by Laura Childs
Part of Tea Shop Mystery, book 13
First published 2012
Theodosia Browning runs the Indigo Tea Shop and has landed a prestigious catering job for the grand opening of Charleston's Neptune Aquarium. She serves tea, scones, and sandwiches to the city's dignitaries and major donors at this exclusive private party. When she steps away from the festivities for a brief break, she makes a shocking discovery. A man's body floats tangled in netting inside one of the aquarium's advanced display tanks. The victim is Parker Scully, her former boyfriend. Emergency responders assume Parker accidentally drowned, but Theodosia spots what appear to be defensive injuries on his hands. She becomes convinced someone murdered Parker. The local police dismiss her suspicions, particularly given her personal connection to the dead man. Theodosia realizes she must conduct her own investigation if Parker's killer will ever face consequences. She dives into a dangerous search for the truth behind his death.
Genres: mystery, contemporary, thriller, cozy-mystery
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, personal-connection-to-victim
Setting: Charleston, Neptune Aquarium, Indigo Tea Shop
301 pages · Hardcover