It’s October in South Cove, California, and the locals in the quaint resort seem to be happily pairing off in the lull before the holidays. Everyone, that is, except for Jill Gardner’s elderly aunt, who just dumped her besotted fiancé—and she won’t say why. When Jill hosts a talk at Coffee, Books, and More on the topic of elder abuse, all that’s really on her mind is lunch. But the topic hits … lunch. But the topic hits close to home when she discovers Aunt Jackie has been getting mysterious calls. Jill’s certain the caller is a con artist, of course, but her feisty aunt claims to understand this, though she’s still shaken—and Harrold’s still heartbroken. Who’s behind the scam and why was her aunt targeted? When a volunteer from the Senior Project is found murdered, Jill’s detective boyfriend is on the case—and it soon becomes clear no one is safe when a caller from beyond becomes a killer in their midst.
Praise for The Tourist Trap Mysteries
“I love the author’s style, which was warm and friendly . . . [A] wonderfully appealing series.”
—Dru’s Book Musings
“Light, fun, and kept me thoroughly engaged.”
—The Young Folks
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Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon is number eleven in her Tourist Trap series. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this book because readers finally get to find out why Aunt Jackie broke her engagement to Harrold.
Jill discovers why her aunt as been acting so strange and the topic is contemporary and too prevalent currently-seniors being scammed/victimized by unscrupulous men and women hoping to feed off of their emotions. Greg is involved in a murder case so Jill decides to do her own investigation into this scam. Are the two crimes connected? I enjoyed getting to know Deek more in this one. He’s smart, quirky and a fantastic addition to the Coffee, Books & More “family”. South Cove is a spot on the California coast that I want to visit. Since I’ve read every book in the series, I want to meet Jill, Greg, Amy, Aunt Jackie, Harrold, Toby and Deek. A quickly paced plot with red herrings, twists, turns and those red herrings that hide in plain sight kept me turning the pages until the finale. I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
I just finished a long, complicated book that I loved, but after that, I wanted a nice, easy book to entertain me. When I want comfort, to feel like I’m taking a short vacation to recharge my brain, I turn to Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap series. The plots are interesting enough to keep me involved in the stories, and the characters keep growing over time and becoming more familiar to me. Her books feel like going home. And in this one, someone is playing a mean hoax on Aunt Jackie and other senior citizens, preying on people they should help and protect. Not that Aunt Jackie has ever felt helpless to me, but this scam is particularly cruel. Another good installment in one of my favorite series.
Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon is book ten in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. I love returning to South Cove.
Jill is worried about her Aunt Jackie. She has broken her engagement and has been very stand offish. Jill has a speaker at her shop and the topic is elder abuse, warning flags go off and Jill is bound and determined to find out what is going on with her. Then, a volunteer from the Senior Project is found murdered, Jill is on the trail to get to the bottom of what has hit South Cove.
Cahoon does a perfect mix of twists and turns but, also keeps the love of family and friends flowing. You will be kept guessing until the end. The characters are relatable and likeable. And you will want to walk Jill’s dog, Emma, on the beach. I also appreciate Cahoon has focused on an all too common problem currently happening to seniors.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon is a wonderful mystery with a touch of real life.
Murder and scamming older people, what is happening in this town?
Jill Gardner
Jill is our sleuth. She is a bit distracted from finding the killer in this one as someone is messing with her Aunt Jackie. However, Jill can’t seem to leave a good puzzle alone. So, Jill sets out to find out who and how her Aunt was scammed. It doesn’t seem to matter how much her boyfriend, Greg, the police chief, tries to leave out she finds ways to investigate with him.
I like that Jill is protective of her Aunt, but that she also respects her Aunt’s wishes. She has the perfect job, owning the local coffee and book store. I also like that Jill nourishes her relationships with honesty. Well, except for Amy’s table pieces. She may never get those done.
Mystery
The mystery was good. I liked the way that Ms. Cahoon works real-life events into the fabric of the crime. The murder of someone that no one really knows and then the scamming of the elderly all play their parts to the end result. So, I figured it out a few pages before Jill but never thought that person would do what happened.
Five Stars
I enjoyed the story and was thoroughly entertained. The mystery is superb, the characters are well developed and realistic, and I love the setting. Therefore, I am giving Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon five stars and highly recommending this book and series to all of you who read cozy mysteries.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
I love Aunt Jackie so much and I was so worried about her during this book. I really liked the story in this book. I think the mystery was really unique and I enjoyed reading it. Also, why are there two Bill’s in this series?
