An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries

China Bayles

by Susan Wittig Albert

A delightful new collection of ten mysteries featuring lawyer-turned-herbalist China Bayles——along with a selection of her best recipes, craft ideas, and gardening lore...

China Bayles has settled into the quaint Texas town of Pecan Springs, fallen in love with former homicide detective Mike McQuaid, and opened her beloved Thyme and Seasons herb shop——all while solving more than her share of mysteries. Now you can join China in ten puzzling cases——and get a taste of her world...

This delightful collection also serves to please with loads of wonderful herbal tidbits on everything from rosemary to feverfew to catnip. You'll find such to-die-for dishes as a Deadly Chocolate Valentine, Ruby's Applesauce-Mint Bread, China's Five-Spice Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry, and McQuaid's Tex-Mex——and a host of creative ideas for your garden and home. It's a one-of-a-kind collection featuring a one-of-a-kind sleuth——who's worth spending some "quality thyme" with!

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Anthologies

254 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2003

About the author

Susan is the author/co-author of biographical/historical fiction, mysteries, and nonfiction. Now in her 80s and continuing to write, she says that retirement is not (yet) an option. She publishes under her own imprint. Here are her latest books.

A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.

Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring Ruby Wilcox): noBODY, SomeBODY Else, and Out of BODY; and The Enterprise Trilogy (featuring Jessica Nelson): DEADLINES, FAULTLINES, and FIRELINES.

THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTIA PUZZLE #8 in the Darling Dahlias series, set in the early 1930s in fictional Darling AL

THE GENERAL'S WOMEN. Kay, Mamie, and Ike--the wartime romance that won a war but could have derailed a presidency.

LOVING ELEANOR: A novel about the intimate 30-year friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, based on their letters

A WILDER ROSE: the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother from a farm wife and occasional writer to a literary icon

THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE, #8 in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter

DEATH ON THE LIZARD, the 12th and last (2006) of the Robin Paige series, by Susan and Bill Albert

TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE

AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS

WORK OF HER OWN: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

WRITING FROM LIFE: TELLING YOUR SOUL'S STORY

Reviews

[Marcia Claesson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy little book about light hearted mysteries in a quintessential small town, interspersed with recipes and interesting tidbits about herbs and spices. Not a literary masterpiece, but it’s not about that

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collective of short stories, herbal lore and recipes that once appeared in Country Living Gardener, tweaked and compiled as a collective. China Bayles and sidekick, Ruby Wilcox play sleuth, as needed, and get the jobs done. Abbreviated mysteries don’t quite do the trick, but appreciated all the sidebars and plan to try a recipe or two.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun grouping of short stories about China Bayles retrieved from magazine articles and includes many Herbal facts and recipes.

[Elaine Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant book of short stories....with lots of recipes and information about herbs.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) This is a collection of short stories about China Bayles and Pecan Springs. Some were originally in magazines and contain more sidebars describing herbs or recipes. While each contains a mystery, by nature of their length, these are glimpses into the world of China Bayles. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the series, realizing these are more of a “cozy” version of China and her friends. Even Khat gets to be the center of a tale. My only complaint was with the printing of my copy which had several page sections out of order.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of short mysteries, with a lot of glimpses into the lives of the secondary characters and townspeople not usually given as much attention in the series. I am not really into the herbalist scene and I have two black thumbs, so the side bar stuff was not really for me. Still, it made a nice quick read, since it was not a single narrative and plot line, and therefore easier to put down and pick up again. I have read a coupld of the books in the series and think it is okay, but I prefer the one written by the author and her husband under the pen name Robin Paige.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of short cozy mystery stories taking place in a small town in Texas! I liked the collection of recipes and what herbs are and can be used for as a nice add to the stories.

[Susan]

I’m not a fan of short stories as a rule, but Susan Wittig Albert puts so many extras into her writing that that you can’t help but love them. Her books, and now short stories, are full of information about herbs that is fascinating. Added to that are mouthwatering recipes. (Can I get any more trite, but they ARE mouthwatering!) in addition, all kinds of information can be found about plants - the history of various plants such as antique roses, how to propagate them, how to plant them, how to care for them.

All of the short stories take place in or around Pecan Springs, Texas, and feature China Bayles, the Houston attorney turned herb shop owner and main character of all the Pecan Springs books. We also find China’s best friend Ruby and the sheriff of Pecan Springs, Sheila Dawson, their sometimes sidekick. I am a huge fan of this series as it is easy enough to follow but intelligent enough not to be sappy. Plenty goes on behind the scenes and in the main plot as well. Dr. Albert has her PhD in English, and it shows. She is a step above.

[Fredell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually, I physically read this book, I could only find an "ebook" listed in the Good Reads database. It was an interesting way to spend my Labor Day weekend.
Another treasury of stories, herbal lore, recipes, and crafts for fans of China Bayles and Pecan Springs denizens. As always, Wittig Albert includes loads of wonderful herbal tidbits on everything from rosemary to feverfew to catnip; recipes for such to-die-for dishes as a Deadly Chocolate Valentine, Ruby's Applesauce Mint Bread, China's Five-Spice Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry, and McQuaid's Tex Mex-and a host of creative ideas for garden and home.
Featuring China Bayles, lawyer turned herbalist and part-time sleuth, who's worth spending some quality thyme with!

