The annual Spring Plantation Ramble is the time when several privately owned plantations open their doors to the public to host teas, flower shows, and rare plant auctions.   

Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop, and her master tea blender Drayton have been volunteered into preparing sweet tea for one of the stands at the event.  However, the fun and festive atmosphere ends abruptly when commodities broker/orchid enthusiast Mark Congdon dies shortly after making the winning bid for a rare monkey-face orchid.   

An initial assumption of heart attack proves to be incorrect.  Suspicions of possible motive are slowly uncovered but few clues appear.  Will our amateur sleuth Theo be able to tease out the identity of the murderer?  Someone doesn’t like her investigating the death and the perpetrator might again turn deadly. 

Ms Childs tosses a tantalizing mix of interesting characters, tea shop goodies, and murder into a plot, then lets it steep into a wonderful cozy brew of a mystery.   

This is the eighth book in the Tea Shop Mysteries series set in Charleston, South Carolina and the reviewer’s happy introduction to the author’s work.  It is fun to see the running of the shop.  The lovely food and delicate fragrant tea could very well be before you, not to mention the chatter with the young baker Haley, the slightly stiffer and older Drayton, and our intelligent Theodosia. 

The mystery is not shortchanged either.  There is the original murder, arson, being hunted, kidnapped and shot at to keep the heart rate high in between those relaxing civilized scenes.  It is a good balance and absolutely winning. 

The end section of recipes and tea time tips serve to inspire for a spring or summer tea party of one’s own. 

Treat yourself to a nibble and a cuppa to go with this tale.

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