In the latest Tourist Trap mystery from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon, bookshop café owner Jill Gardner contends with a best friend-turned-bridezilla while trying to solve a local historian’s untimely date with death . . . At Coffee, Books, & More, Jill’s the boss. But as Amy’s maid-of-honor, she can barely keep up with marching orders–and now she’s in charge … marching orders–and now she’s in charge of organizing an epic bachelorette! Adding to Jill’s party-planning panic, the South Cove Heritage Society just unceremoniously dumped her historic landmark bid. While vying proposals rush in from a loaded land developer and a pushy travel guide company, Jill finds an unexpected ally in Heritage Society expert, Frank Gleason. But their happy union is cut short when Frank is mowed down in a suspicious hit-and-run. With Amy’s big day on the horizon, Jill vows to catch the killer before she has to catch a bouquet.
Praise for Lynn Cahoon
“I love the author’s style, which was warm and friendly . . . [A] wonderfully appealing series.”—Dru’s Book Musings on the Tourist Trap Mysteries
“Well-crafted . . . Cat and crew prove to be engaging characters and Cahoon does a stellar job of keeping them—and the reader—guessing.” —Mystery Scene on A Story to Kill
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Great series. Strongly recommend
Murder in Waiting by Lynn Cahoon is a Tourist Trap mystery, the latest in this long-running series featuring South Cove with its covey of interesting people, not the least of which are the employees and customers of Coffee, Books, and More, and its extended family, members of the Business-2-Business group set up by the city. Jill lives in the cottage left to her by her friend, Miss Emily, which had a fabulous ocean view as well as a historic wall in the backyard, part of an early Spanish mission. Life was good for Jill, except now she had to plan a bachelorette party for her friend, Amy, and she was no event planner. She decided to get going on it as the anticipation was probably worse than the planning. It was as she was thinking this that she watched the customer that had just left her store get hit by a truck. Running to Frank’s side, she took note of the license plate number but realized that Frank was beyond caring. Why would someone do this and just drive away?
This series is one of the most comfortable of the cozies out there, perhaps because it has been running so long. Jill is a good character, but it is her aunt Jackie who takes the cake on zany and fun. She stormed into Jill’s life and took over the business. Thankfully she didn’t try to run Jill’s life. That was her own domain. Greg, her police detective boyfriend, is a terrific guy, not challenged by Jill’s detecting skills, and not intimidated by her take-over attitude, he was an important part of her life and they would probably someday marry. Both were skeptical for now and it was working. This story involves multiple people trying to bully her into selling her house, and not only was it a poor tactic, it was never going to happen. Watching her deal with these people was beyond entertaining. It was a good story, and, like all cozies, is totally character driven with huge success. I recommend it.
I was invited to read the ARC of Murder in Waiting by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely m y own. #netgalley #murderinwaiting
I’m so happy I got to spend time with Jill, Greg and Emma. I’ve loved all the Lynn Cahoon books I have read. This was an interesting story line with some twists thrown in just to keep you interested. I love the Coffee, Books and More store. How much fun would it be to hang out in a place like that? We see some changes in some of our characters lives in this story. What changes are yet to come? I can’t wait to go back to South Cove and see what happening next. I received this book from NetGalley but my opinion is my own.
I’ve enjoyed every book in this series and Murder in Waiting is no different! There were several suspects and motives, which made this a particularly tricky mystery to solve, and I didn’t figure any of it out until the reveal. Jill has a lot going on in this book, from getting pressure to sell her home to sabotage of her bookstore/coffee shop, and continuing to deal with the historical society about the suspected historical wall on her property. In addition to these troubles, she’s trying to run her business and plan her bestie’s bachelorette party. I like the characters in this series, though a few are featured less in this book than in some previous books. Jill is fiercely independent and continues to struggle with her fear of marriage and family, which I’m hoping she’ll be able to overcome soon with her long-term boyfriend Greg.
I recommend this cozy to anyone who loves the beach, bookstores, or female protagonists with lovable dogs. Looking forward to many more from this fun series!
I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Things are quite busy for Jill, Amy’s wedding is coming up and as maid of honor or only is she helping out with wedding related tasks she also has to plan a fun bachelorette party. Meanwhile she is trying to get help from the Heritage Cove Society in naming a piece of her property a historic landmark. Then there is an influx of developers looking to buy her land which she has no intentions of selling. When her application to the society is denied Jill wonders if she should continue on with the process of just throw up her hands and let it go. She decides to talk to Frank a part of the society but before she gets the chance he is involved in a bit and run and ends up dying at the scene. Jill saw the whole thing and it has her shaken to the core. Jill has so many worries going on right now but she can’t let that stop her from finding Frank’s killer. Can Jill organize her life and fix all the problems that are continually cropping up? Will she be able to find Franks killer before she herself ends up a victim? Follow along and find out!!! Great read full of wonderful characters, beautiful scenery, and a plot full of twists.
