Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery [Hardcover]

Susan Wittig Albert (Author)

Book Description

Series: China Bayles Mysteries | Publication Date: October 15, 1999

From the national bestselling author of Chile Death--an all-new mystery featuring the herbal wedding of the year!

Nominated for both Agatha and Anthony Awards, Susan Wittig Albert's bestselling series has taken root with mystery fans who delight in the exploits of lawyer-turned-herbalist China Bayles. Now, as China prepares for her upcoming nuptials, the only cold feet threatening the wedding are those of a corpse...

A bushel of praise for the China Bayles herbal mysteries:

"Warm, witty...an appealing series that just keeps getting better."--Booklist

"Albert's characters are as real and as quirky as your next-door neighbor."--Raleigh News & Observer

"A treat for gardeners who like to relax with an absorbing mystery."--North American Gardener

"One of the best-written and well-plotted mysteries I've read in a long time."--Los Angeles Times

* Prime Crime's fastest-growing series--titles include Chile Death, Love Lies Bleeding, Rueful Death, Rosemary Remembered, Thyme of Death, Witch's Bane, and Hangman's Root
* Chock full of herbal lore, customs, and facts (lavender is a traditional wedding herb)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

China Bayles is a week away from marrying her beloved fianc?, the interim police chief of Pecan Springs. However, the murder of Edgar Coleman puts a damper on her plans, so China decides to help her husband-to-be solve the crime. Edgar, who was known for his shady deals and philandering ways, had many enemies, so China and her friend Ruby decide to investigate, and what they turn up adds more suspects to the list and more possibilities that China will miss her honeymoon. Can Ruby and China solve the murder? Will China still get married? Lavender Lies is a simple but fun story with little gore and lots of plot twists that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Albert does a fine job reading her own work, a tape that should find a home in most mystery collections.
-Danna Bell-Russel, Library of Congress
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Just before herbalist China Bayles' and police chief Mike McQuaid's wedding in Pecan Springs, Texas, the town is rocked by the murder of a greedy developer. China and McQuaid bring their unique skills to the task of finding the murderer before the case preempts their wedding. Albert's eighth China Bayles mystery starts slow but rallies with a tantalizing plot, a surprise ending, and some great dialogue. Along the way, she delivers witty reflections on flowers and herbs, Texas Rangers, beauty parlors and "big hair," and the special attractions of the Texas hill country. The book's eccentric characters and small-town charm will appeal to fans of Earlene Fowler's Benni Harper series and Joan Hess' Maggody novels. John Rowen

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 306 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; 1st edition (October 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425170322
• ISBN-13: 978-0425170328
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My husband Bill and I live on 31 acres in the Hill Country of Central Texas, and have longhorn cows, sheep, geese, as well as the wild things that roam the meadows and woods. Our best buddies are our three dogs (Zach, Lady, and Toro) and our cat, Shadow. I'm a passionate gardener and am concerned about issues of global warming and energy depletion. You can find out more about the way I live in my new memoir, Together, Alone: A Memoir of Marriage and Place.

I've been writing professionally for nearly 25 years, after a stint in higher education as a faculty member and administrator. When I first started writing full time, I worked in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series--yep, you got it: I am both Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon! (How cool is that?) In the years I was writing young adult novels, with Bill or by myself, I wrote over sixty books. In addition, Bill and I wrote a series of Victorian/Edwardian mysteries together, as Robin Paige.

Now, I write three mystery series: the China Bayles herbal mysteries, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, and a new series (starting in July, 2010) called The Darling Dahlias, about a Southern garden club in the 1930s. Writing is not only my work, but my passion. Truly a right livelihood, and I'm grateful to have found it. I am also a member (and the founder) of the Story Circle Network, a nonprofit organization that supports women who want to write about their lives.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They finally do it, October 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery (Hardcover)

Six days remain to the marriage of Pecan Springs herbalist China Bayles and the interim police chief Mike McQuaid. The tearoom being built by China and her friend will host the reception. Time is already tight for China when someone murders loathsome Edgar Coleman. Mike heads the investigation.

Though both are fully occupied, China plans to go ahead with the wedding even though Mike has no time to pick up the license. Instead China and her friends decide to move the case forward with their own brand of sleuthing. They quickly learn that the victim was attempting to bribe members of the city council to vote for his position on a crucial issue. They also find out that Edgar was involved with three extra- marital affairs. When Edgar's wife is killed, China turns hyperactive to solve the case before she walks down the aisle.

Amateur sleuth fans who enjoy the China Bayles mystery series, will take immense pleasure from the newest entry, LAVENDER LIES. The continuity of characters from previous tales make for an intimacy between China and Mike, and their fans while allowing new readers to gain a feel for the characters. The race between solving the murder mystery and the marriage ceremony makes this plot seem even more endearing. The numerous suspects have motives, means, and opportunities to commit the act, making it more difficult for expert problem solvers to determine the identity of the killer. Susan Wittig Albert proves her talent by providing an entertaining novel that adds to the aura of a wonderful series.

Harriet Klausner

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Her Best -- And a Wedding Too, October 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery (Hardcover)

I've read all the books in this series and I have to say this is a huge improvement over the last two (Chile Death and Love Lies Bleeding). This book was nicely weaved together and the plot didn't seem forced. You could truely understand why someone would want to kill the guy who got killed. Although this book takes place just a few days before the wedding, it focuses more on the murder and it's investigation than on the wedding and relationships amoung the townspeople. Great JOB!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HER BEST YET!!, November 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lavender Lies: A China Bayles Mystery (Paperback)

I've read all of the books in this series (except Mistletoe Man) and they have all been GREAT, but this one is the best yet! It was a fast, entertaining read. I looked forward each day to the time I could spend reading it. Her characters are unique and lively with a setting that makes you want to pack up and move there. I throughly enjoyed it!!!