As the back cover says, this is the 8th in the series of China Bayles mysteries where the main character is a lawyer turned herb shop owner in small-town Texas (yes, another big city life escapee). While I enjoy both the character and the herbal background information, this particular story - where China is finally trying to get to the altar - is perhaps weaker than the others. But the last section on lavender itself is quite interesting. Worth a summer read on a rainy day, especially if you know the series.

Plan to release this book on my trip to Toronto. I have released eight books in Nova Scotia but no luck so far. Maybe a trip to the BIG city will produce better results.

Released on Tuesday, August 13, 2002 at Shawès cafe and wine shop in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario Canada.

On a visit to the town on a scorching hot day, I dropped in for a cool refreshing drink but even though they have air-conditioning, they had all the windows and doors open so it was actually hotter inside. I left without a drink but also without the book. Left it on a chair near a window seat just inside the door. Yellow sticky on the cover indicated a free book.