Death by Spiced Chai. Alex Erickson. 2022. Kensington Cozies. 320 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Sometimes the smallest things intrigue me, and Death by Spiced Chai pulled me in from its title because it’s one of my favorite drinks. What I hadn’t expected was that I’d be starting a series in book ten, and I happen to be one of those (un)fortunate souls who needs all of the backstory. So I started back at one, with Death by Coffee, which introduces Krissy Hancock, her new bookstore of the same name, and the cast of characters that makes up the small town of Pine Hills, Ohio. Throughout the series, she finds her way into the middle of murder investigations and is an unlikely, yet effective, detective who simultaneously fumbles her way through romance, friendship, and establishing a life half a country away from home.
In Death by Spiced Chai, Krissy instead finds herself on the wrong side of the law. A series of mysterious incidents have the townsfolk turning against and her already shaky reputation on the downswing. When she ends up suspected in the murder of a bookstore cafe customer with whom she was seen arguing only days prior, she begins to wonder who exactly is out to get her and why. While she’s adamant about her innocence, the links to previous murders seem a bit too coincidental for many to believe and she’s both trying to solve a murder and solve who is setting her up.
I will admit that Krissy takes a lot of warming up to. As far as protagonists go, she’s foolhardy and her sense of self-preservation needs recalibration. Others might consider her brave, but her impulsivity had me convinced she was in her early 20s and not mid-40s. Overall Krissy means well, but her methods err on the side of immature and it’s easy to see why she lands herself in trouble so often. Nonetheless, she’s also a good foil for the local officers, gossips, and various neighbors. This book in particular added more tension between her and those with whom she’s close, particularly her boyfriend, officer Paul Dalton, and neighbors she’s become friends with. I thought this was an interesting take given that these same people often enable her amateur-sleuthing in other books.
Having read all 10 books in quick succession, I can say that the plots are engaging as far as cozy mysteries go. The stories are interesting enough and not terribly predictable, especially in this installment. The drama is high and makes for books I rarely want to put down. They aren’t high suspense, so the angst and stress is low, making these perfect for a lazy afternoon.
One major critique I have is in Erickson’s depiction of Krissy; she reads as if she’s written by a man. At times she seems stereotypically insecure in her romantic relationships, and her actions as they relate to her exes with ties to Pine Hills just don’t come off as realistic. This depiction doesn’t make her more relatable and only served to make me question her judgement. Luckily, the romance isn’t the central plot point in most books, so it’s not a prevalent enough issue to make me stop the series.
Overall, I’ve enjoyed the series, and particularly enjoyed Death by Spiced Chai for putting Krissy in the hot seat. I’m hoping her character will grow and mature over future books, so I’ll keep an eye out.
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