China Bayles has it all - a prestigious Houston law practice money power - but its not enough Shes smart shes tough shes confident and she knows she wants something more out of life than the fast track offers Something like the Thyme and Seasons herb shop in Pecan Springs Texas Realizing that her career is turning her into somebody she doesnt like China does what many people only dream of doing She relocates to a small town to begin a new and she hopes a gentler more fulfilling life But even in Pecan Springs evil can occur among ordinary people living everyday lives China soon learns that while she can move from the city she cant escape the world of moral choice When Chinas good friend Jo Gilbert apparently commits suicide China is more than puzzled Jo had been suffering from a terminal disease but wasnt the type to take her own life And to a lawyer like China some revealing letters that Jo leaves behind shout blackmail and murder not suicide But why would anybody want to kill a woman who will die soon anyway And what about the scent of perfume in Jos house When another mysterious death occurs China is sure shes dealing with homicide Helped by her best friend New-Ager Ruby Wilcox and with support from lover Mike McQuaid a former-cop-turned-professor China follows a trail of greed and fear to discover some unsettling answers Thyme of Death marks the memorable debut of one of the most original and appealing new female sleuths to come along in years Readers will identify with China Bayles as she makes the kind of tough decisions that confront us all.
