A Bean to Die For (A Coffee Lover’s Mystery)
by Tara Lush
About A Bean to Die For
A Bean to Die For (A Coffee Lover’s Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Florida
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books (January 9, 2024)
Hardcover : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 163910545X
ISBN-13 : 978-1639105458
Digital ASIN : B0C1YBSBXZ
Perfect for fans of Cleo Coyle and Lucy Burdette, reporter-turned-barista Lana Lewis is back on the case when a body is dug up in the community garden.
Lana Lewis is brewing up new concoctions at Perkatory, a popular café in Devil’s Beach, when she decides she wants to try her hand at growing her own coffee. She secures a gardening plot in the community garden, thanks to her father and the garden’s owner, Darla. Darla’s list of rules is long, but that doesn’t stop someone from leaving Jack Daggett’s body amongst the gardening plots.
Jack, an environmental activist, had been banned from the garden previously, because of his many fights with Darla about organic produce. Lana promises her boyfriend, police chief Noah, that she’s going to stay out of this case, having been too involved in previous cases. But when she learns that Jack died from an accidental overdose, and Darla is the top suspect because of her shady past, Lana can’t help but poke around in an attempt to clear Darla’s name.
As Lana dives deeper into the case, she learns that Jack had more enemies than she realized. When Darla turns up dead, Lana has to turn up the heat on her investigation. With Lana on the case, it won’t be long before someone spills the beans to crack this case wide open. But will she able to find the killer before they strike again?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Lana Lewis wants to try to grow her own coffee beans to add to the offerings at Perkatory, her café in Devil’s Beach. With her dad’s help, she is taking over a plot at the popular community garden, Peas on Earth, when another man has been banned for breaking the rules. She is a little concerned about all the rules but excited about her new venture. Funny, for all the rules, there isn’t one about leaving a dead body in the garden but the previously banned Jack Daggett is in the garden and he is dead.
Darla Ippolito, the president of the garden is high on the suspect list because of her many disagreements with Jack. Noah begs Lana to stay out of his case and she really tries even when Darla asks for her help. She doesn’t know Darla well but she does do a little digging. Then Darla is killed and Lana finds herself snooping more than serving coffee. Can she get the bean on the killer? or will she have brewed her last Americano?
Ms. Lush has created such fun characters for this series. Lana and Erica’s friendship continues to grow. Both women are strong, smart, and funny. They come up with new ideas for Perkatory almost every day. A cool new idea is presented in this story but the person presenting it causes a little drama. Growing coffee beans in Florida may be interesting too. Lana’s relationship with Noah hits a milestone as his mother and sister come to town to meet her. Lana’s dad, Peter is such a cool cat and he has a big announcement in this story too. Beware, Lana’s dog Stanley will steal your heart.
The mystery is perplexing. Jack had made more than a few enemies and Darla had a bit of a shady past. Darla also had a unique way of remembering things and that leads to a major clue. Lana, Erica, and Peter try to do a little amateur sleuthing on the sly without telling Noah but you know he knows what they are doing. He loves Lana and wants to protect her. He also knows she is going to be asking questions, it’s her reporter instincts that she can let go of. He also knows they make a good team when they put their heads together. After many twists and turns the case comes to a head in an unexpected place. Oh, the way the takedown played out was priceless. I loved it!
I really enjoyed all the subplots the author blended in with the main mystery. No spoilers but something happened during the dinner with Noah’s mom, sister, and other guests that has happened to us at our home and I didn’t handle it as well as Lana. But when not happening to me it made me laugh out loud.
A Bean To Die For was definitely A Perfect Escape. I escaped right into the pages and was completely entertained. Well-developed characters and a well-plotted story had me so captivated I read it all in one evening. Coffee, a community garden, murders, romance, drama, comedy, lasagna, lubbers and more. What more could you ask for? Cozy mystery lovers you will love this book and this series.
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About Tara Lush
Tara Lush is a Florida-based author and journalist. She’s an RWA Rita finalist, an Amtrak writing fellow, and the winner of the George C. Polk Award for environmental journalism.
She was a reporter with The Associated Press in Florida, covering crime, alligators, natural disasters, and politics. She also writes contemporary romance set in tropical locations under the name Tamara Lush.
Tara is a fan of vintage pulp fiction book covers, Sinatra-era jazz, 1980s fashion, tropical chill, kombucha, gin, tonic, seashells, iPhones, Art Deco, telenovelas, street art, coconut anything, strong coffee and newspapers. She lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband and two dogs.
Her debut mystery series is published by Crooked Lane Books.
Author Links
FACEBOOK WEBSITE INSTAGRAM GOODREADS
Purchase Links
Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Kobo – Bookshop.org
Also written by Tara Lush
Great Escapes Praise for A Bean to Die For (A Coffee Lover’s Mystery)
by Tara Lush
. . . a fun read, interesting murder investigation with a lot of suspects to keep you guessing and a little romantic subplot being taken to the next level.
~@readingwithmrsleaf
I really enjoyed A Bean to Die For. Being able to envision the story as I read along is paramount to my total enjoyment and A Bean to Die For by Tara Lush knocked it out of the park.
~Sapphyria’s Books
I continue to be delighted by Tara Lush’s characters in the Coffee Lover’s Mystery series, including in the latest book A Bean to Die For. The author’s writing voice is witty and engaging, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the setting. Another entertaining visit to Devil’s Beach and this cast of fun characters!
~Reading is my Superpower
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Sounds like a book I will enjoy.
oh but this sounds wonderful. cant wait to read it.
I can’t tell you how much your hard work on my books, this blog, and the genre mean to me and other authors. Thank you, Lori! xoxo
Thank you, Tara!