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The Dough Must Go On

The Oxford Tearoom Mysteries - Book 9

Showbiz comes to Oxford in the form of Britain’s hottest new talent show and tearoom owner Gemma Rose gets a peek behind-the-scenes when she’s asked to cater for the event. But Gemma soon ends up with more than she bargained for… when she comes across a frozen dead body!

Deadhead and Buried

The English Cottage Garden Mysteries ~ Book 1

When Poppy receives a mysterious inheritance, the last thing she expects is a cottage garden nursery–complete with romantic climbing roses, fragrant herbs, a ginger cat with serious attitude… and a dead body. Poppy might not know her pansies from her petunias, but that doesn’t stop her digging for clues. The only problem is that she could be digging her own grave too…

Meet Muesli

Meet the real-life inspiration for the feline star of the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries…

On Facebook

H.Y. Hanna - Author

12 hours ago

🌷🌱It's here! Book 1 in my new series, the 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑪𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑴𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔! 🌼 🐾 https://amzn.com/B07NV13J5F (print coming)
City girl Poppy desperately wants to pay off her debts, quit her dead-end job, find her father... oh, and keep a plant alive. But she knows that these are just hopeless dreams--until the day a letter arrives. Suddenly, Poppy is on a train heading deep into the English countryside to claim a mysterious inheritance. And the last thing she expects to receive is a cottage garden nursery--complete with romantic climbing roses, fragrant herbs, a ginger cat with serious attitude... and a dead body.
Now she must solve the mystery or risk losing her new home and the chance for a fresh start. But who would want to murder a gardener in a sleepy little village? Could a reclusive inventor have something to do with the killing? What about the brooding crime author next door? And why is her long-lost cousin so desperate for her to sell the cottage?
Poppy might not know her pansies from her petunias, but that doesn't stop her digging for clues. The only problem is - she could be digging her own grave too...🐾 🌷
🇬🇧 Here's the book on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NV13J5F/
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(** And Book 2 is available on pre-order! :-) https://amzn.com/B07NTY1VNS/) ... See MoreSee Less

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So excited!!🌟

Will it be on audible!

Are your books only Kindle or do you have soft or hard cover books available?

I can't wait to get this.

Bought it, thank you

Love the cover❤

Loved it! So excited for this series!

Hoorah!!!!! Bought it, pre-ordered book 2, and off to read!!

Just downloaded it!

Exciting!! Congratulations xx

Great! Just bought it!

Can’t wait to read it

Read it. Loved it!

Got it and starting to read it, wow this is going to be a cracker!

Yippee! My Kindle was being naughty when I tried to purchase, so had to log on Amazon directly in case anyone else has a cranky Kindle.

What a gorgeous cover!!!

Yay! Just bought it and can't wait to start it!

Got it! This is the perfect reward for post-tax return preparation this weekend! :)

Love this cover!

Noticed it last night and snapped it up. Can't wait to read it!

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H.Y. Hanna - Author

3 days ago

Oh dear... looks like I've been lovingly growing a monster weed! 🤪 This plant grew out of my compost and I was so excited - I thought it might be a capsicum or eggplant... and then it started producing sinister black berries... Today, I've been told it's a black nightshade (Solanum nigrum - NOT Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade)) - a weed which might be poisonous (how apt for a mystery author!!) And here I was giving it crushed eggshells for calcium and regular seaweed tonic... I feel like such an idiot now!! 🤣Well, at least I have the biggest, healthiest weed in Western Australia - haha! ... See MoreSee Less

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Belladonna (deadly nightshade) a relation of the tomato.

I have belladonna in my garden. I think the purple berries are gorgeous, if deadly. It does have medical uses...but is primarily a poison. Remember, it’s only a weed if you don’t want it!

A Widow Mags plant!!

It's still pretty and as long as you don't have kids or pets to eat it, keep it.

I had a belladonna plant once, too. No idea what it was at the time, just thought the purple flowers were pretty so I let it stay for several years.

Muesli! No Baby No! 🙀

Hmm, inspiration perhaps...?

