FOLLOW IT UP ~ Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs

"Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is finally invited to a social event that she doesn’t have to cater—but there’s more than champagne bubbling… 

Theo is mingling with the cream of Charleston society at the engagement soiree of the season. But as they eagerly await the dazzling young couple’s arrival—the groom meets with a freak accident. The exquisite wedding ring—a family heirloom from the crown of Marie Antoinette—is mysteriously missing.

Theodosia suspects that trouble is brewing. But when she goes to the authorities, they treat her like she’s been reading tea leaves—and that’s the surest way to put Theodosia’s kettle on the boil…"

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There is a bit of disappointment in writing this post. Why? Well, I found the third book in Laura Childs’ Tea Shop Mystery series, Shades of Earl Grey, uneventful and "gray". Earlier this year I did a video describing how I adored the series. I especially adored Childs’ red-headed amateur sleuth and tea shop owner, Theodosia Browning. Theodosia came across as the quiet type of character. She seemed reserved and soft-spoken. While standing as a determined type of character. I could see myself getting attached to her, as well as her murder mystery excursions down the road. You see, I gravitate towards the cozy sleuth who harbors a bold and witty and coy personality. Theodosia was the opposite, but she was cool. I adored my time with her within the first two books of the series.

Then came the third book, Shades of Earl Grey. Afterwards, my enthusiasm for Theodosia “regressed” a bit.

THE NOT-SO MURDER MYSTERY

But first things first–the actual story/murder mystery. So Shades of Earl Grey does contain a murder. And it's no doubt a murder of the wrong-place-wrong-time variety. Yet the book isn't about said death, per se. Instead the story orbits around the jewel-stealing, heist-plotting contrivances of a small-town cat burglar. This left some of the suspecting characters, as well as his or her various failings in connection to the victim, elsewhere. The need to care about the majority of the story seemed removed to me, as the focus wasn't on the victim (as in the dead one and not the victims of burglary, of course). This lacking may or may not be part of my eventual disillusionment with Theodosia from this entry. Either way these events need notice.

So back to my original point about Theodosia herself…

END OF THE YEAR BOOK TAG, HOMIE (no real answers, though)

Well, I Guess...

Bookmarked for Death.  Book #2 in Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mystery book.  

Well, the main character, Tricia Myles, STILL hates her older sister Angelica.  To the point where she has to fight the urge to punch the poor woman...  LOL.

Last-Month-of-the-Year COZIES TBR!

I'm just going to drop this here.  No details.  No explanation.  Other than I've slowed down reading from September to November, and am ready for some major end-of-the-year cozies.  Particularly those series I started last year and am now ready for the follow-ups.

Another J. D. Robb Golden in Death Pre-Order UPDATE

Did you guys get this email from St. Martin's Press regarding a pre-order bonus consisting of a necklace?  Oh yeah, in celebration of Golden in Death, book #50 in J. D. Robb's In Death series!  If not, let me share the images (thanks to St. Martin's Press for the download ease of them) as well as the link where you can grab one for yourself.  This is really neat, though.

According to the email, it's:

"In anticipation of Golden in Death , J.D. Robb's 50th In Death book, St. Martin's Press partnered up with Swarovski® to create a necklace that's as iconic as the series' kick-ass detective, Lieutenant Eve Dallas. This special, limited-edition necklace features Swarovski® crystals and was inspired by Roarke's beautiful gift to Eve, The Giant's Tear, and her NYPD badge, as pictured below."

You can pre-order the set of Golden in Death along with the necklace, exclusively HERE ON BOOKPALS' WEBSITE.

Golden in Death releases February 4th, 2020!

BWMW Reads ~ Author Terris McMahan Grimes's Two Theresa Galloway Books

Book #1 in Grimes's Theresa Galloway series:

Somebody Else's Child

"Theresa Galloway knows a call at three a.m. means trouble, especially when it's from her septuagenarian mother.  Mrs. Barkley, always keenly watching her deteriorating Sacramento neighborhood, phoned to report that something nasty was sure going on with an old friend next door.  And she was right.  Within hours the neighbor would be brutally murdered, and a little boy would be missing.  Theresa hates to admit it, but Mama usually does know best... until she insists Theresa has a better chance than the police to track down the killer and find the child."

Book #2 in Grimes's Theresa Galloway series:

Blood Will Tell

"Her mother said there'd be days like this, but today's shock of her life is the red-haired stranger who moved into her mother's Sacramento home, claiming to be her father's "love child."  Being an African-American career woman juggling a stressed-out husband, two kids, and a meddlesome mom who is a magnet for trouble is more than enough for Theresa–who needs a long-lost brother? 

But what really sends Theresa over the edge is when that very same young man is suddenly missing–and then turns up as a corpse."

A Peep Into J. D. Robb's In Death #51

I totally credit the website fantasticfiction.com for this (gurllll, I'm over there checking regularly).  I'll provide the link HERE.  Yet, in other words, apparently this is the 51st In Death entry coming in September of 2020.  Shadows in Death.

And you guys.  We still have the 50th entry, Golden in Death, releasing in February of 2020.  But I just learned the Barnes & Noble edition has bonus content.  The overview on the site state it as:

"This Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition celebrates the 50th novel in J.D. Robb's In Death series with bonus content, including a personal essay from JD Robb's longtime editor and a quick look at every case in the series so far."

I'M GOING FOR THIS ONEEEEEEE AS MY PRE-ORDER!

Bless you, J. D. Robb.  Just... bless you.

Oh, yeah.  Remember to peep my selfie in the fan collage behind the dust-jacket of Golden in Death. :)