Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
How exciting to read the first book in a new cozy mystery series! The author does a good job of setting up the back story of our main character and explaining why she is in her current position, and why she behaves/thinks the way she does. The author has also done some good ground work of setting up the supporting characters, and there’s definite story seeds planted for the future books in this series.
I found the plot a little slow going if I’m honest, the main character wasn’t really uncovering clues and evidence as she went, she was more making guesses and theories, which were only proved or disproved right at the very end of the book. I think overall it could have been better paced.
I felt the book had a fresh and quirky feel to it, and it will be interesting to see if this is maintained in the future books or not. I do feel that characters like the main character’s father may get annoying to me if he is written in the same way without any character growth. Currently I find him very self focused, and maybe not as supportive and aware of his daughter’s issues as he could be.
This is a promising start to a new series and I did enjoy the book, without being completely blown away by it.

A "Coffee-Lover's Mystery" ! Ofcourse I had to read it. I am a proud, coffee-dependent entity. 🙈😍

Grounds for Murder had such a brilliantly plotted storyline! This is the first book in a brand-new cozy mystery series, and I think the story of GFM worked perfectly as the series' foundation. :') The characters were all very interesting and each of them added their own charms to the plot. I loved Lana ~ the protagonist, but she did get on my nerves sometimes with her annoying attitude. I really hope the author gives her space for a wider level of character development as the series goes on. The mystery was quite intriguing, and I loved how things evolved plotwise.

Can't wait to read more from Tara Lush! 💚

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Well, the first thing that came to my mind after turning the last page was, where are the rest I wanted more, it was quite a delish book to put down. Lana and her friends had me hooked with this one. It was intriguing, amusing, fun to read, and truly captivating. This is a must-read for all you book lovers out there. I promise you won’t regret getting this one.

This was a great start to a new cozy series. I really enjoyed the plot and main character. I look forward to reading the next book.


I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in return for my honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

This was a fun debut to a new cozy series. I loved the them of the cozy, and I had so much fun trying to solve the mystery with the protagonist. I am excited for the next installment!

Grounds for Murder is the break out debut novel in the new Coffee Lover's Mystery series from Tara Lush. Lana Lewis has recently returned home to Devil's Beach in the Florida Keys following a divorce and being laid off from her journalist job. Lana has taken over Perkatory, her late mom's coffee house and is enjoying the world of high end coffee and small business owner. That is until her best barista Fabrizio, Fab, jumps ship without warning to work for the competitor. After very publicly giving Fab a piece of her mind before an overnight trip to the mainland, Lana finds herself in hot water when she finds Fab dead behind the cafe the next day. Did he really kill himself, or was it an accident that sent him over the edge of the roof? Lana is convinced it's foul play and she's determined to get to the bottom of it even if Chief Noah isn't on board.
Author Tara Lush leads us on a fun and exciting adventure with spunky Lana in the lead. I really enjoyed Lana's personality and loved that the book is written in 1st person to get a better look at her personal thoughts. This book was filled with lots of false leads, red herrings, and interesting characters. I am very much looking forward to future books in this story and getting to know Lana, and everyone else on Devils Beach more! I can tell there are a lot of interesting stories to unpack still.
I listened to the audio recording of this book, and Kae Marie Denino does a great job narrating Grounds For Murder. I really felt her voicing of Lana in particular was outstanding and captured the character authentically. Denino pulled me immediately and kept me captivated.

A good start for a new cozy series.
I found it entertaining and I liked the characters, the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I think there's a lot of potential in this series and that the MC will evolve as she seemed a bit whiny at moments.
I look forward to the next installment.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, did not like, didn't finish.

Book 1 in a new series.

I just couldn't make myself care about any of the characters in the book. The main character was pretty pathetic, and the murder victim was a jerk. I finally skipped to the end, just to see who won the barista contest. (view spoiler)

After literal months of leaving this book on a back burner, I had to actually go read the blurb again, because nothing about it stuck with me. And when I did, I thought,"Oh yeah, that book. DNF."

