“Delightful.” BOOKLIST“Readers will laugh at the antics of steel magnolia vigilante justice as the tea-toting, bible-quoting ladies fumble and bumble in their endeavor to protect their cohort and town . . . . the classic good rural vs. evil-urban premise makes for a fine, polite (sort of like a southern contemporary Arsenic and Old Lace) . . . tale.” – Harriet Klausner Book Reviews Coconut cake, grits, poisoned turtle stew and bird-watching . . . the ladies of tiny Tea-Olive, Georgia share a lot of interests, including murder.Retired judge L. Hyson Breed, a Yankee, picked the wrong Southern woman to trick, bully and steal from. The members of the Tea-Olive Bird Watching Society plot revenge after the judge’s marriage to their friend, Sweet, turns out to be a greedy grab for her land and for control of their town. To the rescue: Beulah, Zion and Wildwood (all named after hymns, as is Sweet). The only problem? The wannabe murderers are southern matrons from a more civilized generation. How does one remain polite even while planning to kill a man and get away with it? Augusta Trobaugh is the acclaimed author of these southern novels also from Bell Bridge Books SOPHIE AND THE RISING SUN MUSIC FROM BEYOND THE MOONRIVER JORDANRESTING IN THE BOSOM OF THE LAMBSWAN PLACEPRAISE JERUSALEM!
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Treading the familiar ground of women's friendship in the South, Trobaugh's sixth novel (after The River Jordan) exalts the bonds among Beulah, Zion, Wildwood and Sweet, four Tea-Olive, Ga., churchgoing ladies (all named after hymns) and founding members of the titular society. Trobaugh chronicles how Beulah and Zion come to plot the murder of Judge Hyson Breed, a New Yorker who retires to their quiet town, seduces Sweet into marriage and then bullies her into giving up not only her ancestral land but also her lifelong friends. He ingratiates himself with the merchants of Tea-Olive and insinuates himself into the town leadership for his own nefarious purposes. Readers who like their villains irredeemably evil and their heroines glowing "with that special shine of women who do good for the community and who love the Lord with all their hearts" may forgive the predictability of the plot and enjoy the well-meaning characters forced by dire circumstances to draw on all of their resourcefulness to protect their friends, their town and their cherished values—while remaining unfailingly polite. Less forgiving readers may be unamused by Beulah and Zion's attempts at vigilante justice against their cardboard nemesis.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The sleepy North Georgia town of Tea-Olive gets a lovely windfall when one of its recently deceased citizens leaves her estate to the town library except for a portion of woods that she bequeaths to the remaining ladies in her circle of bird-watchers. Then a newly arrived judge, a Yankee no less, comes to town and buys the estate's house. Freely spending, he weaves a charming spell on the townsfolk. His web enmeshes one of the naive bird-watching ladies, and she runs off and marries him. The newcomer gets himself onto the town's library board, and it quickly becomes evident that his interest is not benignly bibliophilic. The balance of the bird-watching ladies leap to the defense of their sister, whom it appears the judge has trapped in an abusive marriage. These aging, genteel southern belles soon find themselves plotting the ultimate vengeance. Trobaugh's prose flows easily, and the humor in her portrait of southern life is exceeded solely by her obvious affection for the delightful characters that people this tale. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Product Details
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 54 people found the following review helpful
By Annie
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
Augusta Trobough is the author of one of my all time favorite southern books, Swan Place so when I heard that she had a new book coming out I jumped at the opportunity to read it and I was not let down one bit with The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society. Although this story has a totally different feel to it than Swan Place, I loved how she wrote about living in a small southern town and the friendships that every ones strives for in their life.
When Love Devine passed away she left a large bit of money to the local library and a piece of land to her dear friends which was the location of the bird sanctuary that Beulah, Zion, Sweet, Wildwood, and Memphis cared so much about. Although the women were sad about the passing of Love Devine, they treasured the land and were proud of the after school program at the library that the money was funding.
All that changed once a crooked retired New York judge came to town with a hidden agenda to get his hands on the money left to the library and to develop the quiet southern town. He quickly charmed his way onto the library board and town council, but even worse was the fact that he married Sweet and kept her hidden away from her friends while abusing her.
When Beulah and Zion take matters into their own hands, these church going, polite southern woman, start living by the theory "you do what you need to do" and plan a way to exterminate the judge.
The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society is a great story about friendship and the lengths that people will go to when push comes to shove. The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society was a pure delight to read and I just wish I would have had more time to gulp this one down.
When Love Devine passed away she left a large bit of money to the local library and a piece of land to her dear friends which was the location of the bird sanctuary that Beulah, Zion, Sweet, Wildwood, and Memphis cared so much about. Although the women were sad about the passing of Love Devine, they treasured the land and were proud of the after school program at the library that the money was funding.
All that changed once a crooked retired New York judge came to town with a hidden agenda to get his hands on the money left to the library and to develop the quiet southern town. He quickly charmed his way onto the library board and town council, but even worse was the fact that he married Sweet and kept her hidden away from her friends while abusing her.
When Beulah and Zion take matters into their own hands, these church going, polite southern woman, start living by the theory "you do what you need to do" and plan a way to exterminate the judge.
The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society is a great story about friendship and the lengths that people will go to when push comes to shove. The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society was a pure delight to read and I just wish I would have had more time to gulp this one down.
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
THE TEA-OLIVE BIRD WATCHING SOCIETY by Augusta Trobaugh
September 26, 2006
Rating: 4 Stars
THE TEA-OLIVE BIRD WATCHING SOCIETY by Augusta Trobaugh was a charming tale about a group of women who find that one of their closest friends has gotten herself into a bad relationship, and so two of them decide to help her out. The story takes place in a small town in Georgia, Tea-Olive, and the town has a local bird watching society. One member had jusrt recently passed away, and had bequeathed to the town a large sum of money and property. The money that had gone to the Library would be a yearly fund, but in the event the Library was shut down, the money would then be diverted to the town.
It's a strange coincidence that a retired judge decides to move to their quaint little town, and befriends all who are important in Tea-Olive, including those who are prominent in either the town council or the Library. Beulah, one of the members of the bird watching group, notices his actions, and immediatey becomes suspicious. With the help of another member, Zion, the two of them plot to get rid of the esteemed judge, especially after they see signs that he's been beating their dear friend Sweet, who is now his wife.
THE TEA-OLIVE BIRD WATCHING SOCIETY is a very light hearted, yet at the same time dark comedy that has two sweet ladies conspiring to commit murder. It's a comedy that will have the reader chuckling. I enjoyed this book a lot, and would welcome a sequel.
September 26, 2006
Rating: 4 Stars
THE TEA-OLIVE BIRD WATCHING SOCIETY by Augusta Trobaugh was a charming tale about a group of women who find that one of their closest friends has gotten herself into a bad relationship, and so two of them decide to help her out. The story takes place in a small town in Georgia, Tea-Olive, and the town has a local bird watching society. One member had jusrt recently passed away, and had bequeathed to the town a large sum of money and property. The money that had gone to the Library would be a yearly fund, but in the event the Library was shut down, the money would then be diverted to the town.
It's a strange coincidence that a retired judge decides to move to their quaint little town, and befriends all who are important in Tea-Olive, including those who are prominent in either the town council or the Library. Beulah, one of the members of the bird watching group, notices his actions, and immediatey becomes suspicious. With the help of another member, Zion, the two of them plot to get rid of the esteemed judge, especially after they see signs that he's been beating their dear friend Sweet, who is now his wife.
THE TEA-OLIVE BIRD WATCHING SOCIETY is a very light hearted, yet at the same time dark comedy that has two sweet ladies conspiring to commit murder. It's a comedy that will have the reader chuckling. I enjoyed this book a lot, and would welcome a sequel.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By JJ
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ms. Trobaugh I just love your books. The south is alive & well in your wonderful novels. What absolutely delightful names your characters have in this southern tale of friendship, love & maybe murder? The Friendship between Beulah Land, Zion, Wildwood & Sweet is one to be envied by everyone. More please!!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Southern Delight
This book had the feeling of "Aresenic and Old Lace"; therefore, I loved it!
Who knew little old ladies from church were so mercenary and vengeful? Read more
Who knew little old ladies from church were so mercenary and vengeful? Read more
Published 23 days ago by Carla C. Thomas
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tea-Olive Bird watching society, not really for me
Definitly in the Southern tradition of small town story telling, some humor, but to me, the story really dragged along and I couldn't really get a strong feel for the characters. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kathy Jordan
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good book
I enjoyed reading it. Now to find her first book and read it. I live in North Carolina and can relate to the characters. I have known women like these my whole life.
Published 1 month ago by Sonya
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quite entertaining
Fast paced and entertaining from the first sentence to the last word. This is a read you won't be able to put down!
Published 1 month ago by June Benz
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kept me reading
This was my first read by this author. I enjoyed the story, characters and the ending, which allowed me to imagine my own. I will check for another title by this author.
Published 2 months ago by MeMe
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society
Slightly silly, maybe just too light for me. A nice lead in to a mystery and the support of an interest group.
Published 2 months ago by outdoor weaver
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tea-Olive Bird Watching Society
The book's setting is in Tea-Olive, Georgia - a small southern town with a strong sense of community and friendship. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Barbara C
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun read about true friendship
I enjoyed this book - it's the first I've read from this author. I love how the ladies bonded together to help their friend.
Published 2 months ago by Brenda Bates
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
What a sweet book! I highly recommend it. It's refreshing to read a book that doesn't have to rely of sex and foul language for a change
Published 2 months ago by Deborah L. Fox DDS
5.0 out of 5 stars
Steel Magnolias Meets Arsenic and Old Lace!
I really enjoyed this book. It was very enjoyable, no swearing or sexy scenes, but really held your interest. I suggested this book to my book club members.
Published 2 months ago by Nance Ortolano
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