Agony of the Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)

When I discovered this series years ago, I loved it. Charleston SC is a town I would love to live in. Laura Childs made you feel like you were right there with Theodosia and her friends. I read almost all of her books in one or two sittings. They were hard to put down.

However, this book is a whole different animal. I can't put my finger on it but the characters seem off. When Theodosia was investigating things she never came out and accused various people of doing it like she did in this book. I can understand being upset by an ex being killed but not to the point she is. It is so overly dramatic when she puts her hand to her heart when Tidwell is giving her the autopsy results. She acted like they were still involved. Both she and Parker had moved on.

There are other characters such as Parkers' new girl friend who is so one dimensional. Peaches (what a name) seems to be the required witch in this book. Even Drayton and Haley aren't the same.

I have read her other series and am wondering if she has just over extended herself. Writing a book is a very hard thing to do but when you are doing 3 different book series you will drop the ball occasionally. That is the case with this one. I wanted to love this book like I have the others but it was missing something. She is one of my favorite authors and I would hate to see her go downhill.

This paragraph is unfortunately descriptive of the entire book:

"Tidwelll played his cards close to the vest...but I'm farily confident he'll sweat a confession out of Krebs. Or get one of Krebs's crew members to spill his guts...."

How many cliches did you count?

I have all of Laura Child's tea shop mysteries. But I do belileve this will be the last. And that makes me sad.
They used to be so good and fresh.

No more.

When this series began, I couldn't wait for the next mystery surrounding Theodosia and her pals at the tea shop. Slowly, over time though, some of the characters got childish and ridiculous and tedious clichés ran rampant, culminating with my not being able to finish this last book. The word "um" was repeated frequently making her characters seem like unconvincing juveniles. I'm really disappointed as Childs seems to have come to the point where MHC was a few years ago (but has since redeemed herself). I love mysteries and I am loyal to about 7 or 8 writers, preordering their latests as soon as they hit Amazon's website, but I'm done with this one.

With March comes the promise of a new book by an author that I have enjoyed following and reading long before I began blogging.

That promise became a reality when the latest installment in author Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mystery series, AGONY OF THE LEAVES, was released March 6.

I had the pleasure of getting an early look at the book, the 13th installment in the series. The series just keeps getting better and better. All the wonderful and familiar characters I've come to love return, along with a number of new and intriguing ones.

The Indigo Tea Shop has been hired to cater tea, scones, and tea sandwiches for the opening-night private party of the Neptune Aquarium in Charleston, S.C. Tea shop owner Theodoisa Browning takes a few minutes away from the party to view the Ocean Wall exhibit.

What she never expected was to see a dead man in the tank entangled in a net. To make matters worse, the dead man is Theo's former boyfriend, Parker Scully. Parker's restaurant, Solstice, was also helping cater the affair.

At first the authorities believe Parker's death is an accidental drowning. But Theo doesn't think so, especially when she sees defensive-like wounds on his hands. Theo is determined to find Parker's killer no matter what.

As Theo's investigation gets underway, a number of Parker's business associates begin to top the suspect list. When Theo learns Parker's current girlfriend has inherited Solstice and then sold it within days, more names are added to her suspect list. The closer Theo gets to uncovering the killer, the more dangerous it gets for her and those around her.

Author Laura Childs once again takes readers back to beautiful and historical Charleston where she immerses them in the world of tea, scones, murder, mystery, and mayhem. The characters are charming and lovable. The story is fast-pace, action-filled with bits of humor in all the right places. While it's a story of intrigue and murder, it also captures the loyalty of family and friends, the love of history, and the feeling of small town delight.

Readers don't have to be tea drinkers to enjoy this cozy mystery. But there are nuggets of tea history and information woven throughout the story. In addition, the book includes numerous tea time tips and delicious recipes mentioned in the story such as Parmesan Crisps and Honeybee Scones. An added bonus is a sneak preview of Child's next Scrapbooking Mystery, POSTCARDS FROM THE DEAD, slated for an October 2012 release.

AGONY OF THE LEAVES is a delightful and entertaining read to relax with. It will hold you spellbound from the first page to the last line. Childs keeps you on your toes with twists and turns, a host of plausible suspects, and a surprise at the end.

Author Laura Childs' website is [...]

