The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs - Review

Book details

Series: A Tea Shop Mystery (Book 11)

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Berkley; Reprint edition (March 1, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0425240207

ISBN-13: 978-0425240205

Book description

Charleston is bustling with shoppers looking for antiques-and, of course, Theodosia Browning's delicious teas. But when the cobblestone alleys clear, Theodosia finds the map store owner strangled to death. Many wanted her shop-but enough to kill? Most alarming, however, is Detective Tidwell's theory: that the killer mistook her for Theodosia.

Meet the author - 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 fund raising 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.

My thoughts

I was happy to continue on my journey with Theo, Drayton and Haley in their tea shop. Theo happened to witness a murder, but was she the one the killer intended to hurt. The person who was killed just happens to be a friend of Theo's so she is hot on the trail to figure out what happened. There were a few suspects I had in mind but the author likes to give you some twists and make you second guess yourself. Two of my favorite characters are Theo and Drayton. I love the way Drayton talks about teas, educates you, and tells about his ideas for tea parties. Haley was a little more subdued this time which was fine by me, but Delanie made up for it and was her good 'ol annoying self. I did miss hearing about Theo's boyfriend and hope he appears in the next book. I am of course looking forward to the next book in this series.