Apr 19, 2011

Book Review: Mourning Gloria by Susan Wittig Albert

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to choose sentences at random from your current read. Identify the author and title for readers.
Donna held up the flyer reading aloud. "Magical Mystical Plants. Come to Ruby Wilcox's Shamanic Garden to learn about some of the many mysterious plants that have taken people on magical journeys. Tobacco, morning glories, datura, wormwood, Salvia divinorum, and many others. Garden talk by China Byles. Guided garden visit by Ruby Wilcox."
She raised her eyebrows. "You two aren't offering drug trips, are you? " (ch. 2)
Mourning Gloria (China Bayles Mystery) by Susan Wittig Albert
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; (April 5, 2011)
Genre: herbal mystery
Source: Publisher
Objective rating: 3.75 out of 5

Comments: You learn not only about different plants, flowers, and their medicinal or hallucinatory effects, but you enter the world of the main character, herbalist China Bayles, owner of  the herb and tea shop, Thyme and Seasons, who is also a vendor at the Pecan Springs Farmers' Market.

China is also an amateur sleuth. The plot and murder in this novel revolves around some of these hallucinogenic plants, as suggested in the clever title, Mourning Gloria. A lot of research went into the novel which is informative as well as an entertaining mystery. Garden enthusiasts will enjoy this newest in the China Bayles herbal mystery series.

Publisher's description: "While Pecan Springs bustles back to life in the warmth of spring, one woman's life is tragically brought to an end. China Bayles happens upon a burning house trailer and hears a woman screaming for help. The evidence leaves no doubt that it's arson homicide.
Jessica Nelson, an intern-reporter at the local paper, is assigned to cover the story. But she's gotten herself too deeply involved. When Jessica disappears, China is determined to find her, before she becomes headlines herself."

For more on the series, visit Susan Wittig Albert's website at http://www.susanalbert.com./ Her facebook address is www.facebook.com/susan.w.albert.
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19 comments:

  1. JulesApril 19, 2011 at 7:06 AM

    Interesting teaser!

    I hope you are enjoying it.

    Jules

    http://thegreatthegoodandthebad.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jenny QApril 19, 2011 at 7:30 AM

    Ha ha! That sounds exactly like what they're doing! This book sounds interesting. Thanks for stopping by my teaser :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Laurel-Rain SnowApril 19, 2011 at 7:33 AM

    Ha-Ha! I like that last remark...thanks for sharing.

    Here's MY TT POST

    ReplyDelete
  4. gautami tripathyApril 19, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    This teaser makes me want to check out this book!! How does it matter if I have 100 miles long tbr pile?!!

    :D

    Here is my Teaser Tuesday: Wrecker by Summer Wood post!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kathy MartinApril 19, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    I have been looking at this series for a while. It is on my "someday" list. My YA teasers are from Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale by Romona Wray and my adult teaser is from The Perfect Play by Jaci
    Burton    . Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  6. SallyApril 19, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    Lol like the teaser.
    Sally.
    http://theelifylop.blogspot.com/2011/04/teaser-tuesday-15.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownApril 19, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    Interesting ... I wonder what magical journeys are offered by those plants :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. AimeeApril 19, 2011 at 10:20 AM

    Good teaser! Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

    ReplyDelete
  9. kayerjApril 19, 2011 at 12:14 PM

    that sounds like a fun read. Kaye—the road goes ever ever on

    ReplyDelete
  10. fredamansApril 19, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    Interesting teaser!

    http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2011/04/teaser-tuesday_19.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaApril 19, 2011 at 2:57 PM

    I've always been curious about this author, but never tried her mysteries. I liked the teaser:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. YvonneApril 19, 2011 at 2:57 PM

    This sounds so good. Another author and series I've been dying to start.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jessica @ a GREAT readApril 19, 2011 at 3:45 PM

    Interesting teaser!! I like it!

    Thanks for visiting my blog!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dorte HApril 19, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    I am hardly a garden enthusiast, but I like when I can learn something new while reading a good crime story.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yvonne @ Fiction Books ReviewsApril 19, 2011 at 4:52 PM

    Hi Harvee,

    This sounds like a great, easy, fun read. A definite to be added to my wish list.

    Rebecca Tope is another author that springs to mind in this genre and here in the UK, we have a detective television series called 'Rosemary and Thyme' which sounds like a very similar theme to your series of books.

    Enjoy your read and I lookforward to the review.

    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  16. DarleneApril 19, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    Great teaser. I've never heard of this book before but it sure does sound good. I'll have to check into it further.

    ReplyDelete
  17. jlshallApril 19, 2011 at 9:19 PM

    Yes, I was thinking drug trips, too. This sounds like a fun book - I love almost anything involving an amateur sleuth, and an "herbal mystery" is really intriguing. Excellent teaser!

    ReplyDelete
  18. LizzyApril 19, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    Great teaser! I hadn't heard of this one, but I may have to look into it.

    ReplyDelete
  19. BethApril 20, 2011 at 1:23 AM

    Cute teaser! Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments and thoughts...

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