Lily has entered a cooking contest, and her tea shop is the location for the filming. She is already regretting this decision, and when the much disliked celebrity chef is found murdered in her kitchen, she really regrets it. The fact that her waitstaff had earlier received abuse from this chef and is now on the short list of suspects adds to Lily’s dilemma. Actually, the list of people who had a grudge against the chef is growing as Lily delves into the murder. The characters are well drawn, and quite real. Grandmother Rose is especially delightful, and friend Bernie adds much to the tale. It’s another fine mystery in this delightful series. ( )

This was sent by Kensington Cozies in response to filling up one of their cards. I haven't read the first two of the series so it can be read as a stand alone. It was interesting but there were times I felt the story lagged a bit.

There are 3 recipes at the end of the book.

What I liked:
*the tea aspect
*Lily's belief in Cheryl

What I didn't like:
*the egos of the television personalities
*the struggles between Josh and Reilly ( )

Lily Roberts owns Tea by the Sea, a lovely tearoom centered right in Cape Cod. Her grandmother Rose, transplanted from Yorkshire long ago, owns a lovely Victorian B&B nearby, and they live happily in the seaside town. That is, until Rose and Lily's best friend Bernie enter her in a TV reality show, and she's been chosen as one of the contestants. Now, the cast members are staying at the B&B and the crew is overrunning the tearoom and telling her what to do. Lily is not happy.

She's especially not happy when one of the judges, Tommy Greene, purposely trips her employee MaryBeth and MaryBeth's mother Cheryl has a few harsh words for him. When Tommy is discovered dead the next morning in the tearoom, Cheryl is the main suspect. But Lily is sure Cheryl's not a killer, but she's not sure about his castmates. Even though the police tell her to leave it alone, she's not going to, and with the help of Bernie and Rose, she intends to find the killer before they get away with it...

This is the third book in the series and I have read them all. I've become fond of the characters in this series, finding not a one of them evil or flighty. (Except for Allegra, but she's new and no one could possibly like this woman). The main characters are full of ideas about who might have killed Tommy, especially Bernie, who is able to get information due to her background as a forensic accountant.

But the more information they have, the more they discover that Tommy was actually a nice guy who was devoted to his wife and family, making it harder to find out who might have had a grudge against the man. Lily just watches the players in the TV cast, hoping that one of them will accidentally spill information. And with them fighting amongst themselves, it's not long before she sees that there's more to them than what meets the eye. Now all she has to do is find out who wielded the rolling pin...

I love this series, and while the killer didn't surprise me much (only because I read a lot of mysteries), at the very end we are given a glimpse of what the future might bring, and once again peace is brought to Cape Cod...for the time being. I eagerly await the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. ( )

Murder Spills the Tea by Vicki Delany is the third A Tea by the Sea Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. Lily Roberts finds herself on America Bakes! thanks to her grandmother, Rose and her best friend, Bernie. Lily soon learns there is nothing real about reality television. Lily arrives for her final day of filming to find Tommy Greene, one of the judges, dead in her tearoom kitchen. Cheryl, one of Lily’s servers, ends up the prime suspect. When the lead detective arrests Cheryl for the crime, it is up to Lily with help from Rose and Bernie to prove Cheryl’s innocence. I found Murder Spills the Tea to be well-written with developed characters. I like the cast of regulars (Lily, Rose, Bernie, Cheryl, Simon, and MaryBeth). The television people are a mixed bag. There are some nice people and some you would like to toss into next week (and hope they get lost on their way back). I enjoyed the descriptions of the Cape Cod as well as Rose’s bed and breakfast, the tearoom, and the lovely gardens. The whodunit had good suspects plus misdirection. There are clues to help readers solve the crime before the reveal. Avid mystery readers will have no problem solving the crime. I love Éclair, Lily’s labradoodle but I do not feel he should be allowed in the bed and breakfast’s kitchen (health department would have a field day). Of course, Rose’s snooty cat should not be allowed free reign either. The descriptions of Lily’s enticing pastries (lemon tarts, scones, cookies) will have your mouth watering. There are recipes at the end of the book. I was delighted with my latest visit to Cape Cod, and I look forward to returning in the next A Tea by the Sea Mystery. Murder Spills the Tea is charming Cape Cod cozy with tasty tea, a bothersome baking competition, a derisive rival, a foul flirt, a bashed baking judge, a disdainful detective, and a killer to catch. ( )

Well played Vicki Delany, I did not suspect that character of murder at all. Although it made perfect sense once it was revealed. I always love the tea service at Tea by the Sea, it sounds lovely and inviting. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. ( )