Murder In Waiting is the 11th book in the fabulous Tourist Trap cozy mystery series and is a wonderful addition to the series! This series has everything I love about cozy mysteries- likable interesting characters, an intriguing cozy mystery, friendship, family, and humor. What’s not to love! Jill Gardner owns Coffee, Books & More along with her Aunt Jackie. Jill’s best friend,Amy, is getting married. As the Maid of Honor, Jill has to plan the bachelorette party and help with the wedding preparations. They decide on a couples trip to Las Vegas. Just before they all leave for the trip, a local is hit by a vehicle and dies and Jill sees it happen. Jill’s boyfriend, Greg is a Deputy with the police department so he is involved with the case. Jill and Greg need to solve the case so they can enjoy the trip. On top of all of that, someone is leaving notes on the store’s door saying they are closed and causing trouble for Jill. It all keeps Jill very busy, but not too busy to investigate the death. This is a very enjoyable book and series! I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review. #NetGalley #KensingtonBooks #MurderInWaiting
Real Estate Hustles in Coastal Northern California
This book is part of the Tourist Trap series. Even if you have not read any of these books, this episode stands alone quite well. This is a good cozy mystery with a bunch of things going on in the side lines. There are weddings, engagements, a hit-and-run, a DUI, and so much more for you to enjoy. This author always writes a fun and interesting story. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
In this, the 11th book in the series, bookstore owner and amateur sleuth Jill has her hands full. Not only does she have a business to run, she has problems with the local historical society when turn down her bid for historic landmark status. That brings out trouble in the form of a land developer. If that wasn’t enough to juggle, her best friend, Amy has asked her to be her maid of honor. Boy, does that turn into crazy time when Amy morphs into a bridezilla and the bachelorette party is going to be in Vegas. One would say enough, already but no, there is murder just around the corner when one of the members of the historical society dies in a hit and run and Jill is pulled into the case. This time her boyfriend, Det. Greg King is okay with her involvement.
I enjoy this series, spending time with all of the recurring characters – family and friends alike. The mystery is complex enough to keep me guessing wrong and the ending was satisfying. While this reads well as a stand alone, reading them in order gives the reader a much better experience. I’m looking forward to the next in the series, Picture Perfect Frame, due out March 16, 2021.
I’ve loved this series for years and this latest addition is everything I’ve come to expect. It is skillfully written with a tight plot and great characters. There are multiple story lines within this cozy mystery and they are all neatly tied up with a bow. Truly, one of the most enjoyable books I’ve recently read.
I have fallen in love with the characters in the Tourist Trap series. There is fun, murder, laughter, shenanigans, and a great plot to keep you entertained. The characters are well developed and likable. You feel like they are your friends.
I love the twists and turns and the way the mystery(ies) develop.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lyrical Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I can’t wait for the next adventure in this series.
Jill and friends are back again with bachelor parties, weddings, and real estate threats. Jill owner of Cooks Books & More and her boyfriend Greg, a detective become involved as someone(s) stalking Jill’s house and land. A neighbor is killed, threats are made to Jill and others. As Jill and Greg cut things to the close, the both make it to Las Vegas. In this case what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay there.
I enjoyed the book although I felt the story lines intertwined so tightly it was confusing.
This is the 11th book in the Tourist Trap Mystery series and I am a fan. Jill, Greg, Aunt Jackie, and the rest of the cast of characters feel like old friends. It is such fun to pick up each new book and see where life has taken them and the changes in their lives and relationships. There are some changes coming for some of the couples (but I won’t spoil that) and I think readers are going to like the surprise Ms. Cahoon has thrown into this book. It is a testament to an author when she has made so many people care about her characters, that in a genre where many cozy mystery series have come to an end, this book is #11. This is definitely a character-driven cozy, which I don’t mind because if I don’t care about the characters it doesn’t matter to me the identity of the victim or who killed him/her.
This time around, the mystery does at times take a back seat to the relationships, but the author has pushed some of them forward a bit so that, in my opinion, is a good thing. Jill was a bit more subdued in her sleuthing and did not find herself in too much trouble as a result.
I love this series – from the setting to the characters to the mysteries. I look forward to each new book because I know that when I finish, I will have been entertained by old friends.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced copy that was provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley. These opinions are my own.