Theodosia Browning is headed to visit her close friend,
Daria Shand, after the first successful back alley crawl.
The back alley of the row of popular shops looks different
after closing, and Theo discovers it's a lot more dangerous
when she stumbles upon a murder in progress. Most
disturbing is the identity of the victim -- Daria!
Daria's antique map shop has been ransacked. Had Daria
interrupted a robbery in progress? Was there something
hidden in the collection of maps and antiques Daria had
painstakingly collected and displayed; something worth
killing for? Or, as Detective Tidwell suggests, was Daria
killed mistakenly? Theo and Daria have similar builds and
coloring. In the dark Charleston night, had the killer
mistaken Daria for Theo?
There's no shortage of suspects as Theo begins looking into
the life of her friend. With only a few clues and the
elusive scent of teaberry to guide her, Theo soon finds
herself in the sights of a cold-blooded killer.
Laura Child's THE TEABERRY STRANGLER is a neatly
plotted, entertaining read. The characters are a bit
eccentric and clever; people the reader can easily imagine
wandering the streets of historic Charleston. Ms. Childs
quickly draws the reader into the story, leading the reader
through several plot twists to a satisfying ending. As a
bonus, there are several recipes included at the end of the
book. I highly recommend the Pecan Pie Muffins. This was my
first visit to Theodosia Browning's world...it won't be my
last!
The bestselling author of Oolong Dead serves up an
Old-World treat, spiced with a Sherlock Holmes-style murder
mystery. It was the Dickensian evening Theodosia Browning
had been hoping for. Charleston shop-owners dressed in
cloaks of yore threw open their back doors to visitors,
who took advantage of bargains and Theodosia's delicious
teas. But later, the alleys clear except for one body-
which a horrified Theodosia discovers. It's Daria, the map
store's owner. Locals have shown interest in buying her
shop-but enough to kill? Plus there's been a customer hell-
bent on acquiring a not-for-sale map. Most alarming of all
theories, however, is Detective Tidwell's: the killer
mistook Daria for Theodosia. And if that theory holds, the
killer's work isn't done.
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