Art fraud and murder. ( )

Art fraud and murder. ( )

Death Comes Quickly is the twenty-second book in the China Bayles Mysteries series.

Another enjoyable visit with China Bayles and Ruby Wilcox at Thyme and Seasons Herb Shop and Crystal Cove.

Ruby and China learn from Felicity Prior that her mother Karen Prior, a member of the faculty in the radio-television department CTSU is is the hospital after having been attacked in the parking lot of nearby mall. Karen is a faculty advisor to two graduate students, Kitt and Gretchen, who are working on project for school which is a documentary on the murder of Christine Morris. Felicity believes that her mother might have been meeting someone about the film the students are working on The Morris murder has been declared a cold case by police. Soon Prior succumbs to her injuries. Then Kitt get a phone call warning her about working on the filme and soon Gretchen goes missing. She is soon found in a jantorial closet with minor injuries from an assault. The video camera that has been used for the documentary has been stolen along with flash drive that also has parts of their work to date on it.

China's step-son, Jake, is dating Gretchen's sister, so this tragic event has hit close to home and feels compelled to start looking into who might want this cold case to remain cold.

This was another exciting visit with China and her friends. Also included are interesting chapter heading dealing with deadly plants and herbs. Delicious recipes are included in the book.

Never get tired of visiting with China and her friends. Looking forward to reading the next in the series. ( )

DEATH COME QUICKLY was sent to me by the publisher to review and is the first book I’ve read in the China Bayles series. I’ll admit that when I purchase books, unless it’s a series I already know, the cover is what draws me in. Don’t get me wrong, the covers in this series are beautiful, they’re just not the cozy covers I’m used to, so I never gave them a chance. Well, I’m happy the chance was given to me.

I enjoyed the way Ms. Albert started each chapter with “Herbs of Good and Ill Omen”. It was extremely interesting to learn about the beliefs associated with all the different plants me mentioned.

I really liked the character China. She’s a wonderful protagonist. I felt a connection with her right away. All the characters in the story are incredibly well written and so multidimensional.

The story itself is extremely compelling. Very detailed and intriguing. It had much more happening than the back cover description alone would lead you to believe. And it as a pleasant surprise to find recipes at the end of the book.

I now know what so many other readers before me already knew. . . . Susan Wittig Albert is a great author and she now has a new fan of the China Bayles series in me. ( )

China solves a cold case involving art forgery. This is a totally reliable, and enjoyable series. As China is an herbalist the books are filled with interesting herbal facts. ( )