Murder in Waiting by Lynn Cahoon is the 11th novel in A Tourist Trap Mystery series. Jill Gardner has her hands full. Jill is Amy’s maid-of-honor and she had no idea that Amy would become consumed with the wedding. It seems that all Amy can talk about is the wedding (decorations, where to sit people at the reception, linen colors, table decorations). Jill is trying to plan a bachelorette party in Vegas while handling extra duties at work. Aunt Jackie is wrapped up in Harrold and plans for her own upcoming nuptials. Jill must deal with Sabotage, complaining emails, persistent realtors, a travel writer, and a developer. Just after Jill talks with Frank Gleason from the South Cove Heritage Society, a car hits the man and then takes off. Detective Greg King, Jill’s beau, is investigating, but the leads are sparse. I was surprised that Greg accepted Jill’s help (he normally tells her to stay out of the case). Jill digs into Frank’s background and speaks with his first wife. I found Murder in Waiting to be disjointed with so much going on. The mystery tied together in the end (mostly). I wanted it to be the focus not a side story (which is what it felt like to me). Eating seemed to be have a higher priority than the whodunit (there is a lot of food consumed in this book). I then felt the wrap up was rushed with an odd chase scene. The mystery can easily be solved before the solution is revealed. The trip to Vegas seemed so out of character for Amy and Justin who prefer outdoor activities. I am curious how they can afford a $40,000 wedding (I could not help but wonder considering their occupations). A Tourist Trap Mystery series is character driven. Jill, Aunt Jackie, Toby, Greg, Amy, and the gang are what make this an enjoyable series to read. I like visiting them in each book to see what they are up to. It is nice to see Aunt Jackie happy with Harrold. Emma, of course, continues to be a highlight. It is wonderful that Jill loves books and reading. I like how it is featured in the series. Jill gets ARCs that she devours and she even comments how she loves the smell of books (I concur). Murder in Waiting can be read as a standalone for those new to A Tourist Trap Mystery series. Murder in Waiting is a blithe cozy mystery with a determined developer, an assertive realtor, a scheming saboteur, party planning problems, work worries, and a bridezilla bestie.

This is my favorite Tourist Trap mystery yet and not just because of the keto friendly breakfast recipe at the back of the story. It also isn’t my favorite because Jill and company go to Vegas for a bachelorette/bachelor weekend party. It isn’t even my favorite because things get a little woo-woo for Jill. Nope, it’s my favorite because of the number of red herrings. Is it about a hit and run, is it about the mission wall, it is about Jill thinking more and more about marriage and what would change, would she have to change, is it about Aunt Jackie and Harold getting hitched, or is it something else entirely and why does everyone keep asking Jill if she is selling her cottage? Actually it is about all of those things and more (I would never reveal all of the plot twists and turns)! As confusing as all of that might sound, the story flowed nicely and you do not have to be familiar with the South Cove crew to catch on to who is who and what it what. This was a quick and enjoyable read, perfect for by the pool or at the beach.

Murder In Waiting is murder in a small town where the main characters are trying to plan a wedding and just live their lifes. The bad guys are raising trouble for small businesses and home owner. You'll like how they search the clues and solve the murder.

Murder in Waiting is the 11th book in the Tourist Trap Series and does not disappoint! As usual, Jill Gardner has her hands full! In addition to running her business Coffee, Books & More, she is trying to fulfill all the maid of honor duties for the pending wedding of her best friend, which includes arts & crafts as well as planning a spectacular bachelorette party, The historic society appears to have tabled Jill's request for historic determination of the supposed mission wall on the property, until she hears otherwise from the local expert, Frank Gleason. Unfortunately, Frank is the victim of a hit-and-run, leaving Jill quite confused as to how the issue of her wall was dropped in the first place. In the midst of all of this Jill is regularly hounded by developers, real estate agents and a travel book author. How much can she take?? In her usual manner, and with some input from Greg, her detective boyfriend, the killer is identified and arrested. There is even a suprise from Aunt Jackie at the end of the book!

All of the favorite characters from prior books are present in addition to Jill and Greg - Deek, Toby, Aunt Jackie, Harrold, Bill and Mary, Amy and Justin, and many more that we've come to love and look forward to 'seeing' again in each subsequent book in the series. Murder in Waiting is full of stories within stories, surprise discoveries about the characters, and pulls you into the story as an active participant from the start.

Each book in this series leaves you anticipating the next installment.

Another delightful visit to South Cove, California. Lots going on for our charming protagonist. The usual characters provide their insights and help. The new characters keep us guessing. I look forward to reading the next one in the series as there seems to be interesting potential per the ending.

It is always a pleasure to read Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap series. And Murder in Waiting, the eleventh installment, is no exception. Like its predecessors, Murder in Waiting is the perfect blend of a hometown story and a compelling mystery.

