Which Laura Childs Cozy Mystery Should You Read First?

Death by Darjeeling, the first book in the Tea Shop Mysteries, introduces readers to the indomitable Theodosia Browning, lover of a good brew and owner of Charleston's famous Indigo Tea Shop. She's thrilled to be catering the annual historic homes garden party, serving up her best tea to happy guests. That is until one of those guests is found dead with a teacup in his hands, and it's up to Theo to find his killer and save her reputation.

Murder rocks Charleston's high society in this cozy mystery featuring tea shop owner Theodosia Browning. Theo is eagerly anticipating the unveiling of her newest tea blend, Gunpowder Green, at the annual yacht race. But before admiring customers can sample her latest masterpiece, the antique gun that signals the end of the race turns into a murder weapon. One of Charleston's elite is dead, and Theo is determined to figure out who killed him.

Theo is throughly enjoying finally being invited to a party that she doesn't have to cater herself, the engagement party of one of Charleston society's hottest young couples. But then the groom meets with a sudden accident, and the bride's antique wedding ring—a family heirloom—goes missing. Theo is sure something foul is at work, but when the authorities ignore her warnings, she takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of the mystery. 

The fourth installment of the Tea shop Mysteries sees tea-shop owner Theodosia Browning taking a break from work to help with the conservation efforts of Charleston's Sea Turtle Protection League. Alongside other volunteers, she helps hundreds of baby loggerheads find their way safely back to the sea. But when she spots a dead body floating in the waves, she's once again forced to put on her detective hat.

The Jasmine Moon Murder finds Theo up to her neck in hot water. It begins ordinarily enough: she's catering Charleston's "Ghost Crawl", a benefit that takes place in the beautiful Jasmine cemetery. But when the event's organizer drops dead, Theo finds herself in the eerily familiar position of trying to get to the bottom of the murder—and encountering a whole lot of trouble in the process.

Tea shop owner Theo is in her element at Charleston's annual Spoleto festival, a multi-day of celebration of music, art, and dancing. She's serving up tea and cakes at the Poet's Tea when an auction house owner suddenly falls from the balcony. As usual, Theo's investigation into her death leads her into some murky waters, this time involving art forgery and fraud.

In Blood Orange Brewing, a big opportunity turns into a nightmare. Theo is catering an elegant benefit concert thrown by a Charleston socialite, but just as she's about to unveil her lavish spread of tea and pastries, a retired CEO collapses with a shard of metal in his neck. His widow begs Theo for help solving the case, and she soon realizes that her investigation puts her very life in danger.

Spring is in the air and Theo is serving up her newest tea concoction at Charleston's annual Ramble, where the city's elite open up their gardens to the public. It's all going beautifully until a friend of Theo's suffers a heart attack. But his wife is sure he was poisoned and Theo agrees to investigate.

Eggs in Purgatory introduces readers to the crime-solving trio of Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three middle aged women who decide to open a cafe/bookshop after losing their husbands. But when a well-known lawyer dies while eating  one of their famous egg dishes, they're forced to turn from running the coziest cafe in town to investigating a murder. The first book in the Cackleberry Mysteries series, this novel features lots of banter, cozy recipes...and murder.

Keepsake Crimes is the first book in the Scrapbooking Mysteries, set in New Orleans, and starring Carmela Bertrand, owner of a successful scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter. When Carmela finds a tip about a murder in one of her customer's keepsakes, she sets off on a dangerous journey through the darker side of the city, determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.