Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder by Tina Kashian
Kensington Books
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 29 Sep 2020

Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder is the fifth book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series. It can easily be read as a standalone story and I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

This was a cute cozy mystery with a great small town feel to it. I loved the inclusion of the Christmas events within the storyline of the book.

The characters were very interesting and the family dynamic and relationship development kept the book fascinating. I love Lucy's landlord, Eloisha...she is something else! Also, reading about the cultural aspects helped build depth to the story and the characters. (Also the recipes sound amazing!)

This was a fun book and makes me want to reading the previous (& future) books in the series!

I'm so grateful to Tina Kashian, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I started and stopped this book so many times that I lost the count. There is nothing wrong with the story specifically, but it just doesn't seem to grab my attention enough. I'm giving up and just accepting as a DNF around the middle of the story because if until now it doesn't grab my attention I don't think it will get better. Maybe in the future I give another try.

This is the fifth book in the series but the first I’ve read.
I’ve been missing out! I will have to rectify this and read the previous books.
Wonderful characters with a great premise.
The whodunit kept me guessing and I was incorrect!
I look forward to the continuation of this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

In this installment of the series, Lucy and her bestie Katie try to solve the murder of Deacon, a reception hall owner who rubbed more than a few people the wrong way.

This is the fifth book in the series (I've read the other four) and, honestly, I can't wait until the next book comes out! What makes me love this cozy series, and this book in particular, so much is the way the author ties the setting to the story line. The location is, in its own right, a character within the plot. Whether it's introducing local traditions (like the annual polar bear plunge or Christmas light tour) or describing long-standing business around town, it's easy to become immersed in Lucy's world. The characters are another reason why I love this book. Lucy's family isn't limited to those who's she's related to; she has also built a great circle of friends who are an extension of her family and are important fixtures in the story. There are other characters who are not as closely related to Lucy and they help in creating a hefty list of suspects for the mystery. Overall, the mystery was intriguing and tied to subplots without becoming too convoluted.

I would definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a holiday read with great characters, an even greater location, and a mystery that will keep you guessing!

Christmas preparations, the annual Polar Bear Plunge, managing Kebab Kitchen, planning a wedding to her hunky fiance Azad and trying to figure out who drowned Deacon Spooner during the Plunge all keep Lucy Berbarian and her best friend Katie Watson very busy. In spite of warnings from the lead dective on the case and Katie's husband not to snoop, they do anyway. Too many suspects and an abundance of clues confuse their search for the killer in this fifth title in the Kebab Kitchen series. A good holiday cozy mystery with recipes!

I was received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 5th installment in the Kebab Kitchen series. Lucy Berberian is back home in Ocean Crest New Jersey managing her family restaurant with her fiancé Azad being the chef. The Jersey Shore is getting ready for the holidays and they are having a polar plunge in the ocean with the proceeds from the event going to help the senior center. Most businesses participate and Lucy is going to take the plunge with her best friend Katie. Katie and Lucy the day before went to look at a possible reception hall for Lucy and possible place for the city’s Christmas party that Katie has to pull together and one of the owners Deacon Spooner is not so nice and provides outrageous pricing to both of them. They leave but the Deacon’s business partner stops him and says he will try and work with him. At the plunge the next day they see people from all local businesses as well as Deacon and his partner along with her baker friend Susan and her boyfriend. They crowd takes the plunge and afterwards Deacon’s dead body is found on the beach. As Susan was seen close to Deacon in the water, she becomes a prime suspect as she supposedly threatened him. As Lucy and Katie soon find out Deacon was not a nice guy and there are several suspects. Of course there is a limited number of people who were actually in the water and with the scene being chaotic any of them could have done it. I love this series and the friendship of Lucy and Katie but also how Azad and Lucy are handling their engagement and he is giving her the space she needs and supports her (within reason) with her investigating to help her friend Susan. The reveal of the killer comes as a surprise although it was always a possibility. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Lucy manages her families Armenian restaurant on the Jersey Shore. She is engaged to the Chef. Lucy and her best friend Katie participate in the fund raiser polar bear plunge. When a man is murdered during the plunge Lucy can’t help herself, she has to find out who did it. This book was entertaining with lots of descriptions of the food and Christmas decorations. The plot kept me interested and the quirky characters were fun. I would give this book 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Lucy Berberian manages the Kebab Kitchen, her family's Armenian restaurant on the Jersey Shore. She's getting ready for her wedding, settling back into the community, and trying to stay fit in spite of being surrounded by tempting food and drink at all times.

The last thing she needs is a murder on her mind. But when her good friend and favorite baker is a prime suspect in a Polar Bear Plunge drowning, she can't keep from trying to clear her good name.

The detective in charge doesn't want any help from her, and it becomes increasingly clear that Lucy is putting herself in danger by poking around, but that doesn't stop her.

The puzzle is not the main event in this cozy mystery. The relationships among the characters and the small town location are the center of the story. I enjoyed meeting all of them, and I expect to enjoy getting to know them better in future installments of the series. We know for sure that Lucy is feisty and fearless, and her friends and family are colorful characters.

There are recipes at the end of the book -- I will definitely be trying out the moussaka!

