 |
What's not to like about a cozy whodunit wherein the police detective on the case says the murder weapon could be paid for with PayPal? It's not quite an eBay reference, but it's close enough for me to be writing this review. Theodosia Browning is the owner of a successful tea shop in historic Charleston, South Carolina. As is the case with all good cozy heroines, dead bodies seem to turn up in her vicinity with amazing regularity. This time around, she's catering a Ghost Crawl through one of Charleston's most atmospheric old cemeteries when the uncle of her boyfriend, Jory, is mysteriously murdered right in front of her big blue eyes. Jory implores her to find the killer, as she has so many times before, and the game is afoot. Like Laura Childs' Scrapbooking Mysteries (several of which also contain eBay references!), the Tea Shop mysteries are a highly entertaining series…whether you take them seriously, or not. The perpetual busyness of the Indigo Tea Shop and its over-the-top selection of teas and tea products, baked goods, lunches, and other delicious edibles bring out my inner snark, as does the secondary characters' slavish devotion to the rather saintly Theodosia, but the series has won me over in spite of my best intentions to remain cynical. Plus I really like Theodosia's dog, a "Dalbrador" stray rescue turned Certified Therapy Dog. I also could easily criticize the ridiculousness of Theodosia's ongoing relationship with the police detective, not to mention the foxhunting scenes (FYI, Laura Childs: the Hunt Breakfast is served AFTER the hunt, not before. Stirrup cups are served before). But why bother? This isn't a police procedural, it's a cozy. And as such, it's an excellent read. The characters are vivid and likeable; the plot is sufficiently puzzling to keep you turning pages; and the sense of place brought about by the author's descriptions of Charleston is outstanding. Best of all, for those who like this sort of thing (and who doesn't?), the recipes in the back of the book actually sound both delicious and doable, and the tea party suggestions are quite fun even if staging a tea party is the last thing you want to do in this lifetime. Be prepared to start craving tea. For all of the above reasons, I have to heartily recommend "The Jasmine Moon Murder". Even my inner snark agrees. It's even worth investing in the hardcover, if you're the type who likes to collect titles and series for your library. Thank you for reading my review. If you found it helpful, please vote by clicking "Yes" below!Read full review
Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston gladly agrees to cater the "Ghost Crawl" society tour of the Jasmine cemetery. The event is sponsored by Charleston's Medical Triad and the host is Dr. Jasper Davis, the uncle of Theodosia's boyfriend Jory. Jasper has developed the Novalaser, a less invasive way of performing angioplasty. He seems troubled at the event and is seen arguing with fellow colleagues. All of a sudden Dr. Davis keels over dead in front of everyone. Upon investigating,Theo finds a syringe laying near his body. Jory wants Theo to help investigate the death of his uncle because of her recent track record with solving murder, much to the frowns of the local police dept. While on the trail of the killer she is shot at while horseback riding, but luckily the bullet missed. It doesn't stop there. Someone throws a rock through her window as a warning to stop her asking questions. She becomes more determined than ever to find the killer. The latest Tea Shop Mystery is as good as all the others. Besides all the wonderful regular characters there is the lessons on teas and tea making and the wonderful recipes included. Ms. Childs brings the city of Charleston to life in each book.Read full review
I read all of Laura’s books! She’s my favorite cozy mystery author! I highly recommend all of her writing!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I love this series it is soooooo interesting and entertaining. Good reading, healthy plots, and great characters. A must journey for all "TEA" lovers or not TEA lovers will enjoy these books. I recomend this series most highly. Pamela Bocek
I love all her books and this one was no exception. Had you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Didn't expect the murderer to end up who it was at all. If you get a chance to read it it is light reading and fun. I am trying to get all her books so I can read them.
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
![The Jasmine Moon Murder [A Tea Shop Mystery] by Childs, Laura , hardcover](https://ir.ebaystatic.com/rs/c/prpweb-src-images-space-98af7172.gif)