The Secret Ingredient to Murder by Terry Ambrose

 The Secret Ingredient to Murder

Book Summary

In Seaside Cove, every truffle has a dark side.

The peaceful paradise of Seaside Cove gets a rude awakening when the home of newcomers Tyler Winkle and his spirited niece, Veronica Campbell, gets turned upside down. The only thing missing? The family’s secret chocolate recipe that Tyler kept in a safe.

When a man who wanted to buy the recipe is murdered, B&B owner Rick Atwood joins forces with the police once again. Rick quickly discovers two disturbing facts. First, the case is as hard to crack as a good truffle. Second, his thirteen-year-old daughter, Alex, has launched a shadow investigation.

Out of desperation to solve the case, Police Chief Adam Cunningham asks Alex to go undercover. But that's not Rick's worst fear. He's also discovered that Veronica and Alex are bonding despite their age difference. Caught between his roles as a father and an investigator, Rick faces a tough decision: put a stop to Alex's involvement or crack the case.

My Thoughts

The Secret Ingredient to Murder by Terry Ambrose is a cute and intriguing story.  I enjoyed returning to Seaside Cove where the Atwood’s have their hands full with the B&B, Alex, and Baby Jack. I like Alex’s journal entries.  The author captures the thoughts and feelings of a thirteen-year-old girl (reminds me of my journal when I was that age only Alex is more courageous than I ever was).   Alex is an inquisitive young lady who finds herself embroiled in another mystery and, also, in some hot water.  The whodunit involves newcomers to town and a special family chocolate recipe (yum).  

Alex, of course, is on the case and so is her father, Rick (since the mayor has yet to increase the budget for the police department which would allow them to hire another deputy).   I had fun following along collecting clues along with nuggets of information.  Alex decided to try her hand at matchmaking once again.  She feels that one of the B&B guests would be the perfect match for her English teacher.  Rick and Marquetta are going to be kept on their toes with a teenage Alex.  The Secret Ingredient to Murder can be read as a standalone for those new to A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mysteries.  The Secret Ingredient to Murder is an entertaining tale with a precocious youngster, a missing recipe, a shrewd adolescent, Marquetta’s appetizing culinary creations, romantic prose, and parent problems.

The Secret Ingredient to Murder is available from Amazon* (if you are a Kindle Unlimited member, you can read it for free).  You can find the other novels in A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mysteries here.  If you follow Terry Ambrose on Amazon, they will send you an email when he has a new book release.  I will return on April 2 with Courting an Amish Bishop by Mindy Steele. It is the fourth book in The Heart of the Amish series. I hope that you have a joyful Easter weekend and that you receive many sweet treats.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Treasure Most Deadly by Terry Ambrose

Treasure Most Deadly

Book Summary

Treasure Most Deadly by Terry Ambrose has Rick Atwood trying to keep his precocious daughter, Alex busy instead of bothering their one of their guests who is extremely interested in the treasure of San Manuel.  Alex manages to sneak out with their guest and catches a man stealing treasure.  Unfortunately, the man manages to get away, but he is later found dead with Clive Crabbe bending over his body.  Chief Adam Cunningham calls in Rick to consult on the case.  There is strong evidence pointing towards Clive as the guilty party, but Rick does not believe he did the deed.  Rick and Adam must follow the clues if they are to find the killer.  Alex is determined to help even if it gets her grounded again.  Can they catch the killer before he sets sail from Seaside Cove?