Agony Of The Leaves by Laura Childs, A Tea Shop Mystery, Berkley, @2012, ISBN: 978-0425245538, Hardcover, 320 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the author and publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

I'm a fan of this series but this one just didn't seem as good as the others and I can't even say what was missing. The information on different types of teas is always fun (I had no idea what the title of the book meant until it was explained)and the plot line was interesting. I think the characters seemed a bit "thinner" than usual, almost caricatures of themselves. I'd still recommend it to readers of the previous books and will be interested to see if anyone else had the same reaction I did.

"Agony of the Leaves" is the thirteenth installment in the Laura Child Tea Shop Mystery series. I picked the first one up years ago and was pretty much hooked from that point forward.

Set in Charleston, South Carolina, the Indigo Tea Shop owned by our protagonist Theo Browning is the center of most of the action. In addition to Theo, we have Drayton the master tea-blender and Hayley, the baker/chef for the tea shop as supporting cast. This time out, the murder takes place quickly in the story with Theo's former beau found in the fish tank at the opening gala for Charleston's new aquarium. Considering he had a lot of experience around boats and water, Theo isn't at all convinced this is an accidental drowning. When she is allowed to view the body, she notices wounds on his hands which she concludes are the result of him fending off an attacker. They aren't together any more, but she feels duty-bound to find out what really happened when the police dismiss her theory and view it as an accident.

The character of Drayton was around a bit more as he played a role in the murder investigation and helped Theo on a scavenger hunt in which she was involved. That's a very good thing as he is a character that I adore. Hayley was in the background this time out but Charleston itself played a dominate role as the setting is a key to this series' success. The series typically stays true to form and that is also true for this installment. You know what you are going to get when you pick up a Teashop book and this one is no exception.

For fans of this series, I think you will be pleased and if this is your first try at these, you can pick it up without having all the previous background. As is true with most cozies, it is best to start at the beginning and move forward but this one could easily be read as a stand-alone novel.

Glad to see Laura Childs hasn't lost her touch and I am looking forward to "Sweet Tea Revenge" when it is published.

I, too, love this series and have read each book in this Tea shop mystery series. Although I had quite a wait until this book was released...it was worth every minute of it.
In "Agony of the Leaves" Theodosia Browning is plunged into the first murder and we, the reader, are only on chapter one. The murdered victim is discovered to be Theo's former boyfriend, Parker Scully. Theo is the one who finds Parker not only murdered at the opening of the Charleston's Neptune Aquarium, but in it. The devastation and shock may delay Theo's sleuthing abilities for a moment, but not for long. She soon snaps into action and searches Parker's body for any tell tale markings and finds...defensive wounds on his hands. But why should he have these defensive wounds on his hands? and...who was Parker fighting against?

I am happy to say that Drayton, tea brewer extrodinaire, and Haley, Chef at The Indigo Tea Shop, are in it all the way with this case. I so enjoyed another excursion between Theo and Drayton cruising for clues while comparing notes.

This book only became more enchanting as I became more involved with every passing page. The ending especially had me reading non stop with my nerves on edge.

This is the one mystery series that I can truthfully say I am "in" with these characters. The frangranced atmosphere of the Indigo Tea Shop, Haley's delightfully skilled cooking and Drayton's masterful tea abilities and knowledge of that art are written with such detail...all I can say is "thank-you" to the author. That is one tea shop I want to enter and be shown to a table to put in my order for scones and tea of the day.
I highly recommend this book and this marvelous series. You will not be disappointed. I read this in a hard back book.
Ellen

Theodosia Browning and Drayton Conneley are enjoying catering at the new glorious Aquarium's Grand Opening in Charleston, South Carolina. Theo decides to take a break and just look at the large Ocean Wall tank, when to her shock, a man's body, entangled in a large net, falls into her gaze.

Theo is further shocked that the deceased is her former boyfriend, Parker Scully. Was it a dreadful accident, or even something more sinister?

Detective Tidwell, no stranger to the owner of The Indigo Tea shop and crimes she has solved, answers Theodosia's tormented call.

Amidst the glamor of the world of wealthy charity sponsors, the smells and flavors of fine teas and foods, we are treated to a marvelously crafted murder mystery, where the suspects are many. You will enjoy the surprise twists and glimpse into the future of the series as well.

I thoroughly loved this book as I always do. I will also try some of the delicious recipes and ideas found in the rear of the novel.

This book was "Agony" for the reader...actually sad. The author has totally lost the charm of this series. The main characters are not how they used to be and not even very likable. It is disappointing. I'd recommend to stop reading the series at book five! I feel the author is just pumping the books out and the plots get less and less plausible.

Recommend for all tea enthusiasts who also enjoy light mystery reading A great additon to my collection of Teas Shop books