A Deck Stacked for Murder by Aliza Levine

Item: A Deck Stacked for Murder
Rating: 5
Author: BaronessMom

Posted November 25, 2024 by BaronessMom in Mystery, Paranormal, Review, Series / 1 Comment

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A Deck Stacked for Murder

by Aliza Levine

Series: Cafe Arcana Mysteries #1
Series Rating:

Published by Independently Published on August 20, 2024
Setting: Nebraska
Genres: Cozy Culinary Paranormal Mystery
Pages: 292
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Source: the Author
Goodreads
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon

When Ava Goldberg opens a tarot cafe in her late Kabbalist grandfather’s rural Nebraska town, she’s up against more than just the conservative townsfolk—there’s a killer on the loose.

Ava Goldberg’s life in suburban Chicago was perfect—until it wasn’t. Eager to leave her cheating ex-husband behind and reclaim her independence, Ava opens a tarot cafe in the tiny, cornfield-laced town of Shiloh. Although finding her place in Shiloh as a tarot reader—and the only Jewish person—brings more tsuris than Ava bargained for, she hopes that with the support of her childhood friend, Rose, she can pull through. But when a body winds up in the Main Street fountain and Rose’s husband, Joel, is the primary suspect, the whole town is thrown into chaos.

Armed with her tarot deck and a whole lot of chutzpah, Ava sets out to gather the evidence she needs to clear Joel’s name and keep her friend’s family intact. With her struggling shop just barely afloat and constant reminders of her past creeping in, Ava enlists the help of Owen, the dashing hardware store owner she can’t seem to get rid of, to track down the killer. But as their hunt continues, it becomes clear the town harbors more than a few secrets—and that someone will stop at nothing to keep them buried.

A Deck Stacked for Murder by Aliza Levine is a wonderful small-town mystery with a touch of paranormal.

Will Ava Goldberg find the community that she is looking for, or will she be the next person murdered?

Ava Goldberg

Ava is our sleuth, a coffee shop owner, and a tarot card reader. She has recently moved to Shiloh, Nebraska, where her grandfather used to live. Ava is dealing with a broken heart due to her recent divorce and sometimes comes across as cold. However, Ava is working through her issues, and with the help of her friends, she may get past them.

Owen is Ava’s love interest. He owns the hardware store and is a fantastic baker. Owen and Ava are a good match; they complement each other. Hopefully, they will work out any issues that are still lingering.

The Mystery

Not long after Ava’s coffee shop opens, a local woman is killed and left in the fountain at the center of the town. Ava’s best friend’s husband is set up, and Ava is going to prove that Joel didn’t kill Audrey. Owen steps in to assist Ava in her investigation. This isn’t the only thing going on in town, and with a $50,000 reward for information, other incidents are cropping up. Ava can sometimes hear her Grandfather’s voice, especially when she is reading tarot cards or in a life threatening situation. That is one of my favorite parts of the story.

Five Stars

My rating for A Deck Stacked for Murder by Aliza Levine is five stars. I truly enjoyed getting to know Ava and her friends. The little town is wonderfully quaint, and the touch of the paranormal is perfect. I love the relationship between Ava and her grandfather. He sounds like a fabulous man.

Ms. Levine has the next book in the series coming out on August 5, 2025, called Shofar, So Good. I look forward to seeing how things are going at Cafe Arcane and between Ava and Owen.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Deck Stacked for Murder by Aliza Levine.

Until the next time,

About Aliza Levine

Aliza Levine is the author of the Cafe Arcana Mysteries, a cozy mystery series packed with cornfields, tarot cards, romance, and a sprinkling of Jewish mysticism. A native Nebraskan, she’s been reading tarot for more than a decade and writing since she could hold a pencil.

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