A Plain Vanilla Murder

China Bayles #27

by Susan Wittig Albert

China and Ruby Wilcox are presenting their annual ''Not Just Plain Vanilla Workshop,'' always a huge hit with customers at Thyme & Seasons Herb Shop. But someone involved with the workshop is driven by a deadly motive, and China soon finds herself teaming up with the very pregnant Pecan Springs police chief Sheila Dawson to solve a vanilla-flavored murder.

Sheila, happy to get out from behind the chief's desk, is investigating the death of a botany professor, a prominent researcher specializing in vanilla orchids. China is trying to help a longtime friend: the dead professor's ex-wife and a prime suspect in his murder.

However, there's no shortage of other suspects: a betrayed lover, a disgruntled graduate student, jealous colleagues, and a gang of orchid smugglers. But the lethal roots of this mystery reach back into the dark tropical jungles of Mexico, where the vanilla vine was first cultivated. At stake: a lucrative plant patent, an orchid that is extinct in the wild, and the life of an innocent little girl.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Gardening, Mystery Thriller, Crime

Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2019

About the author

Susan is the author/co-author of biographical/historical fiction, mysteries, and nonfiction. Now in her 80s and continuing to write, she says that retirement is not (yet) an option. She publishes under her own imprint. Here are her latest books.

A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.

Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring Ruby Wilcox): noBODY, SomeBODY Else, and Out of BODY; and The Enterprise Trilogy (featuring Jessica Nelson): DEADLINES, FAULTLINES, and FIRELINES.

THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTIA PUZZLE #8 in the Darling Dahlias series, set in the early 1930s in fictional Darling AL

THE GENERAL'S WOMEN. Kay, Mamie, and Ike--the wartime romance that won a war but could have derailed a presidency.

LOVING ELEANOR: A novel about the intimate 30-year friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, based on their letters

A WILDER ROSE: the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother from a farm wife and occasional writer to a literary icon

THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE, #8 in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter

DEATH ON THE LIZARD, the 12th and last (2006) of the Robin Paige series, by Susan and Bill Albert

TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE

AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS

WORK OF HER OWN: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

WRITING FROM LIFE: TELLING YOUR SOUL'S STORY

Reviews

[Dana-Adriana B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love spices, especially vanilla, this is the right book to learn its history. It was a lovely mystery book. Thank you Netgalley for this adventure.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that vanilla was such a sought after spice? Enough to murder over?

Well, if you want to know everything about vanilla, this is the book to read.

And, some amazing recipes, as well.

I have read a few China Bayles mysteries, and it is a storyline that doesn’t necessarily have to be read in order to get a sense of the reoccurring characters.

This particular story was about the supposed suicide of a university professor. There are many suspects, and subplots…and well, a cozy is a cozy. It’s an easy read.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I believe this is the end of the road with me and China Bayles. This was, in my opinion, poorly written and way too many "soapbox" orations. The pregnancy of police chief Sheila was made out to be a huge part of the story for some strange reason, and if I read one more time about her needing to urgently find a bathroom to pee I'd scream "enough already". I did enjoy the brief information on vanilla but not enough to rate this higher.

[Ell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few pages immediately reeled me in. It is wonderfully written and the scenes come alive. Soon the story became laser-focused on the vanilla plant. The unwavering focus on vanilla for the first 10 percent of the book made it drag a bit for me. I found myself skipping ahead. However, the mystery’s ending made it all worthwhile.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The China Bayles series is an old friend, I started reading with the first book in 1992 and watch each year for the next installment. Each book has brought me additional knowledge on a herb and a good read as I follow China and Ruby throughout their lives. They have been good friends that I would not, want to miss.
This brought my attention to the herb Vanilla. I did not realize that vanilla came from a plant even when I was buying it on our trips to Mexico each year. The vanilla is all gone now.
It is time for China and Ruby's annual highly popular vanilla workshop. And China shows the pictures she took on a college trip to see the vanilla beans harvested. Meanwhile, Police Chief Sheila who is pregnant is called to the college campus in a possible murder being passed as suicide. China breaks her vow of not using her lawyer personality to side a close friend who is in trouble and aids Sheila. There are plenty of suspects and Sheila is able to find an answer. There are some minor subplots so we know what other friends are doing. Ruby's daughter, Amy and her partner want another baby. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
Recipes are included.

Disclosure: Thanks to Persevero for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Sue E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing...

