While I am more of a coffee drinker than a tea drinker, I grew up loving a cup of tea as a treat (I treat coffee more as a necessary component of my day) and I really grew to love the English preparations from my grandmother, though as an adult I’ve learned more about other styles and preparations.

Laura Childs’ Teat Shop Mystery series is new to me, though Lavender Blue Murder is actually the 21st installment in the series! Like many cozy mystery series, there is a certain charm and familiarity to reading the whole series, though the mysteries always work as standalone books and I didn’t feel like I missed any context jumping in.

In Lavender Blue Murder, tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier Drayton Conneley find themselves in another mystery when their host Reginald Doyle is found shot in the lavender fields nearby the bird hunt they’re attending,

Set in Charleston, South Carolina, I loved the old school vibes to this mystery. This book will have you rushing to your nearest tea shop (and sort of wondering why it isn’t Theodosia’s Indigo Tea Shop). The romantic Charleston setting, the English shooting party style event near the lavender fields will have you transported to a modern day Victorian getaway that sounds perfectly lovely (except for the murder and the fire).

Theodosia and her tea sommelier Drayton are invited to attend a wild game shooting party, when a strange shot leads them to discover the body of their host Reginald Doyle in the nearby lavender fields. Given the locked room style setting, everyone in the party is a suspect (and unfortunately they all had a weapon at their disposal).

As if things couldn’t get worse, a fire at the Doyle plantation awakens Theodosia early the next morning. It turns out the nearly 5 million dollar estate would have gone to the Heritage Society rather than Doyle’s widow and son. Now, Theodosia and Drayton stay on to investigate the murder and the fire.

With a lot of secrets to be revealed and suspects to clear, the two still find time to schedule a few themed tea parties. There were so many mysteries cropping up throughout this enire book, and I definitely wasn’t sure who the guilty party might be! Meredith is a grieving widow who wants to find out who killed her husband. But why is she spending so much time with Bill Jacoby, her husband’s business partner? Then there is a difficult neighbor who is up to no good, and the Lavender Lady who owns the neighboring farm. There are plenty of suspects, that’s for sure!

I really enjoyed the relationship between Theodosia and Drayton and found them both to be such lovely characters. As with many cozy mysteries, there were a lot of characters of various prominence to the story, but each had their own purpose in the broader story.

As far as the mystery, all of the suspects are interesting figures and have motives that will make sense to the reader. They are straight forward and not overly convoluted (once the secrets are all dug up). Childs also leaves a nice trail of evidence for readers to follow along with.

A great mystery for the tea lover soul!

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that this author’s prolific Tea Shop Mystery series has 21 books and Lavender Blue Murder is the first one I’ve read. It will not, however, be the last one I read – and if I can find the time I’ll be going back to read the 20 previous books some day. The writing pace is calming (in spite of the murder lol) and engaging, and you just want to immerse yourself into this world for a while. Especially if it involves lunch at the tea shop (hold the tea… sorry, Drayton) and the yummy food there!

The mystery unfolds with a couple of different layers and, of course, a host of suspects – set against the lovely Charleston backdrop in both the city and the countryside. A murder. Arson. A missing person. Just another week in the life of Theodosia and her trusty sidekick (and tea sommelier) Drayton. All while trying to organize her upcoming special Lavender Lady tea which any number of the suspects might attend. I especially loved the lavender references throughout as my late mother-in-law worked for a lavender farm, so the theme is meaningful to me personally as well as just interesting all around.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed my introduction (on the 21st book lol) to the Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs. Theodosia and her sidekick Drayton are fun characters you’ll love hanging out with on the pages of Lavender Blue Murder. The suspect list is nearly endless and, while I figured out part of the case before the end, some of it still surprised me. While I wished we got to see Theodosia’s boyfriend more (I felt like I wasn’t able to get any kind of read on him because we just saw him so little), I’m looking forward to spending more time with these characters and hopefully getting to know him better too. A fun, quaint cozy mystery with murder and suspects …and tea… around every corner!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Interesting, fun setting. I like this series and the characters. Many red herrings in this one. Always a pleasure to visit the tea shop and Theodosia,, Drayton and the others.

