Lauren ElliottCritiques

This cozy mystery introduces the reader to Addie Greyborne, who left her job at the Boston Public Library upon inheriting the estate of a great aunt she has no recollection of every meeting. She moves to the coastal Massachusetts town of Greyborne Harbor, which was named for ancestors in colonial times. Addie is hoping this fresh start will help her recover from the murder of fiancée and her father’s tragic death in a car accident, both of which were never investigated to Addie’s satisfaction. Soon after Addie arrives in Greyborne Harbor, she decides to open a bookstore, Beyond the Page, but she immediately becomes the victim of a series of break-ins at her imposing Victorian home and the bookstore, plus people begin turning up dead. Addie seemed younger than her thirty-something years as she becomes entangled in unraveling the mysteries along with the chief of police, Marc Chandler, with whom there is sexual tension throughout. A few too many cliches for my liking, but, overall, it was an action-filled plot that kept me reading.

This book revolves around Addie Greybone, who is the main character who owns her own bookstore, Beyond the Page. She takes a trip to Pen Hollow, anticipating buying books from a closing bookstore. That simple trip turned into a huge adventure, murder mystery, bubbling romance and more. That is why I like this book so much. The mystery part will keep you guessing and re-guessing all the way through, but hopefully you will enjoy the journey as much as I did. The romance is always on the edge, and you are never really sure which way it will go. The friendships are real and strong. The characters were likeable, except the ones that were not supposed to be. I wanted to take my time and read this book, but I was easily hooked, and the plot flowed so well that I finished this one in a day. So be warned that this is a book you will enjoy best if you can tackle it all at once.

Murder In A Cup is the second book in A Crystals And CuriosTEAS Mystery series by Lauren Ellicott.

Shay enjoys growing tea for and packaging various blends she sells in her shop. There were some poisonous plants in her greenhouse on the roof of her building, and she donated them to her friend Dr. Mia Harper, a botanist at the local university, so they weren’t accidentally used when she packaged her tea blends. A group of women called the White Gloves come in for tea every morning. One day, a new member, Jasmine, the girlfriend of Peter Graham, the father of Shay’s part-time teenage employee, Tissi, joined the White Gloves. Peter is in Bray Harbor to take custody of Tassi and take her home to Carmel. Peter wants her to meet and get to know her soon-to-be stepmother, but Tassi wants nothing to do with Jasmine. In addition, Peter doesn’t want her working for a witch. Shay doesn’t feel comfortable reading tea leaves yet, but Jasmine finally talks Shay into reading her tea leaves. Tassi serves Jasmine her tea, and just as she is about to hand the cup to Shay, she collapses and dies. It seems that Jasmine had been poisoned. Tassi is quickly considered a suspect as she served the tea and made a comment that was construed as threatening.

Liam, who owns the pub next door to Shay’s shop, has returned from Ireland and has brought his Gram to Bray Harbor. Gram is also a seer and knew Shay’s grandmother and mother and will share Shay’s family history with her. Gram will also support Shay as she works to develop her powers.

The book is well-written, plotted, and exciting. The story also reads at a nice pace. Most of the characters from the first book are back again. The characters are well-developed and believable. The reader will also learn more about the backstory of Shay and Tassi. Once again, Shay’s German Shepard will play an integral part.

I’m looking forward to more visits to Bray Harbor.

sisters, family-drama, family-dynamics, relationships, relatives, Irish-lore, amateur-sleuth, paranormal, small-town, small-business, secret-society, cultural-heritage, urban-fantasy, dog, cozy-mystery, botany, local-law-enforcement, teenager, murder-investigation, ex-cop, falsely-accused, false-conclusions, customs-and-belief-systems, custody-issues*****

I liked this installment a lot. The stories are a melange of witchery, mystery, and societal drama. The writing is exceptional and involved me as the reader. Highly recommend!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you.

Steeped in Secrets is the first book in the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS cozy mystery series by Lauren Elliott. I received a hardback of this book from a Goodreads giveaway and all opinions are honest and my own.

Shay has returned to Bray Harbor after sixteen years because Bridget Early, the elderly owner of Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, has passed away and left the store to her. But Shay doesn't understand why because she barely knew Bridget and had rarely even spoken to her. Now she has to decide if she wants to take over this shop that she doesn't know how to run or sell it and start over doing something she wants. On her initial tour of the building, though, a man's dead body is found on the roof of her store and everything halts. Who is this man? Who wanted him dead? Is it a warning for Shay somehow?

