Weekly Wrap Up # 21

It was a fun week here and lot more to come. Here is what happened this week:

May 16th- First in Series- Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer
May 17th- Author Spotlight- Gretchen Archer
May 18th- Guess The Mystery hosted by Vicki Delany
May 19th - Murder, by George by Jeanne Quigley
May 20th- What's New? The Diva Serves High Tea by Krista Davis
May 21st- Leading Ladies of Mystery with Julie Seedorf



Winner's this week are:

Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer - Deb Forbes
Guess the Mystery by Vicki Delany- Jen Scott
Murder by George by Jeanne Quigley- Doward Wilson
What's New? The Diva Serves High Tea by Krista Davis- Sherry Smith



Coming week of May 23rd:


May 23rd- First in a Series- Front Page Fatality by LynDee Walker
May 24th- Author Spotlight- LynDee Walker
May 25th- Shelley's Review- The Thing is by Kathleen Gerard
May 26th- Shelley's Review's
May 27th- What's New? Dead End Street by Sheila Connelly
May 28th- Blog Tour- The Madness of Mercury by Connie Archer
May 29th- Blog Tour- The Penderghast Puzzle Protectors by Julie Seedorf


Have a great week!

Leading Ladies of Mystery - Jezabelle Jingle

This week's Leading Lady is Jezabelle Jingle. Don't know who she is? Jezabelle Jingle is the lady of the Penderghast Puzzle Protectors Mystery. One Lucky reader will will receive an audio copy of this book.Leave a comment and email below for a chance to win.

JEZABELLE JINGLE FROM THE PENDERGHAST PUZZLE PROTECTORS

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, jingle all the way. Yes, I have heard it all. I am Jezabelle Jingle and I live in Brilliant Minnesota. My name wasn't always Jezabelle Jingle. Jingle is actually a name I chose, on purpose, but my explanation has to wait for another time. I was prepared when I changed my last name to jingle for the jokes, "She jingles all the way to the bank or "Here comes Mrs. Slay Bells. Get it–slay, after all I do solve mysteries. I love my last name in spite of the jokes. It always makes people smile.

I live in the Penderghast neighborhood of Brilliant Minnesota. My neighborhood consists of Victorian houses built by the Brilliant Brothers, the founders of the community. I am the oldest person on my block and I have lived on my block the longest of any of the neighbors. I might add I am the only normal person on my block. My opinion only and let's keep that between us. I wouldn't want my neighbors to know I know things they don't know I know.

I don't have any children. I have a niece, Delight Delure. You might recognize the name because that Hermiony Vidalia Criony Fiddlestadt, better known as Granny from Fuchsia Minnesota, has gotten my niece in lots of trouble as Delight lives in Fuchsia, and runs the Pink Percolator. Occasionally she comes to visit and we have bake fest.

I'm not married right now. Police Chief Hank Hardy and I used to have a little thing going in high school but apparently he decided it was a littler thing than I did and he married someone else, but we still have stayed very close. It always helps to stay close with the Police Chief because you never know when you need to pump information out of him.

I also like to bake. My pies and cheesecake are the best but not too many people know about my baking. It is what I do late at night when I am alone. I use my baked goods to pry information out of unsuspecting eaters.

I live a pretty ordinary life. I keep an eye on my neighbors, not because I worry about them but like I said before, they are strange and they have strange habits. It is pretty entertaining. I don't have to watch television, all I have to do is hide behind the curtains and watch their shenanigans. The man living next to me is called Rock Stone. Who names their kid Rock Stone?

In my spare time I like to visit the Brilliant Library although we are in the midst of a contest to rename it. Living in a community where everything is named Brilliant gets kind of boring. We have the Brilliant Bistro, the Brilliant Times Chronicles, the Brilliant Fire Department, the Brilliant Bank and the new Brilliant Brewery.

Our buildings in Brilliant have been preserved so you might wonder when you drive into Brilliant whether you are going back into time. We are a progressive community as long as you don't change the old architecture of the buildings. We citizens of Brilliant are brilliant enough to know if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

We have had a few problems lately, especially in the Penderghast neighborhood,so I've had to organize our neighbors to follow the clues and solve the puzzle to protect our neighborhood. Who knew we were living right on top of a puzzle waiting to explode. And then we had a murder in Annabelle's house. Annabelle's already dead and no one was supposed to be living in her house.

