The Silver Needle Murder

by: Laura Childs

Published by: Berkley Prime Crime

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

It’s a hot, humid August and the Charleston Film Festival is bringing Theodosia Browning and her Indigo Tea Shop some really nice catering jobs. The historic Belvedere Theatre is having an opening night gala, and there are enough ”˜important’ locals and celebrities in town that the paparazzi could move east from Hollywood to harass everyone.

The first thing Theodosia notices while at the theatre opening is the people in the lobby are relaxed. The folks behind the scenes are tense and squabbling. What’s going on?

Then two judges quit and Theodosia comes to the rescue, which means she is in the thick of things. But when director Jordan Cole is shot (the audience sees the scene in silhouette), it appears the festival will be marred. But that is not the case because Theodosia is ”˜working’ on things.

Laura Childs is one of my favorite cozy or amateur sleuth (whatever you want to call them) mystery authors. It’s not that the crimes are difficult to solve. They’re usually not. It’s not that the plots are deep, dark and dangerous. Well, there is danger, but the novels are not far reaching in that danger. And that is just the way I want things to be.

Life is busy. Life is stressful. I want to relax. And that means a wonderful, fast-paced read. I want the plot to be interesting, the characters to be intriguing or quirky or mean-spirited or simply wonderful. I want the descriptions, the flavor of the area, the recipes! And I can get all of those things in a Laura Childs mystery. Oh, and I get the gang at the Indigo Tea Shop, especially Dalton.

I suggest you read The Silver Needle Murder and then start at the beginning of the Tea Shop Mysteries and then start on the Scrapbooking Mysteries.

Armchair Interviews says: Read all of Laura Childs–you’ll have hours of fun.

Author’s Web site: http://www.LauraChilds.com