Pekoe Most Poison (A Tea Shop Mystery)

 

I've finished "Pekoe Most Poison" the 18th book in her Tea Shop series by Laura Childs.

Product Description

In the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs, Theodosia Browning attends a “Rat Tea,” where the mice will play at murder.

When Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is invited by Doreen Briggs, one of Charleston’s most prominent hostesses, to a “Rat Tea,” she is understandably intrigued. As servers dressed in rodent costumes and wearing white gloves offer elegant finger sandwiches and fine teas, Theo learns these parties date back to early twentieth-century Charleston, where the cream of society would sponsor so-called rat teas to promote city rodent control and better public health.

But this party goes from odd to chaotic when a fire starts at one of the tables and Doreen’s entrepreneur husband suddenly goes into convulsions and drops dead. Has his favorite orange pekoe tea been poisoned? Theo smells a rat.

The distraught Doreen soon engages Theo to pursue a discreet inquiry into who might have murdered her husband. As Theo and her tea sommelier review the guest list for suspects, they soon find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

INCLUDES RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Shar-Peis. 

Product details
Series: A Tea Shop Mystery (Book 18)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (March 7, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 042528168X
ISBN-13: 978-0425281680

My Review:

4/5

Ming Tea Murder (Tea Shop Mysteries)

I've finished "Ming Tea Murder" the 16th book in her Tea Shop Mystery Series by Laura Childs.

Product Description

It’s scones and scandal for Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Steeped in Evil.

Normally Theodosia wouldn’t attend a black tie affair for all the tea in China. But she can hardly say no to her hunky, handsome boyfriend, Max, who directs public relations for the Gibbes Museum in Charleston. Max has organized an amazing gala opening for an exhibit of a genuine eighteenth century Chinese teahouse, and the crème de la crème of Charleston society is invited.

In the exotic garden staged in the museum’s rotunda, a Chinese dragon dances to the beat of drums as it weaves through the crowd. The guests are serenaded by a Chinese violin as they sample an assortment of tempting bites. And to give them a memento of the occasion, there’s even a photo booth. But Theodosia makes a grim discovery behind the booth’s curtains: the body of museum donor Edgar Webster.

While Theodosia prefers tea service over the service of justice, this case is difficult to ignore — especially after Max becomes a suspect. Now she must examine the life of the fallen philanthropist and find out who really wanted him to pay up.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries, and a recent recipient of the Romantic Times Book Review’s Award for Best Amateur Sleuth. In her previous life, she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund-raising for various non-profit organizations, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Product Details
Series: Tea Shop Mysteries (Book 16)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley (May 5, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425281647
ISBN-13: 978-0425281642

My Review:

4/5

Steeped in Evil (A Tea Shop Mystery) Hardcover

I've finished "Steeped in Evil" the 15th book in her Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs.

In the newest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Tea Revenge, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is about to learn the true meaning of terror.

Theodosia Browning has never considered herself a wine connoisseur — tea has always been her forte. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to pass up an invitation to a fancy wine-tasting party at the upscale Knighthall Winery, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

But a sweet evening takes on a bitter aftertaste when a dead body is discovered in one of the wine barrels. The son of proprietor Jordan Knight has been murdered.

Dissatisfied with the police investigation, Knight turns to Theo for help. She’s heard through the grapevine that there are both family and business problems at Knighthall. They say in vino veritas, but everyone at the winery seems to be lying through their teeth. Sorting through the guest list as well as family and staff, Theo has her pick of suspects. It may look like the killer has her over a barrel, but cracking tough cases is vintage Theodosia Browning.

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries - set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries - a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans' spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries - set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe's undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Product Details
Series: A Tea Shop Mystery (Book 15)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; First Edition edition (March 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425252957
ISBN-13: 978-0425252956

My Review:

3.5/5

Sweet Tea Revenge (A Tea Shop Mystery) [Hardcover]

I've finished "Sweet Tea Revenge" the 14th book in her Tea Shop series by Laura Childs.

Product Description

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Agony of the Leaves, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning may always be a bridesmaid, never a bride, but this groom is never going to make it to the altar.

Theodosia Browning’s dear friend, Delaine Dish, has asked her to be a bridesmaid for her wedding. But when the big day arrives, everything seems to be going wrong. First, a massive storm is brewing over Charleston. A bad omen? Second, Delaine’s maid of honor is late for the ceremony. And finally, the groom not only has cold feet — his whole body is cold. A murderer has crashed the wedding.

As Theodosia comforts a devastated Delaine, she needs to sort out the suspects on the groom’s side from the suspects on the bride’s side. One thing soon becomes apparent — revenge won’t be the only dish served cold at this wedding. And if Theodosia doesn’t watch her step, a cold-blooded killer may have a rude reception in store for her.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, the Cackleberry Club Mysteries, and the Scrapbooking Mysteries. She is a consummate tea drinker, scrapbooker, and dog lover, and travels frequently to China and Japan with Dr. Bob, her professor husband. In her past life she was a Clio Award–winning advertising writer and CEO of her own marketing firm.

