A Very Mummy Holiday by Lynn Cahoon

Good Day!  When I was growing up in Columbus, Ohio we would go trick or treating on October 30 (it was the law at the time).  Instead of costumes from the store, my mother made my sister's and mine.  My most memorable costume was that of a witch.  With a few changes (white collar, no white hat, and add white apron), I could also be a pilgrim which delighted the teacher I had at that time.  Guess who was cast as a pilgrim in the school play that year? One year my mother made snowman (Mr. & Mrs.) costumes for my father and herself (3D).  They were adorable. What was your favorite costume?  

A Very Mummy Holiday by Lynn Cahoon has Jill Gardner and her boyfriend, Greg King along with her dog, Emma enjoying the week of Thanksgiving in Oregon.  Blake Jennings and Kathi Corbin, South Cove’s latest couple, rented a cabin from Hilda and Nate Woods so they could enjoy a relaxing getaway.  Aunt Jackie with her beau, Harrold plus Amy and Justin will arrive later in the week for turkey day.  They see a sad man in the area who turns out to be the Woods’ son, Caleb whose fiancé disappeared a year ago without a word.  Kathi obtains an admirer from one of the local men who rides around with a group of rowdy guys who they are warned are trouble with a capital T.  The two couples are out riding on the sand dunes when Blake and Kathi’s vehicle overturns.  Suddenly Kathi is screaming because the ring she saw glinting in the sand is attached to a mummified hand.  It appears that Caleb Woods missing fiancé has been found.  Caleb is the local sheriff’s prime suspect, but Jill and Greg are not so sure.  They decide to do a little digging to uncover the truth.

A Very Mummy Holiday by Lynn Cahoon is A Tourist Trap Novella.  It can be read on its own, but I recommend reading one of the full-length stories first.  Jill Gardner and Greg King are off to enjoy a week in Oregon, but things do not go as planned.  I like that Jill is an empathetic person.  She will not stand idly by while a person gets railroaded. I thought the story was engaging with friendly, relatable main characters.  I like Lynn Cahoon’s conversational writing style.  A Very Mummy Holiday moves along at a fast clip and the mystery is well-plotted.  When Caleb’s missing fiancé, Dania turns up in the sand dunes, Caleb is the target of the local police’s investigation.  Jill does a little online sleuthing searching for clues about Dania’s life.  I like that Greg does not discourage Jill and he helps Jill with her quest for the truth.  Readers will have no problem identifying the guilty party in this whodunit.  However, I thought the mystery suited the length of the novel and the storyline.  Jill and Greg are a cute couple who are well suited.  I like that Jill brought Emma along with her on the trip.  The one thing I wondered, though, is why Jill and Greg went off with this couple that they hardly knew.  It is especially odd since Jill has very little in common with Kathi (my mother said I was overthinking it).  A Very Mummy Holiday is a chance to catch up with Jill and the gang.  A Very Mummy Holiday is an engaging cozy mystery with an energized Emma, a forlorn fiancé, iniquitous individuals, a coastline cadaver and stuffing squabbles.

A Very Mummy Holiday* is available in ebook only (Amazon UK*).  The next A Tourist Trap Mystery is Memories and Murder (which will be the tenth full length book in series) which comes out on November 12.  Thank you for dropping in today.  I am featuring Three Widows and a Corpse by Debra Sennefelder tomorrow as part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.  It is the third third A Food Blogger Mystery.  I hope that you have a boo-tiful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.

Mother's Day Mayhem by Lynn Cahoon

I hope everyone is having a lovely week. I want to share some of the books that will be coming out in April and beginning of May. The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah Ladd will be published on April 16 with A Perfect Amish Match by Vannetta Chapman (paperback version).  Emily Gone by Bette Lee Crosby  (will be on Kindle Unlimited) comes out on April 30 along with Murder in the Reading Room by Ellery Adams (I cannot wait for this one).  A Second Chance by Linda Byler releases on May 7 plus Diggin' Up Dirt by Tonya Kappes.

Mother’s Day Mayhem by Lynn Cahoon is A Tourist Trap Novella.  Jill Gardner owns Coffee, Books and More in South Cove, California.  She is having lunch at Diamond Lille’s with her boyfriend, Greg King when he springs the news that his mother is coming to town.  Greg has planned a luncheon for Mother’s Day so Jill can meet his mother and invited her aunt, Jackie as well as her boyfriend.  Since Jill’s introduction to Greg’s brother, Jim was less than stellar, Jill is justifiably nervous.   Kyle Nabors who works at Antiques by Thomas comes into the shop and needs Jill’s assistance in picking out a Mother’s Day card.  Kyle was raised by his grandmother since he was five years old after his mother was sent to jail.  He recently reconnected with Rebecca Nabors who said she would come to visit, but she now seems to have changed her mind.  Kyle decided to send her a Mother’s Day card to show he cares and leave the ball in her court.  Jill is curious about Kyle’s mother and decides a scouting mission is in order.  How will Mother’s Day turn out for our South Cove residents?

