We join Juliet as she works on her first case after she has earned her PI license. Maya, her PI boss, has asked her to investigate a company called Wonder-Gen after one of the owners hired them to figure out if his partner is swindling money from the company. At the same time, her boss at the coffee shop Java Jive has asked her to look into the death of one of the employees fiancé. Did she really die of an apparent drug overdose or was she murder by a jealous co-worker. Both cases take Juliet on a wild ride. Will she survive both emotionally and physically?

Even though I started this series in the middle it did not affect being able to follow along. Sometimes when you start in the middle of the series you are lost in trying to fissure out who is who and the connections. Caroline Fardig did a great job in introducing everyone and their connections very early on and without overdoing so.

I like the spunkiness of Juliet as she is a sleuth that is not afraid to get out there and get in the middle of a case to solve it. My biggest let down was her waffling on who she was in love with. Is it Stafford, Hamilton or Pete? Do all female sleuths have to have a love triangle or quadrangle to make them successful? I think not. Maybe in the future we will see Juliet take a break from trying to fall in love.

This was my first introduction to the Java Jive series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It will definitely be a series I add to my reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing a free copy for my honest review.

My favorite coffeehouse barista, Juliet Langley, is back in action in Caroline Fardig's <em>Brew or Die</em>.

But Juliet is no longer just a coffeehouse manager who stumbles onto crime and sleuthing - now the red-head is an officially licensed private investigator in Nashville. This makes perfect sense in the chronology of the character through the books, but it does take away a little bit of the fun.

The fiancée of one of Juliet's Java Jive employees has died of an apparent overdose. But the employee (Shane) is convinced that there's foul play and talks newly licensed Juliet to investigate. Juliet ("Jules") is also working some other cases with her friend Maya. Those cases have her working undercover after hours as a member of a late-night cleaning crew. Somehow she also still manages Java Jive as well.

In addition to the P.I. work and the coffee-house, Jules finds time to pursue some extra-curricular activities with her boy-friend John Stafford - a police detective whom she now works with in her capacity as a private investigator. But Juliet's former boyfriend, Ryder, keeps trying to warn Jules about Stafford.

One of the big attractions I've had with this series to date is the character of Juliet. She's spunky with a charming innocence about her. Even with all the dead bodies she's had at her feet she's maintained an energetic, can-do spirit. But now, with her PI license comes a more stalwart and steady Jules - someone who doesn't jump without looking. This is more responsible on her part, but less fun for the reader.

Clearly the character is growing and with the change comes some growing pains. This is my least favorite book in the series but I'm far from giving up on the character or the series. I'm happy to keep going and see what other changes are in store.

The mysteries are getting stronger, and Juliet now has the opportunity to legitimately get involved in more cases, but I hope author Fardig doesn't lose sight of Juliet, who is the real reason we read the books.

Looking for a good book? <em>Brew or Die</em> is the newest book in the Java Jive series by Caroline Fardig. It is not quite as strong as the previous books in the series, but it's still a worthwhile read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I had not read anything by author Caroline Fardig before but am glad to rectify my loss! Although it was clear that pre-existing relationships existed among all the characters and that there was a fair amount of history (i.e., previous books in the series) among them, I had no trouble following the interactions and getting to know and like the main protaganists (or at least most of them--ya gotta hiss for the villain, after all!). And now on to the story which was logically laid out with a few good clues and a few red herrings making the various solutions and deductions that much more delightful. I selected this to read from the Netgalley catalog; when I saw Alibi was the publisher I knew I'd be reading a well-edited cozy mystery with a large dose of humor. It is nice to be able to count on some things!

Java Jive coffee house manager Juliet (Jules) Langley is excited to finally receive her PI license. After quickly handling a cheating husband case she is assigned to a more complicated case where a business owner is questioning large money deposits by his partner. Also an employee at the coffee house wants her and her BFF, Pete, to prove his girlfriend did not OD but was murdered.

These two cases bring a lot of action to the story along with the dynamics of Jules with Pete, ex boyfriend Ryder and current boyfriend John. The author does an excellent job of combining the mystery and romance and leaves you wanting more.

