I loved visiting this setting and these characters again. The mystery was good and I enjoyed following along on Lana’s investigation. I hope more “brews” with Lana and Noah!
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This second book in the Coffee Lover's Mystery series is a solid Florida beach town cozy. For me, it was slow starting but, once I got into the story featuring former Miami newspaper crime reporter, Lana Lewis, now running the town's coffee shop and moonlighting as a reporter, I absolutely loved it.

Interesting plot. Great characters. The single most hilarious cozy mystery scene I've ever read (no spoilers from me as to what that might be).

Very enjoyable and it made me want to read more from this author.

This was a wonderful follow-up with twists and turns that I didn't expect. I was completely in the dark as to the murderer. I was happy to see the relationship between Lana, the journalist heroine, and Noah, the very sexy local police chief, Noah. Having a romantic relationship in a cozy mystery is such a treat because the heightened suspense requires a bit of a relief with the flirting, dating, sweet intimacy of a hug--and these two knew when the other needed a good hug.
I enjoyed reading Lana's exploits as she tried to write an article about the recent murder, trying to solve the crime. Her long-held trauma over losing her best friend to a crime makes Lana hyperaware of clues, often following them even when they're seemingly viable but usually red-herrings.
The usual cast of characters--her father, Stanley the pup, and her barista friend Erica, along with dreamy Chief Noah--round out the team that helps her tackle these vicious murders, which are off the page but no less frightening. I even want to visit Devil's Beach for how picturesque and quaint it sounds. And while the cold-brews weren't working out for Lana, I would love to get one of the many treats she sells. The only issue I take with Perkatory is all the free drinks Lana hands out, but quid pro quo--she's trying to get the scoop to solve the murder.
I appreciate the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this cozy mystery in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more in the series.

I received an ARC of this book and started with that copy but had to put that book down because of so many missing letters and some sections of the book were in the wrong place. This made it very difficult to read and may have tainted my review. Because of these issues, the story didn’t flow well for me in the beginning and I struggled to get through it. Fortunately, my library had a digital copy that I could read and I switched to that copy. The story did flow much better than the previous copy but by then, the damage had been done. I couldn’t get into the story. I missed the witty banter from the first one and the addition of her spending most of her time as a reporter took away from the fun coffee shop that I loved in the first. This was not my favorite of the series but I will read the next one in the hopes that we get some of the humor back.

The beach and coffee team up for a great series. I've read this series from book one and each book is getting better and better. The characters are just like real friends, both interesting, and frustrating but we want to hang around with them.

The mystery is well done and it kept me reading late into the night. I'm already for the next one.

COLD BREW CORPSE is the second book in the Coffee Lover’s Mystery series by Tara Lush. With the backdrop of the mouth-watering coffee shop, Perkatory, in Devil’s Beach, Florida, the protagonist, Lana Lewis, has her hands full running the busy shop and pining for her past life as a newspaper crime reporter. Lana is witty and can be just a bit snarky at times, yet she’s loyal to her friends, dad, and her adorable dog, Stanley. The characters surrounding Lana are equally fleshed out, and I especially love her hippie dad. He doesn’t frequent the pages as much as I’d like, but when he does, he steals the scene. And then there’s Noah… sigh… the tantalizing chief of police and Lana’s love interest if their schedules ever line up. Ms. Lush knows how to draw out the suspense not only of the crime, but of the romantic aspect as well. The descriptive voice of the author brings the setting to life, from the hot humidity of Florida, to the tantalizing fragrance of fresh-brewed coffee, to the inviting views of sand and sea, making me feel like I’m right there. Adding to all of that is the tidbits of humor interjected, thanks to the author’s active imagination, which kept me chuckling as I turned the pages.

I found it intriguing that the victim of the murderer was that of a yogi, Raina Rose, who’d set up her hot yoga studio, Dante’s Inferno, next to Perkatory. (The cleverly named shops in town are all quite entertaining on their own!) I, for one, don’t associate violence with yoga, yet the author does an admirable job in weaving the crime into the relaxing practice. Early on, Raina seemed to embody the attributes of yogi but as Lana digs deeper into Raina’s life, not all is as serene as she’d appeared. Combining her natural curiosity with the opportunity to write an article for the local newspaper on the case, Lana begins asking questions around town, hunting for answers on who might have wanted the yogi dead. As the clues come together, Lana and the hot chief might be at odds on who will solve the case first. But with the final suspenseful conclusion, all is revealed and the reader is enticed into waiting on pins and needles for the next installment in this delicious series!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.75. I really loved that this book was set on the beach in Florida, a welcome departure from the cold weather we have been having this winter.

Would have like to have had more time spent discussing cozy themes like her pup and coffee.

Love interest is fairly balanced with talk of mature, healthy topics like boundaries.

Enjoyed that it's not completely obvious who the killer is, but there were a lot of red herrings.

