“A Deadly Brew” earns 5/5 Ghostly Weekends…Clever Fun!

Lynn Cahoon has penned a “short and sweet” spooky tale perfect for the holiday season! I am an eager fan of her Tourist Trap Mystery series (this book chronologically falls after the ninth book) and enjoy her signature writing style that always includes a clever mystery and well-developed characters to keep me engaged. Easily read in between “trick or treating” bell rings, “A Deadly Brew” is set in an old abandoned house soon to be demolished, but currently being used as a fund-raising charity event. Jill Gardner with her detective/boyfriend and six other new and old friends (one with self-proclaimed psychic talents, one with EMF equipment, and one with a gun) plan to spend the weekend “locked” in the rumored haunted house, and as a treat, maybe uncover answers to the mysterious disappearance of the last owner who was rumored to be a witch...so cool! It may be short, but this novella is not short on entertainment with engaging descriptions, mysterious events, and spooky “bumps in the night.”

Side thought on the Dedication: I, too, loved the 60s “Dark Shadows” television show, rushing home from school with my BFFs to watch Barnabas Collins, Josette, and Angelique. We even found onyx cabochon rings to show our devotion! We were “goth” before it was cool…Halloween was so much fun during that time of my life!

This is really a short story so there's no character development or much setup so I don't think readers new to the series would enjoy it as much.

I enjoyed seeing Jill outside the bookshop and the story was enjoyable for a Sept./Oct. read though the lack of characters made it easy to know who the bad guy was .

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't aware that this book was a novella when I chose to read it, but I actually liked that for this type of quick, seasonal read. The book was a little dark for my tastes with potions and witches and Ouija boards (I obviously knew it was set at Halloween, but I expected a kinder, gentler Halloween). Lynn Cahoon has a nice writing style, and I will try another of her full-length books after reading this one.

I'm a huge fan of Lynn Cahoon's Tourist Trap mysteries, so I was relieved to discover (after finishing the book) that this is a novella, and not her usual full length mystery - it felt a little less detailed than her usual tales, and the mystery resolved itself far faster than I was anticipating.

That said, for a novella, this is a fun addition to her series - a little Halloween fun, and a spooky ghost to boot! A Deadly Brew added a bit to Esmerelda's backstory, a character we've been learning about in tiny bites.

(While A Deadly Brew could be read on its own, you'll want to go back and read the rest of the Tourist Trap mysteries to grasp all that is there in the backstory.)

A quick and easy read for fans of the series!

So first I have to say that I was pretty annoyed when I realised this was only a novella. I was expecting another full length story and already knowing that Santa Puppy was a short story, I was really looking forward to reading this one first. However in retrospect I have to say that the author did a good job and it was a great read.

So what made this one so great? Well it didn't try and be too much. One of the things I usually hate about short stories is that authors try and pack in way too much. However Lynn really kept this one short with a limited amount of cast and taking them away from daily life. However what she did manage was to add a little paranormal twist to the series that hopefully will not be a one off. It will be a major to the series but it would definitely be a lovely addition.

The mystery was interesting and it was well thought out and kept you guessing. In the end I had the "Why didn't I think of that" moment when all was revealed but that is something that this writer does well. She doesn't give away enough to connect everything until it is time for you to know. I used to hate this but 9 books into the series I have become used to it and find it somewhat fun.

Anyway, for a short story this was a good one. A great installment in the series with some events that I hope will trickle into the main series. Well worth checking out if you want to check out the series as it doesn't give much away from the main story. A must read if you have been following the series.

Deadly Brew: A Tourist Trap Mystery
By Lynn Cahoon
Lyrical
September 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

Although Jill Gardner’s South Cove, California bookstore Coffee, Books, and More will be hosting a day of Halloween-themed scary story readings and in-store trick-or-treating, her next two nights will be spent with three other couples slumber-partying it up at an authentic haunted house. The deteriorating home is being demolished to make way for new condos, but before that it is being rented out at as spooky nights for charity. Jill’s police detective boyfriend Greg King is going along for protection and snuggly warmth, while bringing along their own male partners are Jill’s best friend Amy Newman and the police dispatcher and professional fortune teller Esmeralda. Esmeralda’s mysterious New Orleans friend – or possibly brother – Jake Gold actually proves to be less of a puzzle than the home’s previous owner Maryanne Demerit, who disappeared over fifteen years ago.

