Oxford Tearoom Mystery series By H.Y. Hanna: Reviews/Giveaway

Apr 22, 2017 | 2017 Articles, Food Fun, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win either a print or kindle copy of any one of these books, and a links to purchase them from Amazon.

Oxford Tearoom Mystery earns 5/5 Pots of English Breakfast Tea!

The Oxford Tearoom Mystery series by H.Y. Hanna is my absolute favorite ‘cozy’ reading adventure. It has six very entertaining novels and a prequel, which is a great place to start and get those “How did she get here from there?” answers. Set outside Oxford, England, in the tiny Cotswold village of Meadowford on Smythe, Gemma Rose has opened up the quintessential image of ‘Olde England,’ The Little Stables Tearoom. She serves the best scones and pots of tea along with…murder.

Hsin-Yi Hanna has created a marvelous group of characters putting them right in the middle of thrilling mysteries. Gemma Rose is a strong, clever young woman whose loyalty to friends and family puts her in the middle of a murder investigation. She is joined by BFF and partner Cassie, and a couple of hunks offer a touch of romance. I’m rooting for rekindling a former love interest; besides it’s always good, when investigating murder, to have a CID Detective in your inner circle. However, I personally love the ‘quirky’ octogenarians, dubbed the “Old Biddies,” who get involved in their own way, and along with Gemma’s mother, provide some frustrating, yet comic relief. book

The setting, in and around Oxford and the Cotswold countryside, is a character of its own. Hsin-Yi provides wonderful descriptions of the University area putting it on top of my ‘Bucket List.’ Everyone gets entangled in the mysteries; even the reader has the opportunity to sort through clues and suspect list. However, like Agatha Christie herself, the solutions are often left to the end for a glorious reveal which often has someone in peril. The story has given me more than a few giggles when referring to some purely British idiosyncrasies, but, don’t worry about any British references because in each book a “Glossary of British Terms” is provided to boast your Anglophile nature.

The series is also being produced on audio book with the talents of voice artist Pearl Hewitt. Book 1 A Scone to Die For was released last September, Tea with Milk and Murder came out in February, and Two Down, Bun to Go is just out of the studio recording. The narrator Pearl Hewitt is ‘Absolutely Fabulous!’ Her skill with a variety of British accents brings to life Gemma with her Oxford education, proper English for the ‘Old Biddies’ and Oxford Dons, street English for pub owners and some questionable villagers, male, female, and a few Americans…even the occasional ‘meow’ and trill of the alarm clock were stupendous…I always say murder sounds great with an English accent!

Hanna also knows that many of us ‘cozi-holics’ love a little treat with our reading adventures, so she adds an excellent, easy-to-follow recipe to each of her novels which is actually part of the story. Of course, perfect for your afternoon tea there is the Traditional Scone recipe, and you’ll be a hit at your book club or family brunch with Gemma’s mother’s Velvet Cheesecake, Chelsea Buns, Victoria Sponge Cake, Banoffee Pie, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Not only is this series entertaining, but delicious as well!

Just released is Book 6…
You can start here, there, or anywhere in the series and be entertained.

Four Puddings and a Funeral earns 5/5 Sticky Toffee Puddings!

Gemma Rose has expanded into catering with her first function the funeral reception of Rex Clifford. His wife, dubbed a ‘floozy’ by his daughter, has inherited the entire estate and hard feelings about this change in the will has made this somber event…murderously tense. Everyone is delighted with Gemma’s food, but all goes sour when the widow coughs, sputters and collapses…another murder. Gemma is back at the center, but her detective boyfriend takes a back seat to an incompetent ‘Pratt.’ Then there’s a long lost heir, one of the “Old Biddies” is a person of interest, a little hedgehog causes trouble and everyone enjoys a few boxes of enchanting chocolates from Tillyhenge, a delightful reference to Hanna’s new series Bewitched by Chocolate.book

H.Y. Hanna sixth novel does not disappoint providing fans an engaging entertainment with which newbies, too, will be just as thrilled. The signature “sticky wickets” pop up from the “Old Biddies” putting Gemma in a ‘pickle,’ and how many daughters can identify with Gemma’s frustration over her mother’s meddling in her love life? Being a big fan of the audio books, I was delightfully surprised to find myself hearing Pearl Hewitt marvelous voice in my head. I had a few lessons in British desserts, too. “Pudding” can be a generic name for a dessert, as well as the dessert itself…so my favorite pudding is pudding!

The audio books are an adventure ‘To Die For’… Let this whet your appetite!

Scone to Die For earns 5/5 Plates of Scones with a Pot of Earl Gray!

bookGemma Rose is pleased that her little tearoom is starting to gain a regular clientele and host many tourists who desire to experience a proper English Tea. But, a nasty American, who caused such a “kerfuffle” the day before, is found dead in the tearoom’s courtyard with a scone stuffed down his throat. Gemma is worried about the effect on her business and decides to take the reins of her own investigate while also dealing with four old biddies, a bossy mother, a missing cat, former college boyfriend now investigating detective, and…is that another dead body?