Enjoyable read! I had fun and would like to read more of this series in the future.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cold Brew Corpse is the second book in Tara Lush's Coffee Lover's Mystery series. Set in Devil's Beach in the Florida Keys the story follows Lana the manager/co-owner of a coffee house named Perkatory and a former Miami newspaper crime reporter. The story takes place right after the events of book one in the series and although it can be read as a a stand alone, I'd highly recommend reading book 1 as it's great.

The mystery begins when Raina, the owner of the yoga studio next to Perkatory is reported missing. The local paper hires Lana to write a story about the disappearance. She uses her natural curoristy, her Miami reporting skills to find some answers. It doesn't hurt that she's become very friendly with the handsome Police Chief Noah Garcia.

I enjoyed the mystery very much, there were many red herrings to keep you guessing and turning the pages. There are some fantastic side characters: Lana's father, her friend and co-worker Erica, Wolfe, Noah, the members of the Yoga studio and of course Stanley.
There were a few little things that did bug me in the story, her issues with cold brew - She kept selling it when it wasn't good, wouldn't a cafe owner test each batch before providing it to customers? The funny but random yoga scene with Noah in the studio - I thought it was a dream sequence at first, it was so unbelievable. These were some of the minor things, but they didn't affect how much I enjoyed the book.

Highly recommended!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

While Lana Lewis serves up her Cold Brew her neighbor at Dante’s Inferno takes her clients through the movements of Hot Yoga. That is until the yogi goes missing and is later found dead floating in a nearby swamp.

Lana is swamped herself with managing Perkatory and training her new puppy Stanley but when the editor of the local paper asks her to get the scoop on the woman’s murder and write about it for the paper Lana can’t say no. This story could be the big break she needs to get her journalism career back on track.

With her connection to the police chief, she is right on the scene when the body is removed from its watery grave. Then with a little bit of old-fashioned legwork and her trusty investigation skills, she learns Raina Rose had quite a checkered past. This opens up the suspect pool she will have to brew through as she tries to steam out the killer while not becoming a victim herself or ruining her relationship with Chief Noah.

I was very happy to visit these characters again. Lana has grown more comfortable in her barista skills but does have an issue with her new Cold Brew that she can’t seem to remedy. She doesn’t lose her cool though, and she doesn’t give up, even when another murder investigation takes over a majority of her time. Thankfully she has Erika and her dad to take up the slack at Perkatory. She and Erika are much more comfortable with each other and make a great team. Her dad is great too, stepping in when needed. I really love the calm he can bring to a situation. I wish he played a larger role in this story. He is a definite fave for me.

I was thrilled to see the relationship between Noah and Lana growing but there are a couple of obstacles in their way. Lana does make a mistake that could blow them miles apart and I enjoyed the way this played out quickly without being drawn out for pages and pages or even into the next book. All the characters have noticeable growth and continue to pull me into their lives very easily.

The mystery was a real conundrum. Following each clue along with Lana was very captivating. The suspects were pretty clear until WHAM! Twist! Turn! I was totally flabbergasted! Oh, Miss Lush, you got me good! Lana too!

There was a subplot that I felt was important that was left open from Lana’s past. I hope that it will develop and Lana is allowed to get to the bottom of it in a future story.

I just have to share that little Stanley is so adorable even when his training has a hiccup or two or three. Also, there is a hilarious moment between Lana and Noah. I almost snorted soda all over my Kindle.

Cold Brew Corpse was a Perfect Escape. It tested me, surprised me, and tickled my funny bone. I am looking forward to my next visit to Devil’s Beach and catching up for a coffee or two with everyone at Perkatory.

I am being a good girl in 2022… so far. I am doing my best to catch up with Netgalley IOU from 2021… So far so good.

And yeah, I’ve started my ‘catching up’ journey with the books and characters I love.

Lana Lewis is me book-reircarnated. She is a coffee addicts and aficionado (and a cafe owner). And she is a journalist through and through. As the saying goes ‘you can take the girl out of newspaper but you can’t take her notebook and pen away’…

The second book in the Coffee Lover’s Mystery series by Tara Lush we find Lana hot and bothered over so many things: Florida heat, bad taste of her signature drink ‘cold brew’, disappearance of yoga diva and on again off again date with handsome police chief.

But… Lara has enough support from her family and friends, enough drive and resilience and enough coffee in her cafe to conqure eveything and more.

This time around the murder mystery will unfolds in Florida swamp and yoga retreats. It will touch, connect and break enough people for two or even three murder mysteries. And at the end of it, the resolution will be as unexpected as it is prosaic…

Cold Brew Corpse is a very cheeky, funky, fun and cozy next installment in the series I found myself to enjoy.

A very worthy read for summer holidays or … for wherever and whenever.

And yeah, a hunk of police chief will prove himself worthy of all the waiting and date changing, just saying…


Cold Brew Corpse is out since late December 2021

Published by Crooked Lane Books

Cold Brew Corpse is the second book in the Coffee Lover's Mystery series. The story begins almost exactly where book 1 ends. Lana is just fresh off the competition win. Perkatory is busier than ever now that word has gotten out about their success. It also helps that the new yoga studio next door, Dante's Inferno, funnels traffic their way. When the up-and-coming owner goes missing and is later found dead in The Swamp, Lana can't wait to put on her reporter's hat and get to work.

Lana discovers Raina isn't calm, cool, or collected like the image the yogi tries to portray. She has a dark past, and an even darker present. The list of of suspects is a mile long and each and every person has means, opportunity, and/or motive to want to see Lana disappear. Lana's sleuthing also compromises her budding relationship with Noah. Detectives and crime reports don't seem to mix well. Lana and Noah will have to discuss boundaries and limits before their new relationship ends before it even has a chance to begin.

I really enjoyed Cold Brew Corpse. The set-up of the mystery was carefully planned out and executed and the number of suspects kept me guessing. The sleuthing is done in a way I would expect a former journalist to be able execute. Lana is a wonderful heroine, her father quirky, and the rest of characters all well-developed. I loved the setting and the way the author described everything from the inside of the coffeeshop, to the beach as the characters visited, and everywhere Lana showed up, whether for work, fun, or sleuthing. Being able to envision the story as I read along is paramount to my total enjoyment of Cold Brew Corpse. Tara Lush knocked it out of the park. I am so excited to see where the author takes Lana and the whole crew in the next book.

I'm not one for coffee (actually, can't stand the stuff), but I really enjoy this series. As much as it's about the coffee shop, it's also about Lana and her love for two different things...owning her own business and journalism. It's very relatable. A little unrealistic at times that she always had someone there to cover when she was out tracking down a story, but that didn't tamper my enjoyment of the story. Very excited to see what's next for Lana.

Cold Brew Corpse is the second book in the “A Coffee Lover's Mystery” series. Lana’s coffee shop, Perkatory, is doing a brisk business. Her relationship with Noah is moving along nicely, and the urge to be a reporter again is partially satisfied by her old boss when she is hired to write a news story. Unfortunately, the murder of a yoga instructor and Lana’s (business) next-door neighbor adds fuel to her insatiable curiosity.

I did not read the first book in this series, so I do not know how the characters interacted previously. Unfortunately, I did not care very much for Lana. She appears to be very immature and judgemental and had what I term a holier than thou attitude. Her reporting style would be more in line with a hard-hitting exposé journalist. The coffee shop, Perkatory, sounds like a fun place to grab a good cup of coffee, yet I feel that the story revolved too much around the cold brew that Lana makes, especially as it has somehow gotten contaminated. It was a bit unbelievable that Lana would put a story above her real work or running the coffee shop. After all, the news story doesn’t pay the bills. I liked the small part that Lana’s father and Noah played in the story; they seem to be interesting. The yoga instructor was not at all likable. It was a foregone conclusion that she was not what she appeared. Her past became a large part of the investigation, and with good reason.

There are far too many suspects and red herrings in Cold Brew Corpse; they bog down the story. In addition, the killer was unremarkable and predictable. All of this said this was a good book. Any new series needs time to mature with characters growth, and hopefully, these characters will become more fun and entertaining with the next installment. In book three, I also hope to see less yoga and more coffee action at Perkatory.

Lana’s Character had me hooked, along with the sheriff’s, not to forget Stanley’s. When a suspicious death occurred to a friend and business colleague, Lana’s investigative instinct could not be ignored, as a former investigative journalist seeking the truth was like a magnet for her. Captivating, entertaining, and intriguing.

Coffee and murder? Sign me up. This book introduces you to Lana Lewis, a barista, coffeeshop owner and former newspaper reporter from Devil’s Beach Florida. She lands in the middle of a murder mystery and her years of the newspaper biz means she can’t stop asking questions and getting herself in trouble.

I thought this was a great follow-up to the first book in this series. It's fun, coffeecentric, and I enjoy Lana's love/hate with her journalism career that ended, but that she can't live without.

The plot of the book was such a great page turner. The plot of the book was very well written. I truly cannot wait to read another wonderful book from this author. This was a truly great book.

Another great A Coffee Lover's Mystery from Tara Lush. I love learning about coffee through Lana. The cast of characters in this series is fun and they fit well together.

I am looking forward to the next book to see if Lana takes on more writing assignments or if she realizes she loves running Perkatory, it really could go either way.

This is the second book in the Coffee Lovers series. This book takes place immediately after book one. Lana goes to work at her coffee shop to discover police activity at the yoga studio next door. The yoga instructor, Raina, has disappeared. Lana starts investigating her disappearance hoping to write a freelance story on Raina's disappearance,

I love the setting of Devil's Beach. The characters are so fun. Lana's father is my absolute favorite. I laugh in every scene he is in. I like how Noah and Lana's relationship grew throughout the book. The mystery was good. I did not expect who the killer was. I love Lana as a character. I can't wait to see what adventures Lana gets into in the next book. I received this book from crooked lane books and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery set in a coffee shop though I think I may have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book in the series first before this one in order to get to know the characters, and I do recommend reading them in order but it was still a good read none the less.

I absolutely love cozy mysteries and this one was a great one, great read. Can't wait for more by Tara Lush.