Review: Sweet Tea and Anzac Biscuits

By Jan Marry
An intriguing and cozy mystery that’s perfect for any bookworm.

Jan Marry’s Sweet Tea and Anzac Biscuits is a warm, slow-simmering mystery wrapped in the charm of small-town Virginia and the quiet defiance of a woman reclaiming her life. Centered around a modest public library with far more drama than expected, the novel invites readers into a story of reinvention, buried secrets, and the deep, often unseen impact of community spaces.

Jessamine Sibley arrives in Bent River County after fleeing an abusive marriage, hopeful for a fresh start and armed with a new job at the local library. But what begins as a peaceful reset quickly spirals into something more dangerous. Her inherited home harbors mysteries, her coworker is unusually obstructive, and the county’s most powerful man is determined to keep the town locked in his grasp. When Jessamine is arrested for murder, it becomes clear that Bent River’s story is far more tangled than she ever imagined.

Marry has crafted more than just a cozy mystery—this is a story about the value of public libraries and the people who build their lives around them. “We have a remarkable library…. As library employees, we have given our best to our county,” one character says, and that spirit carries throughout. The novel is a love letter to books, safe havens, and the bonds that form in unlikely places.

While the first act moves slowly, the payoff is worth the wait. Once the secrets start to surface, the tension rises, and the small-town setting becomes the perfect backdrop for a narrative rich in twists, heart, and community resilience.

Verdict: Sweet Tea and Anzac Biscuits is an atmospheric and emotionally grounded mystery, filled with lovable characters, layered storytelling, and the comforting presence of a library at the heart of it all. Cozy, clever, and quietly powerful.