BKMT READING GUIDES
Oolong Dead: A Tea Shop Mystery (Tea Shop Mysteries)
by Laura Childs
Hardcover : 336 pages
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0 members have read this book
Introduction
Oolong Dead by Laura Childs is the 10th installment in the bestselling Tea Shop Mystery series featuring Charleston tea shop owner Theodosia Browning. Asked to host a lavish tea and Verdi-themed Masked Ball, Theodosia has much on her mind - especially after she discovers the dead body of her arch nemesis, Abby Davis, who happens to be the sister of her old flame. As Charleston's opera house is transformed into a sumptuous Venetian carnivale, Theodosia's murder investigation takes her from a grand formal tea to a haunted South Carolina mansion to the backstage maze of a dark theatre where a maestro of murder awaits his next cue. This fast-paced book with its nail-biting ending veers between cozy and thriller (thrillzy?) and includes a host of mouth-watering teatime recipes.
Excerpt
Chapter 1Overhead branches slapped at Theodosia's cheeks, a crisp breeze nipped and pecked tendrils of auburn hair from beneath her black velvet riding cap. Sitting astride Captain Harley, a dun-colored jumping horse, Theodosia Browning couldn't have cared less as she charged her mount toward the fifth jump in the annual Charleston Point-to-Point race. ...
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Discussion Questions
Do you think the title of the book offers a clue to its content?What is the starting point of the book - the one action that gets the story rolling?
Do you think Detective Tidwell is Theodosia's adversary - or her friend?
Are there any characters that you identify with? Any characters you particularly like or dislike - and why?
Which character do you think offer the most comedic interest?
Laura Childs' Oolong Dead is a classic “cozy,” written in the spirit of Agatha Christie. Why do you think many women prefer this kinder, gentler type of mystery?
Why do you suppose many women want to be entrepreneurs like Theodosia? And why do many women prefer to own smaller, more manageable businesses?
Do you think the city of Charleston plays out as a “character” in this book?
Do you think the author has succeeded in creating a “sense of place?”
What is the over-riding theme of the book? Justice, faith, friendship? Has the author used any repeating images or symbolism?
Novels are much like three-act plays. There is an opening act, a middle
act, and a concluding act. Where do you think these “break points”
occur?
If you were going to blend a tea, what would it be?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
If you haven't met Theodosia Browning yet, star of Oolong Dead and the rest of the Tea Shop Mysteries, you're in for a treat. She isn't your basic cozy heroine - Theodosia's smart, savvy, a heck of an entrepreneur, and is “mom” to a service dog named Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on “coincidences” or inept police work to solve crimes. She gets right into Charleston society, rubs elbows with the right people, and digs for information. Does she get in trouble for this? Oh my, yes. In Oolong Dead our poor Theodosia is dumped from her horse, chased on a Sea-Doo, locked in a haunted plantation house, and stalked through the back maze of an opera house. Not your traditional cozy - in fact, more of a thrillzy, but without the sex or tough language. (All Tea Shop Mysteries are g-rated, for girls to grandmas). And Theodosia knows her tea. She even includes tea tips and recipes in the book. You'll love her chocolate sour cream scones and flip over her chocolate chess pie! And her strawberry cream cheese tea sandwiches? Well, you've just got to read the book!Book Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members.
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