Kindle
$6.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$10.07
Mass Market Paperback
$7.99
Buy new:
$7.99
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$7.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 11 hrs 28 mins
Only 15 left in stock (more on the way).
$$7.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$7.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$7.56
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Nice clean copy with no highlighting or writing. We take pride in our accurate descriptions. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Nice clean copy with no highlighting or writing. We take pride in our accurate descriptions. Satisfaction Guaranteed. See less
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 20 hrs 13 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$7.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$7.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Susan Wittig Albert
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Bleeding Hearts (China Bayles Mystery) Mass Market Paperback – April 3, 2007

by Susan Wittig Albert (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 200 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$7.99","priceAmount":7.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"IQJ%2FwJsM3%2FPPgRySIg8SMGewTUyvsIMwxuTGfpHiSejdmDCNBUH7Hs1xKXQobRmgzjgaUSVVzNkN8u%2F4osedIOPXEpmhypeggO8ttsvQEHI98UttUfd1aTIgWTzxOzc0nG1Lk9%2FIJx8%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$7.56","priceAmount":7.56,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"56","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"IQJ%2FwJsM3%2FPPgRySIg8SMGewTUyvsIMwnTL5e5RpBEGII0Gp%2FElkFX2xj%2BRycpWOUZWS8SIaB4FSsoFmpoyeTKeS3DufFu2qQrPPyc0NMj2D0A%2Fw4jNj8NKzozgAKmLJGrEIFEXQtuPD3T5wzmno2dXmh%2F37SePOlE1Bjf15UUdiWCKPz1fkSZlGcS93Y6sn","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

When local football coach and hero Tim Duffy is accused of improper behavior, lawyer-turned-herbalist China Bayles investigates, following a trail of obsession and murder that may lead to her own doorstep.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Book 14 of 29
    China Bayles
  2. Print length
    320 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Berkley
  5. Publication date
    April 3, 2007
  6. Dimensions
    4.21 x 0.82 x 6.72 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    9780425214855
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0425214855
  9. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Bleeding Hearts (China Bayles Mystery)
$7.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
Only 15 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Spanish Dagger (China Bayles Mystery)
$7.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Nightshade: China Bayles #16 (China Bayles Mystery)
$7.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
Only 15 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An entertaining detective writer. (Dallas Morning News)

One of the most endearing and personable amateur sleuths. (Midwest Book Review)

[A] unique series. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

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 is the author of the China Bayles Mysteries, the Darling Dahlias Mysteries, and the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. Some of her recent titles include Widow’s Tears, Cat’s Claw, The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose, and The Tale of Castle Cottage. She and her husband, Bill, coauthor a series of Victorian-Edwardian mysteries under the name Robin Paige, which includes such titles as Death at Glamis Castle and Death at Whitechapel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0425214850
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley; paperback / softback edition (April 3, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780425214855
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425214855
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.21 x 0.82 x 6.72 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 200 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Susan Wittig Albert

Susan Wittig Albert

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

As a writer, I work in three genres, mystery, historical fiction, and memoir. My mysteries include the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries and The Darling Dahlias, about a Southern garden club in the 1930s, as well as an eight-book series, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, and the 12-book series that my husband Bill Albert and I coauthored under the pseudonym of Robin Paige.

My historical fiction includes THE GENERAL'S WOMEN, a wartime romance about Ike's love affair with Kay Summersby; LOVING ELEANOR, about the intimate friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok; and A WILDER ROSE, about the mother-daughter team that produced the Little House books. A WILDER ROSE is currently under option for film.

Bill and I live in the Hill Country of Central Texas, where I write, garden, raise chickens, and practice the fiber arts. You can find out more in my two memoirs: TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE; and AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS.

www.susanalbert.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
200 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Edie
5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive Subject Handled Well
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2010
Verified Purchase
Anyone who knows anything about Texas knows how important Friday night football is to each community. Add a highly popular winning coach to the mix and you had better tread lightly before you say anything negative. That is the position China Bayles is in when the principal of the Pecan Springs High School comes to her with rumors of sexual misconduct by the beloved and revered coach.

China quietly begins to investigate the rumors and soon finds herself in a much deeper situation than she could have imagined, up to and including accusations of murder and cover-up. As disgusting and heartbreaking as this case is, China is shocked when it hits closer to home than she ever expected.

Susan Wittig Albert continues to grow as an author with every book she writes in this series. Not only does she choose sensitive subjects, but she writes with much more depth than in her earlier books. She continues to write about herbs and the goings-on at Thyme and Seasons Herb Shop while deftly mixing in the rest of the storyline. In fact, their Party Thyme catering and spin-off The Thymely Gourmet both play a part in the plot.

Albert is adept at intertwining story lines, moving new and recurring characters in and out so that readers can keep up with the storyline while also catching up with old friends.

This particular book will long be remembered for the topic and how well the author was able to make her point in a topic too many want to dismiss. This is a must read whether you are a China Bayles fan or not.

