304 pages Berkley publisher March 5,2024 publish date
ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s Lights, Action, Murder as tea maven Theodosia Browning scrambles for clues in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.
When Theodosia Browning reads the tea leaves on the set of the movie, Dark Fortunes, things go from spooky to worse. Lights are dimmed, the camera rolls, and red hot sparks fly as the film’s director is murdered in a tricky electrical accident.
Or was it an accident? Though the cast and crew are stunned beyond belief, nobody admits to seeing a thing. And when Theodosia’s friend, Delaine, becomes the prime suspect, Theodosia begins her own shadow investigation. But who among this Hollywood cast and crew had murder on their mind? The screenwriter is a self-centered pot head, the leading actress is trying to wiggle out of her contract, the brand new director seems indifferent, and nobody trusts the slippery-when-dry Hollywood agent.
Between hosting a Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tea, a Poetry Tea, and trying to launch her own chocolate line, Theodosia doggedly hunts down clues and explores the seemingly haunted Brittlebank Manor where the murder took place. And just when she’s ready to pounce, a Charleston Film Board member is also murdered, throwing everything into total disarray. But this clever killer will go to any lengths to hide his misdeeds as Theodosia soon finds out when she and her tea sommelier, Drayton, get caught up in a dangerous stakeout.
MY THOUGHTS
Murder in the Tea Leaves is another Tea Shop mystery.
I’m a tea drinker and always make it a point to try different kinds of teas, I like most kinds but do have my favorites. When I see a cozy mystery series taking place in a tea shop, I know it’s on my to read list at the top.
Tea shop owner Theodosia Browning has hit the big time, and a movie is being filmed in her tea shop. Because she has such knowledge of tea, she is put in at the last minute to read the tea leaves by the movie director. The lights are low and though she was there she didn’t see who set the wires up to electrocute the director in his metal chair.
When a friend of hers is the prime suspect she knows she must take matters into her own hands to solve this case. Quick read, I enjoyed the clues presented.
The descriptions of the delightful different types of teas, and desserts was divine and even the talk about the different cups and tea pots and how they were acquired, how fun. Earl Gray was her dog’s name, loved it.
There are delightful recipes included plus tea plantations to visit and other things to do while traveling. I really enjoyed the information in the back of the book and look forward to visiting Charleston, such a wonderful travel guide. I always look forward to more books in this series, it’s a favorite of mine.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
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.
Thank you for stopping in and I hope you’ll have a refreshing cup of tea soon.
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