My Thoughts

Treasure Most Deadly by Terry Ambrose is the 5^th A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mystery.  I have enjoyed following this series from the beginning with A Treasure to Die For.  If you are new to the series, you can read Treasure Most Deadly as a standalone (but why would you want to do that).  I thought this cute cozy mystery was well-written with friendly, developed characters.  Rick Atwood owns the Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast in the charming coastal town of Seaside Cove.  He has a precocious eleven-year-old daughter, Alex who is inquisitive and conniving.  Marquetta Weiss is a lovely woman who is Rick’s fiancé.  She is warm and wise.  Marquetta’s mother, Madeline is a hoot.  She is an older version of Alex.  Alex and Grandma Madeline are scheming to get Rick and Marquetta wed as soon as possible.  Their pushiness, though, is not what Marquetta needs.  I like newcomer Ms. Kama and I am glad that she will be sticking around.  The mystery is well-plotted.  A mystery man is killed after Alex and a guest spy him stealing treasure.  The treasure has the town inundated with tourists, treasure hunters, and reporters.  That makes it harder for Rick and Chief Adam Cunningham to search for the killer.  There are a couple of good suspects, a red herring, and subtle clues.  I like how it all came together with a satisfying conclusion.  I liked that the chapters are told from Rick and Alex’s point-of-view.  Alex’s chapters are particularly entertaining.  I laugh often while reading about her antics and her diary entries. The only negatives are that I did find the pacing a little slow at times and there was repetition of case details.  I enjoyed the descriptions of the town, the treasure, and the bed-and-breakfast.  The author’s word depictions bring the story alive for me.  Treasure Most Deadly is a sweet cozy mystery with purloined pirate treasure, roving reporters, a sabotaged sailboat, nuptial nuisances, and one keen tween.  

Treasure Most Deadly is available from Amazon*.  If you belong to Kindle Unlimited, you can borrow it (as well as the other novels in the series).  You can find the other four novels in A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series here.  You can check out Terry Ambrose's other novels here.  Thank you for visiting today.  Tomorrow I am sharing my thoughts on Wartime with the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker.  I hope that you have a jolly good day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

On the Take in Waikiki by Terry Ambrose

On the Take in Waikiki

Book Summary

On the Take in Waikiki by Terry Ambrose has Wilson McKenna looking forward to his upcoming wedding to Benni Kapono.  The last thing McKenna wants to get involved in is a case.  Unfortunately, fate has other plans for him.  Benni has McKenna attend a lecture with her given by Sue Ito where McKenna made the mistake of drifting off (the first of several bad moves on his part).  After the talk, McKenna learns that Sue is worried about her father, Kenji Ito who seems to have disappeared.  A reluctant McKenna along with an eager Chance Logan begin making inquiries the next day at Kinohi Village which is Kenji’s pet project.   Kinohi Village will provide housing for families who do not have homes plus help them find jobs, provide daycare, and give them a community.  During McKenna and Chance’s queries, the begin to hear that Kenji may not have been the upstanding businessman they thought.  There are rumors of shoddy workmanship, payoffs, underhanded dealings, and a ruthless demeaner.  When Kenji is found murdered, McKenna worries that he and Chance may be in over their heads on this investigation.  When not investigating or working on wedding plans, McKenna is trying to lease a vacant apartment.  He cannot believe some of the candidates, and McKenna wonders if he will ever find a decent tenant.  Will McKenna get his happily ever after with Benni?

My Thoughts

On the Take in Waikiki by Terry Ambrose is the tenth novel in the Trouble in Paradise series.  I thought On the Take in Waikiki was well-written with developed characters.  Wilson McKenna is a unique character.  I find him to be realistic with his attitude and demeanor.  The former skip tracer manages the apartment building where he lives with his beautiful fiancé, Benni Kapono.  They are getting married in one week and McKenna is trying to keep a special secret from Benni.  McKenna finds himself roped into investigating a missing businessman with Chance Logan.  The mystery was intriguing. The author upped his game with this whodunit.  It was a complex mystery with unexpected twists and a good reveal.  I enjoyed following McKenna and Chance on their investigation.  I could not wait to see if I had pegged the killer or not (I had doubts which is unusual for me).  There is humor sprinkled throughout the story as McKenna tries to find a new tenant for the vacant apartment.  Some of the applicants were doozies.  I could not wait for the wedding between Benni and McKenna.  Benni is a special woman (she must be to put up with McKenna) who complements McKenna.  While On the Take in Waikiki could be read on its own, I recommend reading the series in order or at least Photo Finish for background information on Wilson McKenna.  You would be confused in the beginning of the book until the needed details on McKenna are provided. I enjoyed reading On the Take in Waikiki especially the heartwarming ending.  On the Take in Waikiki is a stimulating cozy mystery with mayhem, murder, and matrimony with McKenna in Waikiki.

