Laura Childs
Enjoy my interview with this delightful author, then read on for a few book reviews.
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.
Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:
The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.
The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!
The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.
Where to find Laura Childs:
I was ready with tea and scones just as Laura Childs knocked on the door.
I’m so thrilled you stopped by. I know how you love tea, so I prepared these seventeen flavors for you to choose from and brought out my best teapots. Which one of the teas is your favorite?
All of them! But, seriously, I love a Darjeeling in the morning to give me a zip of caffeine. Afternoons I’ll sip some Japanese green tea, and evenings are all about chamomile – no caffeine then, just flavor and soothing vibes.
I’ve read all the books in your Tea Shop Mystery series and a few from the Cackleberry Club Mystery series. I especially enjoy the Charleston setting and local flavor. How do you keep the tone and atmosphere different for each series?
In my previous life, I was Senior Partner and Creative Director for my own marketing firm, Mission Critical Marketing, with offices in Minneapolis and Austin, TX. At any given time I was working on fifteen to twenty different national accounts, developing marketing plans as well as a unique creative strategy for each one. So keeping three series straight is a piece of cake.
So tell us about Theodosia and how you brought her to the page.
My main character, Theodosia Browning, of my Tea Shop Mysteries, is the first character I ever created. She kind of sprang to life, fully formed, in the first chapter of Death by Darjeeling, book one in the series. For some bizarre reason it was like watching a stage play. I could see her sitting in the Indigo Tea Shop with a warm breeze blowing in and sort of fluffing her hair. Then Drayton walked into the scene, and I thought, “Ah, I know you too.” And then I just started writing.
What is your favorite aspect of your character – her strongest trait, etc.?
I love Theodosia’s sense of justice. When someone has been murdered – or even wronged – she’s kind of driven to bring the bad guy (or girl) to justice. She’s smart, tenacious, and won’t stop until she accomplishes her goal.
How does your main character’s goal conflict with your antagonist’s goal?
In my brand new mystery, Pekoe Most Poison, Theodosia is cajoled into helping the victim’s wife and running her own sort of “shadow investigation.” Of course the killer finds out about Theodosia’s involvement fairly quickly and tries to derail her while staying a few steps ahead of the law.
What strategy do you use to construct your plot, develop red herrings, distract readers?
I always start with a “what if” as my jumping-off point. In the case of Pekoe Most Poison, it was “What if someone gave a fancy ‘rat tea’ and the host was poisoned in plain sight of fifty people?” Then I wrote the first chapter (complete with screams, exploding centerpiece, and dead body) to make sure it all worked. Then I created an outline on a huge sheet of paper. I used colored pencils to code my victim, suspects, and plot points. When that seemed to gel, I transferred everything to my computer and wrote straight through, beginning to end.
If Theodosia were dropped off at the cinema, what movie would she choose? How about Drayton?
Theodosia would love contemporary movies like La La Land and Hidden Figures. Drayton would go to a classic film festival where they were showing movies like Citizen Cane, Casablanca, and The Maltese Falcon.
Tell us about the oddest item you’ve ever had on your writing desk?
Right now my desk is jammed with all sorts of crazy stuff. I have a bottle of Vampire wine (probably aged three days in a Transylvanian cave), a set of shot glasses with pictures of famous drinkers on them (Dorothy Parker, Oscar Wilde, Earnest Hemmingway), and a small sign that says “Nothing good ever comes easy.”
Oh, the scones are ready. Here, have as many as you’d like. What are your favorite treats to enjoy with your tea?
I love maraschino cherry scones with Devonshire cream, crab salad sandwiches on brioche, and chocolate truffles for dessert.
Since I’m a playwright, I always ask this question: Who is your favorite playwright and why? What aspect of that writer do you try to incorporate into your craft?
I adore Tennessee Williams and am quite partial to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. However, I don’t think I could ever incorporate his skill set into what I do. I could only wish.
What is one piece of advice or words of wisdom you’d give to other authors as they settle in for a second draft?
