"Vanilla Chai and A Vanishing Victim" By Victoria Tait: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Vanilla Chai and A Vanishing Victim is book three in Victoria Tait’s A Waterwheel Cafe cozy mystery series. While I was delighted to return to a mystery featuring Sergeant Keya Varma, part-time police officer and owner of the Waterwheel Cafe, this book also easily works as a standalone mystery novel for those new to the series. 

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Image Source Kanga Press

Keya lives a full and busy life working both as a police officer and owner of her café, not to mention her sister’s finally rescheduled upcoming wedding ceremony. Thankfully her sister and mom help out in the cafe daily, which Keya especially needs when a timely case of a kidnapped child lands on her desk. And the little boy isn’t a stranger–Keya had seen him just days before in her cafe with his two parents. Keya dives deep into this case that is full of twists and turns.

Just like her previous books, Victoria brings to life a small English village in the Cotswolds, full of unique and loveable characters–all adding to the novel’s English charm. I especially enjoy Keya’s fellow officers at the Cirencester station–they are like an extension of Keya’s family and also add a bit of humor throughout. If you’ve read the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series by Victoria, you’ll note that Keya and Dotty are good friends, and that is such a fun crossover.

The descriptions of the cafe’s sweets and drinks had me wishing I could try an iced vanilla chai, even though I read this during winter and not on a hot English summer day when the novel is set. It’s fun to see how those living in the village all offer to help Keya out in some way at the cafe.

And I certainly can’t forget to mention the solid, well-plotted mystery that drives the story forward. I enjoyed following the clues right along with Keya, although thankfully she solved the mystery better than I could! Books by Victoria are a lovely treat and I’m so glad I could pick this one up. Perfect for readers looking for a cozy mystery featuring a small English village.

To enter to win either a print or ebook copy of Vanilla Chai and A Vanishing Victim (winner's choice), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "vanilla,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 5, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. 

 Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.