Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childs is the twenty-sixth A Tea Shop Mystery. This is one of the two series that got me hooked on cozy mysteries. I look forward to each new installment. Honey Drop Dead is well-written with developed characters. Theo, Drayton, and Hayley are busy at the Indigo Tea Shop plus they have several special events including the Honey Bea Tea. Theodosia Browning is a smart, friendly, and caring woman. She has good business instincts plus Theo has a knack for solving crimes. I enjoyed the description of the Honey Bea Tea. It sounded lovely until someone used the event for nefarious purposes. I found myself quickly drawn into the story. The mystery was thought out. The way the murder was carried out was certainly unique. I liked that there was action and suspense throughout. I had fun following Theo and Drayton as they worked to solve the crime. I like that Drayton accompanies Theo on sleuthing forays. I get tired of Riley, Theo’s beau, telling her to keep her nose out of the investigation. He should know by now that Theo has no intention of sitting on the sidelines. I would love to see Theo get a new boyfriend (someone who understands her curious nature). The whodunit had a good wrap up at the end. I delighted in catching up with Theo, Drayton, Hayley, Miss Dimple, and Earl Grey. There are delectable descriptions of Hayley’s creations and Drayton’s tasty tea blends. Theo comes up with creative ideas for the special tea events. I enjoyed my latest visit to Charleston and the Indigo Tea Shop (and I look forward to returning soon). While Honey Drop Dead is the twenty-sixth A Tea Shop Mystery, the author does provide the needed background information on the main characters for new readers. Personally, I have enjoyed reading the series from the beginning. I like that Honey Drop Dead gave us something different. Honey Drop Dead is a diverting tale with a malicious smoker, scrumptious scones, gallery quandaries, tasty teas, an excess of suspects, and an intrepid Theo.

This is another entertaining mystery by Laura Childs. I really like this series because of it being in South Carolina. I don't drink tea, but I love the sound of the foods and one of these days I will try one of the recipes. Because some of the characters are the same you get the feeling you know the people and really would love to shop in the stores described in the book.

Either Childs is losing her touch, or this character is getting stale. Not nearly as interesting or well plotted as the early series offerings, Honey Drop Dead is just mediocre.

“Honey Drop Dead” the 27th instalment in the A Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs. I absolutely love this series!

The murder of a political bigwig at a Honey Bee Tea sends Theodosia Browning buzzing for answers

The story grabbed me from the beginning as we start off at Theo’s Honey Bee Tea and an art show where things go from good to bad quite quickly. I love protagonist Theo, the Indigo Tea Shop, Drayton, and Haley and we can’t forget Earl Grey! I did notice Haley seemed nervous and a bit unsettled throughout this book, is she keeping a secret or was it because she was worrying about Ben. Will she leave the tea shop and set out on her own, we will have to keep reading to find out.

As for the mystery itself I found it entertaining and well thought out.

Make sure you have a hot cup of tea and a snack when reading as I’m always hungry when I hear Haley’s menus! Good thing there are recipes from the tea shop at the end of the book.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Berkeley and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Honey is the star of the latest mystery in the Tea Shop series by Laura Childs. Haley, Theodore’s and Drayton find themselves in a sticky situation and must use their wits and tea to solve the mystery. Another great installment in the series!

Theodosia is hosting a honey tea in a new local park when a marauder crashes the party and smokes out all the guests, ending the festivities for one tea drinker with a bullet between the eyes. The tragedy not only ends the lovely afternoon tea party, but also threatens to end the art gallery that was hosting the tea. When the gallery owner asks Theodosia to figure out who crashed her party, Theodosia can't refuse.

This is one of my favorite series. I love Childs's writing style and I particularly love the characters in this series. Theodosia is sweet and cultured but she's not afraid to take risks and tell people what's what. Drayton is also very sweet, an extremely refined man of a certain age who professes to be a Luddite and dresses like a country squire, but he can get down and dirty with the best of them when Theodosia needs his help.

There's nothing particularly special to set this book apart from others in the series. It's exactly what fans of the series have come to expect and love. One thing that did kind of leave me hanging with this book was that Hayley seems very nervous throughout, as though she is harboring some secret. I'm waiting for something to happen with her in the next book as we've spent the last 20+ books wondering when all her schooling and her plans for her own future will finally pull her away from the Indigo Tea Shop.

If you're already a fan of the Tea Shop series you can't miss this book. If you're a cozy reader who hasn't yet tried this series what on earth are you waiting for? Go get them now! And if you're not a cozy reader but you just like fun, easy reads with a little adventure and some great recipes you should definitely check out this series.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Love this series! The mystery kept me guessing (I had no idea!). The tea shop setting is really great and there are several recipes I want to try. Ready for the next one!

I have read all of the tea shop mysteries and it seems as though the endings of the last few in the series are not very satisfying. Pages are spent describing someone’s kitchen or back yard, but the mystery ending is a few paragraphs and that’s it. There’s not much to explain why. I’d like to have an epilogue that would maybe pick up a few weeks after the mystery is solved to kind of bring some closure as far as how the persons affected are doing now. I’m used to Theodosia taking unnecessary risks and always surviving. She continues that in this book, a little more dangerous than usual. Delaine has become a huge bore. She gets attention by screaming and stamping her feet. Much like a toddler. She really doesn’t bring anything to the story. I keep reading these mostly because I like the setting and the Drayton and Haley are likeable.

I always love Laura Childs tea and scrapbooking books. Honey Drop Dead was no exception. Reading it, one feels like they are enveloped in a cozy hug (even though there are murders!) The description of the tea room, the events, and the teas and foods makes you feel as though you are there and experiencing it. To me, the mystery almost comes second.

Read this book on a nice wintery day with some hot tea by your side.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. This review can also be found on my Goodreads page.

Having read this series since the first title I admit to assuming a certain predictability when I started Honey Drop Dead. However, I was surprised right at the start into remembering what they say about assumptions. A delightful, fast paced read that kept me guessing.

Theodosia Browning’s Honey Bee Tea was meant to celebrate a new park in Charleston, one that is meant to showcase native plants and provide a food source for the bees that are being kept there and to showcase the artworks from a local gallery. Things get deady when a killer disguised as a beekeeper sprays the attendees with toxic gases and a man running for state government is shot dead. Holly Burns, the gallery owner, asks Theodosia to quietly look into the deadly events, hoping that the amateur sleuth can uncover the truth and save Holly’s gallery. These stories are like a warm hug, the characters are like old friends and guaranteed to leave a smile on your face