Interesting. I don’t do second or third drafts. I just do the one version and punch it up as I go along. However, I would have to tell these second draft writers to be extremely picky. Make sure your language is crisp and that your plot hangs together (beware any loose ends). Also, don’t listen to comments about your manuscript from friends or other writers – just be absolutely true to yourself. It’s your story, so hang tough! The only people you really have to listen to – and probably take their advice – are your agent and your editor.
Kindly give us the forty-second “elevator test” on Pekoe Most Poison.
Pekoe Most Poison is the just-released (18th) book in my New York Times bestselling Tea Shop Mysteries. In it I send tea shop maven Theodosia to a “Rat Tea” at a fancy mansion in Charleston, SC. She’s not just knocked out by the waiters wearing white gloves and rat heads, she’s stunned when the genial host chokes to death on his tea. Then, when the victim’s wife begs Theodosia for help, she struggles to narrow down the suspects from a certifiably crazy cast of characters. I’m happy to say that the plot moves at a thriller pace making Pekoe Most Poison a suspenseful guilty pleasure.
Before you leave, I just wanted to say how truly honored I am that you stopped by. I read your Little Girl Gone thriller and was so absorbed by the story. I can’t wait for your next book.
Thank you! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed Little Girl Gone. The next book in the Afton Tangler Thriller series, Shadow Girl, will be out August 1, 2017. Quite a change from my usual cozy mysteries!
I always enjoy visits from Ms. Childs. I hope she comes back soon!
A few reviews to whet your appetite!
Pekoe Most Poison,
Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs
A Laura Childs books is like getting a hug. Really. Her cozies follow the rules of the genre and offer a couple of nights of pure escape, surrounded by developed characters, clear plots, and delicious sensory details. Character and setting are strong in her cozies. In the smallest of moments, the author slides in a detail or two that show us just who we are dealing with. For example, what would you think of first when you watch your husband keel over dead? Certainly not your precious Akoya pearls tumbling and scattering across the floor. Poor Doreen. Bless her heart. Laura Childs offers many moments for us to see who these people really are underneath their fancy outfits. And how can you not chuckle at “her hair looked like a basket of curly fries.” Now that conjures up an image. And a constant throughout each book in the series is the endearing friendship and interaction between Drayton and Theodosia. (I just love Drayton.)
Ms. Childs is also skilled at setting. There are so many sweet moments of description to give you a sense of taste, smell, and tea shop ambiance. I love visiting the Indigo Tea Shop and reading about the table décor, which tea Drayton describes, or what Haley has on the menu. The author also drops the reader right in the middle of a dark alley or other intriguing location along lovely Charleston streets. You will find yourself slinking down an alley, passing white marble statuary and pattering fountains, all while a sleek black car is in pursuit. And after all the tasty menu items, mansion descriptions, cozy kitchen details, and quaint street scenes, the friendship between the staff and Theodosia is sweet, familiar, and feels like a warm smile straight from the author. This book does exactly as intended: provides the reader with a good evening or two of lovely scenes, story, and character. Then there is a bonus for you. In the back of the book are recipes, tea resources, websites and blogs to visit, and links to get you to Charleston, South Carolina. I highly recommend this series for a delicious and cozy night of hugs.
Haunted Hibiscus (A Tea Shop Mystery)
22nd in Series
Publisher: Berkley
Review
by Julie S., staff reviewer
I love these Tea Shop Mysteries. Settling in to read Haunted Hibiscus felt as if I were coming home. The Indigo Teahouse, a comfortable place filled with familiar faces, heavenly treats, and assorted teas that entice the palate lets us cozy in. By now, as Haunted Hibiscus is #22 in the series, Theodosia and company have become our family, and our family didn’t disappoint us in this delightful read.
A falling-down mansion turned into a haunted house, a dark night, and the Historical Society Halloween fundraiser, complete with characters dressed in historical garb, are described so well we are salivating for more. The few short pages introducing us to the victim made me fall in love with the character right away. The anguish I felt at her startling death was real because I wanted more of her. I loved the Sherlock Holmes themed tea and wanted to sign up for the Edgar Allen Poe Symposium. I thought this time I’d zero in on picking up clues and solving the mystery, but Miss Childs lured me away again with electric tea brewers that are Bluetooth enabled (Drayton’s reaction was priceless), pumpkin spiced tea, witch’s broom tea (Did you know white teas have the highest level of antioxidants?), and local architecture.
