Barista Lana Lewis’s sleuthing may land her in a latte trouble as Tara Lush launches her new Coffee Shop mysteries.When Lana Lewis’ best — and most difficult — employee abruptly quits and goes to work for the competition just days before the Sunshine State Barista Championship, her café’s chances of winning the contest are creamed. In front of a gossipy crowd in the small Florida town of … the small Florida town of Devil’s Beach, Lana’s normally calm demeanor heats to a boil when she runs into the arrogant java slinger. Of course, Fabrizio “Fab” Bellucci has a slick explanation for jumping ship. But when he’s found dead the next morning under a palm tree in the alley behind Lana’s café, she becomes the prime suspect.
Even the island’s handsome police chief isn’t quite certain of her innocence. But Lana isn’t the only one in town who was angry with Fabrizio. Jilted lovers, a shrimp boat captain, and a surfer with ties to the mob are all suspects as trouble brews on the beach.
With her stoned, hippie dad, a Shih Tzu named Stanley, and a new, curious barista sporting a punk rock aesthetic at her side, Lana’s prepared to turn up the heat to catch the real killer. After all, she is a former award-winning reporter. As scandal hangs over her beachside café, can Lana clear her name and win the championship — or will she come to a bitter end?
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Struggling to reclaim happiness after losing her job and a divorce Lana returns home to manage the family’s coffee shop. Things were beginning to turn around but then a suspicious death changes that and her crime reporter past kicks in to find the truth.
This story has all the components that make my favorite kind of cozy – likeable protagonist, humor and a tease of romance. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Fabrizio “Fab” Bellucci, the beach’s hottest barista is dead and former investigative journalist turned coffee shop manager Lana Lewis is at the top of the suspect list if the cause of death is indeed murder. You see Fab was her star employee until he quit without notice to work for her competitor. On top of that, they were registered as a team for the Sunshine State Barista Championship. So when she couldn’t hold in her fury any longer she confronts him in front of a crowd of people at Island Brewnette, the competing coffee shop.
The trouble is, the chief of police, who seems to have a bit of a crush on Lana, is leaning toward calling Fab’s death a suicide until the evidence proves otherwise. Lana knows Fab was a great casanova/gigolo with some shady connections so she finds plenty of other suspects and theories. She just needs to convince Chief Noah Garcia to follow her clues with her. If not, she and her new barista Erica Penmark will steam out the killer on their own.
I liked Lana Lewis right away. Divorced and unemployed she comes home to Devil’s Beach to manage Perkatory. The cafe was her mother’s dream so after her death her dad kept the business going but his heart wasn’t really into it full time. Lana takes over admitting she has a lot to learn about being a great barista but she has great employees and her dad to help her out. She is intelligent and kind and her investigative skills come in handy as she tries to catch a killer. Erika and Lana get along right away and they make a wonderful team whether it comes to sleuthing or coffee brewing. Lana’s dad is a laid back hippie kind of dude that does seem fazed my much but supports his daughter 100%. Police Chief Noah Garica also escaped the big city to come to Devil’s Beach never expecting to have a murder case on his plate but he sure does like dropping in at Perkatory to see Lana. All of these characters developed nicely over the course of the story but there is so much more to learn. The author has done an excellent job of giving readers characters we can care about.
The mystery she has brewed up is darn good too. Personally, I wish the suicide theory would have been put to rest much earlier with more focus on the variety of people who could have been suspects in Fab’s death. He left quite a path of ladies in his wake and at least one was married. The pushy reporter in Lana came out and she just wasn’t going to give up. Her actions lead to a really exciting big reveal.
I do love the beachy small-town setting. While jumping with tourists and busy residents it still had a relaxing vibe and a place I would love to visit.
Grounds for Murder was a delightful whodunit and has set this series off to a grand start. It’s entertaining with just the right amount of humor. I am looking forward to visiting these characters again soon.
I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher, and I submit this review voluntarily, reflecting my honest, unbiased opinion.
