, and from then on I was much happier with his character and the very slow development of the friendship between him and Ellen.
[The following paragraph is entirely skippable, as it's got nothing to do with the book.] I've loved Santa Fe since visiting as a child with my mother, when we stayed with a friend of hers. She was a fibre artist (NOT a gallery owner blow-in, mind!) and I got to go with her to an embroidery workshop, we visited the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, which is astonishingly beautiful, Taos, a festival on a reservation, even went to the opera, and I fell in love with everything. (Also had my first ever panic attack, possibly in part because of the altitude, but hey!) We went back when I was pregnant with younger daughter, and had a wonderful time again, with 3-year-old Becca becoming very fond of going into churches of all types. Go figure. We almost moved to New Mexico (though it would probably have been Albequerque) the following year, but opted for Tucson instead. (Oh well!)
All that rambling is just to say that the setting was going to work for me if it was done in any way that evoked a sense of the place, which this absolutely does. It worked a lot better because the author highlighted the problem (which, sadly, it is) of race relations in New Mexico, rather than ignoring them, which she could have done. The tearoom is very -- well, its *staff* is diverse, but the clients are so not (mostly older and always Anglo women), which makes sense with the kind of place it is. Hot detective Tony may be out of line in allowing the injustices done to his family in the past cause him to behave both unfairly and unprofessionally, but it doesn't mean the injustices themselves don't need to be seen as such. Ellen certainly hasn't recognised her own privilege(s) in the past, and likes being challenged about it as little as most people. She does come to acknowledge it to a degree, and the issue wasn't something I expected to see in a cozy mystery.
There was a bit too much detail (of the "I put a cozy on the teapot" variety, repeated times quite a lot) in places, and the mystery wasn't amazingly convincing, but overall this was enough fun that I got the next one immediately.
November 18, 2012
This is first in a new series by the author and perhaps her first book. The book opens with the main character saying goodbye to the guests who attended a pre-opening event at her new tearoom. She looks for the remaining invitee and finds her murdered body. Had the story begun during the tea, readers would have been introduced to the suspects and the victim and that would help draw us into the story. It was hard to keep up with the characters partly because half of them had left when the story opens.
The book suffers from new author syndrome - some scenes and actions are overly detailed while distinctly regional styles or jewelry aren't described at all. The tea rooms are referred to by flower names without telling the reader it is a room - unnecessarily confusing. And then she adds a ghost for no reason. All he does is turn on lights and play the stereo even though he died before either was invented.
Frankly, the main character is not very likeable - There's a dead body in her house and she's fretting over sugar spoons, critiquing the manners of the police detective and obssessing over social niceties. The victim was a supporter and helped her to open her business. Instead of being upset, she's trying to decide how her employees should address her (as Boss or Ms. R-- or first name). The police detective heading the investigation is seldom seen, swings from obnoxious to contrite - he goes from being angry with Ellen to asking her out. He's a stereotype with a huge chip on his shoulder, simmering with resentment over the Anglo newcomers.
If you can get past that, it is a diverting read. Otherwise, wait for book 2 and hope she has a better editor the second time around. I received this ebook free from LTER.
The book suffers from new author syndrome - some scenes and actions are overly detailed while distinctly regional styles or jewelry aren't described at all. The tea rooms are referred to by flower names without telling the reader it is a room - unnecessarily confusing. And then she adds a ghost for no reason. All he does is turn on lights and play the stereo even though he died before either was invented.
Frankly, the main character is not very likeable - There's a dead body in her house and she's fretting over sugar spoons, critiquing the manners of the police detective and obssessing over social niceties. The victim was a supporter and helped her to open her business. Instead of being upset, she's trying to decide how her employees should address her (as Boss or Ms. R-- or first name). The police detective heading the investigation is seldom seen, swings from obnoxious to contrite - he goes from being angry with Ellen to asking her out. He's a stereotype with a huge chip on his shoulder, simmering with resentment over the Anglo newcomers.
If you can get past that, it is a diverting read. Otherwise, wait for book 2 and hope she has a better editor the second time around. I received this ebook free from LTER.
August 27, 2016
This is my first Patrice Greenwood mystery. She writes a well paced and interesting story with a compelling cast of characters. And I liked that she added an interesting romance full of conflict. More about that later.
I loved the setting, Santa Fe, NM. She obviously knows the setting well and while being careful not to become a travelogue, Patrice makes the most of this colorful and culturally diverse setting. If you are opposed to a suggestion of the supernatural, this isn't for you. Of course our heroine does not believe in ghosts, you won't like the suggestion of on living in her tea shop. She refuses to believe it putting down the odd flickering lights and music to old wiring. I
haven't been there since I was a girl and would love to go back. So far--no go. Sigh...
I liked this mystery enough to read her other ones, which shows that I really did like it.
I especially was interested in the police Detective Tony Aragon who swopped into the story on a motorcycle. He was a bit dangerous so those who like a bad boy hero would enjoy this. He was an interesting choice as a love interest for the proprietress of the tea shop in a more than century old building in the old part of Santa Fe.
Of course if you're going to be an amateur sleuth, having someone on the force can't hurt!
A good mystery and one that left me puzzled till right before the reveal. I like that!
I loved the setting, Santa Fe, NM. She obviously knows the setting well and while being careful not to become a travelogue, Patrice makes the most of this colorful and culturally diverse setting. If you are opposed to a suggestion of the supernatural, this isn't for you. Of course our heroine does not believe in ghosts, you won't like the suggestion of on living in her tea shop. She refuses to believe it putting down the odd flickering lights and music to old wiring. I
haven't been there since I was a girl and would love to go back. So far--no go. Sigh...
I liked this mystery enough to read her other ones, which shows that I really did like it.
I especially was interested in the police Detective Tony Aragon who swopped into the story on a motorcycle. He was a bit dangerous so those who like a bad boy hero would enjoy this. He was an interesting choice as a love interest for the proprietress of the tea shop in a more than century old building in the old part of Santa Fe.
