In this twenty-sixth tea shop mystery, Theodosia’s Indigo tea shop is catering a Honey Bee Tea in Charleston’s Petigru Park. It’s a beautiful new space with native grasses and a community beekeeping project. Holly Burns, a local art gallery owner, has asked Theodosia to cater the tea for her upscale event.

However, the elegant event is unexpectedly interrupted by a fake beekeeper who sprays the attendees with a toxic smoke. Chaos ensues and in the turmoil, Osgood Claxton III, a state legislature candidate, is shot and killed.

Who murdered Claxton? Holly begs Theodosia to help before all the bad publicity destroys her gallery. Was it a rival, a disgruntled artist, an almost ex-wife? Theo’s cop boyfriend Riley and local Charleston Detective Tidwell try to discourage Theo’s efforts, but she’s determined to find the killer before another murder.

Laura Childs has written another terrific Indigo Tea Shop mystery, well worth your time as you try to figure out the mystery along with Theodosia, Drayton and Haley.

this is the 26th book in the Tea Shop Mystery series set in Savanah. I haven’t read them all but when I pick one up I enjoy it. this book has Theodosia catering her friends gallery opening and the Honey tea and sandwiches are a big hit with the crowd. When a beekeeper in full uniform shows up and starts spraying poison into the event everyone thinks it part of the service until a politician drops dead and many of the guests pass out. If Theodosia and the shop owner want to clear their names they will have to solve the murder. I have learned so much about Savanah and how to pick and serve tea from this series. This can be read as a stand alone.

Right in the midst of a tea party to exhibit art, a local politician stands to deliver a very long, very boring speech, much to the disgust of the art dealer and everyone within the sound of his voice. In the background are beehives, at a safe distance away from the patrons and the sweet treats being served.
A beekeeper, completely covered in the traditional white suit, netting over the face, appears and is a nice distraction for the group. Until the faux beekeeper aims toxic smoke at the crowd and uses the confusion and smoke as cover to shoot and kill the windy politician, that is.

Theodosia Browning, the owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, caterer for the event, is in hot pursuit when the killer makes his escape. Because she’s forced to hit the ground when the killer turns and shoots at her, she’s unable to catch the culprit.

Holly, the art dealer, is devastated. Her reputation is in tatters, as are the paintings after they were knocked over and trampled in the confusion. After the event, artists pull their works from the gallery and sales are almost zero. She begs Theo to ask questions, run a shadow investigation alongside the police, and find the killer.

Booker, an outsider artist, Lamar Lucket, Claxton’s political rival, and Mignon Merriweather, the dead man’s soon-to-be ex-wife, are among the prime suspects. The dead man had blocked funding for the artist, ran a crooked campaign, and his wife, now widow, needed the funds she’d inherit.

This is book twenty-six in the series and Theo is taking bigger risks than ever before, plus convincing Drayton to accompany her. Detective Tidwell, in charge of the case, and Theo’s police detective boyfriend, Riley, both discourage her from investigating but she feels she has to continue to help her friend’s failing gallery.

At the back of the book, find an excerpt from the next book, Murder in the Tea Leaves. There’s a list of fine tea vendors, things to see if visiting Charleston, tea websites and blogs, locations of tea plantations, and a list of tea-themed magazines. Childs also includes tips on hosting a glam girl tea, angel tea, butterfly tea, Great Gatsby tea, honeybee tea party or a party to let guests create their own tea blend.

Recipes include: Italian ricotta cookies, honey chicken, honey bee cookies, glory bee honey scones, cheddar and sausage Scotch eggs, Moscato poached pears, Tuscan soup, smoked trout tea sandwiches, and suggestions for getting creative with scones.

This is the 26th book in the Tea Shop Mysteries, set in Charleston SC.
In this book, the MC Theodosia and her staff are giving a honey tea in a park when a political candidate is shot dead. Theo has gained a reputation for crime solving, and she gets involved in this murder as well. I love the detailed descriptions of the setting and the culprit is well hidden. Also comes with excellent recipes at the end!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Another great installment in the A Tea Shop Mystery series. I love the relationship that Theo, Drayton, and Hayley have with each other. The tea shop runs like a well oiled machine, even when a monkey wrench is thrown in the mix. I was not able to guess who the killer before the reveal but it made perfect sense when revealed. Looking forward to reading more Tea Shop adventures in the future.

