Review: The Silver Needle

The Silver Needle
A Tea Shop Mystery, Bk 9
Laura Childs

Published: 2008

Berkley Prime Crime, mass market, 260 p.
ISBN: 978-0-425-22676-6

Theodosia Browning and the staff of the Indigo Tea Shop are feeling the heat, and not just because it's August.  The Charleston Film Festival has brought them a busy week of catering jobs - and first up is the opening night gala at the historic Belvedere Theatre.  But the festival starts off with a bang when famous director Jordan Cole is shot on his way to the podium and the entire audience witnesses his death silhouetted across the scrim.

When two of the judges quit, festival organizer Timothy Neville asks Theodosia to stand in.  He also wants her to help him deflect suspicion from his granddaughter, who worked with Cole.  Reluctantly, Theodosia agrees - only to get pulled into an ivestigation as perilous as any big-screen thriller...

As I can't seem to read these book in the order they were written I hope I'm not giving away too many spoilers.  Once again Theo finds herself dragged into the middle of a murder investigation that really has nothing much to do with her - but her soft heart has her delving into matters best left to the professionals - often against her own better judgement!  Emotional blackmail seems to be the running theme when it comes to roping Theo into the business of murder - and everyone around her seems to know it.

Visions in Silver blurb out!

amazing cover!  can't wait to get my hands on it ;-D

Just found the blurb for the upcoming book in The Others series by Anne Bishop.  This is a fabulous series - full of shape-shifters, seers and elementals - and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.  Visions in Silver, due out 03 March 2015, is the third book in what will hopefully be a series {and not a trilogy!} that follows the struggle of Meg Corbyn, a blood prophet - who has escaped her captors and is trying to make her way in the world - and her often turbulent relationship with Simon Wolfguard.  Althought this series seems to have been slotted into the Young Adult genre, it is a fabulous series no matter what your age.  If you love the Anne Bishop's Black Jewel series, then you'll love The Others too.  So to whet your appetite, here is the blurb...

Phryne Fisher's Back!

I'm so happy that the ABC has finally announced that a 3rd season of Miss Fisher's Murder Mystery will go ahead.  Filming is scheduled to begin in Melbourne in mid-October.  Can't wait to see what happens with Phryne and Jack ;-D

 

Short burst of insanity

Am I crazy or what?!  I just bought 2 Amy Butler patterns from Fishpond.  The much blogged about Weekender Bag, and the Birdie Sling Tote.  They were just so gorgeous.  Enticing me, whispering  "...make me, make meeee!"  So I caved and bought them both.  ;-D

 

A beautiful sunset

Just thought I'd post this photo I took from my kitchen window last night.  Before moving out here, I was always taking photos of the sunsets from the back landing of our family home.  But after moving, it just doesn't enter my mind as I don't have any reason to be out there at this time of night.  However last night I noticed a beautiful colour washing onto the kitchen wall as I was getting ready to make dinner, and was lucky enough to catch the last of the sunset with my camera.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did ;-D

  

PS - this was the actual colours in the night sky.  I haven't edited or altered the colours in any way!

 

More new books

Hi again!  With all the cold weather blues, I forgot to add the new books my postie was so kind to deliver to my door last Friday afternoon to one of my posts.  I've been waiting on tenderhooks for the last book in the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, Book of Life, to come out - just one more sleep left! - but before I buy it I wanted to re-read A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night.  That's all fine and good, but my copy of Shadow of Night is the huge trade paperback, and it's just way too bulky to put into my handbag when I go out.  Then when I was online at Book Depository I came across the US cover for the mass market size.  I loved the cover design so I bought it. 

Reading list is in

Just wanted to quickly post the list of books chosen for my book club's July reading list.  It was a tough choice, but we decided on three new books by authors none of us had read - which was a miracle in itself! - so we'll all be on even footing this time.

Can't wait to get The Woodcutter.  I love to read the way people adapt fairytales, and this sounds so interesting.  Demon Hunting in Dixie was on my list until it got cut (I had too many), so I'm glad it popped up.  Finally What's a Witch to Do? - this is another book that I've looked at periodically - but never bought.  I think this should be a good cross-section of reading.  It's been absolutely freezing here the last couple of days - and nights! - that having a couple of books to read while nesting on the couch in a blanket is a good excuse to stay inside.