 

Mother’s Day Mayhem is a charming addition to A Tourist Trap Mystery series.  If you have not read the previous books in the series, I do not suggest starting with this one (you would be out of step).  I like Lynn Cahoon’s conversational writing style.  It makes for an engaging and easy to read story.  A Tourist Trap Mystery series has friendly, developed and relatable characters.  It is sweet that the residents of South Cove consider each other family and they look out for each other (I want to move to this town) which gives Jill the perfect excuse to meddle in Kyle’s life.  I look forward to visiting South Cove to what the characters are up to in each new book.  Jill and Greg have been dating for a year and she has yet to meet his mother.  I could feel Jill’s nerves and I knew what she was feeling plus what she was thinking (would the mother like her, what if the meeting goes bad).  Kyle has been without his mother since he was a small boy.  It was obvious he was worried about being rejected.  There is no dead body or burglary in this book.  The mystery involves Kyle’s mother, and Jill wants to make sure Kyle will not get hurt.  Mother’s Day Mayhem is a short story that progresses at a steady pace.  There is humor in the story from Greg’s case of the missing gnomes.  Jill’s theories had me giggling.  There is a recipe for Tiny’s provolone stuffed meatloaf at the end of the book.  Mother’s Day Mayhem is an emotional story that will touch your heart.  

You can find a list of the books in A Tourist Trap Mystery series on Lynn Cahoon's site along with the books in A Farm-to-Fork Mystery series and A Cat Latimer Mystery series.  Memories and Murder is the next full length book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series and it will be out on November 12.  A Very Mummy Holiday comes out October 29 and it is A Tourist Trap Mystery novella.  Sconed to Death comes out May 28 and it is the next installment in A Cat Latimer Mystery series.  Thank you for visiting today.  I will be back tomorrow with my thoughts on a book I have recently read (I have not decided which one yet).  I hope you have a lovely Spring day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Corned Beef and Casualties by Lynn Cahoon

Good Day!  The Secrets of Paper and Ink by Lindsay Harrel comes out on February 26 with One Feta in the Grave by Tina Kashian.  Chutes and Ladders by Marc Jedel will be out on March 12.  It is the second novel A Silicon Valley Mystery series. Designs on Murder by Gayle Leeson releases on March 26.  It is the first book in A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery series.  

Corned Beef and Casualties by Lynn Cahoon is A Tourist Trap Mystery Novella (No. 10).  The town of South Cove, California is having a full day of festivities in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books and More is looking forward to enjoying dinner and fireworks with her friends after a day of taking care of customers.  Alana McDaniel comes into the shop for coffee with a rowdy group of friends who have obviously been overindulging in alcohol as are many of the tourists.  Late that night, Detective Greg King is called out to a crime scene.  Jill’s customer, Alana has been found dead on the rock cliffs above the beach.  Jill immediately goes into investigator mode despite Greg’s pleas to stay out of this case.  She checks with local business owners to work out the victim’s timeline and discover who could have harmed Alana.  Will Jill solve the crime before the killer flees town?

 

It is always a pleasure to visit South Cove and check in with the residents who live in this small seaside town.  I like the cast of characters with their various eccentricities.  Lynn Cahoon has a casual writing style that reminds me of talking with a friend.  I thought Corned Beef and Casualties was well-written with a nice steady pace throughout.  The mystery is uncomplicated and can easily be solved.  However, it is just the right type of mystery for this length of book.  Personally, I recommend reading The Tourist Trap Mystery series in order.  It is the best way to get to know the characters.  I have enjoyed watching Jill settle into South Cove, manage her store, get close friends and fall in love.  Corned Beef and Causalities is a quick, easy to read cozy mystery novella that is a delightful distraction from reality. 