HONEY DROP DEAD by Laura Childs
The Twenty-Sixth Tea Shop Mystery

With its nearby bee hives, picturesque Petigru Park is the perfect setting for Theodosia Browning's Honeybee Tea. The delightful and delicious event for Imago Gallery is cut short when a beekeeper approaches and sprays noxious fumes. In the ensuing chaos a shot rings out and Osgood Claxton III, candidate for state legislature, is found dead. Known to be a connected and dirty politician with fingers in multiple pies, Theo is warned to stay clear of the investigation. But when the gallery owner begs Theo to help solve the murder, she just can't resist.

Theodosia Browning and the Indigo Tea Shop Crew are knee deep in tea events once more. The gang is catering events such as the Honeybee Tea as well as special parties at the Indigo Tea Shop like the Wind in the Willows party and running the shop itself, yet they still have time to not only attend trunk shows and go out to dinners, but investigate another murder. I really love the details about the various teas and tea events as well as descriptions of Charleston and the various locations, making me feel that I'm actually in the Lowcountry.

HONEY DROP DEAD is a fast paced mystery fit for adrenaline junkies. With shootings and multiple chases, danger for Theo and Drayton reaches an all time high in this, their twenty-sixth outing. It's part of what makes the book eminently readable. You're compelled to keep turning the pages and, if you don't think too much, you'll enjoy the ride. It's when you do think the problem rears its ugly head. While the mystery was very well crafted, the protagonist goes too far. Theo doesn't listen, takes big, stupid, chances, and puts everyone at risk. She's become an unlikable vigilante.

HONEY DROP DEAD is an action packed adventure replete with delectable food descriptions and divine tea inspiration.

Laura Childs drops us into another Teashop Mystery with Honey Drop Dead. Theodosia Browning has a tea that sponsored the local Imago Art Gallery broken up by the murder of an unpopular local politician. She is drawn into the murder investigation to help out the art gallery owner. Whodunit? A local street artist? The art gallery owner? Other politicians? Theodosia is threatened but keeps hunting for clues. Read on.

Laura Childs, where have your books been all my life?! This is the first of the Tea Shop Mysteries that I’ve read (nothing like jumping in on number 26, right?), and it definitely will not be the last.

Theodosia Browning (love that name!) hosts special event teas as part of her business. The book opens with a Honey Bee Tea she’s hosting for a local art gallery, hoping to help them get their name out there and grow. But the tea is brutally disrupted when a fake beekeeper douses the guests with who knows what chemicals and a local politician is shot dead. The police are investigating, of course, but it seems to be going nowhere fast. Knowing the powers that be may not want certain pots stirred, Holly, the gallery owner, asks Theodosia to do her own digging into the matter.

I love Laura Childs’ characters! The names are wonderful: Theodosia. Drayton. Osgood Claxton III (doesn’t that one just ooze “smarmy politician”?). Their personalities are just what I’d expect. Theodosia is smart, headstrong, and a shrewd businesswoman. Drayton, a tea sommelier (I didn’t even know there was such a thing), is very good at what he does, and he’s a good friend who’ll go with Theodosia into sticky situations even when it’s against his better judgment.

Turns out there are a lot of people who might have rejoiced to see Osgood Claxton III dead. Lamar Lucket, his political opponent? Mignon Merriweather, his soon-to-be-ex-wife? Ginny Bell, the supposed “other woman”? Booker, an artist who lost out on grant money because of Claxton? Childs tosses out a lot of possibilities and leads the reader on a merry chase after each one.

With a plot that moves along briskly, an intriguing mystery, and recipes at the end of the book (my favorite!), this is a sweet cozy mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it, stayed up past my bedtime reading it, and can’t wait to go back to the start and read the entire series.

What started out as a beautiful park side Honey Bee Tea quickly turned into a Honey Drop Dead disaster.

A politician named Osgood is killed by someone dressed as a beekeeper. The murder, and the resulting panic of the guests, leaves the hostess, an art gallery owner, teetering into bankruptcy. Can her caterer, and good friend, Theodosia clear the gallery’s good name by finding the killer? Tea shop owner, and budding amateur detective, Theo is raring to try!