Well, I'll jingle on home. I must get on with my baking and then I'll have my glass of wine and sit on my upstairs porch after dark and watch the puzzle unfold. By the way if you visit Brilliant you might want to beware of what you do after dark, because Jezabelle Jingle rings her bell late into the night. Remember I warned you.


About the author:

Julie Seedorf is a Minnesotan. She calls dinner--supper and lunch--dinner. She has had many careers over her lifetime but her favorite career was that of mother to her children. In later life she became a computer technician, opening her own business.

In 2012 Julie signed a contract with Cozy Cat Press for her Fuchsia Minnesota Series. Books included in that series are Granny Hooks a Crook, Granny Skewers A Scoundrel, Granny Snows A Sneak and Granny Forks A Fugitive. Closing her computer business in January 2014 Julie transitioned to becoming a full time writer adding free-lance work for various newspapers, along with continuing her column Something About Nothing, which is now in book form in a book of the same name released in early 2015. Her children's series, Granny's In Trouble give her grandkids a hint of the young Grandma underneath the wrinkles.

Her books are light and fluffy and highlight the fact in the midst of life we have to find the humor in bad situations to keep us going. "We all take ourselves too seriously and we need to have a little fun." Julie secretly yearns to be like the Granny characters in her books. In February 2016 the first book in the Brilliant Minnesota Series was released titled the Penderghast Puzzle Protectors. She also is part of a group mystery by Cozy Cat Press Authors titled Chasing the Codex.

Julie's serious side is revealed in a story included in the Anthology, We Go On - Anthology for Veterans where the proceeds go to Veteran's Charities.

Visit her website at http://www.julieseedorf.com.

Her blog http://sprinklednotes is a little scattered like Granny but lends itself to wisdom and occasional flip flops about life.

You will also find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julie.seedorf.author

Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/julieseedorf .
Enjoy the moments; they may carry you through a lifetime.

Leading Ladies of Mystery and giveaway- Marian Selby

This week's Leading Ladies of Mystery is Marian Selby. Find out who she is below and she may even give away a prize to some one.


Leading Ladies of Mystery – Marian Selby


Hello! My name is Marian Frances Selby. I’m 47-years old and live in Georgia. I like to garden, cook, and bake. I’m told my Kahlua brownies are to kill for. But my cooking skills can’t compare to my best friend’s, Joan Delaney, who is a one-star Michelin chef. I enjoy the gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows, and I can’t say no to a good mystery. I have a wall full of mystery novels by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry, Elizabeth Peters, and Caroline Graham, just to name a few favorites.

I made my first appearance in Brilliant Disguise. That is where I met the second love of my life, Detective Charlie McClung. My first love, Lee Selby, was my high school sweetheart. We were married right after I graduated high school. Lee was an airline pilot. After 18 years of a wonderful marriage, he die in a plane crash. I was devastated. Having no interest in love after Lee’s death, I was alone for 11 years. Then Detective Charlie McClung entered my life during his investigation of the suspicious death of Diane Panell, my friend and next door neighbor.


Charlie is Irish-American and practically perfect in every way. I tried to fight the instant attraction I had for him, but …you’ll have to read the Charlie McClung Mysteries to find out what happens between the two of us. He and I make a good crime solving team. Although, he does all the hard work. Charlie is a brilliant detective and really doesn’t need my help. I can’t help but make a couple of suggestions here and there, and I try my best to stay out of danger.


Yes, I must say, we are good together. I invite you to read all about our journey together through life, love, and murder. I loved to hear from you! Please feel free to ask me any questions. Who knows, you may win a prize.


I'd like to do a giveaway of winner's choice of a Mobi copy of Brilliant Disguise, A Good Girl, or Criminal Kind. Let's do three winners. I will need the winner's Kindle email address, not email address. They will have to ask Marian questions to enter the giveaway.



About the Author:

Although I was born in Mercedes, Texas, I have lived in Georgia most of my life which has been filled with a variety of experiences. Some were great and some, well let's just say I have learned many lessons the hard way.

I have been married for 35 years to the most practically perfect man. We enjoy traveling and watching mysteries on TV. We have recently adopted a Tuxedo cat named Gertrude. I am an active member of Sisters in Crime Atlanta Chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and I sit on the advisory board of Rockdale Cares, Inc., a non-profit advocacy group for the developmentally challenged.

I began writing in high school but not seriously until 1999. I write traditional mysteries and my biggest influences are Agatha Christie, Anne Perry, Caroline Graham, Elizabeth Peters, and my family. I have had short stories published in Evangel and The Associate Reformed Presbyterian magazines. I have published a collection of eclectic short stories titled, My Favorite Work of Art.

