by Laura Childs
Part of Tea Shop Mystery, book 30
First published 2026
Fireflies flicker like tiny lanterns as tea shop owner Theodosia Browning hosts an outdoor evening tea at the Tangled Rose bed and breakfast. The peaceful Charleston gathering turns deadly when someone slips poison into the baked Alaska served to Mrs. Van Courtland, a prominent local socialite. The brazen murder shocks Theodosia, and when the victim's son begs for her help, she launches her own investigation. Her search for answers puts her on a collision course with a money hungry developer, suspicious residents at Honey Badger House, Mrs. Van Courtland's bitter former daughter in law, greedy family members, and a housekeeper harboring secrets. The danger escalates when a masked attacker assaults Theodosia's tea sommelier Drayton and kidnappers seize the son's fiancée. Theodosia continues hosting her scheduled Queen Victoria and Moulin Rouge themed teas while pursuing the truth. At the black tie Starry Starry Night ball, she finally identifies the killer and finds herself racing for her life.
Genres: mystery, contemporary, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: atmospheric, cozy, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Charleston, Tangled Rose, Honey Badger House
Period: 21st-century
327 pages · Kindle Edition · Berkley