Tearoom Mysteries
Series · 24
books · 2016-2023
Books in series
#1
Tearoom for Two
2016
For Elaine and Jan, opening a Tearoom in their new home on Chickadee Lake is a true labor of love. This cozy cafe gives them plenty of opportunities to serve others with faith and friendship over a cup of tea. But, more often than not, the cousins’ hospitality also draws them into mysteries that can be downright baffling.
#2
Tea Rose
2016
After helping to host Tea for Two’s first “Teas around the World” tasting, Rose Young approaches the proprietor/ cousins, Elaine Cook and Jan Blake, in distress. Rose’s mother died recently, and in going through her belongings, she found a death certificate—for herself! What could this document mean? What happened when Rose was a year old? The cousins’ search for truth behind this unsettling and reaches far beyond Lancaster, Maine, to a pivotal point not only in Rose’s life but also in history.
Meanwhile, as the town prepares for its Fourth of July festival, much is at stake in the selectman election. Can Rose’s father, Clifton, win and preserve the charming character of Lancaster, or will greedy big-city outsider J. Eisley Segouri prevail with promises of big-box commerce? And Jan’s son, Brian, makes a tantalizing discovery that might help the cousins decipher the story of the sapphire ring found in one of the tearoom’s walls.
#3
To a Tea
2016
Business is booming at Tea for Two, so cousins Elaine Cook and Jan Blake decide to hire more help. When Elaine interviews a dapper Englishman with a résumé full of important jobs around the world, she can’t help but wonder, Why does he want to work here?
As the tearoom readies its first wedding, Elaine’s concerns are quickly over shadowed by the groom’s sudden disappearance. Cold feet or foul play? The distraught bride turns to the cousins, who spring into action to find the missing groom.
To make matters worse, a local bank is robbed. Could the two incidents be related? Elaine and Jan set out in different directions to solve the mystery—even taking Jan to the town’s biker bar!
Before long, it becomes clear that the cousins are unraveling the same thread from different ends. The question is, will they meet in the middle?
#4
Crosswords and Chamomile
2016
When an opportunity arises for the tearoom to host a special event with famed puzzle maker Bill Markham, Jan is elated! The event brings in puzzle lovers from all over Lancaster, Maine, but at Tea for Two, mystery often lurks in unexpected places.
When Katelyn Grande begins her puzzle, she quickly realizes that it was made specifically for her—as a declaration of love!
As Jan and Elaine set out to discover who the would-be paramour might be, they quickly find the clues more challenging and cryptic—than any of Bill’s legendary puzzles. Meanwhile, when Jan’s granddaughter Avery begins practicing her cello after school at the tearoom, she confides in Elaine about problems she’s having with a friend.
Can Elaine draw on the wisdom she gained raising her own children to help the girl navigate the difficult waters of preteen angst?
#5
Burning Secrets
2016
As Jan prepares for a group tea one autumn afternoon, she glances out the window and sees a plume of smoke arising from one of Macy Atherton’s Green Glade cottages! Macy’s desperate plea for Jan’s and Elaine’s help is followed by the appearance of Deputy Sheffield, who seems intent on questioning their sometimes difficult neighbor and customer. Arson? With Macy as the prime suspect? But not everything is as it appears. As Jan and Elaine follow the trail of clues, they uncover a much deeper mystery, with ties even to World War II. Meanwhile, Jan’s daughter, Tara, reaches an exciting milestone with her jewelry business and Elaine discovers some enticing information about the family that owned the mysterious sapphire ring they found. But how did it end up in the tearoom’s walls?
#6
O Christmas Tea
2016
It’s Christmastime in Lancaster, Maine, and it’s an occasion for carols, ornaments, and . . . poison? When a well-known food critic visits Tea for Two and becomes ill, Jan and Elaine set out to learn what put her there. Has someone tampered with their teas? And if so, who and why? With the critic in the hospital and the tearoom closed for a toxicology screening, the cousins have much riding on their investigation! Meanwhile, Elaine tries not to be envious that Jan’s children will be with her for the holiday and hers will not. They each look for the perfect gift for the other, but their searches hit a disappointing—and seemingly insurmountable—obstacle. Can they find just the right gift in time for Christmas?
#7
On Thin Ice
2017
As Tea for Two gears up for Valentine’s Day, Elaine and Jan hear some shouts behind the tearoom. They look out the window to frozen Chickadee Lake to observe what appear to be inebriated men leaving their ice-fishing shanty. But when the cousins learn that one of the members of their community has gone missing, they’re almost certain it’s one of the fishermen they saw. Were they witnesses to a crime? As the cousins delve into the man’s disappearance, they learn that this incident could be more complex than they imagined.