In true cozy mystery form, this is a small town where everyone knows everyone. Shay is reconnecting with her sister and her family, making some new friends, and even inherits a dog named Spirit. There's some romance with the Irish pub owner next door, and of course Shay investigating the death and how she connects to Bridget. Why would she have left everything to a stranger?

I finished this in one sitting, staying up until 2:30 am to finish it. It was a quick read, the plot moves nicely and all the characters are fully fleshed out. There's a little suspense and Shay is finding clues to Bridget's life everywhere. There aren't a lot of suspects for the stranger's murder, but things come together nicely.

All in all, a great start to this cozy series. If you're a lover of small towns, tea, a little supernatural talent, and mysteries solved by people who have no business investigating, then this is definitely for you. I'm looking forward to reading the second book.

4 Stars
This is the second book in the series, but the first I've read, and it can be read as a stand-alone easily. It's lighthearted, and has a touch of magic and Irish charm, and plenty of colorful and likeable characters. I hope the MC develops her magical abilities some more in the next installment, but I definitely plan on continuing this series. For cozy mystery fans.

Net Galley Feedback

I read a later book in this series in the past and decided to read others in the series.

Addie Greyborne receives an inheritance from an aunt she doesn't remember and decides to open a used bookstore. Addie's background is working with rare books (as did her late father and late husband).

Unfortunately, trouble seems to have followed Addie to her new home. Luckily, her new friend Serena has a brother who's the chief of police. Together, the three of them unravel several seemingly unrelated mysteries.

Addie Greybourne is preparing for her wedding to Simon when an issue arises to put everything on hold. Needing something to take her mind off her disappointment, Addie decides it's time to tackle clearing the attic in the old Victorian that she inherited. Going through boxes, she discovers journals filled with questions about a cold case. At the same time, Addie's ex-boyfriend asks her help solving a murder filled with suspects.

It was great to see the characters continued development so much that they are like real friends. The plot was woven to really hold the reader until all the twists and turns are resolved.

Past secrets and past crimes resurface in the present day to cause havoc and death. Addie is about to be married to Simon, when a woman from his past barges into wedding ceremony to stop it before the the now-startled couple can be pronounced husband and wife. As more of Simon’s past is exposed, Addie realizes that she didn’t know Simon at all, and that even Humpty Dumpty had a better chance at being put back together than her broken relationship with Simon has. Meanwhile, secrets that Addie uncovers about her own past stun her. And these same secrets are tied to more than one murder. It’s quite an intriguing case, and puts Addie in danger even as she tries to figure out her past and her future. This well-written installment puts Addie in a life changing predicament, and it will quite interesting to see what direction she chooses to follow.

Addie is in real trouble in this story! What starts out as a buying expedition turns into an accusation of murder for her and Paige. A library located in an adjoining small town is closing, and they travel there to see if any of the books are items they wish to acquire for resale in the shop. Instead, they find a bookmobile which they believe is perfect as a traveling bookshop. They could hit all the summer festivals with it. Unfortunately, Addie has become the owner of the vehicle for only an hour when the mayor of the town, driving it to Addie so she can take possession of it, crashes it into a wall and dies. But an autopsy shows she was poisoned, resulting in the accident. And the small-town sheriff believes Addie did it. Marc and Simon arrive to help clear Addie, but the sheriff stubbornly digs in his heels. Eventually, Addie puzzles it out, and figures out what likely happened. How a simple excursion results in a murder charge is one for the books! A delightful mystery, and one that astute readers may be able to solve as Addie slowly reveals the clues she discovers. The is entire series is well written and quite entertaining.

Serena is marrying Zach aboard his family’s yacht. She has had issues with his step-mother’s heavy-handedness, but is dealing with the added pressure. Addie is taken with the rare book collection on board in a climate controlled room. But she soon finds that all is not right with the collection. And when not one but two bodies of investigative reporters wash ashore, Addie is sure theft and murder are connected. This mystery is both intriguing and entertaining. It will take a bit of persuasion by Addie before others agree with her reasoning, but as usual, she is spot-on. Well written with delightful characters, read this series from the beginning to fully appreciate it.