If you love coffee, mystery, or an entertaining story told with breezy style, then Grounds for Murder, by Tara Lush, is perfect for you.
On a tiny resort island in the Gulf of Mexico, Lana owns a popular, trendy coffee bistro called Perkatory. When she finds a corpse outside her building, she knows who it is, and she knows — regardless of what people may claim — this was not a suicide.
Lana, a former reporter, begins her own search for a murderer, even though the handsome police chief forbids it. Naturally, as with any good mystery, the island is replete with fascinating suspects.
Readers of Tara Lush’s Grounds for Murder get a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the joys and tribulations of being a coffee barista. In addition, the author immerses readers so well in the island setting, this novel becomes a welcome mid-winter vacation in warm, sunny Florida.
I happily give Grounds for Murder five stars, and I heartily recommend it to readers of all ages. The book contains no offensive language or sexuality.
Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush has Lana Lewis back home in Devil’s Beach, Florida after a series of setbacks. She is now the manager of the family coffee shop, Perkatory. Lana has entered herself and employee Fabrizio “Fab” Bellucci in the Sunshine State Barista Championship. With Fab at the helm, Lana is sure Perkatory will take home the prize. Then Fab quits and goes to work for the competition leaving Lana high and dry. Lana takes out her anger out on Fab at Island Brewnette in front of a crowd. The next day, Lana finds Fab dead behind Perkatory. The forensics point to suicide. Lana knows that Fab would not harm himself and wants to prove he was murdered. Lana puts her investigative journalist skills to work tracking down Fab’s killer. Can Lana find the guilty party, or will she end up the next victim? Grounds for Murder is the debut of A Coffee Lover’s Mystery series. I like that the author took the time to establish the town and our main character. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Devil’s Beach (I want to visit). The words describing the coffee will have you heading to your local coffee shop for a caffeine fix. The mystery was interesting with multiple suspects and few clues (best type of mystery to solve). We follow Lana as sets out to prove Fab was murdered and find out who killed him. I could have done with less of Lana’s thoughts regarding Noah Garcia (how handsome he is, his big muscles, how good he smells). I prefer a more subtle romance that plays out over the course of the series. I do like the chemistry between Noah and Lana. I am curious to see how their relationship will progress. Grounds for Murder is an entertaining start to A Coffee Lover’s Mystery series. Grounds for Murder is a fun lighthearted cozy mystery with creative coffee art, a precious puppy, a laid-back dad, an eye-catching police chief, a curious crime, and jaded journalist.
If you are a coffee lover, you’ll fit right in with this group. It would be fun to be able to do all those designs, but I learned it takes lots of practice. Lana has had to deal with some blows to her in life, but she continues on. Will she ever get the urge to be a reporter out of her system or will she concentrate on becoming not only a business owner but a real barista? Will Fab be patient enough to teach her? She certainly meets some real characters while trying to help the hunky new police chief figure out who the real criminal is. I enjoyed my visit in Devil’s Beach, Florida and hope to return again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
This book was fun. It’s a little bit slapstick and a whole lot crazy. There were times that this felt like I was reading a text version of the Keystone Cops. It seemed like there was lots of fuss and bother with not a lot of forward motion. I adored Stanley, but I’m still on the fence about Lana. There were times I really admired her spunk and sarcasm, yet there were the other times when I was left wondering how she could have been an award-winning journalist for a prestigious newspaper considering the absolute flights of fancy she comes up with and calls “clues”. I also have to admire Chief Garcia’s patience with her, because I was left shaking my head multiple times during this book. By the end, Lana had started to grow on me, along with the rest of her quirky, zany tribe, and now I’m looking forward to seeing where the series will take us next.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.
Grounds For Murder is the first book in the A Coffee Lover’s Mystery series by Tara Lush.