Theo has the unusual problem of having too many suspects for Oswald’s murderer. It seems everyone had a reason to hate him from his soon-to-be ex-wife, his jilted mistress, and his political opponent, to the artist who lost a substantial grant thanks to Osgood. Luckily (or unfortunately for them), someone is killing the suspects almost as soon as Theo discovers them. Will the killer be unmasked? Will Holly’s gallery be saved?

The mystery was equally stuffed with both clues and red herrings. By the end, I had suspected nearly everyone but Theo’s dog, Earl Gray. The conclusion was surprising but in hindsight, the clues were all there. I just missed them.

The Charleston setting seemed almost like a character in its own right. Be warned though that you will be searching for a local British tea shop as I did after reading about the fabulous teas that Theo puts on. Sign me up for both the Wind in the Willows and the Glam tea. Luckily, there are food and tea recipes provided at the back of the book.

Honey Drop Dead is an excellent and challenging cozy mystery. It is filled with genuine and original characters that are pleasant to drop in on for a few hours. 5 stars!

Thanks to Berkley, NetGalley and Great Escapes Book Tours for a digital review copy of the book.

Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childs sees Theodosia Browning serving a honey-themed tea with artwork that ends early thanks to a dead body.

Will Theo save Holly's business?

Theodosia, Drayton, and Haley have a big business opportunity at the beginning of the book that ends in murder. The gallery owner talks Theo into figuring out who killed Osgood Claxton III. I love that Theo doesn't allow the police to bully her when she is looking into a case. Although the investigating is easy, as she owns a tea shop where gossip always happens, so she finds things out before they do.

Drayton is a fun loving guy. I feel bad whenever Theo talks him into investigating with her. He just wants to make his tea, which makes him happy. Even though he doesn't want to be involved, he does keep a good eye on Theo for Pete Riley. He is a good friend to Theo.

Haley is an excellent cook, and I love how she keeps her head down while working there. Haley only speaks her mind when she needs Theo and Drayton to understand that she only sometimes needs their help.

The Mystery
The mystery involves a phony beekeeper killing one of Theo's guests and turning Honey Bee Tea into a frenzy. Theodosia must figure out who killed the guy. Wow, that twisted in a way I wasn't expecting. She has to wade through politics, angry soon-to-be ex-wives, scorned lovers, and other things that have Theo's suspect list long. I totally didn't figure out whodunit. Did you?

Five Stars
I am giving five stars to Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childs, and I'm recommending it. Whenever I'm reading a book from this series, it's nice to have a nice pot of tea and some cookies close by. Otherwise, it will make me hungry. Ms. Childs has outdone herself with this series's newest book, which is fantastic! I feel like I should bake something now.

This book has recipes in the back of the book. They are Italian Ricotta Cookies, Haley's Honey Chicken, Honey Bee Cookies, Glory Bee Honey Scones, Cheddar and Sausage Scotch Eggs, Moscato Poached Pears, Tuscan Soup, Smoked Trout Tea Sandwiches, and English Tea Biscuits. Also, included Ms. Childs' has left us with Get Creative with Scones and Tea Time Tips from the author herself.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childs.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Dollycas's Thoughts 

Theodosia, Hayley, and Drayton are catering a Honey Bee Tea for gallery owner Holly Burns in Charleston’s new Petigru Park. Chaos ensues when a rogue beekeeper crashes the party spraying toxic gas at the guests. Before the smoke clears a candidate for the state house is shot dead. Many other guests are injured and suffering from the effects of the gas. The paintings the gallery had on display are damaged and torn. Theodosia did try to chase the killer but they got away. The police arrive but don't get a lot of answers and Holly is devastated because this event was supposed to get her gallery off to a great start. Now she is afraid it is going to be forced to close. She knows Theodosia's reputation so she asks her for help to find the person responsible. It could be the only way to save her business.

So while her Indigo Tea Shop has several special tea events coming up Theodosia tries to help Holly by looking into Candidate Osgood Claxton III to see who he may have "tea-d" off enough to publically gun him down. There are several worthy suspects. A second murder, a crazy chase, and even scary threats do not stop Theodosia from buzzing around trying to get the answers she needs to put the killer bee-hind bars. Especially when someone she cares about is in the line of fire.

