REVIEW: In Peppermint Peril

In Peppermint Peril
Author: Joy Avon

In Peppermint Peril is the first book in the Book Tea Shop Mystery series. Callie Aspen comes home for the holidays to visit her Great Aunt Iphy, who runs a tea shop catering to book themed events, parties and get-togethers. Iphy knows just the right extra touches to add to the baked items and decorations for these parties, wowing her clients every time. In this first book in the series, Iphy and Callie prepare goodies for an Agatha Christie type atmosphere at Haywood Hall. Dorothea Finster, 93 year old owner of the hall, has an announcement about her will that she wants to make. Unfortunately, a murder interrupts the evening before she can make her announcement. Callie finds herself investigating to help Dorothea and childhood friends discover a murderer.

I enjoyed this book! To be honest, the plot was pretty predictable and a bit trope-y....but I like the background theme (I would so attend a bookish themed tea party!!!) and the characters. Aunt Iphy makes constant book references and decorates her baked goods with bookish clues. Callie is intelligent and a pretty good investigator, even when the local police (and the killer) tell her to back off. Dorothea Finster is bound and determined to do the right thing by her family and by her ancestral home. It just made for a fun, entertaining cozy mystery, despite the plot being nothing really new. Sometimes, with cozies, it's comfort reading. This book was awesome fun reading for me on a cold, fall evening with a steaming cup of Earl Grey and my two chihuahuas snuggled up on my lap. :) I love holiday themed cozies!

I'm definitely going to read more of this series. I can't wait to find out what's in store for Callie, Iphy, the tea shop and Haywood Hall!

**I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**