A Vacation to Die For is the 14th book in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. This book finds our protagonist, Jill Gardner and her fiancé, Police Detective Greg, in a nearby town, Apple Valley, at a spa from a weekend away. When Greg gets a phone call that a dead man was found at the police department, he heads home and leaves Jill to enjoy the weekend alone. Jill has been dealing with a high pressure developer wanting to buy her house and property, so she stays and one of her friends joins her. All would have been well, if there hadn't been a rude and greedy hotel guest ruining things for them. When Jill heads home, she is faced with staffing issues at her store, one of her employees being harassed and strange men lurking around. With Jill's nosiness bothering her, she begins her own investigation into all that is happening in South Cove.

As I have come to expect from Lynn Cahoon, this book has more than one thing going on. With the murder being the central mystery storyline, there are other things pulling at Jill for her attention. Along with all the issues she is dealing with, she is also trying to plan her wedding. With the victim being unknown for much of the story, it took longer to sort out all the clues and evidence. I like how all the various stories come together in the end and the mystery gets solved. There are some tense moments as the showdown happens, but overall, Jill keeps safe and doesn't take too many chances. This was an enjoyable, well developed mystery with characters I enjoy.

This is Book 14 in the Tourist Trap mysteries,and is outstanding. If you've followed the exploits of Jill Gardner, the owner of Coffee, Books and More, you know that she's always up for a murder (or two!). Jill's wedding to Greg is soon approaching and she finds the only way she can get her hubby-to-be to help her with planning is to lure him away for a week long retreat. But her plans go awry when duty calls and he has to rush back to solve a murder. Jill is on her own (with her girlfriends) for a few days to sort things out, and predictably, things get complicated. The author has a wonderful, light style and a gift for complex plots and spot-on characterization. Highly recommend.

Once again, I had the opportunity to spend time with Jill and her fiancé, Greg, and the rest of the characters in South Cove, California. I have enjoyed the books I have read so far in this series and look forward to more adventures. The characters are well developed and the story lines are always interesting with lots of twists and turns that will keep you engaged. This particular book has you searching along with Jill for clues to figure out who committed the murder. There is lots of family drama. But there is also a wonderful sense of support and caring of the residents … especially those who work at Jill’s store, Coffee, Books, and More. I just wish this was a real place I could visit! I would be planning a vacation and looking forward to spending time eating, reading, and socializing with the people who I feel like have become friends through the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lyrical Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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A vacation to die for was a great cozy mystery. I recommend reading this series in order of publication to understand the story better. This author has several series written so it is easy to find a good read.

I really enjoy this series. Tourist Trap mystery is one of my all time favorites. I was sad to see not much Toby in this one or Jill's Aunt. But the whole concept of the story really keep me guessing and I enjoyed all the community interaction. Reading this series is always like coming home. I can't recommend it enough.

(Quick Summary)
A nice cozy murder mystery with characters you feel you could be friends with and living in a very naturally written world.

I have only read a few books by Lynn Cahoon. But the more I read. The more I like her.

A Vacation to Die for is the 14th book in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. And (only) the 2nd book that I've read in the series. Yes. I am a monster since I hardly ever start a series with book #1. And because of that. I can honestly say this can be read as a standalone. At no time did I feel as if I had to have read any of the earlier books to connect to the characters or understand the current story. Little history tidbits popped up here & there and were so seamlessly suggested that you hardly realized a reference to a previous book was made. The characters are very real and easy to connect with. Jill our main character lovers her dog, her fiancé, has a close group of friends, runs a bookstore and cafe with real life problems and duties and watches the same TV shows that I do and pretty much eats like me. (I want to be her bestie!) Yes there is a murder mystery with layers to it. And there is a thrilling conclusion. At no point did I feel anxious or nervous. It is the perfect cozy read! Dare I say Lynn's writing may make her the coziest of cozy authors? I don't know. I will have to read more! Thank you to #netgalley and Lyrical Press for the eARC copy.

What a great cozy mystery! Another fun mystery that had me guessing until the end. Such a fun read, love this series!

A Vacation to Die For

by Lynn Cahoon

It’s good to return to South Cove to visit with Jill, owner of a bookstore/coffee shop, and her fiancé Greg, the local police detective. They head up to nearby Apple Valley for a much needed get-away, but unfortunately there is a murder back in town. In addition, there are a lot of other threads in this well-crafted cozy mystery. There is a conflict with the mayor when Jill won’t agree to sell her property to a real estate developer. Evie, one of Jill’s baristas is harassed by her ex-husband and his sister over an inheritance. Jill is a bibliophile, preferring a good book to social interaction, but she tries in this book to reach outside her comfort zone.

There are lots of interactions among the various characters. Some are just townspeople and others are in the area for trouble. Jill seems to frequently find her way into investigations and dangerous spots, sometimes because she is nosy and sometimes because she is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jill shows off her investigative skills in this book as she picks up on little things she sees or hears that others might not notice. She then feeds them to Greg, helping solve the crimes. Jill’s dog Emma is a mainstay, always ready for a run. Another dog, Homer, plays an important role in this book.

There are lots of food mentions from Tiny’s fantastic cooking at Lille’s café to Sadie’s delectable desserts from Pies on the Fly. You don’t want to try to read this book when you are hungry.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. A Vacation to Die For is #14 in the Tourist Trap Mystery Series. You could read it as a standalone as Cahoon is good at grounding readers in the past and the characters as needed. As this story is fairly far into the series, however, I think it would be more enjoyable if others in the series were read first. I do recommend the whole series if you are looking to read a new cozy mystery series. This one never disappoints.
2. A recipe for Esmeralda’s Creole Seafood Stew is included.

Publication: September 6, 2022—Kensington (Lyrical Press)

Memorable Lines:

“I swear, I can’t hold a Tupperware party without having one of the guests show up dead.”

I let her talk for a while. I found the best part of being a friend was letting the other person talk out the problem and find their own solution.

The world must be moving into an ice age. Greg had asked me to investigate. I hurried home to get my car before he changed his mind.

This is book 14 in A Tourist Trap Mystery series I don't think I've missed any. Jill and Greg have finally committed to each other and they decide a weekend away might be a good thing. When Chief of police, Greg, is called back for a murder things begin to go crazy. Town is super busy with the fall festival and the bookstore/cafe is bustling. Also the mayor is in favor of a big restaurant buying Jill's house to bring more business into town. Looking forward to the next installment.

The author give us a solid mystery that has plenty of clues, suspects, and well developed characters. The identity of the victim isn't known until halfway into the book making it a little more difficult to investigate and figure out who the killer is. I look forward to the next hook in the series to see what mystery Jill and the residents of South Cove find themselves involved in.

I think this might be the best book in the series! Very well written with strong and interesting characters, and a plot full of twists and turns. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own

One of my favorite series and I always have a good time when I am in South Cove with some of my favorite book characters!!

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

A Vacation To Die For
A Tourist Trap Mystery, Book #14
Lynn Cahoon
5 Stars


Synopsis:

Fans of female sleuth cozies will delight in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Cahoon’s latest installment in her long-running Tourist Trap Mystery series.

In the California coastal town of South Cove, Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, discovers that wedding planning can be murder . . .

Hustling her fiancé off to a neighboring tourist town might be the only way Jill Gardner can plan her nuptials to South Cove’s in-demand police detective. But when a mystery man turns up dead at South Cove’s PD, Greg is hightailing it back home to investigate, leaving Jill to finish the vacation solo.

Jill can barely get in a spa day before her own respite is spoiled by a greedy hotel guest and unexpected revelations about Max Winter, the developer conniving to buy her home out from under her. Then there’s the staffing issues at the store, the strange men seen lurking about town, and an aggressive and obnoxious family member harassing Jill’s beloved employee. It’s enough to make the bride-to-be full of jitters . . . especially when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer . . .

Praise for Lynn Cahoon and the Tourist Trap Mysteries

“I love the author’s style, which was warm and friendly . . . [A] wonderfully appealing series.”
—Dru’s Book Musings

“Lynn Cahoon’s popular Tourist Trap series is . . . one of my go-to cozy mystery series!”
—Hope By the Book (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Jill and Greg take a trio to a neighboring town to start planning for their wedding. But before they get much of it planned, Greg has to go back to South Cove because someone is killed at the police station. Jill stays behind to try to have an enjoyable few days but it does
not last very long. She has trouble at the restaurant and the developer who is trying to get her property. Her and Greg have their hands full getting everything back to normal.

The writing style flows smoothly and defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and the descriptive writing kept me engaged
throughout the entire book. The mystery is well plotted and not easily solved.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. When you pick up a book by this author you know your are in for a good time.

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

Jill and her fiance Greg have escaped town for a quite weekend together. Hoping to get a little planning done for their wedding to to just relax. The vacation doesn't last long. Greg gets a call from the station, there has been a murder. A stranger stumbles into the precinct with a knife in the gut. So Jill calls her best friend Amy to come and spend the rest of the weekend with her. Another guest at the B&B is standoffish, kind of grumpy and rude. Jill over hears a phone conversation this guest has and she doesn't sound happy or pleasant. The weekend ends and the girls go home only to find so much going on. First the murder, second the unpleasant B7B guest turns out to be an ex in-law of one of her sweet employees. Don't even get her started on the shady developer who wants her home and won't take No for an answer.

This is a fun series. I love cozies and this has plenty of suspects and fun characters. It is easy-to -read and makes for an enjoyable read.

Jill and her police chief fiance Greg have gone away for the weekend to plan their wedding. Their vacation barely starts before Greg has return home due to a mystery man's death. There is more filler than mystery at times and several side stories. This might not be favorite book in the series, but it was not the worst book I have read this month either. I feel like I need a bit more connection between Jill and Greg.

Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap series is hands-down one of my favorites. And A Vacation to Die For, the 14th book of the series, captures the essence of what a cozy mystery should be. With its charming location, loveable characters, and compelling mystery, A Vacation to Die For is a winner.

Jill Gardner, proprietress of Coffee, Books, and More, is being pressured by a developer who wants to purchase her historic home, and that, coupled with her work schedule and that of her fiancé, detective Greg King, have left no time to plan the couple’s upcoming nuptials. Jill and Greg decide to take a much-needed weekend getaway at a B&B in nearby Apple Valley to do so. Jill, however, finds herself alone in the hotel room when Greg is summoned back to South Cove after a mysterious man is found murdered at the police station. Jill, left to her own devices at the hotel, encounters a series of clues that may help to unravel the mystery at home. Returning to South Cove, she finds that the mystery is complicated by the fact that her employee, Evie, is being stalked by her ex-husband, a nasty and potentially violent man. Despite being warned by Greg to leave the sleuthing to the police, Jill once again finds herself in hot water as she hunts a killer.

The mystery is outstanding as usual, with the unidentified victim as an added twist. While there are a limited number of suspects, each one seemingly has motive and opportunity to have committed the crime. And the wide variety of clues and red herrings keep both Jill and Greg busy throughout the book. The climactic scene at Coffee, Books, and More, had me on pins and needles.

The town of South Cove is picturesque and charming. Who wouldn’t love the seaside locale? But the best thing about this series are its characters. Jill, Greg, Toby, Deek, Evie, and Aunt Jackie all feel like old friends welcoming you back home. Each successive book solidifies their place in my heart. Evie comes into her own, with a large dose of family craziness and suspicion thrown in. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Aunt Jackie, who is my favorite character. Maybe she will make more of an appearance in the subsequent novels.

Once again, Ms. Cahoon has hit it out of the park. Solid writing coupled with an intriguing plot and memorable characters help to make A Vacation to Die For a great choice for a relaxing read at the beach. I will be on the lookout for the next book in this delightful series.

Note: I received an ARC of A Vacation to Die For from NetGalley and Kensington Books. The above is my honest review.

Jill Gardner and her fiancé Greg King are off on a getaway to plan their upcoming nuptials. However, back home in South Cove, murder has raised its ugly head again and Greg is called back to duty. After returning home, Greg is dealing with an unidentified victim and Jill is confronted with an employee being terrorized by an ex. And just to make sure that they both have other distractions, a developer is trying (very aggressively) to get Jill to sell her home. Needless to say, Jill not only is busy with her own issues but trying to unobtrusively aid Greg and the police with solving the murder.

One of my favorite series! The characters are all great, very realistic and believable, love the location! The mystery was fun and kept you searching for more!

A Vacation to Die For is the latest release in the Tourist Trap Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon. Jill and Greg’s mini vacation is interrupted by a body turning up at their home town police department. Will Jill be able to put all the clues together and figure out who the murderer is before it is too late? Read A Vacation to Die For to find out.
I loved being able to visit South Cove again and a chance to catch up with Jill, Greg and the others. It was like being wrapped up in your favorite blanket, warm and cozy. I really missed Toby and Aunt Jackie’s characters playing a bigger role in the story like they used to in the earlier ones of the series, but other than that I really enjoyed reading Jill and Greg’s latest mystery. I highly recommend Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mystery series to anyone who loves a good cozy mystery series. It is the perfect cozy mystery series for coffee and book lovers everywhere.

Lynn Cahoon continues the Tourist Trap Mystery cozies with A Vacation to Die For. Jill Gardner owner of Coffee Books and More refuses to sell her store to a developer who is bothering her. Then she gains a worker, Evie, whose former boyfriend is stalking her With all her problems she is also planning her wedding to her policeman fiance and he is involved in a murder. Then clues start pullling all these facts together. Read and enjoy.