On the Take in Waikiki is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other Trouble in Paradise novels here.  All the books in the series can be borrowed through Kindle Unlimited.  Check out Terry Ambrose's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I am reviewing The Amish Midwife's Hope by Barbara Cameron.  It is the first book in A Hearts of Lancaster County series.   I hope that you have enriching day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Secrets of the Treasure King by Terry Ambrose: Review, Recipe & Giveaway

Secrets of the Treasure King

A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery

by Terry Ambrose

About Secrets of the Treasure King

Secrets of the Treasure King (Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast)

Cozy Mystery

4th in Series

Publisher: Satori (April 29, 2020)

Print Length: 261 pages

Digital ASIN: B085DC4ZVS

The Seaside Cove rumor mill is buzzing about the captain of The Treasure King. He claims to know the location of the San Manuel, a four-hundred-year-old sunken Spanish galleon with a cargo worth millions. And now, he’s dead, the victim of a speargun attack.

When the police ask B&B owner Rick Atwood to consult in the investigation, he has mixed feelings. Consulting for the police is not the problem. He’s done it before. The problem is his eleven-year-old daughter, Alex.

Alex is fearless, precocious, and fueled by a strong sense of girl power. She’s also convinced the cops will never find the killer without her help, so she launches her own investigation—and quickly becomes a candidate for Seaside Cove’s youngest felon.

Now, unless Rick can solve the case with the clues Alex found illegally, his daughter might face charges of breaking-and-entering, the treasure of the San Manuel will be lost to pirates, and a killer could get away with murder.

About Terry Ambrose

Terry Ambrose has written and published fourteen mysteries. His A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mystery series new releases have risen to the Amazon genre Top 100. In 2014, Con Game, Terry’s second thriller in the License to Lie series received the San Diego Book Awards Best Mystery/Thriller award. Terry also writes the McKenna Trouble in Paradise mysteries and organized an anthology written by bestselling mystery writers to benefit a literacy nonprofit in Hawaii.

Seaside Cove B&B  (my image of it)

Author Links

Website: https://terryambrose.com

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2Ldr1hr

Facebook: https://facebook.com/suspense.writer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suspensewriter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6447968.Terry_Ambrose

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suspense_writer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troubleinparadiseinc/

Sunken Galleon

My Thoughts

Secrets of the Treasure King by Terry Ambrose has Seaside Cove abuzz when The Treasure King arrives in port with Captain Carroll claiming he knows the exact location of the downed Spanish galleon, San Manuel.  If the ship is located, the cargo will be worth a small fortune.  Captain Carroll ends up missing and ultimately found dead.  There are multiple suspects from the treasure hunters on board The Treasure King to Joe Gray who had a run in with the erstwhile captain at The Crooked Mast.  Rick Atwood is once again asked to consult on the case.  Rick is happy to assist, but he knows Alex will want to help as well.  Rick tries to keep Alex busy with a less dangerous element of the case, but she has a way of finding herself in precarious situations and uncovering vital clues.  Will Alex end up cooling her heals in the local jail for her latest stunt?  Can the police use the evidence she uncovered?  Will Police Chief Adam Cunningham be able to capture the killer before he hits the high seas? 