 

You can find a complete list of A Tourist Trap Mystery books here on Amazon.  I appreciate you visiting today.  I will highlight Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower tomorrow.  It is An Amish Candy Shop Mystery novella and has Bailey's cousin, Charlotte Weaver as the narrator.  Thank you for visiting today and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Santa Puppy by Lynn Cahoon: A Tourist Trap Novella

Good Day!  Isn't the cover of Santa Puppy just adorable?  Pruning the Dead by Julia Henry will be out on January 29 along with Ellie's Redemption by Molly Jebber.  Death by Committee by Alexis Morgan releases on January 22.  The Forgiving Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter publishes on February 1.  It is the second book in The Prayer Jars series.  Did you know you can follow your favorite authors on Bookbub (like Wanda E. Brunstetter)?   Bookbub is becoming more popular as Amazon makes it harder for people (reviewers) to leave book reviews.  

Santa Puppy by Lynn Cahoon is A Tourist Trap Novella.  Jill Gardner of Coffee, Books and More will be hosting a pet adoption event next Saturday at the store to help some adorable animals find forever before Christmas.  In anticipation of the event, Jill along with Greg King and her friends are at the Bakerstown shelter to wash the dogs.  Jill meets Baby, a ten year old terrier who arrived at the shelter after his owner was found dead on the beach the previous week.  Jill takes off his collar and a safety deposit key falls out.   Greg King, a South Cove police detective, obtains the items from the box hoping it will provide them with the deceased identity.  The contents of the safety deposit box provide Jill with a mystery to wrap up before Christmas.

Santa Puppy is a cute and uplifting cozy mystery.  There is an adorable dog that misses its owner and a deceased human that the police have been unable to identify.  All our favorites characters from A Tourist Trap series are back in this Christmas novella (120 pages).  I found Santa Puppy to be well-written and it moves along at a fast clip.  I would suggest reading one of the full length novels in A Tourist Trap Mystery series prior to reading Santa Puppy.  The story has a good moral plus it highlights the plight of our veterans.  There is a hint of Christmas magic at play in this engaging Christmas story (I do not want to spoil it for you).  Santa Puppy is a heartwarming Christmas cozy with a sweet ending.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I know it is a busy time of year.  I will see you next time when I will share my thoughts on The Noel Stranger by Richard Paul Evans.  I am trying to share with you as many Christmas books as I can before the holiday.  Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

A Deadly Brew: A Tourist Trap Novella

Good Day!  Worldshaper by Edward Willett comes out on September 18 along with The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler.  Tangled Up in Tinsel by Tonya Kappes (which I am reading right now) is published on September 25 along with The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller by Cleo Coyle.  

A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon is A Tourist Trap Novella.  Jill Gardner owns Coffee, Books and More in South Cove, California.  Halloween is approaching, and Jill has various activities planned at the store for her patrons.  This weekend, though, Jill and her boyfriend, Greg along with three other couples are going to spend the weekend inside South Cove’s “haunted” mansion.  The house has been empty for the last fifteen years since Maryanne Demerit, the last owner, disappeared without a trace.  This is the last opportunity for people to see the home before it is demolished for a new condo development. The house has been left as it was when Maryanne went missing.  That night they break out the Ouija board and get a ghostly missive.  It is just the first.  It seems that someone is sending the group messages with clues.  What will they uncover?  The group is in for a hauntingly good time while locked inside the spooky manor.

A Deadly Brew is a well-written and engaging cozy mystery.  I do not recommend reading A Deadly Brew on its own.  The series contains well-developed characters and a charming small town.  Lynn Cahoon created a ghostly short story that I found charming.  The mystery is light and can easily be solved before the solution is revealed.  However, that did not detract from my reading pleasure.  I do wish the story had been slightly longer to allow the mystery to be more developed (twenty-five pages would have made a difference).  A Deadly Brew is reminiscent of my favorite scary movie, Rose Red (starring Nancy Travis).  A Deadly Brew is short, fun cozy mystery that will put you in the mood for Halloween (I want to start decorating).  I cannot wait for the next installment in A Tourist Trap Mystery series.

Santa Puppy (A Tourist Trap Novella) will be out on November 6.  Tomorrow I Secret at Pebble Creek by Lisa Jones Baker.  It is the fourth novel in the Hope Chest of Dreams series.  Have a delightful day and Happy Reading!
am reviewing

Kris
The Avid Reader

Rockets' Dead Glare: A Tourist Trap Mystery

Hello!  I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.  An Amish Family by Kathleen Fuller comes out on June 12 along with The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck.  Buried in the Books by Kate Carlisle releases on June 26.  It is twelfth A Bibliophile Mystery.