Jill Gardner, proprietress of Coffee, Books, & More is feeling stressed on two fronts. Not only does she find out that her application to designate her wall as a historical landmark has been abruptly rejected, but planning her best friend’s bachelorette party raises concerns about her own relationship with Greg. Things quickly spiral from bad to worse when Frank Gleason, a member of the Heritage Society, is run down moments after revealing that Jill’s rejection was a mistake and her petition will be considered after all. Determined to find Frank’s killer and get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her application, Jill races against the clock juggling both investigations with Amy’s Vegas bachelorette party preparations.

If Murder in Waiting is any indication, the Tourist Trap series will just keep getting better and better. Jill, Greg, Aunt Jackie, and company feel like old friends, and South Cove seems the perfect destination (minus the murders, of course). The mystery surrounding Frank’s murder and the related Heritage Society snafu is sophisticated and complex, full of unexpected twists and turns, intriguing subplots, and colorful characters. And It’s nice to see Jill taking her relationship with Greg more seriously.

Murder in Waiting is a sure-fire winner. And with its June release, it will make an excellent summer beach read. The only downside is that I have to wait (impatiently) for the next installment to be published.

Note: I received an ARC of Murder in Waiting from NetGalley and Kensington Books. The above is my honest review.

I must confess that I'm addicted to the Jill Gardner "Tourist Trap" series. I"ve read every book and novella, and this latest installment keeps up the good reputation. Jill's friend Amy is getting married and they're planning the bachelor/bachelorette parties to be held in Las Vegas. But complications arise when a developer wants Jill's house, her application for historical status on her property is denied, and strange things are happening at the bookstore. And, Amy's wedding has Jill struggling a bit with the possibility of a future marriage with her long-time boyfriend Greg. Lots of things going on in this book, but it all holds together and is a true page-turner. Can't wait for the next one in the series!

Murder in Waiting is a nice return to the people and places of South Cove and that is where the appeal of this book ends. Unfortunately, the advice Jill Gardner gave to Deek, in regards to writing his book, seems to be true throughout this book. When Deek is struggling with his writing, Jill advises him to just tell the story as it flows, and don’t be worried about an outline, it will all come to you. Which is exactly how this book read. No clear-cut plan and an ending that is abrupt with little leading up to the culprits and how they fully tie together.

Jill is a reluctant maid-of-honor for Amy’s upcoming nuptials, but before the big day she must first turn into a party organizer, figure out why the Heritage Society rejected her bid, fight off a land developer and his army of cohorts, and figure out who killed Frank Gleason. All before leaving for Las Vegas and a bachelorette party that turns into a foot chase and the arrest of two people that the reader lost track of since they made no real impact.

Disjointed from beginning to end, not to mention the inability of the author in keeping track of what a person is eating or how two people who have hourly wage jobs can afford a forty-thousand-dollar wedding. The author needed a major clean up and refocus before this book could ideally hit the mark.

Welcome to South Cove and Jill’s shop, Coffee, Books, & More. Leaving her legal job in the city, moving to South Cove, and opening her shop, was the best decision she ever made. Her new life includes family, friends and employees that have become like family. When a series of events take place, someone targeting her shop, the hit and run of a member of the historical society, and a developer in town pressuring her to sell her home and surrounding land, Jill knows it’s time to get involved. Add to that, planning her best friend’s wedding, a glitch in her relationship with Greg, and Aunt Jackie moving forward in her relationship, Jill’s stress level is high.

Visiting in South Cove is always enjoyable. The small beach town is one I would love to visit and soak up the sand and surf. I envy Jill’s run on the beach with her lab, Emma. The sense of family between the characters draws you in making you feel apart of their life. I am curious to see the direction the subplot may go with many of the characters. There are various suspects that continually kept me guessing. I found myself caught up in the story and anxiously awaiting the outcome. A definite highly recommended series and Murder in Waiting is sure to entertain. I received an advance reader copy from Kensington Books through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's all weddings all the time, and businesswoman Jill Gardner is feeling pressured by the universe to make some decision about her own romance. She's also feeling pressured to do wedding crafts, arrange a hen party in Vegas, and -- with some scary pressure from local real estate agents -- to sell her house and maybe her business as well. None of these things comes naturally to her, and the stress mounts.

With all these internal and external pressures plus the normal every day pressures of life, the last thing she needs is another murder to investigate, but she can't overlook the fact that the hit and run right outside her bookshop may not be an accident.

There's a lot going on in this book, which is set partly in Jill's friendly coastal town and partly in Las Vegas, but the action in both places dovetails neatly. The characters continue to develop throughout the series, and I look forward to reading more of Jill's adventures.

Things are quite busy for Jill, Amy's wedding is coming up and as maid of honor or only is she helping out with wedding related tasks she also has to plan a fun bachelorette party. Meanwhile she is trying to get help from the Heritage Cove Society in naming a piece of her property a historic landmark. Then there is an influx of developers looking to buy her land which she has no intentions of selling. When her application to the society is denied Jill wonders if she should continue on with the process of just throw up her hands and let it go. She decides to talk to Frank a part of the society but before she gets the chance he is involved in a bit and run and ends up dying at the scene. Jill saw the whole thing and it has her shaken to the core. Jill has so many worries going on right now but she can't let that stop her from finding Frank's killer. Can Jill organize her life and fix all the problems that are continually cropping up? Will she be able to find Franks killer before she herself ends up a victim? Follow along and find out!!! Great read full of wonderful characters, beautiful scenery, and a plot full of twists.

