Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert

New author to me. I was trying my best to find her first book in the China Bayles series. I think Thyme of Death was it. She doesn't have recipes in this book so it leads me to believe that it probably is her first attempt at writing and then eventually added recipes to her books later on. Yeah, another one of my culinary mysteries. Love 'em! Anyway, taking it from a first book standpoint... Thyme of Death was a bit stilted but not bad if it was a first book. While I wasn't crazy about it, I would read it again. I am a sucker for culinary mysteries. I wish that she included recipes in this book. There were a couple of foods I wouldn't have minded recipes for like the clam dip or the pepper cornbread. heehee

China Bayles is a former lawyer who has retired from the Type A lifestyle and moved down to easy going small town Texas to be an herb shop owner - of all things! One of her dear friends, Jo who has cancer, is found dead of an apparent suicide. All the signs, clues, evidence and whatnot are there. China's best friend, Ruby, does not believe it and sets out to find the truth. There is Roz, the famous children star and creator of StrawBerry Bear, who we find out had a secret lesbian relationship with Roz. But Roz is after letters she had written to Jo, supposedly for sentimental reasons. There is Roz's manager, Jane, who is after her to renew her contract There's Violette, who happens to have the sold-out-everywhere StrawBerry Bear in her possession, acting very strangely around Roz. There is Jo's daughter with whom she's never had a close relationship. There's the newspaper owner who is spearheading the campaign for the new airport that Jo is protesting against and possibly has something up her sleeve to end the project. Then Roz is killed. Initially looks like a bleeding ulcer but China thinks otherwise. And then Violette is killed. Another apparent suicide with a perfectly typewritten murder-suicide note admitting to the murder of Roz and all. Again, China thinks otherwise since Violette never learned to type.

The whole story is a bit convoluted and a little bit difficult to follow. I'm still not too sure I get the ending and how it was all resolved. But it definitely wasn't boring. It is figured out that Jo is killed by Roz who had been trying to get the letters. In order to keep their relationship secret due to her upcoming marriage to Senator who has his sights on the White House. That would be some scandal. Jane is the one who kills Roz and then Violette by poisoning them with ant poison. That's where it's a bit convoluted. I couldn't quite figure out the why.

And in the end, Jane is arrested for the murder of Violette, and Violette only. Because supposedly that's a sure thing and it would be too difficult to prove the murder of Roz. And the love letters between Jo and Roz are burned b/c there is no point pursuing the murder of Jo since Roz is dead anyway. I just don't get it.....