Explorations of the house reveal that Maryanne was a healer, or possibly a witch, but it takes a Ouija board session to discover that she is still very much a force within the house. As the Scooby Gang of investigators delve into records and Maryanne’s tragic life, a creepy caretaker locks them in every night, ominous dreams provide clues, and an even more haunting crib is discovered in the attic.

This romp of a mystery is the perfect short novel to cuddle up with on a night of fun scares and wisp of ghostly hauntings. The couples’ days are spent taking advantage of the scenic sights of the tourist-friendly California coast town, but the nights are full of deathly frights and genuine moments of jeopardy. The teasing banter between couples reflects their long history and strong friendships, one that has them relying on one another at critical moments as much for tension-relieving humor as for actual protection. Their enviable bonds and affection make this a genuinely heart-warming tale full of surprises, laughs, and spooky fun.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This was another fabulous addition by Lynn Cahoon to her Tourist Trap Mystery Series. It certainly deserves more than 5 stars. The characters are evolving through the books and we care about them and can't wait for the next book to see what will happen to Jill, Greg, Amy, Toby, Esmeralda and all their friends in South Cove.

It's almost Halloween in South Cove and four couples decide the spend the weekend in a house that will soon be demolished. The house is being rented out to groups to raise money for local charities. Rumor has it that the house is haunted because the last owner of this house has vanished without a trace.

Esmeralda is the town psychic and she feels that Jill is sensitive to the spirit world. Jill however is not a believer. With a number of interesting twists, clues and supernatural intervention, Jill and her friends solve the mystery of what happened to Maryanne Demerit.

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.

An interesting premise that wrapped up too quickly. Four couples spend the weekend at the abandoned Demerit House searching for clues as to what happened to Maryanne Demerit. Searching for clues, they find some artifacts from Maryanne's life and wondered what had happened to her baby. The book wrapped up too quickly. I thought it had more potential.

This is a fun Halloween addition to the Tourist Trap Series by Lynn Cahoon. I loved the holiday theme of this quick read novella.
In this next in series a haunted house is the setting for 4 couples including Greg and Jill who decide to visit the house and end up solving a decades old murder.
This was a quick read as it is a Novella, albeit the author has all the elements here of strong charcters, a good plot and a interesting sleuth. I enjoyed this next in series and look forward to the next book.

Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.

A DEADLY BREW is the latest Tourist Trap Mystery novella by Lynn Cahoon. This fun, quick read definitely got me in the mood for Halloween with a ghost story as the central theme. I enjoyed how it started with the author’s dedication to her mother and their shared love of Dark Shadows. It brought back memories of my childhood when I would sneak over to my best friend’s house to watch that scary fun program! It wasn’t allowed in my home but I was intrigued by the peek into the supernatural and looked forward to the program each week.

Protagonist Jill Gardner, along with her boyfriend (the handsome detective Greg King) and 3 other couples are participating in a haunted house lock-in. The owner of the house disappeared fifteen years previously and had never been found. One of the friends participating is Esmerelda, who purportedly has psychic abilities and hopes to contact the owner from the “other side” to find out what happened. Most of the group is skeptical but when Jill starts experiencing strange things in the house, she finds her beliefs are challenged. Ms. Cahoon weaves in a tight tale of the cold case concerning the missing woman who was a supposed witch, a ghost searching for a lost child, and things that go bump in the night! Even though it is a short novella, I felt the story contained all the necessary elements to make it a delightful read: good characters, a mystery or two to be solved, clues sprinkled around, and an exciting conclusion. You’ll definitely want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows while reading this “spirited” book!

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Novella in the series.

This was a short, fast, read that I enjoyed. I do like Jill and Greg and South Cove. The series is well-developed and well written. This is just a a quick pre-Halloween visit to South Cove as Jill and friends spend a weekend in a supposedly haunted house. Spooky happenings cause them to try to figure out the mysterious history of the house, about to be torn down.

I like this series a lot, and I highly recommend starting with the first book in the series. This short can be read as a stand alone, but why deny yourself the pleasure of the whole series?

Jill Gardner and her friends are spending Halloween in the local haunted house. Four couples, all ready to see a ghost. But, why is there a ghost there and could this be a mystery too old for Jill to solve?



