China Bayles is in the middle of a sticky situation. Ruby Wilcox, her best friend and co-owner of their tearoom and catering business, has just informed her that Ruby's sister, Ramona, has another hare-brained investment scheme involving the Comanche Creek Brewing Company and craft beer. Ruby warns China that she has a bad feeling about this, and China has learned to trust Ruby's intuition. Meanwhile, China's boarder, Kelly Kaufman, has abruptly disappeared from the cottage she was renting from China. Kelly, a hospice nurse, is separated from her husband and China is worried when things take a dark turn and Kelly's life hangs in the balance. Worse yet, Kelly and her estranged husband are co-owners of the same company Ramona is trying to invest in. China is determined to uncover what is going on, no matter what it takes.
BLOOD ORANGE is the 24th book in the China Bayles series, but it's easy to jump right in and enjoy China and her world. Susan Wittig Albert provides readers with enough information to appreciate the nuances of the relationships between the characters while keeping the focus on the mystery itself. The China Bayles books are somewhat of a comfort read to me as China is such a great character you instantly feel right at home in her Thyme and Seasons shop.
I really like the mystery in BLOOD ORANGE, as we have several avenues for China to explore. Susan Wittig Albert provides us with an estranged husband as well as a complex money scheme, both of which offer possible reasons for murder. One of the things I particularly like about Susan Wittig Albert's writing is that she can take complex scenarios and break them down so they are easy to understand, informative, and entertaining.
However, it is the characters who are the heart and soul of the China Bayles series. China is strong willed and her investigative prowess shows that. China does wander into at least one completely foolhardy scenario, but Susan Wittig Albert pulls it off quite well as we get a glimpse into her inner dialogue as well as her own misgivings when things turn out poorly. Better yet, we see more of Ruby Wilcox than we did in the prior book, BITTERSWEET, as I dearly love Ruby and her predictions!
If you love cozy mysteries and haven't read a China Bayles mystery, then BLOOD ORANGE is the perfect place to start. Susan Wittig Albert sprinkles herbal lore throughout her books and the knowledge shared in BLOOD ORANGE features alcoholic beverages, particularly beer. BLOOD ORANGE has all the elements of a good cozy mystery- fun and engaging characters, a solid mystery, and unique lore that pulls you into the mystery. I look forward to China's next adventure!
In the newest China Bayles Mystery in the New York
Times bestselling series, China comes to the aid of a
nurse who ends up in the hospital...
It’s mid-April in Pecan Springs, and China is renting her
guest cottage to Kelly Kaufman, who needs a temporary place
to live as she contends with a very acrimonious divorce from
her husband Rich. One nasty point of dispute is her part
ownership of the Comanche Creek Brewing Company, which she
is refusing to sell.
At the same time, as a nurse employed by a local hospice,
Kelly has discovered instances of suspicious practices. Even
more disturbing, she suspects that a patient was murdered.
Kelly’s knowledge could be dangerous, and she wants to get
guidance from China on what to do.
But on her way to China’s house, Kelly is forced off the
road and critically injured, putting her in a medically
induced coma. Now it’s up to China to determine who wanted
her out of the picture. Was it her soon-to-be ex? His new
lover—who happens to be the sister of China’s friend Ruby?
Or someone connected with the corruption at the hospice?
China owes it to her friend to uncover the truth—but she may
be putting her own life at risk...
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