A Spot of Earl Slay (Tea Time Troubles Book 1) by Aubrey Elle – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

A Spot of Earl Slay by Aubrey Elle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Spot of Earl Slay is Book One in the Tea Time Troubles Series. Naomi has decided that she wants a fresh start after having just divorced her husband. She moves her and her teen daughter, Ella, to the small community of Fayette. Her uncle left Naomi a house after he passed away and she figures that living mortgage free will be a good way for her and her daughter to get back on their feet. Her ex-husband has been less than generous in the divorce proceedings and Naomi needs to find a job and start saving money.

As Naomi and Ella arrive at their new home a fierce storm starts knocking branches off trees and blows open the door on their shed. When the women go to close the shed door, they are horrified to discover a dead body laying inside the shed. While they wait for the police to arrive, they meet the neighbor ladies, Barbara and Ingrid who invite them over for Earl Grey tea and biscuits. Over tea Naomi and Ella learn about the townsfolk and who the deceased person is in their shed. As the women discuss the discovery of the body Naomi and Ella learn it was the town gossip who made a lot of enemies over the years.

Naomi and Ella feel uncomfortable with the idea of staying in their new house so when the neighbors offer for them to stay with them, they decide it is a good idea. As they discuss how hated the deceased person, Yasmin, was they learn that even her own family and friends hated her. Yasmin always had her nose in everyone’s business so it could have been any number of people who murdered her. The list of suspects is long, and the investigation drags on, so the four ladies set out to solve the mystery themselves. As they start digging into the suspect list Naomi has her hands full worrying about if their lives are in danger and fighting with her ex-husband who wants custody of Ella.

The title of this book drew me in immediately and from the first few pages I was invested in the storyline. The author did a great job describing the small-town vibe and how everyone within a small community seems to know everyone else’s business. The characters were beautifully written and relatable. Anyone who has gone through a messy divorce can relate to Naomi and the emotions, stress, and pressure she felt as she tried to do what was best for her daughter, Ella. As if leaving a loveless marriage was not stressful enough, Naomi discovers a murder victim in the shed of her new home. Her new life does not seem to be off to a great start. Naomi was courageous and put on a brave face throughout everything that was thrown at her. Ella helped her mom through things with her wit and humor. As a bonus the neighbors seem nice enough and Naomi and Ella make fast friends with them so that helps the women feel comfortable in their new surroundings. This was a cozy little mystery with action, drama, suspense, intrigue, and danger.

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