The twenty-eighth installment of the Tea Shop mystery series finds our heroine Theodosia Browning attending an unusual fundraiser for the Charleston Opera Society, in the company of her good friend and tea sommelier Drayton Conneley. The Mad Hatter Masquerade benefit ball is Alice In Wonderland-themed, and Theo is ready to kick up her heels and have a good time on the temporarily repurposed grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill.

It’s while exploring the mill itself that she and Drayton make a grisly discovery. Harlan Sandler is a banker and the husband of Cricket, the executive chairperson in charge of the ball. He is also, to Theo and Drayton’s horror, trapped in the old mill’s gears, which have been set off by persons unknown. A clutch of concerned partygoers summoned by the duo’s cries for help finally manage to extract Harlan but too late, alas, to save his life.

Theo swiftly realizes that Harlan’s death was no accident. Harlan has a mallet-shaped indentation in his head that matches the equipment used for the party’s games of croquet. After the authorities arrive to take over the scene, Theo’s nemesis Detective Burt Tidwell warns her against investigating further. Cricket, however, has other ideas and begs Theo to find out what really happened to her husband.

Theo, of course, has never met a murder investigation she can resist meddling in. When not running her Indigo Tea Shop, she’s more than happy to crisscross Charleston in pursuit of the truth, engaging in questionable, if not outright dangerous acts in the process. She’s gotten away with it so far, but will she have finally met her match when a devious killer uses the glamor of a night at the opera to try to take her out for good?

Theo’s adventurous nature makes the Tea Shop mysteries a little more thrilling than the average cozy mystery novel, even as each book lovingly portrays the beauty of the historic town of Charleston. Her relationship with her employees is also a constant delight, and reading of the different themed teas they host at their tea room is always a mouthwateringly good time. As an added bonus, Laura Childs includes not only tips for hosting your own themed teas but also recipes for some of the delectable dishes described in the novel, as well as a solid guide to resources on both everything tea-time and the city of Charleston.

Of the nine recipes included here, I decided to try out this one. The rest of my family was away one evening and I wanted to make a quick and delicious dinner for myself:

QUOTE
Grilled Salmon with Honey Mustard Brown Sugar Crust

4 salmon fillets
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
½ cup honey mustard

Rinse fillets and check for bones. Pat fillets dry and rub on Kosher salt and black pepper. Crumble brown sugar on a plate. Now brush honey mustard onto the salmon and dredge in brown sugar. Grill over direct heat until crusty and golden, turning once (about 5 to 6 minutes total). Let rest for a few minutes, then serve with your favorite salad or vegetable. Yields 4 entrees.
END QUOTE

As Drayton assures Theo, this is a relatively simple yet delicious dish to make, even if I did overcomplicate things a bit by deciding to bake my salmon on a makeshift grill pan. It’s also a very easy recipe to scale down, though I probably used a little more honey mustard than the recipe calls for and a little less brown sugar. It came out so wonderfully though, with the tang of the mustard contrasting perfectly with the sweetness of the sugar to complement the juicy fish. I didn’t quite achieve a crust as described in the recipe, but am looking at investing in a proper grill pan soon. Hopefully, I can try this recipe again and see how it comes out when using something closer to the proper technique. It was already really great using my ersatz method, especially with a side of rice and buttered, steamed asparagus.

Next week, we travel north to make a weather-appropriate dish while investigating the case of the body behind the bar. Do join me!

I normally love Laura Childs work and was delighted to see this latest offering. However, it is in parts, disjointed and choppy. Not as fluid as earlier works. Still a good story and I appreciate that Ms. Childs always has the murder at the very beginning and the rest of the story unravels the killer and motive.

They are at it again! The tea shop team again end up in the middle of a mystery and help to solve it as usual. However I liked this ending better than some. As long as these books are written I will happily read them..

Peach Tea Smash by Laura Childs is twenty-eighth A Tea Shop Mystery. A Tea Shop Mysteries are what got me hooked on cozy mysteries (I was browsing a bookstore when I came upon Death by Darjeeling). Peach Tea Smash is easy to read. I enjoyed catching up with Theodosia, Drayton, Hayley, Earl Gray, Detective Tidwell, and the rest of the gang. The tea shop is hopping, and Theo has several tea events planned that will require the help of Miss Dimple and Hayley’s sweet cousin. At the Mad Hatter Masquerade, Drayton and Theodosia find the coordinator’s husband dead. Theo and her sidekick, Drayton soon find themselves looking into the case. There are multiple suspects including the victim’s stepson. Unlike the earlier novels in A Tea Shop Mysteries, the whodunit is on the lighter side. I felt there needed to be breadcrumbs along the way leading to the guilty party instead of a light bulb moment. I thought the setting for the Mad Hatter Masquerade was unique and provided a great setting for the murder. There are robberies happening around town as well. I was left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end of the book. The author captures Charleston with her vivid descriptions of the buildings and streets. There are tea tips and ideas for themed teas at the end of the book along with recipes. Peach Tea Smash left me feeling as happy as a clam at high tide.

Number twenty-seven! Where does the time go? I’ve read every single book in this series and have enjoyed all of them. Peach Tea Smash is not an exception. I loved seeing what my old ”friends” were up to and what kind of tea parties they were doing at the tea shop. This title kept me guessing throughout who was behind the murders. Recommended for cozy mystery readers and fans of Vivien Chien & Darci Hannah.

I really enjoy this series! The characters seem like friends and I love the setting. The mystery kept me guessing and I was eager to see who did it. Looking forward to the next book!

Laura Childs’ Tea Shop mysteries are so much fun to read. Theodosia gets pulled in to another murder while attending an Alice in Wonderland get together. Who would want to kill someone that everyone seemed to like? All Theo wants to do is run her tea shop and host themed teas, is that too much to ask?

I enjoyed this book more than the previous one. Theodosia still does dangerous things and Drayton joins her in this book. There were two murders and they were a bit more gruesome than any previous ones. Delaine is in here and does her usual talking too much and disclosing some secrets. But otherwise she was not as loud and annoying. I liked the ending☺️

It definitely got my attention when I saw Peach Tea Smash was number 27 in the Tea Shop Mystery series. I’ve been reading these books for over two decades . They never disappoint and I still enjoy them. Peach Tea Smash had some interesting twists and a very unexpected ending.

I've read this whole series and I am afraid it's getting a little tired. In this one, there are a couple of red herring suspects that Theo and Drayton investigate, but they aren't at all onto the actual murderer until the very end. Theo sees something that helps her figure it out at literaly 90% of the way through the book. It would have been more satisfying if there was some actual evidence along the way that made her even briefly suspect this person, if only to lay some kind of trail. I even went back through the book at all references to the murderer to make sure I didn't miss any evidence, but it wasn't there-the person was barely in the book until the last few chapters. I wish I could write a better review, but I really can't.