I've read a lot of Lynn Cahoon's South Cove mysteries, starring coffee/bookshop owner Jill Gardner. This one is set at Halloween, where Jill and her boyfriend (the police chief) and two other couples spend the weekend in an old mansion set for demolition. The one thing that surprised me was the shortness of this novel, compared to others in the series. But, considering the "weekend" timeline, maybe that was necessary. I was rather shocked to see it end so quickly, and it seemed less complex as a result. Fewer twists and turns.

I have always been a big fan of Lynn Cahoon , even though this is a novella it is enjoyable to read as the rest of her books .
The setting is Hallowe'en over a weekend Jill and friends stay in a old house to raise money for charity. That's when the fun begins.
Many thanks for letting me read and review this book .

Love this series. Not a fan of ghosts, so this was not an appealing story for me. It did move along quickly and have some surprises at the end. I do look forward to the next one in this series.

Although I love the Tourist Tray Mystery series, I am not a fan of Lynn Cahoon's change in format to novellas, as were the last two offerings released. I felt 'A Deadly Brew' while having an interesting story was entirely too abrupt and trite in it's ending. Please bring back the old format so I can relish in the lives of those in South Cove.

I believe this is set after Rocket’s Dead Glare and I think the next novella will continue in that order. It is incredibly frustrating not to have the correct order available on Goodreads or even on the author’s website.

I feel like this story created some new relationships and character revelations that won’t make sense if you read these in chronological order. I enjoyed this novella a lot, but it was written years after book 4. To have so much retcon happen is going to be confusing.

It's nearing Halloween, and Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More in the small town of South Cove, California, has agreed to spend a weekend in a soon-to-be torn down haunted house, along with her boyfriend Greg King, South Cove's sheriff, and three other couples. Among them is Greg's receptionist and local psychic Esmeralda, who insists that the house really is haunted.

When they find a room full of potions they decide to do an impromptu seance that leads them to discover that the the resident ghost is a woman named Maryanne, who was also a witch, but others are not so sure. They also have a partial idea of why she's there - to find her child - Jill's ever-active curiosity takes off, especially after a disturbing dream about Maryanne during which Greg was having trouble waking her.

While exploring the house Jill and her friend come across a remarkable scene in what appears to be a library, and it strengthens the idea that something indeed is going on. But it will take the entire group to find the truth of the matter and why Maryanne is still remaining nearby...

This is a short story written by the prolific and talented Lynn Cahoon, part of the Tourist Trap Mysteries. Because of some of the things written (a scene involving Sasha, for one) I get the idea that this was written earlier but never published in the order it should have been. However, as far as short stories go it was not only quick, as it was meant to be, but delightfully semi-spooky as well.

I rarely read short stories because I don't feel they give enough background nor information before they've ended, but Ms. Cahoon has managed to incorporate our characters well - and if you read it you know them well; if not, I suggest you start with the beginning Guidebook to Murder, because the series will reel you in and you'll want to read the others. The writing is brisk, the mystery well done, the plot line intriguing. Another sparkling tale in the series, which is always welcome.

Anyway, it's a delightful tale that doesn't have a scary quality, but still has a couple of nice scenes, and discovering the truth of what happened to Maryanne is not only interesting, it shows us how easily the author can pull us into the story and keep us there to the end. I truly enjoyed this one. Highly recommended.

I'm not usually a fan of short stories however this one was very good. Lynn Cahoon tied up all the ends in the conclusion with characters that were interesting and a story line that didn't miss a beat.
An excellent read for Halloween.

A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon is a intriguing seasonal novella.
Jill owner of Coffee, Books and More along with her boyfriend and three other couples rents an abandoned house, about to de demolished to spend a night conjuring up spirits.
The last owner, thought to be a witch simply vanushed one day never to be seen again.
First night in the house Jill has a strange dream in which the missing witch contacts her.
Well written and suspensful.
Fun and entertaining story centred around Halloween perfect for the fans of paranormal as well for all those who enjoy a ghost or two around one of the favorite holidays.

I love everything this author writes, and this book was no exception! I love the setting, the characters, the mystery, absolutely everything! Anything set around Halloween always gets bonus points from me as well! This series, no matter how many books there are, is still strong and so fun to read!

