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When an American tourist is murdered with a scone in Gemma Rose' quaint Oxfordshire tearoom, she suddenly finds herself apron-deep in a mystery involving long-buried secrets from Oxford's past. Armed with her insider knowledge of the University and with the hel of four nosy old ladies from the village (not to mention a cheeky little tabby cat names Muesli), Gemma sets out to solve the mystery - all while dealing with her matchmaking mother and the return of her old college love, Devlin O'Connor, now a dashing CID detective.--cover p.[4].
User reviews
LibraryThing member CathyGeha
Delightful and Delicious! This story of second chances was a fun easy read for a wet rainy afternoon and it provided some smiles while brightening my day.
Gemma has returned to her home just outside of Oxford to open up a Tearoom – a big step away from all she has done since graduating from
The writing is excellent, the story is well plotted, the characters and their interactions with one another are interesting, the descriptions perfection and the overall story entertaining. I believe this series has a GREAT future! This is a story that will be enjoyed by adults but is also one that I believe older teens would enjoy and it could be read by a family together.
Thank you to the author for the copy of this book to read and review!
Gemma has returned to her home just outside of Oxford to open up a Tearoom – a big step away from all she has done since graduating from
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university. She has Fletcher to bake delicious goodies, her friend Cassie to assist with service and all seems to be going well until she finds a body in the courtyard of her business. The writing is excellent, the story is well plotted, the characters and their interactions with one another are interesting, the descriptions perfection and the overall story entertaining. I believe this series has a GREAT future! This is a story that will be enjoyed by adults but is also one that I believe older teens would enjoy and it could be read by a family together.
Thank you to the author for the copy of this book to read and review!
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LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson
A Scone to Die For by H.Y. Hanna is the first book in an Oxford Tearoom Mysteries. Gemma Rose (age twenty-nine) has left her executive job in Sydney (that she disliked) to open Little Stables Tearoom in Meadowford-on-Smythe (her hometown in Cotswold near Oxford). Gemma has hired her best friend,
A Scone to Die For is a satisfactory cozy mystery. We are not given clues that help solve the mystery until just before the killer is revealed. The mystery is very good, but I like trying to solve the crime as I read the book (don't we all). I felt that there was too much romance in this book. Gemma's old boyfriend, Devlin O'Connor is the inspector assigned the case. They have not seen each other in eight years. However, Gemma gets jealous when Devlin questions a beautiful suspect (there is also much admiration of Devlin's looks--goes on and on). There were also some puzzling items. Like Gemma wanting to call Devlin but does not know his number (but he called her a couple of times). Also calling the library to get information in the newspaper archives (has she not heard of the internet). I give A Scone to Die For 3 out of 5 stars. Be aware that the novel contains British spelling of words (does not detract from novel). Some of the desserts (i.e.—sponge is a thin cake) mentioned are not what we are familiar with here in the United States (unless you watch the British Baking Show). I just felt A Scone to Die For was a superficial novel. There is not enough information on the characters and too much information on Devlin’s good looks.
I received a complimentary copy of A Scone to Die For from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Cassie to wait on the tables and has a great chef named Fletcher. One day a rude American comes for tea (he actually touched Cassie’s butt and thought it was okay to do it). The next day Gemma comes to work to find Brad Washington (the rude American) dead in her courtyard outside the tearoom. There is one of the tearoom's scones stuffed into his mouth. Who killed him and why did they have to leave him there? Gemma sets out to find the killer with the help of the "Old Biddies" (four elderly ladies that have their nose in everyone's business). When Professor Geoffrey Hughes is killed (went to college with Brad), Gemma knows the cases are related. Can she find the killer?A Scone to Die For is a satisfactory cozy mystery. We are not given clues that help solve the mystery until just before the killer is revealed. The mystery is very good, but I like trying to solve the crime as I read the book (don't we all). I felt that there was too much romance in this book. Gemma's old boyfriend, Devlin O'Connor is the inspector assigned the case. They have not seen each other in eight years. However, Gemma gets jealous when Devlin questions a beautiful suspect (there is also much admiration of Devlin's looks--goes on and on). There were also some puzzling items. Like Gemma wanting to call Devlin but does not know his number (but he called her a couple of times). Also calling the library to get information in the newspaper archives (has she not heard of the internet). I give A Scone to Die For 3 out of 5 stars. Be aware that the novel contains British spelling of words (does not detract from novel). Some of the desserts (i.e.—sponge is a thin cake) mentioned are not what we are familiar with here in the United States (unless you watch the British Baking Show). I just felt A Scone to Die For was a superficial novel. There is not enough information on the characters and too much information on Devlin’s good looks.
