The English Breakfast Murder

Tea Shop Mystery #4

by Laura Childs

It is a truly exhilarating experience for Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning-helping Charleston's Sea Turtle Protection League shepherd hundreds of tiny green loggerheads safely into the sea. But just as she's about to celebrate all her hard work, she spots a dead body bobbing in the waves. Now it's up to Theo to get to the bottom of the murder before the culprit's greed stirs him to kill again.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Tea, Mystery Thriller, Crime

274 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 5, 2003

About the author

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 screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries - set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries - a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans' spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries - set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe's undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Reviews

[BLynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theo finds herself involved in another murder mystery regarding Harper Fisk, a friend of Drayton's. I enjoyed this book because it never seemed to let on as to who actually committed the crime and for me it was a surprise to find out who the murder was. This series of cozy mystery books have been fun to read and I'm sure I will continue reading this series.

[Guera25 · Rating 2 out of 5]

These books are, quite frankly maddening. After a careful, almost-indulgent buildup, the denouements emerge in ludicrous, hasty rattles, the wet, phlegmatic wheeze of an octogenarian on their last legs. And really, the character of Delaine Dish has long oustayed her welcome. Her behavior is no longer eccentrically charming; it's irksome and overbearing, and this imaginary world would be better for her absence.

Dropped plot threads abound. Theodosia interrupts the plot to examine a painting on the wall, but nothing comes of it. Likewise, much is made of the kleptomaniac in their midst, but there is no resolution. No arrest, no apology, no recovery of the stolen items. They are merely there to facilitate the ridiculous, implausible climax.

And I've said it before, but a writer should know when to use peak/peek and grizzly/grisly. No, Theodosia, you did not find a grizzly in the bay. A writer should also know how to spell "straitlaced."

The periphery characters carry the day, but the laziness in execution is inexcusable.

[Kerry - Readkerryread · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't get through it. Too much tea time not enough mystery.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as much as the others I have read from this series. Like I said, it was very big on cozy, very light on mystery.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s always fun to revisit Theodosia’s indigo Tea shop. Even though I’d read this before, I didn’t remember the identity of the murderer. Tense denouement, so the book hit all the requirements for a cozy mystery.
There are a lot of books in this series, but they don’t have to be read in order.

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute cozy mystery from Laura Childs set in Theos Indigo Tea Shop while she is attempting to solve the murder of one of the English Breakfast Club members. Some humorous spots and Theo, as usual, gets herself involved in too many things to juggle. I did think that this one dragged a little more than Child's other cozy mysteries I have read.

[Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the lushness in this series. The descriptions of fabrics, objects, tea, etc. I feel as though I'm on vacation. I like the interactions of the characters. But it's maddening that Theodosia gets herself into so many scrapes.
She and Drayton break and enter a house when they actually might have been able to convince others to let them in legally. I'm disappointed in the fantasy aspects the author has introduced. On the whole, I’d like to keep my genres separate. I don’t mean fantasy, such as fairies or ghosts. I mean that the police would arrest someone for murder and then not secure the person’s work location for evidence. And that the police would leave the area and the characters could continue with their social event. Or that the tea shop could serve a special event tea of four courses in the morning and then a high tea (which has multiple courses) for thirty-five people less than 2 hours later, with only one person to cook and no kitchen staff, well you get the idea. And Delaine and her fashion show arrangements, she's just over the top and everyone puts up with her dramatics and caprices.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one about helping sea turtle hatchlings, shipwrecks, and Civil War antiques. These are fun cozy mysteries set in a tea shop with cute characters and lots of interesting facts about the Charleston area. They are best read in order as the author doesn't give a lot of background on the characters but expects you to be friends with them already. They are fun to hang with and try to find the murderer before Theo figures it out.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the most boring mysteries I have ever read. Was it really necessary to say the murder victim's first and last name every single time he was mentioned.This book seemed like a looooong gossipy recollection with little to offer except ruminations on various types of tea. Blech!

