On The Lamb
Kebab Kitchen Mystery, Book #4
Tina Kashian
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Lucy Berberian is busy preparing her family's Mediterranean restaurant for Easter on the Jersey Shore--but a batch of sweets is to die for . . .

Bikers are thundering into the seaside town of Ocean Crest for the annual Bikers on the Beach gathering that raises funds for injured veterans. It's a big boost for the Kebab Kitchen, as well as for local businesses like Melanie Haven's candy shop. But Melanie is about to find herself in a sticky situation.

When Melanie and Lucy attend a beach bonfire, a local landlord is found dead after apparently choking on a piece of salt water taffy. Melanie, who was known to have a contentious relationship with the victim, is quickly skewered as the prime suspect. But Lucy is determined to prove her friend's innocence before the real killer coasts free . . .

Recipes included! (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I so enjoy Lucy and Katie and their sleuthing adventures. It does not seem to bother Katie that her husband is a policeman, she will do anything when she and Lucy are looking for a killer. They seem to be fearless when they are on the case, and they are definitely on the case to prove their friends innocence. I also enjoy getting to spend time with Lucy’s family and friends, they add a lot to the story. I especially enjoyed getting to meet Lucy’s landlady, Eloisa Lubinski. She is quirky and slightly bizarre and I loved her.

The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and those descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a steady pace. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through, and with some red herrings thrown in just for fun, it was not easily solved. And that is the way I like my mysteries.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I think this series is wonderful, and all I can say to the author is “keep them coming”.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Lucy is still up to her old tricks: looking into murders to help save her friends while still running her family's restaurant on the Jersey coast. This installment in the series was a little suspect itself. I found myself tripping over a few oddities like Katie having a purse while running down the boardwalk but then pulling cash out of her shorts. I understand the later but not the former. Additionally, while at first it might have been helpful for people new to the series, I found points were repeated continually. Not only about the suspects but also things like how Azad put the shelves together and that Bill was not working the case and wasn't actually a detective. This repetition was unnecessary and disrupted the flow of the story itself, which was good in itself. So take the writing with a grain of salt, or perhaps a helping of hummus, and enjoy reading how Lucy once again stumbles into figuring out who the killer is!

I love Lucy Berberian! She’s such a great heroine, and her blend of several cultures adds even further layers to her character. Her loyalty to her family, her love of the family restaurant and the boardwalk, her determination & fearlessness to solve the murders that seem to inevitably cross her path. She’s definitely a character I would love to have as a friend – especially if she kept me supplied in hummus, fresh pita, kebabs, and baklava. I also love her family, her boyfriend Azad and her BFF Katie … and the stray cat Gadoo (‘cat’ in Armenian) who has claimed Lucy as his human. And in On the Lamb we meet her new landlady Mrs. Lubinski who is a hoot and a half – and kept bringing Betty White to mind haha. I am looking forward to seeing more of this eccentrically delightful new character in future books.

The murder is well plotted, and while I ultimately wasn’t surprised by whodunnit I wasn’t convinced I knew the culprit until the reveal. We automatically don’t like the victim and with each new tidbit of info we uncover we like him even less. Plenty of suspects have plausible motives and potential means – and Kashian provides several twists, turns, and red herrings to move the plot and Lucy’s sleuthing along at a steady pace.

My only complaint is that the narrative seemed to go over the same information more than once – as though recapping the events of the story in case, for some reason, someone picked it up in the middle. This unfortunately disrupted my reading flow as I paused to consider why we needed to know this again – a ‘didn’t we just cover this?’ thought or two – and definitely didn’t add to the story.

Bottom Line: The Kebab Kitchen Mystery series is one of my faves, and On the Lamb reminds me why. Engaging and vividly drawn characters (main and supporting), mouthwatering food from the Mediterranean restaurant to the boardwalk, heartwarming friendships, a dash of romance, well-timed humor, and a not-as-simple-as-it-first-appears mystery to solve make this a wonderfully diverse & entertaining read.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is my second book from what is proving to be a wonderfully entertaining series. Although I hadn't read books #1 and #2, Hummus and Homicide, and Stabbed in the Baklava, I jumped in at book#3, One Feta in the Grave. This one, On the Lamb, is book #4 in the 'A Kebab Kitchen Mystery' series. Though I am, in part, familiar with the characters' histories, I think anyone who hasn't read any of the books in this series should have no trouble reading this as a standalone.

