Book 39, 2022
Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
After cleaning house this morning, I finished reading Tempest in a Teapot, which is the first book in Amanda Cooper's "Teapot Collector" mystery series. The main character was Sophie Taylor. The story was told in third-person point of view, but it wasn't exclusively in Sophie's pov.
Left reeling and adrift after her upscale Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie retreats to the small town of Gracious Grove, NY, to spend time with her grandmother. Rose Freemont owns and operates Auntie Rose's Victorian Teahouse, which is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. In fact, Sophie's childhood friend, Cissy, wants to hold her bridal shower there. Not everyone is happy with the choice of venue, including Cissy's grandmother, Thelma Mae, who owns a competing teashop, Belle Epoque, right across the street. To placate Thelma, Cissy agrees to an engagement tea at Belle Epoque. Unfortunately, Cissy's future mother-in-law dies in the teashop after eating a cupcake. Sophie rushes next door when she hears the commotion, but it's too late for Vivienne. Unsettled that a murder happened so close to home, Sophie begins asking questions in an attempt to discover who may have wanted Vivienne dead. What she finds out is a vast network of shady deals and bribery relating to a nearby land development. When Sophie gets too close to the truth, someone attacks her grandmother, which just makes Sophie all the more determined to unmask a killer.
A wonderful example of a cozy mystery, including a small-town setting, a spunky heroine, and multiple suspects. I would have preferred that the narrative followed Sophie, even in third-person pov, instead of encompassing other characters. I didn't like that Sophie was rather overt in her sleuthing; subtlety is the key in an amateur investigation. The ending flirted with being silly, and some plot points lacked resolution.
Favorite lines:
♦ He wasn't going to have an epiphany and realize he was a giant, braying ass.
♦ "No one gets through life without regrets, right?"
Since this is the first in a series, I'm putting it to my
1. Does the mc work at/as one of the following: baker/bakery/sweet shop/tea shop/coffee shop, library/librarian, antique/vintage shop, book store, fashion/boutique, bed & breakfast? Yes, for now.
2. Does the mc live at her (or his) place of occupation? Yes, for now.
3. Is the love interest involved in law enforcement? (Police officer, sheriff, detective, PI, FBI) No, he's a college professor
4. Does the mc have a dog/cat as a pet? Not yet, but I imagine she'll end up with Sweet Pea.
5. Is the mc's BFF either a gay guy or a ditzy/zany woman? No, Cissy is composed
6. Did the mc find the body? No, she didn't
7. Did the mc wind up in mortal danger at the end of the book? No, thank goodness!
8. Is the mc's mother either: dead, absent, far removed, ditzy and dithering, or overbearing/disapproving/meddling? Yes, her mother is an aloof snob.
9. If mother is dead/absent, does the mc have another mother-figure (grandmother, aunt, mom's friend, or an older friend)? Yes, her grandmother.
10. Is the mc child-free? (Either no children or else grown children--i.e. no small children to look after) Yes, she is child-free
Hm, pretty even score. I'll be generous and award this one a four.