A Dilly of a Death

China Bayles #12

by Susan Wittig Albert

In this new novel from the author of Indigo Dying, China Bayles prepares for the annual Picklefest, while her husband prepares for a new career that may put them in a murderous mess.

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

1 pages, Audio CD

First published January 6, 2004

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

[Dennis Fischman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I put down my collection of morose literary short stories and picked up this China Bayles mystery for relief. The contrast in the writing startled me-it was like stepping out of a chamber music performance into a country music festival-but it was just what I was looking for.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pickled Pink!! Lots of fun pickle info plus a pretty good plot. This was #12, I prefer these earlier books in the series.

With this book I have completed the series - I read the others in order, but the local library didn’t have this one so I skipped it until now. I was able to get this copy from an inter branch. It was interesting to read when I knew what all was coming next.

My one BIG objection regarding Scrabble - edkwele is not an accepted word. Sorry Grammy, you lost your turn!!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

These just keep getting better every book. Herb store owner, China Bayles never really leaves her past occupation as a defense lawyer behind, and there are plenty of townsfolk who appreciate that. (Tho with each new story, there are a few less.)

Pickle queen Phoebe Morgan is found dead at her own pickle factory and the artist who was living in her guest house, as well as sharing her bed is found just a few days later, dead of apparent suicide.

The whodunnit gives plenty to guess with. Could it be the employee who had embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer? Or possibly the other woman who the deceased artist also showed interest in? Or maybe the neighbor who had an extended past with the deceased pickle queen.

While this is all perplexing local authorities, there is also a rash of odd burglaries to be solved, one ending in the heart attack death of the homeowner. Add in the sorta secret pregnancy of China’s sidekick & BFF, Ruby’s daughter and it’s a stew pot of intrigue.

I like that there is a believability to all these stories and the characters generally are sans stupid risks, just to spice things up. I also truly enjoy the herbal lore, tips and recipes, along with resources added in.

[Evelyn Pecht · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up at a book sale. Got a bit tired of the pickle jokes.

[Lizzytish · Rating 3 out of 5]

China is in a pickle! The pickle fest has been canceled due to a (gasp) murder! Does she have the dill to solve it? She’s going to need her brine to solve this mystery. Loved the pickle jokes and puns.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stelle e mezza
Continuo a leggere questa serie saltando qua e là, ma riesco ad apprezzarla lo stesso. E la lettura è piacevole anche quando riesco a puntare presto sul colpevole giusto come in questo caso.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This particular volume has a good sense of place and history. The pickle factory feels like a real space with real problems, including how to deal with all the brining leftovers without damaging the environment.

It also takes advantage of using the weather as an extra character, one who acts as a foil for all the parties involved. Pecan Springs often feels like a collection of sets whose relativity to each other changes as the plot demands. This time, the town feels like a single place tied to geography.

But when all's said and done, it's basically the Psycho plot with pickles instead of taxidermy.

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[Cornerofmadness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth be told, I like this series but a) I've never read it in order, just however I've found it in the library b) this one is a quick read but has issues.

As a mystery, it's a bit weak. In fact, China goes out of her way not to investigate this crime as MacQuaid was representing Phoebe Morgan, the Pickle Queen as his first client as a P.I. So basically she solves it just by talking to random people (while taking an amusing subtle jab at the cozy genre which is forever having the amateur sleuth go up to people they don't know and start questioning them. How they never get punched in the face is a mystery to me!) and by doing something completely stupid at the end.

In fact there IS no crime for 135 pages of this book ( of 336 pages, so nearly half way into it). They're not even worried that much other than Phoebe is missing along with her boyfriend who is the same age (and is a friend of) her son. Phoebe is the owner of a local and successful pickle factory and controls things with an iron fist, including the picklefest where China and Ruby are on the committee.

So what takes up one hundred plus pages if not a mystery? Them wondering if Phoebe is in Santa Fe with her boy toy and blowing off Picklefest, especially since she might be selling the company (hence hiring MacQuaid, fearing someone on her staff is stealing from her); them worrying about Sheila who has failed to find a burglar who hits the rich and one of them died of a fear (and her job in law enforcement might be at an end thanks to it) and the thing that drove me nuts to the point if I hadn't been reading this for the Popsugar challenge, I might have stopped and said nope.

Since it's literally in the blurb, I feel no need to cut this for spoilers. Ruby's daughter, Amy has moved in with China because her mother is harassing her to have an abortion. Amy is pregnant out of wedlock and won't tell anyone who the dad is. China and MacQuaid half agree with Ruby (and honestly given the readership of cozies, I'm surprised the word abortion was mentioned). I found this utterly frustrating as hell (I'm not anti-abortion by any means) because of WHY they want it to happen. Her tattoos, piercings and picking up of lost causes all indicate that she is totally immature and obviously unfit to be a mom (she is 25 btw, not some pregnant teen). Now she has a history of drug use but it's been so long I don't remember if it was just pot or something harder. Ruby was in this position before (and gave Amy up for adoption so their relationship is new) so there could have been some interesting, important conversations but instead we get Ruby acting so deranged I wanted to slap her senseless and if I was Amy I'd be pretty upset.


