by Laura Childs
Part of Tea Shop Mystery, book 16
First published 2015
Theodosia Browning runs the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston and prefers quiet afternoons to fancy events. But her boyfriend Max directs public relations for the Gibbes Museum, and he has organized a black tie gala for a new exhibit featuring an authentic eighteenth century Chinese teahouse. The museum's rotunda transforms into an exotic garden where a Chinese dragon winds through the crowd and guests sample appetizers while a violin plays. Theodosia discovers philanthropist Edgar Webster's body hidden behind the curtains of a photo booth set up for the occasion. The murder investigation takes a personal turn when Max becomes a suspect in Webster's death. Theodosia must dig into the philanthropist's life and relationships to clear her boyfriend's name and identify the real killer. She examines Webster's dealings and discovers the motives that led someone to want the museum donor dead.
Genres: mystery, contemporary-romance, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: cozy, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Charleston, Gibbes Museum
Period: 18th Century
336 pages · Hardcover · Berkley