A Dark and Stormy Tea (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs #Review / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour @BerkleyMystery

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
Setting – South Carolina
Berkley (August 9, 2022)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593200896
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593200896
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09LH6VG4P

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 the 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!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Theodosia Browning owner of the Indigo Tea Shop usually has no qualms about walking home after she closes the shop, but this dark and stormy night feels different. In fact, when she walks by the St. Philips Graveyard she sees something in the fog. Two people hugging, no that’s not right. When a dark hooded figure creeps away she realizes she just witnessed a murder. Calling the police she sees that the victim is the daughter of her friend, Lois who owns the Antiquarian Bookshop next door to her own Indigo Tea Shop.

When Lois asks Theodosia for help, how can she refuse? Her boyfriend Detective Pete Riley thinks the murder is the work of a serial killer and wants Theodosia to leave the investigation to him, afraid she will be the next victim but she already has a list of suspects to interview. She promises to be careful but that doesn’t ease Riley’s mind one bit.

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Seeing that cover I knew this story was going to be different. Dark and stormy nights and some days throughout this mystery give the whole story an eerie feeling and darn if that Theodosia doesn’t keep going out at night when there is a killer on the loose, a killer that may be as close as her neighbor next door. She’s a risk taker and she is a dynamic protagonist with a lot of layers. When she teams up with her friend and tea sommelier, Drayton they are unstoppable. No matter if they are brainstorming special tea events or trying to steep out a killer they can’t be beat. Throw in Haley with her culinary masterpieces and Mrs. Dimple putting in her 2 cents, along with local law enforcement, Pete, and Detective Tidwell you have a wonderful cast of core characters.

So much happens within these pages. The mystery Ms. Childs enveloped her characters in was spooky from the beginning due to the weather. The rain and the fog were ever present and almost characters on their own. Theo had a lot of theories but all the clues did not fall in place for her until she was in a dangerous predicament and could have been breathing her last breath. I did have the killer on my personal suspect list but I would have been right there next to Theodosia because I couldn’t figure out a motive. Let me tell you though I was sitting right on the edge of my seat during the wild and exciting showdown.

The icing on the teacakes of every book in this series is the description of foods and teas. The author also shares recipes of a few at the back of the book so we can try them in our own homes. In this book, you will find recipes like Haley’s Cioppino, Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches, Killer Cranberry Scones, and more.

A Dark and Stormy Tea is a marvelous cozy read with a thrilling ending. I loved every minute of it. I escaped right into this story and it held my full attention until the final page. I need more Theodosia and her friends as soon as possible so I am excited about Lemon Curd Killer which is slated to be released on March 7, 2023.

You will find A Dark and Stormy Tea on my Best Reads List of 2022 and recommend you get your own copy of this book today!

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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

The Rest of the Series

Great Escapes Praise for A Dark and Stormy Tea (A Tea Shop Mystery)
by Laura Childs

A Dark and Stormy Tea is a page-turner that, once you get into the story, you won’t want to put down! The atmosphere, characters, teas, and mystery make A Dark and Stormy Tea a very enjoyable read! I highly recommend it!
~Christys Cozy Corners

A Dark and Stormy Tea is a chilling whodunit with wet weather, a creepy cemetery, a serial killer, tempting tea treats, a determined developer, and an inquisitive Theo.
~The Avid Reader

It’s very well-written and should be read, especially if you like this series! The plot line is thought out and the characters always have depth and are well-rounded. There are red herrings and plenty of suspects to guess from. That’s why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
~Valerie’s Musings

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.
~Cozy Up With Kathy

I am giving A Dark and Stormy Tea by Laura Childs five stars and recommending it to everyone. Trust me, with this book series, you don’t have to have read the first few books to get what is happening.~The whole time I was reading this book, I was trying to figure out who killed the victim, but I also wanted to eat the food Haley was preparing. It all sounded so yummy.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”