My first manuscript, Useless Beauty, is waiting for me to breathe life into it. It was put on hold because my second manuscript, Brilliant Disguise, was begging to be written. It is the first in the Detective Charlie McClung mysteries. Brilliant Disguise was released on January 21, 2014. The second book, A Good Girl, was released in September 23, 2014. Criminal Kind, the third book in the series was released on June 30, 2015. I am currently working on the fourth book, "Sins of My Youth." There are at least six more to follow in the series.

Leading Ladies of Mystery - Molly Tyler by Karoline Barrett

It's Leading Ladies of Mystery and today we have with us Molly Tyler. Don't know who she is? Read one and you will get to know her.

In my Bread and Batter series, we meet Molly Tyler, a lifelong resident of Destiny, a charming small town with Victorian homes, specialty shops, and cobbled streets in upstate New York. Molly owns Bread and Batter Bakery with her best friend, Olivia Williams. Besides Molly and Olivia, you’ll get to know their assistant Kendra, adorable Basset hounds Beau and Noelle, Emily, the owner of Barking Mad Books, and brand new resident, Detective Sean Corsino.


Molly makes her first appearance in BUN FOR YOUR LIFE (November 2015), the first book in the Bread and Batter Series. She’s over her feelings for her ex-husband, Bread and Batter is doing well, and everything seems to be falling into place for her. That is, until the new detective in town makes Olivia and her persons-of-interest in the murder of a well-known orchard owner.

In RAISIN THE DEAD (April 19, 2016), the second book in the Bread and Batter series, when a prominent Destiny citizen is murdered, Molly steps in to help clear her mother’s name when Detective Sean Corsino, also the new man in her life, is seriously injured. Luckily, Molly has the bakery, Beau, and now her own Bassett hound, Noelle, and a murder to help solve to keep her mind off the detective’s injuries



About the Author:

I write the Bread and Batter cozy mystery series for Penguin/InterMix.

I live in a small Connecticut town with my husband. When I'm not writing, I'm either reading, spending time by the water, taking pictures, traveling, indulging in social media, accompanying above-mentioned husband to New York Yankees games, or doing anything that does not involve math!


Karoline Barrett
http://www.karolinebarrett.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarolineBarrettBooks/
amazon.com/author/karolinebarrettbooks
https://twitter.com/KarolineBarrett
http://www.karolinebarrett.com/

Leading Ladies of Mystery - Mabel Wickles by Sharon Rose Mierke

Hope you are having a great Saturday. Today's Leading Lady is Mabel Wickles.



In the June 3, 2003 issue of Woman's World, Mabel Wickles entered the world of fiction. This would be the first of many mysteries she was to solve. It wasn't a murder; it was a bank robbery but her sleuthing skills rose to the surface. A couple of years later, she solved her first murder and thus began her mystery-solving career!

However, several people would vehemently object to the term 'career.' Sheriff Reg Smee would be the first, but years later, he would have to concede that Mabel did have a talent and that he might even require her help on occasion. The second one to object would be her best friend, Flori Flanders. Mabel and Flori are lifetime friends. A friendship that blossomed in Kindergarten, and has never waned. Although sometimes rigorously opposing Mabel and one of her hair-brained schemes, Flori usually ends up following her best friend simply to make sure she does not get herself murdered while trying to find a murderer. She probably cannot count how many times she has accompanied Mabel in the middle of the night to the old Krueger house. It seems that every nefarious thing you can think of has gone on in that place. Fortunately, both have been able to escape with their lives intact.

Flori can relate her stories to her children and grandchildren. Mabel, on the other hand, has no one to relate her adventures to but her cats. She started out with seven. Not that she planned to have that many. She really did not plan on any but Flori felt she needed company during the cold winter months. (She is now down to four).

Mabel lives in a small town called Parson's Cove. There is a large lake within walking distance so city folk come out during the summer. Or, to ice fish in the winter. That is when she makes the most sales in her shop, Mabel's Fables and Things.

' One interviewer asked me if I was anything like Mabel. At the time, I could see no semblance at all except our age. Unlike her creator, she does not dye her hair and she only wears jeans and white cotton shirts. I'm definitely not a gin drinker but I must admit I share her love for wine. I don't believe I'm quite as nosy though and for sure, I would not traipse around town in the night searching for killers. On the other hand, there might be similarities. I can't remember what I said one day to my husband or how I said it, but his reply was, "You're Mabel!"

