So we’re back to Theodosia Browning and the Indigo Tea Shop for another murder mystery by Laura Childs.
The English Breakfast Murder
This time Theodosia is helping Charleston’s Sea Turtle Protection League shepherd hundreds of tiny green loggerheads safely into the sea. She and baker extraordinaire Hayley, have provided tea, gumbo and scones to warm up the volunteers. Just as they begin to worry they will run out of soup, Drayton, their resident tea specialist, shows up with a second pot.
With the whole gang back together, Theodosia spots a dead body bobbing in the waves. On closer examination, the corpse is found to be Drayton’s friend, Harper Fisk.
Was his death an accident or murder?
You can probably guess Harper Fisk’s death was no accident.
And so begins Theodosia and the gangs investigation into who killed him and why.
A local art dealer, Harper owned a local antique shop and was a known treasure hunter of Civil War boats sunk in the Charleston Bay.
He was also a member of the English Breakfast Club, a social group for mature gentlemen. Two of them had shops in the historic district, one was retired Navy, and another was a professor of aquatic archaeology. The members all had ideas about what should be done with their old friends estate. But could one of them have killed him?
Or what about his young business partner, Summer Sullivan? Does she inherit? Well, his will is locked in the computer and she can’t access his files…….
Or could the killer be one of the other colourful characters that populate Laura Childs book?
As before, Theodosia has to juggle running the Indigo Tea Shop, building a romantic relationship and trying to solve a murder with a host of other activities. This time it’s shooting a TV promotion and assisting Delaine with a fashion show. Thrown into the mix is Delaine’s sister, Nadine, with a dishonest secret of her own.
Detective Tidwell is back to see that justice prevails, but just how long will he be around……
The English Breakfast Murder Review
I found The English Breakfast Murder as much easier read that Chamomile Mourning Some reviewers have complained that the ending was too quick, but I found it much more satisfying and more believable.
Theodosia, Hayley and Drayton are a team you can warm to. The other regular characters can be an acquired taste. Their book-keeper is OK but Delaine is hard to like and her sister, Nadine, is even more annoying.
As it’s another book in the Tea Shop Mystery series as well as a murder mystery there is a lot of tea trivia included. I found it interesting.
The book ends with recipes for dishes mentioned in the story. It also includes information about tea dyeing, as Theodosia had attended a tea dyeing class, and ideas on entertaining.
An enjoyable cosy mystery read. It’s available on Amazon.