It’s January, and Addie is busy with the Fire and Ice Festival. When a friend of hers falls from a ladder and is hospitalized, Addie is volunteered to care for her dog. Pleading an inability for such an undertaking falls on deaf ears, and she soon finds herself liking the task. When she goes to get supplies for the dog, she notices a rare and expensive book on a nightstand. The book soon goes missing, but what Addie doesn’t miss is a dead body in the alley. It’s a complicated time for her. She is still working out her feelings for Simon, dealing with Mark’s disdain, looking for the missing book, caring for a dog she is increasingly growing fond of, and trying to figure who is the murderer. There is never a dull moment in Addie’s life. This complex and intriguing mystery is one for the books! Well written with great characters, it’s a very entertaining tale.

Addie is tasked with evaluating some rare books for an estate sale. But between the evaluation and the sale, many books and other items have disappeared. Then the appraiser is found dead in one of the mansion’s rooms, with the door bolted from the inside. Addie is accused of the book theft, and Mark, Addie’s former boyfriend and the detective in charge, refuses to believe that she is innocent or that the death and theft are connected. Adding to the mix is Mark’s new girlfriend who seems to be bent on putting Addie in jail. It’s quite a conundrum for Addie who must prove her innocence by finding the guilty party. Well written, intriguing, and complex, this mystery is an entertaining story, and a delightful addition to the series.

The romantic entanglements of Addie Greybourne have always been my least favorite part of this series, so knowing this book would kick off with her wedding to Simon might have been a bad sign. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the two mysteries that Addie gets drawn into. Addie's aunt's house has many secrets hidden in its walls, and another is revealed when she begins sorting through the attic. And then Marc actually requests her help in unraveling a poisoning death in town. While her life may be in turmoil, she has enough on her plate to distract her from her troubles.

Thanks to Kensington for access to a digital ARC on Netgalley.com.

Addie donates a rare book to a charity auction for the hospital. She is feeling good about the coming holiday season, but soon her life is turned upside down. A visitor from her past, someone she has reasons to distrusts, appears. She goes to visit the coordinator for the auction, and finds her dead body. The rare book is missing. A huge storm is bearing down on the town. Could things get any worse? Yes, they do. She can’t let go of her feelings that dwell on her deceased fiancé, and that is stopping her from any lasting relationships that could develop with anyone new. And the men with whom she might have a future turn their backs on her. Feeling alone, Addie is desperate for answers. This is a good mystery, intriguing and entertaining. Part of a series, Addie will finally show some growth of character, and perhaps, will be able to move forward.

Thanksgiving is looming on the horizon, and a Civil War era cooking contest has captivated local interest. Everyone wants authentic recipes, and Addie’s bookstore is profiting from all the excitement. But another incident captures the attention of everyone. Addie finds her cousin’s boyfriend dead from a stab wound in her cousin’s clothing store. All fingers point to her cousin as the murderer, but Addie is sure of her innocence. Now all she has to do is prove it. The story is interesting, with the characters coping not only with all the problems everyday life throws at them, but also with the idea of murderer hanging around them. The mystery is pretty good, although astute readers will likely figure it out before Addie does.

Dedication to Murder by Lauren Elliott has Addie Greyborne digging into a trunk in the attic. An inscription on a beautiful copy of The Velveteen Rabbit along with journals belonging to her ancestor Anita Greyborne has Addie with a mystery on her hands. This is just the diversion Addie needs. Dedication to Murder is the ninth A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery. This is a series that is best read in order which will allow the reader to get know the characters, their backstories, and how the characters are connected. Dedication to Murder starts off with a bang. There is drama from the very first chapter. This is an emotional story. I had to wonder if the author dislikes her main character. She has certainly put her through the wringer. Addie gets to do some introspection which is needed. Addie also needs a diversion from her current woes. It is a good time to check out the attic (I wanted to check it out with her). Addie uncovers a seventy-year-old cold case. Addie reads her ancestors’ journals and asks questions. There is also a current murder and Marc asks for Addie’s help (pigs do fly). The murder occurred during a tea which everyone in town except Addie attended. There are photos and videos of the event. The mysteries were interesting, but they were a cinch to solve. I kept hoping there would be a twist to surprise me (my mother said I have read to many mysteries). Dedication to Murder is an emotional story. I felt bad for Addie (I do not want to say too much and spoil it for you). There are a lot “woe is me” moments along with some jealousy (both of which are understandable). Personally, I feel that Addie dodged a bullet. The story wrapped up neatly and it left me curious. It will be interesting to see what happens next. Dedication to Murder is a curious cozy with a surprising revelation, a treasure trove of a trunk, a cold case, an unworn wedding dress, a treasured tale, a fatal tea party, surfeit of suspects, a difficult decision, and a doting dog.

