The first three Pineapple Port Mysteries – Murder, romance & laughs strike a Florida retirement community full of characters you’ll never forget! The twist: The resident ace detective is only twenty-six. Book One: Pineapple LiesGrowing up in one of Florida’s fifty-five plus communities, Charlotte never expected life to be wild. Golf cart racing with her surrogate mothers Mariska and Darla was … Mariska and Darla was about as nutty as life got…until she found the hot pawnbroker’s mom buried in her backyard.
Talk about making a lousy first impression.
Armed with nothing but her wits, Pineapple Port’s questionable cast of characters and a growingcrush, Charlotte is determined to solve the mystery of Declan’s mother’s murder.
Hey, at least this guy’s skeletons aren’t in his closet.
Book Two: Pineapple Mystery Box
When a giant inflatable Halloween witch goes missing in the Pineapple Port retirement community, Charlotte’s eager to nab the culprit. Before she can lift a fingerprint, someone threatens to kill a new neighbor who looks like an adorable Pomeranian but possesses a disturbing talent for revenge. Moments later, a stranger demands the return of a mysterious wooden box… or else.
Charlotte’s boyfriend, Declan, isn’t having a great morning either. His calculating ex-girlfriend has returned to claim she’s the rightful owner of his pawn shop. She’s livid he’s found a new lady, too.
Eh. Things could be worse. At least Charlotte doesn’t know that a mojito-swilling killer who fed his grandmother to a cat is on his way to Pineapple Port…
Book Three: Pineapple Puzzles
The infamous Puzzle Killer returns to Charity, Florida, in search of a rival murderer, and when two serial killers battle, Charlotte, Declan, Seamus and a naked cat find themselves on the chopping block!
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If you love word play, humor, and who-dun-its I highly recommend the first three books of Pineapple Port!
Book 1
Who knew a retirement community could be so much fun?!
Loved the concept of this world building, a girl being raised by a retirement community, and staying there into her adult years. She def. fit right in with the retirees and their gossip mill.
All of the cast was unique and relatable. From the busy body, to those living in the past of their failed dreams. A great array of retirees, creeps, and friends.
Charlette’s personal journey through this book with her life purpose struggles was relatable and I hope it will continue into the next book. Loved all her quirks, and her side hustle. Cute concept throughout the story. The romance felt rushed, would have preferred a slow build over books. Especially for where they were putting Charlette experience wise.
The mystery was a nice convoluted one. It did take the cast a bit longer than I expected to untangle the mess, but it leaned into the armatures aspects of their sleuthing. With how this mystery panned out I am excited to see what the next one is about.
You’ll love this book if you love cozy mysteries that involve a retired cast and punny banter.
Note: This book is written in 3rd person with multi POVs. While I do think it added more to the mystery, it was a change from the normal 1st person, single POV cozies. There was also mild profanity & drug use.
Book 2
The characters in these books are so hilarious.
Loved getting more back story to many of the cast members, and seeing Charlotte stumble through learning how to become an investigator. I like that while she is the sleuth, the story doesn’t revolve around her, but more revolves around the residents of Pineapple Port.
I did feel like this book dragged in a few places, and was a bit longer than it needed to be. A few strings within each of the various storylines needed more suspension of disbelief than usual but it didn’t pull me from the plot. The convoluted multi mystery was unique, and I enjoyed discovering the culprit for each case.
Can’t wait to see Charlotte grow as a person and a sleuth.
Book 3
This installment was a bit problematic for me, but I adore the cast, and found the storyline to be unique and thrilling at points so I’m still 5 staring it.
I love that Charlotte is having to work at being a PI. Being observant, finding clues, etc. isn’t coming easy to her and it makes the storyline so realistic. She had a crazy career idea and is having to work for it. Each mini case around the port that she gets is simple yet, a learning experience. I excited to watch this skill of her develop as the series goes on.
Now to the problematic stuff.