After losing her job and going through a divorce, Lana Lewis heads back to her hometown, Devil’s Beach, to manage her family’s coffee shop, Perkatory. She has the skills to brew a great cup of coffee, but her talent for making designs leaves something to desire. The Sunshine State Barista Championship is coming, and she was hoping that Perkatory could win. Lana knows her barista, Fab, has the skills to succeed, but hers are nowhere close. Winning would be sure to bring in more customers. Lana strikes up a conversion with a customer, Erika, and learns that she has the skills to join up with Fab and is sure that, together, they can win the competition, so she hires her. The next morning when Lana arrives at work, she is shocked that Fab isn’t there to open and learns later that day that he is working for the competition, Island Brewnette. Lana decides to confront Fab and heads for Island Brewnette. Once she gets there, she had a rather heated conversion with Fab.
That evening she heads for Miami to pick up and award for a story she wrote before being let go by her paper. The next morning when she arrives at work, she finds Fab lying in the alley behind Perkatory, dead in a fetal position. Early in the police investigation, Chief Noah Garcia is leaning to call it a suicide. But Lana has her doubts and sets out on her quest for the truth. Fab’s playboy reputation is legendary, and she sets out to find a female who had enough of his playing the field or possibly a jealous husband. With Lana’s experience as an investigative reporter, Chief Garcia is willing to listen to Lana’s theories and suggestions.
The book is well-written and plotted and enough red herrings that I was guessing until the end. I enjoyed the character and thought they were well-developed and quite enjoyable.
Grounds for Murder is the debut cozy mystery book by author Tara Lush. I thought this book was well done, providing the reader with a very enjoyable combination of characters and mystery. Lana Lewis is a strong likable protagonist who returns home to pick herself up after losing her job and going through a divorce. Just when she thinks her life is starting to turn around, her former barista is found dead. The question is whether he committed suicide or was this murder. This is where Lana’s journalistic instincts start to kick in. What follows, is her attempt to provide that the victim was murder. The author does a nice job of surrounding Lana with a good cast of secondary characters. I love her dad – he has a nice hippie vibe going on, and her new employee Erica is just the new friendship that Lana needs to push her outside of her funk. Throw in a hot local police chief who could provide a love interest and an adorable puppy named Stanley and the core secondary cast of character is complete.
The mystery kept my attention throughout the book. There are not a lot of clues that point to murder, so Lana has her work cut out if she wants to prove her gut instinct is correct. There are plenty of suspects as the victim was a womanizer, but most have a plausible alibi for the murder. As Lana asks questions she eventually uncovers the killer’s identity but in a rather climactic conclusion.
I enjoyed this book and will be looking to see what the author has in store for these characters in future books. I think cozy mystery readers are going to be entertained by this story and will want to see what happens next.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy that was provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through Netgalley. The thoughts expressed are my own.
When Lana moves back home after she loses her job as a crime journalist, and her marriage tanks. She is now living in her childhood home and working as the manager of her late Mother’s coffee shop “Perkatory”. You have to love the name. She is coffee aficionado who is doing her best to master the skills required as a barista and a manager. She and her barista Fabrizio are entered in the State’s Barista Championship. She is hoping they win so that the coffee shop will get much needed publicity.
Days before the contest Fab quits with no notification and not only goes to work for the competition but is no going to enter the Barista championship for them. He is found dead in the back alley behind the shop. The police believe the playboy/barista committed suicide. Lana smells a story and is sure it is murder.
When Lana begins investigating she finds that everyone is not what they appear to be. She enjoys the thrill of investigating. Her and the new barista uncover a kinky side of the local citizens. Would the fear of being outed cause an individual to murder.
As clues are uncovered Lana is torn between her love of journalism and he obligation to her Mother’s business. She is a busy women unraveling the clues as well as the path her career is going to take. Thrown into the mix is her attraction to the local law enforcement officer. He is a stark reminder of her failed marriage.
This is a well written cozy mystery with relatable characters. I recommend this novel to not only cozy mystery fans but anyone looking for an enjoyable story.