Welcome to the virtual book tour for Lavender Blue Murder (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs! Read my review below and follow the tour for excerpts, interviews, guest posts and more.
Lavender Blue Murder (A Tea Shop Mystery)
by Laura Childs
I received this book free to review; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.
Lavender Blue Murder (A Tea Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
21th in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 3, 2020)
Hardcover: 336 pages
Tea-Maven Theodosia Browning brews up trouble in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.
Tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier Drayton Conneley are guests at a bird hunt styled in the precise manner of an English shooting party. Which means elevenses (sloe gin fizzes), gun loaders, the drawing of pegs, fine looking bird dogs, and shooting costumes of tweed, herringbone, and suede.
But as gunshots explode like a riff of Black Cat firecrackers, another shot sounds too close for comfort to Theodosia and Drayton. Intrigued but worried, Theodosia wanders into the neighbor’s lavender field where she discovers their host, Reginald Doyle, bleeding to death.
His wife, Meredith, is beside herself with grief and begs Theodosia and Drayton to stay the night. But Theodosia awakens at 2:00 A.M. to find smoke in her room and the house on fire. As the fire department screams in and the investigating sheriff returns, Meredith again pleads with Theodosia for help.
As Theodosia investigates, fingers are pointed, secrets are uncovered, Reginald’s daughter-in-law goes missing presumed drowned, and Meredith is determined to find answers via a séance. All the while Theodosia worries if she’s made a mistake in inviting a prime suspect to her upscale Lavender Lady Tea.
INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!
My review of Lavender Blue Murder
I read so many books that I often miss out on great cozy mystery series. That is obviously what happened with The Tea Shop Mysteries! I knew that by jumping in at book 21, I might be a little lost; however, I wasn’t at all. This book is so well written, and I feel like I knew the characters just as well as if I’d begun with book one. I love books like that! Sure, Theodosia might not have had a boyfriend in the beginning of the series, but that’s not a spoiler! Most cozy mystery books eventually have a well established relationship in them.
Side note: Theo and her boyfriend seem to have a perfectly clean relationship. There weren’t even any innuendos, and I really appreciate that! I don’t want my cozy mystery characters sleeping together. Like I said, I haven’t read the entire series, so I don’t know what happens between them in the other books.
I love Drayton, Theo’s tea sommelier. He certainly knows his teas, and he knows how to “hang on” when Theodosia is on the trail of a murderer. I absolutely want to visit this imaginary tea shop and taste all of the brews Drayton serves and eat all of the food Haley cooks! The setting is perfect for a cozy, and I want to stroll the historic district in Charleston after reading this book. Who wants to go with me?
The mystery in Lavender Blue Murder is well plotted, and if you’re like I am, you’ll be in the dark as to who the murderer is until near the very end. This book has great pacing and will keep you engaged throughout.
5 huge stars! I can’t wait to read more Tea Shop Mystery books.
About the author
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking 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’s 3 Cozy Mystery Series
The Tea Shop Mysteries are 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 are 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 are 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 – http://www.laurachilds.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play IndieBound
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
March 2
The Avid Reader – REVIEW
A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
March 3
A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
March 4
Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
My Journey Back – REVIEW
March 5
Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – GUEST POST
A Holland Reads – REVIEW
March 6
I’m All About Books-SPOTLIGHT
Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
March 7
The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
March 8
Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 9
Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 10
The Editing Pen – REVIEW
The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLGHT
March 11
Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
March 12
Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 13
eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
The Book Diva’s Reads – GUEST POST
March 14
Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW
StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 15
Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
March 16
I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
This Is My Truth Now – SPOTLIGHT
March 17
Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
March 18
Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 19
Laura`s Interests – REVIEW
Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 20
Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
March 21
Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
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Thank you for your review on “Lavender Blue Murder” by Laura Childs and for being part of the book tour.
Fabulous sounding book, but I’d expect nothing less from this author. Can’t wait for the opportunity to read this book on my TBR list. Love the cover!
I am so glad you enjoyed meeting Theo, Drayton, Earl Grey etc. How nice that you could jump in at book 21 and have a great time in Charleston. Laura Childs
Thank you for stopping by!
The cover is so pretty!
I love a great cozy. Thank you for the giveaway!
Have never read any of your books but this really sounds so good.