Stirring up trouble in New Orleans …
Eager to shake up her drinks and her life, mixologist Pepper Revelle jumps at an invitation to join the elite Bohemia Bartenders. Leader Neil thinks she’ll be the perfect advance gal for his team at a colorful cocktail convention in her hometown of New Orleans, but the job turns out to be more bananas than a drunk monkey. Setting up the key tasting for their … tasting for their distiller client, she and Neil discover their whiskey has gone dangerously bad. But how? And was this shocking poisoning more than an accident?
As Pepper and Neil try to figure out what happened, keep the drinks flowing and help distiller Dash Reynolds survive the weekend, they find themselves the target of increasingly scary attacks. Maybe it’s the danger, or maybe it’s the drinks, but Pepper also can’t help an inconvenient attraction to cocktail nerd Neil as they stir up trouble and try to figure out who’s out to get them — before they’re sliced and squeezed like a lemon twist in a Sazerac.
Risky Whiskey is the first book in the Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries, funny whodunits with a dash of romance set in a convivial collective of cocktail lovers, eccentrics and mixologists. These cozy culinary comedies contain a hint of heat, a splash of cursing and shots of laughter, served over hand-carved ice.
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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I had a little too much fun reading this book! We meet Pepper who has quite the name I must say as she is getting ready for a big event. She works as a cocktail bartender with some incredible skills at creating drinks. A distillery is being spotlighted with their new run and more. Set up goes great until the servers are late due to a delayed flight and the whiskey is no where to be found. This creates chaos so she is sent to find the missing liqueur. Imagine her surprise to find the one watching the cases unconscious. He needs to be rushed to the hospital. The whiskey has been tampered with though no one knows how or why. This makes for quite the mystery as they try to figure it all out while still running the event after scrambling to replace their product. Makes for a well written fun mystery full of surprises and well rounded characters offset by a intriguing atmosphere. A must read for cozy fans. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
Lucy Lakestone tells a hell of a story…Every. Single. Time. I adore her characters – not your run of the mill fiction heroes and heroines. Her entire cast of characters is quirky, entertaining and unique.
100 proof literary cocktail served up in a Baccaarat tumbler.
I adore this author. You’ll be back for another cocktail before you’ve finished the first when you get a taste of Lucy Lakestone.
A good mystery, an intriguing case!
Pepper and this story had to win me over, but they did succeed! It took me a while to get into it. I didn’t fully understand everything, because it had some minor flow problems at the start. And I also had to get used to the maybe not-so-cozy style. There’s cursing and while I was forewarned, it was more than I had thought. It’s not typically cozy. Also not with the setting: Cocktailia. Booze, tattoos and cursing. But that in itself is also its strength. It makes it different, makes it stand out. Original. I like learning new things. And it was a great case. Intriguing, interesting. I really liked Neil! Pepper, I had to warm up to her, but after a while I really liked her too. The only reason why I’m not giving the full 5 stars is because I did have that bit of trouble getting into it in the beginning. But I’m so glad I persevered, because once I was there, I really enjoyed it! It was well-written, and definitely more-ish! I will be reading more by this author.
This fun cozy mystery is the first book in a series about a group of mixologists known as the Bohemia Bartenders. Led by their leader, Neil, the bartenders attend a convention in New Orleans, but things quickly go sour when a fellow attendee appears to be poisoned by a bad batch of whiskey. This is Pepper Revellle’s first stint with Neil and his crew. There’s a subtle, mutual attraction between Pepper and Neil, but, much to his chagrin, Pepper can’t help but get involved in trying to solve the mystery and she brings Neil along for the ride. There’s a lot of fun flirting, deadly chases and mixed drinks (who knew bartending could be so fascinating?) to make this the perfect first book to what promises to be a unique and wholly entertaining series. I highly recommend it!
Risky Whiskey by Lucy Lakestone is a fast-paced mystery with drinks and fun characters taking charge.
Will Pepper and Neil figure out whose after Dash? And why the culprit has included Pepper?
Pepper Revelle
Pepper is our sleuth, and she tells the story. She is a bit more advanced than the average cozy sleuth, as she has a bit of a mouth on her, and her hormones are working. Yes, I will put it like that. Pepper is the co-owner of a bar in Bohemia Beach, Florida, but she has also been asked to join the Bohemia Bartenders. The bartenders travel around assisting distilleries and such promote their products. They also compete in bartending competitions. I honestly didn’t know there was anything like this for these tradesmen.
I like Pepper, she has spunk, initiative, intelligence, and she is pretty with an eccentric fashion sense. The way that she describes the people around her is funny. I am surprised she doesn’t have a flame-worthy scale. But Pepper isn’t all drinks, outfits, and check out the pretty people. She has her issues, some of which have to deal with her feelings towards her parents.
The Mystery
The Bohemia Bartenders are in New Orleans for the big convention. However, they are there to assist Dash with the presentation of his company’s whiskey. All sorts of things start happening to Dash, his whiskey is tampered with, he loses his company’s money, someone shoots at him, and Dash starts losing his confidence. But he has Pepper, Neil, and Travis to help get him through this trying time, and find the culprit.
Five Stars
I think that Ms. Lakestone has a hit here. The Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries is a great series. I am rating Risky Whiskey by Lucy Lakestone with five stars. I enjoyed reading about Pepper’s life, and I look forward to seeing if she and Neil get together. Also, getting to know the other bartenders better. They seem like a fun crew. Pick up your copy today; I think you’ll like it.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual 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 Risky Whiskey by Lucy Lakestone.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
This book is a very enjoyable reading as it has a lot humour and mystery as well as it´s packed with action. It also makes you feel like having a whiskey cocktail or any cocktail…. (there are so many described!). It also gives a view on what a busy week in New Orleans should look like with all the parties, music and tourists going through town. The plot is well developed and the characters are really relatable. If you want to spend a few hours reading a fun book, buy this one!