Sounds like my hubs. Let's things grow on compost just to see what they are

Back in the days before compost, my dad would get manure for his garden and we were always getting volunteer tomato plants. Which we loved!

Lol We have very big epic dust Monsoon storms in Arizona which carries in seeds from all over into my yard and garden, it’s always such a surprise as to what they can be as I weed them out. Now and then they sprout sooooo big where I’ve not noticed them growing. We let a palm tree grow that blew in which is now about 20 ft tall whose placement isn’t ideal

I cultivated a gorgeous green thing in my back garden and got laughed at. Yep. Weed.

Coooool...you need to use this idea in a book so we can all say" she actually did this" but did not use it to murder anyone....at least as far as we know. Although her plants grow awfully well?! 😀

Aww it is still a plant from Mother earth, but of course many people hate weeds in their garden! Looks lovely tho! xxx

Be careful that Meusli doesn't try to sample it!

I once worked at a plant nursery. I was amazed at the "ground cover" plants they sold that I used to weed out of my yard. Now, if it's pretty I let it grow.

I am so looking forward to reading the Garden series wow wow wow! It is going to be a cracker! xx😀

We've all done it! Trust me.

Well, it looks like a good plant..... hard to tell at times. I've also done that a few times.

Yep, they do take over. I have a bunch that I need to deal with. They get big so fast!

It’s kind of cute lol

it is kind of cute maybe a small poison garden>

But it’s so pretty

Just be sure Muesli doesn't get into it.

Ooh yes, Deadly Nightshade. I found some at my infant school when I was 5 years old and lovingly pressed both flowers and berries in my new flower press. The teacher was horrified and the school caretaker was summoned to the playground to dig it up immediately. I was mortified! (Though not literally, thankfully 😅)

Oh my God. Is THAT what that is? I had these growing in my yard when we first built our house. I thought it was some weird kind of tomato or something. Glad I didn't try to eat it...

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H.Y. Hanna - Author

3 days ago

We have a German title! :-)

Törtchen, Tee und Tod
Ein Oxford-Tearoom-Krimi ... See MoreSee Less

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Well done!!

Congratulations Girl!

Perfect!!🤓

Yay!

That's a good title :)

Desserts, Tea and ? How does it translate?

Happy for you!

Yay! I am so happy for you, and grateful to your translator.

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H.Y. Hanna - Author shared Overheard in Waitrose's photo.

6 days ago

Hee! Hee! I love British humour ;-)Door sign amendment of the day ... See MoreSee Less

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Ha ha yes I see that often when out shopping in the stores! Our British sense of humour! x 😂

Jarod Urquhart

Lizzie Cosgrove

Saw this one today at a high school where we went to watch a jazz band competition.

What can I say?

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H.Y. Hanna - Author

6 days ago

Quick question for my American readers: do you use the term "garden nursery"? Or do you call it something else? Thank you!
EDIT: Sorry - maybe I didn't explain myself enough. This is for the blurb so there is no previous context - eg. "Poppy inherits a nursery" - I was worried if I didn't specify, people might not understand it's a garden nursery, not a children's centre.

Also, I wasn't sure if Americans use "nursery" to refer to places that grow plants to sell or just use the word "garden centre" as a catch-all.

Sometimes, there is quite a difference in the way things are referred to across the pond - so I wanted to make sure! ;-) ... See MoreSee Less

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garden center or nursery

I use garden nursery

nursery

Garden center or nursery.

Thank you!! :-)

Never heard it called that. Nursery or garden center

In my area it is greenhouses or nurseries.

Greenhouse or garden center here in N.E. Ohio

I know exactly what your talking about

If you are talking about in your yard....garden. If it is a covered structure in your yard that you can somewhat control temperature...a greenhouse. If it is a store where you purchase plants and supplies, that is a nursery or garden center.

Nursery is either a place to buy plants of an infants room

Garden center or nursery. There is one business I found calling themselves a Garden Nursery but typically they don’t call it that here.

Ditto on nursery or garden center

Mindy has the full answer. Trust her. ..

