Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs {+ Giveaway}

There’s always interesting activities going on around the Indigo Tea Shop and this time it deals with expensive gems, jewels and murder.

Theodosia Browning and the gang from the Indigo Tea Shop are excited to cater a high-class trunk show for Brooke Carter Crockett at Heart’s Desire Jewelry. With the event in full swing and precious gems and bobbles on display, a gang of masked thieves literally crash into the shop. The robbers quickly make off with the loot and leave the shop in shattered glass and Brooke’s niece Kaitlin dead.

When Brooke begs Theo for help in finding out who the robbers are, she has no choice but to do all she can do to solve the case. While the authorities believe the brutal burglary was the work of an international jewel thief gang, Theo thinks the mastermind is a local.

Author Laura Childs once again blends the intrigue of murder and mayhem with the comfort of a tea shop and friends for an entertaining and suspenseful read. The story moves smoothly and at a steady pace to hold your attention from beginning to end. The tea shop setting with Charleston as a backdrop adds depth to the tantalizing tale.

The characters are realistic and likable. The main core of characters – protagonist Theo and her associates Drayton and Haley – continue to evolve with each new installment. Their friendship and bantering enhances the story.

DEVONSHIRE SCREAM is the 17^th installment in the Tea Shop Mystery series, but can be read as a standalone. New readers won’t be left in the dark and returning fans will enjoy catching up with the gang once more. You don’t have to be a tea drinker to enjoy this story, but a number of delicious recipes, tea time tips and tea resources are included as a bonus. In addition, readers get a special preview of a new series from the author (writing as Gerry Schmitt) that is more thriller than cozy.

This is a delightful cozy mystery that will satisfy your quizzical nature and tempt your appetite.

Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs, A Tea Shop Mystery (Book #17), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-0425281666, Hardcover, 320 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to Roxanne and the wonderful folks at Penguin/Random House, I have a print copy of DEVONSHIRE SCREAM by Laura Childs to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Friday, March 11.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Devonshire Scream Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope I’ve enticed you to check out this latest installment in the Tea Shop Mystery series. Have you ever tried a drink or dish based on something you read in a mystery?

a Rafflecopter giveaway