This is book #4 in the A Java Jive Mystery series.

Brew or Die is another great book in Caroline Fardig's Java Jive series. Balancing two jobs and multiple men in her life is Juliet's dilemma and how she balances (or not) is what makes this book great.

In Brew or Die, Caroline Fardig’s 4th Java Jive mystery, Nashvillian Juliet Langley crosses the line from being an enthusiastic, capable amateur sleuth to join the ranks of licensed private investigators. Juliet is the new part-time investigator at her friend Maya Huxley’s agency. Maya is a gal who likes to “do things her own way,” but she and Juliet have history.

But, after teaming up to get to the bottom of a bogus murder charge for a friend of mine, she saw something in me that she thought she could work with. So, she made me her apprentice, trained me, made sure I got my education requirements, and helped me study for the licensure test.

Pete Bennett—Juliet’s boss at her full-time gig, the Java Jive Coffeehouse—is less than enthused. Pete would like his manager, in her spare time, to explore her singer-songwriter talents. What better spot than Music City to make a splash in the local music scene? Pete’s not shy about expressing his doubts about how things will go with Maya.

“She’s not always going to be with you now that you’re a full-fledged PI,” he pointed out. “And need I remind you that you already have a job?”

Coffeehouse manager by day, PI by night, Juliet Langley is the essence of a multi-tasking woman. There’s a guy in her personal rear-view mirror, ex-boyfriend Detective Ryder Hamilton. Their break-up was messy, but detective agencies and the local constabulary often work side by side, so Ryder isn’t exactly out of the picture. Juliet Langley’s realistic, somewhat rueful approach to her personal life makes it difficult for her to draw a bright line between work and pleasure—especially since Stafford, her new beau, is also a Nashville detective.

When Josie, the fiancée of one of Pete’s baristas, is found dead, conventional wisdom suggests that she overdosed. That’s the excuse the police give when they refuse to investigate.

Pete and I shared a look over Shane’s bowed head.

I said, “It’s true. The overdose rate around here has skyrocketed lately. Stafford has been telling me how much of a problem it’s become.”

Shane lifted his head to glare at me. “Josie didn’t OD.” He never did particularly care for me.

Juliet’s unbridled enthusiasm about undercover work is one of the delights of Brew or Die. Josie worked for Leonidas, the premier wedding agency in Nashville, so it makes sense that Juliet infiltrates the organization so that she can get inside information about Josie’s fate. She’ll be modeling wedding dresses at a bridal fair, and she drags her handsome boss Pete into posing as a groom.

Looks like “Red-haired She-Devil” PI Juliet is getting her groove back! Check out Pete after the makeup mavens have their way with him: “He was the picture of male perfection.” The repartee between Pete and Juliet is familiar and friendly with a breathy whisper of “if only.” More importantly, how’s the sleuthing going? They pretend to mingle.

He made a grand show of offering me his arm, and I took it, smiling and waving at guests as we walked past them, but not slowing down to chat like we should have. We headed out of the ballroom and down the back hallway, which was largely deserted.

I let go of Pete’s arm. “Did you find out anything regarding the case?” Noticing something odd, I peered at his face closely. “And are you wearing guyliner?”

Grimacing, he said, “Yeah, they made me.”

I burst out laughing.

“Shut up, Jules. And focus.”

A laughing Juliet who loses focus occasionally is also a canny sleuth who intuitively sees beyond the obvious. Her on-and-off boyfriend Ryder appreciates it when she cuts loose, like when she snaps, “I’m not telling her shit,” about a nosy mutual acquaintance. He, like us, is thrilled that “delicate Juliet is back,” and yes, that’s irony.

Whether she’s a slatternly cleaner working undercover at a warehouse, a singer-songwriter manager at a coffee house, or an overly curious mannequin at a bridal showcase, Juliet Langley’s infectious, persistent personality has us rooting for her success, both personally and professionally.

I just plain love this series. The books always have great writing, interesting characters, & an intriguing story.