-Genre
Cozy Culinary Mystery
-Opening Lines
I gripped the bowl-shaped mug in my left hand so hard I thought it might crack, then eased off and took a deep breath. The aroma of rich, heady, coffee hit my nose. I almost swooned.
“The espresso’s perfect,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. “Here comes the froth.”
In my right hand, I held a stainless-steel pitcher filled with steamed milk. I hesitated for a second, and my café’s best barista inched closer. I gave him a side-eye and leaned away, in the direction of the counter.
“Sorry, Lana. Didn’t mean to violate your personal space.” Fabrizio Belucci was from Milan. He was something of a coffee celebrity because of his artfully designed lattes, and also for his shirtless selfies snapped on the white Florida sands two blocks from our coffee shop.
-Your one sentence review
There is a lot to like here with the Florida setting, engaging characters, details about coffee and journalism, and of course untangling a murder.
-How it made you feel
Torn, as much as I liked parts here, I found the telling not showing of the romance very annoying.
-Favorite part
When Lana and Stanley find an eyeball on the beach. It felt so Florida.
-One-word description
Quirky
-Would you recommend?
Yes, even with my irritation about the romance (how many times could Lana say she didn’t want to be attracted to the police chief, how much she wasn’t ready for a relationship, and how much she was worried about the age difference etc.?) and figuring out the murderer a little early, I still think I will read the next in the series.

This was actually really interesting, even though I don't normally enjoy reading about coffee. The cover is what drew me in but the story was really good and very enjoyable. Excited for the next one!

Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush is what I hope to be the first in a long series.

The characters were well-crafted. All were quite enjoyable including Stanley which I hope to see more of the in future.

The setting was believable and the author made you feel as if you were right there along with everyone.

Overall , this first book has all of the ingredients that make up a great cozy mystery. Can't wait for book 2.

I loved this beach town and the quirky characters. I thought the mystery was good and I enjoyed following along with Lana and her investigations. I think that this is a great start to a new series.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Lana's barista was killed right after he quit and she was questionably looked at all over the island, the reporter in her couldn't stand leaving it alone. She even managed to get her newspaper friend to let her do an article on the dead barista who was hit with all the ladies and an Insta sensation. With the help of a new friend and the handsome police chief (who actually didn't want her help, but he liked her), Lana made it to a showdown with the killer that was pretty nail-biting. I'd suspected this person after picking up on some clues and was wondering how it'd play out.

Even thought Erica is light years from anyone I would probably want to hang out with, I absolutely loved her character! She was hilarious and sometimes really good for Lana's confidence. Lana's dad was a hoot too without actually meaning to be one. It'll be interesting to see what these three get into in the next book which I'm definitely anxious to read. This was a nice strong start for a new beach mystery series, and I'm definitely a sucker for mysteries set at the beach! I liked Lana and Noah being together and hope they stay that way without fighting or bickering. He was a pretty patient guy to have to deal with her, but he could see the frustration she had with her need to be on a case like she'd been as a journalist in her previous life.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Grounds for Murder is the first in a new cozy mystery series by author Tara Lush. Our series surrounds reporter turned coffee shop manager Lana Lewis who has moved back home, a place she thought she would never return to, after her tv reporter husband has an affair. One morning she stumbles upon a murdered employee on her way to open the shop. Enter a cast of characters - a hot police chief, a hippie dad, and a rock chick mysterious rock chick barista, . As Lana begins to look for the clues as to who is responsible for the murder lots of weird and unusual things happen along the way. Can she help figure out this mystery before she becomes a victim herself?

What I liked: The setting - Devil's Beach sounds like a fun place to visit. I loved the main character wasn't a young poor thing. Lana is definitely capable!

What I didn't care for:: The characters are sassy, and there's lots of sexual innuendo here. I am guessing that is by design, but it made it harder for me to connect with the characters (just isn't my cup of tea.). I also thought the storyline jumped around a bit too much - bringing along a few too many side characters to keep up with..