 Bleeding Hearts (China Bayles Mystery)
Helpful
 Report
Michelle Boytim
4.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreak at the high school
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2011
Verified Purchase
This is the 14th book in the China Bayles series. China is asked to look into suspicions of misconduct by a famed high school football coach after an anonymous complaint is given to the school. Her investigation leads to a girl who committed suicide at the coach's previous school. As China unravels the mystery, her son and his friend become involved with the story in ways China did not forsee. When the suspected coach ends up dead, China has two intertwined mysteries to solve. The book deals with the difficult subject of child molestation and handles it with a delicate but firm touch. In the end, the mystery is solved and China manages to juggle her family, expanding business and friends while closing a difficult case.
Helpful
 Report
S. Mitchell
5.0 out of 5 stars A masterful cozy mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
I love the China Bayles series. Susan Wittig Albert gives an authentic view of the Texas Hill Country and her characters are so realistic and fun to read about. I learn about herbs with every book. I can't recommend her books enough.
Helpful
 Report
Melinda G.
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm a China Bayles fan!
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012
Verified Purchase
My first encounter with the author's writings was in her newer series of the Darling Dahlias. I liked it so well that I looked for more books by Susan Wittig Albert. That's when I came across the China Bayles Mysteries. Always wanting to start with the first book in the series, I ordered Thyme of Death, and I've been hooked ever since! I really like the main characters in the ficticious town of Pecan Springs, Texas, and I can relate to China Bayles' logical way of thinking and her curious nature.

I've also enjoyed learning about different herbs and am fascinated with how the author works the herb into the story and book title!

When I find an author I enjoy, I will read and reread each book! I literally have my own home library (one whole wall in my dining room has bookshelves and an attached rolling ladder) and I keep the copies of my favorite authors. Susan Wittig Albert is one of them! Love the way she writes.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Toby
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
Family member very happy
Helpful
 Report
jtass
3.0 out of 5 stars Secrets and Lies
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2012
This is part of the long running CHINA BAYLES series. China had been a high powered defense attorney when she abruptly switched careers to open an herb shop in the quiet little town of Pecan Springs, Texas. As the series has progressed China finally married her long time boyfriend, former cop, Mike McQuaid, becoming the step mother of his teenage son, Brian. As this story opens China has been asked by the local high school principal to look into some allegations against the high school football coach, Tim Duffy. Coach Duffy had taken the high school team to the playoffs, and had married into one of the most influential families, he was considered near royalty to the town. The school board wanted to dismiss the allegations but the principal wanted China to ask some questions at the Coach's former school. What China uncovered was a sordid tale of a teacher taking advantage of a young girl, and leaving her so shattered by the experience that she ultimately took her own life. China was willing to pursue the matter further but other problems closer to home arose that demanded her attention, her husband Mike McQuaid was suddenly called out of town on a case in Albuquerque, ( which just happened to be where his ex-wife lived), leaving her to deal with her step son Brian who seemed to be going through some teenaged trauma of his own. As if that wasn't enough she also got some unsettling news about her long dead father that forced her to re-examine much of what she knew about her past.

This is an interesting series, one that has supplied a cast of engaging characters and mysteries that give the reader a few challenges along the way. As with most cozies the true attraction is the on going story of the main character which is certainly the case with this one. Unfortunately this one does not quite live up to the same quality as the earlier stories. The basic premise is still good but it seems as though the author did not take the needed time to put the finishing touches on this one. We are first expected to believe that China would not try to find out what was so obviously troubling Brian and his girlfriend Jake. It seemed as though China was more concerned about friend and business partner, Ruby's love life than what was troubling her 15 year old son and his girl friend. I also found the rather coy tip toeing around the allegations of sexual misconduct by a teacher a bit unrealistic as well as the scene where China is allowed to paw through the personal effects of a crime victim.

Compared to some of the earlier stories in this series this one seemed to be at least one rewrite short of completion, the author has shown that she can do much better.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
rose thyme
4.0 out of 5 stars Herbal Mysteries
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
Perhaps I have read most of the China Bayles mysteries. They are well written and incorporate herbal tidbits and lore. They are connected as far as characters and settings and this one involves family roots as well I believe. A very nice series of mysteries.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Fuchs Joan
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannende Fortsetzung mit Cliffhanger
Reviewed in Germany on October 11, 2007
Verified Purchase
Ein gelungener 14. Band der Reihe. Die uns lieb gewordenen Helden sind wieder einmal in aktuelle Themen verstrickt. Die Geschichte ist spannend, logisch, durchdacht. Der Täter ist zwar schon früh zu vermuten, aber die Beweisführung ist dennoch gelungen. Ein Pageturner mit Cliffhanger als Vorbereitung auf die nächste Geschichte.
Report
Ms. Figino
4.0 out of 5 stars Dufter Krimi
Reviewed in Germany on June 29, 2009
Verified Purchase
Schöner Krimi für entspannte Stunden. Die hauptfigur führt einen Kräuterladen und somit kommen Kräuter und ihre Erscheinungsformen (Seifen, Duftöle, Tee's) immer wieder vor.
In diesem Buch outet sich ein Bekannter als "Bruder" - kann das stimmen?
Report