Bleeding Hearts

China Bayles is working on her busy little herb store when a friends asks her to use her sleuthing skills and investigate some allegations against the high school's new football coach. Meanwhile, her mother hands her a bombshell in the form of some old letters belonging to her dad. China's personal life is about to get more complicated.

I wasn't exactly surprised by the twists in this one, but I like the characters and the setting well enough to enjoy it despite it being a little too predictable. Hints of more complications to come in the next book. This isn't a series that I feel driven to search for, but when I come across one of the books, I do enjoy them. I liked this one well enough to add the next one to my list at the library show more though. 3.5 stars show less

Another venture into cozy Pecan Springs. This time China investigates allegations of improper sexual actions with underage girls by the new super star high school football coach. The characters are engrossing and the story entertaining, and China learns more about her family past when her Mother gives her some letters to read.

After an anonymous tip from a mysterious caller, the principal of Pecan Springs High School asks China to investigate the background of the new football coach. In an area where high school Friday night football is held in the highest esteem and a winning coach is a bigger celebrity than the governor, China has to tread softly as the allegations of sexual misconduct start bearing fruit. And it doesn't help matters any for her personally when a long forgotten man from her distant past reappears with news that shakes the very foundation of her life.

I read this book slightly out of order (booksfree skipped sending me one), so a new character almost threw me for a loop, but I'm glad if I had to miss a book in the series, that this one wasn't show more it. The backstory in any series is just as important if not moreso, IMO, as the quality of the mystery itself, and I really do enjoy these characters. This book throws some changes at China, but I have a hunch it will only serve to make this series richer. show less

#14 in the China Bayles ‘herbal’ mystery series set in the hill country of Texas in fictional Pecan Springs. This book takes on the issue of the importance of high school football in Texas, where coaches and players are gods and reign supreme and anyone standing in their way are bugs to be squashed. When an official at the local school receives an anonymous tip that the current Pecan Springs coach has a ‘thing’ for teenage girls, she asks China to investigate on the sly and see if she can come up with any concrete evidence before the Golden Boy is accused openly—which could get very messy. China begins looking into things, and also discovers some disturbing information about her own past via some letters discovered when her show more father’s secretary passes on. An enjoyable visit to Pecan Springs with China, Ruby, McQuaid and the gang. show less

Synopsis: It's coming up on Valentine's Day which means that China and Ruby are getting ready for special parties. Brian brings Jake to his house and China overhears Jake crying; Brian tries to comfort her, then asks China if he should or should not intervene in Jake's problem. There are undercurrents in the community that a person held in high regard isn't as well adjusted as he seems.
Review: This story deals with girls and young women being victimized by older men. This topic was handled in a sensitive yet realistic manner.

Susan Wittig Albert is a prolific author of the China Bayles Mystery Series. The title of each book in the series is the name of a plant or herb. As a gardener myself, I was intrigued by this concept and knew I just had to pick up the first book in the series. I've enjoyed every aspect of the series ever since, from the plucky protagonist, China, a former attorney who now operates an herb shop and adjoining cafe, to her sidekick, Ruby, owner of an adjacent new-agent shop in quaint Pecan Springs, Texas.

In this volume, the newly hired football coach elicits suspicions. As usual, China is called in to investigate his past, and in the process finds some disturbing information. If you enjoy light reading and occasional herbal lore, I think show more you'll enjoy this series. show less

I enjoyed the book, almost too many subplots but she tied them all up in the last couple of chapters...