This Halloween-themed novella is for fans of the Tourist Trap Mysteries who want to bit more of Jill Gardner and her friends. In this one, the bookstore/coffee shop owner and her detective boyfriend Greg join three other couples to spend the weekend at a local haunted house before the structure is torn down to make way for new construction. One of the other couples features Esmerelda, the town psychic, who conducts a seance. However, it is Jill who seems to be the focus of the spirit's efforts at communication. Series devotees will enjoy the fast-paced tale as we get to see some new sides of favorite characters.

Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Fast paced and fun short novella for the Tourist Trap series, which I love. Love the setting of a haunted house in Halloween, An interesting mystery with well developed characters. A wonderful additional to the series.

I received this ARC, via Netgalley, in return for an honest review. I enjoyed this book. The premise of four couples staying for a weekend in a house that's on the beach and about to be torn down for development set a unique stage. Then, there's a bit of ghostly intervention and the solving of a murder, maybe! Over the course of the book, the characters became clear. In the beginning, because there were eight people, it took some time to sort out who was who and who was in relationships, either intimate or friends, with the others. Once I got that down, the book flowed well. The outcome of the mystery was well written and a couple of plot twists made it interesting and not obvious an answer. I recommend this book for a summer read.

An intriguing Halloween novella in the Tourist Trap series. This short story was fast-paced and a perfect reading length for me. Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books and More, joins her police detective boyfriend, Greg King and three other couples for a weekend stay in a haunted house where there are mysterious goings-on. I love this series and highly recommend it to other readers but best you begin at the beginning and become friends with Jill, Greg and the rest of the gang in South Cove.

Many thanks to the publisher, Kensington Books Lyrical Press, NetGalley and Ms. Cahoon for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Deadly Brew is the latest installment in Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mysteries. This fast-paced novella is a quick and easy read that can easily be read as a standalone. This is a well-written story, with well-developed and affable characters, that moves along at a steady pace, with a reveal that surprised me. Ms. Cahoon’s writing style flows smoothly; the engaging characters and interesting plot drew me right into the story.

South Cove, California resident and owner of Coffee, Books, and More, Jill Gardner, and her boyfriend, Detective Greg King, join three other couples in a weekend lockdown in a house that’s been unoccupied for fifteen years and is purported to be haunted to benefit a program that provides school supplies to needy children prior to the house being torn down. The previous owner, Maryanne Demerit, who some thought was a witch, but was really a healer, disappeared without a trace. Maryanne appears in a dream that Jill has the first night of their adventure, revealing that something happened to her daughter. Odd things begin to occur as the group searches for clues regarding Maryanne’s disappearance, what happened to her daughter, and Esmeralda uses her psychic abilities.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

An interesting story. Jill is staying in a haunted house for a weekend with friends and discovers a mystery of what happened to the owner. She and her friends investigate with the help of the ghost of the murdered woman. It's a face-paced book that felt too short when I finished it. I enjoyed it very much, although I'm not sure what the title has to do with much within the book. #ADeadlyBrew #NetGalley

This was a very good book. Halloween finds Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, her boyfriend, and three other couples staying the weekend in the old Demerit house. No one has lived there in 15 Years and since a new condo building will be going up in it's place, this is the only time the group can see the house. Jill finds herself a not completely happy conduit for Marianne Demerit's ghost. Marianne had disappeared years ago without a trace and now she wants Jill's help. This was a fun and fast read.

Surprisingly, a novella that I liked even though the ending was rush.

Jill Garden and boyfriend Greg King, with three other couples, decided that there is nothing like a perfect getaway close to home, so why not spend a couple of nights locked in a supposedly haunted house that has been sitting empty for 15 years, and in a few short weeks will be torn down taking with it any last remnants of Maryann Demerit who had disappeared without a trace. All they have to do is pack up a few supplies, wait on the porch for the caretaker to show up with a key, do not let their imaginations run wild, and their adventure can begin.

