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20th out of 299 books
—
1,002 voters
Death by Darjeeling (A Tea Shop Mystery #1)
by
Laura Childs
When a man is poisoned by tea, Theo is the prime suspect. Now she has to prove her innocence and track down the real killer-before someone else takes their last sip. Just the right blend of cozy fun and clever plotting.
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
May 1st 2001
by Berkley
(first published 2001)
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★★★★☆ Yes, finally started this interesting series. What is not to love? Tea, mystery, and South Carolina! Some people won't like all the tea facts, but I gulped them down. I studied the art of tea for one of my cultural classes in collage and drink tea everyday. There were a few bumps, but I'm more than happy with this book that satisfies my arduous "double-decker" challenge. I'll be continuing with the series, though I'll seek them out at the library.
I know, this series may not be something you expected to see on my shelves. But I can't help it. I'm an old woman at heart. And a tea fanatic. The writing's OK, the mysteries are well within the framework of the genre — nothing to get excited about. But the descriptions of Charleston, and the tea talk, well, it helps me get through Chicago winters, OK?! ;-)
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I am currently reading the fifth in this series. Great bedtime reading. Light with a modicum of murder, very well done. Gives the flavor of Charleston as a very historic city. With the tea shop as a base Theodosia gets into a lot of fixes and barely gets the killers.
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I spotted the "Tea Shop Mystery" series piled on a table at a friend's house and borrowed them, as I was in the mood for a "cozy" mystery, and the trio of paperbacks also promised "Scrumptious recipes." Mysteries *and* recipes! What could be better?
I have now read Gunpowder Green, Shades of Earl Grey, and The English Breakfast Murder (but not the first of the series, Death by Darjeeling). The titles are unavoidable, of course, but they also could definitely be better books. Worse, the recipes te...more
I have now read Gunpowder Green, Shades of Earl Grey, and The English Breakfast Murder (but not the first of the series, Death by Darjeeling). The titles are unavoidable, of course, but they also could definitely be better books. Worse, the recipes te...more
Sometimes being a writer is burdensome to being a reader..
On the plus side, Ms. Childs infused (no pun intended!) "Death by Darjeeling" with a distinctive sense of place--I'd love to have a cuppa in that tea shop! Especially if the fun character Drayton Connelley is there to pour and have a chat about the properties of tea.
On the critique side..
"Death" could have benefitted from a few read-throughs by a good writing group. If you're an avid reader who delights in a well-wrought mystery, this one...more
On the plus side, Ms. Childs infused (no pun intended!) "Death by Darjeeling" with a distinctive sense of place--I'd love to have a cuppa in that tea shop! Especially if the fun character Drayton Connelley is there to pour and have a chat about the properties of tea.
On the critique side..
"Death" could have benefitted from a few read-throughs by a good writing group. If you're an avid reader who delights in a well-wrought mystery, this one...more
I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the interesting facts about tea. This book is a good example of a "cozy" murder mystery, copying the format of many other successful series. The only point where I'd say it breaks out of the pattern is that although the main character is an intelligent murder-mystery loving sleuth-by-night, she is completely oblivious to the murderer until seconds before she is almost killed. Ironically, the reader is aware almost instantly. I'm sure the author is aware...more
Theodosia Browning owns the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, SC. She only has two employees, Drayton, her right hand man, and Haley, and it is a profitable business. Everything runs smoothly until they cater a tea for two hundred or so for the Annual Historic Homes Garden Party. As the guests are singing praises about the teas and blackberry scones being served, one prominent guest is being poisoned. Bethany, who is a friend of Haley's and helping with the tea party, screams as she discovers Hughe...more
2.5 stars. Theodosia Browning is the owner of a teashop in historic Charleston who becomes embroiled in a mystery when a developer dies at a garden party because his cup of tea was poisoned. Somehow the entire city decides that the teashop must be to blame, since it was their tea that was served, and Theodosia takes it upon herself to launch an informal investigation into what really happened.