Although she can be quite frustrating at times, I must say I do love Mabel and I hope all my readers will love her too. Mabel Wickles is the protagonist in my Parson's Cove Cozy Mystery series. So far, there are six books: Slip and Go Die, Perplexity on P1/2, Calamity @ the Car Wash, Save as Murder, Frozen Identity, and Cold Case Conundrum. If you enjoy a fast read and a good laugh, you will enjoy my books. If you do, please write a review. As writers like to say, 'If you enjoyed the book tell your friends, but if you hated it tell your enemies!'

Here is where you can check out my books on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sharon-Rose/e/B00BL8HTZY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

I am also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram (sharon_rose_author).

Leading Ladies of Mystery- Chef Belfast McGrath

This week's Leading Lady of Mystery is Chef Belfast McGrath from Maggie Barbieri's new series Wedding Bel Blues. Keep reading to find out how you can win an ARC of this book.

Murder is on the menu in WEDDING BEL BLUES (Minotaur Books, 5/31/16), the first in a new series about award-winning chef Belfast McGrath.

Chef Belfast McGrath was never coming back to her home in Foster’s Landing, New York, or the family business at Shamrock Manor. Or so she said. Too many bad memories, too many crazy family members. But her job at a trendy New York City restaurant goes up in flames when a piece of fish – a bone still in it - leaves her kitchen and is served to the former President of the United States, nearly choking the man to death. Belfast leaves her job – one that she loved – and returns home to lick her wounds. Instead of the rest and relaxation she was hoping for, though, she gets embroiled in family drama…and murder.


While Belfast tries to figure out how to acclimate to life in the warm bosom of her extended and dysfunctional clan, she does her best to figure out who killed a guest at her cousin’s wedding and why the wedding crasher was there in the first place.

An old love brings fresh hurt as Chef Bel tries to make a new life in a town she would have rather forgotten.


The first three commenters will receive an Advanced Reader’s Copy of WEDDING BEL BLUES!


Maggie McConnon grew up in New York immersed in Irish culture and tradition. A former Irish step dancer, she was surrounded by a family of Irish musicians who still play at family gatherings. She credits her Irish grandparents with providing the stories of their homeland and their extended families as the basis for the stories she tells in her Belfast McGrath novels. Maggie also writes the Maeve Conlon thrillers as Maggie Barbieri.

Leading Ladies of Mystery- Kelly Flynn

This is one of my favorite leading ladies. Kelly Flynn makes her debut appearance in Knit One,Kill Two( knitting Mystery) by Maggie Sefton. Are you a fan of this series?

Mass Market Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Berkley Book; English Language edition (June 7, 2005)
Language: English



Kelly Flynn—29, tall, slender, chin-length dark brown hair, athletic, loves playing sports but her demanding and stressful job as a corporate CPA keeps her working long hours in the office. No time for sunshine or softball until—she returns to her childhood home in Northern Colorado for the funeral of her beloved aunt. Kelly's heartbroken. Aunt Helen was the closest thing to a mother Kelly ever knew. Fortunately, the knitters at the nearby yarn shop are eager to befriend Kelly and help her discover the truth behind her aunt's tragic death.




About the Author

Maggie Sefton is the New York Times bestselling author of Knitting Mystery series (Berkeley Prime Crime). Her debut knitting mystery, Knit One, Kill Two, was named an Agatha Award finalist in 2005. Sefton was born in Richmond, Va., and grew up in Arlington, Va. She is a former certified public accountant, and now resides in Fort Collins, Colo. Visit the author online at MaggieSefton.com.

Author Spotlight- Joanne Fluke

Today's Spotlighted author is Joanne Fluke! Joanne is the author of the Hannah Swenson Mystery Series. Have you read this series? Do you have a favorite one in the series?

Like Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where her neighbors were friendly, the winters were fierce, and the biggest scandal was the spotting of unidentified male undergarments on a young widow’s clothesline. She insists that there really are 10,000 lakes and the mosquito is NOT the state bird.

While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective’s assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist’s assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.

She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.

See more at: http://www.joannefluke.com/about-joanne-fluke/#sthash.wCJXD3LI.dpuf

Leading Ladies of Mystery- Nora Charles

Meet Nora Charles(and her cat, Nick) . She is the leading lady in the Nick and Nora Mystery Series by Toni LoTempio. Making her debut appearance on December 2, 2014 starring in Meow if it's Murder. One lucky reader will receive A Copy of Claws For Murder! Leave a comment and email below and winner will be chosen on Monday. 