I finished the book with Drayton’s Hibiscus tea on my mind and wanted to attend a tea tasting at the Indigo Teahouse with its lovely themed décor and assortment of treasures in the charming shop. I loved coming home to this next in the series. Home is where you want to be when life’s conundrums are solved.
Plum Tea Crazy
I’ve followed the tea shop series from book one, and the latest installment is just what I expected and trusted from a Laura Childs book. Plum Tea Crazy can be read as a stand-alone, but why deprive yourself? Start at the beginning (see earlier reviews and titles posted below) and get to know everyone, watch them grow, and get involved in the neighborhood. I can’t decide which I love best: following Theodosia on her run with Earl Grey down the streets of Charleston, visiting the local shops and owners, salivating over the pastries and teas on the menu, or trying to solve the murder mystery that inevitably falls onto Theodosia’s tea tray.
This particular episode gives us more of Drayton. I just love him. Two (of many) favorite Drayton moments: Jaime flatters him, and Drayton accepts the praise in his most Drayton way; and his line, “What have I got to lose? Except my stellar record as a law-abiding citizen.” You’ll see what he’s up to with that comment. And be prepared for some crashing good fun with a not-so-ladylike fight scene at the Silk Road Show.
Riley points out, “Lady, you pack a lot of living into one day.” Well, Ms. Childs packs a lot of fun and coziness into her Indigo Tea Shop series. No reservations needed. Open to page one and snuggle up with good friends, fun dialogue, delicious food and aromatic teas, some haiku, and enticing settings. Enjoy your trip to Charleston
Lavender Blue Murder
While diving into this next adventure with the gang at the Indigo Tea Shop, I wondered what would be different. I expected a murder, I expected the Charleston setting, and I expected to spend time in the shop along with the locals and a new tea event. Laura Childs won’t let you down. Delaine Dish makes a welcome reappearance, Tidwell openly enjoys his flowering tea selection, and Earl Grey is as darling as ever. There are town references and dark streets to wander down, cluttered shops to visit, decorated tables to appreciate, and scrumptious menu items to drool over. And a murder to solve. Yes, our Drayton presents us with great tea information like how gunpowder tea goes with spicy Asian food, Assam teams with custard, and Formosa oolong pairs nicely with chocolate scones. And how many minutes should you brew a first-flush Darjeeling. As I neared the end of this delightful collection of locale, character, and tastiness, I realized that I didn’t expect something different in this release. I expected my Indigo friends, familiar shop chatter, local characters, comfortable teatime, and an all-around good story. Just like all the others in this series. So settle in and expect both. Enjoy the new and savor the familiar of this Lavender Blue Murder mystery.
Tea Shop Mysteries: Sweet Tea Revenge
The moment had finally arrived. My Gunpowder Green tea was brewed, blanket heated and ready, pillow fluffed, and a fresh new copy of Laura Child’s Sweet Tea Revenge beckoning from my night table. With a huge grin, I opened the book to the first pages and immediately tumbled into the story. Laura Childs has a way of making that happen.
Sweet Tea Revenge is Laura Child’s latest episode in her Tea Shop Mysteries set in Charleston, South Carolina. As thunder rolls and rain pelts the windows in our opening scene, our main character, Theodosia, is racing up the stairs of Ravencrest Inn to assist her friend, Delaine, who is getting married. The bride is dressed, flowers are strewn about, and guests await the big moment. Unfortunately, the moment is bigger than intended. Something borrowed was taken care of, but something blue was not supposed to be the groom.
Hopefully you’ve read each book from the Indigo Tea Shop series because you are reunited with friends: Haley, Draper, Delaine, and Theodosia. No I did not forget Officer Tidwell. How could I? In this latest mystery, Tidwell has become delightfully enriched with a few charming enhancements. All I will say is, do enjoy his new “appreciation” for the fine art of Tea. Utterly endearing.