Of course if you're going to be an amateur sleuth, having someone on the force can't hurt!
A good mystery and one that left me puzzled till right before the reveal. I like that!
Read
July 31, 2012Once in a while I enjoy a mystery, but I prefer cozies--I like humor, atmosphere, a light touch, romance, and justice served, even though things start off with a corpse, in this case found in a brand new tea house.
This book has all the things I like. Setting her mystery in Sante Fe, New Mexico, Greenwood paints a delightful picture of the neighborhood, and peoples it with interesting characters. I especially liked the sparks between Ellen and the detective, as they both legitimately misunderstand the other, but try for fairness. (I don't care for squabbling hero and heroine all the way through, especially when thirty seconds of adult conversation would solve the brangle.)
The mystery was fun, and Ellen's drive to turn detective was believable. I hope Greenwood is going to write more of these.
This book has all the things I like. Setting her mystery in Sante Fe, New Mexico, Greenwood paints a delightful picture of the neighborhood, and peoples it with interesting characters. I especially liked the sparks between Ellen and the detective, as they both legitimately misunderstand the other, but try for fairness. (I don't care for squabbling hero and heroine all the way through, especially when thirty seconds of adult conversation would solve the brangle.)
The mystery was fun, and Ellen's drive to turn detective was believable. I hope Greenwood is going to write more of these.
May 21, 2016
There's not really much of a mystery, and what's there is on the bland side. A very rushed introduction and set-up left me very confused about the setting, the characters, and the whole mystery itself. None of the characters are very developed, but the suspects suffer the most from that. I have an idea of why the murderer did it, but their motivation and method are never discussed in the resolution. The murder is introduced so early and there's no foundation laid for getting to know the sleuth, her "helpers," the victim, or the suspects, so I was left with no emotional connection to anything or anybody in the story.
Also, and perhaps this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I'm really tired of cozy mystery heroines becoming damsels in distress at the end of their novels. I'm tired of seeing them get saved by hunky cop love interests. Would it really be so difficult to have the heroine not only get into trouble but also get herself out of it? I want to see the sleuth save somebody rather than need saving herself.
Also, and perhaps this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I'm really tired of cozy mystery heroines becoming damsels in distress at the end of their novels. I'm tired of seeing them get saved by hunky cop love interests. Would it really be so difficult to have the heroine not only get into trouble but also get herself out of it? I want to see the sleuth save somebody rather than need saving herself.
January 28, 2017
Star rating: 1.5 - 2 stars
On the night of Ellen Rosings's thank you dinner, she winds up finding one of her esteemed guests strangled with her own lemon agate necklace. With her new business, The Wisteria Tearoom, getting ready to launch, Ellen figures a murder is bad for publicity. She must do everything she can to not only clear her own name but clear the names of the people she holds most dear.
What a huge disappointment this book turned out to be. I was so excited when this novel was on sale on Amazon since I adore tea and I adore cozy mysteries. Well unfortunately this book may have been filled with tea but it sure as heck wasn't filled with any mystery. While the writing was relatively solid the actual murder mystery behind the novel was sorely lacking. Ellen did no real investigative work throughout the entire novel. I kept reading fruitlessly hoping that something would happen. But nothing ever did. So much for reading a fun cozy mystery with tea. I guess I'll just have to keep waiting.
On the night of Ellen Rosings's thank you dinner, she winds up finding one of her esteemed guests strangled with her own lemon agate necklace. With her new business, The Wisteria Tearoom, getting ready to launch, Ellen figures a murder is bad for publicity. She must do everything she can to not only clear her own name but clear the names of the people she holds most dear.
What a huge disappointment this book turned out to be. I was so excited when this novel was on sale on Amazon since I adore tea and I adore cozy mysteries. Well unfortunately this book may have been filled with tea but it sure as heck wasn't filled with any mystery. While the writing was relatively solid the actual murder mystery behind the novel was sorely lacking. Ellen did no real investigative work throughout the entire novel. I kept reading fruitlessly hoping that something would happen. But nothing ever did. So much for reading a fun cozy mystery with tea. I guess I'll just have to keep waiting.
July 5, 2015
A Fatal twist of lemon By Patrice Greenwood is the first book in the Wisteria Tearoom Mystery series. At a thankyou tea at the Wisteria tea room prior to opening, the Santa Fe preservation society president is found strangled with her necklace of lemon agate heishi beads. A nice introduction to this series, although a lot of information about setting up and running of the tea room rather than the murder, which was easily solved. Quite a slow paced, light and cozy mystery. A lot of nice descriptions of various delicious sounding dishes as well as beautiful scenery and possibly a resident ghost.
April 8, 2022
Ellen is ready to open her Victorian-themed tearoom in downtown Santa Fe, but her practice run with those who helped her ends up in murder.
I like the characters and setting, and had a hard time narrowing suspects, but I wished the author had included recipes. I will read the next one in the series.
I like the characters and setting, and had a hard time narrowing suspects, but I wished the author had included recipes. I will read the next one in the series.
February 2, 2020
delightful
June 29, 2015
So, a cozy mystery. I picked it up, in the sense of opening the kindle file that’s been sitting here for quite a while, because I wanted to read something with a plot, but not something that would get in my way while I work on my own current WIP. A contemporary cozy mystery fit the bill. It would have been even better for the purpose if I hadn’t liked it particularly, but in fact I found A Fatal Twist of Lemon had a good deal of charm. The writing is good, the setting seems well drawn although I’m not familiar with Santa Fe, the characters are appealing, and the mystery itself is . . . well, not that mysterious, but on the other hand, though I was not surprised to find out who the culprit was, I also wouldn’t have been surprised if it had been someone else, so I guess actually the red herrings were fairly effective. Also, I don’t read mysteries for the mystery as such. I read mysteries almost entirely for character and setting.