Nora Charles shares a name with a famous literary figure, but that’s where the similarity ends. This Nora Charles is about as far away from a socialite as you can get. She was a true crime reporter in Chicago until Fate intervened and she returned to her hometown of Cruz, California, to take over her late mother’s specialty sandwich shop, Hot Bread. But as the saying goes, you can take the gal out of the mysteries but you can’t take the mystery out of the gal….or something close to that. Danger seems to always find Nora…and the tubby tuxedo cat she adopted and named Nick. (after guess who?)


Nick used to belong to a PI who’s since gone MIA, and like his owners past and present, he also seems to have a flair for detection - and for Scrabble! Mysteries and detecting seem to be in their blood, as evidenced by their first mystery, Meow if it’s Murder. Writing for a local online magazine, Nora investigates the curious death of socialite Lola Grainger. Though it was deemed an accident, Nora suspects foul play – and so does Nick! Their penchant for attracting bodies continues in their second adventure, CLAWS FOR ALARM, when Nora’s sister is accused of the murder of her art professor. And, in their next adventure, CRIME AND CATNIP (to be released December 2016) Nora attempts to solve a missing persons case only to find out it has ties to another mystery that hits close to home: the whereabouts of Nick’s former owner!


Let’s not forget Nora’s other talent: cooking! The gal has a definite flair for making delicious sandwiches which she names after popular pop culture figures. Have you ever tried her Thin Man Tuna Melt? Or her Antonio Banderas Cuban Sandwich? She’s delighted to share these recipes, and others, in her books. And when she’s not cooking or solving mysteries, you can find her hanging with her bestie, Chantal Gillard. Chantal has psychic abilities that have come in handy more than once, but it sure spooks Nora when she gets out that deck of tarot cards….


Aside from solving mysteries and making sandwiches, Nora also finds herself torn between two handsome men: FBI agent Daniel Corleone and Homicide Detective Leroy Samms. Samms and Nora share a past – will they soon share a future? Only time will tell. Although right now, the main man in Nora’s life wears a fur coat and weighs in at around twenty-five pounds…..


You can read more about Nora Charles and her cat Nick in these titles from Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime:

Meow if its Murder
Claws for Alarm
Crime and Catnip (to be released December 2016)


About the Author:

Toni(T. C.) LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow if its Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery Series. Toni resides in New Jersey along with her roomies, her cats Gata, Maxx and of course, ROCCO, who not only provides the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but who also writes his own blog and does charity work for Nathan Fillion's charity, Kids Need to Read! Book 2, CLAWS FOR ALARM, is set to debut November 3,2015.

Leading Ladies of Mystery- Caro Layton- Browning

Happy Saturday! Today's Leading Lady of Mystery is Caro Layton-Browning! Meet Caro and find out how her story came to life.




Caro Layton-Browning is a mystery writer whose life seems to uncannily mirror her books. Her hubby Gregory, a professor in international law at the local university, is the yen to her yang, the common sense to her abstract craziness. These two are the perfect example of opposites whose paths crossed over a cup of bad coffee while at university and whose marriage has been a roller coaster ride from their native Great Britain to the verdant countryside of upstate New York.

Caro makes her first appearance in A BIRD IN THE HAND (2015), Book 1 in the Proverbial Crime Mysteries. She’s a walking conundrum, the product of a childhood spent absorbing books by Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, and Dorothy Sayers. Her parents, while not neglectful to the point of completely ignoring her, left her to own resources as they pursued their careers. Because of this, Caro’s best friends resided between the covers of works written decades ago, by authors whose vocabularies (‘lexicons’, according to Caro) were as dated as the books themselves. Needless to say, Caro tends to sound a bit ‘stuffy’ at times, even to her sweet spouse.


Caro and Greg land in Seneca Meadows, New York, a town with a sleepy past and one of the best bakeries around. This is a good thing, since Caro has a sweet tooth that doesn’t quit! Because of this, health-conscious Greg is always trying to get her to exercise a bit more. She finally agrees to take the family dachshund Trixie out for a stroll, more to get Greg off her back than to work off some of those bakery goodies. When she literally stumbles over a dead body in the local park, she’s off and running – figuratively, of course – in an attempt to find out whodunnit.


