Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9780739417959; 9780425179451
Berkley Prime Crime
242 Pages
[Various] $7.99; $7.99 Amazon
May 1, 2001
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It's tea for two hundred or so at the annual historic homes garden party. And Theodosia, as event caterer, is busy serving steaming teas and blackberry scones while guests sing her praises. But the sweet smell of success turns to suspense when an esteemed guest is found dead -- his hand clutching an empty teacup. All eyes are on Theo...who is now trying desperately to save her reputation and track down the real killer. If only she can make sense of it all -- before someone else takes their last sip...
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Theodosia "Theo" Browning owns The Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston. She left a job in advertising because she was tired of well, being tired. Now she has employees she can count on, and a thriving business. She's recently learned from one of her friends that Hughes Barron, a developer, is trying to buy the building next door so he can turn it into condos, as he's done closer to the beach. Her friend is outraged, and figures Theo should be, too. But Theo wants to see what he's up to before she goes off on anyone.
Unfortunately, at a garden party that Theo is catering, the man turns up dead with one of her teacups in his hand. When Detective Burt Tidwell tells her he was poisoned, Theo knows it had to be in the cup, since no one else got sick. But with one of her employees in Tidwell's sights, she decides to do a little sleuthing on her own to see if she can ferret out a killer. Now, with a little help from her friends, Theo's on a mission to find out what's really brewing...
This is the first in the series and I have to say that I like Theo. She's reserved, but it's because she was raised to be a lady in the South. She doesn't go off accusing people, and she doesn't put herself in dangerous situations, nor asks her employees to do so. Most of her information comes from asking people she knows will have the answers, and it's interesting to watch her do so; she even asks her late father's law partner for a favor.
While there wasn't a lot of action in the book, it wasn't supposed to be. Theo is quiet and attractive, thoughtful and intelligent. She owns a dog, Earl Grey, that she adores, and is close with her Aunt Libby, who still lives on the plantation she grew up on. Although there wasn't a lot of description of the surrounding area, I hope that this will be remedied in future books. I have to say that I do love Drayton and would love to have a friend like him.
When the ending comes and the killer is revealed, it was a bit of a surprise, and it's got a different twist how Theo gets herself out of the situation. The reason behind the murder made sense in the murderer's mind, but that's about it. People are going to be what they are, and there isn't anything else you can do about it.
All in all, a nice cozy that can be read in one evening, with a recipe in the back for those who want to try it. I will read the next in the series to see where it goes. Recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Darjeeling-Tea-Shop-Mystery/dp/0425179451/ref
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3312173442
More on Laura Childs's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/laura-childs/
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