In Too Steep by Kate Kingsbury: Book Review

The second book in the Misty Bay Tearoom series by Kate Kingsbury, In Too Steep, is set to release on August 9 by Crooked Lane Books. In Too Steep continues to follow Vivian Wainwright, the owner of a British-style tea room in coastal Oregon. When the body of a local beachcomber is discovered, Vivian notices something in a photo in the local paper that leads her on a mission. How did the item end up in his possession? Who gave it to him? How did a tiny treasure end up inside it?

I want to thank Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of In Too Steep. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

It seemed like a simple case: the murder of Lewis Trenton, a beachcomber who lived alone in a cabin in the Oregon hills. But the newspaper article piques the interest of Vivian Wainwright, owner of the British-style Misty Bay Tearoom. The photo accompanying the article shows Lewis’s cluttered living room, and on the shelf is a replica of Big Ben. Vivian is sure she sold the clock a week before in her shop. Who could have given the image to Lewis?

Unable to keep from doing a bit of sleuthing, Vivian hunts down the replica in a local thrift shop, noticing that the base is missing, rendering it worthless, but just as Vivian is about to throw it in the trash, a sparkle catches her eye. It’s a diamond, hidden away in a crevice in the clock. Vivian takes the diamond to Detective Tony Messina, who identifies it as part of a jewelry heist in Portland a month earlier. Portland police think Lewis was the fence who sold the jewels and that he was killed after double-crossing the thieves—but Messina doesn’t believe the story.

What was the true motive behind Lewis’s murder? How did he come upon the diamond? And what secrets can the clock tell—before the killer strikes again?

Positives

Like most cozy mysteries, this one is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. That said, generally, reading them in order helps to understand relationships.

Kingsbury does a beautiful job of writing the setting along the coast of Oregon.

Negatives

The mystery seems to take a back seat to the relationship between Vivian and Hal, the owner of the local pet store. Even the relationship between Jenna and Messina appears to be more forward in the book than the mystery itself.

My Opinions

This cozy mystery lives up to the genre. It is cozy! All the mention of tea and British pastries is enough to make anyone feel cozy. Too bad there aren’t recipes to help recreate the experience at home. Maybe another thing that helps it feel cozy is that it is set at the end of October and the beginning of November.

Is it wrong to say that my favorite character in the book is Felix? He’s the adorable dog on the cover. Felix works hard to get Vivian’s attention and steals the scene whenever he is there.

In Too Steep is the first Kate Kingsbury book that I have read. And honestly, when I first requested the ARC, I did not realize that it was not the first book in the series. It did not impact my understanding of the story or characters. If you wish to start the series at the beginning, the first book is In Hot Water.

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.