"What if a mystery from the past could affect current day events?"
Reviewed by Debbie Wiley
Posted April 4, 2018
Mystery Amateur Sleuth | Mystery Woman Sleuth | Mystery Cozy
What if a house could hold memories of the past? China
Bayles runs the Thyme and Seasons shop in Pecan Springs,
Texas. As a former lawyer, she's enjoying the serenity of
her life outside the courtroom, where she specializes in
herbal lore. She's explored the history of her building
enough to have the building designated as "The Duncan
House" by the Pecan Springs Historical Society and a
framed newspaper feature on the building graces her
walls. However, a cleaning trip into the upstairs
storeroom uncovers some fabulous handcrafted old lace and
photographs. Now China is noticing odd occurrences at
Thyme and Seasons, from the random ringing of the bell
above the door to photos and lavender sprigs appearing on
their magnetic message board. China has helped solve
modern day mysteries, but can she uncover what Annie
Laurie is trying to tell her? QUEEN ANNE'S LACE is the twenty-sixth book in the
China Bayles mystery series.
Susan Wittig Albert
takes a bit of a departure from her typical mystery as
she spices things up with a ghost, something that
challenges China's skepticism. Readers new to the series
can jump in and appreciate QUEEN ANNE'S LACE as the story
alternates between past and present, giving readers a
chance to familiarize themselves with the characters
while learning some of the history of Pecan Springs. I love the glimpses we get into Annie Laurie's life! I
was a little worried initially as I thoroughly enjoy my
visits with China, but seeing the past come alive gave me
an entirely new appreciation for the very building that
houses Thyme and Season. Knowing the history enriches
the serenity and peace I often feel when visiting with
China and her lovely shop and tearoom. Susan Wittig Albert seamlessly weaves together past and
present in QUEEN ANNE'S LACE. The two alternating
storylines enhance each other as Susan Wittig Albert
pulls all the threads together to tell a stunningly good
story. As she did in THE LAST CHANCE OLIVE RANCH, Susan
Wittig Albert demonstrates the strength of her writing
ability as she merges two storylines together into one
spectacular story! If you love cozy mysteries, give Susan
Wittig Albert and QUEEN ANNE'S LACE a try.
SUMMARY
While helping Ruby Wilcox clean up the loft above their
shops, China comes upon a box of antique handcrafted lace
and old photographs. Following the discovery, she hears a
woman humming an old Scottish ballad and smells the
delicate scent of lavender.... Soon, strange happenings start to occur in Thyme and
Seasons: misplaced items, a ringing bell, and the
appearance of lavender sprigs in odd places. When a
customer mentions seeing a mysterious woman picking
flowers nearby and then suddenly disappearing, China must
finally admit what Ruby has always known--their building
is haunted. But by whom? As China investigates, the tragic story of a woman in one
of the old photographs unfolds. Annie Laurie was a young
widow who'd lost both her husband and her child in the
same day. She manages to survive through her lace-making
business and finds happiness again only to have a
suspicious death overshadow her new life. China delves into Annie's century-old mystery and
realizes that solving it could have unimaginable
repercussions in the here and now.
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