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. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

Gemologist Shay Myers returns home to Bray Harbor, CA after her ex basically takes control of their shared business in New Mexico. Shay hasn't returned to the tourist town in many years, the death of her parents left a hole, even though her sister remained. The impetus for her return, in addition to the chance to start over is the how. Local business owner of a local shop called CuriosiTEAS, has died, leaving Shay her sole heir. Shay has only fuzzy memories of Bridgit Early, and how her shop seemed so mysterious and magical. Right away, the discovery of a dead body on the rooftop greenhouse sends the town and Shay on high alert. Old high school friends are at odds, her sister Jen acts strange, and someone is really hoping Shay will just sell the building. I really liked teenaged Tassi--she's perceptive and smart and helps to fill gaps in Shay's knowledge of how Bridget managed the tea reading shop. I wasn't sure in the beginning if the dog Spirit was real or not, but a lot of the town sees him, so I guess he is. Magic fan or not, there are a lot of wonderful characters rounding out this book and a lot of action to keep up with. ( )

Steeped In Secrets is the first book in the A Crystals And CurioiTEAS Mystery series by Lauren Elliott.

Steeped in Secrets is a great start for this new series.

Shay Myers, swindled out of her gem and jewelry business by her ex, has packed her belongings and is headed for her hometown of Bray Harbor. She had recently learned that she had inherited Bridget Early’s business, Crystals & CuriosiTies, a psychic and tea shop.

Upon arriving at Bray Harbor, Shay meets with Julia, a realtor, to get the keys to her inherited business; she also learns that Bridget’s beach-front cottage will also be hers. Liam, a retired policeman and owner of the pub next door, comes over to introduce himself and invites her to check out his patio on the roof of his building. Later she decides to visit the patio and discovers a man's dead body on the top of the greenhouse of her building. The local sheriff has it in for Liam and closes the pub and tea shop until he finds evidence that Liam is the murderer. Fortunately, Shay’s brother-in-law is a deputy and will prove extremely helpful in helping her find the true killer. Shay has little knowledge of tea or reading tea leaves as Bridget did, but she knows about gems. Shay ignores the repeated offers of Julia’s offer to sell her shop and cottage. Shay soon hires her childhood friend, Joanne’s niece, Tassi, to help organize the shop. Tassi had spent time in the shop with Bridget and feels they could make a go of the business between them. Shay has also inherited Bridget’s white German Shepherd named Spirit, who seems to know what to do to help protect Shay.

I enjoyed this first book in this new series. The story is well-written and plotted. There were red herrings with twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the final reveal. The characters were well-developed and entirely believable.
I’m looking forward to seeing if Shay can learn more about Bridget’s death.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this delightful series. ( )