I have read all of this series books and have loved them up until now. I'm not sure what's going on with the authors writing style, but much of this book was spent on describing things in way too much detail , especially things that we didn't need that much detail on. I'm not sure if there just wasn't enough of the mystery to plot out or what, but this book was rather tedious to get through. When she sticks to just writing about the main story's plot it's good, but unfortunately there's not enough of that. It just wasn't as enjoyable as earlier books. I tried reading her new her series with Ruby and did not like the way that series is written either, so I guess whatever is going on just isn't my cup of tea. Sad , because I really enjoyed the China bales series prior to this.

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheila, Pecan Springs very pregnant police chief, is called into a case involving the death of a professor at a local university. Is it really suicide? Did his extracurricular activities have something to do with his death? He was doing research on rare vanilla orchids, and China is doing a vanilla workshop at her herb shop, so she becomes involved in the case. This series is one of my favorites--the protagonist, China, owns an herb shop, and the author not only does research on the plant in the title, but also includes recipes. I loved the talking parrot who quotes Star Trek, and hope he comes back in subsequent books.

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

After 27 books in the series, Albert maintains a consistency of excellence in book over book. China Bayles, an ex-Houston lawyer, moved to Pecan Springs, Texas, to buy an herb shop. Over the years, she and her partner, Ruby, have added a tea shop, a gourmet meal service and even a B&B. All the while educating us on the interesting points of a plant and, of corse, solving a murder. The theme of this book is vanilla and orchid propagation and smuggling. A professor, specializing in orchids, was found dead in campus and while it seemed like suicide, he was murderered. And there is no shortage of suspects who may have done the deed. As always, the characters in Pecan Springs are well drawn and engaging. From the pregnant police chief to the bitter ex-wife, all are sympathetic and human. Another winner in th is series!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one even though I guessed whodunnit early on. Lots of fun information on vanilla - I certainly never knew it came from an orchid! There was a lot going on in this book that really kept it moving.

Google the demon orchid, it looks exactly as described by the author. She does a lot of research for all her novels, which makes reading them a learning experience, most of the time!!

Susan Albert always looks mean and crabby in her author photo, but I just watched a YouTube interview and she was very personable and articulate. So I hope she’ll accept my apologies for judging her so wrongly.

Off to Book #28 Hemlock - I sure hope Sheila finally has that baby, I’m tired of following her to the bathroom.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanilla is in the air, China along with friend and business partner Ruby are offering a workshop on the spice and all it has to offer. Meanwhile a professor of botany at the local college is found dead of an apparent suicide. The University's head campus officer seems to think there is something weird about the mans death so she brings in local law enforcement to decide. When the medical examiner rules the death a homicide not a suicide the hunt for a murderer begins. The dead man happens to be the ex of one of China's good friends so she feels she must do what she can to help her. China soon learns that the man had more enemies than friends and reasons for wanting him dead span from stealing others research to dating someone half his age. With so many avenues to pursue finding a killer seems impossible. Chief of Police Sheila Dawson is also on the case several pounds heavier and very pregnant. She has been hoping for a case that will take her away from her desk and keep her in the game. Follow along as these two women follow their own avenues of investigation in the hunt for a killer. This is a great series that has truly stood the test of time. I enjoyed getting to know Sheila better and how the author made her a bigger part of the book. China has grown so much as a character throughout the years and I enjoy seeing where she is headed with each new read. I get excited over the wonderful facts that the author includes about whatever spice or herb that the book is about and the recipes are a lovely addition. I look forward to the next book and can't wait to see where the author takes China to next.

[Maureen Caupp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid mystery in the China Bayles series. I enjoyed the mystery. I did guess the identity of the killer a little earlier than usual, but wondered if it was too obvious and a red herring. My favorite thing about this series and Susan Wittig Albert's other series is how she incorporates plant facts and lore. In this book I loved learning about Vanilla and how it grows. If you enjoy both mysteries and gardening and/or plants I highly recommend this series

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

China Bayles does it again. She manages to teach me something new about the plant world, share her family and solve crimes. I do so enjoy these books.

[Bronwyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up
I read this book for a work book club, and I wanted to like it more than I actually did. I thought the subplots were very strange and certain details just kept being brought up when they added nothing to the story. The ending was okay, but felt super rushed. The orchid/vanilla info was super fun though, so I really liked that!

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked everything involving vanilla in thi story. There was history and recipes and botany. There was also some information on other orchids, which was equally interesting. The mystery was okay, but I didn't like the way it ended. I also didn't enjoy the subplots.

[lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough. I'm starting to wish that Susan Wittig Albert would focus on putting out two or three China Bayles books a year since the storylines are starting to drag. Sheila has been pregnant for years now, and she still shows no signs of actually having the baby. Also, there are so many plots that are mentioned vaguely, then never brought up again that I'm beginning to lose track of them. The thrown-out-there-timely-plot for this book was Amy and Kate's new pregnancy. Why was it even mentioned since it offered nothing to the story?

Still, I always love China Bayles (which is why I would be happy if more of her books came out) and I can't believe all the stuff I learn in almost every book. This one is all about vanilla (which is an orchid, which I NEVER KNEW!!!!) and all the stuff you can do with it, as well as information about plant smuggling. Interesting stuff. Also, this book gets bonus points from me because it DOES NOT FEATURE A GHOST!

This book may not be that interesting to people who haven't read the rest of the series, but it's not bad for fans.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read all the books in the China Bayles series, so I am definitely a fan. Sadly this one was not a favorite. The mystery was interesting and the killer not immediately evident which was what I expect from Albert. However, the constant references to the very pregnant police chief needing to find a bathroom became redundant, and detracted from the development of the character in previous novels. She was given the name Smart Cookie for a reason. It seemed an insult to women who choose both a family and career. The book also suffers from poor/lack of editing/proofreading. When there is an error on the first page of the prologue, it does not bode well.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all of the China Bayles books. This one has more information on vanilla, which comes from an orchid, than you'll ever need to know, possibly. There's also a lot of information about orchids and orchid smuggling. We get to see all our favorite characters, especially Ruby and her daughter's significant other, and Smart Cookie, better known as Police Chief Dawson. It all starts with a school trip to visit the places in Mexico which are important to the vanilla trade. When the vanilla pirates show up, there's an accident which costs the life of a student. You'll want to keep reading to find out what happens next. Recommended.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all the China Bayles series so I was very much looking forward to this one when it arrived on my Kindle. For the most part it was pretty predictable. They are all cozy mystery books. But the end to this one felt contrived and abrupt. I turned the page to see what happened to some of the other side events had turned out only to find I was already at the end of the book. Big disappointment.

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to like China Bayles mysteries and to have been following the series for some time to like this one, I think. There are too many flaws otherwise. The most egregious to me is that I don’t think the author played fair in giving enough clues to allow the reader to spot the murderer until the climactic scene starting in the Birkett kitchen.

The most stylistically fatal is the title. After the author spends a lot of time on vanilla, and on how it is anything but plain—she even begins her appendix with a protest against its being a synonym for “bland or generic or plain . . . [u]nflavored, drab, typical . . . [n]o flair, no style, no panache”—then she has the nerve to serve up a plain vanilla murder. It is a slice out of ordinary life, with ordinary policing, and the solution being a combination of luck, coincidence, and that plain, ordinary police work.

Here’s how it unfolds. The first clue comes with the prologue. The prologue is a little vignette of a graduate student trip to Mexico’s Veracruz area to study vanilla in its native habitat. The botany professor, Carl Fairlee, makes a bad decision to follow a laden vanilla-pod truck that is set upon by thieves in the mountains. Then he makes another bad decision to try a U-turn getaway from the robbers, and they shoot the van, killing one of the students. The first real clue is a seemingly random description of the student, Shelley Harmon, with her boy-cut brown hair.

In the next chapter, we might be supposed to match that clue to the seemingly random description of the nurse, Karen Taylor, sitting in China Bayles’s “Not Just Plain Vanilla” workshop, with her short brown hair. But what would make us do that? Is that reasonable at all? I don’t call that a fair clue. Nothing in what Ms Taylor says is a clue.

There is more, though, that maybe should get us thinking about people. Not a lot of people at the presentation get a description. In fact, only Mrs Birkett, the Crockett Street neighbor beside whom Ms Taylor was sitting, and Edith Barlow, an auburn-haired woman, are named. A grey-haired lady gets some mention, but she isn’t identified, even though she is obviously a Pecan Springs resident. Of course, China’s partner Ruby Wilcox is introduced in this scene, and so is an off-stage character, Maggie Walker, the owner of Sonora Garden Center, where apparently you can board your orchid between blooming times. Everybody’s hair gets special mention. I call that hiding the clue with a vengeance. Nothing distinguishes it as a clue, if it even is one.