Garden center or nursery

Greenhouse is a building that is temperature controlled to grow plants. A nursery is a place you go to buy plants and supplies.

Thanks again, everybody! Sorry - maybe I didn't explain myself enough. This is for the blurb so there is no previous context - eg. "Poppy inherits a nursery" - I was worried if I didn't specify, people might not understand it's a garden nursery, not a children's centre. Also, I wasn't sure if Americans use "nursery" to refer to places that grow plants or just use the word "garden centre". (There is actually a technical difference - which I've just learned during the research for the books! The former grows plants themselves to sell, the latter just acts as a reseller and gets plants from wholesale suppliers) Sometimes, there is quite a difference in the way things are referred to across the pond - so I wanted to make sure! ;-)

I agree garden center or nursery. If you mention plants people will know what you are referring to!

Garden center

Garden Center or Nursery

Garden center or garden nursery

“Garden center” is probably the most-used phrase around here these days. I would not have heard it used when I was growing up. “Plant nursery” is the first name for it that I remember.

Garden nursery, a place where in the States you buy plants, in the UK you buy plants, have a walk and get a cuppa!

I have lived in the West and the South (currently). Nursery is used in both places as a term for a shop that sales plants and some plant accessories. They are normally locally owned smaller stores.

Generally a nursery is a place that grows plants from seed for resale to either the public or a larger operation, a garden center. A garden center is more of a one stop shop for anything you would need in the yard or garden - plants, pots, soil, hoses, plant nutrients, pond supplies, etc.

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H.Y. Hanna - Author

7 days ago

NEW AUDIO RELEASE! "Witch Summer Night's Cream" - Book 3 in my Bewitched by Chocolate mysteries is now out in audio! :-)
Audible: https://audible.com/pd/…
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/…

** Listen to a sample: https://soundcloud.com/user-816870506/… ... See MoreSee Less

NEW AUDIO RELEASE! Witch Summer Nights Cream - Book 3 in my Bewitched by Chocolate mysteries is now out in audio! :-)
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Witch-Summer-Nights-Cream-Audiobook/B07NLKMVYB
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/witch-summer-nights-cream-bewitched-by-chocolate-mysteries/id1452687757

** Listen to a sample: https://soundcloud.com/user-816870506/witch-summer-nights-creambewitched-by-chocolate-mysteries-book-3-excerpt

Likes: 68
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Thanks for the heads up, just used my saved credit on it, it next on my list....😁

Can't wait!

Yippee

Sooooo excited!!!!💖

Congrats on your new release!!

I loved this series!!

Got it today!

Got it!

Wow

Congratulations H.Y. Hanna for another creative and hard earned effort shared with us. It must be challenging to work alone at times, and I trust you know how much your artistic expression of your craft is appreciated. To many more books ahead. Thank you for the audio options too

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H.Y. Hanna - Author

1 week ago

Happy Valentine's Day from my garden! :-) Roses cut especially for you - my lovely readers & friends <3 ... See MoreSee Less

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The look so fragrant! I wish I could stick my nose in the bouquet!

Aww so pretty

Gorgeous! So glad your beautiful flowers survived that awful heat wave.

Peonies-my very favorite flower!!!

Happy Valentine's day! I adore seeing your garden ❤

They are absolutely gorgeous ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too. ❤️

Beautiful! Wish I could smell their scent...happy Valentine's day to you!💖

One of my favorite flowers!

Beautiful. Here in Wyoming USA we are still doing winter and snow. So nice to see beautiful flowers.

My favorite flowers. 🌸

Beautiful 💕

Beautiful

Thank you! My very favourite flower too!

What a lovely thought! Your flowers are beautiful!

Beautiful!

Your roses and garden are so beautiful. Your dedication and hard work have definitely paid off. Of course you had lots of help from Muesli too. 🙃

Happy Valentine's Day to you also

Wow those are absolutely gorgeous, reminds me of when I was a little girl my granddad grew beautiful roses in his large garden. Aww, thank you for lovely memories! I bet they smell so lovely too.xx

🌺 Beautiful!! 🌺

Lovely! Happy Valentine's Day !!!

