The Teacup with the Wrong Handle: A witty English cozy set in a Cotswold village with a puzzle you can solve (Ink & Ivy Village Mysteries Series Book 1)
By John Swagey, Liora Dawn
The Teacup with the Wrong Handle
Ink & Ivy Village Mysteries Series • Book 1
When a wedding turns deadly in the English Cotswolds, one woman’s eye for detail could solve the crime or put her in the killer’s sights.
Opening day at Ink & Ivy should be simple. Tessa Blackwood’s vintage teashop in little Wickham is ready for scones, mismatched china, and tourist chatter. Then she spots a vintage teacup with its handle glued on backward. Hours later the village’s most exacting wedding planner is found at the foot of the hall stairs.
Police say accident. Villagers say karma. Tessa sees what others miss: fresh glue where it shouldn’t be, a sharp citrus note on the banister, and skid marks on newly polished wood. With Bramble the terrier leading her into rooms she should avoid and DI Malik Shaw testing every claim, Tessa follows a trail of shop receipts, wedding ribbons, and a brass tab stamped with a laurel wreath. In a village where everyone knows everyone’s business, one secret can turn lethal.
Perfect for fans of M. C. Beaton, Agatha Christie, and village whodunits with a clever female sleuth, a gentle tone, and fair-play clueing you can solve from home.
Read it if you love: British cozy mystery, women sleuths, small-town secrets, clean reads with a loyal dog, puzzles that play fair.
Content notes: No graphic violence. No profanity. A closed-door, feel-good vibe.
British cozy mystery, Cotswolds, women sleuths, small town mystery, amateur sleuth, village hall, dog companion, fair-play puzzle.
Quick craft note: “bergamot” reads like tea; keep “citrus solvent” if the scent comes from wipes or glue. It avoids confusion.
The Teacup with the Wrong Handle
Ink & Ivy Village Mysteries Series • Book 1
When a wedding turns deadly in the English Cotswolds, one woman’s eye for detail could solve the crime or put her in the killer’s sights.
Opening day at Ink & Ivy should be simple. Tessa Blackwood’s vintage teashop in little Wickham is ready for scones, mismatched china, and tourist chatter. Then she spots a vintage teacup with its handle glued on backward. Hours later the village’s most exacting wedding planner is found at the foot of the hall stairs.
Police say accident. Villagers say karma. Tessa sees what others miss: fresh glue where it shouldn’t be, a sharp citrus note on the banister, and skid marks on newly polished wood. With Bramble the terrier leading her into rooms she should avoid and DI Malik Shaw testing every claim, Tessa follows a trail of shop receipts, wedding ribbons, and a brass tab stamped with a laurel wreath. In a village where everyone knows everyone’s business, one secret can turn lethal.
Perfect for fans of M. C. Beaton, Agatha Christie, and village whodunits with a clever female sleuth, a gentle tone, and fair-play clueing you can solve from home.
Read it if you love: British cozy mystery, women sleuths, small-town secrets, clean reads with a loyal dog, puzzles that play fair.
Content notes: No graphic violence. No profanity. A closed-door, feel-good vibe.
British cozy mystery, Cotswolds, women sleuths, small town mystery, amateur sleuth, village hall, dog companion, fair-play puzzle.
Quick craft note: “bergamot” reads like tea; keep “citrus solvent” if the scent comes from wipes or glue. It avoids confusion.