Books for National Tea Month: A Heady Brew of Tea & Murder Most Gentle

January is National Hot Tea Month and nestled amongst a month of heady aromas, rich flavors, hints of milk and sugar (or not), lurks National Hot Tea day January 12. There is also National Tea day (UK) on April 20 and International Tea day on December 15.

With such a multitude of days commemorating it, it should come as no surprise that Tea is the 2nd most consumed beverage on earth after water.  Further the United States is the third largest importer of tea trailing only Russia and Pakistan.

Whether you enjoy your tea as black or green, pu’er, white, oolong, herbal infused, caffeine or no, or even as a cocktail, why not infuse your experience with some tea themed tomes.

If you enjoy mysteries steeped in murder and tea, you might enjoy these cozy mysteries set in tea rooms and tea shops.

Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs

The Indigo Tea Shop is usually an oasis of calm in the bustling historic district in Charlestown South Carolina, that is until a scurrilous real estate developer dies during a catered tour of historic homes and owner Theodosia Browning must sort through a bevy of possible suspects to prevent her reputation form going down the drain.

Childs manages to combine a quick moving plot with the rich scenery of the historic district.

Tempest in a Teapot by Amanda Cooper

Tucked away in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York is the charming town of Gracious Grove, where time moves slowly, gossip spreads quickly, and the scones are to die for…

When her fashionable Manhattan restaurant goes under, Sophie Taylor retreats to her grandmother’s cozy shop, Auntie Rose’s Victorian Teahouse, where serenity is steeped to perfection in one of her many antique teapots. The last thing Sophie expects is a bustling calendar of teahouse events, like her old friend Cissy Peterson’s upcoming bridal shower.

Not everyone is pleased with the bride-to-be’s choice of venue— like Cissy’s grandmother, who owns a competing establishment, La Belle Epoque, and has held a long-simmering grudge against Rose for stealing her beau sixty years ago. Tensions reach a boiling point when Cissy’s fiancé’s mother dies while sampling scones at La Belle Epoque. Now, to help her friend, Sophie will have to bag a killer before more of the guest list becomes a hit list…

Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes by Karen Rose Smith

In an old Victorian in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson and her aunt Iris serve soups, scones, and soothing teas to tourists and locals—but a murder in their garden has them in hot water . . .

 Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling protective—so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, she worried . . . especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy’s Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey’s grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn’t want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart—but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey’s murder.

 Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene—and Daisy hopes that Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her aunt’s name and bag the real killer before things boil over . . .

The Diva Serves High Tea by Krista Davis

When The Parlour opens up in town, domestic diva Sophie Winston finally has a place to satisfy her cravings for all things tea and crumpet related. And the shop serves as the perfect place for the ladies of the town to gather and gossip, especially since it’s conveniently located right across the street from the new antique store run by the handsome and charming Robert Johnson.

 But speculation around Robert really boils over when he’s found dead—a victim of poisoning after attending a literacy fundraiser at The Parlour the night before. What Sophie learns about the man leaves a bitter taste in her mouth, and she’ll have to strain out a killer from a strange brew of suspects...

Death in a Budapest Butterfly by Julia Buckley

Hana Keller and her family run Maggie's Tea House, an establishment heavily influenced by the family's Hungarian heritage and specializing in a European-style traditional tea service. But one of the shop's largest draws is Hana's eccentric grandmother, Juliana, renowned for her ability to read the future in the leaves at the bottom of customers' cups. Lately, however, her readings have become alarmingly ominous and seemingly related to old Hungarian legends...

When a guest is poisoned at a tea event, Juliana’s dire predictions appear to have come true. Things are brought to a boil when Hana’s beloved Anna Weatherley butterfly teacup becomes the center of the murder investigation as it carried the poisoned tea. The cup is claimed as evidence by a handsome police detective, and the pretty Tea House is suddenly endangered.  Hana and her family must catch the killer to save their business and bring the beautiful Budapest Butterfly back home where it belongs.

For a list of these titles and more mysteries, see the booklist below. 

Teas currently enjoyed in my domicile include:

• Glenngettie - A strong full-flavored Welsh Tea.  I have yet to find a stronger tea. (bags)
• Builders - A full bodied English tea originally made for construction workers(bags)
• Campbell’s Perfect Tea - an Irish tea of African origin whose recipe dates from 1790 (loose)
• Yorkshire (Red) - Yorkshire’s flagship blend Strong and sturdy (loose)
• Yorkhire Gold - a blend of Indian, Kenyan and Rwandan teas in production since 1886 richer than the red. (loose)
•  Kharaz Tea - an aromatic Egyptian tea imported from Saudi Arabia ( loose)
• Christmas Tea - a seasonal blend of black tea, spices and a hint of orange. Perfect for cold winter’s nights. Pair it with holiday treats (bags)