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    Widow's Tears
    Widow's Tears
    Widow's Tears
    Audiobook10 hours

    Widow's Tears

    Written by Susan Wittig Albert

    Narrated by Julia Gibson and Morgan Hallett

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Best-selling author Susan Wittig Albert is especially beloved for creating herbalist and ex-lawyer China Bayles, hailed by Publishers Weekly as "in a class with lady sleuths V.I. Warshawski and Stephanie Plum." In Widow's Tears, China has urgent business to discuss with Ruby, a friend gifted with extrasensory perception. Meeting Ruby at a supposedly haunted house, China soon uncovers a mystery that may be linked to a deadly robbery that very night.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 24, 2013
    ISBN9781470347666
    Widow's Tears
    Author

    Susan Wittig Albert

    Susan Wittig Albert is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred books. Her work includes four mystery series: China Bayles, the Darling Dahlias, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, and the Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries. She has also published three award-winning historical novels as well as YA fiction, memoirs, and nonfiction. She and her husband live in Texas Hill Country, where she writes, gardens, and raises an assortment of barnyard creatures.

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    Reviews for Widow's Tears

    4/5

    85 ratings17 reviews

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    • 4/5
      The latest in the China Bayles series departs somewhat from the usual because China's best friend Ruby is the main character. In a parallel story, Rachel Blackwood tells the story of her family's demise in the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Ruby goes to visit her friend Claire, who lives in a house inhabited by the ghost of Rachel Blackwood. Strange things start happening as soon as Ruby arrives. Ruby, who has psychic gifts, must decide what level of involvement she wishes to have with the ghost of Rachel. The hurricane story is fascinating while the ghost story requires the suspension of belief or disbelief in ghosts, as the case may be. In the end it's a fun read even if it is a little unusual.
    • 4/5
      China Bayles’s friend/business partner Ruby needs a vacation. Their businesses are doing well, but all the work – not to mention familial stress – have taken their toll. But a visit to her childhood friend Claire isn’t exactly relaxing.Claire, a writer and recent widow, just out of rehab, has inherited “The Blackwood House,” an odd old heap that has more than its share of creaks and groans. The will stipulates that the house’s recipient must live in it – and Claire’s not so certain she wants to co-habit with the resident ghost. Ruby, of course, is known to have a “gift,” psychic ability that she prefers to ignore -- and Claire is hoping Ruby can use her talent to help her get rid of the ghost.While Ruby’s away, China learns that Ruby’s bossy sister Mona is planning to buy Ruby’s business. China fears the loss of her long-time business partner and cherished friend. Plus she’s not too fond of Mona herself. China decides to head south to confront (nicely, of course) Ruby. But while China’s on the road, Tropical Story Amanda is making her way to south Texas, where China plans to meet up with Ruby.The contemporary story is interwoven with that of Rachel Blackwood and her encounter with a killer storm in September 1900 – it wiped out Galveston and 8,000 of its residents. Although there IS a crime (a bank robbery that turns deadly) in Widow’s Tears, the book is more focused elsewhere. In that way, Widow’s Tears was disappointing to the mystery lover in me. On the other hand, Susan Wittig Albert has the ability to make her grocery list an interesting read, so as general fiction Widow’s Tears was wonderful, storytelling at its best. Widow’s Tears is the 21st book in this series, so I guess we can give the author the OK to do something a little different.
    • 4/5
      Loved Ruby’s story! I also loved the historical tie in to the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. This has to be one of my favorite China Bayles books to date.
    • 5/5
      I am a huge China Bayles fan, but Widow's Tears is the best ever. The historical story is skillfully interwoven with the current story about Ruby until they are brought together in a colorful conclusion. I loved the personalization, even if it was fictional, of the famous 1900 Galveston storm.
    • 4/5
      The author of Widow's Tears does a first rate job of weaving the historical facts, setting and characters from the devastation of the Galveston Hurricane into a modern setting, including a descendant of one of the original characters. Life in Galveston was just about perfect before the storm surge rolled across the island on September 8, 1900, leaving an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 dead behind and beneath a mountain of debris and mud.The body of Rachel Blackstone's husband was recovered from beneath the rubble of a building, but nothing was every found of her five children, her house keeper and the maid. Her grief danced with madness as she tried to recreate the home and family setting miles from the Gulf waters which had laid waste to her life.
    • 4/5
      This is the 21st book of the China Bayles series and it did a turn about. The plot was based on China's friend Ruby, added some ghostly story line, and involved the Galveston hurricane of 1900, and I believe the combination has turned me back to enjoying SWA all the more.
    • 3/5
      Surprising detour from the usual crime investigation drama of this series, featuring China's friend Ruby Wilcox at the center of the action. Fun to read, and I was surprised at the ending -- I kept expecting some "normal" story to explain everything. Instead I gladly suspended disbelief and enjoyed the ghost story!
    • 4/5
      I have a sneaking suspicion that Ms. Albert wanted to write a novel about the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, but needed to write another China Bayles mystery, so she combined the two. I really enjoyed the results. I've watched a program on that hurricane, which made reading the flashback chapters even more suspenseful for me. We get to learn more about China's friend, Ruby's, psychic abilities here as she deals with the ghost of Rachel Blackwood, who haunts the Blackwood House inherited by Ruby's friend, Claire.The book has chapters from three viewpoints: Rachel and the hurricane, Ruby, and China. China's chapters allow us to know how our main Pecan Springs characters are doing. Ruby's sister, Ramona, could do with a little less politeness and a lot more bluntness. (Well, probably not as blunt as, say, 'I'd kill you before I'd be your partner, you bossy shrew!', but I'm not sure if anything less blunt would pierce her ego.) Ruby and Ramona's mother, Doris, has one of her escapades, and little Grace is sick.Ruby's chapters show that she's not comfortable with all of her psychic abilities and she's still grieving for her murdered love, Colin. I, too, got the feeling that the bank robberies and the murder were thrown in because this is a mystery series. There was so little attempt to give us some red herrings about the token whodunnit that revelation just made me feel that it was about time Ms. Albert got around to it.I've been reading ghost stories since before I was in sixth grade, so I appreciated the touches of the electricity going out, the car and cell phone batteries going dead, the scent of violets, and the sound of wind -- low and high -- inside the house although a glance through the windows shows no wind at all outside. Good thing the ghost will allow flames to stay lit so Claire's stove and oil lamps work. It took the ghost long enough to find a better method of communicating than bell ringing, chair rocking, puddles, a jack-in-the-box, etc. to get Claire's attention. Claire was the designated ignoramus when it came to discussing the ghost, asking questions that allowed Ms. Albert to spell things out for her readers who aren't ghost fans. (Claire's inability to understand the revelation about the private graveyard on her new property got on my nerves, though.)The problems caused by fracking get a mention because the area where Claire lives has oil companies trying to get leases to do it there. There's also the problems of a lack of internet or land phone lines, and good road to help Claire's plan to turn the Blackwood House mansion into a bed & breakfast so she can make a living since her late husband's illness wiped out their savings. That's solved in an off-hand way at the end. Good thing the mansion has those genuine Tiffany windows and that Galveston hurricane connection to attract collectors and history buffs, not to mention being fairly close to a restaurant famous for its food -- especially their pies -- going for it. Otherwise, I doubt Claire's B &B plans would have a chance.Personally, I liked this entry in the China Bayles series a lot. The murder mystery wasn't much, but the history and ghost mystery more than made up for that.
    • 4/5
      Ruby is the star here, and her paranormal skills help solve the mystery of a haunted house and a bank robbery. Lovely, somewhat eccentric characters
    • 5/5
      I think that this is probably my favorite of the China Bayles series. Loved it!
    • 5/5
      Widow's Tears is the 21st book in the China Bayles series. And still loving the series.

