by Laura Childs
Part of Tea Shop Mystery, book 19
First published 2018
Theodosia Browning watches the Gaslights and Galleons Parade from Timothy Neville's Charleston mansion when banker Carson Lanier falls three stories from the widow's walk to his death. The fall looks accidental until investigators find a crossbow bolt in the victim's body. Timothy asks Theodosia to investigate the murder. She discovers multiple suspects with strong motives to kill Lanier. His almost ex-wife had personal reasons to want him gone. A coworker harbored professional grudges. His real estate partner faced financial conflicts. Each suspect had opportunity and means to fire the fatal crossbow bolt. Theodosia must determine which person crossed the line from anger to murder. Her investigation takes her through Charleston's traditional neighborhoods where old money and new schemes collide. The case forces her to navigate family secrets, business betrayals, and romantic entanglements that run deeper than Spanish moss on ancient oaks.
Genres: mystery, contemporary, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: cozy, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, family-drama
Setting: Charleston, South Carolina
Period: Contemporary
318 pages · Hardcover · Berkley