Mourning Gloria

I love the China Bayles Mysteries, with their delightful explanations of various plants, herb, seeds, etc. This newest one continues to live up to expectations. In Mourning Gloria, China, a retired attorney who now runs a natural herbal garden and tea shop, whilst mothering an orphaned niece, is a prime witness to a gruesome arson/murder when she stops to phone in a fire she discovers on her way home one night. After hearing cries for help, she is unable to rescue the young woman inside the burning trailer as it explodes before her eyes. When the coroner determines that the victim was shot and left for dead before the fire was deliberately set, China cannot abandon her feeling of guilt, and when an eager young reporter from the town show more newspaper sets out to investigate "the rest of the story" and then disappears, China cannot let go.

Husband McQuaid, a retired cop private investigator is out of town for this one, and Sheriff Blackie, usually so cooperative is at first too immersed in his own coming nuptials to pay much attention. As usual, China continues to pick at the bone, following a string of clues that inevitably lead to a good resolution in the nick of time.

A great audio, and a well plotted mystery with a definite sense of place. The small Texas town is well portrayed, and the characters bring to life that sense of comraderie so endearing to these kinds of locations. This is another series you can start anywhere, but again, is more fun if read from the beginning. show less

I love Pecan Springs and China and her friends and family so much that I have to keep telling myself that this is fiction. These characters are so real, and Pecan Springs seems like an actual town. I absolutely love this series to pieces! I look forward to each new book with bated breath. I like the links to food, drink and gardening as well. Each book teaches me things in these three areas. In this book China is trying to find a young reporter who has disappeared while searching out a story about a body in house trailer fire. China happens upon the fire scene right after the fire is started and actually hears a young woman crying for help. The fire is so hot that China can't get to the girl. China also is trying to find out what show more happened to the young woman. Darn it anyway. Now I have to wait for another year to read another China Bayles story. show less

I already am not fond of China (the sleuth), and making her a mother of a young girl seems to have brought out a sappiness in her that was better hidden before. This book needed more careful editing, with far too much extraneous detail and backstory so that the actual story felt sluggish. Every time the momentum seemed to be thinking about building, the focus would shift away from the story again. And, since most of the characters actually involved in the murder were not active in the first half of the book, they seem like tricks the author popped into the story to make it work, rather than actual characters within the world of the story. I was not impressed with this book, though at least the author manages to bring up psychoactive show more plants without siding either pro- or anti-pot, a tricky stance to achieve in any genre. show less

"An excellent entry in an excellent series! China delves into the darker side of herbs. McQuaid and Bryan are off stage for this story, a smart choice with so many developed characters at this point and a busy and above-average plot. I love the time I spend in Pecan Springs though these books and miss it while I'm waiting for the next book to come out."

Spring is in the air (or at least the calendar says so) and it’s the perfect time to pickup the latest installment in the China Bayles Mystery series, MOURNING GLORIA.

Herbalist China Bayles has her hands full between operating her herb shop, participating in the weekly Farmers’ Market, planning a psychoactive plant seminar for the local garden club, and of course, caring for her ever-growing family. This doesn’t even include the slew of usual activities going on in Pecan Springs. The last thing China needs is to get involved in something else.

On her way home one evening, China passes a burning house trailer. Remembering the trailer is vacant, China stops anyway and calls 911. She then hears a woman cry for help. As China tries to show more get inside the burning trailer there’s an explosion. When the fire is finally out, firemen find a body that has been shot and bound before being burned.

Learning the fire was an arson/homicide China can’t get the cries for help out of her head. Meanwhile, Jessica Nelson, a new intern reporter for the local newspaper begins covering the case. The story becomes personal to Jessica who lost her entire family to a fire and now she’s determined to find out why this killer did what he did.

When Jessica disappears after leaving a frantic message on China’s answering machine, China is compelled to find her. She fears Jessica has gotten too close to the killer for her own good.

Author Susan Wittig Albert weaves an assortment of plausible suspects into the story keeping the reader on their toes for clues as China closes in on the killer. In addition, China’s personal life is integrated in such a way readers can feel they’re in her shoes (so to speak).

MOURNING GLORIA is the 19th installment in the China Bayles Mystery series, but is a stand alone book. The author gives just enough background details so a new reader doesn’t feel lost and a returning fan doesn’t think, ‘I know all this already, get on with the story.’ The returning fans renew old friendships with lovable characters and places, while new readers get to know them.

Most of the chapters begin with a bit of information about various herbs and plants. In addition, readers are treated to a number of delicious recipes and herbal mixtures in the back of the book.

As China searches for Jessica, the killer’s reasons for his actions becomes clearer and more deadly. This is a suspenseful, fast pace mystery that will be hard to put down until you know why Jessica is MOURNING GLORIA. show less

I am an avid gardener and I love this series. I have every book and sometimes get behind but remember the love of reading when I get into one of SWA's books! Plus the fact she obviously hates cilantro is another check on her side for me. I can just imagine just finding her as an author not read and getting the chance to read the whole series from the start over again. Well written and so descriptive and some books with recipes at the end to boot. Enjoy!

The 19th installment of the China Bayles mystery series, opens with China getting ready for the new farmer's market across the street from her herb shop Thyme and Seasons in the fictional town of Pecan Springs, Texas.

No, that's not quite accurate. The book opens with a prologue, detailing the day of a young woman named Gloria (not one of Pecan Springs regular cast of characters) preparing to go away for the weekend in order to avoid Someone so that she can talk to the police.

It's not until much later in the story that we learn who Gloria is. Before then, China comes upon a mobile home fire as she's driving to her house late one night. She calls 911, but hears a voice calling for help. She's unable to reach the person in time, and ends show more up with a slight case of smoke inhalation and no eyebrows. Firefighters manage to keep the fire from spreading, but are unable to save the trapped person.

What China doesn't realize at the time, is that the trailer fire will lead her to a huge web of intrigue and illegal activities.

Most of the narrative is first-person, from China's point of view. She charmingly describes Pecan Springs as though it were a real place, extolling its highlights and inviting readers to come and visit. But the best thing (at least to this lover of the botanical) is the way she describes herbs and other plants and explains their uses.

*FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me a copy of the book for review purposes. show less