A DARK AND STORMY TEA

3 stars out of 5

This is a new-to-me series, although I'm not sure how I've managed to miss it since this is the 24th installment. But with a tea shop, a bookstore and murder involved, I couldn't pass up a chance to try a sample. The Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina, is owned by Theodosia Browning, capably assisted by tea sommelier Drayton and young chef Haley. Judging from the extensive food and drink selections at various times of day, it appears that the shop does a thriving business (and made me wonder how on earth Haley could produce such delicacies in such quantity and timeliness when she's basically all alone in the kitchen). But on the fateful stormy night when the story begins, Theodosia walks past a cemetery and, through no fault of her own, sees what she believes is a woman being murdered right before her fog-clouded eyes.

And she's right; turns out the victim is the daughter of the aforesaid bookstore owner just down the street. As the police - including Theodosia's boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley - begin their investigation, similarities to the work of a known serial killer who was active in the area some seven years earlier. An amateur sleuth, Theodosia is eager to do some investigating on her own, but she's cautioned against doing so by Pete and his police cohorts (as is customary in every cozy mystery I've ever read). And just as customarily, Theodosia ignores their warnings and sets out on her own. After all, you see, the victim, an intern at a local TV station, was the daughter of a friend, who asks for Theodosia's help.

To be sure, there's no shortage of suspects - ranging from a former boyfriend to a neighbor who's writing a true crime book to a big real estate developer who's intent on making his mostly unwelcome mark on the historic neighborhood. Theodosia convinces herself each one is the killer, searching for clues to bolster her suspicions at least till the real police find real evidence of their innocence. The requisite ditzy cozy heroine sidekick - the one who's usually obnoxious and headstrong - makes herself known a couple of times, but she doesn't have much of a role in this story. Neither does Theodosia's boyfriend Pete, actually; in fact, they don't seem to have much of a relationship (I'm new to this series, so I'll assume he is as well).

Of course, Theodosia's unauthorized poking around doesn't sit well with the killer, who would very much prefer to be left unidentified. And that, also of course, spells big trouble for Theodosia, "forcing" her to resort to all kinds of devious activities - and one that's downright illegal, which certainly doesn't sit well with me - to get what she's after. The trouble that ensues and how it all ends I can't reveal, but I can say that when it does end, foodies whose mouths watered over some of the scones and tea sandwiches mentioned liberally throughout the book will be delighted to find recipes and other tea-related resources. All in all, it's a fun story that's not too scary to read sitting alone in a big old house in front of a cozy (pun intended) fire. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy to read and review.

A Dark and Stormy Tea by Laura Childs (Berkley, August 2022); 316 pp.

BROKEN BONE CHINA

4 stars out of 5

This is the 20th book in the author's Tea Shop Mystery series, and since it's the first I've read, I was a bit concerned that I'd be at something of a disadvantage. Happily, I was not; no doubt some of the characters would have made more of an impression if I'd known them better, but this story stands alone well and, in fact, is quite enjoyable.

It's also a cozy, and I was delighted that main character Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop in historic Charleston, South Carolina, is neither a wishy-washy wimp nor one of the more commonly written-about busybodies who plunges ahead devil-may-care despite dire warnings from everyone around her to butt out. She's likable, although she doesn't hesitate to speak her mind. Another player here is a character I've come to think is a cozy requisite - the irascible police detective who's constantly annoyed at the heroine's interference with investigations; but in this case, he seems to have genuine respect for her sleuthing talents. One character almost totally missing throughout this one is Theo's main squeeze, detective Pete Riley, who's off to a training conference (I mention this for series followers who might be expecting to see more of him - he sounds like a pretty cool dude).

The story opens with a bang - literally. Theodosia and her resident tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are riding high amid a rally of hot-air balloons. Out of nowhere, a drone appears, giving their balloon an evil eye before heading toward another. That one, however, doesn't fare so well; the drone rams the balloon, causing an horrific explosion that kills everyone aboard. Among the victims is the CEO of a local technology company who'd been accused of "misplacing" some $5 million in company money, raising the probability that he was the target. As a side venture, the man was in the process of selling an extremely valuable Revolutionary War flag, with several rival bidders queuing up for the win. Just what, if anything, that might have to do with the murder remains to be determined.

Early on, the primary suspect is the fiance of one of Theo's friends, the owner of a local B and B. Not only does he own a drone, but he works for the tech company and recently blew the whistle on what he believed was a defective product. In part wanting to help her friend, who refuses to believe her fiance is involved, Theo begins to investigate - in between running her successful tea shop, hosting a couple of high-profile tea events, judging a decorative teacup contest and getting soaked in the ever-present rain everywhere she goes.

History buffs will get their fill here by way of prolific descriptions of older sections of Charleston. I'm really not one of them, but I admit that exploring all those nooks and crannies was enticing (although the thought of all that rain put a damper on my enthusiasm and made me wonder how they ever found a day to get those balloons aloft). Also worthy of note for those who enjoy baking are the at-the-end recipes for some of the tasty treats mentioned throughout. All in all, this is an easy-to-read, entertaining book, and I thank the publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read and review it.

Broken Bone China by Laura Childs (Penguin Group, March 2019); 336 pp.