China introduces the subject of the prologue, and that introduces both Carl Fairlee as her friend Maggie Walker’s ex-husband, and it also introduces the dead college student, Shelley Harmon, as a former part-time employee of China and Ruby. A clue appears in this section, where we’re told Shelley’s mother wanted to sue the professor and the university for wrongful death, but the statute of limitations passed without a lawsuit being filed.

We’re also told that the investigation results were kept secret. Well, that sounds like a definite clue. But it ends up being a side issue, in that it would have revealed, perhaps, that Fairlee had been having affairs with different students and the dead student was going to sue him for sexual harassment when she got home. But we don’t find that out for quite some time.

From the police investigation we do get the clue that Carl Fairlee has a brand-new lover, a mysterious older woman who drives a green VW bug. The police (and we) get nowhere with that clue until the climactic scene.

If you are a long-time fan of this series, you will have picked up on the clue of the ghost-rung bell in China’s shop ringing the significance to the solution of China going to Mrs Birkett’s house for breakfast. But again, this clue does not lead anywhere until China actually goes.

It is only when China is at Mrs Birkett’s for breakfast to hear about a problem with a renter, that Mrs Birkett reveals all she has seen, which means that the renter is Shelley’s mother, that she drives a green VW bug, and that she has kidnapped the young Fairlee daughter in revenge for her own daughter’s death. She has also murdered Carl Fairlee.

With the aid of hindsight, we might be able to see that all that solid police work put in by Chief Sheila Dawson and her lead detective Dylan Miller has revealed enough of how slimy Carl Fairlee was, especially with regard to pretty female students, that we might think the mother of the girl who was killed because of his bad decisions, learning more about him, decided not to file a mere lawsuit, but to do something more drastic. But remember, the investigation into the Mexican trip was sealed, so presumably she didn’t know. She certainly wouldn’t have had access to the police investigation. We are back to wondering how we were supposed to ever put together the clues to figure out it was Karen.

All that solid police work was useful for the one clue about Fairlee’s new lover and her car. Of course it also provided a series of red herring distractions:
1. It looked as if Maggie Walker had an excellent motive and the temperament, until China spent more time with her and told us she wasn’t really the type after all.
2. It looked as if it could have been the department secretary, Charlaine Rudolph, who had been Fairlee’s lover for awhile and was dumped in favor of a younger woman student, but she turns out to be an informer working with the news reporter Jessica Nelson.
3. It looked as if the wimpy girlfriend, Jennifer Haley, had an excellent motive in being thrown over too, but she turned out to be definitely too wimpy. Besides, she was the one with the older-lover-and-VW-bug clue.
4. It looked as if poor Logan Gardner, the research assistant to Fairlee, who both was cheated out of the plant patent and lost his fiancee to Fairlee, had excellent motives, had the means because he was licensed to carry a gun, and had the opportunity because he had the keys and worked in the greenhouse where the murder happened. But he didn’t do it.

The plain vanilla fact (the boring, bland, everyday aspect) is that most people who are cheated, lied to, betrayed, and otherwise mistreated by the slimy Carl Fairlees of this world do not resort to murder, and that is what this murder is supposed to show. I think.

The plain vanilla fact (also boring, bland, and everyday) is that police work often relies on coincidences (China being in the police chief’s confidence in order to learn what clues there are known, and China going to breakfast with the woman who can crack the case) to resolve otherwise unsolvable murders featuring a killer with an extremely tangential relationship to the deceased and no known connection in the present.

What readers of murder mysteries expect (the plain vanilla expectation, if you will) is that given such a set up, the author is supposed to play fair. We are supposed to be given just enough information about the past (which this has), and just enough information about the repercussions of the past (which this lacks), and just enough information about the unfolding of the present to have a chance to crack the case before the resolution. One page before the resolution is not playing fair.

How about, Ms. Albert, instead of all that annoying repetition of the problems Chief Sheila Dawson has in being pregnant and working a murder case, which consists almost solely in having to find a toilet every hour, you could have written a half a page here and there from the murderer’s point of view, withholding, of course, the actual identity? You are definitely clever enough to do that without actually telling us, but giving us just enough that the clever readers could figure it out.

