From Susan Wittig Albert, the New York Times best-selling author of Queen Anne’s Lace, comes an intriguing new addition to her widely-acclaimed China Bayles Mysteries. China and Ruby Wilcox are presenting their annual “Not Just Plain Vanilla Workshop,” always a huge hit with customers at Thyme & Seasons Herb Shop. But someone involved with the workshop is driven by a deadly motive, and … a deadly motive, and China soon finds herself teaming up with the very pregnant Pecan Springs police chief Sheila Dawson to solve a vanilla-flavored murder.
Sheila, happy to get out from behind the chief’s desk, is investigating the death of a botany professor, a prominent researcher specializing in vanilla orchids. China is trying to help a longtime friend: the dead professor’s ex-wife and a prime suspect in his murder.
However, there’s no shortage of other suspects: a betrayed lover, a disgruntled graduate student, jealous colleagues, and a gang of orchid smugglers. But the lethal roots of this mystery reach back into the dark tropical jungles of Mexico, where the vanilla vine was first cultivated. At stake: a lucrative plant patent, an orchid that is extinct in the wild, and the life of an innocent little girl.
A Plain Vanilla Murder is a flavorful blend of mystery and herb lore, present sins and past secrets, and characters who are as real as your next-door neighbors–stirred together in an absorbing novel that only Susan Wittig Albert could create.
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Vanilla is in the air, China along with friend and business partner Ruby are offering a workshop on the spice and all it has to offer. Meanwhile a professor of botany at the local college is found dead of an apparent suicide. The University’s head campus officer seems to think there is something weird about the mans death so she brings in local law enforcement to decide. When the medical examiner rules the death a homicide not a suicide the hunt for a murderer begins. The dead man happens to be the ex of one of China’s good friends so she feels she must do what she can to help her. China soon learns that the man had more enemies than friends and reasons for wanting him dead span from stealing others research to dating someone half his age. With so many avenues to pursue finding a killer seems impossible. Chief of Police Sheila Dawson is also on the case several pounds heavier and very pregnant. She has been hoping for a case that will take her away from her desk and keep her in the game. Follow along as these two women follow their own avenues of investigation in the hunt for a killer. This is a great series that has truly stood the test of time. I enjoyed getting to know Sheila better and how the author made her a bigger part of the book. China has grown so much as a character throughout the years and I enjoy seeing where she is headed with each new read. I get excited over the wonderful facts that the author includes about whatever spice or herb that the book is about and the recipes are a lovely addition. I look forward to the next book and can’t wait to see where the author takes China to next.
A Plain Vanilla Murder is the first book I have read by this author. Even though this book is twenty something in the China Bayles series, I found the story easy to follow and the characters easy to keep up with. The book doesn’t really deep dive into China’s Thyme & Seasons Herb Shop and her expertise in herbs and spices come into play just a little with the vanilla trade. So vanilla is an orchid and a very expensive one and people die just to obtain it. A local professor is murdered in his greenhouse where he has countless expensive orchids and is working on a vanilla hybrid that will survive a vanilla killing fungus. The list of suspects grows pretty large as the scum professor seems to have wronged everyone from his ex-wife to his reseach partner to his fellow professors and even his current lover. A very pregnant chief of police, Sheila Dawson, leads the investigation and crosses paths with China in this fast paced and oddly informative mystery. The whodunit was not totally unexpected but enjoyable never the less. The book was an interesting page turning that makes me want to revisit each of the China Bayles mysteries to see what I have missed. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy form Netgalley.
“A Plain Vanilla Murder” the 25th installment in the long running mystery series featuring amateur sleuth China Bayles.” by Susan Wittig Albert. I enjoyed visiting Pecan Springs again .
I have been a fan of China Bayles Mysteries for over a decade. But must admit I haven’t read any in a few years. I do love the way Susan Wittig Albert weaves a story with history and natural history so that you end up learning something as well as escaping for a few hours.
I was thrown off by the fact that the story didn’t focus much on China’s family, Ruby, per previous books but tended to really focus on the very pregnant Police Chief Shelia and how she manages to jump into the thick of things, despite her late stages of pregnancy. With that said it still was a good story.