Back with Jill, Greg & the rest of the Coffee, Books & More town crowd for another adventure.

Jill is gearing up for her best friend Amy's bachelorette party (a bit of a bridezilla, but not painful to read about), as well as the hit & run death of Heritage Society's Frank Gleason, whom had just informed Jill that the stone wall project was not off the list, as was stated in a letter, but he would "fix it".

Fast forward through the solving of the mystery, life in a small town & a Vegas weekend.

Fun read, can work as a stand alone book, but better from the beginning (in my opinion)

Thanks to NetGalley & Kensington for the preread in exchange for an honest review

Jill Gardner is trying to plan a bachelorette party for her friend Amy (something difficult for her), and she gets a letter from the South Cove Heritage Society telling her they can't fund her request to have the mission wall in her yard declared an historic landmark. Frank Gleason from the Heritage Society stops by to tell her it's a mistake, and then a hit and run truck mows him down, killing him. Then Jill gets developers and real estate folks hounding her and telling her they know she wants to sell her house, when she has no intention of doing that. Then the local business council sends out a letter saying they are raising the fee because her shop is charging too much for the room and refreshments for meetings. Lastly, a very attractive man keeps wanting her to let him write about her wall.

Jill's live-in-friend Greg is the Chief of Police and trying to track down Frank's five former wives, and Jill also does some investigation. Finally it's time for the bachelorette party in Las Vegas; and this is where things come to a head and there is lots of excitement!

This is book 11 in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. In this installment, Jill is busy helping her friend Amy get things ready for her wedding, and keeping her shop going. The. She receives a letter in the mail, saying that things with the mission wall have been stopped. Then right after she has finished talking to Frank, the man over the mission wall, about having her ignore the letter she received, he’s hit and killed. She soon starts getting people asking what she is selling her house for, and people messing with her shop.

This was another great installment in the series. Going back to this book and these characters is like getting reacquainted with old friends. It is well written and funny, and the story jumps off the page. I definitely recommend this entire series if you haven’t read it.

5 stars

This is the eleventh book in the Tourist Trap mystery series by Lynn Cahoon.

I felt like this book turned a corner. This wasn’t just the same ole, same ole book we have come to expect from the Tourist Trap series. Cahoon put in some surprises and twists in here for us that made us think and gave us palpitations about Jill’s house and her relationship with police officer boyfriend, Greg.

In other books Esmerelda, her psychic neighbor, has mentioned to Jill that she had some “gifts” of her own and those gifts came to fruition at about the halfway point of the read. This is new territory for Jill. I felt like there was a shell game being played with Jill’s life during the course of the book. It started out simple and the events kept growing and growing. I am sure glad things like that don’t happen to me. I like my plain and boring life. I just like to read about the rich lives of others and their stressful encounters.

This is definitely one of my favorites in the series, for sure. I can’t wait to see what Cahoon has in store for us next.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

What can I say?! I have read every book in this cozy mystery series and have loved all of them, including this latest one. I don't think I need to rehash the description. You can read that for yourself. But if you love coffee, books, sweets and mild murder mysteries, then this is for you. I love South Cove and its residents and Coffee, Books and More. If a place like this really exists, I hope to find it one day. A word of warning though; while reading this book, you may suddenly crave some caffeine, a sweet treat, and a new book or two.

I've read several other books by Lynn Cahoon, so I was looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint. The characters are likeable and realistic. The plot is well written, engaging and with a good pace. Overall, it's a fun read.

I really liked this cozy mystery. Jill, the main character, is fun and very likeable. The setting, a seaside town in California called South Cove, is a fun place to read about and I would love to visit Jill's store. The mystery made me turn the pages to see what would happen next, but I felt a little let down because Jill wasn't really apart of the action in the end. I guess I was looking for something more exciting. I received an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this publication, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Lynn Cahoon is one of the few authors that I sit down and read her books from start to finish at once, and than wish I hadn't as I want to spend more time in that world. It was fun getting to visit with Jill, Greg, and all the others again. This mystery had me guessing until the end. I'm looking forward to the next adventure they have.

Life is crazy for Jill at Coffee, Books & More, otherwise known as CBM, as well as at home, but things take a turn for the worse when someone is out to sabotage her business and try to run her out of her home! Mix in that her best friend is bridezilla on steroids while her Aunt Jackie is who knows where doing who knows what and you have the perfect storm for a perfect plot! These books just keep getting better and better! The characters are realistic and likeable making you feel at home as soon as you start reading the story. I absolutely can't wait to see what is coming in future books for these characters as I am sure that there will be more murder, mayhem, love and friendship to entertain along with laughter and love!