Laura Childs serves up tea and murder in Charleston!
I have been a big fan of this series for years. I eagerly anticipate each new cozy and tea-steeped installment featuring tea shop owner and amateur sleuth Theodosia (Theo) and her crew. And this one was delightful!
These books feature imaginative tea parties and other themed events. This one kicks off at a Mad Hatter masquerade fundraiser, with a suspicious death, setting the stage for a gripping mystery. Theodosia's right-hand man, tea sommelier Drayton, joins her to help her detective boyfriend, Pete, solve the case. The mystery is fun, with some twists and turns, as Childs has a talent for weaving in red herrings and motives that are not obvious. I was surprised by the culprit and the ending. But it was the lovely setting and wonderful characters that really made this book for me.
The series is set in the wonderfully cozy (fictional) Indigo Tea Shop in historic Charleston, SC, one of my favorite cities. Each book explores new facets of this beautiful place. Childs captures the city's charm and energy so well that these books are a love letter to Charleston.
The characters feel like old friends. Theo is an engaging and relatable cozy mystery sleuth. She's intelligent and observant. Drayton, though, is my favorite character in the series. He is a larger-than-life, 60-something and knowledgeable, charming, and witty. Not only is he invaluable to Theo, but he also brings so much personality to the series. The other recurring characters are also great, and I enjoy all the multi-generational friendships. The food descriptions are mouthwatering, and I especially love all the tea talk. Recipes are included at the end. Escapist and entertaining, cozy mystery lovers will want to grab this one today!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the free book!
My steep was Porch Reads from Chapters Tea Co
This peach and apricot black tea is fantastic hot or iced! This was my first time ordering from this small business and I got some bookmarks and tea and I am truly impressed!
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
Murder at an Alice in Wonderland–themed event threatens to send Theodosia Browning through the looking glass in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.
During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed. He’s been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill. Nobody can figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It’s only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident.
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