Secrets of the Treasure King by Terry Ambrose is the 4^th A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery.  It can be read on its own, but I do recommend reading each book in this engaging series.  This series contains delightful characters.  Alex, Rick’s precocious eleven-year-old daughter is my favorite.  She is one smart cookie with an active imagination and boundless amounts of energy.  Alex’s journal entries are humorous and a delight to read.  We get to see that Alex is gaining a new understanding of how certain action of consequences (important to think before leaping).  Marquetta works at the bed and breakfast and conspires with Alex to do a little matchmaking.  Marquetta and Rick are interested in each other romantically and they go out in public for the first time (which has the town gossips buzzing).  No one ever said the path to happiness would be smooth.  Marquetta needs answers regarding her father before she can commit to Rick.  She also must deal with an old high school classmate who has returned to town.  The mystery was nicely done.  I especially liked the unique murder weapon.  There are a variety of suspects with some of them hiding secrets and others with dubious alibis.  You need to pay close attention to the details if you want to solve this whodunit.  There is one point where I had to skip ahead to find out how a scene ended before going back to read the intervening chapters.  I could not wait to find out what had happened to two key characters.    The book has a great ending.  Secrets of the Treasure King is a charming cozy mystery with a corrupt captain, shifty suspects, a talented tween, matchmaking merriment, and a frustrated father. 

Seaside Cove B & B Zucchini Bread

This is an old friend-of-the-family recipe that I’ve had for ages. The recipe makes two 9x5 loaves of moist zucchini bread that is absolutely delicious. One of the great things about this bread is that it can be customized each time make it slightly different. You can easily add 3/4 cup of raisins, blueberries, chocolate chips, or whatever strikes your fancy at the time. It can easily be made gluten-free by substituting Bob’s 1-1 Baking Flour.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Passive time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

3 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

2 cups grated zucchini

3 cups all-purpose flour (for gluten-free, use Bob’s 1-1 Gluten-free Flour)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt (optional)

2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Instructions

1.    In a large bowl, beat together the first six ingredients

2.    In another large bowl, sift together remaining ingredients

3.  Gradually mix dry ingredients into egg and zucchini mixture. Stir only until moistened.

4.   Turn into two buttered loaf pans (we use four smaller pans) and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Secrets of the Treasure King can be purchased from Amazon*.  The other titles in A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mystery series are A Treasure to Die, Clues in the Sand, and The Killer Sweater Christmas Club.  All four books are available through Kindle Unlimited.  As part of the tour, Terry Ambrose is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card.  To enter click here or enter via the Rafflecopter form below.  Don't forget to leave a comment for an extra entry.  Good Luck!  Thank you for dropping by today.  I will return tomorrow to feature The House Share by Kate Helm.  May you have a spirited day.  Take care, stay safe and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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Tour Participants

May 12 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

May 12 – PearlAdaPridham.com - REVIEW

May 13 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, RECIPE

May 13 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

May 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

May 14 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 15 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW

May 15 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

May 16 – Diane Reviews Books -GUEST POST

May 17 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

May 18 – Christy's Cozy Corners - CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 18 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT

May 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

May 19 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW

May 19 – The Journey Back -  CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 20 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 20 – T's Stuff – SPOTLIGHT

May 21 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 22 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 22 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT

May 23 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – REVIEW

May 23 – ebook Addicts - SPOTLIGHT

May 24 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST

*This post contains affiliate links.

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club by Terry Ambrose: Review and Giveaway

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club 

(A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery)

by Terry Ambrose

About the Book

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club (A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series

Publisher: Satori

Print Length: 342 pages

Digital ASIN: B07H27NCP4

All ten-year-old Alexandra Atwood wants for Christmas is to get her dad and the B&B’s cook Marquetta under the mistletoe. After all, how can they get married if they don’t kiss first?

When murder strikes in Seaside Cove, bed-and-breakfast owner Rick Atwood is asked to help find the killer. But this will not be an easy case to crack. Not only did the killer contaminate the crime scene, but there are suspects all over town. And they all received the same Christmas sweater from the victim.

Alex hears rumors about the murder and decides that since she’s on Christmas break, she has time for a little multitasking. She launches her own investigation even as she continues her efforts to get her dad and Marquetta together.

