Grounds for Murder

By: Tara Lush

Narrated by: Kae Marie Denino

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

When Lana Lewis' best - and most difficult - employee abruptly quits and goes to work for the competition just days before the Sunshine State Barista Championship, her café's chances of winning the contest are creamed. In front of a gossipy crowd in the small Florida town of Devil's Beach, Lana's normally calm demeanor heats to a boil when she runs into the arrogant java slinger. Of course, Fabrizio Fab Bellucci has a slick explanation for jumping ship. But when he's found dead the next morning under a palm tree in the alley behind Lana's café, she becomes the prime suspect. 

Even the island's handsome police chief isn't quite certain of her innocence. But Lana isn't the only one in town who was angry with Fabrizio. Jilted lovers, a shrimp boat captain, and a surfer with ties to the mob are all suspects as trouble brews on the beach. 

With her stoned hippie dad, a Shih Tzu named Stanley, and a new curious barista sporting a punk-rock aesthetic at her side, Lana's prepared to turn up the heat to catch the real killer. After all, she is a former award-winning reporter. 

As scandal hangs over her beachside café, can Lana clear her name and win the championship - or will she come to a bitter end?

©2020 Tara Lush (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Fun setting and characters

It was a fun read. Story line interesting with quirky characters. Location in south Florida adds a lot of color with realistic\familiar incidents. Main character starts out with anger issues and narrator over does it some, but that sets the context for her personality and actions.

Good story

This was a very good story. I liked the fact that it mentioned Tampa and St. Pete.

Terrible narration

The narration ruined a cute cozy. The narrator does a poor job of imitating a male voice - sounds like a bad imitation of Batman. The narrator tried to vary every single character’s voice to the point of annoyance. I usually don’t give these types of reviews as I can only imagine how difficult it is the narrate a book but this one is the worst I’ve ever listened too and could not finish.

Not As Clean A Cozy As I Like

With medicinal marijuana smoking and the victim’s S&M habits being discussed, this book was not my cup of tea.

Boring

I couldn't get into this book. The characters weren't very engaging, the pace kinda slow and the male voices were breathy and weird. I returned it.

ENJOYED THIS FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

THE CHARACTERS ARE INTERESTING AND QUIRKY. THE COFFEE SHOP SOUNDS LIKE A PLACE I WANT TO VISIT EVEN THOUGH I DON'T DRINK COFFEE. AND WHO CAN GO WRONG WITH AN OCEAN SETTING.