*Spoiler alert* Oh man, Connor and Addie, it will be interesting to see what happens next between the two of them, part of me is hoping they don't get back together with Simon being as dim witted as he is at the end of this book. I like that there were multiple mysteries being solved in this novel and all of the intersecting parts of the story.

When the local owner of a mystical shop dies, she leaves everything to Shay. After Shay figures out why, she and her sister Jen proceed to turn the shop into Crystals and CuriosiTEAS, a teashop that also offers special blends to people needing help or guidance. Occasionally, Shay will also do tea leaf readings, which has become popular amongst the locals.

One group, known as the white gloved ladies, has made the shop a weekly visit, and because they are so respected, Shay's new tearoom is booming. Between her, Jen, and their teenage helper Tassi, they manage to make things work. For a while, anyway -- until Tassi's dad shows up and declares that he's fighting her mother for custody. Tassi dislikes her dad's fiancée, and refuses to go with him. But one night, during a group reading, one of the women in the white glove group dies, prompting Tassi's father to get a restraining order against Shay and vowing to ruin her.

Shay is distraught, but when pub owner Liam Madigan returns from Ireland with his grandmother, known as 'Gran', the woman seeks out Shay and takes her under her wing. To make matters worse, Liam is having troubles of his own, and his cousin shows up out of nowhere.

Shay has her hands full and her pockets temporarily empty, but will she be able to rectify the situation? Will she be able to find out who really killed the woman? And more so, will she be able to get her life back to where it was?...

This is merely the second book in the series but I am completely hooked on it. I loved the first, and this one even more. Shay is growing as a person, and being accepted for who she is. Her life in this village begins to round out, until Tassi's unfortunate being of a father shows up. She's sure he has an ulterior motive, but when he starts harassing her, she wonders why.

I love the character of Gran. She's completely delightful. A bit of the 'Old Country,' if you will. I am pleased that the author brought her into the series, and hopefully will keep her there. I did like Liam quite a bit, but as most men (don't get upset, we all know), he's a bit oblivious when it comes to certain things. Read the book and you will know what I am talking about.

And let's not forget Spirit, the magical dog who appears just where he's needed most. He's more than just a dog, but an intelligent friend who senses danger and knows just what to do to prevent it. Ah, if only humans could understand what he is trying to say...

The murder itself is very well planned out, and quite a bit intriguing as well. We watch as Shay tries to navigate her desire to help Tassi and figure out who the murderer might be at the same time. While I knew who it was before Shay, it was entertaining to watch her figure it out and put the clues together. In the end, it gives us a glimpse of what to look forward to in the next book, which, I think, will be just as enjoyable as this one. Highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Dedication To Murder is the ninth book in the A Beyond The Page Mystery series by Lauren Elliott.

What was expected to be a beautiful and joyous day turned into a tragic mess. Just as Addie and Simon are about to exchange their wedding vows, Laurel and her Aunt Val yell that Simon can’t get married as he is still married. Simon and Laurel had been married but separated when they decided to attend different universities. Still, they both understood that Aunt Val’s lawyer husband was supposed to have filed for an annulment. But minutes before the wedding ceremony Aunt Val found the annulment papers while cleaning out her late husband's office; they had never been filed. Addie, not knowing that Simon has been married, is devastated. Addie is ready to call the whole thing off when it is learned that Laurel bore Simon’s son, Mason, which she put up for adoption. Mason’s adoptive parents are killed in a tragic accident. Laurel has been given temporary custody of Mason. Laurel and Aunt Val are hosting a tea party to introduce Mason to everyone, but Aunt Val unexpectedly dies. Simon performs an autopsy and finds that she was killed by poisoning. Addie is speechless when the police chief, Marc, her former boyfriend, asks her to help him investigate Aunt Val’s death.

