Daisy is working a fundraiser for a homeless shelter that is disrupted by demonstrators. An accident at a fertility center also figures into the story, when the lawyer representing the clinic is murdered. The husband of a new friend is a person of interest, and Daisy is drawn into the murder, always wanting to help out her friends. It’s quite the intriguing mystery, but readers will still be entertained by Daisy’s family problems, and the new dog she and her boyfriend have adopted. This story is another fine installment in this delightful series. ( )

Masked protesters interrupt a fundraiser where Daisy Swanson, owner of Daisy’s Tea Garden is serving up her orange pekoe teal along with tasty goodies. The fundraiser is for building a homeless shelter, but the protesters aren’t in favour of it. This is just the beginning…

Next came work Hiram Hershberger was dead. “Natural causes” was the reason, but it didn’t ring true. He was perfectly healthy a day or two before. Further inspection of his body found burn marks, as if someone used a stun gun on him! There was also a cup of tea on his desk with a tea bag from Daisy’s shop. Poisoning? This brings Daisy into the hunt, as she knows her tea wasn’t poison.

In sleuthing for clues to solve the case, Daisy finds out Hiram is representing the local fertility clinic in a case where it is being sued for the loss of some clients’ stored sperm. Talk about a list of possible suspects!

Daisy’s curiosity gets the better of her and she knows she’ll be able to find who the killer is. This puts her in some not so safe situations.

A fun, cozy read in this series. It’s a series that includes recipes for some of the goodies mentioned in the story. ( )

3.5-3.75 stars: it wasn't quite a 4 for me. (Rating shown may differ depending on whether site allows half star ratings).

This was a book I received through the Kensington Cozy Club. I have enjoyed other tea themed mystery series so I couldn't wait to dive in! This is book 7 of the series, and I haven't read any previous ones. The book can be read as a stand-alone but there were many characters and I did find myself a bit confused as to how some of them were related to Daisy. Overall, that did not mar my enjoyment of the book.

That said, orange pekoe tea doesn't really feature as much in the murder as the title makes it imply--though it does seem to be the tea that recurs throughout the book in both iced and hot form. And I do have to say that this amateur sleuth (Daisy) does spend more time at her business than some cozy sleuths do. I didn't get the sense that she was abandoning her business or putting undue burden on other employees just to pursue the mystery. ( )

Murder with Orange Pekoe Tea by Karen Rose Smith is a 2021 Kensington publication.

While providing refreshments for a Willow Creek homeless shelter fundraiser, Daisy learns of a fertility clinic disaster, which dashed the hopes a young couple hoping depending on it to start a family.

Before she can learn more, masked protesters, who oppose opening the shelter arrive on the scene. One of those involved is Eli, a young man who left his Amish community, with some advice from Hiram, his attorney.

It comes to light that Hiram also represents the fertility clinic in question. When Hiram is found dead, Eli becomes a suspect, as do those hurt by the fertility clinic. Despite Daisy’s reluctance to get involved, she is slowly drawn into the investigation.

Meanwhile, Daisy’s family life is as busy as ever, but at a most satisfying stage- as her relationships seem to have stabilized a little- giving her more time to help others, and apply her detecting skills.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. It is always nice to drop in and see what my old friends have up to, and see how everyone is doing. Often times, I would get more caught up in the family saga than in the mystery, but in this installment the mystery was more front and center- and what a mystery it was!!

Briskly paced, fraught with emotion and tension, the dual threads of Eli, and the fertility clinic, kept me engaged and on my toes at the same time.

I enjoyed how the Amish was prominently featured in the story, and as always, the wonderful teas and food. Once more, my affection for the characters have deepened, which is one of the main draws to this series.

I think the mysteries are becoming more complex as the series progresses, and are as deeply compelling as the lives of the recurring characters.

This is another stellar chapter in this beloved series! Can’t wait for the next one! ( )

Daisy and her Tea Shoppe are helping to raise money to build a women's shelter in their small town however, there are people who are not in favor of this coming to be. Daisy has also met a new friend, Piper, who is going through a difficult time because of an electrical accident at the fertility clinic. However, during the fundraiser, masked protestors appear and the disturbance has townsfolk nervous. The lawyer representing both one of the protestors as well as the fertility clinic is found murdered and Daisy feels a need to help her new acquaintance who appears to e a prime suspect.

I really enjoy this series but I had a hard time with the connections between the Women's shelter project and the fertility clinic problems - were we just trying to get more suspects? Isn't there a better way? The two didn't seem to go together. But I still enjoyed visiting with Daisy and her family and friends. ( )