Meanwhile, a new regular at the tearoom seems intent on disrupting the neighborhood in search for some old coins. Why does she care so much? And could this charming and seemingly innocent woman be involved in the crime on the lake?
#8
Tea is for Treasure
2017
As the first harbingers of spring reach the tearoom, so does an unexpected package. When the cousins open it, they discover a beautiful white china teapot with a lovely floral design. But it is what’s inside that really captures Elaine’s and Jan’s imagination: a hand-drawn map and cryptic poem giving clues to a hidden treasure. The intrigue only deepens when Archie Bentham’s friend Nigel Fox stumbles into the tearoom with a gash on his forehead and a warning for them. Could his arrival be connected to the map and poem? Soon other would be treasure hunters arrive, and the sleuthing cousins are determined to not only find the treasure but also get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding it. Meanwhile, as Elaine and Jan piece together the last of the clues they’ve collected about the antique sapphire ring, they discover that its story is even more intriguing than they suspected.
#9
Trouble Brewing
2017
When Jan Blake and Elaine Cook arrive at Lancaster Community Church to prepare for the Mother Daughter Tea, they discover that the historic white clapboard building has been broken into. Have the cousins stumbled on to yet another mystery? At first, it appears that nothing was taken, but it soon becomes clear that something valuable—dating back to the very founding of Maine and part of Pastor Mike’s family history—is gone. And then another unusual item, far less valuable, is discovered missing too. Who ransacked the church and took these things?
The plot thickens as red herrings sidetrack the sleuthing cousins from their pursuit of clues and, as is often the case when there’s trouble brewing in Lancaster, the truth is more surprising and complex than they could imagine. Meanwhile, Elaine’s daughter arrives for a visit from Colorado, and the cousins’ latest flea market find might very well bring with it a mystery of its own.
#10
Mystery and Macarons
2017
When a Tea for Two patron’s wallet goes missing, the owners, Jan and Elaine, are determined to figure out what happened to it. The incident is not an isolated tourists all over Lancaster are reporting stolen wallets, purses, and credit cards. Who is behind the thefts? Can the intrepid cousins stop the culprit before the town’s reputation as an idyllic summer getaway is ruined and the tearoom’s business suffers? Meanwhile, Rose seems distracted as she works to perfect her macaron recipe, and the cousins soon learn it’s because she has met someone special. Her new beau has a young daughter, and she wonders if she has what it takes to commit to the relationship. Can Jan and Elaine find the right words to help this young woman who has become so dear to them? They also uncover new secrets about the painting they bought at the flea market. Could it have ties to someone else they know and love?
#11
The Tea Will Tell
2017
During the height of tourist season there also comes a spate of home invasion burglaries making front page news. Jan and Elaine discover someone left a gun behind in the tearoom. Jan also struggles to say goodbye to Bob.
#13
Steeped in Secrets
2017
Jan Blake and Elaine Cook have investigated many baffling mysteries since opening Tea for Two, and now the spotlight of suspicion is turned on them! The cousins visit Sylvia’s Closet for some unique accessories, and when a valuable collection of vintage brooches is found missing after their visit, the finger of blame points squarely at them—especially when all but one unique piece is discovered in their trash can. And Jan places herself under particular scrutiny after making a regrettable promise of secrecy that drives a wedge between her and Elaine. Who’s behind the theft? And could the strange man Jan saw hanging around outside Sylvia’s Closet be involved?
Meanwhile, the cousins’ beloved stray cat, Earl Grey, is missing. Has something happened to their furry friend or has he merely decided to leave the tearoom for greener pastures?
#14
Stealing Santa
2017
As the Christmas season gets closer a series of bizarre burglaries target the towns businesses by someone dressed as Santa Claus.
#15
A Monumental Mystery
2017
As winter lingers in Lancaster, Maine, a newly recovered statue of a beloved regional author vanishes a week before its unveiling at a library fund-raising event. As the person responsible for the statue, Nathan Culver, Elaine Cook’s boyfriend, quickly becomes the prime suspect. Worse, his uncharacteristic and evasive behavior surrounding the matter begins to test her trust in him. With a popular antiques TV show in town, along with a slew of suspects, Elaine and her cousin Jan Blake race to solve the mystery behind the item’s disappearance before the fund-raiser. Meanwhile, Archie uncovers a big surprise related to the painting the cousins discovered at a flea market and Jan gets a piece of news that might just change her life.
#16
Whispers from the Past
2017
Elaine and Jan attend a mother daughter retreat at an old hotel in Penzance. When Virginia returns to her room after dinner she finds a gift and cryptic note on her pillow. Other attendees have also received similar surprises. Meanwhile Archie uncovers new information about his father that completes the story of the paintings journ ey from England to Maine.