I downloaded a free copy of this book through BookSirens and this is my honest review.
I loved how the building suspense and sexual tension plays throughout the book. The author does a wonderful job of getting and keeping your attention throughout the book. I can hardly wait until the next book in the series is released.
Kayanne, AKA “Pepper’ had been asked to join the “The Bohemian Bartenders” who a group of bartenders who work at the Bohemian Bar in Bohemia and are attending “Cocktailia”, a mixology completion in the big easy. She was so excited to attend, especially since she was going to work with Neil, an award winning mixologist. They would be showcasing Dash’s Bourbon and Rye whiskey that he made at his distillery in Bohemia. When Pepper was sent to retrieve several cases of the whiskey and Bourbon she finds Barnie a dear friend of Dash’s family unresponsive on the floor of his room, with an empty bourbon bottle next to him. Barnie is rushed to the hospital, leaving them all with questions as to whom would poison the liquor and which could have led to many people being poisoned by the tainted liquor the tampering of it had it not been found out before the competition started. Pepper finds a cryptic note taped to her Hotel room door, warning her to distance herself from the investigation of who would poison the Bourbon. The storyline has multiple; twists and turns, different suspects for the crime appear, only to for it to be discovered that they probably weren’t involved. Only as you get to the end of the story that the unbelievable identity of the mastermind is revealed.
I received a free ARC from the author and voluntarily decided to write a review
RISKY WHISKEY by Lucy Lakestone
The First Bohemia Bartenders Mystery
Kayanne Revelle, better known as Pepper, has left her business partner in charge of her Florida bar and has joined the team of Bohemia Bartenders in New Orleans for a cocktail competition. Excited to compete in Cocktailia supporting Bohemia Distillery, Pepper soon finds herself surrounded by cocktail nerds, jazz music, and danger. It seems as if someone is out to destroy the distillery’s reputation and perhaps the distillers themselves! Pepper finds herself intoxicated, not only by the danger and cocktails, but by Neil Rockaway, the lead bartender. Will Pepper create a perfect cocktail, start a relationship, or get herself more muddled than the sugar cube and bitters in a Sazerac?
RISKY WHISKEY is like the froth on the top of a whiskey sour, a little bit tart without much substance, but still enjoyable. Pepper is very outgoing, a bit provocative, and curses regularly. The curses don’t bother me. I’m apt to curse like a sailor myself, plus most of the cursing fit the scenes, although one or two seemed a bit superfluous. However, the book seems to be geared toward readers in their twenties. The gregarious mixologists are more into getting drunk and hooking up than anything else.
Although RISKY WHISKEY is considered a mystery with a bit of heat, the heat and attraction portion tends to take center stage. The relationship between Pepper and Neil is intertwined and integral to the story. Pepper spends just as much time contemplating Neil as she does helping him look into the mystery.
I did enjoy the mystery trail, from the bad whiskey to the hunt for who may be responsible. I really liked meeting Conan Cray and hope to see more of him in future books. I also appreciated Pepper’s backstory and the hints surrounding Neil’s life.
One thing is certain, the author knows her cocktails. The vivid descriptions and characters’ admiration for the tradition of cocktail conjuring continually made me crave a finely crafted unique beverage. Cocktails, and New Orleans itself, have a rich history and both are lovingly highlighted here.
RISKY WHISKEY is an enjoyable combination of cocktails, attraction, and sabotage at a New Orleans cocktail convention.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me an e-copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
Given the title and description, it was no surprise that there was a whole lot of drinkin’ going on at the Cocktailia competition. Pepper is excited to be there as part of a top-notch team of bartenders from Bohemia, Florida. But not all is at it seems. A batch of tainted whiskey threatens to spoil the party and Pepper and her team boss, Neil, are soon swept into investigating suspicious events related to the whiskey and its creators, while fighting the temptation to be swept into each other’s arms. Nice start to what promises to be a light-hearted, fun series.
Not a Cozy, But Great Mystery
This is a good mystery, but more of a brozy than a cozy. There is a lot of sexual stuff going on every page. There is a lot of focus on meals and clothing as expected in a cozy. And, there is a lot of focus on alcohol as expected when a story is centered around a cocktail convention. While all of the loose ends of the mystery seemed to be tied up, there was not one great denouement where the author ties it up point by point. I really enjoyed the book and plan on reading the next installment. I hope the series does not get to be any more sex centered than it is. I received this ARC book for free from Book Sirens and this is my honest review.
I really needed a fun, exciting book to take me away from all the craziness in the world today; along came “Risky Whiskey.” I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy and promised to give my honest opinion, I hope you will find it to be helpful! Set in exciting New Orleans, (a place I’d love to visit someday!), with yummy cocktails and hot bartenders? Yes please! Infused with a fun mystery, this book kept me guessing until the very end! I don’t know about you, but I love it when I can’t figure out “who dunnit.” The author Lucy Lakestone does a really great job building up the story, along with really great detailed descriptions of both New Orleans and all the characters. I was completely sucked in and didn’t want to put this book down! *Bonus: I learned what it really takes to make a great cocktail, I had no idea! This book did exactly what I wanted it to do; it took me out of my everyday life and allowed me to travel somewhere exciting! I am really looking forward to the second book in this series: “Wrecked By Rum.” If this book were a cocktail, I’d order a double!