There are twists and turns and red herrings throughout the story and it moves at a steady pace. I had a hard time putting it down.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Persevero Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
I thoroughly enjoyed my recent visit to China Bayles’ Thyme & Seasons Herb Shop in Pecan Springs, Texas. I was just in time to attend China and Ruby’s deliciously informative workshop about the ever-popular flavor, vanilla. Did you know that vanilla pods are the only edible fruits produced by a member of the orchid family? Orchids! Who knew? If you’re familiar with the China Bayles mysteries, you won’t be surprised that a suspicious death occurred during my visit. The body of a philandering college professor was discovered in a campus greenhouse filled with…you guessed it…orchids. China and her good friend, Pecan Springs Police Chief Sheila Dawson, were pivotal in the investigation of the death which at first appeared to be a suicide. Would China and Sheila unravel the intricate murder plot fueled by desire, greed, revenge, and exotic orchids? Could China and Sheila identify the elusive killer before more innocent people were harmed? Just as the investigation approached its exciting conclusion, Mr. Spock, a chatty, flamboyantly colored parrot burst into the story. His lively Star Trek-studded vocabulary added a touch of humor to the dramatic finale. Be sure to put Pecan Springs on your reading itinerary. Don’t miss any of the thrilling action in this intriguing addition to the acclaimed China Bayles mystery series. It’s delectably flavored by “not so plain” vanilla.
This book was well researched as most of her books are. I found the Vanilla culture very interesting, and never realized that vanilla comes from a special orchid. Always fun to read, and a quirky unexpected ending with a women who did the deed. That was a twist to the regular themes, and is one of the reasons I like the way Susan writes.
Always informative in these wonderful mysteries. Great characters and storylines.
Sheila, a very pregnant police-chief, is called into a probably suicide at the local university. The case centers around orchids. China has been running a vanilla class through her emporium. Who knew that vanilla was produced from orchids? There’s a fair amount of information regarding the growing of vanilla which I found interesting. The main story of who killed the professor is interesting. It’s been awhile since I’ve read one of these books. I definitely recommend this one.
A Plain Vanilla Murder is the twenty-seventh book in The China Bayles Mystery series.
I’ve read all the books in this series and am always happy when a new book appears on the shelves. I can always count of Ms. Albert providing me with a well-written, plotted, and told story. Then there are the interesting characters that we have seen develop along the way. I’ve grown to love China, Ruby Wilcox, Sheila Dawson and particularly the adorable adopted niece, Caitie and the staff that keeps China’s herb shop running. Another thing that I particularly enjoy is how each book is named after a spice, herb or plant and then it will become an integral part of the story and there are chapter headings that provide additional information and uses of that particular item.
This book centers around the death of Carl Fairlee, a botany professor at Central Texas State University, who was found dead in his greenhouse atop the botany building. It is first thought that it was suicide but when Security Chief Denise Maxwell has her doubts and calls Sheila Dawson, Pecan Springs Police Chief and asks for a second opinion. Once Dawson and her lead detective, Dylan Miller, they have their doubts and take over the investigation. They soon discover that it is in fact murder and find many possible suspects. Naturally his ex-wife, Maggie Walker immediately becomes a prime suspect due to a messy divorce. As more information becomes available they learn that Fairlee might have been dealing in illegally imported orchids. Also, the graduate student that works with Fairlee loses his girlfriend to Fairlee and they were going to patent a hybrid orchid, which Fairlee registered in just his name. Maggie is able to drop to the bottom of the suspect when her daughter is kidnapped from her bed one night. China hopes she can find the daughter before the killer has a chance to strike again.
I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this exciting and informative series.
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed the book and I’m kinda sad that I found out about other 26 books previous to this one. It feels like I was really living under a rock lately.
After reading it in one sitting, I will never take for granted my vanilla flavours meals or orchids.
Apart from learning a lot about where and how we can get the real vanilla flavour, the book is a very fast paced read, with strong heroines and an interesting story. We all know how some people get addicted to something and are able to cross the laws to get that thing they worshipped so much.
I remember watching a Midsummer Murders episode about black market of orchids and this book is really worth of on episode/movie.
I’ll definitely check more books in the series because I found it addictive.
Arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher for a honest review
#APlainVanillaMurder #NetGalley
I love this series for all I learn about herbs and their uses in an enjoyable, often funny, way as the characters are flawed yet good women and there’s always a cozy mystery to solve.
China and Ruby are offering a workshop about all things vanilla.. Vanilla bean, extract, paste, etc. Meanwhile, a college professor who is developing a new vanilla plant has died from what appears to be a suicide, but something seems off. When the chief of police is asked to come to the college to give her upon the investigation begins and the suicide turns out to be a murder. There is nothing plain about how vanilla is connected to everyone involved.
This is the 27th book in the series but my first. I had no problem understanding the storyline, so definitely can be enjoyed as a stand-alone mystery. I enjoyed learning about vanilla plants and spice. The characters are well developed and realistic. The storyline was well-plotted and moved along at a nice pace. The mystery has several twists and turns. Even though there were not a lot of suspects I did not figure out whodunit until the big reveal. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans and I plan on reading more of this series in the future.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.