Tea with Milk and Murder earns 5/5 Slices of Velvet Cheesecake!

bookFriends will do anything for a friend. BFF Cassie is having her first art exhibition courtesy of gallery owner and new boyfriend, but Gemma isn’t a fan of the modern art exhibits and definitely not a fan of Cassie’s new beau. Gemma’s suspicions are heightened when she overhears the boyfriend conspiring in the shadows. Then a self-proclaimed girlfriend starts flailing, collapsing on the ground…dead.

Once again Gemma meets up with CID Detective O’Conner, former boyfriend, and the “Old Biddies” add their own covert explorations, but Gemma treads lightly since she doesn’t want to damage her friendship with Cassie.

The newest audio book…still in the oven!

The newest audiobook…fresh out of the oven!Two Down, Bun to Go is worth Dozens of Chelsea Buns!

bookA phone call at 2 o‘clock in the morning can’t possible be good, and when the frantic friend asks you to retrieve a note before the police find it, you’re right…it isn’t good. Then you find out a not-so-popular Oxford professor is dead and the same frantic friend is arrested…yeah, it is really not good at all. Once again Gemma is thrown into the investigation to help clear her friend of murder, but dealing with relationship issues and efforts to find a new baking chef teeters Gemma’s life on the edge.

Become a H.Y. Hanna Fan!
Facebook – H.Y. Hanna Books
Website – H.Y. Hanna
Twitter At @_HYHanna

To enter to win either a print or kindle copy of any one book in this series, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “oxford,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 29, 2017. U.S. residents only for the print copy. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address. PLEASE STATE IN ENTRY WHETHER YOU WANT PRINT OR KINDLE & which book you want.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section.

You can use these links to purchase the books from Amazon. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link:



sybilfinalad

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

25 Comments

  1. Thanks for the chance to win a book by H.Y. Hanna. I would love to win a print copy of Four Puddings and a Funeral.

    bah195@yahoo.com

    Reply
  2. Print, the pudding one — they all sound good, will look for this at the library! Thanks for the GREAT introduction to this author!

    Reply
  3. These sound fun! I have recently started to listen to Audibles while I clean my barn and the mucking goes so much faster with your mind on something fun! I’ll have to check these out. English accents make everything better!

    Reply
  4. I would love to win a book by H.Y. Hanna. I would like a kindle copy of the 2nd book, Tea with Milk and Murder. My email is jen.frederick@yahoo.com. Thanks for the chance.

    Reply
  5. This looks like a fun series to read. Love the cat on the cover. If I am lucky enough to win I would like a print copy of Four Puddings and a Funeral. Thank you for the generous giveaway.

    pgenest57 at aol dot com

    Reply
  6. I love these books. The covers are adorable.

    Reply
  7. This would be a new series for me. I like that you can start with any of the books in the series. Good to know there are audiobooks as well. The covers are adorable, I would love a print copy. Thankyou for the opportunity! minishoes@msn.com

    Reply
  8. I love this series! Thank you so much for the contest and the review. I can’t wait to get my hands on the newest one. 🙂

    Reply
  9. These look so good. Covers are so cute. Really want to read. Prefer hardcopy thank you.

    Reply
  10. I love this series and have read all of them except the latest. They are all an enjoyable adventure with a little romance on the side. H.Y. Hanna provides the reader with a great view of England and their famous colleges.

    Reply
  11. Gah! I forgot to put in my earlier entry that I would like a print copy of Four Puddings. Thanks again for the chance. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Love the cat 🙂
    raineybird at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  13. Thank you for the giveaway! parkeremma2003 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  14. I would love to win a book by H.Y. Hanna. I would like a print copy of the 2nd book, Tea with Milk and Murder. My email is kckendler at gmail dot com. Thanks for the chance.

    Reply
  15. I would love to win a print copy of this title. thank you for the chance

    johnnabooks(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
  16. Wowza! Most definitely print & I’d like to start with #1 A S one to Die For (but I would take any!)
    Cheers-
    Kelly Braun
    Gaelicark (at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  17. Cute book covers and looks like a fun series. Would love to win a print copy.
    Sandy G sand1948@gmail.com

    Reply
  18. I love the covers of this series and big fan of this author and her books. Thanks for the chance to win. Print please.
    scarletbegonia5858(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  19. I would love to win a print copy!

    Reply
  20. I haven’t read this series yet, but I have read really great reviews about the series. Would love to read one of the books.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  21. This series sounds amazing, I would love a chance to win a print copy of this book. Thanks for this very generous giveaway. lindamay4852@yahoo.com

    Reply
  22. We have a winner!

    Reply

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