On the Lamb started great and just kept getting better and better! Lucy Berberian is slowly adjusting to her new role as manager of Kebab Kitchen, her family's Mediterranean restaurant on the Jersey Shore. The mystery was really intriguing and it kept me guessing. I enjoyed meeting up with the recurrent characters again and I liked their interaction. Tina Kashian's engaging writing style and detailed descriptions of the charming seaside town of Ocean Crest quickly drew me into the story and kept me turning the pages, as did the author's mouthwatering descriptions of food. Lucy's family dynamic and the restaurant atmosphere were wonderfully articulated and the locale was fun. This was a quick, light and joyous read, with plenty of action, worthy suspects and red herrings that ticked all the boxes for me as far as cozies are concerned.

Definitely an all-round winner, I would recommend On the Lamb, and I hope this series continues so I can continue to follow Lucy's exploits!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

It didn’t take long after arriving at the boardwalk in Ocean Crest to know I was in love! The games, pizza, candy, taffy, french fries, funnel cakes, Madame Vega’s psychic salon, bike week, and the reason I was here to visit….the Kabob Kitchen. I had never met Lucy and the gang, but immediately felt welcome by everyone in the family’s Mediterranean restaurant. Lucy explained she had recently returned from Philly to manage the restaurant when her parents “semi-retired”. Lucy was happy to be back with her family, but needed to get her own apartment. Max her brother-in-law had the perfect place right on the beach in her price range….only one catch the bottom level is occupied by 80 something year old Eloisa Lubinski. Lucy decided to make that work, and immediately moved in. Eloisa’s nephew Gilbert (landlord to many locations in Ocean Crest) wants to put the spunky lady into assisted living with the intention to take possession of her home.

Not long into my visit Michael came to invite Lucy (and by extension me...yippee) to a bonfire on the beach. Things were great…. good food, good music, good friends, smores...that is until Gilbert showed up. He was giving Melanie a hard time about her rent. We (myself, Lucy, Melanie, Michael’s friends Pumpkin and Craig, and well just about everyone) made clear he was not welcome. Everything was getting back to normal, and we started roasting smores...when we heard a scream. Someone wanted to make sure Gilbert didn’t come back! He was dead after being struck in the head with a board, and a piece of Melanie’s taffy was shoved in his mouth. Yikes. My visit was about to get very interesting….

My thoughts:

I loved this book! I immediately ordered the first three to catch up in the series...it was so good. The cover is great, and I loved the punny title. The boardwalk setting is amazing. I was immediately hooked. Kashian did a great job painting the picture of the jersey shore, and the description of the mediterranean food sounded heavenly.

The mystery was fast paced, and I was guessing right up until the end. Plenty of worthy suspects. The characters were quirky and eccentric and really enjoyable! I hope Eloisa sticks around for a long time, and becomes a central character...she is a real hoot!

I’m anxiously arriving the first three. You should get yourself some of Azad’s hummus, and check out this book...you won’t regret it! Opa!

I have never tasted Mediterranean food. Never even thought to try it. However, every time I read another installment in the Kebab Mysteries, my stomach growls, and I want to find the nearest Mediterranean restaurant.
With, ON THE LAMB, author Tina Kashian has somehow managed to improve on a series that needed no improvement. With each book in this series slightly edging out the prior one as my favorite, there is nothing “slightly” with ON THE LAMB. It blows the first three out of the ouzo!
While, ON THE LAMB not only showcases the characters readers have come to love, we’re also introduced to a new one (actually two, because I can’t see one without the other) that I hope we see more of in future installments.
Well plotted with many twists and turns, this strong, superbly written mystery gave me the run around as I tried in vain to help protagonist, Lucy Berberian, solve the case and clear her friend. Let’s put it this way. If it was me instead of Lucy trying to solve this, friend Melanie would be sitting on death row.
ON THE LAMB is the 5 star mystery you’ve been waiting to seek your teeth into. Oh, and there are recipes! Opa!!!

Another great cozy with likable relatable to me characters but what I enjoyed most was the closeness of family and also that the "who did it" wasn't so easily recognized because almost everybody was a suspect! Also I love love love it when recipes are included!

