Murder in the Tea Leaves by Laura Childs

Item: Murder in the Tea Leaves
Rating: 5
Author: karenbaron

Posted March 11, 2024 by karenbaron in #BookishRecipe, #SpringReadsWithTheBaroness, Blog Tour, Contest - Giveaway, Mystery, Review, Series / 1 Comment

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Murder in the Tea Leaves

by Laura Childs

Series: Tea Shop Mystery #27
Series Rating:

Published by Berkley on March 5, 2024
Setting: Charleston, South Carolina
Genres: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Pages: 291
Format: Audible Audiobook, Hardcover, Kindle
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Books-A-Million, BookShop.org, Penquin Random House, Nook
Also in this series: Haunted Hibiscus, A Dark and Stormy Tea, Lemon Curd Killer, Honey Drop Dead

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.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

Murder in the Tea Leaves by Laura Childs has Theodosia Browning on a movie set!

Who had the right motive to kill the film’s director?

Theodosia Browning and the Indigo Staff

Theo and the Indigo Tea Shop had been hired to be the craft services table while they were filming scenes at a location within the city. Except when she wasn’t on set, Theo was at her shop making it work there. I have to say that I love Theodosia as a character, and how, in each installment, she gets wrapped up in a mystery is hilarious. I love learning about the different teas and things as well. Theo is a remarkable character, and I would like to be her friend. There is also the benefit that I could taste Haley’s creations and sip all the tea that I want.

Drayton is always Theo’s sidekick when she goes on adventures. These adventures involve searching for clues related to the mystery. Haley had a smidge of a bigger part this time, as she actually helped Theo keep sleuthing.

The Mystery

Theodosia was in the scene being filmed when the film’s director was getting killed. She kind of already set herself on the task of solving it because that is just a horrible way to go. However, the next day, Delanie asked Theo to solve it. Theodosia had a hard time solving this mystery as there were a lot of red herrings. I must admit I fell for one, but the real culprit was behind the red herring. Mostly, it was because the culprit seemed iffy to me.

Five Stars

I am giving five stars to Murder in the Tea Leaves by Laura Childs. I recommend this book because I always love popping into the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina, to solve a mystery. I plan on making one of Haley’s recipes, as they all sound so good. I swear, no matter which book I read in this series, as long as Haley is in it, I will need a lot of snacks.

Now, remember there are recipes, tips, and a way to make scones seem less boring in the back of the book. The recipes are Killer Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Pineapple Crisp, Lemon Chicken, Strawberry Tea Sandwiches, Double Chocolate Scones, Waldorf Tea Sandwiches, Drayton’s Egg Clouds, Ham and Sweet Potato Casserole, Haley’s Super Easy Fudge, No Bake Chocolate-Oatmeal Cookies, Seafood Bake, Peach Puffs, Tea Time Tips from Laura Childs, and Get Creative with Scones.

A Tea Shop Mystery Series

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Thank you for dropping by! What do you think of Murder in the Tea Leaves by Laura Childs?

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

About Laura Childs

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 fundraising 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.

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