Reviewing: Plum Tea Crazy (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs

Another Hit for Laura Childs and another delicious 

Tea Shop mystery for her fans!

About the Book...

While viewing the harbor's Gaslights and Galleons Parade from the widow's walk of Timothy Neville's Charleston mansion, local banker Carson Lanier seemingly tumbles over a narrow railing, then plunges three stories to his death. But a tragic accident becomes something much more sinister when it's discovered that the victim was first shot with a bolt from a crossbow. 

At the request of the mansion owner, Theodosia investigates the tragedy and is soon neck deep in suspects. An almost ex-wife, a coworker, a real estate partner--all had motives for killing the luckless banker, but one resorted to murder to settle accounts.

My Thoughts....
New York Times best selling author Laura Childs delivers, once again in this cozy tea shop mystery.  She has a lively cast of characters all laid out like the fine china in Theodosia's lovely tea shop.  

Time and again the real killer leads us on a chase through dark alleys and dilapidated old neighborhoods.  I was intrigued by the red herrings that stole the limelight for a while until each lead ran to nowhere.  The glamorous persona of the ladies of the story  sharply contrasts to their behavior when confronted with ugly truth and suspicions about the deceased.  The victim's soon-to-be ex-wife seemed a likely suspect but so did his purported paramour. Then there was the shady developer...the list just went on and on until finally the pieces fit together like the perennial puzzle. It took me a while to solve this one and for that, I applaud the author.  

I have read several of the Tea Shop Mystery books, each one a creative story that provokes one to put on the teakettle, grab a tasty morsel and settle in for an afternoon of fun.  The tea pairings offered by Drayton lends such an air of class to the charming menus, yet contrasts with the danger lurking just outside the confines of the door.  The variety of characters in this story takes away any doubt that a tea shop is just for garden club members or those tourists seeking a bit of distraction before the tour bus loads up for the next stop.  This book is for the reader who enjoys a cozy mystery with the added bonus of tasty recipes the author included.