Gareth and Louise Ward are back with another witty, exciting, tense read. The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death is just as enjoyable as their first novel, The Bookshop Detectives: Dead Girl Gone, only this time the novel contains more delectable treats and dangerous poisons than before.

When we opened Sherlock Tomes people warned us that we’d made a terrible mistake. The one thing they didn’t warn us about was the murders…the Bookshop Detectives are on the case! In this rollicking new adventure, Garth and Eloise (and Stevie) must sniff out a prolific poisoner ahead of a vital fundraising event, the Battle of the Book Clubs. As time runs out and the body count rises, it seems the bad actors are circling closer to the people and places they care about. Could Pinter, the infamous serial killer from Eloise’s past, somehow be involved? And when anyone could be a suspect, how can Garth and Eloise keep their customers, their small town, and their beloved bookshop safe?

The little community of characters that round out this bookish story world are so fun and eclectic, and their interactions with the Sherlock Tomes team make for great character development, wholesome dialogue, and engaging action. Even when things are going well, there is such an easy engagement with the characters, their antics, and the bookshop to make it a cosy read. And with a cute little friend making an appearance, The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death is all the more adorable (though not everyone will agree).

The plot is thickening in the overarching story, but the events specific to this case of mysterious poisonings and an even more puzzling caramel and coriander slice are so well crafted and executed. The connections between their old police lives and their new bookshop owner ones are growing, and even with all their expertise and incredible friends to back them up and help out when things get grisly, the tension is palpable in The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death. I love how things have that slightly ominous, dark tone to them when it comes to the big bad shadow hanging over them, not to mention all the little concerns that are amounting to a truly terrifying history shared between Eloise and Pinter. I cannot wait to find out more!

What’s more, the messages beneath the high-stakes story and the themes found in The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death make for some touching, reflexive moments. Death, as theatrical as it comes across in the title, is a serious and sombre topic for some, scary and saddening for others, but the ability and freedom to talk about it and share in the grief, bravery, and certainty of it can be life-changing for everyone. Talking about death and making it a less taboo topic has the power to make it less frightening, and in turn make life more exciting and meaningful. I love that detail about this novel, and I hope to see more death cafes in the future – you’ll have to read the novel to see what I mean.

The Bookshop Detectives are must-reads for crime fiction and mystery thriller readers, especially those who like a little more cosy with their crime. Not only do these books deliver such amazing stories, but the characters are phenomenal and I can see the potential for future interactions and revelations. Pick up The Bookshop Detectives: Dead Girl Gone and The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death as soon as you can because you will not want to miss out!