_______

I was delighted to return to Charleston and the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia, Drayton, Haley, and Riley are like old friends and I love to visit them. Theodosia is so smart and business savvy. She has also become quite an astute amateur sleuth. Drayton, usually right by her side, is up for almost anything even when he thinks Theodosia's sleuthing ideas are way over the top. Hayley is a fantastic chef with such creative ideas. She has a new man in her life which makes things with her even more interesting. I do enjoy the "family" these three have become. They work so well, in sync, whether it be serving tea or riddling out clues. Riley, is well, Riley, grousing around telling Theodosia to stay out of his investigations even though he knows she will never do that. I applaud Ms. Childs for being able to keep these characters fresh and evolving with this being the 25th book in the series.

She has also set up such a clever mystery. The suspense and tension erupt from Chapter 1 with toxic gas and gunfire in a park full of people and Theodosia giving chase. With the exception of a few special teas, the suspense continues throughout the whole book. Her detailed descriptions put her readers right on the scene for many exciting events. Soon after I started reading Chapter 30 I found myself sitting truly on the edge of my seat. When Theodosia found a huge clue my heart rate started to increase and the pages started to really fly. The showdown was riveting and surprising. Had this been a movie I probably would have been watching through my fingers. The banter when Riley arrived was so good! and Theodosia's final actions were even better. At first, I thought the ending was a little abrupt but within a few minutes, I realized it was absolutely perfect.

Ms. Childs continues to top herself. I love this series! Honey Drop Dead is a SWEET addition! The characters are genuine. The mystery is extraordinary. The setting is fun and fabulous. This book receives my top rating and has earned a spot on my Best Reads of 2023.

I do recommend series like this be read in order to really get to know the characters, but Ms. Childs does an excellent job at making new readers feel welcome with enough character history and backstory. So please, while this is the 25th book in the series, don't hesitate to pick it up. After reading it you may want to go back and read previous books in the series or just wait for the next, Murder in the Tea Leaves will be released on March 5, 2024.

Honey Drop Dead is the 25th (!) book in the charming Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs. Though I’ve not read them all, I’ve read several and have enjoyed each one. You can easily read each book as a standalone.

Honey Drop Dead begins with another themed tea party. Holly Burns, owner of a local art gallery, knows Theodosia’s tea parties are fabulous, so she asks her to cater the affair. The theme, Honey Bee Tea, embodies the park in which it is set. This new park holds community bee hives, so no one thinks it unusual when a beekeeper begins smoking the hives. However, instead of smoking the bees, the beekeeper sends toxic fumes into the tea party and shoots Osgood Claxton III, one of the candidates for South Carolina’s state legislature. When artists begin pulling their work from the gallery and buyers start backing out of purchases, Holly asks Theodosia for help.

Even though Theodosia knows the police don’t want her involved, Theo starts asking questions which start getting her into trouble once again! Drayton, Theodosia’s tea sommelier and good friend, gets roped into helping her with her investigation, if only to try and keep her safe. I’d have to say Drayton, with his dry wit and way with tea, is my favorite character. I love Theodosia and Holly, the 20 something chef/baker at the tea shop, too, but Drayton’s voice of reason (though he always caves in) makes for some fun scenes. Miss Wimple, who helps out with the larger teas, is delightful.

As I’ve said in the past, I love the Charleston setting. It makes me want to tour the city, especially the historical area. I’d love to see the beautiful old houses and find a tea shop to pretend I’m at Theodosia’s.

The plot is well-paced, and the mystery is very puzzling! So many people couldn’t stand the victim, so there are a lot of suspects who all had the opportunity to either kill him themselves or hire someone to do it. I did fall for a couple of red herrings but eventually landed on the right criminal. These past couple of books, I’ve felt that Theodosia’s relationship with Riley, a police detective, has become stagnant. I think she should feel she can share her investigation freely with him by this time. Though I’m sure she’d still put herself into dangerous situations, talking to Riley about her suspicions would be natural. I enjoy watching relationships develop in cozy mystery books and many involve a law officer and the main character.

I think that cozy mystery lovers will enjoy Honey Drop Dead as well as the other Tea Shop Mystery books! If you like puzzling mysteries with an eclectic cast of characters and lots of suspects, you’ll be highly entertained reading Honey Drop Dead! I definitely recommend it!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

Theodosia Browning is excited that her tea shop is branching out into catering events and is pleased at the way her “Honeybee Tea” is turning out. The guests seem to be enjoying the honey-themed food and delicious tea being served. This tea is celebrating the relaunch of the art gallery run by Holly Burns, but long-winded politician Osgood Claxton III won’t be quiet and is trying to make the event all about him. Unfortunately, someone handles Osgood, but in a tragic way. A person wearing beekeeping attire arrives, but instead of tending to the community bee hive in the park, the person kills Osgood. Everyone warns Theo that Osgood had dangerous connections, but she is determined to find the killer and help clear the reputation of Holly’s gallery.

