Review: Scones and Bones (A Tea Shoppe Mystery) by Laura Childs

• Author:  Laura Childs
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425238962
• ISBN-13: 978-0425238967

From Publishers Weekly

Charleston tourist notes enhance Childs's charming 12th tea-themed cozy featuring Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the city's Indigo Tea Shop (after 2010's The Teaberry Strangler). During the Heritage Society's Pirates and Plunder show, someone steals a diamond-embedded skull cup possibly fashioned from the skull of pirate Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard) right beneath the noses of Theo and Drayton Conneley, Theo's master tea blender. Even worse, the robber fatally stabs college kid Rob Commers, the society's history intern, and assaults Camilla Hodges, the society's office manager. While plucky Theo, her faithful shop employees, and CPD's Det. Burt Tidwell chase a nasty killer, Theo feels romantically torn between her boyfriend, chef Parker Scully, and an attractive newcomer, Max Scofield, a local museum's PR director. As usual, everyone finds time for abundant tea breaks. Tempting recipes include creamy dreamy parfait and lemon chess pie. (Mar.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Product Description

Savor the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of The Teaberry Strangler.

Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is lured into attending the Heritage Society's "Pirates and Plunder" soiree. But it's an antique diamond skull ring that gets plundered by someone who murders a history intern in the process. Theodosia knows she'll have to whet her investigative skills to find the killer among a raft of suspects.

About the Author

Laura Childs, is also the author of the Scrapbooking mystery series and the Cackleberry Club mystery series. In her past life she was a Clio Award-winning advertising writer and CEO of her own marketing firm.

My Review:

It is always a delight to visit the wonderful world of Theodosia Browning and her Indigo Tea Shoppe in Charleston.  Scones and Bones is the twelfth Tea Shoppe Mystery in this wonderful culinary cozy series by Laura Childs.  Our heroine, Theodosia always stumbles onto a mystery and this time there are pirates, buried treasures, ancient skull cups and secret societies thrown into the mix.  Of course, Indigo Tea Shoppe's resident tea expert Drayton Conneley is beside Theo throughout her adventures.  The other characters who fill out Theo's circle are the tea shoppe's chef/baker Haley, Detective Tidwell and her very crazy demanding friend Delaine Dish and her sister Nadine.  Besides the pirate murder mystery there is romance as Theo adds a new man into the mix. Our heroine is torn between old love Parker Scully, who is not being very attentive, and new man Max Scofield who is the museum's Public Relations Director.  This is a wonderfully fun romp through Charleston and the surrounding countryside.  Each Tea Shoppe Mystery convinces me more and more to visit Charleston as soon as I can!  You need not have read the entire series as this book can easily be a stand alone. 

As always, Ms. Childs has included some intriguing recipes at the end of the book.  I cannot wait to try out the Lemon Scones as well as the Tomato and Basil Dip.  She also includes Tea Time Tips and Tea Resources.  There is also a preview of Laura Childs' next Scapbooking Mystery, Skeleton Letters at the very end.

I highly recommend Scones and Bones as well as all of Laura Childs books in the Tea Shoppe Mysteries, the Scrapbooking Mysteries and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  I am looking forward to Theodosia's next Tea Shoppe Mystery, The Agony of the Leaves.

I was generously provided with a copy of Scones and Bones by the author for the review purposes.