Occupation: proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop
It’s the week before Halloween and Drayton Conneley (my tea sommelier) and I are attending the grand opening of a “literary and historically themed” haunted house. It’s in a dilapidated old Victorian mansion known as the Gray Ghost that’s hunkered right in the middle of Charleston’s famed historic district. And tonight it’s been turned into something both spooky and magical.
As I walk through the front door, I’m immediately surrounded by a parade of costumed characters. There’s Edgar Allan Poe skulking in his garret, Lady Macbeth swooping down the hall, and the Headless Horseman lurking in the shadows. As I continue to push my way through the throngs of visitors, I find Sherlock Holmes in his study and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in their laboratory.
Entering one of the parlors, I’m tickled to death to be introduced to Willow French, the grandniece of Timothy Neville, patriarch of the Heritage Society. Willow’s written a fun, spooky book called Carolina Crimes & Creepers and she’s here tonight signing copies.
Of course I have to get a signed copy for myself – and one for Haley, my chef at the Indigo Tea Shop. But as I wander about, chatting with friends, still enthralled by the costumes and special effects, I suddenly hear screams.
Rushing outside, I look up to find poor Willow dangling from the end of a rope from the third flower tower window! Green and purple lights flicker as images of witches and bats are projected against the house – and Willow’s twisting body. I’m utterly stunned, Drayton is gasping for air, and poor Timothy Neville is practically catatonic. What can I do? Good thing my boyfriend is a D2 (that’s a detective) with the Charleston Police Department.
The police come screaming in, my boyfriend Pete Riley arrives, and so does the coroner. As the police interview witnesses, my boyfriend is tasked to go to Willow’s apartment and investigate. I beg him to take me along, but Riley says no dice.
So now I’m at home, feeling awful, getting ready to walk my dog Earl Grey, and the phone rings. It’s Riley. He’s been shot and wounded by an intruder and being rushed to the nearest hospital.
It feels as if my evening can’t get any worse! But luckily for everyone, Riley is okay and just needs some minor surgery and bedrest.
Now Timothy Neville is begging me to investigate his grandniece’s death. And I’m ready to jump in feet first, because whoever murdered Willow probably shot Riley as well.
So who do I question first? The members of the Heritage Society who orchestrated the haunted house? A long lost relative who claims the old mansion is rightfully his? Willow’s book publisher who was left out of the negotiations for her second book? Or her fiancé who apparently got cold feet and broke off their engagement a few days ago?
Yes, I’m baffled. But I’ve been here before. It’s time to pull in Drayton and Haley, put our heads together, and try to solve this murder even as we cater an elaborate Sherlock Holmes Tea and an Edgar Allan Poe Tea.
Still, the Gray Ghost is about to reveal its many secrets as our investigation plays out this week before Halloween.
Kindly keep your fingers crossed for me!
Love,
Theodosia
Haunted Hibiscus, A Tea Shop Mystery #22
Genre: Cozy
Release: March 2021
Purchase Link
It is the week before Halloween and Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop, and her tea sommelier, Drayton, are ghosting through the dusk of a cool Charleston evening on their way to the old Bouchard Mansion. Known as the Gray Ghost, this dilapidated place was recently bequeathed to the Heritage Society, and tonight heralds the grand opening of their literary and historical themed haunted house.
Though Timothy Neville, the patriarch of the Heritage Society, is not thrilled with the fund-raising idea, it is the perfect venue for his grandniece, Willow French, to sign copies of her new book, Carolina Crimes & Creepers.
But amid a parade of characters dressed as Edgar Allan Poe, Lady Macbeth, and the Headless Horseman, Willow’s body is suddenly tossed from the third-floor tower room and left to dangle at the end of a rope. Police come screaming in and Theodosia’s boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley, is sent to Willow’s apartment to investigate. But minutes later, he is shot and wounded by a shadowy intruder.
Timothy begs Theodosia to investigate, and shaken by Riley’s assault, she readily agrees. Now, she questions members of the Heritage Society and a man who claims the mansion is rightfully his, as well as Willow’s book publisher and her fiancé, all while hosting a Sherlock Holmes tea and catering several others.
But the Gray Ghost holds many secrets, as do several other key suspects, while this murder mystery plays out on the eve of Halloween.
Includes delicious recipes and tea time tips!
About the author
Laura Childs is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. All have been on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists. Recently, Book Riot named her mysteries to their list of “25 of the All Time Best Cozy Mystery Series.” In her previous life Laura was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, and has a Chinese Shar-Pei named Lotus.
Find out more at laurachilds.com or become a Friend on Facebook at Laura Childs Author.
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Laura has generously offered to give away one print copy of Haunted Hibiscus. To enter, please leave a comment below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends March 5, 2021. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
Congrats on the new release! Such a pretty cover.
Nice cover. Sounds like a good story.
Have all of the Indigo Tea Shop mysteries as print copies. Would love to add the new novel to my collection
Thank you Laura and Dru.
I love this series and would LOVE to win this book. Thank you so much for the chance!!!
Thank you Theo and Laura for visiting today.
MAGNIFICENT cover!!!!
Thank you for the giveaway!!
Love all your series and I am from South Carolina so this one is especially fun to read! I love reading them and they usually come out in the beginning of March around my birthday. Perfect timing! Thanks y to or the chance to win.
What a beautiful book cover, and a haunted house that lives up to expectations and more. Thanks for sharing A Day in My Life with Theodosia Browning – I can’t wait to read this book!
Thanks for this delightful feature. A most enjoyable ans memorable series which is a real treasure.
I love, love, love this series! I’m really looking forward to reading “Haunted Hibiscus”.
I love this series! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
Sounds great. Looking forward to it. I collect these. I also like the Cackleberry Club books.
Congratulations on the new release. I love that you are able to keep this long-running series fresh and new book after book. I love spending time with Theodosia, Drayton, and Haley.
Yeah! A new Tea Shop Mystery! I love reading about Theodosia and her cast of conspirators as they solve the myriad of mysteries in and around Charleston! Great cast, city and stories! Congrats on the newest book…it sounds like another winner!!
I have heard of Laura Child. Never read any of her books. Shame on me. These sound like great mystery books. Would love a chance to win. Love the cover. The characters sound like they would be of great interest to me to invest time in the other 21 mysteries in this series.
I am always excited to see a new book in this series that I adore. I love time spent with Theo. Thank you for the chance to win.
This sounds so exciting. A case of what else could possibly go wrong!
New series for me, congrats on the latest!
Attending a Sherlock Holmes Tea & an Edgar Allan Poe Tea would be fun.
Such a pretty cover!
This is one long running series I always look forward to. Thanks!
Ooh! A tea shop mystery and with a Halloween theme. I love the sound of this! I will have to check out this series.
I’ve loved this series from the beginning and would be delighted to win this latest book!
I love this series and am still working my way through it! I bought the ones my library system didn’t have and intend to gift them to it once all this covid stuff is over. 😉
I have been a fan of this series for a very long time. It is one of the first cozy series I started reading. Love Theo and Dreyfus.
I love this series but only read ebook format so I’m not entering the contest.
Love the series!
Congratulations on your new release
I’ve been enjoying Theo & Drayton since day one. Congratulations!
Love anything Laura childs writes but love the Tea Shop series best.
Nice cover. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
**** WINNER ****
Haunted Hibiscus is Margaret Utsey
Congratulations!