The entire Stephanie storyline is so hard to buy. I kept thinking “but why” throughout most of her chapters. I am not looking forward to her being a main character. Who just casually lets their crazy cheater ex come over, or speak to them?? I’ve been puzzling over this since she appeared in the last book, but now it’s clear that her being allowed to stay had to happen because she needed to be in the picture to be in this book. After the scare in the last book, any logical person would have ex communicated her, not just giggled off her crazy behavior.
The added POVs to give the reader spoilers were also ugh for me. It’s like the book couldn’t decide who was the main character and what the main plot line was. Is it adorable Charlotte, hunting down her port mysteries. Or is it Stephanie redacting just like her redacted?!?
While I loved the shocking reveal in Jamie’s storyline, the connections revealed between Stephanie and Jamie were over the top for me. Like it was done for pure shock value.
I don’t know, this book book left me with thoughts. lol I know I’ll continue onto the next because i am curious who is lead, and the cast gives me a good laugh, but this book, and any where Stephanie’s over the top storyline dominate won’t be favorites of mine.
I’m also now rooting for Charlotte to leave Declan because no one has time for someone who can’t push off an ex. She deserves better.
We live in a retirement community and can find ourselves in the stories of these books.
Original concept and funny characters
Amy Vansant’s Pineapple Port series has become a favorite of mine. I grab every new book when it comes out! One day I hope I can write a series like this.
Fun Book to read
I loved all three of these books. The characters were great and I loved the love story
Fun to read
Do yourself a favor and read this series it’s well written and hard to put down.
Like the characters
fun quick read.
4 stars
I received a free copy of Pineapple Lies: Pineapple Port Mystery 1 by Amy Vasant and this review was given freely. Read in March 2017.
Pineapple Lies started out a little slow and “Folksy” with our heroine Charlotte expressing her sarcastic wit and her thoughts going on multiple side tangents. Mariska , Darla, Bob and Frank ground the story. Jackie and Seamus bring a edge of mystery and intrigue. Declan’s character rounds out the story by providing a budding and sweet romance. I wasn’t sure that I was going to like this cozy Mystery/Romance because it started out more like a sarcastic slice of contemporary small town life and not how I anticipate. By the second chapter, I was hooked.
5 stars
I purchased Pineapple Mystery Box: Pineapple Port Mystery book 2 by Amy Vasant and this review was given freely. Read march 2017.
Pineapple Mystery Box was both well written and more complex focusing on blending multiple story-lines and mysteries. Just the right blend of community interaction, mystery, intrigue, romance and humor. Amy Vasant continues to expand the Characters from Pineapple Lies. Mariska and Darla continue to provide motherly love, Darla and Justine provide some intrigue, Justine and Seamus’s romance continues to build, Charlotte gets help from the community as well as Seamaus and Frank to train as a PI , and Charlotte and Declan’s romance heats up. New characters were introduced giving you hints of what is to come in future novels. I like how this novel was a complex full length cozy mystery that was focused more of the plots and less on how scattered Charlotte’s thoughts are.
4 stars
I purchased Pineapple Puzzles A Pineapple Port Mystery: Book Three by Amy Vansant and this review was given freely. Read March 2017.
The scene is set with recently retired Alex from Philadelphia, PA meeting the bartender and famous wooden jigsaw puzzle maker Pat. A gruesome killing spree ensues with a puzzle piece left at each scene. Charlotte who is interning with Sheriff Frank to gain hours towards her PI license becomes embroiled in solving the mystery of the puzzle killer but also has to contend with the return of Declan’s less than nice ex the lawyer Stephanie. Action packed and sometimes gruesome with comic relief from a hairless cat, the sheriff’s dispatcher Ruby, Declan’s new employee Blade, and the ladies who love Charlotte.
Fantastic read! Light hearted. Funny!! Loved it!
Did not care for this, it seemed silly.
I thought the plot was very original and I was happy to have the set of three books to read.
I found myself laughing out loud
I could only get 1 of the 3 books to open. The one I read was good. Would like to have been able to read the complete set.
Easy read
Fun to read!
What a fun read. Loved the humor.