The main character, Ellen, has just opened the Wisteria Tearoom in a nice area of Santa Fe. The whole point, as far as Ellen is concerned, is to create a beautiful, peaceful, Victorian setting in which people can settle down for a civilized afternoon tea. To this purpose, she offers elegant decor, fresh flowers, and above all delightful food, which incidentally is described in the most mouthwatering terms.
The murder of one of the tearoom’s first patrons is a bit of a setback for establishing the desired atmosphere, as you might imagine. The ghost who sets the bobbles on the chandelier swaying, however, is a nice addition to the decor. I rather enjoyed the ghost.
Since this is a modern cozy mystery, we would expect an important romantic component. Detective Aragón is pretty offensive at the beginning, so much so that I thought it was going to be a bit of a trick to handle the shift, obviously coming up, from annoying-jackass-cop to sympathetic-male-lead. The author pulled it off, though, and rather more effectively than I expected.
In a cozy mystery, one of the challenges is to have the main character, who is not a cop, solve the mystery, without making the cops look like total morons. Greenwood managed this because just about every time Ellen discovered a tidbit of information and passed it on to Detective Aragón, he already knew it. The bit of information that actually solved the crime was reasonably something the police might not have known. The way Ellen put herself in danger at the last minute was intensely stupid, but I suppose not completely unreasonable given the sort of person she is. Though I would have preferred her not to do that. Honestly.
Anyway, I went on and picked up the second book, A Sprig of Blossomed Thorn, which incidentally is a wonderful title. I liked that one, too. We get to see all the characters develop and deepen, which is one of the main pleasures of a cozy mystery series. I’m particularly interested in seeing what’s going on with Kris, the business manager of the tearoom.
Racism plays an important role in developing the plot of the second book, but thank heaven, the story doesn’t come across as heavy-handed Message Fiction, which is actually quite an accomplishment these days, where too often The Message is piled on with a shovel, as though the author believes the point of telling a story is to show off how progressive she is. That wasn’t the case here. The setting really helped with that. I’m still not familiar with Santa Fe, but I can believe that the racial tensions in the area are exactly as portrayed in the book.
I’m going to go ahead and pick up the third book, um . . . okay, An Aria of Omens, and we’ll see where Greenwood takes that one. I will say that if Tony Aragón stops wearing his gun off-duty to please Ellen, I am going to be annoyed. For a different kind of male lead, that might work, but no one knows better than a cop that you *just never know* when a bad guy is going to start shooting up, say, the opera house. I don’t believe for one second that any competent cop would give way to the idea that it’s better to be unarmed in the face of disaster, even if he’s attracted to a woman whose life has been sufficiently protected that she doesn’t really believe violence is possible. Which she should be getting over, what with having had two women murdered in her immediate vicinity in the recent past.
So we’ll see.
But right now, I'm looking forward to starting the third book in the series.
The main character, Ellen, has just opened the Wisteria Tearoom in a nice area of Santa Fe. The whole point, as far as Ellen is concerned, is to create a beautiful, peaceful, Victorian setting in which people can settle down for a civilized afternoon tea. To this purpose, she offers elegant decor, fresh flowers, and above all delightful food, which incidentally is described in the most mouthwatering terms.
The murder of one of the tearoom’s first patrons is a bit of a setback for establishing the desired atmosphere, as you might imagine. The ghost who sets the bobbles on the chandelier swaying, however, is a nice addition to the decor. I rather enjoyed the ghost.
Since this is a modern cozy mystery, we would expect an important romantic component. Detective Aragón is pretty offensive at the beginning, so much so that I thought it was going to be a bit of a trick to handle the shift, obviously coming up, from annoying-jackass-cop to sympathetic-male-lead. The author pulled it off, though, and rather more effectively than I expected.
In a cozy mystery, one of the challenges is to have the main character, who is not a cop, solve the mystery, without making the cops look like total morons. Greenwood managed this because just about every time Ellen discovered a tidbit of information and passed it on to Detective Aragón, he already knew it. The bit of information that actually solved the crime was reasonably something the police might not have known. The way Ellen put herself in danger at the last minute was intensely stupid, but I suppose not completely unreasonable given the sort of person she is. Though I would have preferred her not to do that. Honestly.
Anyway, I went on and picked up the second book, A Sprig of Blossomed Thorn, which incidentally is a wonderful title. I liked that one, too. We get to see all the characters develop and deepen, which is one of the main pleasures of a cozy mystery series. I’m particularly interested in seeing what’s going on with Kris, the business manager of the tearoom.
Racism plays an important role in developing the plot of the second book, but thank heaven, the story doesn’t come across as heavy-handed Message Fiction, which is actually quite an accomplishment these days, where too often The Message is piled on with a shovel, as though the author believes the point of telling a story is to show off how progressive she is. That wasn’t the case here. The setting really helped with that. I’m still not familiar with Santa Fe, but I can believe that the racial tensions in the area are exactly as portrayed in the book.
I’m going to go ahead and pick up the third book, um . . . okay, An Aria of Omens, and we’ll see where Greenwood takes that one. I will say that if Tony Aragón stops wearing his gun off-duty to please Ellen, I am going to be annoyed. For a different kind of male lead, that might work, but no one knows better than a cop that you *just never know* when a bad guy is going to start shooting up, say, the opera house. I don’t believe for one second that any competent cop would give way to the idea that it’s better to be unarmed in the face of disaster, even if he’s attracted to a woman whose life has been sufficiently protected that she doesn’t really believe violence is possible. Which she should be getting over, what with having had two women murdered in her immediate vicinity in the recent past.
So we’ll see.
But right now, I'm looking forward to starting the third book in the series.
Read
May 11, 2018Good heroine except for the dumb move at the end. Reads like a guide book at times. Maybe will try the next book.
