Helpful Score: 5
Pretty good mystery! Now that I've read the 1st and 2nd in the China Bayles series, I'll work my way through the rest of them. I think this is a series that is best read all together. The characters and setting aren't (yet) strong enough to be remembered over a long lapse between books. In contrast, Kay Scarpetta, V. I. Warshawsky, Kinsey Millhone, Mary Crow, Deborah Knott, and Benni Harper feel like distant relatives that I'll never forget and will always be glad to hear from/about. I think this series has the potential to create that kind of attachment; that's why I'll continue to read them.
Helpful Score: 4
China Bayles, former rat-race lawyer, escapes to small-town Texas to operate an herb shop and enjoy the simple life. Murder interrupts her simple life, however, when a good friend and local protest organizer dies suddenly. Revelatory letters, a crazy-eyed dollmaker, a nationally known TV personality, her ex-cop lover, and a shifty developer complicate matters as China begins her amateurish investigation. Like her pursuit of the murderer, this provides pleasant escape from routine. The first of a series.
If any of you liked the Nancy Drew series when you were kids, you'll love these. Same author too! Susan Albert wrote the Nancy Drew series under her pseudonym Carolyn Keene. She wrote the Hardy boys series under the pseudonym Franklin Dixon. (Amazing what you can learn on Amazon!)
If any of you liked the Nancy Drew series when you were kids, you'll love these. Same author too! Susan Albert wrote the Nancy Drew series under her pseudonym Carolyn Keene. She wrote the Hardy boys series under the pseudonym Franklin Dixon. (Amazing what you can learn on Amazon!)
Helpful Score: 3
Did not really care for this book.
Helpful Score: 2
This was a fun cozy mystery book. I read it because it was listed as the first one in Susan Wittig Albert's series China Bayles. I would like to read all these eventually. I enjoyed this book. I love to grow herbs and China does this and sells them in her shop. She is an ex-lawyer and when her good friend is found dead and it was ruled as suicide. China finds clues that make her believe it isn't suicide.
Enjoyed the book although there are a few references to things in China's life that aren't really explained almost as if it is a later one in a series so I'm left with questions. Maybe they are answered in later books instead of earlier ones. I will have to see.
Enjoyed the book although there are a few references to things in China's life that aren't really explained almost as if it is a later one in a series so I'm left with questions. Maybe they are answered in later books instead of earlier ones. I will have to see.
Helpful Score: 1
Once again a GREAT book. I have the whole series. The only reason I am passing this on is because it is a duplicate.
Helpful Score: 1
I'm hooked now! I really enjoyed this first book in the China Bayles Mystery series and plan to read them all! The information on herbs in the book was really interesting. A lite, enjoyable read.
Helpful Score: 1
First book in the China Bayles Mystery series. Set in a small town in TX. China's friend Jo dies of an apparent suicide, if you like light mysteries, this is the one.
Helpful Score: 1
I liked it.=)
Helpful Score: 1
I could not get into this book. Other people have told me that it is really a good series. I guess it is just not for me.
Helpful Score: 1
A fun read, especially if you're familiar with the Texas Hill Country and the Austin area.
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoy all of these books about China Bayles. Haven't been disapointed yet. And I keep hoping she'll come out with one right after finishing the last, but I guess she can't write as fast and I read. Love these books.
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoyed the book but was surprised when the main character used the F word several times. I didn't expect that in a cozy mystery book. So be forewarned if that would bother you.
Melissa P. (melissaenglish72) reviewed Thyme of Death (China Bayles, Bk 1) on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
First in the series. A good cozy mystery.
A great lite mystery read and the first in the China Bayles Herbal Mystery Series. If you like Stephanie Plum and Kinsey Milhone, you'll like China Bayles
This is an incredible series. They are all wonderful!
It's interesting reading the first one after a few of the later ones. You can see the author's learning process unfold.
It's interesting reading the first one after a few of the later ones. You can see the author's learning process unfold.
This is book #1 in the series. Love the entire series! :-D
This is the first book is the author's series of China Bayles mysteries, set in small town Texas. China is a shop owner of an herb store, small town, close knit community; She's a former lawyer and her bright mind is a key ingredient in the author's plot presentation of "who did it" how, why, when, etc. This is Enjoyable reading, a page turner but not scary; writing is strong and clear, descriptive. Several major women characters, ... China, Ruby, Meredith, Jo, Roz, Violett
Important to read the Series in sequence, 1 thru 23....yes !!
Important to read the Series in sequence, 1 thru 23....yes !!
First book in a great series.
love it! first in a series--this is a reissue
The characters are real, could be your next door neighbor. Takes place in a small town of Pecan Springs, Texas. Suspenseful story of love and crime. China Bayles is a very down to earth kind of protaganist..I will read more of this series for the fun and readability.
China Bayles is a wonderful character - smart and real
Interesting twisty story line. Can't wait to read the next one
Part of China Bayles series--entertaining.
Wonderful story by an author I had never heard of before. Now I have to go find everything she's written!
Cozy mystery featuring an ex-lawyer who now runs an herb shop in a small Texas town. The death of a friend is ruled suicide, but the dead woman's daughter is sure it's murder.
The first China Bayles' mystery in which the ex-power lawyer turned herbalist searches for her friend's killer.
This is a wonderful series for a great mystery without all the gore. Wonderful believable characters that you feel like you know and want to know more of. 5 stars is my rating!
very good, exlawyer, small town, friends, mystery, murder, has it all.
Amateur sleuth China Bayles is a former lawyer who now runs an herb shop and keeps getting involved in solving local murders. In this story, China's friend Jo dies of an apparent suicide. But China is not convinced...
This was my first book in this series and I really liked it. I will definitely be reading more about China and her herbs!
A Susan Wittig Albert novel featuring ex-lawyer and herb shop proprietor China Bayles have won acclaim for their rich characterization and witty, suspenseful stories of crime and passion in small-town Texas. Now when China's friend Jo dies of an apparent suicide, China looks behind the quaint facade of Pecan Springs and takes a suspicious look at everyone. And though she finds lots of friendly faces, China is sure that one of them hides the heart of a killer.
First one of her books I have read, but I will read more of them. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one I read.
First one of her books I have read, but I will read more of them. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one I read.
I LOVE this series. I have read them out of order, but have enjoyed each one I have read. I can't wait to finish them all. A quick read but very enjoyable.
Donna C. (darkcoffeeclouds) -
This is a cozy mystery with several F bombs. I just couldn't get into the story. I finally finished it but I'm not sure if I´ll read any more in the series or not.
Jo has cancer and the prognosis isn't good but she is strong and has enlisting her friend Ruby to help her. Ruby owns a new age store in the same building as China Bayles' herb store. China used to be a high powered lawyer but decided she didn't like the way her life was going. She decided to put her money into an herb shop and live a quite life in the small town of Pecan Springs, Texas. They were all ready to celebrate Jo's birthday when she was found dead of an apparent suicide. They were sure she didn't kill herself though and were determined to figure out who killed her. Things get even more interesting when a famous friend from Jo's past shows up and asks if she can stay in China's guest cottage while she´s in town. More crazy things happen and China has her hands full trying to figure out what is going on.
Jo has cancer and the prognosis isn't good but she is strong and has enlisting her friend Ruby to help her. Ruby owns a new age store in the same building as China Bayles' herb store. China used to be a high powered lawyer but decided she didn't like the way her life was going. She decided to put her money into an herb shop and live a quite life in the small town of Pecan Springs, Texas. They were all ready to celebrate Jo's birthday when she was found dead of an apparent suicide. They were sure she didn't kill herself though and were determined to figure out who killed her. Things get even more interesting when a famous friend from Jo's past shows up and asks if she can stay in China's guest cottage while she´s in town. More crazy things happen and China has her hands full trying to figure out what is going on.
China Bayles Mystery #1, Very well written with likable characters and a decent plot. The writing flows well, & there's real emotion and depth to the characters. Well done!
Larraine F. (phillyartlovesbooks) reviewed Thyme of Death (China Bayles, Bk 1) on + 59 more book reviews
This is the first in the China series. I really enjoyed seeing the character at the beginning vs. how she has evolved. Please note: this copy came from our local public library. We bought it at a library sale.
DIFFERENT COVER
this book is a little torn on the botton edge!!
