A Dark and Stormy Tea - A Review & Giveaway

 Review

A DARK AND STORMY TEA by Laura Childs
The Twenty-Fourth Tea Shop Mystery 

Charleston, South Carolina is known for its spookiness and haunted locales, but when the fog rises it's a real human being who commences to killing. After a break of seven years it seems that Fogheel Jack is back. Walking to her shop one foggy evening Tea Shop Owner Theodosia Browning sees a strange tableau, and soon realizes she's seen Fogheel Jack himself-and his latest victim, the daughter of a friend. Theo's inquisitive nature leads her to investigate, and lands her squarely in a killer's sights.   

Theodosia Browning has gone rogue! She deliberately questions a suspect, despite being directly told by police not to do so. Then she inserts herself in an active crime scene in order to snoop, again after being directly old to stay back. As a former police officer, I have great difficulty accepting this blatant disregard for police authority. Her actions could totally screw up an investigation. If I was Pete, her boyfriend and a detective, I'd be more apt to arrest her than date her!

Her actions do, however, move the story forward, adding plenty of thrills and keeping a heightened sense of urgency. Delightful descriptions of the tea shop and its events balance the fast paced action. Indeed, I enjoy my time at the Indigo Tea Shop just as much as reading the more high octane bits of the mystery. I can easily picture myself sipping one of Drayton's special brews and nibbling some Killer Cranberry scones and cashew chicken salad tea sandwiches, perhaps even donning a costume as I attend a themed tea.

A DARK AND STORMY TEA is an atmospheric thriller in a cozy world. Its heart racing thrills and scary chills are balanced by the comfort of good friends and food giving readers the best of both worlds.

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A Dark and Stormy Tea (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs

About A Dark and Stormy Tea

A Dark and Stormy Tea (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 24th in Series
Berkley (August 9, 2022)
Hardcover: ‎ 320 pages

A possible serial killer on the loose sends tea maven Theodosia Browning into a whirlwind of investigation in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

It was a dark and stormy night, but that was the least of Theodosia Browning's troubles. As she approaches St. Philips Graveyard, Theodosia sees two figures locked in a strange embrace. Wiping rain from her eyes, Theodosia realizes she has just witnessed a brutal murder and sees a dark-hooded figure slip away into the fog.

In the throes of alerting police, Theodosia recognizes the victim—it is the daughter of her friend, Lois, who owns the Antiquarian Bookshop next door to her own Indigo Tea Shop.

Even though this appears to be the work of a serial killer who is stalking the back alleys of Charleston, Lois begs Theodosia for help. Against the advice of her boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley, and the sage words of Drayton, her tea sommelier, amateur-sleuth Theodosia launches her own shadow investigation. And quickly discovers that suspects abound with the dead girl’s boyfriend, nefarious real estate developer, private-security man, bumbling reporter, and her own neighbor who is writing a true-crime book and searching for a big ending.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!

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.

Laura’s Links: Website – Facebook

Purchase Links Amazon – B&N – Kobo – IndieBound

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