Just because Maryann was reported to be a witch did not mean anything. Well, maybe to Esmeralda, but when Jill has a dream about the previous owner, books start moving off shelves, stairways and baby items are discovered, the group goes into overdrive to find the answers before the caretaker can lock them out permanently.

Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More in South Cove, California is joining her boyfriend and three other couples in staying overnight at a supposed haunted house. The house was once owned by Maryanne Demerit, a healer who mysteriously disappeared one night. After they arrive, Jill experiences some suspicious activity, and decides to investigate. Can she find out what really happened to Maryanne before the old house is demolished?
It is wonderful when an author can write so well that a novella can have the same intensity, character development, and plot twists as a full length novel. I think this would be a great read for any cozy mystery lover looking for some spooky Halloween fun. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

I really like this series, but this is not a novel, just a short story. The premise was great, but the story could have been so much better fleshed out into novel length. I give it a three, because I liked the story, but not the shortness.

A Deadly Brew is a novella in the Tourist Trap series by Lynn Cahoon. It is a wonderful addition and fits in mid series (maybe after book 3) and takes place in October / Halloween. Jill owns Coffee,Books & More. Her boyfriend Greg is the town Police Chief. There is an old house in town that is rumored to be haunted and it is going to be torn down to build condos. As a fundraiser, people can stay in the house so Jill, Greg, and 3 other couples sign up. Jill thinks it will be a fun weekend with their friends. But odd things start happening. This is a quick but engaging novella and was hard to put down!

A perfect novella that is packed with intrigue and mystery.
This book is set in a supposedly haunted house, with four couples being locked in for 48 hours.
The story was interesting and I was surprised upon reveal.
This author always pens a delightful story and this did not disappoint me.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

Normally when I'm going to read a book far in a series, I try to catch up. Seeing that I would be reading 9 books, and the fact that this is a novella, I decided to just jump in instead. I quickly got the jist of things. Jill, her boyfriend and some friends are staying in a haunted house for the weekend. They uncover secrets about the previous inhabitants.
Learning about the house ans hat happened was interesting, even in such a short story. I wanted to know more about Jill being sensitive to seeing spirits and having them communicate with her in dreams/ visions. Good for a quick escapist Halloween read, and you don't need all the previous books to follow rhis story.

This is a short story. I did not realize that when I picked it. I don't usually select short stories. But I am glad I picked this one. This story had a haunted house and how cool is that! The setting is cool and the idea of paying to stay in a haunted house is interesting. I like that the door opens and shuts at certain times so the folks are free to roam. Loved the books moving and the hidden room. So much to like in the book. The cast of characters makes the story. Jake certainly makes the ending. This is a great story for someone to enjoy a quick read. I like the story.

A fun, spooky and scary Halloween themed cozy mystery starring Jill Gardner, her boyfriend police detective Greg King and a bunch of their friends who decide to rent a supposedly haunted house for a Halloween party weekend. The group includes Esmerelda, Jill's clairvoyant friend who brings her ouija board to see if they can correspond with the spirit of Maryanne Demerit, the former owner of the house who disappeared years ago. The group finds all kinds of weird noises, books magically appearing and disappearing and hints about a lost child until they finally figure out the mystery and who was behind the disappearance. Any story involving Jill Gardner is an enjoyable one, and this is perfect for a Halloween treat.

Intriguing Halloween novella in the Tourist Trap Cozy Series. Esmeralda uses her psychic abilities to find clues to a missing woman and a child. I thought this short story was absorbing and fast-paced. Never a dull moment! Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books and More, joins her police officer boyfriend, Greg, and three other couples for a weekend stay in a haunted house where there are mysterious goings-on. The mystery is great! I love this series and highly recommend it to other readers.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Press. Thank you.

A house sits alone on the shore, empty for fifteen years after the last owner disappeared into thin air. While the house will soon be torn down to allow greedy developers to erect condos, the house will have one last hurrah as a Halloween haunted house. Jill Gardner, owner of the local book and coffee shop and resident sleuth, is spending the weekend at the old house along with her boyfriend and three other couples. It starts out as a lark, but soon turns serious as Jill sets out to discover what really happened to the former owner.