Honey Drop Dead by Laura Childs

Available: August 8, 2023

Rating: 5 scones

Theodosia is hosting a honey tea in a new local park when a marauder crashes the party and smokes out all the guests, ending the festivities for one tea drinker with a bullet between the eyes. The tragedy not only ends the lovely afternoon tea party, but also threatens to end the art gallery that was hosting the tea. When the gallery owner asks Theodosia to figure out who crashed her party, Theodosia can't refuse.

This is one of my favorite series. I love Childs's writing style and I particularly love the characters in this series. Theodosia is sweet and cultured but she's not afraid to take risks and tell people what's what. Drayton is also very sweet, an extremely refined man of a certain age who professes to be a Luddite and dresses like a country squire, but he can get down and dirty with the best of them when Theodosia needs his help.

There's nothing particularly special to set this book apart from others in the series. It's exactly what fans of the series have come to expect and love. One thing that did kind of leave me hanging with this book was that Hayley seems very nervous throughout, as though she is harboring some secret. I'm waiting for something to happen with her in the next book as we've spent the last 20+ books wondering when all her schooling and her plans for her own future will finally pull her away from the Indigo Tea Shop.

If you're already a fan of the Tea Shop series you can't miss this book. If you're a cozy reader who hasn't yet tried this series what on earth are you waiting for? Go get them now! And if you're not a cozy reader but you just like fun, easy reads with a little adventure and some great recipes you should definitely check out this series.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.