#17
Tearoom in a Tempest
2017
A mystery starts when a stranger leaves Jan and Elaine a package containing a valuable first edition of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Evangeline. The cousins discover the book once belonged to their late grandmother and a cryptic note in the book uncovers an old family feud with implications in the present.
#19
Beneath the surface
2018
Chickadee Lake is a magnet for vacationers in Lancaster's idyllic summer-especially. when people start sighting a strange creature in the water. When Elaine and Jan host Jan's twin grandsons for a week, the boys see the monster for themselves, and game warden, Jack Weston is called in to help track down "Chick" as the residents nickname it. Jan and Elaine set out to investigate and turn up some clues suggesting someone has recently built a "monster."
#20
Apart at the Seams
2018
As the glorious Maine summer wraps up and Lancaster residents eagerly anticipate a Labor Day clambake, the Whisper Art gallery hosts a special exhibit showcasing military memorabilia to honor local American heroes. The night after the exhibit opening, the sound of a tussle and a gunshot wakens the Leon sisters, who enter their gallery to discover that a huge bag of money has been left behind. Who shot the gun? Was it the same person who left the money behind?
#21
Turning the Tables
2018
State trooper Dan asks Elaine and Jan's help with a case. Dan's friend has been accused of embezzlement and removed as a CEO of a non profit organization called Homes for Maine's Heroes. Elaine gets a jobs at HMH.
#22
In Too Deep
2018
Jan agrees to chaperone the church youth groups overnight camping trip. The trip includes her granddaughter Avery. Jan wakes the next morning to find that Avery has wondered off into the Maine wilderness with a new friend. Temps start to drop and it starts to snow. Can they find them in time?
#24
A Cup of Grace
2018
Nathan is surprised by news that he has inherited a shuttered roadside attraction, the World’s Largest Snow Globe, which he and Elaine remember fondly from their youth. When the will is suddenly challenged, however, things start to go very wrong, and it becomes clear that someone is trying to keep Nathan from his inheritance. As Elaine and Jan try to uncover the culprit, they begin to unravel the many mysteries of the Newton family, who originally owned and developed the property. Meanwhile, as the tearoom gears up for its annual Victorian Valentine’s Gala, Jan observes that Pastor Mike and Sarah seem especially stressed by the demands of the congregation in this busy season. The cousins hatch a surprise plan to honor them. But will their plans be thwarted by Pastor Mike and Sarah’s lack of cooperation?
#25
Tea and Promises
2018
Even as Jan puts the final touches on her wedding plans, mystery still swirls around the tearoom. While searching for the perfect wedding gift for Jan and Bob, Elaine and Nathan stumble upon a distinctive antique teapot at Mainely Bargains. Nathan feels certain it's the one that's been missing for 150 years from Hannibal Hamlin's historic family tea set that once served President Lincoln. After Nathan purchases the teapot, Elaine and Jan set out to help him trace its provenance. Their pursuit brings them in contact with some very interesting people, including a woman who is convinced Nathan's teapot belongs to her - and will stop at nothing to get it back. And when Jan and Bob's big day finally arrives, it is capped by an exiting announcement and a thrilling development - just as the newlyweds depart for their honeymoon.
#26
A Bitter Brew
2023
"Jan and Elaine are thrilled when Jan is chosen to compete in the Traveling Baking Challenge. Not only is the invitation to compete an honor, it will bring national recognition to their little town, since the contest is televised every year. Things get even more exciting when the producer of the show asks if they can use the tearoom as the backdrop for this year's contest. Things go awry, however, when the trophy - a chest stuffed with the prize money - disappears right from under everyone's noses.
Worse, the cousins find themselves as the prime suspects when information is leaked that the tearoom is facing the threat of a financial crisis. Determined to clear their names, Jan and Elaine set out to discover the real culprit. Can they do it before the contest ends, or will they fall faster than Jan's award-winning souffle'?"
#27
Tea Leaves & Legacies
2020
Elaine gets word she is about to receive a small fortune, from her ex husband's aunt. She contacts the lawyer and told it is real. Jan is thrilled to learn that Tara's boyfriend has bought a ring. Jack is injured in an accident.
Authors
Leslie Gould
Author · 28 books
Leslie Gould is the #1 bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of over forty novels. She received her MFA in 2009 and has taught writing at two universities. Leslie enjoys traveling, hiking, and history. She and her husband, Peter, are the parents of four adult children and one grand baby. Visit her at http://www.lesliegould.com/.
Susan Page Davis
Author · 82 books
FROM AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: I'm a native of central Maine, and grew up on a small farm with a wonderful mom and dad, three sisters and a brother. Most of my books take place in small towns, many of them in Maine. My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine! Our children are all home-schooled. When Jim retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, we moved from Maine to Kentucky. I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters. For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.
