Books to Borrow Claysburg Area Public Library Recommends

Broken Bone China

By Laura Childs

Theodosia Browning owns the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina. She is assisted by Drayton, Haley, and Miss Dimple. Drayton is a master of teas. He recommends a variety of tea based on the scones, soup or salad which is being served. Haley, a young twenty-something chef and baker, produces amazing foods for teas and luncheons. Miss Dimple helps when needed.

The Indigo Tea Shop was hired to provide a tea for a hot air balloon event. She and Drayton were given a complementary ride in a balloon. While they were sailing over land, there was a buzzing sound. To their surprise it was a drone flying very close to their balloon. It swooped over them and then headed for a red and white balloon. To their horror, the drone flew into the balloon making it crash to the ground. Three people were killed. Among them was the CEO of SyncSoft, Don Kingsley.

Theodosia is a clever sleuth in addition to her tea business. She has worked with the police in the past. She and Drayton begin to track down clues to who is responsible for the murder of three people. Charles Townsend, Mr. Kingsley's private secretary, is worried about what to do with the Navy Jack flag. The flag was from the American Revolution, an original "Don't Tread on Me" flag. It belonged to Mr. Kingsley and several antique dealers were interested in buying it. It would be worth millions of dollars. Could this be connected to the crime?

Meanwhile, Theodosia holds several tea events. She hosts a Nancy Drew Mystery Tea at the Indigo. The decorations include items mentioned in one of her mysteries. She also holds a Beaux Arts Tea at the Portman Mansion. Throughout the book, the reader learns about different types of teas. The back of the book gives lists of American Tea Plantations, tea websites and interesting blogs, purveyors of fine tea and tourist sites for Charleston. She includes tea time tips on how to hold a successful tea event and recipes from the Indigo Tea Shop.

While this is the 20th in the Tea Shop Mysteries series by Laura Childs, you don't need to read the books in order. Mrs. Childs introduces the characters and makes little mention of previous mysteries. Mrs. Childs also wrote the New Orleans Scrapbooking Mysteries and the Cackleberry Club Mysteries. She has written several screenplays and produced a reality TV show.