Another great short story to supplement the Tourist Trap Mystery series. Fun plot involving an old house that is being rented out over weekends for people to camp and ghost hunt in while helping the town raise money for charity. Once again Jill stumbles upon information that indicates the previous owner may not have left of her own free will, but who is making the noises in the night? An interesting way to get to know the characters better and their personalities get fleshed out just a bit more all while unraveling a decade old mystery. However, I have to warn you that this book is also a bit out of order. It fits in closer to the fourth of July themed book.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this delightful story in exchange for an honest review! I haven't read this author before, though I've heard great things about her and this series. I never felt lost with this one even though I'd never read the series. I like cozies with a bit of "woo woo" and this just fit the bill. A group of friends gather for a weekend in a haunted house. The last resident disappeared, seemingly without a trace. She may be trying to contact them to set things straight. So much fun and highly recommended!

It's Halloween. Four couples are on lockdown in a haunted house where things go bump into the night. A vivid dream. What is the message? Digging into the crevices of the house, they discover many things and it's that puzzle they set out to solve.

The author does a great job in ratcheting up the suspense with a well-written mystery that grabbed my attention and quickly became a page turner as I had to know what happened next. Greg and Jill do what they do best and that is ferret out information that gets to the heart of the matter. The narrative was easy to follow along and the dialogue kept the story moving forward. The mystery was nicely done and I enjoyed the surprising twist when all was revealed. This is a good short story to tie me over until the next full-length book in this delightfully charming series comes out.

I'm a huge fan of this series, but this one was a little "flat". It wasn't a bad read, just wasn't as good as the previous ones. It was very predictable, rather boring. Hopefully, the next in series will be a return to the exciting adventures that are the norm in this series.

I was able to read this thanks to Netgalley. It was nice reading about the characters I have come to know once again. The timeline seemed to not quite match up with the events of the previous book. I was glad Esmeralda had a bit more of a role in this story. She is an interesting character and it was nice to get more insight into her background.

This is a novella in Lynn Cahoon's Tourist Trap Mystery series. I'd prefer to read a full blown novel, but this is a good as it gets for me in a novella. Well known characters return to share a "spooky" weekend together, locked in at an victorian home that is slated for demolition. The previous owner disappeared without a trace which sets up the plot line. For me, the cozy mystery was secondary to how the author gives the reader more insight into the friendships and relationships between the characters. I hope some of this plays out further in future story lines. We learn that psychic police dispatcher Esmerelda has a good friend Jake that is like a younger brother to her. Jill and Greg are going strong and this book suggests that they enjoy a little more spice in their relationship than we've seen in the past. Amy and her professor surfer boyfriend are back, as is Darla and a new man. This book can be read and enjoyed in about an hour, making murder a perfect respite from the daily drudge.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be looking for the previous books. I liked the setting and the idea of a haunted house. The mystery was interesting and I liked the characters. The friendships and support they give each other is nice. This is a novella so it gives you a taste of what the other books are like.

A Deadly Brew is the most recent publication in Lynn Cahoon’s tourist trap mysteries set in South Cove, California. Jill Gardener and her boyfriend Greg King have joined three other couples to spend a weekend in a supposed haunted house as part of a fundraiser for charitable causes in the community.

However, they did not foresee how the mysterious disappearance of the home’s former owner would affect their stay and why someone would be making such an effort to use the house in a way in which they would become embroiled in the decade old mystery.They also did not foresee the answer to this mystery nor did they understand that the culprit was right there before them.

In finding potion rooms, hidden bookcases, and myriad clues, the mystery is laid wide open for Jill, Greg, and company to solve. And what an interesting excursion to the final answer! This is the first Lynn Cahoon book I have read and I did enjoy it!

I did not realize this was a short story until after I read it. Somehow I managed to read short stories. It didn't take long to read about 4 hours for each book. The town of Cove is having their Halloween party a week early due to conflict with other parties Jill with her boyfriend and 3 other decide to spend the weekend in a supposedly haunted house. The owner disappeared 15 years ago. They are locked in at night. Jill is visited by the ghost of the missing owner. She sees images of a curly-headed child. What does this mean? The group is determined to find the answer before the weekend is over. What happened to the owner and where does the child belong? I highly recommend this novella and series.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Lyrical Underground for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

I am not usually a fan of novella length mysteries but this series never disappoints!
The series is engaging and keeps getting better.
I love the setting of South Cove and Coffee, Books and More.
The characters are realistic and well written, especially Jill.
The whodunit kept me guessing right until the conclusion.
I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon was another delightful visit to South Cove for Halloween.

In this novella Jill and Greg with three other couples spend a weekend in a haunted house. The owner of the home disappeared several years ago and the city has sold the house to developers. Being a novella, we delve into the mystery right away. Jill has contact with the missing owner through a dream and is now determined to solve the woman's disappearance. With all of the couples searching for clues it doesn't take long to find out the history and begin to put the clues together. This was an absorbing little mystery and I always love visiting South Cove.