Brew or Die could be read as a stand alone but I would suggest reading the first 3 books just to understand the back story.

In this book Juliet is a private eye & can now investigate things without getting in so much trouble with Nashville PD (or so she thinks)

All the favorite characters are back, Pete, Ryder, Pete’s Grandma, & the eclectic group of employees at Java Jive.

I keep an eye out for each new book by Caroline Fardig because I know its going to be a fun read.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Brew or Die is the fourth book in Caroline Fardig's Java Jive Mystery series. Juliet Langley, manager of Java Jive and amateur sleuth, has just received her PI license after working with Maya Huxley at her private investigation agency and with Maya's tutelage to prepare for the exam.

Juliet finally seems to be in a happy place, working alongside two good friends, Maya at the PI agency and Pete at Java Jive. Her former love interest who left her high and dry in the previous installment is now in the past and she is building a new relationship with detective John Stafford of MNPD.

Little does Juliet expect the first case she works on her own as Maya travels home to England to visit family will turn her world upside down, putting her at great risk and bringing Ryder back into her life. She also has no expectation that the pro bono case she takes with Pete to help discover what really happened to the fiancé of one of the Java Jive employees will result in a drugged trip to Memphis and videoing the confession of a murderer while counting on Ryder to save Pete's life.

Another wild ride through Nashville's Music Row area. Fast paced, interesting characters, and brief peaks into the seedier side of humans with the depths they will stoop to counterbalanced by the goodness in most of us. I do recommend this book.

I quickly became involved in all that was happening on the pages of this fun cozy mystery. Even though it's the fourth book in the series, it is the first one I have read and had no problem reading it as a standalone. Once I started reading, I just couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next. I enjoyed the eclectic cast of characters especially coffee shop manager Juliet Langley who just received her private investigator license and MNPD Detective Ryder Hamilton. I look forward to reading more Java Jive Mysteries. I received a free advance copy of Brew or Die from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my unbiased review.

Juliet Langley is excited she has her private investigator certification. Her first major investigate has her looking at an electronic company whose accounts show more money being received than goods being sold. Juliet is teaming with Pete Bennett on the death of a friend from heroin. The police believe it was an accidental death. Pete feels it was murder. Ryder is back in Juliet's life. There are several romances either occurring or ending giving the tale romantic feelings. Juliet finds working with the police is satisfying. The ending is interesting and will either amuse you or you will leave feeling disgusted. I recommend this book and series.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Alibi through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.April 25 reviews on Amazon, Google+, Goodreads, Linkedin, Tumblr, and WordPress.

Love this series. The growth of the characters provided added interest. Skeptical at first as to whether they actually had changed or not, but they did remain true and seemed believable. Lots of action, romance, laughs, and suspense. A definite page turner that I hated to see end. I am eager for more.

Brew or Die is the 4th book in the Java Jive Mystery series, I did feel like I was missing some of the background of the characters by not reading the other three books. It can be read as a standalone book. This book has a lot of action, humor, and unexpected twists and turns. This was a fast read and I can’t wait to read the other three books.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review after finishing the book.

Juliet Solves Not One But Two Mysteries

Newly minted PI Juliet Langley has her plate full. She’s still managing the coffee house for her best friend, Pete Bennett. Now she is handling two jobs. Pete thinks it’s a lot, but he knows he can’t stop her becoming to be a PI. What he wants is for her to reconsider going back into the music business.

Almost immediately Juliet solves a case and then lands two more. Shane, one of Pete’s employees is devastated by the death of his girlfriend, a party planner. She was found dead at her desk from an overdose, and he wants Juliet to prove she was murdered. Juliet also works with Maya on a case to find out what’s happening in Gentry’s warehouse business. He thinks his partner is up to something shady.

The cases lead Juliet into the weird world of party planning where drugs, booze and sex top the list of entertainment. In the warehouse case, she goes on stakeout and meets up with her former lover, Ryder. They’re both suspicious about what’s happening at the warehouse.

The mysteries are fast paced and have enough twists to keep them interesting. Pete and Juliet are appealing when they team up to go undercover, as they do in the party planner case. Juliet shows her mettle and propensity for getting into tight spots in the warehouse case. These mysteries give you what you expect from this series.