Just when Rick thinks he’s identified all the suspects, he discovers a new one—his estranged wife. With the days until Christmas ticking down, Rick feels pressured from all sides. He needs to solve the case. He needs to send his wife back to New York. But the one thing he doesn’t need is for his daughter to be one step ahead of him and the cops.

About the Author

Terry Ambrose is a former skip tracer who tracked down deadbeats for a living. He’s long since turned his talents to writing mysteries and thrillers. Several of his books have been award finalists and in 2014 his thriller, “Con Game,” won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. He likes cool photography, funny mysteries, and finding the oddest things while walking on the beach.

Author Links:

Website: http://terryambrose.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/suspense.writer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6447968.Terry_Ambrose

My Thoughts

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club by Terry Ambrose is the third book in A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery.  Alex Atwood is looking forward to Christmas.  She has plans to get her dad and Marquetta Weiss, their cook, to finally kiss with the aid of some strategically placed mistletoe.  Marquetta is like a mother to Alex and she would like the two important people in her life to marry.  Of course, Rick Atwood needs to her divorce her mother first (a pesky little problem).  The Crooked Mast is holding an ugly sweater contest that evening and Alex has an electrifying entry.  Several people end up wearing the same sweater which they received from local attorney, Thorne Waldorf with promises of an apology for his recent behavior.  Unfortunately, it looks like Thorne will not be making the party.  He was found in dead in his home office which has been ransacked.  Deputy Cunningham needs assistance in solving the crime and Rick must honor the promise he made to mayor to act as a police consultant.  Rick has a contaminated crime scene plus a handful of suspects to consider when another person of interest with a personal connection pops up. Alex feels since she was helpful on the last investigation, she should assist with this one.  But Rick does not want to put his daughter in harms way.  The days before Christmas are swiftly passing by and the mayor wants the case solved right away.  Can Rick bag the killer before his party on Christmas Eve?

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club is a charming story.  There are engaging characters, a quaint setting and Christmas merriment.  Alex is my favorite character in this series.  She is an intelligent and inquisitive child.  It is cute how she wants to provide an opportunity to Rick and Marquetta to kiss, and she enlists some help to pull off her plan. Alex’s diary entries are entertaining.  I thought The Killer Christmas Sweater Club was well-written with steady pacing.  I do recommend reading A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast series in order.  Each book builds upon the previous one.  The mystery is multi-faceted with several suspects and misdirection.  There are good clues to aid readers in solving the whodunit.  The mystery becomes personal when Rick’s estranged wife arrives in town and she is a suspect in Thorne’s death.  Of course, it is also the perfect time to get her to sign the divorce papers.  The romance between Rick and Marquetta has been playing out at slow pace which I appreciate.  They are a cute couple and Marquetta is good with Alex.  The Killer Christmas Sweater Club can easily be read by a younger audience.  The Killer Christmas Sweater Club has a heartwarming ending that will have you smiling. 

The Killer Christmas Sweater Club is available at Amazon and is a part of the Kindle Unlimited Program.  The first two books in A Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mystery series are A Treasure to Die For and Clues in the Sand.  In honor of the tour, the author is hosting a giveaway.  You can click here to enter or use the Rafflecopter form below.  Before you depart, make sure to leave a comment for an extra entry.  The other stops on The Great Escapes Book Tour include guests posts, reviews, characters guest posts and author interviews. Thank you for visiting today.  Wreath Between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber will be featured tomorrow.  The seventh book in A Cookbook Nook Mystery series.  May you have a cozy day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW  

November 9 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – The Montana Bookaholic - CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 11 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW

November 12 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

November 13 – Island Confidential - CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 13 – The Power of Words – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

November 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

November 14 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST

November 14 –  A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 15 – The Avid Reader  - REVIEW, GIVEAWAY

November 15 – That's What She's Reading – SPOTLIGHT

November 16 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 17 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

November 18 – Laura's Interests – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 18 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

November 19 – Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW

November 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

November 20 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

November 20 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT  

November 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 21 – The Book's the Thing – REVIEW

The Scent of Waikiki by Terry Ambrose plus a Giveaway!

