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MURDER IN A TEACUP, the second book in the Tea By the Sea Mysteries by Vicki Delany, is a charming and inviting addition to the series. The protagonist, Lily Roberts, is up to her elbows in baking scones and other delectable treats for her tearoom during the busy Cape Cod summer season. The author does an admirable job in making her workday realistic – it’s nonstop with not a lot of time for sleuthing – but yet she manages to find snippets of time to ask questions and find answers. Joining the core cast of characters is Lily’s grandmother, Rose, who owns the B & B next to the tearoom. I’m happy that Rose’s personality shifted from mostly abrasive to simply feisty in this new book. I found her antics enjoyable and her zest for helping in the murder investigation made the scenes fun. Lily’s sidekick and best friend, aspiring author, Bernie, is a hoot. Her very humorous approach to trying to write a novel as each scene unfolded during Murder in a Teacup, kept me chuckling.

With a bickering family staying at the B & B for a reunion to contend with, Lily and her grandmother have their hands full. When one of the guests is poisoned during tea served by Lily, she and her grandmother are left scrambling to find out who did it after the police shut down the tearoom. Ms. Delany writes a tight plot with enough suspects to keep the reader guessing and enough intrigue to keep the reader turning pages. As the story unfolded, I was entertained and delighted with each passing scene and had a difficult time putting the book down to tend to other responsibilities. With a surprising reveal, Ms. Delany has proven once again, to be an expert storyteller!

You’ll be absolutely drooling over all the delicious goodies Lily serves at her tearoom. The author has thoughtfully provided several recipes at the back of the book. I couldn’t help but want to try her recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies even though they are typically pretty standard. But after making several of the author’s recipes in the past, I knew these would be different… and I was right! Chockfull of just the right amount of chips, these cookies are soft and slightly cakelike… and they stay soft. The recipe makes extra large cookies but only about a dozen, which is a nice amount for a small family or to share with a couple of friends. If you need more, the recipe can easily be doubled.

Amazon Synopsis

Lily has her work cut out for her when a visit from her grandmother Rose’s dear friend, Sandra McHenry, turns into an unexpected—and unpleasant—McHenry family reunion. The squabbling boils over and soon Tea by the Sea’s serene afternoon service resembles the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Somehow, Lily and her tearoom survive the storm, and Sandra’s bickering brethren finally retreat to Rose’s B&B. But later that evening, a member of their party—curmudgeonly Ed French—dies from an apparent poisoning and suddenly Tea by the Sea is both scene and suspect in a murder investigation!

Mercifully, none of the other guests fall ill. They all ate the same food, but Ed always insisted on bringing his own special blend of herbal teas. So it seems, amid the whining and dining, someone snuck up to one of Lily’s cherished teapots and fatally spiked Ed’s bespoke brew, but who? Was it Ed’s long-estranged sister-in-law? Did teenage troublemaker Tyler take a prank too far? Or perhaps the family’s feuds have been steeping for longer than anyone realizes? It’s up to Lily, Rose, and their friends to get to the bottom of the poisoned pot and bag the real culprit behind the kettle murder plot.

A special thanks to Vicki Delany for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of MURDER IN A TEACUP! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Vicki's Chocolate Chip Cookies

You don't normally find chocolate chip cookies as part of the afternoon tea sweets selection, but Lily makes these for the children's tea. This recipes makes a very soft and chewy cookie.

Makes approximately 12 large cookies. The recipe can easily be doubled if you need more.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Microwave butter until just barely melted. It should be almost entirely liquid.
Using stand mixer or electric beater, beat butter with white and brown sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and the egg; beat on low until incorporated, 10 - 15 seconds. (If you beat the egg too long, the cookies will be stiff.)
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between "wet" dough and "dry" dough).
Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGE cookies) and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 - 11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. (DON'T OVERBAKE: This is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they're not done yet. They'll be pale and puffy.)
Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so. They will sink down and turn into a dense, buttery, soft cookie. They will stay soft for several days if kept in an airtight container.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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47 thoughts on “Vicki’s Chocolate Chip Cookies”

We are generally iced tea drinks, so on vacation we have never went to a tea room. I have a dear friend that loves tea of any kind that lives in a big town. I’m hoping some time when we visit that the men will go their way and she can take me to one of her favorite ones.