On the Lamb by Tina Kashian is an aloof cozy mystery. I was wrong on every account of who dun it.

Who killed Gilbert, and why?

Lucy Berberian
Lucy is our main character and one of our sleuths. The other is her best friend, Katie, who has a husband on the police force and shouldn't be investigating these crimes. Lucy and Katie are known around town as the two people to go to if you need help clearing your names. Well, mostly just Lucy, as Katie can't get too involved. Lucy is a fabulous character that I enjoyed learning about in One Feta in the Grave, and now this one.

The Mystery
The big mystery is who killed Gilbert and why? Gilbert was a local landlord who no one knew had a difficult life. That's the thing about when you die a mysterious death; all your secrets come out to haunt you. Gilbert had that happen to him, and it was so hard to figure out who killed him. Especially figuring out who has the best motive. I fell for a lot of the red herrings, and I was a bit shocked when it was revealed who actually did it.

Five Stars for On the Lamb by Tina Kashin
Ms. Kashin did a fantastic job of stumping me that I just had to give this book five stars. I loved every minute of reading this book. I can't wait for the next one to see what happens to Lucy. Coming back to this small beach town is spectacular, and I love seeing new sides of these marvelous characters in each one as well. I am so recommending this to anyone that reads cozy mysteries. Don't forget your snack when reading; otherwise, your tummy may be grumbling.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the recipes in the back of the book!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of On the Lamb by Tina Kashian.

Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

This is Kebab Kitchen Mystery number four . I have read the entire series and always enjoy returning to this well crafted mystery series with a fun family theme . I love that the protagonist is a first generation American and it is featured around her families Mediterranean restaurant . The descriptions of the Jersey Shore are done to perfection and a fun part of this series. I highly recommend this series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

Lucy Berberian is working as the manager at her parents' Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. She just recently moved home to the Jersey shore after working for several years as an attorney in another state. . Her parents are soon to retire and Lucy's boyfriend is the current head chef. Lucy has a talent for solving crimes with the help of her family and friends. When a murder occurs at a local gathering and Lucy's friend the local candy maker is suspect number one, Lucy knows she has to step in to save her friend. The victim was found with a piece of her candy and the odds are not in her favor. Lucy is on the case and soon suspects and clues as well as red herrings are apparent. Lucy is a savvy investigator and her friend is depending on her to clear her name.

I enjoy this delightful series with great charcters, a charming seaside setting and a fun close family . Lucy is a fun protagonist and I look forward to her further adventures.

On the Lamb by Tina Kashian has Lucy Berberian enjoying a bonfire with her friends until a scream rings out. They find Melanie Haven, the local candy maker, standing by the prone body of Gilbert Lubinski. Melanie and Gilbert had a small altercation earlier in the evening which puts Melanie at the top of the detective’s suspect list. Melanie asks that Lucy use her sleuthing prowess to find the guilty party. Gilbert was not liked in the community, not even by his aunt who he was trying to oust from her home. Lucy has her work cut out for her if she is to prove Melanie’s innocence. On the Lamb can be read as a standalone for those new to A Kitchen Kebab Mystery series. Everything a new reader needs to know is included in On the Lamb. Lucy has been working hard at the family’s Mediterranean restaurant which she manages and is looking forward to evening with her friends enjoying the first bonfire of the season. I like the descriptions of Ocean City, New Jersey. I especially enjoy hearing about the boardwalk, the tram and the various shops. The word imagery brings the scenes alive in my mind. There is a nice balance between mystery and time spent with Lucy, her friends, family and boyfriend. The main characters are established, and a unique new character is introduced. Lucy finally moves into her own apartment. It is right on the beach much to her delight. Her new landlord, Eloisa Lubinski is delightful with her eccentric clothing and zest for life. Eloisa is hoping having Lucy live there will keep her nephew, Gilbert from pestering her about moving into an assisted living facility. Of course, Gilbert ends up dead. Lucy, with assistance from her best friend, Katie Watson, sets out to find the real culprit. They talk to numerous suspects, verify alibis, and do a little illegal searching (when the opportunity strikes, you cannot pass it up). It will depend upon your sleuthing level on whether you solve this whodunit. The clues are there for you to find. Lucy is trying to bring the family restaurant into the twenty-first century, but her father is stubborn (if it has worked for thirty years, why change it now is his philosophy). It is a good thing that Lucy is equally tenacious. Her romance with Azad is moving forward (personally, I prefer Michael). I enjoyed the mouthwatering descriptions of the food and there are recipes included at the end of the book. On the Lamb is a charming cozy mystery that will have you wanting to visit the Jersey shore. On the Lamb has terrific taffy, a blazing bonfire, a snappy shih tzu, mouthwatering meals, a ghastly landlord, surfeit of suspects, and a conniving killer.