February 6, 2017
Par for the course as far as cozy mysteries go. This hits the cozy mystery spot, but I think that the author still has some room to grow (which I'm hoping she takes the opportunity to do since there are multiple books in this series) in fleshing out her characters and figuring out what things to recount more details about, and what information could be left on the cutting room floor. As someone who lives in Santa Fe, it was cool to be able to recognize the places to which the author was referring.
I feel a little iffy about the relationship between Ellen and Tony. It might turn out okay, but it's kind of a rich (but not "that rich," white woman who thinks it's "sometimes tough to be an Anglo in Santa Fe" ::cringe:: ahem your white privilege card is still honored) white woman who opens a tea shop and falls in love with a brown cop of lesser means story. It seems like the author is trying to give it some nuance, but she wasn't that successful, both due to the writing style and the fact that little time was spent developing the characters (presumably because you're supposed to read subsequent volumes).
I feel a little iffy about the relationship between Ellen and Tony. It might turn out okay, but it's kind of a rich (but not "that rich," white woman who thinks it's "sometimes tough to be an Anglo in Santa Fe" ::cringe:: ahem your white privilege card is still honored) white woman who opens a tea shop and falls in love with a brown cop of lesser means story. It seems like the author is trying to give it some nuance, but she wasn't that successful, both due to the writing style and the fact that little time was spent developing the characters (presumably because you're supposed to read subsequent volumes).
April 15, 2013
Maybe it's just because I completely relate to the protagonist's love of the English Tea Experience (I had my most profound one in Cambridge) and am fascinated by Santa Fe, NM, but I found this book irresistible. Once I started reading, I found myself wanting to return to it the way I'd want to return to a favorite restaurant or sit down for a cuppa.
This is a very nicely balanced book—characters, plot, mystery, romance, a little (possible) ghost action. I loved it. I am actually bummed that I finished the book. I kind of wanted to hang out in Ellen Rosing's tea parlor a while longer.
A truly enjoyable read with promise of more to come. So, Pat—when do we get to read the next one? I've got my teapot ready to go.
This is a very nicely balanced book—characters, plot, mystery, romance, a little (possible) ghost action. I loved it. I am actually bummed that I finished the book. I kind of wanted to hang out in Ellen Rosing's tea parlor a while longer.
A truly enjoyable read with promise of more to come. So, Pat—when do we get to read the next one? I've got my teapot ready to go.
August 5, 2013
Great characters, crisp, clear writing, personable in every way. The second book in the series is already in my TBR!
August 31, 2015
This was an odd series. On the one hand, I never warmed to the protagonist; she has some irritating habits that became more annoying as pages passed. Well, actually, I couldn't stand her. Her situation is an excellent example of one of the things I hate most about cozies and comfort reads in general: she went from sitting around in aimless depression to highly successful owner of a gorgeous teashop, with half a dozen employees, in no time flat and with hardly a hiccup. This does not happen In Real Life – or if it does it's too annoying to contemplate.
The murder happens quickly, which is somewhat unusual in a murder mystery. And then follows a good deal of huffing by Our Heroine about the cops in and out of her teashop and all the inconvenience this is bringing her. Poor her, always all alone, "on my own. As usual." – except for all the tremendous amount of help she received from the murder victim and others in getting the teashop up and running. Oh, and her staff.
It's interesting that in a first-person narrative that first person, er, person comes off so unlikeable. She refers to one of her employees – and one she trusts with a fair amount of responsibility – as "the goth", and thinks it ironic that "the goth" is the only one who wasn't there when the murder occurred. Death… goths… What a … pity? She works closely with her small staff, but sniffs about being extremely unwilling to "yield to modern informality" and let them call her by her first name. She not only calls them by their first names (or things like "the goth"), but uses nicknames.
She stereotypes constantly – there's that goth, the cop, all cops, the Hispanic, those darn teenagers, Catholics (at least twice she feels she needs to make the point "and I'm not even Catholic") – oh, and motorcycle riders: "I really, really dislike motorcycles. They're noisy and obnoxious, and so are a lot of the people who ride them. They disobey traffic rules and endanger pedestrians and I just don't like them. It's a failing of mine, a prejudice. Sorry, Miss Manners, but some things just can't be helped." Yes. Yes they can.
Which made it utterly ridiculous when she came out with the line, "'What is it with everyone? Yes, I wear jeans, yes, I drink coffee. Give me credit for a little dimension.'"
One bit of stereotyping was kind of hilarious: "The waiter appeared, a young man dressed all in black, which made me look twice. I thought he might be one of Kris's crowd." Kris, of course, is the oft-cited goth. But … don't waiters often wear all black?
And her staff follows suit: "'He doesn't look like the chamber music type,' Kris observed." You'd think she'd be tired enough of being pigeonholed that she'd try to avoid it.
The main character's prejudices are married to a haughty snobbishness that just grated – and which her background and standing don't seem to justify, if such an attitude can ever be justified. She's just clueless. "We'd even talked about trying a high tea eventually, though with Julio's talent and flair it would be a far cry from the traditional hearty evening meal of a British laborer." Who would ever expect to come into a tea shop expecting a "traditional [laborer's] hearty evening meal"? That's a whole different take on tea, and not what is advertised in this place. (At least "flair" is spelled correctly.)
One note I made to myself when the murder occurred and the police descended was: "Oh please don't let this be the love interest". "Officer Arrogant", Our Heroine's nickname for the cop whose real name is Aragon, comes into the So Pretty setting of the teashop like … well, Mythbusters proved that bulls really aren't that dangerous in china shops, so let's skip the simile and just say he's obnoxious, unpleasant, belligerent, loud, and – despite being (of course) smokin' hot – all around unlikeable. What's her name – Ellen, if I may be so bold - doesn't like him. I don't like him. His rehabilitation into Love Interest never quite made sense, no matter how many justifications for his behavior came along. Bad first impressions really are hard to overcome.
I mean, he lighted into her for "removing evidence": she tried to resuscitate the murder victim, and removed an article of jewelry. Trying to save her life. I thought he was going to arrest her.