The romance is disappointing. I feel the relationships are becoming strained. Pete and Juliet can’t get together and the reasons are becoming thin. The cops Juliet dates are another disappointment. She’s broken up with Ryder, who seemed to be a good match. John, the cop she’s now dating, seems too much of a nice guy to keep her interested for long. I enjoy the series, but the romantic tangles are getting old.

I received this book from Alibi for this review.

Oh the ups and downs of Juliet's relationships. Stafford, Pete, Ryder.....is she ever going to connect with the right one at the right time, or is there maybe even someone else out there for her? You will just have to read to find out. Juliet is finally embarking on her career as a private investigator, and as her luck usually works out, it gets more adventurous than expected. Additionally, Pete pressures her to take on a side investigation with him which may have disastrous repercussions.

This book is part of a series which you really need to read from the beginning. I wouldn't recommend it as a standalone at all, but I totally recommend the series. There is always a good mystery, a little action, and some adventures in romance.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for honest review.

My Review

This is the first book I have read in this series. Which wasn’t a problem the author did a great job if making sure a new reader didn’t feel lost. I enjoyed the characters and the vulnerability they had with each other. This book had a lot going on between different characters and Fardig did a fantastic job of weaving them in with the mystery. The mystery had me guessing until almost the end and gave plenty of twists and turns. I do wish the book described the city of Nashville with more detail and the conflict with Ryder and Jules was drawn out a little too much. I enjoyed Brew or Die and have put the first three books on my must read list. If you love a good mystery with your coffee then you’ll love Brew or Die

This was a fun and lightly thrilling book. The mystery was great, but at times it felt like the relationship drama was taking over. There was also some great character development towards the end, which I loved.

This is the fourth entry in the Java Jive cozy mystery series. It's a solid book with some twists that I wasn't expected and the characters are being flushed out more. For those unfamiliar with this series, the main character, Juliet, is a manager of a coffee house and a new P.I. Personally, I could never juggle two such diverse jobs but Juliet does. And it's a compliment to the author for not portraying Juliet as a perfect character no one likes. There are a few things Juliet does which make me frown but overall I do like her.

This is book four in the Java Jive series about a singer, barista mystery solver. As I have never read the previous books I had no preconceptions. I like this book and intend to pickup the prior novels but I did not find that I loved this book. I fear part of my issue is as a new reader of the on going series I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I would have preferred. That having been said I will attempt to answer the most common questions I encounter when referring a book or reading review questions.

Can you just jump in? Yes and no. Each book appears to have a main stand alone mystery but it seems like the last book may have been pivotal relationship maybe even plot wise. I'm still not confident of my own understanding. So, if you love to "get" the references and "jokes" I would recommend reading the prior books first.

Would you recommend this book? Yes. The main mystery was completely engaging and very well written!

Is this a clean story? Yes. I didn't find any of the actions or behaviors to be offensive to me, but this is a mainstream modern mystery not a religious offering.

Is it very violent/gory? No

Is this a last or next to last book? No, I definitely hope not! As this book ends on a sad but hopeful note, I really can't wait to see where the author takes Jules now!


Netgalley review of advance copy. Thank you to the author and publisher for a well crafted read..

I will admit that jumping into the middle of a multi-novel series doesn't always yield the best results. While authors aim to write each book in such a way that anyone can drop in at any time and still get the gist of things (and this book is no different), I feel that there is a richness to the characters that is lacking by not having the full background.

Overall, I liked this book, but I did find it slow in parts. The middle of the book is where authors tend to not be able to hold my attention, as was the case here. The story line was quite complex, with multiple mysteries at once and the interleaving of many relationships, so it became mired in a too much detail in some spots. I suspect a broader brush could have been used to fill in the investigations and kept a faster pace. The problem may well have been that there were too many mysteries happening in one book to really be effective in the storytelling of all of them.

I would consider going back and reading earlier books in the series to learn more about the main characters. I would definitely recommend starting at the top with this one.