Congrats on the new release! Great review.
I have visited tearooms on vacation and enjoyed the experience.

Yum love cookies

I’m more of an iced tea drinker. I’ve been to a few tea rooms and enjoyed them with friends.

these cookies look very good

I have only read about tearooms. I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting one.

I have been to a tea room and enjoyed the experience.

No, I haven’t found any where we usually go. I do like finding local spots to eat. The cookies and book look great Thanks!

I have been to a couple of tearooms. It all depends on who I am with. There is s reslly fun one to go to where I live.

If I visit somewhere with a tearoom, I will be sure to stop by. I love afternoon tea ~

Depending on where I’m vacationing at I will go try a tearoom.

I would love to visit a tea room, but they seem rather few and far between!

I have never been to a tea room, but would love to visit one! I LOVE the cover of this book! Such a relaxing scene. And what goes with reading and a cup of tea better than chocolate chip cookies! Thanks for the recipe!

I have never been to a tea room, but if given the chance I would go. I think it would be a lot of fun. Thank you for the chance .

My 4 year old granddaughter has wanted a tea party so when we make our roadtrip to Ca we are going to tea rooms and have several tea parties. To be truthful I am not a fan of tea although I love to read about it just got done with Laura Childs new book and it was so good regarding a woman who owned a tea shop it was so interesting so I will be ready to go with my granddaughter and my daughter in law we are leaving the men behind and the 2 year old home with them.

No, I have never been to a tea room

I’ve never been on vacation, and we don’t have any tearooms nearby. I think tea isn’t a big thing around here, very few people that drink it.

I’m not a tea drinker, do I’ve never been to a tea room. The cookies look yummy. Chocolate chip are my favorite.

I can’t wait to try this recipe!

Yes – I love going to tea.

I usually don’t visit tearooms, but I have always wanted to go to High Tea somewhere. I think it would be an amazing experience. Thanks for the chance!

I would if I traveled where one was! I DO visit the The Tea Caddy at Epcot when I go. I just bought some Lady Grey tea there a couple of weeks ago.

No, I haven’t

I’ve never seen a tea room in my travels. Would love to visit one. Great series!

I never have!

no i haven’t

I have visited tea rooms. It’s a very lovely experience with good friends.

No, I don’t visit local tea rooms. It does sound like a good idea, though.

I’ve never visited a tearoom while on vacation but enjoyed visiting several when I lived in central IL. My grandkids love having “tea” parties but their “tea” is either chocolate or strawberry milk!

No I haven’t but will if I get the chance. The cookies look delicious. My granddaughter Alice loves to have tea parties. Thank you for the chance

I love cozy mysteries. Thank you so much for the recipe. God bless you.

No, I haven’t. Thank you for a chance to win print copy of Murder In A Teacup.

I’ve never been.

Have never visited a tearoom but sounds like fun

These cookies look declicious. I have never been to a tea room, though I have seen some on travel shows that looked like they would be a fun experience.

Yes I try to stop into one or two. Thanks for this amazing giveaway

I have never gone to Tea Room.
Your recipe looks delicious! Thank you!
Thank you for the chance to win your wonderful giveaway!!!!

I’ve never visited a tearoom before but I think my mom would love it!

No, I have not visited a tearoom while on vacation other than locally but I do like that idea. Will have to keep that in mind for a future vacation.

I have visited a tea room once on vacation. It was my birthday and a friend treated me. It was a wonderful time.

We make a pot of tea every week just before the sabbath. When it cools down we make it into 3 qts of Iced Tea which lives in the Fridge for a few days till we finish it. I saved your cookie recipe to my pinterest page so I don’t lose it.