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy short stories featuring China Bayles and sidekick Ruby. Meet other characters from Pecan Springs, Tx.

Get sunscreen, blanket, umbrella or settle into your favorite chair, sunglasses and pitcher of sweet tea. Easy fun reads. G-rated. Get the gray cells working on the "whodunit" while absorbing new recipes and the history of herbs and flora.

Note: books in the series can be read out of order. Pure enjoyment.

[Llewelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Investigation and herbs for food and fun

Cozy mysteries in short story format just right for a bedtime read. For me there were too many recipes and concoctions but easy to skip when I wanted to. I did enjoy the herb and plant educational bits.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of short stories featuring China and Ruby (with a bit of Sheila and McQuaid) solving small mysteries around Pecan Springs. LOTS of recipes for food and other things like soap and scrubbies.

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection of short stories from the China Bayle cozy mystery series. I do love how Albert writes! Her style is so easy to read, comforting, and enjoyable. Her characters come to life and I also love the setting & the additional herbal lore sprinkled throughout her China Bayle books.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this some years ago--even had a physical copy. When Susan Witting Albert started posting one of the stories on her blog in a series. I thought I recognized it and finally tracked it down. I decided to get a e-book copy and revisit it. As enjoyable as it was when I read it the first time.

[Cathy Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

the stories are good and the herb lore and receipts are in separate blocks;easier to skip if you're not interested

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a love story with tons of shoot them up pages and scarry moments that this is an enjoyable book.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy and informative read!

[Joanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pap

[Sharon R Zuiderveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful set of mysteries, including recipes and tidbits of herbal lore.

[Cindy Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun collection of short stories about China Bayles.

[Cherie Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite author and series.

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only worth reading if you already know the characters from the series. I did get some interesting and useful ideas of herbs to add to my garden.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories, plant lore, recipes and more.
Fun read.

[M. White · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am not generally a fan of short stories, I found this collection to be clever, well-written, and a satisfying taste of Mrs. Albert's talent.

[Fredell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the world of China Bayles!
A delightful new collection of ten mysteries featuring lawyer-turned-herbalist China Bayles——along with a selection of her best recipes, craft ideas, and gardening lore...
China Bayles has settled into the quaint Texas town of Pecan Springs, fallen in love with former homicide detective Mike McQuaid, and opened her beloved Thyme and Seasons herb shop——all while solving more than her share of mysteries.
This delightful collection also serves to please with loads of wonderful herbal tidbits on everything from rosemary to feverfew to catnip. You'll find such to-die-for dishes as a Deadly Chocolate Valentine, Ruby's Applesauce-Mint Bread, China's Five-Spice Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry, and McQuaid's Tex-Mex——and a host of creative ideas for your garden and home. It's a one-of-a-kind collection featuring a one-of-a-kind sleuth——who's worth spending some "quality thyme" with!

[Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

For mystery lovers who like a culinary twist to their repast...this is perfect! Characters, China Bayles owner of Thyme and Seasons Herbs shop and her best friend, Ruby Wilcox who is the owner of the Crystal Cave, reside in Pecan Springs, Texas. Mike McQuaid is China's husband and professor at CTSU. Together, they manage to solve some interesting homicide cases in their little town. The names of other characters, stores and pets add to the quaintness of the short stories. The extra special bonus of this book is the recipes that are included in each story. Any food item or health and wellness item mentioned has a recipe for you to try. They all sound delicious, and great for yourself or as gifts. This was a fun read.

[Grey853 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read a novel in one sitting. Unfortunately, sometimes one just doesn't have the time to do that, so a nice collection of short stories is just the ticket. This group of stories are all set around the world of China Bayles. I particularly liked the one about the missing Khat, but there were several others that were entertaining as well. It's easy and fun reading.

The book also contains lots of herbal information and some recipes for those who like that little bit of extra info.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm looking for my own copy of this book...

Short stories about China Bayles and her friends ... cool

"An Unthymely Death" read 9/28/2016
"The Khat Who Became a Hero" read 9/29/2016
"The Rosemary Caper" read 9/30/2016
"Ivy's Wild Wonderful Weeds" read 10/1/2016
"Death of a Rose Rustler" read 10/2/2016
"Mustard Madness" read 10/3/2016
"The Pennyroyal Plot" read 10/4/2016
"A Violet Death" read 10/7/2016
"A Deadly Chocolate Valentine" read 10/8/2016
"Bloom Where You're Planted" read 10/9/2016

[Judy Gehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of fluff. I guess I wouldn't have borrowed it from the library had I been careful enough to notice that it was short stories. I think mysteries are hard to do as short stories. Several of the stories were clever and the book is filled with herbal lore. How to grow it, how to harvest and care for it, and how to cook with herbs. So if you are into herbs, this is definitely a book you'd like.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of short stories based on the characters in the China Bayles mystery series (especially China and my favorite of her sidekicks, Ruby Wilcox) is milder on the violence than the books in the series and is a pleasant, fast read. It also includes some yummy-looking recipes and ideas for crafts--I'm glad I own it, because I turned down so many pages that I want to go back to for copies of recipes, etc. Albert writes well and her characters are interesting and engaging.