Rockets’ Dead Glare by Lynn Cahoon is A Tourist Trap Mystery novella.  Jill Gardner is the owner of Coffee, Books and More in South Cove, California.  The town is getting ready for the annual Fourth of July Festival, but new volunteer fire chief Barry Gleason is putting a crimp in the plans.  He has created a stir with his list of violations for each business along with the threat of closing them down for the holiday weekend.  Barry has scheduled a controlled burn of an old barn on Beal Street.  The volunteer fire fighters complete the training exercise but get a shock when they find Barry dead inside the barn.  Jill, with her natural curiosity, cannot help but look into the case.  Come along to South Cove for the Fourth of July and Jill’s latest case in Rockets’ Dead Glare.

Rockets’ Dead Glare is satisfying cozy mystery.  It is a short novella (only 77 pages), but the author packed a lot into those pages.  We get to catch up on our favorite characters as they plan for the town’s Fourth of July.  The characters are well-developed and are relatable.  South Cove is a charming small town with quaint shops and festivities for every holiday.  I thoroughly enjoyed the cunning mystery.  I believe some of you will be surprised with the solution.  The mystery was not neglected in this short story (it was not rushed or incomplete).  I do wish that Greg King, Jill’s boyfriend, would get on board with her sleuthing.  Jill’s inquisitiveness is a part of her and he needs to be more understanding.  If he is worried about her being in danger, then he needs to teach her self-defense (I cannot see Jill carrying a gun).  Rockets’ Dead Glare is well-written and has a nice, steady pace.  I can relate to Aunt Jackie wanting to use walkie talkie’s for communicating with her off-site employees (they do come in handy when you have a technologically challenged person in your life--I do own walkie talkies for communicating with my mother when I am outside).  There are delightful cozy moments in the book with Emma (Jill’s dog), talking about books, food, time with friends, and walking on the beach.  While Rockets' Dead Glare can be read alone, I recommend reading the series in order.  You get to see the characters grow throughout the series.  Rockets’ Dead Glare is a gratifying cozy mystery that will tide me over until the next A Tourist Trap Mystery (which is A Deadly Brew on September 4).  Guidebook to Murder (Book One) is currently $1.99 on Amazon.

Thank you for reading my review of Rockets' Dead Glare.  I will be featuring A Deadly Eclair by Daryl Wood Gerber tomorrow.  The paperback version of the first A French Bistro Mystery comes out on June 12.  I hope you have a auspicious day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Killer Party: A Tourist Trap Mystery

I hope you are having a good week.  Killer Party by Lynn Cahoon, Room for Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman, The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star by Vaseem Kahn and Dead Storage by Mary Feliz were published today.   Lynn Cahoon is the writer of A Tourist Trap Mystery series and A Cat Latimer Mystery series.  Lynn Cahoon can be found on Facebook and more details about her books on her website.  

Killer Party by Lynn Cahoon is the ninth book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series.  Jill Gardner is packing for a weekend getaway with her boyfriend, Greg King and his friends.  Greg’s childhood friend, Levi Walker is getting married, and he is holding a stag party weekend in South Cove at The Castle.  Jill is looking forward to enjoying the spa services and escaping Aunt Jackie’s wedding planning while Greg reconnects with his friends.  On Saturday, the men go on a boat excursion to “fish” (ingest alcohol) while Jill shows the ladies around South Cove (it seems that Greg “volunteered” Jill for the task).  It gives Jill an opportunity to introduce herself to newcomer, Vladimir Petrov who opened a Russian collectibles shop.  Early the next morning (around 4 a.m.), Greg and Jill are awakened by Brenda Morgan, manager of The Castle.  A dead man has been found in the pool.  Greg runs downstairs and discovers it is his friend, Levi.  Because of Greg’s close connection with the victim, he is not allowed to investigate the crime.  Mayor Baylor asks Bakerstown PD to step in.  This does not stop Greg and Jill from conducting their own inquiry into Levi’s murder especially when the detectives focus on Greg.  Could one of Greg’s friends committed this homicide?  Tag along with Jill on her latest adventure in Killer Party.