In WHEN THE CAT’S AWAY (Book 2, 2016), Caro is determined to loosen up, both with her word choice and her social life. Thanks to her new pal Meredith Holmes, Caro has found more time to stop and smell the proverbial roses. Unfortunately, her rose-smelling coincides with another death in picturesque Seneca Meadows, and once again Caro is hip-deep in murder and mayhem. With Merry in tow, the two gals fuel up on coffee and sugar as they try to solve the mystery…before becoming statistics themselves.



On a side note, Caro wants all and sundry to know that she named her dog after the girl sleuth Trixie Belden, heroine of her own mystery series (Julie Campbell, author). She highly recommends reading the books; in her opinion, which she tends to toss around with abandon in spite of resolving not to, these are far superior to the ‘other’ girl detective. For once, I’m in complete agreement with her!


One last thing: It wouldn’t be a series about a writer without a section filled with writing tips! Be sure to check out the back of each book for some great ideas, both for the casual writer to the serious novelist. (Caro has to give credit to her creator here, something that tends to stick in her craw. Still…)

About the Author


DANE McCASLIN, author of the new Proverbial Crime mystery series, resides in the state of Arizona with her very patient husband. She has been writing all of her life: poetry, short stories, journals, letters (yes, those old-fashioned epistles that require pen and paper), and now she brings her talents to the cozy mystery genre.


In addition to being an author, Dane McCaslin is an educator. She currently teaches advanced language arts classes for grade 11; additionally, she teaches beginning writing classes at the local university. Being an educator is an important part of her life, and passing on her passion for reading and writing to her grandchildren and to her students is one of her great joys.



Giveaway: Dane and Caro will be giving away an autographed copy of A BIRD IN THE HAND and WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY, as well as a Caro-inspired treat box. For a chance to win please leave a comment and email below. Winner will be announced on February 29th @12:00 AM EST. Good Luck!

Leading Ladies of Cozy Mysteries- Theodosia Browning

The Leading Ladies of Cozy Mysteries kicks off today with Theodosia Browning, Owner of Indigo Tea Shop. Tea lovers and cozy mystery readers will love this series. Recipes and Tea Tips can be found at the back of the books.


Charleston's Indigo Tea Shop Owner. Introduced in Death By Darjeeling, book one in the Tea Shop Mystery.

Before the tea shop, Theodosia worked at an advertising agency. Filled with hard work and long hours after 14 years she wanted some that fit her better. More relaxing and fun.
While serving on a pro bono marketing committee for Charleston's annual arts festival, she stumbled on a quirky opportunity. A Little tea shop was up for sale. After a long sleepless night , Theodosia knew what she wanted and was going to go and get it. She took her small savings and put a down payment on the tea shop. She would do everything she could to get it up and running.


She learned everything she needed to about tea and making the business a success. She threw herself into her work and was ready to open. Theodosia hired Drayton Connelly and he became her tea expert. It wasn't long after she opened that she became profitable and a popular tour stop.



When you visit the tea shop you are greeted by her lovable dog Earl Grey. He was a rescue dog, was abandoned and wandering the streets and Theodosia fell in love with him. He is part Dalmation and part Labrador making him a Dalbrador. Theodosia has given him a permanent home and the official greeter of the Indigo Tea Shop.


Find out more about Theodosia Browning in the continuing Tea Shop Mystery Series. 1. Death by Darjeeling
2. Gunpowder Green
3. Shades of Earl Gray
4. The English Breakfast Murder
5. The Jasmine Moon Murder
6. Chamomile Mourning
7. Blood Orange Brewing
8. Dragonwell Dead
9. The Silver Needle Murder
10. Oolong Dead
11. The Teaberry Strangler
12. Scones & Bones
13. Agony of the Leaves
14. Sweet Tea Revenge
15. Steeped in Evil
16. Ming Tea Murder
17. Devonshire Scream


Here is what people are saying about THE TEA SHOP MYSTERIES

Named to the USA Today and New York Times Bestseller Lists

"Childs' plots simmer slowly while Theodosia's dogged yet elegant sleuthing is as satisfying as sipping a cup of jade oolong." --Publishers Weekly

"Literary pick of the week: Laura Childs."

"Delicious recipes, teatime tips, opera, and murder in a national bestselling mystery series that has quickly become a favorite of readers. --Mystery Reader

"Entertainment at its finest, with murder, mystery, and mayhem running through the swiftly turning pages. --Fresh Fiction

"Chock full of intrigue and even voodoo, there are haunted mansions, slimy swamps, stolen jewels, and an old and secret society that meets in the dark of an old dungeon." --Romance Reviews Today


About the Author:

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries - set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries - a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans' spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries - set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe's undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.