Agony of the leaves

Childs keeps the blend of mystery and ambience fresh and engrossing in this latest installment of her Indigo Tea Shop series. Shop owner Theodosia is enjoying a benefit at the aquarium when the body of her ex-boyfriend Parker floats by. The police are ready to classify it as an accident, but the cuts on his hands, and requests from his friends to investigate, spur Theo on to find out what really happened. She and her employees Drayton and Haley are preparing for Coffee and Tea Expo, but they find ways to ask customers about the case, and several suspicious people surface. Soon Theo's quest for justice for Parker lands her in danger in this realistic and well-paced mystery. Appended recipes, tea tips, and resources will be devoured by those who have already savored the tea history steeped throughout the book. Fans of Julie Hyzy's White House Chef series will enjoy this one for its spirited blend of clues and cuisine.--Alessio, Amy Copyright 2010 Booklist

Childs's lively 13th Tea Shop mystery (after 2011's Scones & Bones) finds Theodosia Browning with a lot on her plate, what with her bustling Charleston, S.C., tea shop, a line of proprietary blends, and a hot new romance-and that's even before she discovers the body of ex-boyfriend Parker Scully floating in an aquarium tank. Initially, the young restaurateur's death appears to be a gruesome accident, but sharp-eyed Theodosia spots what look like defensive wounds on his hands. Theodosia soon finds a number of possible suspects, including some dubious characters with whom Scully had discussed business projects, and even more people inexplicably eager to shut down her investigation. Not to worry: detection frequently gets put on the back burner when Theodosia has to focus on one of her catering jobs. While series fans will no doubt relish every foodie tidbit, others may find that the many red herrings leave a bad taste. Agent: Sam Pinkus, Veritas Media. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Charleston heats up again in Theodosia's 13th outing (Scones & Bones) as the much-anticipated grand opening of the new aquarium goes awry. Complete with recipes and tea-related websites. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.