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. This series is growing on me and I seem to be enjoying each installment a little more than the one before. There are any number of interesting events that the main characters are involved with in the historic city of Charleston, both in the teashop and in the community. This one started out with sea turtles and I hoped there would be more turtle-talk throughout the book. There wasn't. The mystery ended up being solved at another big event that the story line led up to. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and will continue reading the series.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the Tea Shop Mysteries, as much for all the tea information as for the mysteries themselves. I do love the characters, and am happy to thoroughly immerse myself in the setting (a tea shop!) so it makes for a wonderful and comfortable read for me. This mystery was kind of hard for me to follow ... but all the other info makes up for it.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Theodosia Browning is watching the sea turtles hatch on the beach late one night, she spies something unusual floating in the water. Fearing it could be a whale or some animal, she swims out to find out what it is. Unfortunately it turns out to be a dead body and not just any body, a friend of Drayton's from his English Breakfast Club. Harper Fisk was a friend, antiques dealer and a member of the Heritage Society. He was also a treasure hunter! When another friend from the English Breakfast Club is nearly shot in front of his own home, Theodosia believes someone is targeting the English Breakfast Club. Meanwhile, Theo has her hands full with activities beyond the shop. In addition to managing high tea, afternoon tea, special events and general business, she volunteered to help Delaine with the fashion show fundraiser for the Heritage Society and a TV crew wants to stop by and do some filming of the shop. Delaine's sister is visiting and the fashion show organizer keeps changing her plans and dumping more work onto Theodosia. In addition, Theodosia agreed to review grants for the Charleston Arts & Sciences Foundation too. She has a dilemma when one of the applicants is on her suspect list! What to do? Drayton is naturally upset and frustrated by the new lead detective's bullheadedness keeping him and Theodosia from the crime scenes. It's up to Theodosia and Drayton to figure out some concrete evidence to take to the police.

This series is getting better. I did not figure out who the murderer was until I asked myself a question Who would have had access to Harper Fisk's house? That was pretty close to the end though and I was surprised it was that person. I didn't feel that Theodosia needed to investigate though and she should know by now that Detective Tidwell doesn't share anything with her. I also appreciated the finale to the mystery. Theodosia saves herself! The tea shop details are so wonderful! I love the descriptions of blending tea and all the different types. Asam and Darjeeling aren't really my thing but I do like English Breakfast. I did not enjoy the descriptions of the food. Why are they serving actual meals? This is a tea shop. They should serve tea, scones, mini sandwiches and pastries. Preferably clotted cream and jam to go with the scones. I've never seen a tea room that serves all that food. That's usually the purview of fancy hotels. I was pleased the technology is updating with the times and the Indigo Tea Shop is doing brisk e-commerce business. I did not like the typos, however. This is the second book I've noticed a few that took me out of the story.

Theodosia is too nice. She needs to grow a backbone and stop allowing others to heap more work on her. She has a lot to do managing the shop, handling online orders and trying to investigate a murder. Helping with the fundraiser is one thing but everyone asks her to go above and beyond. Why is she reviewing grants? She was in marketing not fundraising. Drayton is lovely but even he goes too far. Theodosia's relationship with Jory isn't even off the ground and she uses him big time thanks to Drayton's pleading. That's not cool. She uses Jory over and over for his boat and his legal knowledge and even doing some background checks for her! I think this relationship is doomed; between their busy schedules and Theodosia being a big time user, I don't see it going anywhere. She also lets thefts slide even when done under her nose. I like Haley because she's tough and always speaks her mind. She doesn't mind saying no to people or calling them out for bad behavior. I like Miss Dimple too. She's nosy but not intrusive and she knows how to keep quiet and not share what she is told. Of course Earl Grey is the best good boy ever! He's loyal and protective of his mama yet knows how to be gentle with the seniors. AW!