The storm continues as guests are presented before us like a southern buffet: the Ravencrest Innkeepers, Simone the leggy ex of the groom, Nadine’s boyfriend, the curmudgeon real estate partner, ghostbusters Tim and Jed, and an elusive Bobby St. Cloud.
Ms. Child’s characters are deliciously filled out with dimension and memorable traits with a few new folks to meet along the way. In between murder, chaos, and panic, Laura Childs gives us a respite as we are treated to the aromas of creamy scones and tea simmered chicken.
I adore the attention to detail Childs gives us. She uses all five senses to treat us to an afternoon around the southern streets, through heady, jasmine-filled gardens, and back to the Indigo Tea Room in time to hear the snap of crisp, bright tablecloths spread onto the tables. Be prepared to smell Haley’s warm peach scones or cinnamon raisin biscuits arriving on a tray. This tale will leave you hanging by a thread with enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing to the end. Don’t peek – enjoy the ride.
Along with yummy recipes and tea ideas, something very special awaits us at the end. Her new nonfiction book, “Living a Tea Shop Life” is in the works. I’m first in line.
Tea Shop Mysteries: Steeped in Evil
Berkley Prime Crime, 2014
As Drayton so gentlemanly states, “We create a refuge of sorts . . . [a]n intermezzo from the pressures of everyday life.” And Laura Childs has written another book to do just that.
Steeped in Evil, number 15 in the series, is filled with tantalizing aromas, sweet chuckles, a few rewarding tense moments, (dare I say a ‘barrel of fun’) and an engaging ticket into the world and town of interesting people, qualities of a good tea, colorful gardens, and a slice of time where your own troubles fade, chores are not important, and the first smile of the day lingers from page one to the end of the book. Detective Tidwell thankfully returns and I did hope to enjoy his interactions more than was offered. But how nice to learn that a reader really wants a character to appear more on the pages. I have read every book in this series and reviewed most of them, and can honestly say that this latest release will not disappoint the many fans of Haley, Theodosia, Drayton and Delaine. Slip away from your day for just a little while and you, as I, will sincerely thank Ms. Childs for a lovely evening among friends.
Egg Drop Dead
I’m such a fan of the author’s Tea Shop series that I had to check out Egg Drop Dead, Number Seven in the Cackleberry Club series. Both have much to offer a cozy fan. The elements are all there for a night or two of escaping any dreadful election news or just a bad day at work. You probably can’t tell at all from my earlier reviews if I enjoy her writing (see below). Her books are clean, snuggly, and easy to read. And Ms. Childs is so very sweet and loves to interact with her fans. My good friend, Betsy Bean, still gushes about their tea interview and what a sweetheart Ms. Childs is. I think it shows in her writing.
In each series, you’re sure to have a favorite character to love. Head over to the Charleston Tea Shop and introduce yourself to the one and only Drayton. In this Cackleberry Club series, Toni has my vote. Her sense of humor is right up my alley. Toni’s lines smoothly glide across the scene and offer surprise chuckles to round out the lead character Suzanne’s logical personality. Tell me when you get to the part where Suzanne asks Toni, “How do you like your eggs?” Toni’s answer is my answer. Love Toni. I also enjoyed Suzanne’s interactions with Noah, which helped to reveal character depth and bring an extra thematic layer to the story. Oh, and I learned what cattywampus means.
Ms. Childs is quite talented in keeping each series separate in style and tone. There are lots of pretty visuals in this cozy, especially in the yarn truck, and the Knitters’ Tea Party is filled with such tantalizing aromas and flavors that you’ll probably lean close to the pages to breathe in the warm scents. You’ll also notice the auditory descriptions are just right. During the Halloween party, the clack of café noises, barn sounds, and party chatter round out the scene to really pull you in. The mystery is well crafted. The clues are nicely planted, and the resolution will bring a satisfied sigh and a smile. Yummy recipes are included in the back pages just for you. If you are new to the work of Ms. Childs, pick up any book in any series. She does a cozy proud.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks