Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Death in a Budapest Butterfly has a great cover and seems like it was a theme that should have been right up my alley. I just didn't really connect with it for some reason. The family owns a tea shop and caters parties and events. A guest who is not popular with some of the other people at the event dies suddenly and the family finds themselves under scrutiny. Others might like this one.
So slow. No 20 year old seriously says "sock it to me" in this century.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.
The Hungarian folklore and community make this a unique mystery. Hana and her family are well drawn and this is a good series start. The food and tea should make this a fun, interesting read for those with little Hungarian experiences. I do find it hard to believe that the police in the Chicago area wouldn't have access to a Hungarian interpreter so they wouldn't have to use a potential suspects to help with the Hungarian aspects of the investigation. Still, this is a very enjoyable mystery.
The Hungarian folklore and community make this a unique mystery. Hana and her family are well drawn and this is a good series start. The food and tea should make this a fun, interesting read for those with little Hungarian experiences. I do find it hard to believe that the police in the Chicago area wouldn't have access to a Hungarian interpreter so they wouldn't have to use a potential suspects to help with the Hungarian aspects of the investigation. Still, this is a very enjoyable mystery.
This was a fun and enjoyable cozy mystery. I would definitely read future books in this series.
I know nothing about the Hungarian culture, but it was interesting to learn a bit about it through this book. The family group that all participate with Hana in figuring out the murder is a different approach to a cozy, and I liked it. All the members of Hana's family were likable and unique and added something to the story.
I loved all the old grandma's who played various parts in the story. Any reader with European extended inter-generational family will relate to and appreciate Hana, her grandma, and all the other elderly Hungarian ladies who are at the fatal tea.
The romance in this story was well-done. It was a nice part of the story, but did not take over the story, which I liked.
There is also lots of humour in this story, which is always a plus for me. Basically, this was just a really good start to a series that could definitely become a favourite.
I know nothing about the Hungarian culture, but it was interesting to learn a bit about it through this book. The family group that all participate with Hana in figuring out the murder is a different approach to a cozy, and I liked it. All the members of Hana's family were likable and unique and added something to the story.
I loved all the old grandma's who played various parts in the story. Any reader with European extended inter-generational family will relate to and appreciate Hana, her grandma, and all the other elderly Hungarian ladies who are at the fatal tea.
The romance in this story was well-done. It was a nice part of the story, but did not take over the story, which I liked.
There is also lots of humour in this story, which is always a plus for me. Basically, this was just a really good start to a series that could definitely become a favourite.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Welcome to Maggie’s Tea House where Hana, her mother Maggie, and grandmother Juliana, serve cakes and tea focused on the family’s Hungarian heritage. A real treat is that Juliana can read tea leaves and predict the future. The ladies have a vast tea service collection for their customers and Hana has a private collection too. She just added a beautiful butterfly cup, one that she has put on display at their latest event.
With the event well underway Maggie notices her cup is not where she left, but on a table being used by a woman, she doesn’t recognize. Her grandmother is busy reading leaves and Hana overhears some ominous predictions. She looks back to see the woman who was using her cup hurrying off to the bathroom. After a few minutes, Hana heads that way to find the woman dead.
Detective Erik Wolf arrives on the scene, the butterfly cup is bagged as evidence and he and his partner start getting everyone’s information. When he does start questioning witnesses he asks for Hana, Maggie, and Juliana’s help because they are familiar with the woman and the Hungarian language. With their business labeled as a crime scene, they agree but that doesn’t stop them from doing some snooping on their own.
This series is off to a fine start!
Hana Keller is 26 years old and still single much to her mother and grandmother’s dismay. She lives with her cats Anthony & Cleopatra and she has a passion for promoting her family’s Hungarian culture. Her mother Maggie is the force behind the tea house, but her grandmother is also very involved. I really enjoyed getting to know them, but feel we have just scratched the surface of who they are. There is a thread that purposed that Hana may have a gift similar to her grandmother that seems to have skipped her mother’s generation. I am interested to see how this is featured in future stories.
We are also meet several women/suspects from the neighborhood, the hunky Detective Wolf and his partner. Detective Benton. We are also introduced to pastry chef Francois, Hana’s brother Domo, and her dad too. It is a large cast but the author takes time to make each unique and has left plenty of room for growth. There are some sparks between Hana and Detective Wolf but it is very early in the series and hard to classify as a relationship YET, but we know where they are headed.
Welcome to Maggie’s Tea House where Hana, her mother Maggie, and grandmother Juliana, serve cakes and tea focused on the family’s Hungarian heritage. A real treat is that Juliana can read tea leaves and predict the future. The ladies have a vast tea service collection for their customers and Hana has a private collection too. She just added a beautiful butterfly cup, one that she has put on display at their latest event.
With the event well underway Maggie notices her cup is not where she left, but on a table being used by a woman, she doesn’t recognize. Her grandmother is busy reading leaves and Hana overhears some ominous predictions. She looks back to see the woman who was using her cup hurrying off to the bathroom. After a few minutes, Hana heads that way to find the woman dead.
Detective Erik Wolf arrives on the scene, the butterfly cup is bagged as evidence and he and his partner start getting everyone’s information. When he does start questioning witnesses he asks for Hana, Maggie, and Juliana’s help because they are familiar with the woman and the Hungarian language. With their business labeled as a crime scene, they agree but that doesn’t stop them from doing some snooping on their own.