Killer Party is easy to read, has good writing and has a nice steady pace.  Each book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series builds upon the previous (they are not stand alone books).  We get to know a little more about the characters and see them change/grow.  Killer Party focuses more on the cozy element (food galore, Jill adjusting to living with Greg, Jill out jogging, Emma, shopping, Toby getting over Sasha, Aunt Jackie planning her wedding, Aunt Jackie annoying the employees of the coffee shop, Jill spends a lot of time reading, Jill getting ready for a new class at college, and Aunt Jackie going to the doctor).  It is an easy, breezy type of book that is perfect to read while lounging by the pool or at the beach.  My rating for Killer Party is 3.5 out of 5 stars.  The mystery is made to seem complex.  Unfortunately, I identified the killer before Levi (I just knew he would end up belly up) turned up dead in the pool.  There are a limited number of suspects (one really stands out).  The characters in Killer Party seemed grumpy (especially Aunt Jackie).  I liked how Lynn Cahoon found a way to work Cat Latimer into the story (from Ms. Cahoon’s A Cat Latimer Mystery series).  I believe, though, that Greg and Jill may be moving too fast.  There are still many details they do not know about each other (they really need to talk more).  Killer Party ends with a cliffhanger.  Readers will have to wait until the next A Tourist Trap Mystery to find out what is going on with Aunt Jackie.

For readers who enjoy paranormal mystery novels, Molly Harper's Accidental Sire releases on July 24.  I am a fan of the Half-Moon Hollow series and Ms. Harper did not disappoint with Accidental Sire.  I will be reviewing Familiar Trouble by Carolyn Haines on Wednesday.  May you have a delightful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Hospitality and Homicide: A Tourist Trap Mystery

It's Wednesday!  We are halfway through the week.  I am taking my mother for an MRI today.  They were unable to get any usable images on her last visit (she kept falling asleep).  There is no guarantee she will stay awake this time either (she drops off to sleep so easily).  

Hospitality and Homicide by Lynn Cahoon is the eighth book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series.  Jill Gardner lives in South Cove, California and owns Coffee, Books and More.  Nathan Pike, mystery author, has arrived back in town to work on his latest novel.  He will be staying at the South Cove Bed and Breakfast.  Greg King, South Cove PD’s only detective and Jill’s boyfriend, is less thrilled with his presence since Nathan will be shadowing him for the next month.  On the weekend, Jill, Greg, Aunt Jackie and her beau, Harold along with Nathan visit the Jensen Farm.  There is an old olive tree on the property that is called the Judas tree (scene of several suicides).  One evening Greg and Jill are preparing to cook dinner when Greg brings up the idea of them moving in together.  Jill is unprepared for Greg’s suggestion and glad when he is called away to a crime scene.  Jill later hears that the owner of the Beal Street B&B, Walter Knicely, was found murdered on the Judas tree.  It turns out that the scene was staged just like a scene in the novel Nathan is writing.  Nathan becomes a prime suspect in Walter’s death.  Jill’s curiosity soon has her working to solve this latest murder.   But Jill cannot devote all her time to the case.  She is contemplating letting Greg move in with her.  Jill is not sure if she is ready for such a big step (she has yet to tell Greg those three special words).  Of course, everyone in town has an opinion (and has placed a bet on the outcome).  Then there is the missing boy and interviewing perspective employees.  Life is never dull in South Cove. 

Hospitality and Homicide is easy to read, and it has a good pace. Ms. Cahoon has a lovely, conversational writing style.  It was nice to revisit the characters in the series and see how they are getting along.  I found Hospitality and Homicide to have more of the cozy element than most cozy mysteries.  More time is devoted to Jill working, going to school, jogging, dating, walking Emma and eating.  We get to see how Aunt Jackie is faring with her new beau, check up on the romance between Sasha and Toby, and discover Esmerelda’s problem with her latest client.  The mystery was very simple and extremely easy to solve.  The suspect pool is exceedingly limited.  The motive for the murder is feeble.  The books in A Tourist Trap Mystery series are best read in order.  Otherwise, you will be a little bewildered (missing important bits of information).  I give Hospitality and Homicide 3 out of 5 stars.  Several things are repeated throughout the book (examples:  Jill’s dislike of her business class, Jill states she is afraid of Aunt Jackie’s wrath when she is late or forgets something, Jill being afraid to commit to Greg or say I love you to him).  I found a couple of contradictions in the book.  Nathan Pike’s character is described one way at the beginning of the story (afraid of crowds for example) and later is very chatty and a charmer.  I found the case of the missing child to be confusing.  At one point, it is stated that the courts have declared the young boy to be dead which was why the police were no longer looking for him.  Later, it seems the boy has only been missing a short time (days).  Which is it?  I am hoping for a more complex mystery and more attention to details in Killer Party, the next book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series.

I appreciate you visiting today.  I am currently enjoying Bearly Departed by Meg Macy.  I will return tomorrow with my thoughts on Love Me Not by M.J. Arlidge.  I hope each of you have a wonderful Wednesday. Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader