Nightshade: China Bayles #16 (China Bayles Mystery) (Hardcover)

by Susan Wittig Albert (Author) "Nightshade is one of the many plants that belong to the Solanaceae..." (more)
Key Phrases: spa party, Laura Danforth, Ted Stone, Pecan Springs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Former attorney China Bayles, now the proprietor of a small herb shop in Pecan Springs, Tex., finally gets some answers to her questions about the death of her cold, distant father, who perished in a fiery car accident 16 years earlier, in the satisfying conclusion to a trilogy that began with Bleeding Hearts and Spanish Dagger, the preceding two books within Albert's long-running cozy series. When China's half-brother, Miles, hires China's husband, Mike McQuaid, a former homicide officer struggling to establish himself as a PI, to investigate the fatal crash, China isn't sure this is a good idea. Her reservations prove well founded after the secretive Miles turns out to have his own agenda. Fans will be pleased that by supplementing China's usual first-person narration with McQuaid's third-person perspective, Albert casts fresh light on his character and his relationship with China. Snippets of plant lore, mostly to do with the nightshade family, add spice. (Apr.)
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Review
“Engrossing.”
—NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE

“Satisfying…Snippets of plant lore...add spice.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Some of the best-plotted mysteries on the market.”
—HOUSTON CHRONICLE

“Details of herbs and herbal remedies continue to flavor the always-intriguing plots.”
—BOOKLIST --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425219569
• ISBN-13: 978-0425219560
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #350,111 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Best!, April 2, 2008

By	Sandy Rhoad "Insatiable reader" (Branchville, SC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you haven't read the China Bayles books - please start, but NOT here. This is the culmination of the mystery surrounding China's family and it is the best of all of her stories. The characters are fleshy, the story line is full of mystery - just enough of Ruby and plenty of food. Your mouth will water with the succulent dishes AND the murder mystery. Ms. Albert is a superb writer. I look forward to each book and try to take my time - but in a day or two the read is over and I am waiting again for the next book. Buy the first book and don't stop until Nightshade. This is an excellent series of books written by a skilled author.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Susan Albert does it again,, April 19, 2008

By	Virginia B. Turkelson "Jinni T" (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nightshade is the 16th China Bayles mystery and the first in which we hear her husband, McQuaid's,POV. Although the tense changes, I did not find it all that distracting and it was great to know what he thinks and feels about China.This book is the third in the trilogy that began with Bleeding Hearts with the discovery of China's half brother and his interest in their father's death. I liked that Ms Albert took this long to develop the story so that we had a feeling for China's aversion to it but an understanding of why she ultimately gets involved.
The China Bayles mysteries are exceedingly well written and, in my opinion, the best of the genre with the amount of research that is involved and the inclusion of Ms Albert's knowledge of herbs and their uses. And the recipes that are included make your mouth water! Who could ask for more? I highly recommend reading all 16 books, preferably in order, because of the character growth and the new characters that appear now and then.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Are You Waiting For?, April 20, 2008

By	S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

If you have not read the China Bayles series, I suggest that you get started, and quickly. This is by far the best of the 16 or so books in this wonderful series. It also the last of the trilogy of books about China Bayles' family secrets, and her father in particular. For that reason, I wouldn't suggest starting here. These books progress and the characters develop in each book, so the only way to truly enjoy this series is to start with the first one "Thyme of Death" and read on from there. I envy you your journey into the fascinating world of China and her friends! I really don't want to say too much about the story in this book because it would give too much away, but once you have gotten to "Bleeding Hearts", which is the first of the three books in the mini-trilogy about China's family's past, you will want to read "Spanish Dagger" and this book very quickly in order to get to the heart of the whole story. This book has lots of wonderful herb lore too, and some fascinating recipes at the end. I cannot wait for another China Bayles' book, and hate that it will be at least another year for me to touch base with China and her friends.