Her best yet!
I’ve been A Follower if this “Tourist Trap” series, and look forward to The Next Installment!
Love it!
Jill, the owner of a coffee/book store, is concerned about her aunt. Aunt Jackie has broken off her engagement to Harrold and won’t say why. Because of Jackie’s unwillingness to talk about the break up, Jill has become concerned. She looks for help at the Senior Project but something seems a little off there. When her contact at the Project boyfriend is killed, Jill and her Police Chief boyfriend Greg work to solve the murder.
This is the first book in the series that I have read. Great setting, engaging characters, and a good mystery. I look forward to reading more.
I stumbled on this series about a year ago and have gobbled it up like turkey on Thanksgiving Day. I feel so at home with Jill and her Aunt Jackie every time I open up a book in the Tourist Trap series. We have books, coffee, and murder. A trifecta of perfect cozy mystery ready.
I enjoyed the topic of elder abuse in the form of scams. Unfortunately, there are so many elderly that have no one to watch out for them and they end up losing so much. Lynn Cahoon tackled the subject with finesse and made it entertaining so as not to seem like a lecture.
You can read this series starting with any book in the series but I still suggest reading in order to get the best reading experience.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Something’s going on with Jill’s Aunt Jackie and Jill is determined to find out what it is…even if Jackie’s not looking for any help. Add in the murder of a local volunteer, and Jill has her hands full. Hopefully she can solve all the mysteries before someone else gets hurt
I love visiting Jill and all the residents of South Cove.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
There wasn’t a minute of boredom. The killer wasn’t even on my radar and the BEST part was the ending. Just what I needed right now .
Jill isn’t quite sure what to make of the speaker talking about elder abuse but knows that the subject is an important one. Her Aunt Jackie was scammed in the past and Jill wants to make sure she keeps up with what she can do to keep this from ever happening again. With her Aunt acting weird she knows that something is going on and can’t help but worry. She soon learns that her Aunt has been receiving phone calls from her dead husband. Jill is sure it !just be a scam but her Aunt believes it is her husband. While investigating Jill ends up at the Senior Project, she wants to figure out if they have talked to her Aunt in the past and if her information could have been leaked from there. When a volunteer from the project ends up dead Jill is sure that the police are looking at the wrong suspect. She is determined to find another direction for them to look at. Follow along as Jill tries to figure out who is trying to scam her Aunt and also save an innocent woman from being arrested for murder. This was a great mystery read that had me looking left and right for not only a scammer but also a killer.
This is the first Tourist Trap Mystery I read and it was an enjoyable introduction to the series. It took me a little more time to get to know the characters, but I soon settled in and was lost in the story. The murder mystery kept me guessing and I was surprised to find out the killer. Another outstanding book by Lynn Cahoon!
It is amazing anytime I read a cozy book that has food in it (a coffee shop, restaurant, baker, etc) that I don’t gain 10 pounds just from reading all the delicious sound dishes. Jill’s coffee shop is no exception especially when it is Sadie making the brownies, cookies, and more.
I always enjoy journeying back to South Cove and seeing what is new with Jill, Jackie, Greg, and Amy. This merry bunch of characters keeps me on my toes with their wit and pension to end up involved with the latest case in town. Greg should be involved since he is a police detective, but the others? Not so much. I suppose Jill can’t help it that the killer ends up in her sights, but not always on purpose.
This book deals with scams, especially on older citizens. The author does a brilliant job of showcasing potential scams that might trap anyone that isn’t aware or watching what is happening to them. Or they prey on emotions as they did with Jackie. While this is common in today’s world (sadly), I liked the author’s take on that possibility and was quite surprised when everything came to light and who was involved. All I will say is that it is multiple people and at least one of them surprised me.
Sometimes I wish I had Jill’s job….being able to read as much as she does but that is a perk (or a curse?) of owning a bookstore.
I am enjoying watching Greg and Jill’s relationship continue to progress and maybe one day down the road there will be wedding bells. Only time will tell!
We give this book 5 paws up.
Something strange is going on with Aunt Jackie. Jill can see she is obviously still deeply in love with Harold, her second in a lifetime soulmate, yet the engagement is off and Jackie isn’t talking.
