"I'm afraid you guys aren't taking this very seriously," I said, going back to the subject. I looked across the table at Mcquaid and Blackie. "We're talking about two women and their elderly aunt being harassed by a man who told them he intends to run them off their land. You don't want Terry to ventilate Swenson's backside with a load of double-O buckshot, do you?"

Mistletoe man by Albert_ Susan Wittig
Love the beginning about the history of many mistletoe species and what they are used for.
Thyme and Season is China Bayles's shop. Laurel is her Native American assistant.
Thyme for Tea is her drink shop that she runs with Ruby.
She is married to McQuade ( a TX ranger) and Brian is his son that she loves being a mother to.
He's on leave from his professor job, recovering from his injuries.
Mistletoe delivery didn't show up and it's hand picked locally.
Love hearing of the melodies and themes in the shop, different everyday.
Love trip to the farm and learning more about mistletoe and other flowers growing nearby that are put into wreaths.
Like also the start of each chapter as it focuses on things and are cool to learn about.
Lots of mystery surrounding a death and a disappearance. Facts are collected and China pieces it all together....
Lots of characters but a good read. Surprises along the way, twists and turns, unpredictable.
Enjoyed this book, first one I've read from this series. Liked indepth history and research on the word mistletoe.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )

Synopsis: It's Christmas in Pecan Springs and China has agreed to put her home in the Christmas open house and now doesn't know why she made such a rash statement. The tea room is doing great, but they need a cook and surprisingly one appears, unsolicited. China also need lots more wreaths and mistletoe; however the man supplying the mistletoe is harassing the women with the wreaths. They are also having issues taking care of their aunt who seems to have dementia. Mistletoe man is murdered and China must untangle all the deceptions surrounding these off-beat characters.
Review: While the mystery is interesting, the story also explores care for the elderly and the stress involved with a cancer diagnosis. ( )

This was a really good cozy mystery except for the stuff that happens to Ruby. I read to escape reality not to be hit over the head with it. Why she have to go there?! Oh well, I would still read this book again. ( )

The Christmas season finds herbalist/detective China Bayles trying hard to keep up with the busiest retail season of the year. It is nearly impossible to keep the shop supplied with mistletoe. China's chief supplier has always been a pair of sisters who operate an herbal farm in rural Texas. A strange and prickly new supplier shows up on China's radar, and he seems to be the answer to her supply problems, at least until he turns up dead. The mistletoe sisters are acting awfully suspicious, and China's best friend and partner Ruby is acting entirely out of sorts too. China ends up doing what she likes best- solving a mystery and selling herbs.

I absolutely love the discussion of herbs and the herbal industry that permeates these books. I also liked the festive, holiday atmosphere of this particular book. What I've never been able to come around to in this series is the relationship between China and McQuaid. It's not that I don't like McQuaid's character, it's more that I get bored with books about commitment-phobia, and that's a huge part of China and McQuaid's relationship. Still, I enjoyed this book. It's a good book for a lazy weekend afternoon. ( )