Review: Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

Berkley Prime Crime

March 2013

Format:  ARC Paperback,

Source: Publisher

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Agony of the Leaves,
Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning may always be a bridesmaid,
never a bride, but this groom is never going to make it to the altar…

Theodosia
Browning’s dear friend, Delaine Dish, has asked her to be a bridesmaid
for her wedding. But when the big day arrives, everything seems to be
going wrong. First, a massive storm is brewing over Charleston. A bad
omen? Second, Delaine’s maid of honor is late for the ceremony. And
finally, the groom not only has cold feet—his whole body is cold. A
murderer has crashed the wedding.

As Theodosia comforts a
devastated Delaine, she needs to sort out the suspects on the groom’s
side from the suspects on the bride’s side. One thing soon becomes
apparent—revenge won’t be the only dish served cold at this wedding. And
if Theodosia doesn’t watch her step, a cold-blooded killer may have a
rude reception in store for her…

My thoughts: This is the 14th book in Laura Child’s Tea Shop Mysteries and I just love this series. Perhaps because the first book in this series, Death by Darjeeling, is the first cozy mystery I ever read, or maybe it’s because I just love all things tea, but this series definitely holds a special place in my heart.

In this latest installment, Theo finds herself smack in the middle of yet another murder. On the day that her best friend Delaine is set to be married, the groom is found dead and Delaine becomes a prime suspect. Not willing to rely solely on the  police, Delaine implores her best friend Theo to look into matters. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily sit well with detective Tidwell, but at the same time, I think he truly does rely on Theo’s perspective when it comes to solving these crimes.

There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the book as Theo looks into who would want and benefit from Dougan’s death. Also appearing on the scene are two ghost-hunters who try to help Theo by seeing if they can commune with the recently deceased Dougan. I loved how Drayton, the usually uptight, proper gentleman that we love, takes a liking to the two ghost hunters, going so far as to tag along on a ghost hunting expedition. This is quite a change from what we expect of Drayton and adds a new dimension to him.

Having recently visited Charleston, SC for the first time, I found myself paying even more attention to the descriptions of the city in the book than I normally do. I’ve always loved the descriptions that Laura Childs gives, but this time I could actually picture some of the places. To me, this completely added to my enjoyment of the book. And then, of course, there are the descriptions of all the different types of tea that Theo and Drayton brew for their guests…this just had my mouth watering for a good cuppa tea. I love how there are always recipes and tea tips included in the back of the book. The Summer Tea Sparkler sounds like it will be the perfect drink for reading on the porch this summer!

How about you? If the book you’re reading is set in a town or city you are familiar with, does that make you pay more attention to the descriptions? What about if you aren’t familiar with the city or town? If you go visit there, does it make you think about the book?

Books in this series:

1. Death by Darjeeling                          8.  Dragonwell Dead
2. Gunpowder Green                             9.  The Silver Needle Murder
3. Shades of Earl Grey                         10.  Oolong Dead
4. English Breakfast Murder              11.  The Teaberry Strangler
5. The Jasmine Moon Murder           12.  Scones & Bones
6. Chamomile Mourning                     13.  Agony of the Leaves
7. Blood Orange Brewing                    14.  Sweet Tea Revenge