The base topic for this installment is Elder Abuse and Fraud, something these characters have had experience with previously. It is tastefully handled and woven skillfully into an intriguing mystery.
The story has an easy paced, conversational flow that makes one relax and fall deeper into the story.
This series has wonderful characters. When they hurt, the reader hurts for them.
I liked that barista Deek played a larger role this time and we got to know him a bit better.
I also enjoyed “running” with Jill’s adorable dog.
All of the main female characters are in romantic relationships, although at different stages. I feel this adds depth to the series and appreciate that the romance does not outweigh the crime aspects that I am more interested in. I also enjoy the friendship aspects.
Memories and Murder by Lynn Cahoon is the tenth A Tourist Trap Mystery. Jill Gardner owns Coffee, Books and More in South Cove, California where she is currently worried about her Aunt Jackie. Jackie suddenly called off her engagement to Harrold Snider and refuses to explain why. After a little coaxing from Jill, Jackie confesses that she has been getting some disturbing calls. If the identity of this individual is correct, then Jackie could not marry Harrold. Jill had just heard a lecture about elder fraud, and she believes someone is targeting her aunt. Jill contacts her boyfriend, Detective Greg King so they can look into the matter. Unfortunately, a volunteer at the Senior Project is murdered that evening which becomes Greg’s priority. Jill is not one to standby, so she begins to do some sleuthing on her own. Memories and Murder can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. The author provides the necessary background information on the main characters. Memories and Murder is easy to read thanks to the author’s conversational writing style and smooth flow of the story. The mystery was different because it addresses the issue of elder fraud. People, unfortunately, try to take advantage of those who are not as technologically savvy and who are more trusting. Jackie is lucky that she has Jill and such caring friends. Jill is positive that someone is taking advantage of Jackie and she begins going research online as well as talking to some people in town. Jill got lucky when people approached her with information because they had heard of Jackie’s predicament. I would have liked some more active sleuthing on Jill’s part. I enjoyed Deek’s participation and how he added to the case. Deek is a hard worker and a good addition to Jill’s business. I like how everything tied together to provide a satisfying conclusion. I am curious about Jill’s decisions making regarding Coffee, Books and More. Deek will ask to add a book group, and Jill tells him to check with Aunt Jackie since it will happen in the evenings when she works. Since Jill owns the business, I feel she should make the decision. I just found it odd and unfair to Deek since Aunt Jackie is not his biggest fan (yet). There are plenty of cozy moments with Jill enjoying endless cups of coffee, indulging in Sadie’s confections, taking Emma for runs, helping Amy work on her wedding including a disastrous crafting session, time with Greg, talking with new hire Deek, and reading advance reader copies that have been sent to the store. Memories and Murder is a comfortable cozy mystery with curious calls, a mysterious murder, copious quantities of coffee, plentiful pastries, wedding work, a cute canine, and a busy boyfriend.
Jill is trying to figure out what is going on with her Aunt Jackie. She abruptly called off her engagement to Harrold and won’t talk about it. Jill finally gets Jackie to talk and finds out she is getting creepy phone calls from he long dead husband. Jill gets her boyfriend Greg involved. They know its a scam, but before Greg can check into it, he has a murder on his hands. So Jill strikes out on her own.
The characters are enjoyable. Even the somewhat grumpy Jackie has her endearing qualities. The cozy moves quickly along and kept me guessing. I was actually surprised by the reveal of the leader of the scam. I love cozies that have animals in them and Emma is just great.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and offer my honest opinion on this book.
This is the first full-length Tourist Trap mystery in a while and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. I find this series highly entertaining and when I start a new book I always know that I am going to lose myself in the story and enjoy my return visit to South Cove. Ms. Cahoon has done a wonderful job of creating a series that hits all the high points I look for in a cozy mystery series. Jill, Gregg, Aunt Jackie, Harold and the rest of the cast of characters are well defined, rich, and three dimensional and after so many stories, this author keeps peeling back the layers and introducing us to new dimension within their personalities. The setting is idyllic and one of my favorite themes – bookstore owner. The mystery is solid and the author does a good job of laying out the clues along the way. Sadly, I missed some of them and was surprised (in a good way) by the identity of the killer.
I love how Ms. Cahoon continues to evolve her characters, growing them and revealing more layers and vulnerabilities which endear them and this series to me. I am looking forward to many more books in the series.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
I love this author Lyn Cahoon, this is one of series of mysteries great characters