The Heroine's efforts at investigation were hard to swallow. As she begins to flail for a motive for the murder, she ponders how "It seemed unreasonable to commit murder over a house". It's badly worded: for the specific situation here it might be unreasonable, but there have probably been plenty of murders committed over houses: homes, or investments, or inheritances. It's a strong motivation. "Could you remind me of the sort of terms that might be in the deed?" she asks. The response is, "Sure." Uh, no – the correct answer to that would be "I can't tell you that, are you insane?"
And I initially really, really disliked the ghost thing. It's just another box checked off on the Cozy Mystery Checklist: woman who owns her own too-successful business; cop investigating Her First Corpse evolving into love interest; ghost. But I have to give the author credit: this was handled better than I expected. Basically, anything short of a phantom discussing the situation with the budding amateur detective is going to be a positive…
There was no real sense of the very specific setting, despite constant place names and occasional Spanish being used. It was a tea shop, almost like a British embassy: England within those walls, and irrelevant what was outside them.
Still, the writing, except for the tendency toward stereotyping and generalization, was readable. I never intended to continue with the series, but they cleverly tacked on a generous sample of Book 2 at the end of this one, and out of laziness I read it. And then sighed and bought the second one.
One thing I have to compliment highly is the title. It's very clever indeed – I like it.
The murder happens quickly, which is somewhat unusual in a murder mystery. And then follows a good deal of huffing by Our Heroine about the cops in and out of her teashop and all the inconvenience this is bringing her. Poor her, always all alone, "on my own. As usual." – except for all the tremendous amount of help she received from the murder victim and others in getting the teashop up and running. Oh, and her staff.
It's interesting that in a first-person narrative that first person, er, person comes off so unlikeable. She refers to one of her employees – and one she trusts with a fair amount of responsibility – as "the goth", and thinks it ironic that "the goth" is the only one who wasn't there when the murder occurred. Death… goths… What a … pity? She works closely with her small staff, but sniffs about being extremely unwilling to "yield to modern informality" and let them call her by her first name. She not only calls them by their first names (or things like "the goth"), but uses nicknames.
She stereotypes constantly – there's that goth, the cop, all cops, the Hispanic, those darn teenagers, Catholics (at least twice she feels she needs to make the point "and I'm not even Catholic") – oh, and motorcycle riders: "I really, really dislike motorcycles. They're noisy and obnoxious, and so are a lot of the people who ride them. They disobey traffic rules and endanger pedestrians and I just don't like them. It's a failing of mine, a prejudice. Sorry, Miss Manners, but some things just can't be helped." Yes. Yes they can.
Which made it utterly ridiculous when she came out with the line, "'What is it with everyone? Yes, I wear jeans, yes, I drink coffee. Give me credit for a little dimension.'"
One bit of stereotyping was kind of hilarious: "The waiter appeared, a young man dressed all in black, which made me look twice. I thought he might be one of Kris's crowd." Kris, of course, is the oft-cited goth. But … don't waiters often wear all black?
And her staff follows suit: "'He doesn't look like the chamber music type,' Kris observed." You'd think she'd be tired enough of being pigeonholed that she'd try to avoid it.
The main character's prejudices are married to a haughty snobbishness that just grated – and which her background and standing don't seem to justify, if such an attitude can ever be justified. She's just clueless. "We'd even talked about trying a high tea eventually, though with Julio's talent and flair it would be a far cry from the traditional hearty evening meal of a British laborer." Who would ever expect to come into a tea shop expecting a "traditional [laborer's] hearty evening meal"? That's a whole different take on tea, and not what is advertised in this place. (At least "flair" is spelled correctly.)
One note I made to myself when the murder occurred and the police descended was: "Oh please don't let this be the love interest". "Officer Arrogant", Our Heroine's nickname for the cop whose real name is Aragon, comes into the So Pretty setting of the teashop like … well, Mythbusters proved that bulls really aren't that dangerous in china shops, so let's skip the simile and just say he's obnoxious, unpleasant, belligerent, loud, and – despite being (of course) smokin' hot – all around unlikeable. What's her name – Ellen, if I may be so bold - doesn't like him. I don't like him. His rehabilitation into Love Interest never quite made sense, no matter how many justifications for his behavior came along. Bad first impressions really are hard to overcome.
I mean, he lighted into her for "removing evidence": she tried to resuscitate the murder victim, and removed an article of jewelry. Trying to save her life. I thought he was going to arrest her.
The Heroine's efforts at investigation were hard to swallow. As she begins to flail for a motive for the murder, she ponders how "It seemed unreasonable to commit murder over a house". It's badly worded: for the specific situation here it might be unreasonable, but there have probably been plenty of murders committed over houses: homes, or investments, or inheritances. It's a strong motivation. "Could you remind me of the sort of terms that might be in the deed?" she asks. The response is, "Sure." Uh, no – the correct answer to that would be "I can't tell you that, are you insane?"
And I initially really, really disliked the ghost thing. It's just another box checked off on the Cozy Mystery Checklist: woman who owns her own too-successful business; cop investigating Her First Corpse evolving into love interest; ghost. But I have to give the author credit: this was handled better than I expected. Basically, anything short of a phantom discussing the situation with the budding amateur detective is going to be a positive…
There was no real sense of the very specific setting, despite constant place names and occasional Spanish being used. It was a tea shop, almost like a British embassy: England within those walls, and irrelevant what was outside them.
Still, the writing, except for the tendency toward stereotyping and generalization, was readable. I never intended to continue with the series, but they cleverly tacked on a generous sample of Book 2 at the end of this one, and out of laziness I read it. And then sighed and bought the second one.
One thing I have to compliment highly is the title. It's very clever indeed – I like it.
February 23, 2017
I would go 4 and a half stars on this one.
The thank you tea at the Wisteria Tearoom in Santa Fe turns out great, until someone is murdered in the dining room. Owner Ellen Rosings has put all her money into the tearoom, the place of her dreams, and she fears the murder will be the end of it before the tearoom even opens.
Much to the dismay of police officer Tony Aragon she starts asking questions, to see if she can figure out whodunit before her dreams go down the tube.
This book is set in Santa Fe, one of my favorite places, and it captures the spirit of the city different perfectly. I feel like Ms. Greenwood has drawn characters with flaws, which makes them much more relatable to me, and makes me care about them. I feel like both Ellen and Tony grew as the book progressed, and I look forward to seeing where the relationship goes in future books.
Add to that the resident ghost of the historical house where the tearoom is set and you have mystery, a little romance and a little paranormal.
I'm happy to see there are more books in the series waiting to be discovered.
The thank you tea at the Wisteria Tearoom in Santa Fe turns out great, until someone is murdered in the dining room. Owner Ellen Rosings has put all her money into the tearoom, the place of her dreams, and she fears the murder will be the end of it before the tearoom even opens.
Much to the dismay of police officer Tony Aragon she starts asking questions, to see if she can figure out whodunit before her dreams go down the tube.
This book is set in Santa Fe, one of my favorite places, and it captures the spirit of the city different perfectly. I feel like Ms. Greenwood has drawn characters with flaws, which makes them much more relatable to me, and makes me care about them. I feel like both Ellen and Tony grew as the book progressed, and I look forward to seeing where the relationship goes in future books.
Add to that the resident ghost of the historical house where the tearoom is set and you have mystery, a little romance and a little paranormal.
I'm happy to see there are more books in the series waiting to be discovered.
August 6, 2012
A Fatal Twist of Lemon is a book I got through LibraryThings Early Reviewers. In exchange for the book, I have been asked to write this review. This book is a solid cozy mystery. You have an amateur sleuth trying to solve a mystery that impacts her life directly. It was fast paced and an easy read. I found it enjoyable once I got into it. I found that Greenwood did a good job setting up her red herring and eventual discovery of the true killer. I love a good mystery and found this one very enjoyable. I needed something like this as I have some heavier books on my TBR pile.
That being said, I had some problems with the story. I actually felt cheated out of something by the time this book was over. My two big problems were the beginning and the end. The beginning starts really fast. I have read some cozy mysteries that don't give you the mystery until about half way through the book. That is too long. Most give you about one set up chapter and then launch you into the murder. Greenwood launches into the murder within the first 3 pages. There is barely any set up as to who Ellen, our sleuth, is and why we should care. It took me a little while to understand where things were happening (other than Ellen's new Tea Room). I had no idea why I should care about who murdered Sylvia. I do like a little set up, even if it's just to tell me about Santa Fe (a place I have never been to before). Greenwood does the set up part through the novel explaining enough to make me forgive her rush to get us to the mystery. I can understand it being an issue of storytelling style.
It was the end that left me truely irritated. While I think Greenwood led us nicely to our murderer, she never resolved anything! There was no wrap-up section where she explains motives, means and method. I love hearing what our victim did to the murderer that led to a death. I love hearing what pushed them over the edge and how they took advantage of an opportunity. Greenwood makes a huge deal about this crime not being premeditated. She has Ellen going over it in her, but she never resolves what happened in the moment that led to the murder. She focuses more on a budding romance and PR for the tea house.
In the end, I think cozy mystery fans may enjoy this one. I may not read her next one, but it has made me want to pick up cozy mysteries again.
That being said, I had some problems with the story. I actually felt cheated out of something by the time this book was over. My two big problems were the beginning and the end. The beginning starts really fast. I have read some cozy mysteries that don't give you the mystery until about half way through the book. That is too long. Most give you about one set up chapter and then launch you into the murder. Greenwood launches into the murder within the first 3 pages. There is barely any set up as to who Ellen, our sleuth, is and why we should care. It took me a little while to understand where things were happening (other than Ellen's new Tea Room). I had no idea why I should care about who murdered Sylvia. I do like a little set up, even if it's just to tell me about Santa Fe (a place I have never been to before). Greenwood does the set up part through the novel explaining enough to make me forgive her rush to get us to the mystery. I can understand it being an issue of storytelling style.
It was the end that left me truely irritated. While I think Greenwood led us nicely to our murderer, she never resolved anything! There was no wrap-up section where she explains motives, means and method. I love hearing what our victim did to the murderer that led to a death. I love hearing what pushed them over the edge and how they took advantage of an opportunity. Greenwood makes a huge deal about this crime not being premeditated. She has Ellen going over it in her, but she never resolves what happened in the moment that led to the murder. She focuses more on a budding romance and PR for the tea house.
In the end, I think cozy mystery fans may enjoy this one. I may not read her next one, but it has made me want to pick up cozy mysteries again.
March 9, 2015
"Paramedics arrived in mere moments and confirmed that Sylvia was beyond help. I felt guilty and apalled and terribly, terribly sad. I also felt apprehensive, especially when the police began to invade."
...
A gem of a premise - I mean how perfect is a combination of tea and murder to make a 'cozy' mystery? - is not just wasted in this, it's thrown on the ground and trampled on like a socialite housewife trying to make her just-new-from-Nordstroms-but-already-old, too ashamed to donate them as is, clothes look slightly worn before she drops them off at the Salvation Army.
Wait, you want me to tell you WHY it's bad? Nonsense. Just take my word for it and sip a cuppa tea while reading an Agatha Christie novel instead. No? Still here?
Fine. The writing is just so dreadfully amateurish, with all the hallmarks of a new, untalented writer. The need to offer running commentary: "The first day my tearoom opened was wonderful - mostly. Funny how life can go swimmingly one moment, and fall to pieces the next." I didn't know about life's propensity to do that, Ms. Greewood. I am now enlightened, and in such juicy prose, too. And the prissy, anachronistic descriptions. "Vi was a stunning Juno of a girl with a tumble of falming curls barely confined by a lavender ribbon" and "I waved farewell to her and her perennial beau Manny Salazar." Perennial beau. Indeed. Delightful. And the constant need to state things instead of showing them - i.e. instead of saying "a knot of uncertainty coiled in my stomach," we get "I wished I could think of something to say to reassure them, but I was feeling none too assured myself."
Please, Ms. Greenwood. Rescind this novel and offer the rights of the delightful premise to someone who can actually write.
...
A gem of a premise - I mean how perfect is a combination of tea and murder to make a 'cozy' mystery? - is not just wasted in this, it's thrown on the ground and trampled on like a socialite housewife trying to make her just-new-from-Nordstroms-but-already-old, too ashamed to donate them as is, clothes look slightly worn before she drops them off at the Salvation Army.
Wait, you want me to tell you WHY it's bad? Nonsense. Just take my word for it and sip a cuppa tea while reading an Agatha Christie novel instead. No? Still here?
Fine. The writing is just so dreadfully amateurish, with all the hallmarks of a new, untalented writer. The need to offer running commentary: "The first day my tearoom opened was wonderful - mostly. Funny how life can go swimmingly one moment, and fall to pieces the next." I didn't know about life's propensity to do that, Ms. Greewood. I am now enlightened, and in such juicy prose, too. And the prissy, anachronistic descriptions. "Vi was a stunning Juno of a girl with a tumble of falming curls barely confined by a lavender ribbon" and "I waved farewell to her and her perennial beau Manny Salazar." Perennial beau. Indeed. Delightful. And the constant need to state things instead of showing them - i.e. instead of saying "a knot of uncertainty coiled in my stomach," we get "I wished I could think of something to say to reassure them, but I was feeling none too assured myself."
Please, Ms. Greenwood. Rescind this novel and offer the rights of the delightful premise to someone who can actually write.
August 20, 2012
Depressed after the death of her parents, Ellen Rosing is slowly rebuilding her life and decides to open a Victorian Tea Room. She has invested everything in the Tea Room and wants desperately for it to succeed. Her plans seemed doomed to failure, however, when a guest is murdered before the Tea Room officially opens to the public. Ellen doesn't think Detective Tony Aragon (whom she quickly nicknames Detective Arrogant) is doing enough to solve the crime so she takes matters into her own hands to try and solve the crime and save her Tea Room.
“A Fatal Twist of Lemon” is the nicely done first book in Patrice Greenwood's Wisteria Tea Room cozy mystery series. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the book because it started with the murder - I like to get to know the characters, including the victim, in a cozy mystery before the murder - that way I can “solve” the mystery alongside the heroine. Since readers weren't shown the events leading up to the murder I was sure I would not enjoy the book - boy was I wrong! I was quickly caught up in Ellen’s story - both her past story and present story and liked her character. The Tea Room setting is not unique but nicely done and I could almost taste the food while reading the book. The mystery was well done with plenty of suspects and some tense moments. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that there were a few too many loose ends. I realize there will probably be more books in the series but the paranormal aspects especially could have been developed/explained more by the end of this book.
“A Fatal Twist of Lemon” is a tasty beginning to a promising cozy mystery series.
“A Fatal Twist of Lemon” is the nicely done first book in Patrice Greenwood's Wisteria Tea Room cozy mystery series. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the book because it started with the murder - I like to get to know the characters, including the victim, in a cozy mystery before the murder - that way I can “solve” the mystery alongside the heroine. Since readers weren't shown the events leading up to the murder I was sure I would not enjoy the book - boy was I wrong! I was quickly caught up in Ellen’s story - both her past story and present story and liked her character. The Tea Room setting is not unique but nicely done and I could almost taste the food while reading the book. The mystery was well done with plenty of suspects and some tense moments. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that there were a few too many loose ends. I realize there will probably be more books in the series but the paranormal aspects especially could have been developed/explained more by the end of this book.
“A Fatal Twist of Lemon” is a tasty beginning to a promising cozy mystery series.
July 20, 2016
The first day my tearoom opened was wonderful---mostly.
Ellen has opened the Wisteria Tearoom in historic Sante Fe. She is hosting a thank you tea for people that helped her open including members of the Preservation Society. Everyone becomes a suspect when the Society's president, Sylvia is found strangled in the dining room. Detective Tony Aragon is a moody character prepared to think the worst of everyone. Ellen feels that he is not looking hard enough for the murderer and begins her own investigation.
I adore tearooms! I appreciated the descriptions of Ellen's blends and the lovely food created by chef Julio. The addition of a possible haunting was intruguing. Some of the characters were difficult to connect with. I'm hoping they will be fleshed out a bit in future books.
An enjoyable afternoon read.
Ellen has opened the Wisteria Tearoom in historic Sante Fe. She is hosting a thank you tea for people that helped her open including members of the Preservation Society. Everyone becomes a suspect when the Society's president, Sylvia is found strangled in the dining room. Detective Tony Aragon is a moody character prepared to think the worst of everyone. Ellen feels that he is not looking hard enough for the murderer and begins her own investigation.
I adore tearooms! I appreciated the descriptions of Ellen's blends and the lovely food created by chef Julio. The addition of a possible haunting was intruguing. Some of the characters were difficult to connect with. I'm hoping they will be fleshed out a bit in future books.
An enjoyable afternoon read.
July 19, 2016
I want to like this more than I probably should. That's not to say that this book was bad, it just dragged a touch. I think there were too many characters introduced at once. I'm only vaguely aware of who is who. With so many moving parts I found it really hard to keep up with the entire cast. I think this took away from some of the enjoyment of the book. I would have liked to see more between Tony and Ellen. Depending on what I think of the preview of the next book, A Sprig of Blossomed Thorn, I might continue with the author. I do with the death was death by poisoning, it just fits with the title so well.
Kindle Freebie.
Kindle Freebie.
