Devonshire Scream

Available March 1, 2016

Thank you to NetGalley.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Seventeenth in the Tea Shop Mystery Series, and Theodosia is still putting the Charleston, SC police to shame by solving yet another crime. I guess for a town of over 125,000 it should have more than one police detective, right? Then how come Tidwell is always assigned to the case? Hasn’t he figured out by now that Theo is going to get involved no matter who is killed and solve it for them? By now, his icy exterior should have worn down to a mild frost.

What I loved: Drayton and Hailey are terrific as sidekicks in the novel. The recipies for Haley’s creations at the end of the book are worth the price of the novel. I would love to see Haley’s character even more flushed out as a person and not just the employee making delicious meals in a cramped kitchen.

What I didn’t love: If Theo is supposed to be some ex-marketing genius, how come she didn’t know about the Fabrége egg coming to town before hosting a Russian themed tea? This isn’t her first rodeo and I feel that the author dropped the ball on her history. In earlier books, Delaney is her best friend – when did she turn into an annoying frenemy?

What I learned: Too much about tea, for someone who doesn’t drink it.

Overall Grade: B-