October 1, 2023
Tea maven Theodosia Browning is reading tea leaves on the set of the movie Dark Fortunes when the lights dim, the cameras roll riotously, and the director dies in an electrical accident--but is it? Theodosia and her tea sommelier, Drayton, are soon investigating a motley crew that includes a pot-smoking screenwriter, a reluctant leading lady, and a duplicitous Hollywood agent. Prepub Alert.
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Starred review from January 15, 2024
A murder on a movie set poses a puzzle for an amateur sleuth's 27th case. Theodosia Browning's experiences would suggest that beautiful, historic Charleston is a hotbed of murder, the Cabot Cove of South Carolina. This time out, Theodosia and Drayton Conneley, her tea sommelier at the Indigo Tea Shop, are running the craft services table on the set of a feature film. After Theodosia makes a suggestion about a scene featuring tea leaves, she finds herself cast in a small part. All goes well until director Josh Morro is electrocuted during Theodosia's scene. Burt Tidwell, head of homicide at Charleston PD, thinks his death was likely murder. Detective Pete Riley, Theodosia's boyfriend, never wants her to get close to murder but admits she has an uncanny ability to suss out clues and get people talking. As it turns out, there's nothing to discuss. Theodosia has no choice but to get involved when her quirky friend Delaine Dish, who'd been dating Morro, begs her for help. Luckily, Theodosia has a crew that keeps the tea shop running smoothly even when it's booked solid with themed parties. A new director arrives, and filming continues, but there are still many undercover rivalries for Theodosia to unearth as she and Drayton use their web of connections to learn more about the reputedly haunted house where the film is being shot. Plenty of people had reasons to kill Josh, but identifying the right one will be just as tricky as ever. Tea lore, recipes, and historical tidbits leaven a mystery with a surprising number of odd motives.
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February 9, 2024
Theodosia Browning, owner of Charleston's Indigo Tea Shop, and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are manning the craft services table on the set of a movie when the director, Josh Morro, is electrocuted, and it looks suspicious. Horrified by the incident, Theodosia, a veteran amateur detective, decides to look into the potential murder. Suspects included the disgruntled screenwriter, an actress who wants to be released from her contract, the new director, a scorned lover, and Morro's fianc�e. When a local antiques dealer, Helene Deveroux, a member of the Charleston Film Board, is also murdered, Theodosia believes there must be a connection, but what? She investigates while running her highly successful tea shop, but her recklessness almost leads to disaster for herself and Drayton. The story concludes with recipes, hints for specialty teas, tea resources, and tourist information. Theodosia is a sympathetic character, and the immersive Charleston setting and tea and tea shop details framing the story will please fans of the long-running series as well as readers who enjoy charming tea and food-centered cozies.
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