December 29, 2014
Highly recommended for cozy mystery lovers, especially if you happen to like Laura Child's Tearoom Mysteries. In my opinion, however, this series is superior even though it is much newer. The characters have much more depth. They even have flaws, which I found refreshing. I also enjoyed the Santa Fe setting, and a cast of characters that aren't all white as Wonder bread, for a change. I've read the other two as well, and aside from disappointment in the brevity of the dénouement in the third book, I enjoyed them all. Definitely give this one a try.
September 6, 2016
I feel like this series was written just for me. I am seriously in awe of the way Patrice Greenwood wrote this mystery and this series is now very dear to my heart. I did not willingly put this book down. I felt so involved, so invested in this tea room, the mystery and the characters so rich and diverse! An old Victorian, A Haunted Tea Room, an unexpected murder, recipes that feel like they jump off the page and right into your stomach. Yes this is a series for me. If you are a tea and cozy mystery lover you should have this book and series on your table and in your heart.
November 11, 2014
I enjoyed the characters and the mystery very much. Not a complex mystery but it was fun to read. I look forward to reading the other books in the series to see how the Ellen and Tony's relationship develops and how Ellen deals with Willow, the lady who wants to add Ellen's tearoom to her ghost walk. Then there is the ghost is he really turning the lights and music on?
I am definitely reading the other books in the series.
I am definitely reading the other books in the series.
January 15, 2018
It took me a bit to finally get into this, but it turned into a thoroughly enjoyable cozy murder mystery, with a dash of a ghost. I’m looking forward to reading more about Ellen and her tearoom. I also want to have tea in a tea room! Santa Fe is a supporting character in this - lots of descriptions about the town, the shops, which is nice since it’s different from what I’m used to, and I haven’t ever been. Recommended for lazy winter afternoons with a cup of tea at an elbow!
October 11, 2015
I fully enjoyed the story and characters. They grew throughout and I felt I was getting to know them. Will certainly continue the series. Especially want to follow the burgeoning romance of our heroine and the cop.
December 14, 2015
Cozy mystery set in Santa Fe (good) with a protagonist who owns a Tea Shop modeled on an English Tea experience (weak). I didn't really like the characters. Probably would not read any more in this series.
March 21, 2017
It started really well and grabbed me from the start... and then sadly, it loosened its grip and just dragged while getting nowhere.
The ideas good and the characters were easy to like, although the 'H' is a bit of an overgrown child with all his chipped shoulders, judgemental prejudices and insecure moments - especially for a detective... how could he possibly have gotten that far with all his childish antics?
Where it fell down for me is that after the initial 'bang, here's our plot, now let's figure it out', it turned into a bit of a preachy tourist guide book. Santa Fe and it's 'life' sounds like an awesome place, but the author kept repeating the same things to let us know either how great something is or how great her knowledge of something was. It was enough to detract, from what was by then, a very slow moving storyline. It dragged a lot after the initial 1/4 or so.
I didn't realise it was a series when I started to read it. There is one main murder, which was wrapped up in this book, but there's another thread (or three) that has been left to the next book, and likely the series. And while I'm not quite ready to get on 'my soap box about books that are split into chapters and called a series', it still leaves me thinking it was far too drawn out and probably would have been better to stick to one book. But, there was so much filler and dragging that I'm not likely to continue with this series, and especially for the price being charged.
The ideas good and the characters were easy to like, although the 'H' is a bit of an overgrown child with all his chipped shoulders, judgemental prejudices and insecure moments - especially for a detective... how could he possibly have gotten that far with all his childish antics?
Where it fell down for me is that after the initial 'bang, here's our plot, now let's figure it out', it turned into a bit of a preachy tourist guide book. Santa Fe and it's 'life' sounds like an awesome place, but the author kept repeating the same things to let us know either how great something is or how great her knowledge of something was. It was enough to detract, from what was by then, a very slow moving storyline. It dragged a lot after the initial 1/4 or so.
I didn't realise it was a series when I started to read it. There is one main murder, which was wrapped up in this book, but there's another thread (or three) that has been left to the next book, and likely the series. And while I'm not quite ready to get on 'my soap box about books that are split into chapters and called a series', it still leaves me thinking it was far too drawn out and probably would have been better to stick to one book. But, there was so much filler and dragging that I'm not likely to continue with this series, and especially for the price being charged.
March 8, 2019
This one just wasn't for me.
I find that American authors really struggle with the nuances of English culture. It's never quite right - something is always slightly off in the descriptions.
Ellen was a bit of a hypocrite - constantly referring to Miss Manners but then not having a problem declaring that her parents weren't rich enough to send her to the Prep school.
That statement was vulgarity itself - mannered people do not discuss money. Ellen didn't have a problem with it.
What she did have a problem with was her staff calling her "Ellen". It wasn't proper enough. Good grief.
Also pies are not casseroles. They are pies.
Something else that bothered me was the Tony Aragon character. He was simply odd and unrealistic. Unless they were insane, no typical adult male - of any profession - would carry on the way he did. It was simply unbelievable and he came across as a nutter.
Later on in the book he was more realistic but the damage had been done.
I won't be heading back to the Wisteria Tearoom any time soon.
I find that American authors really struggle with the nuances of English culture. It's never quite right - something is always slightly off in the descriptions.
Ellen was a bit of a hypocrite - constantly referring to Miss Manners but then not having a problem declaring that her parents weren't rich enough to send her to the Prep school.
That statement was vulgarity itself - mannered people do not discuss money. Ellen didn't have a problem with it.
What she did have a problem with was her staff calling her "Ellen". It wasn't proper enough. Good grief.
Also pies are not casseroles. They are pies.
Something else that bothered me was the Tony Aragon character. He was simply odd and unrealistic. Unless they were insane, no typical adult male - of any profession - would carry on the way he did. It was simply unbelievable and he came across as a nutter.
Later on in the book he was more realistic but the damage had been done.
I won't be heading back to the Wisteria Tearoom any time soon.
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