Christmas is just around the corner and the last thing Lucy Berberian wants is to be involved in solving a murder of local businessman, during the annual Polar Bear Plunge, in Ocean Crest New Jersey, Getting the Kebab Kitchen ready for the holiday rush, planning her wedding and now sleuthing is on her to do list!

Mistletoe, Moussaka and Murder was the first Kebab Kitchen mystery I have read and I'm definitely going to read the first four books! Lucy, the manager of her family's Kebab Kitchen restaurant, is smart, kind and doesn't rush into danger. The addition of Katie Watson (love the Holmes/Watson references) as Lucy's best friend and fellow sleuth makes for an entertaining read.

What appealed to me, along with the well-written mystery, was the inclusion of family members, Lucy's senior landlord - the spirited Eloisa (and her canine companion Cupid) , the Armenian culture and the food! They added a warmth to the book and I felt I was right there solving the mystery and enjoying a delicious meal with Angela and Raffi (Lucy's parents) at Kebab Kitchen! The romance between Lucy and her fiance was sweet and didn't overwhelm the mystery. Also, I can't neglect to mention the cuddly but a bit cranky feline Gaddoo!

I'm impatiently waiting for the next book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The opinions expressed about this book are my own.

When a disagreeable venue owner is killed during the annual Polar Plunge, Lucy adds investigating to her already busy schedule of managing her family's middle eastern restaurant while planning her wedding. All the best cozy series have a distinct sense of place and an engaging cast of characters and this series has accomplished this from the first book through this one. Lucy's resolute and inquisitive without being foolhardy. A totally enjoyable visit to the Jersey shore.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the Mediterranean foods and the Christmas decorations, as well as the locations around the main town. I liked the characters, their interactions and the business names, too. Sadly, I figured out who the villain was before the 'reveal', but did still enjoy the story. I would enjoy reading more of this series.
The only thing that bothered me was the way the father's name appeared throughout the book. Half the time it was Raffi, and the other half it was Raff i. The inconsistency bothered me, but I expect that it was just typos.

Fun yet a solid crime mystery. Strong characters and relationships. The family was an interesting one as well
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

An entertaining and well written cozy mystery. Well crafted plot and quirky characters. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Like fine wine, this series gets better with each book written. The author maintains a light and fresh whodunit that caters to everything I like in a mystery: a well-written drama, a solid story line, a great cast of characters, appetizing delights, a bit of romance and a small-town atmosphere.

Once again, Lucy and BFF are on the case when their friend becomes the prime suspects. With plenty of suspects here and there and an assortment of clues, it was fun watching it all play out alongside Lucy. The author did a great job in setting this up with enough suspense and intrigue that kept me immersed in all aspects. When I thought I had a handle on what was happening, much to my joy, the author changed directions, all to enhance my reading entertainment. I really love the camaraderie between Lucy and her friends. This is a character-driven tale that boasts engaging dialogue, a lovable cast of characters and a perfect setting, that the author described vividly, for the story that is being told.

This is the 5th book in the Kebab Kitchen mystery series but the first one I've read, yet I jumped right in and enjoyed it from the start. Set in a small town on the Jersey shore, the book features Lucy, a former attorney who manages her family's kebab restaurant, and her best friend, Katie.

This is an excellent Christmas holiday mystery. Murder during a polar bear plunge plus lots of Christmastime activities/events.

Absolutely loved it. Loved the characters and the plot. Already purchased the first book in the series and I intend to catch up.

Highly recommended for cozy fans!!

A Polar Plunge turns into murder as Lucy and her friend Katie participate in the event. It's a chaotic scene especially as the water is very cold and everyone is anxious to get out. When a body washes up onto the shore, no one is surprised it's Deacon Spooner, owner of the Sea banquet hall. He has made enemies throughout the Ocean Crest, New Jersey community including his own partner. When one of the local business owners is charged, Lucy dives in to clear her friend. A clever mystery with the scent of delicious Mediterranean food wafting in the background.

The title says it all and is the perfect setup for this book! The character development has been amazing, and the relationships between the characters adds so much to an already amazing story! Definitely a book you can read again and again!

Tina Kashian's Kebab Kitchen series is so fun to read - I love the characters and the setting, and Ms. Kashian can always be counted on to craft an engaging mystery! It's Christmastime and all should be right with the world, but unfortunately someone has decided to take the joy out of the season and murder an Ocean Crest resident during the Polar Plunge. When Lucy's friend, Susan, is accused of the dastardly deed, she and bestie Katie don their (figurative) deerstalkers to solve the crime! A+++

Another great installment of this series. It is Christmas time at the Jersey Shore. They are doing a Polar Bear Plunge when someone is killed. Leave it to Lucy and Katie to sniff out the killer

Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder is the fifth book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery Series by Tina Kashian.
Lucy is the manager of the family owned Kebab Kitchen. She along with her friend Katie are going to do the annual Polar Bear Plunge and it turned into a death of Deacon Spooner who is the owner of the reception hall.
Lucy and her friend Katie are determined to find the killer.
The series is one not to be missed.
Thank you to NetGalley , Tina Kashian and Kensington Books for an ARC. This is my personal review in exchange for the ARC.