LAVENDER BLUE MURDER is book twenty-one in the Teashop Mystery series. It’s by far the best series that Laura Childs has written, and in this book, she proves why she is such a powerhouse writer.

VoirSeries

The main protagonist, Theo, and her tea sommelier, Drayton, are invited to attend a bird hunt. However, as the shots are fired, a cry is heard, and Theo and Drayton run to check what happened. To their horror, they discover their host, Reginald, on the ground and bleeding.

With a second murder attempt happens, this time targeting, Reginald’s wife, Meredith, Theo knows something else is going on. She uses her intelligence and gut to figure out what happens. With several other plot lines in the story, this book made for a really interesting and fast-paced read.

I truly enjoy Laura Childs's writing style because although many things are happening, there is a clarity to everything she writes. She leaves the clues out for the reader, but doesn’t make things too obvious so that it’s easy to guess. I love the characters in this series, even if they only play a small role in the overall story. And I’ve discovered that Theo’s character continues to grow with each book that comes out.

As one of my favorite Cozy Mystery series, you definitely don’t want to miss out of LAVENDER BLUE MURDER. Laura Childs delivers an epic mystery every time!

I am new to this cozy series, but I am now a fan. I love the setting, the tea theme, and the characters. I'm definitely going to read the other books in this series!

This is book 21 in the Tea Shop Mystery series. I love Theodosia, Riley ,Drayton and the beautiful Charleston countryside. Theo and Drayton are attending an English Shooting party when they find their host, shot in a field of lavender. Now he's dead and there is a kidnapping of his daughter in law.Someone has it in for this wealthy family. Usually by book 21 in a series it can get a little stale but Laura Childs keeps things moving and exciting. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

In the twenty-first Tea Shop Mystery, Lavender Blue Murder, author Laura Childs takes readers on another splendid adventure featuring tea shop owner Theodosia as she navigates murder, a house fire, and a supposed kidnapping in charming Charleston, South Carolina.

The story opens with Theodosia and Drayton attending an English style shooting party hosted by pharmaceutical CEO Reginald Doyle. Everything is idyllic until their host is murdered, and his understandably shaken wife Meredith implores the pair to spend the night. Then the Doyle plantation home catches fire and Meredith begs Theo to investigate. As if the Doyles have not experienced enough tragedy, soon Meredith’s daughter-in-law goes missing (possibly presumed dead). Theo, with the assistance of her tea sommelier Drayton and her detective boyfriend Riley, uncovers plenty of suspects and secrets and faces more danger than ever before.

As one can imagine, after twenty-plus books, the recurring characters of the Tea Shop Mysteries feel like great, old friends. I always enjoy my time with Theodosia, Drayton, Hailey, Detective Tidwell, and Earl Grey, and Lavender Blue Murder is delightful in every way. The characters continue to grow without losing their original appeal. I especially love Drayton and all his luddite fussiness, and Earl Grey the dog is always a treat. The new characters central to this story are varied and well developed even when they are not particularly likable. I feel a lot of sympathy for Meredith as she navigates her situation.

The mystery of Reginald’s murder, and subsequent events, is well thought out and executed. I changed my mind several times about the villain’s identity, and I was somewhat surprised as the climactic revelation unfolded. The story moves along at a brisk pace, riveting from the first scene to the last. I particularly love Child’s attention to detail to all things tea – the descriptions of the party themes, china and table settings, tea, and food make me long to visit the Indigo Tea Shop. And, I would be remiss to not mention Child’s obvious love of Charleston; the city is the perfect backdrop, and I cannot imagine the series in any other setting.

Lavender Blue Murder is wonderful cozy mystery reading. Highly recommended.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*

Join tea sommelier Drayton and tea shop owner Theodosia as they shoot right into another murder mystery. This book starts out with a literal bang as everyone is gathered at the stately mansion of Meredith. Who took the fatal shot? Meredith's husband, who succumbs to his wounds.

Instantly the action picks up from there with a house fire and much more! Theodosia is thrown once again into investigate not only the murder but a possible kidnapping. The ending does tie everything up very nicely, but you won't quite expect the culprits of all this.

