"Where Charlie's Angels
Meet Steel Magnolias"
The Buzz About The Traveling Tea Ladies- Death in Dallas As owner of The Tea Academy and Miss Melanie’s Tea Room & Gourmet Tea Emporium, Melanie O'Hara-Salyers has made a seamless foray into murder and mayhem set among tea enthusiasts in the South. Her primary women characters, Amelia, Olivia, Cassandra and Sarah, combine sophistication with compassion and eccentricity as they drink tea in Amelia’s Victorian tea room, experiment with delectable recipes and juggle jobs, family, social calendars and shopping. Their trip from the sleepy town of Dogwood Cove, Tennessee, to the big city of Dallas for a girls’ weekend exceeds their expectations for “adventure” when murder is unexpectedly added to the menu. In the tradition of the British cozy mystery, The Traveling Tea Ladies blends quirky characters, good food and drink with mystery and intrigue. -Judith Bailey Slagle
I was making a cup of hot tea before I even got through the second chapter! Melanie O’Hara-Salyers creates a “tea-riffic” tale that is steeped in detail and humor. Melanie’s whimsical writing style makes reading about the charming Amelia Spencer and her group of friends known as “The Traveling Tea Ladies” fun and engaging. Put on a pot of tea, bake a pan of scones, and spend some time with this wonderful story! -Lisa Hall, Author of The Cutie Pie Chronicles
The adventures of The Traveling Tea Ladies are skillfully brought to life with vivid descriptions that make the reader feel like she has stepped right into the story. By including sections dedicated to tea and recipes, Salyers actively involves the reader (whether she is a tea expert or novice) at a more advanced level, making the enjoyment of this book a real experience! Great books leave the reader wanting to read beyond the last page, and I can't wait to see where Amelia and her friends go next!
-Melisa Wells, Author and Blogger, Suburban Scrawl
Department Head of Literature and Languages,
East Tennessee State University
Being a hardcore "cawfee" drinking New Yorker I had very little knowledge of Tea or of Tennessee when I started reading this book. Writer Melanie O'Hara-Salyers changed all that with her new book The Traveling Tea Ladies Death in Dallas. This captivating mystery centers around a group of four intriguing women, their love for each other and their love of tea. It is a great mystery that will bring out the reader's "inner detective". It also bring you into their world and makes the reader feel like the 5th member of the Tea Ladies.
I love this book because I can most closely related to the main character Amelia Spencer. She is a brilliant woman who manages career and family in the most creative way. She gives each aspect of her life 100% of her devotion and love. Beside being a mother of 2, she runs her own business, The Pink Dogwood Tea Room, and is working with her husband on another business that will bring her family a better life. At the tea room, which is also loving referred to as "The Pink Lady". Amelia displays her vast knowledge of teas and baking. The description of her baked goods had my mouth watering and craving to try all the different types of teas described in the book. Lucky for me (and all readers) there are many recipes in the back of the book you can try at home. The first recipe I am going to make is Melanie's Southern Pea Iced Tea. When she mentioned this particular tea in the book, I could almost taste how refreshing it must be.
While the story revolves around Amelia and a mystery from her past. It is the current relationships she has with her girlfriends that makes this book so relatable to women everywhere. We all have a "Tea Lady" in our close knit group of friends. The highly successful friend who works the corporate world. In the Traveling Tea Ladies book this would be Cassandra. The direct and no holes barred redhead who speaks her mind. You will always know where you stand when speaking to Olivia. Finally we have Sarah, she runs to her own beat and has her own style. From this kind soul you can expect endless support and friendship. You can't help but root for her to find the one thing that will bring her happiness. The relationship shared by this group of four women brought the book very close to my heart.
I guarantee that once you start this book you will not be able to put it down. In fact I was so connected to the storyline that I almost missed my train stop. Rarely do I find a book than can capture my attention so deeply that I forget I am riding to work on the noisy NYC subway. With the Traveling Tea Ladies I was completely taken into their beautiful world. A place where I could clearly see the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. It made me want to head to JFK and get out of the city. I could almost close my eyes and see the beauty in nature of the place where the Traveling Tea Ladies live. I highly recommend this book. It's perfect for a book club or to give to your best friend as a gift. Every time I sat down to read this book I felt like I was getting together with my closest friends. It is a true gem indeed. I cannot wait to read about the next adventure the Traveling Tea Ladies take on.
Patty Aizaga, NYCGirlAtHeart.com