I usually like this series (or any series by Lynn Cahoon) but this one just didn't come together for me. Too much plot packed into a short story made it hard to understand.



Two stars
This came out September 4
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon is the 9.5 book in A Tourist Trap Mystery series, and a great addition. Jill Gardner is the owner of Coffee, Books, and More and she and the town are busy getting ready for Halloween. In this novella Jill and her boyfriend, Greg, and three other couples spend the weekend at a house that is said to be haunted, before it is demolished for condos. I love this series, and enjoyed this novella too, but of course wish it was longer. I recommended this book/series to all cozy mystery lovers.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was another fun trip to South Cove to see the gang and solve a decades old mystery. This was an interesting story set in abandoned old house where the woman that lived there disappeared years before. This story has a definite ghost angle which wasn’t my favorite aspect but the story kept my attention and kept me guessing. Looking forward to my next trip to South Cove.

Lynn Cahoon's A Deadly Brewis a Kindle single in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. Jill and her boyfriend along with three other couples are spending the weekend in a haunted house. This is a fast past mystery perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. I liked that I could read it in one sitting. The former owner's disappearance years earlier is the focus of the mystery. I enjoy Ms. Cahoon's writing style and how she brings the characters to life!

If you're a long time reader of the series be aware that this isn't really the next book in the series. Like the previous novella this one is a few books behind but because only a few pages at the very beginning take place in the town it wasn't nearly as distracting as the previous novella.

This was so much fun! Just the idea of this big old house high up on the cliff full of the possessions of the person who used to live there and bursting with secrets is pretty much one of my dream setting. The lock-in style plot was a lot of fun and I thought the different characters were a good mix of skeptical. There's Esmerelda and Jake who are full in on all things supernatural all the way up to Greg who knows everything has a logical explanation even when it's hard to come up with one. I loved the descriptions of the house and that library crammed with books just about made my mouth water.

I really loved seeing a more personal side to Esmerelda. She's always been a side character but I never really felt like I knew her. I enjoyed seeing her a bit more relaxed and even getting a peek into her childhood. The mystery kept me guessing - what had happened all those years ago? And just what were Jill, Greg, and the other 3 couples going to find? I did get annoyed with how hostile Greg came off at times but that was a tiny complaint. The plot was well done and didn't feel rushed which so often happens in a novella. I could have easily read this in one sitting but I was reading this late at night in the dark with just the light from my Kindle and some of the house exploring creeped me out! If you're new to the series you could jump in here as this one feels separate from the rest of the series. If you're a long time fan of the series like me than this is just a fun Halloween treat that is not to be missed!

Although I much prefer the full length tourist trap books, this little novella was a lot of fun. I loved that we got to see more of esmerelda's character and learn a little more about her background. I also loved the introduction of magically elements into the series. I hope to see more of that in the full length books. The mystery was layered and not too predictable, although it did wrap up quite quickly in the final act of the story. There's not much else I can say except I enjoyed it!

I have been so busy with back to school, working and some fun side projects recently and have not been reading at the speed I have been in the past, so it was lovely to sit down and read A Deadly Brew, which is a new release from Lynn Cahoon. Her tourist trap mystery series is a favorite of mine and my friend Lisa K turned me on to this series years ago. I am so delighted with the way that A Deadly Brew unfolds. I love the idea of going away for the weekend with friends and staying in a haunted house, figuring out a mystery and truly enjoying a fun Halloween, grown up style. I think that this was a great idea for a book, loved the setting, the mystery and the new elements that Lynn brought to this latest in the series. The cover is also great and loved how it looked on my table. I had been craving a fun fall read and this one is exactly that! Pick it up and enjoy it now!

Review: A DEADLY BREW by Lynn Cahoon
(A Tourist Trap Mystery #9.5)

When the opportunity for a weekend "lock-in" at an abandoned old house overlooking the Pacific Ocean arises, "Coffee, Books, and More" shop owner Jill Gardner and boyfriend Detective Greg King, plus three other pairs, decide to enjoy a "spooky" weekend close to Halloween. But the joke's on them as the owner, missing fifteen years now, wants her truth told, and reaches out to Jill to deliver her revelations. Delightfully spooky and heartwarming, A DEADLY BREW is a fast-paced cozy mystery.