Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, is back with her employees Drayton and Haley. Theo is a strong character but Haley is quickly winning me over with her decadent chocolate recipes. Detective Tidwell continues to be oversized, yet underestimated by all but Theo. And while customers beg for Drayton’s current tea blend and Haley’s delicious delights, Theo’s ex-fiancé is begging for a second chance. Also, Theo is dying to move into her new home but something dead may already be there...

Theo and other shop owners are having a back-alley crawl where shop owners dress in period costumes and invite customers into their shops through the alley way. After enjoying a candle-lit, historical feel and cash friendly crowd, Theo takes a walk down the ally and witnesses a murder—a real one. After a good friend and fellow shop owner is strangled before her very eyes, Theo plays amateur sleuth on behalf of herself, the family and the boyfriend who quickly becomes the primary suspect.

Suspects abound and Theo drops hints of possibilities at the feet of each one, giving the reader opportunity to ponder. I had my sights set on one sure suspect and considered the mystery easy to solve... not. As in previous mysteries, Childs’ knows how to present her clues and keeps the reader guessing till the very end.

To avoid sudden cravings while reading I recommend going straight to the back of the book for a recipe or two first before starting. There is nothing more southern than Hawaiian Tea Sandwiches and Sweet Tea. However Drayton has some of tasty recommendations of his own. And lucky for us Childs takes a good cup of tea as serious as a mystery; she has generously included 3 pages of Tea Resources.