Title: Tea Cups and Carnage
Author: Lynn Cahoon
Pages: 192
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fiction
Source: Free ARC from Kensington Books
Rating: C+
Note: As stated under the Source (above), I received this book for free from Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review (and trust me, honest is always what you’ll get).
Review: At the risk of repeating myself – cozies are a somewhat new genre to me. As such, I have very few points of comparison, but I can say that I find them light, easy, entertaining reads overall, and Tea Cups and Carnage is no different.
Of course, cozies always have a theme, and in this series – Lynn Cahoon’s “A Tourist Trap” series – everything revolves around Jill Gardner, the owner of Coffee, Books, and More, a store that sells…coffee and books. J Naturally this particular theme speaks to me more strongly than say, a series based on quilting or scrapbooking. It’s kind of like reading a book whose characters are part or your tribe. Know what I mean? You’re sort of instantly on the same page with the main character, an instant connection and draw.
And the story was entertaining, even if some of the characters – ok, one of the characters – weren’t particularly likeable (I’m talkin’ about you Aunt Jackie!). Then again, I didn’t start the series from the beginning (this being book #7), so maybe she grows on you over time. Or maybe I’m just not a fan of cranky passive-aggressive old ladies. 😉
But as I was saying, the story was entertaining, and while I did guess the who of the mystery pretty quickly, I didn’t figure out the particulars of the why. So the plot was smartly written, at least enough to stupefy me up to the end.
As it turns out, I have the first in this series on my Kindle, so when I have a moment, I can go back and see how it all began. And if I ever get through my ever growing pile of galleys, I’ll be sure to do that.
Not my absolute favorite cozy, but a solid choice for anyone who appreciates the genre.