Snuggle in with your favorite mug of tea and a tasty treat because you will be craving both after reading this mystery!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title.
Another in a long series of teashop cozies. They manage to stay interesting
and different. Pleasant quick read.

Tea shop owner Theodosia Browning, as well as her tea expert Drayton Conneley, are part of a bird hunt shooting party. It all goes well until their host is murdered. When his wife is overtaken by grief, she begs Theodosia to put her detective skills to use and help find a killer.

Theodosia’s detective boyfriend is not happy with her interference but he knows better than to try and stop her. With the help of Drayton, Theodosia vows to get to the bottom of this crime.

This is #21 in the Tea Shop Mystery series. I got into this series late in the game, but I’ve read several and have enjoyed them. Theodosia is a strong character who feels like she could be anyone’s best friend. Drayton is her perfect sidekick. Together, they make a wonderful detective team.

The story moves at a fast pace. All the characters are well-developed and come to life on each page. I couldn’t put this one down until I knew who the culprit was and I was totally taken by surprise when I found out. There were several red herrings and I was definitely on the wrong track.

Laura Childs is a brilliant writer and I enjoy all of her different cozy mystery series. I’m really looking forward to the next one.

I read so many books that I often miss out on great cozy mystery series. That is obviously what happened with The Tea Shop Mysteries! I knew that by jumping in at book 21, I might be a little lost; however, I wasn’t at all. This book is so well written, and I feel like I knew the characters just as well as if I’d begun with book one. I love books like that! Sure, Theodosia might not have had a boyfriend in the beginning of the series, but that’s not a spoiler! Most cozy mystery books eventually have a well established relationship in them.

Side note: Theo and her boyfriend seem to have a perfectly clean relationship. There weren’t even any innuendos, and I really appreciate that! I don’t want my cozy mystery characters sleeping together. Like I said, I haven’t read the entire series, so I don’t know what happens between them in the other books.

I love Drayton, Theo’s tea sommelier. He certainly knows his teas, and he knows how to “hang on” when Theodosia is on the trail of a murderer. I absolutely want to visit this imaginary tea shop and taste all of the brews Drayton serves and eat all of the food Haley cooks! The setting is perfect for a cozy, and I want to stroll the historic district in Charleston after reading this book. Who wants to go with me?

The mystery in Lavender Blue Murder is well plotted, and if you’re like I am, you’ll be in the dark as to who the murderer is until near the very end. This book has great pacing and will keep you engaged throughout.

5 huge stars! I can’t wait to read more Tea Shop Mystery books. Thanks, NetGalley & Berkley, for the advanced reader copy. This review first appeared on my blog, Christy's Cozy Corners.

Tea anyone? If you do not want some before starting this book then the tasty mentions will have you going to get some. Theodosia is on a hunting trip with friends when she hears a strange shot and when she goes to look she finds their host shot in the chest. As if that is not enough the dead man's house catches fire the same night and his daughter in law is kidnapped. Asked by the widow to investigate she starts asking questions only to find herself in danger before it is all said and done. Overall a fun mystery that will have you guessing who did it mixed in between the tea and goodies. Makes for a great read. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.

This is the first book I've read in the series. I enjoyed the mystery, the setting and the characters. I will be looking for the past books so that I can get caught up. I enjoy the author's scrapbooking series.

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

While diving into this next adventure with the gang at the Indigo Tea Shop, I wondered what would be different. I expected a murder, I expected the Charleston setting, and I expected to spend time in the shop along with the locals and a new tea event. Laura Childs won’t let you down. Delaine Dish makes a welcome reappearance, Tidwell openly enjoys his flowering tea selection, and Earl Grey is as darling as ever. There are town references and dark streets to wander down, cluttered shops to visit, decorated tables to appreciate, and scrumptious menu items to drool over.​ And a murder to solve.​ Yes, our Drayton presents us with great tea information like how gunpowder tea goes with spicy ​A​sian food, ​Assam teams with custard, and ​Formosa oolong pairs nicely with chocolate scones. And how many minutes should you brew a first-flush Darjeeling. As I neared the end of this delightful collection of locale, character, and tastiness, I realized that I didn’t expect something different in this release. I expected my Indigo friends, familiar shop chatter, local characters, comfortable teatime, and an all-around good story. Just like all the others in this series. So settle in​ and expect both​. Enjoy the new and savor the familiar of this Lavender ​Blue Murder​ mystery.

Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs is the twenty-first A Tea Shop Mystery. I look forward to each new installment of A Tea Shop Mystery series. This is one of the two series that got me interested in cozy mysteries. I picked up Death by Darjeeling and quickly devoured it. I hurried back to the bookstore to pick up the next two books in the series (that was all that was out at that time). Theodosia Browning and Drayton Conneley are at Reginald Doyle’s estate participating in an old English bird hunt. Well, Theo is shooting while Drayton is holding his gun like it is a “plague infested rat”. The hunting party ends when their host is found shot in a nearby lavender field. That night the mansion is set on fire and then Fawn Doyle, the victim’s daughter-in-law, disappears. A distraught Meredith asks Theo to investigate and find who is responsible for these terrible events. Theo is too curious to say no. Lavender Blue Murder is a well-crafted novel with developed characters set in a beautiful city. I just love descriptive images of Charleston and Theo’s charming shop plus her home (makes me want to live there and own a bookshop next to the Indigo Tea Shop). At the tea shop, they have a Gone with the Wind Tea complete with the staff in costumes and a Lavender Lady Tea. The mystery had a multiple suspects, secrets were revealed and good clues. The story moved along quickly with Theo asking questions and nosing around. The take down scene was delightful. I like the relationship Theodosia has with Drayton. They are more than co-workers. They are good friends who respect each other and enjoy each other’s company. I like how Drayton participated in the mystery. It added humor to the story with Drayton’s reactions. Haley, Miss Dimple, and Detective Burt Tidwell are back along with Theo’s beau, Detective Pete Riley. Theo is having her kitchen remodeled (new cabinets made with reclaimed barnwood). It will be beautiful when it is done, but Theo is having a hard time with chaos (you know how she loves to cook). Lavender Blue Murder was over far too soon and now I must wait a year for the next A Tea Shop Mystery. Lavender Blue Murder is an enchanting cozy mystery with a weeping widow, a surplus of suspects, tasty tea, loads of lavender, blaring bagpipes, and a spooky séance.

Continuing on with a much loved series, this most recent book takes us from the elegance and upscale activities and locations of an organized game hunt, (reminescent of Rita Msae Brown) to the fields of a lavender farm, Theo's beloved tea room and to less refined localations.
When a wealthy land owner is murdered and his estate nearly burnt to the ground, members of his family reach out to Theodosia for her assistance in tracking down a murderer. Of course her boyfriend repeatedly advises her to stay away from getting involved, but she and her dedicated friends still find themselves in the THICK of the action. And action there is - heart stopping, breath holding action!
Quite exciting.
Even if you have not read previous books in this long running series, if your heart can take it, pick up a copy of thi sbook!
We are also treated to delicious pairings of various teas and scones.

For me, it’s a no brainer when a new book from author Laura Childs is released. I get the book. They have become “go to” reads. So I was excited to finally read LAVENDER BLUE MURDER.

As with the rest of the Tea Shop Mystery series, this was a well written (author Laura Childs doesn’t know how to do it any other way) tale that was so vivid, I could see the images, hear the sounds, and smell the delightful food. From one scene to the next, there was a mixture of fun, drama, and excitement. The mystery aspect of the story was wonderfully plotted, leading me down many wrong paths before the surprising reveal.

As would have been with Theo’s aunt Libby, the theme of this one, a bird hunt styled English shooting party, didn’t excite me. I deplore hunting. That being said, I read the book and certainly enjoyed it. I did want to stop reading at one point, but instead skimmed past it. This view is my personal opinion. It’s not meant to deter you away from the book.

The Tea Shop Mysteries are like a good, strong cup of tea. The longer you let it steep, the stronger it becomes. At book twenty-one in the series, LAVENDAR BLUE MURDER is the strongest brewed to date.

Phew this was a humdinger of a story with a plethora of potential suspects for Theo and Drayton to deal with!