This is one of my favorite cozy series. Each works well as a stand alone so, if you are new to the series, jump right in but be prepared to get you hands on the remaining books. Lucy left practicing law in Philadelphia to return to her family on the Jersey shore. Now she is the manager of the family restaurant, Kebab Kitchen and things are going well. That is until one of her friends, Melanie, who runs a candy shop, has a run in with her landlord when they encounter each other at a beach bonfire. They argue about her back rent and things get very heated. But was that enough to turn into a murderer when her landlord turns up dead and the weapon is salt water taffy? Lucy calls foul and she and her best friend, Katie, set out to clear Melanie of all charges.
As they investigate the death, the list of possible suspects gets long. Gilbert, the grumpy landlord was more than just a landlord, he was also a loan shark. No wonder the list is long. Lucy and Katie get to work on the case and, to their sleuthing credit, they aren't the kind of amateurs who think they know better than the local police and cause headaches for all.
The mystery itself is well written with the needed red herrings and twists and turns that keep the reader guessing to the end and the characters are not in the least cardboard. I wouldn't mind putting their town of Ocean Crest, NJ on my to be visited list. The descriptions of good food and the friends and family of Lucy would be the draw for me. Homicide optional.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

On the Lamb by Tina Kashian is the 4th book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series, and another good addition. Lucy Berberian runs her family's Mediterranean restaurant to Ocean Crest, NJ. Lucy and the town are busy getting ready for the Bikers on the Beach, which is a fund raiser for injured veterans. Lucy and her friends attend the beach bonfire, a local landlord is found dead, and the evidence points to Lucy's friend. Lucy believes in her friends innocents, and is determined to find the real killer. This mystery has it all, a great plot, great characters and a good mystery. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries, than I recommend this book/series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A family-centered tale with some twists and red herrings to keep you guessing until the end, where you also get a fun surprise. I enjoyed reading about life on the boardwalk and small business ownership, and the descriptions had me right there with Lucy. The interaction between characters was interesting and the dialog natural. Lucy is a good friend to have and a little relentless when she's on the trail of something.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

ON THE LAMB by Tina Kashian
The Fourth Kebab Kitchen Mystery

An early springtime bonfire on the beach with friends is just the thing Lucy Berberian needs to celebrate the annual Bikers on the Beach fundraiser and the upcoming Easter holiday. The mood is seriously dampened when Lucy's friend, Melanie, finds her landlord dead on the beach shortly after he crashed the party and started an argument with her. Things look even worse when a piece of Melanie's taffy is found lodged in his throat. Managing the Kebab Kitchen and settling in to her new apartment still leaves Lucy plenty of time to satisfy her curiosity, especially when Melanie asks for her help. Plenty of people could have wanted the man dead, but who actually did the deed? The wife he was in the midst of divorcing? It couldn't be his feisty, but elderly, aunt who happens to be Lucy's new landlady...or could it? The more people Lucy meets who knew the man, the more people with motives she finds...including two of Michael's motorcycle friends. Lucy wants to believe that Melanie is innocent, but she's hiding something. Is it the fact they she really did kill her landlord?

Compelling characters and a variety of relationships add flavor and nuances to this fourth Kebab Kitchen Mystery. I love how both of Lucy's parents are dealing with their semi-retirement and their reactions to celebrity Chef Kurt make me smile. Perhaps he'll have a starring role in an upcoming book?! The relationships between sisters as well as aunt and nephew also play important roles here. Don't get me started about Lucy and Azad...I can't stop smiling. Although I worry that Lucy may be playing with fire with her friendship with Michael.

