Devonshire Interview, Review, and Giveaway

I'm always happy to welcome Laura Childs to Cozy Up With Kathy. Theodosia Browning is back in the 17th Tea Shop Mystery, Devonshire Scream, which was released this past Tuesday!

Kathy: In Devonshire Scream, we enter the world of jewel thieves. Although not a thief, are you enamored of these expensive baubles?

LC: Who doesn’t love a little bling? Back in the thirties and forties, my grandfather was a traveling jewelry salesman. So when I was a kid, playtime was spent diving into all these enormous trunks filled with shiny beads, Bakelite bracelets, and flamingo pins. We were always draping ourselves in jewelry and pretending to be an empress or sultan. I must confess that today I’ve managed to upgrade to a few pieces of Cartier, Bulgari, and Tiffany.


Kathy: There’s a Russian flair to be found in Devonshire Scream with a Fabergé Egg and a Romanov Tea. Is the era of the Russian czars of particular interest to you?

LC: I’m fascinated with this time period. Starting with the death of Czar Nicholas II, the Russian Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Ottoman Empire all collapsed in the span of a few years. New countries emerged, the Industrial Revolution began, and literature and the arts changed radically. This was basically the beginning of modern history.


Kathy: Have you ever had the chance to see a genuine Fabergé Egg in person?

LC: I’ve seen a few Fabergé Eggs and they’re really quite dazzling. Most are in private collections (think Russian zillionaires), but I’ve caught two traveling exhibitions of Fabergé Eggs, one at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco and one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

LC: I saw an article in Town and Country magazine about a daring group of international “smash and grab” thieves, basically a high-end “bling ring.” They blasted cars right through store windows and grabbed diamonds, Dior bags, and Chanel jewelry in boutiques in France, London and Monaco. Of course I thought, “Hmm. What a fun way to kick off a first chapter.”


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Theodosia?

LC: Theodosia returns again in Pekoe Most Poison, coming March 2017. She attends what is billed as a “rat tea,” a kind of homage to the fancy, quaint rat teas that were all the rage in Charleston some eighty years ago. Only problem is, a sip of the wrong brew and someone turns up dead. Theodosia may not be to blame, but she certainly won’t turn a dim eye to this affront against tea!


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

LC: I have a new thriller series coming out July 5, 2016. These books are a lot tougher and grittier than my other books and are, by the way, written under the name Gerry Schmitt. The first book in this series is Little Girl Gone and features Afton Tangler, a single mom and liaison officer with the Minneapolis PD, who gets pulled into a bizarre high-profile kidnapping. It’s got believable characters, lots of page-turning action, and a ripped-from-the-headlines plot. This book is available for pre-order on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

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Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

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Review

Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs
The 17th Tea Shop Mystery

Devonshire Scream starts off with a bang as a genteel event turns into a deadly robbery! Although local police, including Detective Tidwell, are investigating the FBI have also been called in. The belief is that an international jewel theft ring may be involved and they may be sticking around. Theodosia and the gang at the Indigo Tea Shop find themselves in the midst of the investigation once again. Not only was Theo a witness to the robbery, but the Heritage Society is about to have a rare antiquities show and the pièce de résistance is a genuine Fabergé Egg! Was the crime at Heart's Desire Fine Jewelry just a practice run for the main event? Will the criminals strike again?

Russia comes to Charleston in this, the 17th Tea Shop mystery with a visiting scholar, a Romanov tea, and a Fabergé Egg. Childs also brings us into the world of smash and grabs and international jewel thieves  The murder, in this case, is not personal, but rather accidental. There are plenty of suspects, most of whom are newcomers to town. How are they able to climb the social ranks so quickly? Certainly that quick rise to Charleston's upper echelons is cause for suspicion. Childs skillfully combines an action packed mystery with fascinating facts about czarist Russia and tea.

 Devonshire Scream is a face paced, high octane rush that starts and ends with a bang.

Recipes and tea tips are included.

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For a chance to win an autographed copy of Devonshire Scream simply leave a comment on this post telling us something about tea or Fabergé Eggs! Be sure to leave your e-mail address so I may contact you should you win and leave the comment no later than 11:59 pm EST Friday, March 4th. Sorry, US addresses only.