      One of the reasons that I like this series, is that Albert provides the reader with interesting little snippets about the herb that is featured in the title of her books. Quite often China will comment, too, within the story itself.

      Widow's Tears is a two part book and China pretty much gets a little time off. Ruby owns the Crystal Cave, which is located in the same home that China's Thyme and Season is located and takes the spotlight in this book.

      Alternating chapters take the reader back to 1900 in Galveston, TX as the storm that was to devastate Galveston so terribly, is approaching. The story center around a family as Rachel and Augustus Blackwood and their five children, nurse and housekeeper. They thought they would be safe from the storm.

      Back to the present day, Ruby has received a call from a girlhood friend, Claire. Claire has inherited the Blackwood Mansion in Round top, TX, from her great Aunt. Claire is asking Ruby to come and help her to get rid of the ghosts that have taken up residence. Claire would like to get the house on the Historic Register and turn it into a B&B, but she needs to get rid of the ghosts first.

      Ruby has some psychic abilities and has dabbled with them, but has never fined tune them. Once she arrives, she almost leaves as the groundskeeper is a bit creepy. Once Ruby meets his wife, she also finds out he has a violent nature. Add to this the fact that her car's battery becomes drained for no reason, no cell phone service, puddles of water turn up when they're in a drought, and other super natural occurences, Ruby is not so sure this beyond her capabilities.

      China has a very important business matter to discuss with Ruby and what with not being able to get in touch with her, heads for Round Top. Once there she sees what Ruby is up against and ehlps Ruby get an understanding and provides her with the confidence to deal with the ghosts.

      Looking forward to the next book in the series.

