Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs #Review / #Giveaway – Great Escapes Book Tour @BerkleyMystery

Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)
by Laura Childs

About Murder in the Tea Leaves

Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
27th in Series
Setting – South Carolina
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (March 5, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593200985
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593200988
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C777ZCXN

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 pothead, 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!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Theodosia Browning’s Indigo Tea Shop is hopping hosting their regular customers but also hosting special teas like a Poetry Tea and a Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tea.  The shop has also been hired to cater the craft services for the spooky movie set of Dark Fortunes. Theodosia even gets in on the action when she steps in to read tea leaves as a fortune teller. But her acting career comes to an abrupt halt when the lights go out and electrical sparks fly as the film’s director is killed. Was it a freaky accident? or was it murder? The cast and crew are shocked but claim to have seen nothing because the lights were out.

When the death is ruled a homicide and Theodosia’s friend, Delaine finds herself at the top of the list of suspects Theodosia starts an investigation of her own. Then the killer strikes again and Drayton and Theodosia find themselves hot on their trail. They need to catch the killer before the tables are turned and they are fighting for their own lives.

I enjoy getting back to historic Charleston, South Carolina, to catch up with Theodosia, Drayton, Haley, Miss Dimple, Riley, Detective Tidwell, Delaine, and the lovable Dallbrador, Earl Grey. The characters Ms. Childs has created are so engaging and aside from chasing down killers feel very true to life. Even after so many close brushes with death, Theo is always ready for anything and she usually has Drayton right by her side trying to talk her out of her latest scheme to catch a killer. Haley, Miss Dimple, and now Haley’s cousin Beth Ann handle the tea shop while Drayton and Theo follow the clues. Riley isn’t happy when Theo gets involved but he is never going to change her. Earl Grey is quite a dog and will protect his person in any way he can.

I love the way the author sets a scene. Her descriptions create vivid pictures. The movie was being filmed in “dilapidated” supposedly haunted Brittlebank Manor. Theodosia just has to check the place out from top to bottom to see if the legends about the place are true and readers get to see things through her eyes. She also describes Deliane’s goofy fashion show, all the fabulous special teas including the decor, teas, food, and at the Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tea what everyone is wearing. We travel along on her runs and walks through the city with Earl Grey and to her and Drayton’s homes. We also get to tag along as she tries to solve a murder or two. It is so easy to escape to all these places in the pages of this story.

Theodosia has a knack for questioning people in her quest to get to the truth. She also has a way are getting herself and Drayton in some situations that can quickly turn deadly.  Ms. Childs has written a mystery with many twists and turns and what turns out to be a surprising motive. A motive Theo starts to put together a little too late but it leads up to an exhilarating and at points hilarious chase and an even funnier takedown. The ending was a little abrupt but there were no loose strings.

Book 27, Murder in the Tea Leaves is a hit! I was completely entertained from beginning to end and even a little breathless after the last few pages. Bring on Book 28, Peach Tea Smash, has a release date of August 6, 2024! I can’t wait! You will find Murder in the Tea Leaves on my Best Reads of 2024.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

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 takes 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 – Bookshop.org – PenguinRandomHouse  

The Rest of the Series

Coming August 6, 2024

The Scrapbooking Mysteries

Click on the covers for more information or to order by Amazon.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
March 5 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
March 5 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
March 6 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
March 6 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT
March 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
March 7 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
March 8 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 9 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW  
March 10 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 11 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW
March 11 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW
March 12 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
March 12 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 13 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 13 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
March 15 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
March 16 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT
March 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 18 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

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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.”