Addie is encouraged by her best friend, Serena. Addie asks Serena to help her clean up her attic. They find a scarce first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit and other valuable books. In addition, there is an old wedding dress and a collection of journals that had been written by her late aunt. Once she has read the journals, she learns about her family's past, which answers why Addie inherited the house.

Addie feels that Simon is spending too much time with Laurel and Mason and decides to give Simon back her engagement ring. She has decided to take a couple weeks off and leaves for England to visit her high school friend Tony.

Ms. Elliott provides the reader with an exciting, well-written story with a wonderful cast of interesting, believable characters. There were enough twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the final reveal as to the identity of the killer.

I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series to see if Simon is entirely out of the picture or if Tony or Marc will take his place in her heart.

Although I read this novel as a stand-alone, I'd suggest reading the series in order as the character backgrounds and history seem more relevant to this cozy mystery than most. I did not care for the love interest at all, but the murders and how they were linked along with the MC family history kept me interested. Nice ending, especially after all the trauma the MC endures, and the supporting characters helped move the story along. I liked the cop in this book, although that could be just because I didn't get the whole backstory from earlier in the series. Definitely could bump up to a four star series I'd keep reading if there was a little more focus on the flow of writing and for a better quality love interest. Loved that the Welsh book town was mentioned and the author nailed the spooky scene revealing the murderer! Overall, there's lots of potential and if you like most cozies, you'll like this one too.

GoodReads FirstReads Giveaway

Three stars is being very generous.
Is this considered a cozy mystery? If so it is my first one, and likely my last.
This book is at least 100 pages too long considering the story. The ending/ explanation is completely far fetched, and worst of all the lead character Addie is the most annoying female lead I have ever read. It almost like a guy wrote this book.

This was a great start to a new cozy mystery series and I am very much looking forward to reading more books in this series. I loved the interwoven histories and the reveal about Shay's own history and I won't be upset if the future books do have a little bit of magic. Some of my favorite cozy mysteries are paranormal mysteries.

amateur-sleuth, bookseller, cozy-mystery, series, murder, murder-investigation, small-business, small-town, law-enforcement, family, family-dynamics, friendship, pet-dog, hidden-room, inheritance, mysteries, cold-case,*****

I have read several others in the series, so I'm not a good source to tell if it can work as a stand-alone, but I think it can. It's a series I enjoy and appreciate.
This one begins with a wedding, but the wedding is stopped by the groom's not-so-ex-wife (not a nasty person but the paperwork was never finalized sixteen years ago). While keeping busy with investigating her attic, Addie finds some surprises. The characters are engaging and all of the sleuthing is inspired. Great cozy!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you.

Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott is the debut of A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mysteries. Shayleigh “Shay” Myers returns to Bray Harbor, California with her life in a disarray. Her ex-husband cheated on Shay, swindled her out of her jewelry store, and has ruined her reputation as a gemologist. Shay has inherited Bridget Early’s shop and beach cottage, but she does not know why Bridget left them to her. Shay is touring the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS with the realtor when they discover a man dead on the roof of the greenhouse. Shay does not like how Sheriff Frank Burrows is railroading the local pub owner. She decides to do a little investigating to see what she can uncover. Shay gets help from her sister and Bridget’s special dog named Spirit. She also uses her empathic gifts in her quest for the truth. I enjoyed reading Steeped in Secrets. Shay is an interesting character. I liked learning about Shay and her special gift. I have a feeling we have just scratched the surface. There is an eclectic cast of secondary characters that includes the charming Liam who owns the pub next to Shay’s shop. I enjoyed the descriptions of Bray Harbor. The mystery was interesting, but I wish it had not been so easy to solve. I enjoyed following Shay as she searched for clues and asked questions. Her special gift guides her along with Spirit, Brigit’s dog (now Shay’s dog). Shay still has questions regarding her inheritance and her ancestry. We will have to wait for the next book to learn more. My one negative comment is I was not fond of the repetitive details (I got it the first time). Steeped in Secrets was a fun book to read. Steeped in Secrets is a spirited tale with a smarmy ex-spouse, enigmatic inheritance, an appealing pub owner, a dishonest sheriff, a mysterious dead man, and empathic capabilities.½