Live and Let Grind by Tara Lush Book Review

About the Book:

Laid-off journalist Lana Lewis is thriving as the proprietor of Perkatory, a coffee shop on quirky Devil’s Beach island, Florida. She’s juggling a relationship with police chief Noah Garcia, enjoying the company of her best friend, Erica, and relishing the companionship of her golden Shih Tzu, Stanley. Only problem is her neighbor, Gus, who incessantly uses his leaf blower, disturbing everyone in the neighborhood. Lana has learned to tune it out, but Erica’s rage boils over and she confronts Gus.
 
Then Gus is found dead, killed when his leaf blower explodes. Erica immediately becomes suspect number one. But there are plenty of other candidates as well: Gus’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Honey Bailey, who thinks she’ll be written out of his will; Mickey Dotson and Doug Beck, who were scalded financially after purchasing a pirate-themed tourist cruise business from Gus; and plenty of angry neighbors who’ve had run-ins with him.
 
As the clock ticks down will Lana get someone to spill the beans on the killer so she can clear her friend’s name, or will Erica go to jail for a crime she didn’t commit?

My Review:

This is another enjoyable cozy mystery set on an island of the Florida Gulf Coast. I like some of the quirky people Lush adds to the scene, like a disco roller skating social media star. Even Lana's dad is a crazy character. I like the unusual murder method of death by leaf blower.

Lana investigates the murder, hoping to prove Erica, her friend and a suspect, innocent of the murder. That means she has some tense times with her boyfriend and police chief, like him trying to foil her attempt to write an article about the murder. Relationship drama and poisoned coffee spice up the plot a bit.

This is a good cozy mystery for coffee lovers. Lana and Erica come up with some interesting coffee combinations, like with mushrooms and oranges. (I'll just have a cup of drip, thank you.) I was not happy with how the murder investigation went and was not surprised at the killer. Nonetheless, for a cozy mystery, the plot is good enough.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my reviews of the earlier books in this series: Grounds for Murder and Cold Brew Corpse.

About the Author:

Tara Lush is a Florida based novelist and journalist. She is an RWA Rita finalist, an Amtrak writing fellow and the winner of the George C. Polk award for environmental journalism. She has been a reporter for The Associated Press for the last decade. She also writes contemporary romance set in tropical locations. She lives on the Gulf coast with her husband and two dogs. You can find out more at https://taralush.com/.

Crooked Lane Books, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)