The story started out strong with an interesting event and an unexpected death. Theo starts out reporting the progress of her investigation to her boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley. There is no shortage of suspects, so both the police and Theo have their work cut out for them in finding the killer. The plot has potential, but then starts to drag as Theo takes things too far by putting herself in danger several times and getting into over-the-top situations.

On the positive side, I like it when Theo and Drayton Conneley, who works with her in the tea shop, investigate together. There is some entertaining drama when the killer is revealed, but then the book ends very abruptly which takes away from what could have been a really good ending. A few more scenes at the end or at least a short epilogue would have made a big difference. At the end of the story, I like the recipes which sound really good, as well as ideas for elevated scones and tips for holding your own tea event.

~ Christine

When Theodosia Browning envisioned her Honey Bee Tea as an event for Holly Burns and her art gallery, Imago Gallery, she never could have anticipated how it went. They held it at Charleston’s Petigru Park, where they city had recently added a beekeeping project, knowing it would be a lovely outdoor space to highlight the art Holly wanted to display. With her silent partner, she was hoping to add some prestige to her gallery, attract artists of a higher caliber, and find customers with larger budgets.

The Tea started out beautifully. The decorations were lovely, and the menu carefully chosen, from the Honey Child Tea to the glory bee scones and tea sandwiches. But then local politician Osgood Claxton III tried to take over and make a speech. Theodosia wasn’t about to stand for that, so she interrupts with tea and scones, and things settle down. But then a mysterious beekeeper appears, in full regalia, with a bee smoker in hand. He comes toward the tea party, and everyone is a little mesmerized by him.

As he gets close to the crowd, his smoker starts spewing out clouds of smoke. He walks deliberately toward Claxton, his smoke getting stronger. But as the party guests come in contact with the smoke, they start screaming, coughing, and crying. Clearly, there is something toxic about the smoke, but Theo watches as the beekeeper pulls out a gun and shoots the politician point blank. Claxton goes down, and Theo can tell that there is nothing anyone can do for him. But all around, people are screaming and running. Without thinking, she grabs a heavy vase and runs after the escaping killer.

The man in the beekeeper outfit ends up getting away, but not before seeing Theo coming after him and pointing his gun at her. She causes him to stumble and drop the gun when she throws the vase at him, but he still gets away. And by the time she gets back to what’s left of the party, emergency personnel are all over, helping the guests who need oxygen or loading them into the ambulances. Theo has to admit to the police that she chased after the killer and leads them to his gun and the smoker, which he had also dropped. But she also got admonished for putting herself in danger, by the police and by her tea sommelier and best friend Drayton Conneley.

The next day, back at Theodosia’s Indigo Tea Shop, they serve their customers delicious teas chosen by Drayton and treats that chef Haley comes up with. And when Holly comes in to talk about what happened at the Honey Bee Tea, she is heartbroken. Many of the art pieces she had brought to the park were destroyed, artists are pulling out of her gallery, and customers are changing their minds on the paintings they had agreed to purchase. She’s afraid she will lose everything, so she asks Theo to put her investigative skills to the problem and find the killer before she is completely bankrupt.

Theo agrees and starts to ask questions around town. The first thing she finds out is that Osgood Claxton had been in politics for a long time, and he had been known for making a lot of deals. He was not well liked, so trying to find someone who wanted to kill him might not be all that difficult. Then she finds out about his soon-to-be ex-wife, his ex-girlfriend, and all his political rivals. And not only that, but there is a local artist who was denied an $18,000 art grant by Claxton, and that man still held a grudge.

Theodosia has a lot of suspects to suss out, in between running the Tea Shop and their specialty tea parties. But she has to do it all quickly, or Holly and her gallery will be history. Although, with rumors rampant and bullets flying, it may turn out to be the end of Theo and her tea shop too.