Thank you.

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H.Y. Hanna - Author

1 week ago

Book help please! :-) Am I'm over-thinking this? My heroine is staying at her neighbour's house for a few nights while he's away (+ helping to feed his cat). He invited her to help herself to food from the fridge. When she leaves, do you think I should mention that she left some money to pay for the food she ate?

Am worried she might come across as rude / brazen, if she just eats his food without offering to reimburse him? Or does that look a bit silly and petty, given that she IS petsitting for him and it's only a few small meals?

Am I over-thinking things and worrying about small details because I'm anxious that the reader might not like her??? ;-) ... See MoreSee Less

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I think if the character is an overthinking person, a little neurotic, it wouldn't be weird to leave money or at least that the character worries about it. But from a more relaxed person dunno, sounds too complicated? 😅

Yes

Are you portraying her as a kind person? Then she should leave something for her neighbor.

I wouldn't even think twice about it. When saying someone is "pet sitting" they it is already implied a "contract of payment" would of already been made❤️😁

what about a gift card for the local grocery store or his favorite restaurant

I can only tell you based on the US norms, but if you’re housesitting and the homeowner tells you to help yourself to fridge contents, you’re not leaving money to cover the cost. You’re doing the neighbor/ friend a favor. While they may not be paying you, providing food ensures it’s not costing you out of pocket to take care of their pet.

Well if she drank a bottle of expensive champagne, or something very expensive or rare, that would make sense! If she ate a pack of hot dogs, or something like that I wouldn't bother to mention?

I don't think she needs to pay for the food, it's a fair trade - she's watching his home and taking care of his cat.

Why are you over thinking if people will like her? Is this normal for you or perhaps is something nagging at.you about the character? I think leaving money would be weird, but something like she replaced the milk or any essentials she realized she used wouldn't be.

I think if they are having them stay at their house they would have food for them there to eat.

No, she’s getting compensated for pet-sitting. If I was her friend, I wouldn’t expect her to reimburse me. And, hopefully, she’s a close enough friend to just leave it at that. Friends have a more relaxed “code”, if you will. She might offer it in passing the next time she hears from him, if she’s really uncomfortable (more reserved personality), but she shouldn’t just leave money.

I agree with, Valerie. I used to pet/house sit for some friends. When I stayed at their house, they always told me to help myself to whatever food was in the house.

Having been on both sides, I never paid for food while pet sitting as it was offered to me,and never expected my pet sitters to pay for any food eaten

Professional pet sitter would not eat the food. Replace it not reimburse maybe?

maybe take him out for a meal or cook him one when he returns...

I have never felt compelled to leave money if I was pet sitting and I ate something I was told I could have. A thank you note would suffice.

I think it depends on the reason she’s leaving the money. I’d be asking myself why she’d feel like she had to pay when she was doing him a favor? Maybe I overthink things too! 😁

I would have her leave something small, then a note that says "thanks for the eats" or something like that. Don't make a big deal out of. Just a passing comment then move on.

I don't think it's necessary to mention leaving money especially when she's pet sitting and he invited her to help herself

Ask yourself what you would do if you were in the same situation as your character.

If you want us to love her what is the gift she leaves to say welcome back - fresh milk and bread, or baking, or flowers from the garden, of the dog blankets freshly washed. What shows us she cares and is grateful for the pet sitting opportunity? That will make us love her.

She could leave some cheese and wine, something like that. Or leave a treat for the pets. Bet owner would love that.

I don't think she is supposed to leave any money. But if she is a real kind person, she might replace some of the food by buying some "welcome back home" edible items, like suggested above.

No I think that it would be included in her house sitting and cat sitting duties!

She should not leave money for food. He probably won't even notice any food is missing. Guys don't work that way ;-)

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Latest Releases

The Dough Must Go On

The Oxford Tearoom Mysteries - Book 9

Deadhead and Buried

The English Cottage Garden Mysteries ~ Book 1