I received a complimentary copy of A Scone to Die For from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Kathy89
A rude American has stopped at Gemma’s tearoom in the Cotswold and creates a scene even kicking the cook’s cat which escaped her cage. The next day the American is found dead in the courtyard in back of the tearoom with a scone jammed into his mouth. Enter the hunky DCI, Devlin, as luck would
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have it was Gemma’s college sweetheart. Of course she thinks she can solve the murder before the police and manages to stumble around in danger before the case is solved. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lauigl
THIS WAS AN AUDIOBOOK. Gemma Rose has realized her dream of owning and operating a tearoom. Having abandoned her lucrative job and comfortable lifestyle in Sydney, Australia, and pouring every last dollar into the Little Stables Tearoom in Meadowford on Smythe, Gemma finds herself back in Oxford,
A Scone to Die For is one of my favorite cozies. The setting of a tearoom near Oxford, England was delightful, and the mystery was realistic, entertaining and satisfying. There wasn't an inordinate number of characters to keep up with, which was great, and yet I still wasn't able to figure out who killed the American tourist. The four old biddies who seem to be recurring characters in this series are fun, cute and comical. A nice addition to the story. I LOVED this book, and if you're a fan of cozy mysteries, you will too. Highly recommended.
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England, living with her parents until the tearoom is fully established and she can afford a place of her own. The tearoom's delicious scones are a hit with the locals, and things are falling into place very nicely for Gemma until a former customer, the pesky American tourist who caused a scene there, is found murdered in the courtyard adjoining the tearoom, A scone shoved down the man's throat causing him to choke. Suddenly Gemma's perfect little venture has taken a turn for the worst. Little Stables went from a thriving establishment to an empty one thanks to the media's coverage and insinuation that Gemma's scones killed the man. If the culprit isn't apprehended soon, and the truth revealed, Gemma will be ruined and her dream will go up in smoke. Gemma must do a little sleuthing on her own to regain the Little Stable's good reputation, not to mention her livelihood. With unsolicited help from the old biddies, all hope might not be lost after all. A Scone to Die For is one of my favorite cozies. The setting of a tearoom near Oxford, England was delightful, and the mystery was realistic, entertaining and satisfying. There wasn't an inordinate number of characters to keep up with, which was great, and yet I still wasn't able to figure out who killed the American tourist. The four old biddies who seem to be recurring characters in this series are fun, cute and comical. A nice addition to the story. I LOVED this book, and if you're a fan of cozy mysteries, you will too. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
Gemma gave up a corporate job to persue a different career. Now the owner-operator of a tea shop, she, along with two coworkers, are working hard to establish a regular clientele along with the tourist trade. When an obnoxious tourist is found dead at her tea shop, Gemma is panicked that this will
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spell doom for her shop. It doesn’t help that the lead detective is her former boyfriend. In fact, that makes things a lot worse. Gemma is determined to do some sleuthing on her own, even if it puts her in danger. H. Y. Hanna has created an interesting series with likable and complex characters in a delightful setting. Gemma tries to placate her high-society mom, but rarely succeeds. She tries to ignore her former boyfriend, but can’t succeed there, either. Throw in a dead body or two, and several suspects, and you have the makings of a first class mystery. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rainkatt
I will probably read the others by this author if I bump into them; got it as popcorn reading–I love silly cozies–and this filled the bill. I never read to solve the mystery–I'm more interested in the people and what they're doing than the solution–but I started having suspicions early on.