Honey Drop Dead is book number 25 in Laura Childs’s Tea Room Mysteries, and it’s filled with her trademark balance of calming tea and dangerous investigations. It can be a little challenging to read at times, between Theodosia’s impetuous decisions that put her in peril and the descriptions of delicious food that makes you want to stop reading and dive into a big plate of scones. Fortunately, Childs does include several recipes at the end, including Haley’s Honey Chicken, Honey Bee Cookies, Cheddar and Sausage Scotch Eggs, and Tuscan Soup.

I am a big fan of the Tea Room Mysteries, and I really liked Honey Drop Dead. There are a lot of interesting suspects in the crime, and these are always so readable. I just wish that I could go to a place like the Indigo Tea Shop to read them. I could use the help of a good tea sommelier, and I definitely need more scones in my life. Plus, it’s always good to have friends who could solve a murder, just in case you get accused of one.

Egalleys for Honey Drop Dead were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Theodosia was quite happy with how her Honey Bee Tea was going until someone in a beekeepers outfit sprayed the guests with toxic smoke. While the guests were freaking out the masked man shot a very prominent man named Osgood Claxton who was a candidate for state legislature. Theo agrees to look into things for Holly Burns the woman who hired the tea shop to cater the event. She soon learns that Osgood had a list of enemies longer than any one person should have. Follow along as Theo continues to host fun teas at her shop, question suspects, and throws herself into danger unknowingly. Will she be able to find a murderer before she herself ends up hurt or dead?

I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Honeybee Tea turns tragic (and dangerous) when a person dressed in a. beekeeper's outfit crashes the party, literally blows smoke, and then shoots a local politician! Theodosia, who catered the event agrees to help Holly who owns the gallery, find out who did it. And why! Fans of this long running series know that Theodosia will work with her pals Drayton, Delaine, and others to uncover the truth, despite red herrings along the way. It's a classic cozy so new readers won't have trouble following along Those who have read the earlier books will find themselves pleased to be spending time with the gang. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. And- recipes!

I will have to say I've bought many books by this author, haven't read them all yet but have read quite a few of them. I drink a lot of tea, iced and hot and love the setting of this cozy mystery series taking place in a teashop.
Theodosia Browning owns a quite popular teashop in Charleston, South Carolina. Aside from running a teashop she seems to call amateur sleuthing her second calling. Murder always seems to find her or perhaps she finds it. In any case there is a murder during a private tea party at her Indigo Tea Shop on Church Street. It's a honeybee themed tea party complete with yellow bumblebee decorations and honey filled foods. When a "beekeeper" shows up at the party the guests think it's part of the entertainment, but this "beekeeper" has other things on his mind when he smokes out a guest with noxious gas and they wind up dead. You will be kept buzzing along as you piece together all the clues thrown at you, many which will throw you off track as you think you've solved it, but it turns out to be a dead end. Very entertaining and well-paced cozy mystery. I'm satisfied with this book.
Don't forget to read to the end of the book as there are delicious sounding recipes, interesting facts about tea and a fun list of things to do when visiting Charleston, South Carolina.

Pub Date 08 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Honey Drop Dead is book twenty-six in the Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs.
A great page-turner that, once you get into the story, you won’t want to put down!
The atmosphere, characters and mystery make Honey Drop Dead a very enjoyable read!
The coziness of the tea shop and the charming backdrop of Charleston help balance the murder and craziness that seems to seek out Theodosia and her friends.
This fast-paced cozy mystery is delightfully full of red herrings and a great story to keep you up reading this exciting new story. This was well written and very entertaining and action packed mystery.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Berkley for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing
eARC!

Theodosia, who owns and runs a tea shop, is hosting a Honey Bee Tea for a local gallery owner. But the tea is quickly ruined by someone dressed up as a beekeeper spraying toxic smoke and shooting a local politician. The gallery owner, immediately losing business, begs Theodosia to discover who the murderer is. Along with her tea shop assistants Drayton and Holly, Theodosia sets out to find the murderer before the murderer finds her.

I always love this series, and this was no exception. Theodosia is a strong female protagonist who doesn’t let herself be scared off or give up. The supporting characters are all very unique, and it’s always fun to see the reoccurring characters from previous stories. The bit of romance with Theodosia and her very understanding police officer boyfriend is sweet.

The mystery in this one is a good one, with a lot of red herrings and a hard solution to guess. The ending is quite dramatic as well, though a little abrupt. I would recommend this book.