Product Details
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; First Edition edition (March 5, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425252884
ISBN-13: 978-0425252888

My Review:

Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is a bridesmaid for her friend Delaine Dish's marriage to attorney Dougan Granville.  The wedding day has arrived but the groom is missing so Theo goes to get him but finds him dead with an unknown powder around him.  It is soon known that it was not an overdose but a homicide.

Detective Burt Tidwell arrives and Delaine becomes the prime suspect.  Delaine asks Theo to do a little detecting and soon ghost hunters Jed and Tim Beckman arrive at Ravencrest to film a segment for their show Southern Hauntings.  They are extremely happy to hear that a death has occurred because they believe it will help them make contact with the spiritual contact.

Max Theo's boyfriend makes an appearance and they seem solid but she seems to be noticing a P.I. who she thinks is attractive.  Hmm not really like her at all!

I find it quite funny when she goes investigates and she runs into trouble or things happen to her.

I love the yummy recipes at the end with suggestion for staging your own tea parties.

3.5/5

Agony of the Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)

I've finished "Agony of the Leaves" the book in her Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs.

Product Description

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Scones and Bones, Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning finds herself in hot water when a body surfaces at the grand opening of Charleston's Neptune Aquarium ...

The opening of the aquarium is a major Charleston event, and Theodosia has been hired to cater tea, scones, and sandwiches for the private party to honor dignitaries and big buck donors. Things are going swimmingly, until Theodosia escapes the party for a momentary rest, only to discover the body of a man entangled in a net, drowned in one of the aquarium's state-of-the-art tanks.

To make matters worse, the victim is Theodosia's former boyfriend Parker Scully. The EMTs on the scene think Parker's drowning was an accident, but when Theodosia notices what look like defense wounds on his hands, she realizes that someone wanted Parker dead. The local police aren't keen on hearing her theory-especially because of her ties to the victim - so Theodosia knows that if she wants Parker's killer brought to justice, she'll have to jump into the deep end and start her own investigation...

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cackleberry Club, Tea Shop, and Scrapbooking mysteries. In her past life she was a Clio Award – winning advertising writer and CEO of her own marketing firm. She lives in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (March 6, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425245535
ISBN-13: 978-0425245538

My Review:

Theodosia Browning was hired to cater tea, scones and sandwiches for the private party to honor dignitaries and big buck donors at the opening of the Charleston Aquarium. She takes a breather and finds a man tangled in a net in a state of the art aquarium.

She discovers the body is her former boyfriend Parker Scully and he has defensive wounds on his hands when she investigates his body.  She's in shock and determined who would want to kill Parker and why?

It was a delight to see Drayton the tea expert extraordinaire and Haley the Indigo Tea Shop Chef had a bigger role in helping Theodosia solve the case. This is a great series to learn about all the different types and varieties of teas and there is always recipes at the end and ideas how to host a theme tea party.

4/5

Scones & Bones (A Tea Shop Mystery) [Hardcover]

I've finished "Scones and Bones" the 12th book in her Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs.


From Publishers Weekly


Charleston tourist notes enhance Childs's charming 12th tea-themed cozy featuring Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the city's Indigo Tea Shop (after 2010's The Teaberry Strangler). During the Heritage Society's Pirates and Plunder show, someone steals a diamond-embedded skull cup possibly fashioned from the skull of pirate Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard) right beneath the noses of Theo and Drayton Conneley, Theo's master tea blender. Even worse, the robber fatally stabs college kid Rob Commers, the society's history intern, and assaults Camilla Hodges, the society's office manager. While plucky Theo, her faithful shop employees, and CPD's Det. Burt Tidwell chase a nasty killer, Theo feels romantically torn between her boyfriend, chef Parker Scully, and an attractive newcomer, Max Scofield, a local museum's PR director. As usual, everyone finds time for abundant tea breaks. Tempting recipes include creamy dreamy parfait and lemon chess pie.
 
Product Details
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425238962
ISBN-13: 978-0425238967


My Review:


Storyline:  Theodosia and her right-hand man, master tea blender Drayton Conneley, attend the heritage society's "Pirates and Plunder" party which features all kinds of historical pirate memorabilia but at center stage is a diamond-embedded cup made from a human skull, believed to be that of Blackbeard himself. When the cup is stolen and a guest is murdered in the process, Theodosia finds herself once again on the trail of a killer, putting herself and her friends at risk of becoming his or her next victim.


Characters:  Theodosia and Drayton both own the teashop and Haley is their chief.  All three have different personalities but work well together.  Love the way Drayon and Haley banter with one another.  Some great lines!


Romance:  Theodosia is dating chef Parker but is wildly attracted to Max the local museum PR director.  She and Max have shared a couple of spine tingling kisses which leaves her confused between her Parker and Max.


Killer:  Wow never expected the killer to be that certain person and you didn't find out until near the end who it was.  This person thought their relative was wronged and wanted revenge.


I love the way Laura incorporated the Blackbird legend into the storyline and I certainly want to go visit her Tea Shop!


4/5


Thanks Laura from Penguin Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!