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My biggest quibble was that everyone did something completely stupid and possibly dangerous at least once, and I was thrown out of the story each time. Still, a reasonably likeable character and enough interest to keep me going. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisCarey
Gemma Rose is home in Oxford after eight years in Australia, working her way up the corporate ladder. She finally decided the corporate ladder wasn't for her, sold her flat, quit her job, and went home to Oxford to buy a tea room. She's hired her best friend, as well as a local handyman who, it
Such as the really arrogant, hostile American tourist, who seems to be with the otherwise pleasant American tour group.
When she arrives at the tea room the next morning, she finds him dead in her courtyard, apparently having choked on a scone. But why was he there in the first place?
It's not an improvement in her already awful day when the Detective Inspector assigned to the case turns out to be her old university flame, Devlin O'Connor. They didn't part on the best of terms.
The dead American turns out to be not just some obnoxious tourist, but the head of an American pharmaceutical company, with all kinds of unexpected connections to Oxford. Quite a few people turn out to have reasons to dislike him. When one of the possible suspects turns out to be a beautiful woman that Gemma thinks Devlin is interested in, it's inevitable that she decides she has to investigate the case herself, with the help of her friends.
There's a great cast of characters here, likable and entertaining. There are some moments when Gemma does some very silly things, but she's presented overall as smart and capable, not as a ditzy fool.
Overall, entertaining and fun.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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turns out, is also a fantastic baker. Things are starting to go really well, even with the hassles that go with being in food service and hospitality.Such as the really arrogant, hostile American tourist, who seems to be with the otherwise pleasant American tour group.
When she arrives at the tea room the next morning, she finds him dead in her courtyard, apparently having choked on a scone. But why was he there in the first place?
It's not an improvement in her already awful day when the Detective Inspector assigned to the case turns out to be her old university flame, Devlin O'Connor. They didn't part on the best of terms.
The dead American turns out to be not just some obnoxious tourist, but the head of an American pharmaceutical company, with all kinds of unexpected connections to Oxford. Quite a few people turn out to have reasons to dislike him. When one of the possible suspects turns out to be a beautiful woman that Gemma thinks Devlin is interested in, it's inevitable that she decides she has to investigate the case herself, with the help of her friends.
There's a great cast of characters here, likable and entertaining. There are some moments when Gemma does some very silly things, but she's presented overall as smart and capable, not as a ditzy fool.
Overall, entertaining and fun.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member TVNerd95
This was just a standard cozy for me. The mystery was okay but the main character wasn’t that likable. For a woman who worked a high level corporate job for 8 years before buying the tearoom she seemed at time exceptionally immature. There were some things that saved it a star in my rating. The
For me though the best part was the narrator, Pearl Hewitt. She really brought the story to life for me. As a Texan, I have no idea if her accent was accurate or not but for me the narration brought the whole Oxforshire location to life and make the book much more enjoyable. I will probably continue with the series as I loved the supporting the characters and Pearl’s narration.
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first is the old biddies – they were great and way better investigators than the main character and worthy of their own series. The other thing that saved the book was the lead detective was intelligent and called Gemma on her sh** which usually not the norm. For me though the best part was the narrator, Pearl Hewitt. She really brought the story to life for me. As a Texan, I have no idea if her accent was accurate or not but for me the narration brought the whole Oxforshire location to life and make the book much more enjoyable. I will probably continue with the series as I loved the supporting the characters and Pearl’s narration.
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Awards
Mystery & Mayhem Book Award (Longlist — 2016)
Original publication date
2016-01-17
Local notes
Oxford Tearoom Mysteries, 1
DDC/MDS
| Fic Mystery Hanna |