The book was a pretty quick read, but it wasn't all that entertaining. The author did a good job describ...more
The book was a pretty quick read, but it wasn't all that entertaining. The author did a good job describ...more
What can I say but that I absolutely loved this book. Everything about it just got me so wrapped up in Theo's Indigo Tea Shop and the mystery itself was intriguing in its' own little way I had to read this from cover to cover. Everything about it was just so "cozy". I loved the different descriptions about tea, and being a tea lover myself am now in the look out for new teas to try. Aside from the wonderful tea descriptions and the desserts that went along with it, the mystery was a fun read. No...more
From uneparole.blogspot.com
This book was a natural choice for me - I love drinking tea and I love cozy mysteries! It's also a relatively short book so I wasn't sure what to expect from it. But after reading, I can officially say that I've found another great book series!
There's something instantly comforting about reading a book like this one. The writing was surprisingly eloquent and well-structured, the characters are lovable, and it revolves around tea! For me, it was instant love. Death by D...more
This book was a natural choice for me - I love drinking tea and I love cozy mysteries! It's also a relatively short book so I wasn't sure what to expect from it. But after reading, I can officially say that I've found another great book series!
There's something instantly comforting about reading a book like this one. The writing was surprisingly eloquent and well-structured, the characters are lovable, and it revolves around tea! For me, it was instant love. Death by D...more
Death By Darjeeling is the first book in the Tea Shop Mysteries series by Laura Childs. I read one of the later books first and kind of liked it. I wanted to go back and read the first book to see how I really felt about the characters in this cozy series.
I've decided that I like them but I'm not sure if cozy really applies to this series, because even though this is a tea shop and there's a cute dog, called Earl Grey, the vibe of this series isn't very cozy.
The characters, with the exception o...more
I've decided that I like them but I'm not sure if cozy really applies to this series, because even though this is a tea shop and there's a cute dog, called Earl Grey, the vibe of this series isn't very cozy.
The characters, with the exception o...more
An exemplary cozy mystery. This one is just perfect for cozy mystery lovers. The heroine has just the right amount of curiosity and caution. The plot twists and turns down the winding old streets of Charlston, South Carolina, with a delightful frenzy. The characters are all unique and sassy, but still imbued with the charm of the Old South. The author writes with knowledge and provides great detail about an area and culture she obviously knows and loves.
Theodosia Browning owns a small tea shop...more
Theodosia Browning owns a small tea shop...more
I've lately been coming to the conclusion that, if a book is particularly bad or boring at the beginning, I have no need to continue it out of a sense of obligation. This one falls into the boring category. Having no particular interest in the history of Charleston or descriptions of places there which I have already visited, the first chapter and a half of this was roughly akin to a sonorous lecture right after lunch. I'm moving on to things more interesting.
I've decided that I like foodie mysteries like this one; this is the first book in the Tea Shop Mystery series.
When a man is poisoned by a cup of tea, Theodosia must investigate as she must save her tea shop’s reputation. Theodosia is nosy, intelligent and sleuths her way through the historical city of Charleston. In between murder investigating, Theodosia has to decide her holiday tea mix and make new tea labels—as well as manage her employees (some of whom are murder suspects).
Theodosia gave...more
When a man is poisoned by a cup of tea, Theodosia must investigate as she must save her tea shop’s reputation. Theodosia is nosy, intelligent and sleuths her way through the historical city of Charleston. In between murder investigating, Theodosia has to decide her holiday tea mix and make new tea labels—as well as manage her employees (some of whom are murder suspects).
Theodosia gave...more
I got a GC for Barnes & Noble at Christmas. Since B&N's prices are SO much higher than Amazon, I used that opportunity to not use my Wish List and just searched around for anything that looked interesting. This book is one of the products of that trip. I'm not a tea drinker by any means. Even though I live in the South, I'm not even a sweet tea drinker. Still, I thought this might be a cute little fluffy story. But it was SO boring! The chapters varied wildly in length. Some of them did...more
There is nothing like finishing the last page of a book and knowing without a doubt that you will be picking up the next in the series very soon. (the last one I felt that way about was Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series) This series was a no brainer for me. It's a mystery. Check. It's a cozy. Check. It revolves around tea. HUGE check. And it was delightful.
Theodosia Browning, a thirty-something former rat race participant is now the owner of a tea shop in the historic district of Charleston, SC. Whe...more
Theodosia Browning, a thirty-something former rat race participant is now the owner of a tea shop in the historic district of Charleston, SC. Whe...more
I accidentlay order this book in large print, and I have to admit it made it difficult for me to read. I like paperbacks, so it really was a struggle to get past that. Additionaly, I thought "wow, large print this shoudl go fast." Nope I actually felt like I was having trouble finishing this one. I think it is because it is such a busy time of year.
This is the first in the Tea Shop Mystery Series by Laura Childs. I have really enjoyed the others, so what I did appreciate about this one was that...more
This is the first in the Tea Shop Mystery Series by Laura Childs. I have really enjoyed the others, so what I did appreciate about this one was that...more
May 31, 2011
Sunhi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Tea Drinkers Who Love Mysteries
Recommended to Sunhi by:
Dot
Shelves:
mystery
I say this now without any irony, I love the fact that mystery series are so popular that you can get one about almost any interest or hobby you have. You want a mystery series about scrapbooking? No problem! How about one about knitting? There must be three or four such series! Gardening, wedding planning, coffee drinking, or birdwatching? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Vampires? Sure! Witches? More than one such series. The only problem is weeding out the bad series.
After recently deciding that I lo...more
After recently deciding that I lo...more
Death by Darjeeling started out pretty well, but turned lame around midway. just when I was thinking that it didn't follow any of the clichés that cozies with middle aged protagonists employed too. Heh. I will never read a cozy that I like unconditionally. (Flavia de Luce excepted).
The middle aged heroine of this novel is Theodosia Browning, who runs the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, SC. This was an immediate win for me. I like tea, and I visited Charleston some years ago and immediately fell i...more
The middle aged heroine of this novel is Theodosia Browning, who runs the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, SC. This was an immediate win for me. I like tea, and I visited Charleston some years ago and immediately fell i...more
In the middle of reading this book I got to thinking about why I read so many series similar to this one in which the mystery is not extraordinary and the characters are similar. I suppose it’s the appeal of escaping the tensions of the day by reading about women (usually) who have left behind a stressful job or have been widowed/divorced and open up a tea/coffee/book shop. And they aren’t taxing or gut wrenching stories. Just a nice diversion at the end of a stressful week, which allows me to l...more
The parts focusing on tea were engaging and informative. Unfortunately, the mystery plot was unimpressive. I spotted whodunnit in the very first chapter in which the murderer appeared, and the various red herrings that followed were clumsily handled. Also, the tea shop owner's motivations in turning amateur sleuth were never adequately explained; she leapt very quickly into some highly dubious activity, with little or no justification for her actions.
And I was completely baffled by everyone's co...more
And I was completely baffled by everyone's co...more
Aug 09, 2010
Kathie Hagen
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
No one
Recommended to Kathie by:
Cozy Mysteries goodreads group
Oh dear, where do I start? This was a selection for our Goodreads "cozy mysteries" book club (our July author was Laura Childs). I wanted to like it. I love tea & love the idea of the owner of a teashop as the protagonist for a mystery series.
Childs has an issue with writing in complete sentences. Also, she has an odd way of changing well-known phrases into you-almost-got-it-right word groups. For example, instead of saying "dribs & drabs," she uses "drips & drops." Instead of "slapd...more
Childs has an issue with writing in complete sentences. Also, she has an odd way of changing well-known phrases into you-almost-got-it-right word groups. For example, instead of saying "dribs & drabs," she uses "drips & drops." Instead of "slapd...more
I found this one just OK. there was something about it that kept me from really engaging with it. I didn't feel particularly close to the characters and couldn't clearly picture them in my mind. In fact, I had pin pointed one of the main characters as the culprit in the beginning. Something about him really rubbed me the wrong way. Sadly, he seems to be a central character and will probably be featured in future books in this series!
Having said all that, it was light enough that I could read it...more
Having said all that, it was light enough that I could read it...more
I came across this series while I was looking for a different book in a used book store. I looked up the series and decided to read the first book. Wow, what an excellent start to the series. It is definitely a cozy mystery compared to some of the other mystery authors that I like to read. I loved learning the different things about tea. The recipes at the back of the book are a bonus as well. I think that the particular points that really drew me into the story and the book are that it is set i...more
Meh. 2.5 stars.
My mother warned me about cozy mysteries - tea shops, knitting shops, quilting shops, antique shops, scrapbooking shops - and yeah, she's right. It was okay, not amazing. I guess the premise is what doesn't attract me, the whole genre, where the local police are: inept/too busy/focused on "important stuff"/miss glaring clues (I guess that's inept). Or the other path, the Heroine Does What the Police Cannot: steal files, trespass, talk to suspects without warrants.
It's not the writ...more
My mother warned me about cozy mysteries - tea shops, knitting shops, quilting shops, antique shops, scrapbooking shops - and yeah, she's right. It was okay, not amazing. I guess the premise is what doesn't attract me, the whole genre, where the local police are: inept/too busy/focused on "important stuff"/miss glaring clues (I guess that's inept). Or the other path, the Heroine Does What the Police Cannot: steal files, trespass, talk to suspects without warrants.
It's not the writ...more
I was disappointed in this. Not quite disappointed enough to stop reading, but close. This should have been a great premise and a lovely read, but it fell totally flat for me. I wasn't engaged by the settings, I got annoyed by all the tea references instead of enchanted and I simply didn't get enthused at all. I also figured out who dunnit quite easily, which for me is a sign of not such a good book. If I'm entranced by the tale, I getting to know the characters and the setting and my subconscio...more
This mystery, the first in the tea shop series, was just all right. The characters were flat. I read the fifth in this series before reading the first, and I liked the protagonist, Theodosia, much less in the first book. There was also this weird point-of-view thing that I'm not sure how to describe. The book is written in third-person, and for most of the book we only get glimpses into the mind of the protagonist, not the other characters. However, there are these random characters, like Tanner...more
The Tea Shop mysteries are fantastic so long as you understand that they are what they are. These are not Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle mysteries! But they are fun, quirky and well written. The first book is a little slow to begin, and all the books have a calmer Southern hospitality pace. Set in Charleston SC predominantly they also offer insights into the city, its culture and history. I find them a soothing read when I want a light book.
As an added bonus, if you're a tea lover, baker, or int...more
As an added bonus, if you're a tea lover, baker, or int...more
It's a one star mystery I'm afraid, but there are some great tea references. There is also a recipe for tea eggs in the back. Unfortunately it was easy to tell who the murderer was at the beginning and then I was frustrated with the tea shop owner for pretending to be a detective and putting unwarranted blame on innocent people for the rest of the book. There was an interesting post-modernist self-reflection going on when the main character compared herself to other mystery series, but it kind o...more
I found several copies of this series at a thrift store recently and decided to try it and see if it's any good. It's not great literature, by any means, but it was a fun story with cute characters and a great setting. Charleston is like another character in the book and I enjoyed the rather detailed descriptions of areas of the city. Theodosia was a driven ad exec who gave it up to open a tea shop in the historic district. In her spare time she solves murders. Her shop sounds like a fun place t...more
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Laura Childs is a pseudonym for Gerry Schmitt and she is the best-selling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, the Scrapbook Mysteries, and the Cackleberry Club Mysteries.
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several...more
More about Laura Childs...
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several...more
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