Review and Giveaway: Death Come Quickly

Death Come Quickly (China Bayles - Book 22) by Susan Wittig Albert {Paperback}

Publication Date: 04/07/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425255328
ISBN-13: 978-0425255322

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, itunes

Susan Wittig Albert on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Books in the series: 


China Bayles

  1. Thyme of Death
  2. Witches' Bane
  3. Hangman's Root
  4. Rosemary Remembered
  5. Rueful Death
  6. Love Lies Bleeding 
  7. Chile Beath
  8. Lavender Lies
  9. Mistletoe Man
10. Bloodroot
11. Indigo Dying
12. A Dilly of a Death
13. Dead Man's Bones
14. Bleeding Hearts
15. Spanish Dagger
16. Nightshade
17. Wormwood
18. Holly Blues
19. Mourning Gloria
20. Cat's Claw
21. Widow's Tears
22. Death Come Quickly

Coverart:

Excerpt from, Death Come Quickly, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

Herbalist and ex-lawyer China Bayles is back in New York Times bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert's Death Come Quickly. This time a friend’s murder may be the key to solving a nearly fifteen-year-old cold case… 

When China and Ruby’s friend Karen Prior is mugged in a mall parking lot and dies a few days later, China begins to suspect that her friend’s death was not a random assault. Karen was a filmmaker supervising a student documentary about the almost fifteen-year-old murder of a woman named Christine Morris and the acquittal of the man accused of the crime. Is it possible that the same person who killed Christine Morris targeted Karen?

Delving into the cold case, China learns the motive for the first murder may be related to a valuable collection of Mexican art. Enlisting the help of her San Antonio lawyer friend Justine Wyzinski—aka the Whiz—China is determined to track down the murderer. But is she painting herself into a corner from which there’s no escape?

Thoughts:

Susan Wittig Albert continues the China Bayles series with her 22nd book, Death Come Quickly. Readers who enjoy an intelligent heroine will find China both smart and intuitive. Her background as a lawyer always makes things interesting and she has a sarcastic wit that enlivens every one of the China Bayles books. Albert has a knack for writing amazing characters and China has a sidekick or two that will have readers laughing and scratching their heads at times. Death Come Quickly is a paperback release and a great addition to the series.

China is back. Susan Wittig Albert gives readers a lot to cheer about with this heroine. Not only is she smart but she's also determined. I like that in a heroine. I want a take charge kind of person to lead a good cozy and China is certainly that. Albert gives her a great voice, she is sarcastic but not annoyingly so and I was really excited to see if China would rise to the challenge once again in Albert's latest book. She most certainly does!

This one had a whole lot going on. There is one murder that takes place in the present and one that takes place in the past. The cold case murder of a former art collector brought readers into a world where art and forgery went hand in hand. I loved the mystery aspects of this once since they centered around Mexican art. China uses her vast knowledge of herbs as well as her research skills from her lawyering days. A great combination of China's skills as an investigator. 

One of my favorite parts of this series is all of herb lore that Susan Wittig Albert imparts to her readers through China's interest in the the subject. I can't wait for each book to come out to see which herbs or plants are going to be featured. There is always something new and different to explore and learn about. This is one of those series' that always has a practical use beyond the book. Love that part of the series. 

Bottom Line:

Pecan Springs hasn't changed much and long time readers of the series will love catching up with their old favorites while being introduced to new and engaging characters as well. China Bayles is a tough cookie and a great cozy heroine, smart about tons of things including deductive reasoning in murder cases and herbs and plants that fit into the story in several different ways. Death Come Quickly is one in a long line of great books by a great author. And the recipes aren't bad either! Great book...

Death Come Quickly is available NOW in paperback from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Susan Wittig Albert grew up on a farm in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley. A former professor of English and a university administrator and vice president, she is the author of the China Bayles Mysteries, the Darling Dahlias Mysteries, and the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. Some of her recent titles include Widow’s Tears, Cat’s Claw,The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose, and The Tale of Castle Cottage. She and her husband, Bill, coauthor a series of Victorian-Edwardian mysteries under the name Robin Paige, which includes such titles as Death at Glamis Castle and Death at Whitechapel.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Death Come Quickly by Susan Wittig Albert.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, April 22nd.

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