Tea & Treachery is the first book in the Tea by the Sea Mystery Series by Vicki Delany.  Delany is a powerhouse in the genre of cozy mystery writing with many unique and interesting reads.  She has about a half dozen series under her belt, and you can always count on her for a fun, yet complex cozy mystery!  I was looking to start a new series and came upon Delany’s latest, and I am glad that I did.

Lily Roberts is the proprietor of the quaint tea shop, Tea by the Sea, in picturesque Cape Cod.  In this vacation mecca, Roberts stays busy with the shop thanks in part to her grandmother’s Victorian B&B next door where her tea is a hit with guests.  Her grandmother, Rose, has inspired much in Lily’s life, especially the tea shop whose British theme pays homage to Rose’s homeland.  Rose is feisty, sassy and holds no opinion back.  One of Lily’s main jobs is reining in her grandmother and keeping her out of trouble!

Both the tea shop and the B&B rely on summer tourism to keep the doors open.  A real estate developer named Jack Ford arrives in town and hints that he will be purchasing the adjacent land to the shop and B&B.  His purchase of the adjacent land would turn it into a large complex with a golf course.  With this news, Rose goes on the offense and prepares to battle against the development.  Developer Jack Ford will hear none of the objections from Lily, Rose and the other residents who fear the new development will change the charm of the cape.  Tempers flare and words are exchanged between Rose and Jack with both drawing a line in the sand.

Everything soon changes when Jack is found dead at the bottom of the beach access stairs on Rose’s property!  Law enforcement knows that she had a motive to want Jack Ford dead.  Lily steps in and plays intermediary with the police when Rose is questioned as a suspect.  After the police release Rose after questioning, Lily knows that things aren’t looking good for her grandmother and time is of the essence for her to find the real killer!

This series has a bit of everything – a beautiful setting, a fun cast of characters (especially entertaining is the banter between Lily and Rose), an interesting “who done it” and scrumptious descriptions of food and tea!  If you are looking for a new cozy series, think about Tea by the Sea!