I generally like it better when the murder victim is a louse. Landlord Gilbert Lubinski is absolutely despicable and I am glad he was murdered, especially if what what another tenant said about him was true! Having a horrible person killed also greatly increases the number of suspects making for a trickier puzzle to solve. I love how Lucy and Katie subtly, and at times not so subtly, investigate all the possible murderers, yet still stay in contact with the police. I also love how Mrs. Lubinski gets involved and look forward to seeing more of her and Cupid in the future.

An intricate mystery, an abundance of motives, a large dollop of intriguing characters, and a pinch of romance blended with a hint of salt from the Jersey Shore blend together to make ON THE LAMB a fun heartwarming story.

Lucy Barberian has been back working at her parent's restaurant in New Jersey for about a year now and gotten quite the reputation for getting involved and helping to solve several murder cases. At a bonfire a despicable landlord is murdered and the owner of the local candy store is implicated. While trying to keep her friend out of jail, she juggles moving to a new apartment and plans to host her first Easter dinner. Lucy is a strong, sensible heroine who makes good decisions, usually. Plus the rest of of the secondary characters are all engaging and interesting. Excellent series!

A year ago, Lucy Berberian quit her Philadelphia law firm and moved back to the Jersey Shore to work in her family's Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. This is the fourth in the series, A Kebab Kitchen Mystery. She is the manager.

Melanie, a friend, has an argument with her landlord over unpaid rent. The landlord winds up dead. Katie, Lucy’s BFF, and Lucy try to prove Melanie didn’t do it.

There are plenty of suspects since he was not well liked. Lots of twist, turns, and mis-directions add to the charm of this series. I also like the smalltown feel, the interactions of the characters, and the family ties that remain strong.

Looking forward to the next installment.

On the Lamb is the fourth book in Tina Kashian’s Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. The mystery is solid and well plotted, the storyline is engaging, and the characters are well developed and affable. This book moves at a steady pace with plenty of suspects, twists and turns, and red herrings.

When Lucy Berberian quit her job as an attorney at a Philadelphia law firm, she returned to her hometown of Ocean Crest, New Jersey, and took over the management of Kebab Kitchen, her family’s restaurant, as her parents, Angela and Raffi, ease into retirement. Her dad’s teaching her the ropes of the daily running of the restaurant, her mother is teaching her how to cook, and she hired her ex-boyfriend, Azad Zakarian, as head chef. She’s been staying with her best friend, Katie Watson, who works at Ocean Crest’s town hall, and her police officer husband, Bill, but decides it’s time to find her own place. Lucy’s brother-in-law helps her find a place she can afford, and she rents the second story of Eloisa Lubinski’s home. She’s pleased that she can bring Gadoo, the stray cat she adopted, with her, and she has an awesome view of the ocean, but there are a few downsides to her new residence. There is no lock on the door separating the two floors, and her elderly landlady lives downstairs with her Shih Tzu, Cupid, who doesn’t seem to like either Lucy or Gadoo. The town is preparing for the annual Bikers on the Beach, an event that raises money for injured veterans, and Lucy’s friend, Michael Citteroni, who manages the bicycle rental shop next door to Kebab Kitchen, invites Lucy and her friends to attend a pre-event beach bonfire. When Eloisa’s nephew, Gilbert, is found murdered on the beach during the bonfire, Melanie Haven, Lucy’s friend and local candy shop owner, becomes the prime suspect due to an argument she had with him earlier that evening. Since Lucy and her sidekick, Katie, can’t help sticking their noses in murders that occur in their community, they don their amateur sleuth hats to clear Melanie’s name. They discover that in addition to being a greedy and nasty landlord, who’s trying to force Eloisa out of her home, Gilbert also has a side business that adds even more people to their growing suspect list.

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

I enjoyed this book but I did feel like some developments were too abrupt and didn’t flow smoothly.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

Nice addition to a pleasant cozy series. Some exciting and fun scenes. Growth among the characters. A delightful new member of the cast.

This is the latest book in the Lucy Berberian series. I am sad to say, this one was a let down compared to the first two. The formatting was terrible, the story itself was also disappointing, I preferred the other guy to the one she chose, plus, they kiss twice, don't talk on the phone, a very cool relationship? I knew the murderer before the ending. I love the family atmosphere, and will be looking for the next in this series.
I recommend. Thank you Netgalley!
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