This opens with a shooting party. but no one expects the host to be shot instead of his game birds! and then if that wasn't bad enough someone tries to burn down his plantation house and then his stepdaughter in law is missing, presumed drowned! Reginald Doyle's widow Meredith seems to be beside herself and alternating between being sensible and being all over the place, when she asks Theo to help figure out who would kill her husband Theo realises that pretty much everyone involved with the Doyle's is keeping a secret. Even though the police are telling her to stay out of it her inate curiosity keeps her digging into things, but is she digging her own grave?

The game is afoot, literally, in Lavender Blue Murder, the 21st book in Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries. Proprietor Theodosia Browning and tea sommelier Drayton Conneley are participating in a traditional English hunt at the Creekmore Plantation. Proper drinks have been quaffed, proper and tweedy attire has been donned, and Theodosia has already bagged a grouse when she hears the unlikely sound of a pistol nearby. Is it a distress signal?

Concerned, she leaves Drayton behind and ventures into the grassy outskirts of the plantation. There, with the sound of Boykin Spaniels barking in the distance, she finds her host, Reginald Doyle, mortally wounded by a gunshot through the heart.

That night, the distraught widow, Meredith, begs Theodosia and Drayton to stay overnight with her. Although police have combed through the scene and questioned all of the horrified guests, Theodosia has a sense - usually correct - that her investigative skills may be required to tease out the motives behind this tragedy - a foreboding that is borne out when she and Drayton are forced to flee into the night after the mansion is set ablaze.

Coincedence? Unlikely. More likely? Neighbors who have had public disputes over land and water use. Theodosia questions one, Susan Monday (a/k/a The Lavender Lady) whose dispute over a strip of land could be pertinent. After a brief discussion, Theodosia and Susan strike a deal for Susan to supply lavender for the menu and tea blends of an upcoming Lavender Tea, and to give a talk about the herb. Another suspect, the dead man's partner, was too eager to move Doyle's body before the police arrived, which every mystery reader knows is taboo. Still another neighbor lied about his decision to divert water to his own property. Throw in hazy and inconclusive rumors about inheritance and you have a poisonous brew, indeed.

The mystery is solved in a most satisfactory and unexpected manner, as Theodosia display skills that will make readers gasp. Tea Shop chef Hayley continues to create new and mouthwatering variations on the teashop menu (pear and fig or eggnog scones!), Drayton dreams up new themed teas (Paris and Pearls!), and old friends from past episodes arrive with all their foibles and charms. Even a local psychic gets into the picture at a Nancy Drew tea. It's all satisfying, and - nefarious goings-on excepted - it's all good.

Five stars. This ARC was provided by NetGalley.

Theo and the Indigo Teashop crew are back and serving up tea, scones, and suspense. This is the 21st book in the series and I can honestly say that you don't need to have read the other 20 to enjoy or understand who or what is involved. Theodosia is one well-rounded character and I must say that I learn something new about her in each book. I would never have guessed that she was such a crack shot with a hunting rifle. Her marksmanship skills are almost as good as her sleuthing skills. It also helps that her tea sommelier Drayton has slowly but surely become accustomed to these occurrences and is even getting into the act by assisting Theo, where once he was completely against her becoming involved. The tea shop crew of Drayton, Hailey, and Ms. Dimple actual brainstorm the list of suspects and possible motives.
As with all Teashop mysteries, there is a slew of recipes that I can't wait to try. One of these days I am going to make it to Charleston and see if there is a little teashop by chance. I must agree that the romance and sophistication of an afternoon tea sounds immensely inviting, especially if there were themed events such as the Gone With the Wind event described in our story. LVM has all the pieces of a perfectly cozy and makes for a great read by not only capturing your attention within the first chapter with the mysterious murder but also cements you to your kindle with the follow-up fire. All of this action takes place in less than 24 hours and there are suspects aplenty and all with completely different reasons to want Mr. Doyle dead. Was it over a diverted stream, an impending land development, an orphaned piece of land from the 1800s, a change in the will, or something else altogether?
I could go on and on, but wouldn't it be more fun for you to pick up this newly released book and read for yourself how the ever-inquisitive Theo manages to make time to run her tea shop, keep her detective boyfriend Riley from locking her up for her own good, and solve the crime. If I had to hazard a guess I would say that her Southern-style hygge helps her to unwind, relax, and ponder.