This series is off to a fine start!
Hana Keller is 26 years old and still single much to her mother and grandmother’s dismay. She lives with her cats Anthony & Cleopatra and she has a passion for promoting her family’s Hungarian culture. Her mother Maggie is the force behind the tea house, but her grandmother is also very involved. I really enjoyed getting to know them, but feel we have just scratched the surface of who they are. There is a thread that purposed that Hana may have a gift similar to her grandmother that seems to have skipped her mother’s generation. I am interested to see how this is featured in future stories.
We are also meet several women/suspects from the neighborhood, the hunky Detective Wolf and his partner. Detective Benton. We are also introduced to pastry chef Francois, Hana’s brother Domo, and her dad too. It is a large cast but the author takes time to make each unique and has left plenty of room for growth. There are some sparks between Hana and Detective Wolf but it is very early in the series and hard to classify as a relationship YET, but we know where they are headed.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Child death, Stalking
Got a third of the way through and could not finish it.
I've tried to like the "cozy mystery" type books, and hoped this would be better than previous ones I'd tried. The blurb and preview seemed promising, and the Hungarian elements appealing, but I was sorely disappointed once again. Banter between characters feels forced. Characters in their late twenties/early thirties think and behave like naive white high schoolers.
I specify white here in particular because holy smokes, the main character, Hana, has an eugenics-level obsession with ethnicity. It's understandable to be wrapped up in her own Hungarian heritage, especially with the event for the Magyar Women. But she's commenting constantly on others: the French pastry chef, the detective who must be Norwegian because his name is Erik with a "k," the friend whose family name was French yet whose parents studied Russian literature (utterly inexplicable to her, apparently).
I was curious about the outcome of the mystery, but not enough to make up for the ridiculous (and a little unnerving) flaws. My reading list is too long to labor through the other two-thirds of this one.
Edit: I can't believe I forgot to mention the weird subplot with the brother's girlfriend. Immediately upon meeting her, he worked to insert himself into her life and disrupt it because he felt she was just too shy; she was a "social challenge" for him to fix, essentially, and did things like schedule outings with social goals for her, which was a big YIKES.
I've tried to like the "cozy mystery" type books, and hoped this would be better than previous ones I'd tried. The blurb and preview seemed promising, and the Hungarian elements appealing, but I was sorely disappointed once again. Banter between characters feels forced. Characters in their late twenties/early thirties think and behave like naive white high schoolers.
I specify white here in particular because holy smokes, the main character, Hana, has an eugenics-level obsession with ethnicity. It's understandable to be wrapped up in her own Hungarian heritage, especially with the event for the Magyar Women. But she's commenting constantly on others: the French pastry chef, the detective who must be Norwegian because his name is Erik with a "k," the friend whose family name was French yet whose parents studied Russian literature (utterly inexplicable to her, apparently).
I was curious about the outcome of the mystery, but not enough to make up for the ridiculous (and a little unnerving) flaws. My reading list is too long to labor through the other two-thirds of this one.
Edit: I can't believe I forgot to mention the weird subplot with the brother's girlfriend. Immediately upon meeting her, he worked to insert himself into her life and disrupt it because he felt she was just too shy; she was a "social challenge" for him to fix, essentially, and did things like schedule outings with social goals for her, which was a big YIKES.
I picked this book up last summer while I was in Minnesota on a whim. I was hopeful it would be a good one but had no expectations. What a great beginning to a new series this is!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is set in an Hungarian tea shop run by a mostly Hungarian family. Hana's father is not Hungarian but her grandparents immigrated from Hungry. There are lots of references to Hungarian culture such as tea drinking, fortune telling from tea leaves, Hungarian folk culture, and words.
I did have a little inkling as to the wrong doer, but I don't think it was obvious. I definitely will be picking up another one of her books as soon as I have a chance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is set in an Hungarian tea shop run by a mostly Hungarian family. Hana's father is not Hungarian but her grandparents immigrated from Hungry. There are lots of references to Hungarian culture such as tea drinking, fortune telling from tea leaves, Hungarian folk culture, and words.
I did have a little inkling as to the wrong doer, but I don't think it was obvious. I definitely will be picking up another one of her books as soon as I have a chance.
Beauty meets death in this new series by Julia Buckley, which features Hungarian culture, family, and folklore. The Hungarian elements mixed with the cozy mystery nicely, making this a fun, unique read. It was fascinating learning about Easter European history and culture (and yummy food), and the slightly paranormal aspect was entertaining without being overly unrealistic. I love that the Budapest Butterfly is a Hungarian tea cup and that Hana loves it just because it is beautiful.
However, the romance was way too insta-lovey, but levels off in a good way, and the police investigation wasn't as realistic, but that is to be expected in a cozy.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book. I read it in less than a day! I look forward to reading the next book in the series. There are recipes in the back of the book for the dishes mentioned throughout they mystery. I cannot wait to try them out!
Disclosure: I obtained a copy of this eARC for review through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
However, the romance was way too insta-lovey, but levels off in a good way, and the police investigation wasn't as realistic, but that is to be expected in a cozy.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book. I read it in less than a day! I look forward to reading the next book in the series. There are recipes in the back of the book for the dishes mentioned throughout they mystery. I cannot wait to try them out!
Disclosure: I obtained a copy of this eARC for review through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.