Steeped in Evil: A Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs

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Steeped in Evil (A Tea Shop Mystery #15) by Laura Childs
Published March 3, 2015; Berkley

First paragraph:

Theodosia Browning didn't consider herself a wine connoisseur, since tea was really her forte. Fragrant Darjeelings, malty Assams, and her current favorite, a house-blended orchid plum tea that tickled her fancy as well as her taste buds. 

On the other hand, how often did a girl get invited to a fancy wine-tasting party at the very upscale Knighthall Winery?

I can see why this tea shop mystery series is so popular it has reached its fifteenth novel. Theodosia's Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina is something out of a food and wine magazine, serving only the best of teas, mixed and blended by her master tea maker, Drayton. I found myself wanting to make some of the sandwiches, soups, and scones whose recipes are at the back of the books.

In Steeped in Evil, however, Theodosia attends a wine tasting party in which a murder is revealed in a gruesome scenario.  So the book has its share of the bizarre to make it a true mystery novel. Theodosia also has some scary and frightful adventures, one a car chase, another a dangerous rescue, so the high octane action adds to the plot. '

I enjoyed both the cozy tea shop scene as well as the mystery plot and the suspense. I'd give this a 5/5 rating.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of the book.