The ending was dumb. Seriously. That would be a spoiler to say how but for me, it was eye rolling.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Albert really padded this book with a lot of stuff that was not needed. This is book twelve in her China Bayles series. Why does she keep on going over all the history of her relationships? In each book we read the same stuff over and over. Instead of a line or two, she goes into extreme detail. She does the same thing when she describes a room she goes into, down to the colors and decorative style. Again, a sentence or two. Nope. She goes on and on. I obviously like the series. But, no way is it perfect. If Albert would concentrate on her stories as much as she does inconsequential details and recapping details from earlier books, the series would come closer to perfection. As it is, she is pumping out books when the muse is not with her in order to have new product on the shelf for her readers. She could do us a favor by waiting to publish until she has something worth publishing. While she was concentrating on inconsequential details, she forgot to mention a big one in this book. Shelia was about to be fired because she had not solved a murder of an elderly lady. In the end of the book the murderer is found out but Sheila did not solve the case. How did her critics feel about this? And, has anyone noticed how the character of McQuaid is slowly disappearing from the series? Ruby has become an annoyance. She has always been over the top but now she is pushy and a pain to deal with. Doesn't make one feel all that kindly disposed towards her. I am curious to see if Albert ever gets her act together in future books in the series.

[S.G.Radonsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book/story was definitely not a page turner for me. Enough already with the pickle jokes!
Wasn't a good mystery, however, I enjoyed some of the characters and how t hey interacted with each other.

[Clarissa Longoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, as always, and the ending wrapped up so quickly I didn't see it coming

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

China Bayes, a former criminal defense attorney in Houston, TX, is now married to Mike McQuade, former Houston homicide detective now Criminal Justice professor. They live in a small Texas town where China is the owner of Thyme and Season Herbs, and co-owner with her friend Ruby, of Thyme for Tea a lunch and tea shop. Amy, the daughter that Ruby gave up for adoption 23 years ago, has appeared; both seeking her birth mother and angry with her mother for giving her up. Amy is both pregnant and unmarried and refused to name the father. Meanwhile, things were not going well at the Morgan Pickle Factory. Although it was time for the yearly Pickle Festival, neither the weather nor the Morgans were cooperating. Phoebe Morgan was the head of the festival and she was missing…..
I enjoyed the book even though I have not read any of the previous ones. Interesting characters, and an interesting plot. China was not the “know-it-all” lead, but had good instincts which were not always right ...but she kept thinking..

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

McQuaid has decided to become a part time (for now) private investigator because he misses that part of being a law officer. His first case involves a pickle factory heiress. Phoebe Morgan is a pain in the neck to China and all the other women helping organize Picklefest. Meanwhile, Ruby's daughter Amy turns up on China's doorstep looking for a refuge. Amy is pregnant and doesn't want to deal with her mom. McQuaid doesn't want Ruby to know he's becoming a PI because Ruby will want to assist him. There's a whole lot of small town politics because Sheila hasn't solved several local burglaries. There are more pickle jokes than I've ever heard. Lots of pickle recipes and history. There's a couple murders, embezzlement, infidelity, jealousy, and it moved pretty fast. It was kinda like a long telephone chat with a great aunt who tells you everything that's happening in her small town.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herb shop owner, former lawyer and amateur investigator China Bayles is in a pickle as she juggled managing her store, serving on a committee for an annual Picklefest and then finds herself entangled between her friend Ruby and Ruby's pregnant daughter Amy, who has moved out of her mother's place and moved into China's house.

And then there is that discovery of the body of Phoebe Morgan, the Pickle Queen, i.e., owner of Morgan's Pickles.

While the police are officially investigating, China finds herself hearing from various community members about the secrets surrounding the suspects, including the woman's neighbor, lover and company manager. And if you are familiar with these mysteries, you know that China just can't step away when friends and family members could be harmed.

This is a fun, easy-to-read cozy mystery with lovable characters and an interesting mystery. Good reading.

[Claudia Cheyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

China Bayles and Ruby Wilcox are on the planning committee for the annual Pecan Springs Picklefest. When they show up for the final meeting just days before the event, they discover that Phoebe Morgan who runs the local pickle factory is missing. Her body is later discovered in one of the tanks used to dispose of liquid waste used in the manufacturing process. Phoebe made plenty of enemies during her lifetime. Her plant manager had been embezzling huge amounts of money. Mike McQuaid decided to become a private investigator and tracing the money was his first case. Ruby's daughter Amy is pregnant which causes a conflict between them since she has no intention of living with the father of her child. China gets caught in the middle of all the mystery and drama going on around her.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the characters in this series that takes place in the Hill Country of Texas. This was a solid mystery with clues throughout that led me to some conclusions before the end, along with some red herrings. I don't like mysteries where I'm totally shocked at the end because the solution comes out of nowhere. I like to have suspicions and then maybe be a little surprised, but a good mystery should give you clues along the way that support the final reveal. This one does that well, and also gives you tons of facts about pickles and the herb, dill. Because a China Bayles book always centers on an herb.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles series! The 12th book in the series, A Dilly of a Death, is another entertaining story. Since I have not read the books in order, I appreciate the fact that Albert takes the time to review important facts in the first chapter. In this mystery, China Bayles and her friend Ruby are shocked by the death of the Pickle Queen, Phoebe Morgan, right before the PickleFest. What I like about this series is the fact that the books are part mystery and part everyday life in Pecan Springs, Texas. Other characters: McQuaid, Amy, Shelia, have their own interesting stories to tell. It is fun to revisit this motley group of people in each new book!

[Whi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has husband quitting teaching and starting a PI business, Ruby's lost daughter becoming pregnant and gay (to a 8-10 yr older woman), shows darker side of several relationships.
There are two murders, husband's ex's new boyfriend beating son, Bryan, and more. I liked the bar scenes and the Grammy was hilarious. Turns out the killer is the pickle queens' son (with his own set of off the wall issues). Also there was something not finished in this book, but it was a minor thread/point so don't recall exactly what. And yes, we saw the killer coming, but the twists and turns to get there make it more than enjoyable.

[Kellene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great China Bayles entry. There was a lot going on in this book, but the author wove it all together superbly. Having jumped around in the series, it was good to catch up a bit on Amy's backstory. Ruby is amazing as always, and China is again her usual "fix everything and everyone" self. The concept of the whole pickle empire was a little silly to me from the outset, but the history of the beginning of the company was so cool that I bought right in. The mystery wound around options until the end, taking me on all the twists and turns. It was a good resolution, and one that left me satisfied with the entire book.

[Fredell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this installment of the China Bayles Mysteries.
The local "Pickle Queen" turns up pickled at her own factory, her young lover/protege is shot (maybe a suicide) and many other turns of fate--including panty-raids and the death of an elderly woman, who catches the raider in the act.
As usual, China and her cohorts get into the act and help solve the multiple mysteries.
I did not see the ending coming, nor did I pick out the killer from the many suspects.
YAY for Susan Wittig Albert - well done!!

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herbalist and small businesswoman China Bayles is a bit nervous when husband McQuaid decides to give up academia for his own private investigator business. Little does she know! Soon she is embroiled in a murder case with multiple suspects, added to her concerns about her friend Ruby's family troubles. All is resolved by the end but not without some thrills along the way. Recommended, but you may want to start much further back in the series.

[Muffin Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

China doesn't disappoint - except a little bit in this one. It really seemed like a "phoned in" plot by Ms Witting Albert. Aside from the clever dad jokes involving pickles - there wasn't much depth to this snore of a mystery.

Phoebe the pickle queen is found dead in her pickle plant and China is on the case. Through a maze of love triangles and jealousy, the killer is found. Still entertaining just not really great.

[Becky Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the middle or planning the annual Picklefest, the local owner of the pickle factory goes missing. While reviewing the factory for the festival, the rains start, and the drains overflow, and Phoebe Morgan appears, very dead. Lots of suspects, and a LOT of dill jokes! Also, McQuaid has cut back on his teaching job at the local college, to form his own private investation business. And his first client, drumroll - was Phoebe Morgan!

[Lin Stepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles mysteries for years ... and I've never read one I don't like. This was an older title, #12, that I'd missed reading in past ... and it was fun to step back in time to an earlier point in main character China's life. A good story ... but go back to find the first of the series to read to make following this mystery series set at an herb shop in a small Texas town more fun.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things are changing for China, McQuaid, her husband is going to leave teaching and become a Private Eye and Ruby's (her best friend) daughter wants to stay at China's house as she is pregnant and does not want her mother to find out. Then there is the annual Picklefest, she is on the committee and the"Pickle Queen" (Phoebe) the owner of the pickle factory is missing.

[Glorianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the China Bayles mystery books. Each chapter of the books has a little blurb at the beginning about the particular herb that is featured in the book. For this book, there were lots of ideas and recipes for the use of dill.

Love the inclusion of recipes. Just a fun series of books to read

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I guessed who did it, Susan Wittig Albert added enough layers and twists in the characters to not only keep your interest, but keep you rooting for two of the women in the book in different ways. I always learn more in clever ways not only about herbs (which I love), but about the hill country of Texas.

[Madelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

China Bayles is in a pickle. The daughter of her best friend, Ruby, has turned up on her doorstep in need of a place to stay. And, Mike McQuaid has decided that he is bored with teaching and ready for a career change. Pecan Springs is hosting the annual Picklefest and Ruby and China are on the planning committee. This is a well-plotted mystery with some humor.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes life gives your brain too much to handle and you feel the need for something comforting, fun and familiar. As it happened, that was where I was mentally last week. I remembered China and Ruby and decided that a visit to them in Pecan Springs would do the trick. It did. It was familiar, a good murder mystery, and included lots of juvenile pickle jokes. Just what I needed at the time.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

China Bayles is in a bit of a pickle. The pickle fest is approaching quickly and Phoebe Morgan the self appointed Pickle Queen is nowhere to be found.
It is raining cats and dogs and the the tank at Morgan Pickles is already full. When the tank is checked, Phoebe’s body is discovered. Who would want Phoebe dead?