Overall, if you like the idea of a sassy cozy series this may just be the new series to check out Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was a delightful beginning to a brand new mystery series. The characters are cute. The plot is a bit complex but fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful mystery. I read it in one afternoon. I definitely recommend this series.

After being laid off from her job and finding herself divorced, Lana Lewis, a former investigative reporter, finds herself back in her home town of Devil's Beach running her late mother's coffee shop called Perkatory. She is helped by Fabrizio 'Fab' Bellucci a hot looking popular barista with a talent for whipping up delicious coffee drinks and cappuccino art and being a womaniser. Things are going great and both Lana and Fab have entered the Sunshine State Barista Championship with the aim to win. Then, out of the blue Fabrizio quits, he and Lana have a huge fight and the next day Fabrizio is found dead by Lana. Fabrizio's death is termed a suicide by the local police but Lana is not too sure and decides to use her investigative reporting skills to get to the bottom of the matter.

Grounds for Murder is the start of a new cozy mystery series by the author Tara Lush. I really liked the description of Devil's Beach and the constant mention of cappuccino, mocha, lattes and yummy pastries did not help my hunger pangs. It's a good start to the series with interesting and quirky characters and one adorable and quirky dog, Stanley.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author for the e-Arc of the book.

The book was published on 8th December 2020.

Rating:⭐⭐⭐💫

Five stars from me. This book is definitely on my list 'to follow the series'. I loved it, loved it, loved it. And the fact that the main heroine is my name-sake was an added bonus.

I loved everything about the book: the setting, the place, the dynamics, the relationships between characters. I loved that Lana had amazing relationship with her father. Also, a horrible ex was an interesting add-on. I would love to see how Lana's new love would bloom.

The mystery itself was cozy enough but interesting enough to keep me reading. The investigation unravel not only whodunit but many other characters and their essences.

Tara Lush needs to be congratulated on these new series. Can't wait for the next installment.

The first book in a new series. Very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the next installments in the series.

Our protaganist, Lana is recently laid off from her Miami newspaper job and divorced from her cheating husband. She moves back to her Florida hometown to take over the family's coffee shop-the Perkatory. She is nervous about an upcoming latte competition but her employee Fabrizio is a whiz so she's optimistic. So, she is totally blown away when Fab leaves without notice to join the competition, which is owned by his girlfriend and leaves her without a barista as well as a partner for the competition. On her way out of town to Miami for an award banquet, she confronts Fab and has angry words for him.

When she gets home the next morning, she discovers a body in the alley near the coffee shop and discovers it's Fab (he rented an upper story apartment in the building). It appears he fell from the building rooftop-was it suicide, was it an accidental fall, was it murder?

Lana uses her investigative reporter skills to some sleuthing.

This book has interesting, believable characters and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. Highly recommend.

I received an ARC from the publisher but the opinion expressed is my own.

The perfect escape for these stressful days. Set on Devil's Island, Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, it's a lively tourist destination. Lana had a life in Miami - married and working as an investigative reporter. Soon her jerk of a husband cheats on her and then she's laid off from the job she loves. Now divorced and unemployed, she takes her Dad's offer to return home to manage the family cafe, Perkatory. Lana needs to chart a new course and being home will give her the time and space she needs. When Perkatory's dishy barista is found dead behind the cafe, Lana finds her life going sideways. The Chief of police (who is attracted to her) thinks is a suicide. Fabrizio lived in the apartment above Perkatory and entertained a whole lot of women. The question becomes was he pushed off the roof as in murdered? Lana is at the top of the suspect list because she confronted him over his betrayal. He was her team mate at the upcoming local barista competition and abruptly jumped ship to work for the other local coffee shop.
Lana's reporter instincts kick in and she starts to take a magnifying glass to Fabrizio's rather sordid past. Somebody hated him enough to do him in and that list is a long one, indeed. Along the way we meet her new barista, Erica and Lana's Bohemian dad. Add Fabrizio's sweet pup, Stanley, given to him by one of his lady friends and is now Lana's, humor and a quirky cast of characters, I was hooked. The mystery was well written and had me guessing to the end.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.