    • 2/5
      Ruby Wilcox, owner of the Crystal Cave, a new age shop and a psychic, is overwhelmed by the demands of owning a business (which gives her less time to teach classes and do the other things she loves) and the death of her fiancé two years previously. When her childhood friend Claire, whose husband died two years ago, contacts her and asks her to check out the old house she would like to turn into a B & B, Ruby agrees to go. There is one drawback: the house is haunted by the ghost of Rachel, a woman who had built it and lived in it as a permanent memory of the family she lost in a similar house in the Galveston Hurricane on September 8, 1900. It was the worst natural disaster in the United States with at least 6,000 people and probably almost double that many losing their lives. The two stories are interwoven. One part is the story of Rachel, her family, her house, and the hurricane. It tells of how the storm progressed and how it affected the city and the people. There are also websites mentioned in the references at the end of the book with more information and pictures of the disaster.The second part tells how Rachel’s ghost affects Claire and Ruby and how they are eventually able to learn why she is there and what she wants them to do.The first part of the book talking about the usual main character, China Bayles, provides background information for people who haven’t read any of the series before. The end of the book includes several recipes. Susan Wittig Albert also introduces each chapter with information about the uses and meanings of herbs and flowers that have some relation to the plot.I was disappointed in this book. I found Rachel’s story very interesting and sad. I think it should have had more detail about the way she and the people in her home reacted to the hurricane. On the other hand, there was too much detail about the actions and effects of Rachel on Ruby, Claire, and, later, China. There was also a lot of repetition. I don’t see how someone would think a B & B in an isolated location accessible only by a very poor road would be successful. I also don’t understand the motive of the bank robbers. I see that part thrown in gratuitously.I don’t read stories about ghosts or the supernatural or psychics. I prefer my fiction to be more realistic. I read this one because I’ve liked the previous China Bayles books. In this case, Rachel was the most interesting character.
    • 4/5
      Traveling to Pecan Springs is like traveling to family, catching up on the gossip and everyone's lives. Loved the history in this one, it concerns the hurricane that hit Galveston on September 8, 1900 and the many deaths and destruction that was left in its wake. This is more Ruby's story as she is called by a friend to a house that is said to be haunted. Of course things do not come to a stand still in Pecan Springs while she is gone so we have more than one story line to follow. My favorite part of these books besides the characters is that preceding each chapter there is always a description of an herb or plant, it uses through the ages and its meaning. Good solid series, light reading that has not disappointed me yet.
    • 5/5
      I love China Bayles and her friends, and especially her best friend Ruby Wilcox. This book is about Ruby and that makes it special. Kinky, psychic, red-haired Ruby is a real treasure, and has always been my favourite character in this series. Reading a book about her and her amazing personality was a delight. That's the thing with this series. The characters are wonderful-strong and realistic. China and her amazing practicality, Ruby and her wonderful quirkiness, Sheila Dawson and her no nonsense attitude-I love them all. And the plots and mysteries are always first rate. Thank you Ms Albert for the gift of this wonderful series. I also love all the herb and plant lore that I learn in all the books. This book has ghosts, tremendous atmosphere, terrible storms, death and great sorrow, and of course Ruby. What's not to love about the book? Ruby is asked to help an old friend deal with what appears to be an apparation of a woman that keeps appearing in a house that she inherited. Ruby feels a strange pull coming from this house and the story that it is trying to get out, so she agrees even though she doesn't like to use her gift of psychic powers very much because they frighten her. Ms. Albert has set a great place for a ghost story - a creepy old Victorian house that looks a bit crooked on its foundation. The story keeps referring back to September 1900 when a tremendous hurricane completey devastated the city of Galveston. Apparently this storm is still the one with the biggest loss of life (approximately 8,000 souls) to ever hit the United States. It was interesting to get some background on this devastating storm and the death and destruction that it caused. This old story was mixed in with the new one that Ruby and her friend Claire are experiencing in the creepy old house.
    • 4/5
      The latest in the China Bayles series departs somewhat from the usual because China's best friend Ruby is the main character. In a parallel story, Rachel Blackwood tells the story of her family's demise in the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Ruby goes to visit her friend Claire, who lives in a house inhabited by the ghost of Rachel Blackwood. Strange things start happening as soon as Ruby arrives. Ruby, who has psychic gifts, must decide what level of involvement she wishes to have with the ghost of Rachel. The hurricane story is fascinating while the ghost story requires the suspension of belief or disbelief in ghosts, as the case may be. In the end it's a fun read even if it is a little unusual.
    • 5/5
      What a sad, beautiful, thrilling story. I stayed up late to finish it. It centers on grief. Ruby, Claire, and Rachel each deal with it in her own way. Ruby and China reach a better understanding in their friendship.Changes may be coming in their business partnership, too. We'll have to wait for the next book, I think.Like Bloodroot, Widow's Tears will engage readers' emotions. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      This is the best of Albert's China Bayles mystery series. Flashing back from 1900's Galveston Hurricane and flood to the present, Albert superimposes the two worlds well until just about the end when it all falls in to place a bit too easily. The historical chapters were truly thrilling and chilling- the ghost a bit overdone.