The Scent of Waikiki (Trouble in Paradise)

Cozy Mystery

9th in Series

Satori (July 19, 2018)

Print Length: 330 pages

ASIN: B07CZ3B389

About the Author

Terry Ambrose is a former skip tracer who tracked down deadbeats for a living. He’s long since turned his talents to writing mysteries and thrillers. Several of his books have been award finalists and in 2014 his thriller, “Con Game,” won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. He likes cool photography, funny mysteries, and finding the oddest things while walking on the beach.

Author Links:

Website  Facebook  Goodreads  

The Scent of Waikiki can be purchased on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Scent of Waikiki by Terry Ambrose is the ninth novel in Trouble in Paradise series.  Wilson McKenna is working on wedding plans with his fiancé, Benni Kapono at the Sunsetter Apartments where he is the manager.  Grace Takahashi stops by with a serious problem.  She was taken advantage of by a scam artist and is unable to pay her rent.  Grace is savvy in marketing and wanted to purchase a sales display kit for the soon-to-be released Primal perfume.  The day after paying for the kit, her bank account was cleaned out (and she did not get the fictional kit).  McKenna has a dilemma.  He promised Benni he was done fixing other people’s problems, but he does not want to see Grace taken advantage of by this scam artist nor does he wish to evict her. McKenna decides to turn it over to Chase Logan who is working on to obtain his PI license.  When Chase discovers that Primal is made by Island Passion owned by Skye Pilkington-Winchester, he needs McKenna by his side for the visit (no man should visit this woman alone). Skye is not forthcoming, but her assistant is helpful.  The next after tracking down the scam artist, they learn that Skye’s assistant, Angela is dead.  It seems that this case is more complicated than McKenna originally thought.  There is something rotten in Waikiki and it is not just the perfume.   Can McKenna and Chase pick up the scent of the killer and recover Grace’s money?

The Scent of Waikiki is the ninth installment in Trouble in Paradise series and I do not recommend starting with this book.  I believe it is best to read the series in order.  I found the book to be nicely written and to have a steady pace.  There are beautiful descriptions of the island which included the gorgeous weather, the mountains, the ocean and, of course, the beach.  The story has a laid-back feel to it which goes with the island lifestyle.  I liked the humor that is incorporated into the story (the story will have you chuckling).  The mystery is intriguing with the disappearing perfume, a dead woman, a scam artist and a missing suspect.  The author provides misdirection to throw us off the track of the real killer.  McKenna finds himself drawn into the case and neglecting his wedding plans which upsets his fiancé, Benni.  I did not understand why Benni wanted to know all the details of the case and would get upset with McKenna (she does want him to help Grace).  I would have preferred less romance (which means wedding planning, bickering, etc.) and more mystery (just my personal preference).  Relax on a lounge chair next to the pool with a tropical drink and embark on a Hawaiian adventure in The Scent of Waikiki.  The Scent of Waikiki is available on Kindle Unlimited through Amazon.

If you are looking for a charming cozy mystery series, check out Terry Ambrose's A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series.   Please take the time to enter the giveaway above or you can click here.  Thank you for visiting today.  I hope you take the time to visit the other stops on the Great Escapes The Scent of Waikiki Tour (see below).  I will return tomorrow with my thoughts on The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham. Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

July 25 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

July 26 – The Book Diva's Reads – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY

July 26 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

July 27 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

July 28 – Laura's Interests – CHARACTER GUEST POST

July 29 – T's Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

July 30 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

July 30 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

July 31 - Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

July 31 - Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews - SPOTLIGHT

July 31 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 1 - Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

August 1 - Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

August 2 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

August 3 – The Book's the Thing – REVIEW

August 3 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 3 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 4 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

August 5 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 6 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW, GUEST POST

August 7 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST