SWEET TEA REVENGE

Being a bridesmaid has its dangers.

Theodosia Browning, the one and only bridesmaid for Delaine Dish’s wedding, watches her friend’s special day get off to a less-than-auspicious start. The beautiful city of Charleston cowers under a nasty squall, and the bride is more than a mite testy. The groom, wealthy lawyer Dougan Granville, is the man of Delaine’s dreams, but the wedding isn’t living up to her high expectations. The venue is a run-down inn, the bride’s sister is late, and Dougan wants to cut the honeymoon short. When Theodosia goes in search of the tardy bridegroom and finds him dead; the overwrought Delaine begs her to find his killer. Luckily, Theodosia and the helpers at her Indigo Tea shop, perfectionist tea-blender Drayton and pastry chef Haley, are no strangers to murder (Scones & Bones, 2011, etc.). Dougan’s law partner is cagey about his assets, a former girlfriend keeps popping up, the ATF is investigating the Granville cigar store, looking for smuggled Cubans, and a team of ghost hunters wants Theodosia to help them communicate with the recently departed. Theodosia, pressed by Delaine into catering the garden tour at Dougan’s magnificent home, has her hands full. But her bump of curiosity refuses to give up on the ever more complicated mystery.

Enough suspects to hold your interest, although the best features are the local Charleston lore and the appended recipes.