Readers of the China Bayles mystery novels are familiar with the usefulness and wonder of the many herbs the amateur sleuth sells in her beloved Thyme and Seasons shop. Compiled by national bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert at the request of her fans, China Bayles' Book of Days gathers together tidbits and treasures about plants and reveals ways you can put more green into your daily life.

Featuring 365 days of recipes, crafts, gardening tips, remedies, and more, this special volume is a personal calendar of the legends and lore of herbs and also features brand-new essays from the author, clues from China's mysteries, and some special contributions by the irrepressible members of the Myra Merryweather Herb Guild, Pecan Springs's oldest civic organization.

From Booklist

Albert's mystery series featuring China Bayles sets the stage for this celebration of the role of herbs in everyday life. Fans of China Bayles will revel in the way this diary fleshes out their heroine and offers in detail explicit connections between the novels' characters and the real leaves, flowers, and seeds that constitute Albert's well-imagined fictional botanic environment. Albert engagingly shows off her astounding knowledge of herbal lore that extends from the Middle Ages to the present. For example, she explains how beer used to be flavored with rosemary or anise until the introduction of hops in the seventeenth century. She gives instructions for creating a tussie-mussie, an herbal nosegay for fending off unpleasant odors. Further recipes for similar bouquets and for comestibles pepper the text as well. Each day's entry also includes one or more book titles for further exploration of the entry's subject. Mark Knoblauch
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About the Author

Susan Wittig Albert grew up on a farm in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley. A former professor of English and a university administrator and vice president, she now lives with her husband, Bill, in the country outside of Austin, Texas. In addition to the China Bayles mysteries, she writes a Victorian mystery series along with her husband under the pseudonym of Robin Paige.

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