I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Grounds for Murder
by Lena Gregory
Series: Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries #2
Published by Gemma Halliday Publishing on November 21, 2023
Setting: New York
Genres: Cozy Culinary Mystery
Pages: 225
Format: ebook, Kindle, Paperback
Source: Great Escapes Book Tours
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Kobo, Nook
Also in this series: Murder A La Mode, Double Scoop of Murder , Buried on a Sundae
From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty new mystery with a killer twist...
Danika Delaney is thrilled to have taken over her uncle Jimmie's old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and is working hard to make it her own. In an effort to increase business, Danika invites a mystery writer to the Coffee & Cream Café for a discussion and book signing. Things seem to be going well, until a guest shows up and confronts the author, accusing him of plagiarizing his work. Embarrassed by the incident, Danika goes to the inn where the writer is staying the following morning, hoping to apologize and offer him another chance to return. What she finds instead is his dead body—beside a cup of poisoned coffee! Now it's up to Danika to find out who wanted to silence the author... before the killer decides to write Danika a not-so-happy ending!
Grounds for Murder by Lena Gregory has Dani trying to reopen her cafe and start her life as a business owner being railroaded….again.
Will Dani catch the killer?
Dani Delaney
Dani Delaney has finally gotten the cafe looking a bit better than what her uncle Jimmie had. The only thing stopping her from staying open is her penchant for trying to solve a mystery once it falls in her lap. I love that about Dani, as she has a great belief system engrained in herself that she wants to find the killer. It’s probably also her love of mystery novels. Dani, this time, earnestly tried not to get involved in the mystery, but the clues were always there for her to find.
I love Dani as a character. I hope that moving back home makes her realize that she has a great support system, with her old and new friends.
The Mystery
Dani Delaney goes to the B&B to apologize to the writer she had on her reopening night to draw in customers. Instead of apologizing, Dani finds him dead. Dani ends up trying to solve the mystery because even if the author wasn’t a great man alive, that doesn’t mean he deserves to die. The mystery got me in the end. I didn’t think it was who it was. Honestly, I thought it was someone else, but it wasn’t. Now I feel bad for suspecting one of the people. Despite writing off the actual person for some insane reason. Excellent job, Ms. Gregory.
Five Stars
I am giving Grounds for Murder by Lena Gregory five stars. Ms. Gregory always makes me feel like I am a part of the novel and solving the mystery with Dani. I also recommend this book to any cozy culinary mystery readers out there.
Ms. Gregory has me ready for her next read in this book.
Coffee and Cream Cafe Mysteries
Giveaway
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Thank you for dropping by! What do you think of Grounds for Murder by Lena Gregory?
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
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About Lena Gregory
Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of Central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2023 Beachcombers Mystery RC
- 2023 Cloak and Dagger
- 2023 Craving the Cozies
- 2023 Cruisin' thru the Cozies
- 2023 Goodreads RC
- 2023 Medical Examiner RC
- 2023 Six Shooter
Thank you so much for such an amazing review, Karen! I’m happy you couldn’t figure out who the killer was, but even more thrilled that you were invested enough in the characters to feel bad about the one you suspected! That’s about the best compliment you could have given me and is very much appreciated!