Delaine is awful! I cringed every time she was on the page. I loathe people like her. She's self-centered, manipulative and pushy. Now her sister is visiting, she's even worse. She may be in competition with her sister and showing off how fabulous and well loved she is. I keep hoping someone will murder her just to shut her up. She puts way too much work on Theodosia, not caring that Theo has a lot more to do. Sure Delaine has a shop too but she has an employee and she's not serving hungry customers during lunch rush. Theodosia only has Drayton to blend tea and Haley to cook! Delaine's sister, Nadine, is loud, bright and annoying, like her sister. She's rude to Theodosia but it's warranted because when Delaine brought up "The Big D" Theodosia stuck her foot in her mouth and insulted Nadine. I figured out Nadine's subplot pretty early one. I was annoyed it went unresolved. Just because Delaine is "a friend" doesn't mean her sister should be allowed to do whatever she wants. Murder her too.

Detective Hudson is worse than Tidwell. He's arrogant, cocky and rude in not a nice way. Tidwell is all of those things but he's also friendly and mooches tea and food off Theo in exchange for a few tidbits of information. He doesn't share anything he shouldn't and that's where this series falters. Theodosia needs a good reason to investigate so Tidwell should be the usual incompetent cop but this isn't a small town! He's a homicide detective who knows his stuff. Theo fears he's being pushed into retirement and they'll be stuck with this Hudson person. Better the devil you know...

Harper Fisk sounds like he was a wonderful person. Aside from treasure hunting, which I feel is wrong, he was generous, kind and an asset to the community. I don't like it when good people are killed in cozy mysteries. No wonder Drayton is so upset. His friends from the English Breakfast Club are either being targeted or one is the murderer. Theodosia can't decide. Buddy Clark, a retired naval lieutenant, is quick to appear at the scene and didn't seem all that concerned his friend had died. When someone takes shots at his house, Theo suspects he may have staged an incident to remove the suspicion of guilt. I don't see a motive. He has knowledge of the waterways and military tactics. I'm sure he is well aware of the location of sunken Confederate vessels and how to find them. Professor Archibald Gibson teaches nautical archeology which characters act like they've never heard of but underwater archeology IS a thing. It's taught at the state university at the oceanside campus. I don't think that automatically makes him a suspect but Theodosia picks up on something that could be a strong motive for murder. I'm not sure the timing works though. To apply for a grant it has to be written in advance and the murder only just happened a week or two ago. Of course he is confident where he wants to excavate, that's why he's applying for the money! If he didn't know, he'd be applying for funding to research X. Yet, Prof. Gibson seems pompous and snooty. He sneers at Harper for being an amateur treasure hunter and not a serious academic scholar. Lawrence Marsh owns another antiques shop. When he doesn't appear where Theodosia thinks he should be, it makes him a suspect. THAT doesn't make him a suspect in my book but owning a rival shop does! Could they have had a falling out over an item Harper bought to sell and Larry wanted for his shop? Finders keepers? Could they both have been after the same treasure?

Another new character is Summer Sullivan, Harper Fisk's business partner. She's young, new to running a business and seems in over her head. I think she's genuine but Haley, who has good instincts, suspects Summer of something. Gordon Sargent, a restauranteur hosting Delaine's fashion show. He seems nice but completely bowled over by the zany whirlwind that is Delaine. He's a good sport to put up the changes and give Delaine what she wants even at the last minute. Gordon is dating Harper Fisk's business partner and seems to be the only one standing up for her. Yet, he claims to have a genuine John Singer Sargent painting handed down through the family but Theodosia isn't so sure. Could he have killed Harper over refusing to authenticate antiques? Or perhaps who gets treasure? (UGH can we just take the Confederate gold and make reparations to the descendants of the enslaved people please?)

I accidentally skipped a book but I have it on my nightstand so I will go back and read it soon.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodosia is having the time of her life, shepherding newly hatched sea turtles from next to ocean. But her enjoyment is brought to a swift end when she spots something floating in the ocean. Could it be an injured dolphin? She swims out to try to help, only to discover that this is no injured dolphin, but a very dead human...and what's more, a friend of Drayton's! Now Theodosia finds herself in a race to find a killer before more bodies turn up!

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars - I read a third of this book, but couldn't finish it. I've read one other book in this series and still cannot bring myself to care about any of the characters.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theodosia Browning owns the Indigo Tea Shop, where she has a café that serves tea and also offers tea and tea-related items for sale. Her two employees are Haley, her baker, and Drayton, her master tea blender. One night she's on the beach at night helping the Charleston Sea Turtle Protection League as they watch little green loggerhead turtles hatch and head to sea, keeping them safe. Drayton shows up in the nick of time with a huge pot of gumbo for the volunteers; but when he and Theo notice something large in the water, Theo swims out and discovers it's a body. So she calls her friend Detective Tidwell, and when it's towed to shore, Drayton recognizes it as a friend of his, Harper Fisk.

When his boat is found, it's ruled an accident; but Theo thinks otherwise, and so does Drayton. So she starts quietly asking questions of the remainder of the English Breakfast Club, as Fisk and his friends were known (including Drayton) and it leaves her with more questions than answers.

But Theo has other problems: her friend Delaine has roped her into helping with a charity event, and between all her other obligations, it's going to be tight. But once she agrees, there's no way out of it. Theo also has a suspect in Fisk's partner, Summer, who seems to be taking his death hard, but that can be faked. Theo is up to her ears in suspects, with very little clues, and she needs to find out who killed the old man before someone else is another victim...

While I wanted to enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the first three, I found it odd that a woman who owns a tea shop doesn't know the difference between high tea and afternoon tea. High tea consists of cooked food such as meat pies. It also had hearty food such as meat sandwiches, cheese, crackers, etc. because this is considered an evening meal. Afternoon tea has sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, pastries, cakes, etc., and can also be called a cream tea. (Although Theo would definitely get more business if she did offer high tea, as it would be a dinner meal).

Anyway, the mystery was fine, but it kept getting disrupted by Delaine and her antics. While she's always been a decent character, she was over-the-top pushy in this book and so demanding that it was as if she didn't care if others had things to do, that her wants and needs took priority, and that's just extremely rude in itself (and she calls Tidwell rude!).

Other than that, look for clues with Theo and watching the action around her made the book somewhat interesting. When the murderer is discovered, there weren't really and clues leading to that person, so I was a bit disappointed. But, since I enjoyed the first three books, I will continue to read this series.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura Childs has created a festy, inventive detective in her tea shop owner Theodosia Browning, along with good secondary characters, but I felt she slipped a bit with this entry in her tea shop mysteries.

Childs also describes Browning as a small business owner, and indeed she somehow operates a tea shop with only two employees — already a weak proposition because usual stops like this would be open 6-7 a.m. and operate for 10-12 hours. You can't do that with only two employees and yourself. Then she is busy putting on a number of special teas, where supposedly these three people are busy cooking, brewing and serving a number of people that fills her shop — but what happens to her regular customers during these teas?

Finally, then in midst of the three people running this 'thriving' business, Browning and her tea master Drayton seem to be running off in all directions, investigating (or snooping) the death of Drayton's friend and local art dealer Harper Fisk.

Add that to her also helping a fellow business woman who is putting on a Fashion bash and seems to run into Browning's shop every 15 minutes, trying to go to lunch with her boyfriend, take her therapy dog to a senior citizen home, etc. ... A character in the book even mentions she doesn't know how Browning does it. I don't know how she keeps her business going? Or buys that very expensive watch that is added rather uselessly, except that it started me thinking about how unrealistic the situation is.

First the woman has to have at least six employees — and maybe we are to assume that she does, except early in the story Browning talks about how she was very careful in her selection of employees and how her two staff are very special to her. Then, lets be real: she can't hold special events in her small (Browning's emphasis) shop unless she holds them when the shop would be normally closed — and again, had more employees. That would free up her independent snoop - opps sleuth — to do her sleuthing.

Now, all that aside. I do enjoy Laura Childs books. They are light and fun to read. But really don't see this other than a lark: the business, the society events, etc. No business woman could operate her business this way and be able to do the things Browning does. The mystery? Rather simple and our intrepid sleuth is out in left field in solving it.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Indigo Tea Shop gang decided to volunteer to escort the sea turtles when they hatch to the ocean to ensure as many as possible get there. Just after her shift is over, Theo sees something in the water that looks like it doesn't belong there. When she goes out to investigate, she discovers a man. When the man is finally brought to shore it is none other than one of the English Breakfast Club members. A group of folks that Drayton is a member of as well.

What awful accident could have happened that caused this? or was it an accident.

Theo, Haley and Drayton resolve to find out what happened at the same time as they are involved in helping to produce an exclusive fashion show.

Plenty of action in this one and lots of suspects. Well done to the author but could have given a bit more clues as to the villain. This felt a little abrupt.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed starting this series but it does have it's issues. The Charleston setting and the tea shop and Drayton make the series far more interesting to me than if they weren't present! I even enjoy Delaine and was introduced to her most unusual sister in this book and she's fun to read about also. The author does slip in the dreaded foul language; there were three instances in this read. The author allows Theodosia to slip here and there from her genteel warmth and charm and can appear immature and somewhat off putting. Haley is entirely too young and immature to be the excellent baker and chef she is portraying; she's not even in culinary school. If she was older and maybe Miss Dimple the book keeper it would appear so much more real and interesting. Oh how I wish I could find more clean cozies highlighting the older generation!!!

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy the different series by Laura Childs. For some reason this one just read a bit slower than many of the cozies and felt a bit disjointed. It may be due to the fact it is an early book in the series and the characters and relationships are being introduced and developed. I like the characters that work in the Indigo Tea Shop and appreciate their quirkiness and differences. I think I just felt a bit unsatisfied at the end. The guilty party was identified but there wasn't any real recap of the how and even the why was a bit ambiguous to me. I like the series though and will continue to read this along with her other series.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always the Charleston setting is one of the most charming features of Laura Childs's cozy mystery series. Usually there is also an enjoyable and somewhat challenging mystery. This time, however, her #4 in the series, The English Breakfast Murder is disjointed and frustrating. There are several subplots that arouse our curiosity but just go nowhere. The book needs several more chapters to address endangered sea turtles, her lawyer boyfriend's conflict of interest, kleptomania, civil war artifacts, and several other plot lines she introduces.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[ML Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

So what happened with Nadine????
I’d like to think i’m learning about tea when I read these mysteries but alas, I get too caught up in the whodunnit!

[Suzanne Mundy]

This is the fourth book in the Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Child. This particular book centers around treasure hunts of sunken ships. An antique dealer is killed in his boat. The book is spent deciding who murdered him and why. I like the series and plan to keep reading.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodosia has volunteered to help the newly hatched loggerheads get to where they are going. Her shift is until 10 pm so there is a bonfire and of course, food. Theo spots something large in the water and she and her friends think it's an animal. She dives into the water and discovers a body of a person.

These are fun books to read and I enjoy reading about Theodosia and her friends. And the tea and food always make my mouth water.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I may have enjoyed this one so much that I went and hired the entire collection from the library. Like stripped that shelf clean! Haha, it's a good thing my local library has a limit of 50 books to be hired out at any given time, because I almost have that many out atm. This series really reminds me of one of my favorite cozy series by Monica Ferris. It just has that same feel, and the characters have grown on me in a single book, so much so I just knew I wanted to read the entire selection. Fair warning though, the food and teas described made me super hungry, and I had to make a late night stop at Maccas for an apple pie to get rid of the images of baked goods dancing in my head.

This is a fun, fluffy mystery series that I just know I'm going to love. Five stars!

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

.
This woman sleuth happens to own a tea shop. Who knew there were so many different types of tea and ways to serve them? Not me, this series has taught me something there.

Theo stays busy, busy, busy. But she always finds time to investigate the current murder. Each book delivers a cozy read for enjoyable entertainment. I liked this one. It wasn't over the top, but it was better than others.

Each book is able to stand on its own and deliver an HEA, which is an important attribute in a series when I chose to read it.

[Leslie Ferrari]

This is the 3rd in the Tea Shop Mystery series for me. The main character owns a tea shop so in addition to getting a mystery, you learn about different types of tea and each book has recipes at the end.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Truthfully, I kept falling asleep when I would read this book, but at that point I was too far into it and really did want to see who killed the antiques dealer. It was ok, but obviously not that compelling.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just love the descriptions of all the teas and baked goods in these books. The characterizations are really good too, but Delaine did get on my nerves at times.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyable, as always