MR. TEA AND THE BOBBIN' BODY (Leslie Matthews Stansfield)

I'm always proud to recommend a novel written by someone that I know, but only if it's good!  This second novel in Stansfield's Mr. Tea series has all the elements that a mystery needs in order to be to be successful: a quaint small-town setting, appealing recurring characters, many of whom could easily be your next-door neighbors, and an intriguing series of murders.  I especially like sisters Terry and Karen Sutter, owner's of Madeline's Teahouse and caretakers for Mr. Tea, a very perceptive and possibly psychic macaw who isn't afraid to express his opinions.

Set during a high school reunion weekend, attended by the Sutter sisters and detective Greg, Terry's beau, the first murder (and the one from which the book takes it's title) is that of Bobby, a classmate and former football player whose body is found floating in the hotel pool. When another reunion attendee is discovered dead, things start to heat up even more.  Who is targeting class members and why?  How many more might be in danger if the identity of the killer isn't discovered soon?  Could the deaths have a connection to a sordid, long-ago incident involving a now-deceased class member?  What about the coach?  These were some of the questions that were going through my mind as I read this delightful novel.  Stansfield manages to combine both cozy and gritty elements into a very appealing traditional mystery that offers something for all discerning mystery fans.  I would suggest that you read Mr. Tea and the Traveling Teacup, the first Madeline's Teahouse mystery (published in  2012), before this to get to know more about the backgrounds and relationships of all of the characters.  It is definitely NOT necessary to read the prior book for full enjoyment of this installment (it can definitely stand alone), but if you like to focus on characters and their interrelationships it will certainly enhance your reading experience.  I'm looking forward to Leslie's next teahouse mystery!