You kept telling us how extraordinary vanilla actually is. You could have written one of your extraordinary books to show us that there is nothing plain and ordinary about murder, nor should there ever be.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book in the China Bayles mystery series, this story is seen from the point of view of the female, pregnant police chief as well as from China's point of view. The murder of a local professor who specialized in growing and propagating orchids ends up involving both the police chief and China before the perpetrator is unmasked and caught.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

China Bayles and her best friend and business partner, Ruby Wilcox, are excited to be leading a workshop about vanilla. However, it does bring back some unhappy memories about the death of one of their former employees who died on a trip to the same Mexican vanilla-growing area that China had also visited. It’s been a couple of years since that ill-fated trip and now China’s friend Sheila Dawson, the chief of police, is called in to investigate the suspicious death of the professor who had lead the trip to Mexico. Sheila is a great investigator, and with China’s help, they are determined to learn the truth.

This book is partially narrated in the first person by China and is partially told in the third person from Sheila’s point of view. China’s chapters are told in a casual, friendly style, like she’s talking to an old friend. Since they are in the third person, Sheila’s chapters don’t have the same warmth, but still allow the reader to get to know Sheila better. I like seeing things through the eyes of the two different characters since it gives a complete view of the investigation. I have read almost all of the books in this long-running series and as expected, the author has done a lot of research on vanilla, which plays a large role in the main plot. I didn’t need all of the details that were included, but it was interesting to learn how much goes into producing vanilla and why it’s so expensive. There are a couple of recipes throughout the book and then even more at the end that show different ways to use vanilla beans.

There were plenty of suspects and possible motives in this book. I like that Sheila and China each gathered information individually and then compared notes to find out what really happened to the professor. Just as China and her friend Ruby’s skills complement each other in their various business ventures, Sheila and China’s different investigative styles work to help them solve the case. Although I’ve read most of the books in this series, I think new readers would enjoy the book just as much as those who follow the series. Fans of Ellery Adams or J.A. Jance will enjoy reading “Plain Vanilla Murder.”

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Persevero Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Westminster Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

China Bayles has an important but smaller part in this book. Chief Sheila
Dawson has the larger part in this story; she is such an interesting
character so this is great. Many suspects with intertwined motives keeps
this mystery extremely suspenseful.

Find A Plain Vanilla Murder at Westminster Public Library today!

And if you are in search of new books to read, try our services, What Do I Read Next. Our library staff are standing by to create a personalized recommendation list for you!

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I'm thinking if the library didn't get these, If be done. These used to be cozy mysteries, where China (owner of an herb shop) solved mysteries. This one was half China and half Shiela (the sheriff). Neither character has much of a personality. And seriously with the nicknames? I've NEVER heard of or read about grown women with nicknames for each other like The Whiz, Hot Shot, Slugger, and Smart Cookie. Ug. Just...no. The actual mystery here was fine, but it was fairly obvious from the start who the culprit was.

[Barbara Blindauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanilla is one of my favorite spices so it was inter to read more about the vanilla plant and it’s uses. Also liked the recipes. China Bayles solves the mystery. This was a quick read and I did figure out who the murder was, but there are many suspects in who killed the professor.

[Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining visit to Pecan Springs.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize that this was the most recent China Bayles book. I definitely felt like I was missing things by reading it out of order, but that shouldn't stop you from reading it. China and Ruby have just done their Vanilla workshop when they get word that a local botany professor killed himself. China is friends with man's ex-wife (it was a very contentious divorce) and goes to see if she can help. It doesn't take long before China is involved. The book is heavy on details of the vanilla trade which is very interesting to a point. I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I read it rather than listened to it. The mystery was complex. What seemed obvious didn't mean anything and what what seemed innocuous turned out to be the most important clue. If you like vanilla and want to understand more about this spice and ways to use it, this is a great book to start with.

[Lin Stepp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Susan Wittig Albert's books about China Bayles and her herb shop, Thyme and Seasons, in Pecan Springs, Texas. This series has been built around different herbs and spices ... and in this one I really learned a lot about vanilla I didn't know while being kept thoroughly entertained by the mystery China soon finds herself involved in. ... If you love a good mystery book with characters you can get invested in, start with Albert's first in this series titled THYME OF DEATH and get ready for many good reads!

[Joan Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always look forward to a new China Bayles mystery. The author, as her titles suggest, always educates the reader in an interesting manner about a different herb or spice while weaving her story. So if you like to bake or want more knowledge about orchids this boook should speak to you. Also if you enjoy intriguing characters and mysteries of course.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really my favorite but I enjoyed this book! The characters were and the plot around vanilla and orchids were interesting.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Along with a good murder mystery, there is a lot of interesting information about plant smuggling, and some delicious-sounding recipes.