Twenty-five-year-old Danika Delaney didn't follow the plan her parents wanted but now her dream career in advertising is gone along with the guy she thought she was going to marry and the apartment she was subletting. So now her family has decided she is the perfect person to take over her Uncle Jimmie's ice cream shop. Jimmie's is an old-fashioned malt shop on Main Street in Watchague, a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island.
While reluctantly learning the ropes from her uncle he does tell her she can make any updates she wishes to the place but when she finds her ex-high school boyfriend's soon-to-be ex-wife's dead body in the basement a pool of rocky road she realizes whatever changes she planned on making aren't going to happen. Especially with the gossip running rampant around town that she and her ex were back together and she or he killed his wife so that they could be together.
Dani sets out to clear her name truly not sure of her ex's innocence with her sister, Meghan, and her friend since childhood, Gwen. They come up with several other suspects but can they get the scoop on the killer before the killer ices Danika?
______
In this first Coffee & Cream Cafe Mystery we meet Danika who has really had a string of bad luck or as she thinks Karma. I liked her right away but her sleuthing skills need a lot of work. She is very genuine, kind, and funny. She hooks back up with her best friend Gwen as if no time had passed at all. Her sister Meghan, the "favored child" manages her Aunt Florence's very successful boutique. She has always "toed the family line", went to a local college and earned a business degree, and is all set up to find the perfect man, have perfect kids, and even the perfect dog. We also meet the hunky Detective Jake Barlow, Danika's high school boyfriend Luca, who cheated on her at the prom, and several other members of Danika's family and residents of the small town. All of Ms. Gregory's characters are vividly written and get fleshed out well throughout the story. There is a romantic triangle in the making and already I am all in for Team Jake!
Well plotted and written, the mystery ties into a mystery from the past that draws readers deeper into the story. The victim was a real witch which means there were plenty of suspects and a variety of motives. Danika listened to all the gossip and she and Gwen did their best to follow all the clues. Danika and Gwen reminded me a little of Lucy and Ethel and they usually had a lot âsplainin' to do! But they didn't give up. Danika wasn't sure until the very end who the guilty party was and I was right there with her. I really enjoyed the showdown and who bought the criminal down.
Murder A La Mode was such a fun read! I mean who doesn't love ice cream? along with an entertaining mystery with a surprising reveal? and interesting characters? I love the way Ms. Gregory tells a story! I am very happy that we don't have to wait long for the next book in the series. Grounds for Murder is set to be released on November 21. I already have the date saved on my calendar.
Karen S. (BoysMom) - My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow! What a great start to this new cozy mystery series!
Murder A La Mode is the first book in veteran author Lena Gregory's new cozy series, the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, and I couldn't ask for a more delightful debut. With an appealingly likable main character, two hunky potential love interests, and a "ride or die" best friend-sidekick, I was quickly immersed in this intriguing tale of jealousy, murder, and deadly long-hidden secrets.
The main character, Danika Delaney, had followed her dreams of college and a career in advertising to the City, but a tough job market had relegated her to waiting tables to make ends meet. So, when she lost her apartment sublet and a cheating boyfriend one after the other, she returned to her hometown of Watchogue on Long Island to take over her Uncle Jimmie's ice cream shop. But while her family is overjoyed she's come home, not everyone in the small town is glad she's back. Her first day working at Jimmie's is marred by a confrontation with her high school sweetheart's soon-to-be ex-wife, who accuses Dani of coming home to steal Luca back. Rumors spread like wildfire about what Heather said, and when she's found murdered in the ice cream shop's basement the very next day, all eyes turn to Dani, including the cops.Danika Delaney is extremely likable and sympathetic, and I was behind her from the start. She's a worthy underdog and grows over the course of the story, discovering the truth of what happened between Luca and Heather on that long-ago prom night and finally realizing her own contribution to her heartbreak. She's a wonderful amateur sleuth, and her old friend, Gwen, is the perfect companion in her investigation. Dani even makes the transition from child to adult in the eyes of her strong-willed and intimidating mother.
There are two tantalizing love interests to complicate matters: Luca, Dani's high school sweetheart, and Detective Jake Barlow, the lead investigator on the murder case. While I liked both of these potential romantic partners for Danika, I leaned toward Team Jake early on. I look forward to future adventures, not only for more mystery but to see how these relationships pan out.The Long Island town of Watchogue is Danika's charming hometown, and I got a good feel for its personality and townspeople. It's a perfect setting for a cozy mystery series. Close enough for the residents to head to the City for major things, there's still a little of everything in town: a busy Main Street business district, rural spaces, beaches, and a super-efficient small-town pipeline for gossip. There's even the old clique for high school with its mean girls and guys still holding sway over their peers.
The mystery is well-plotted, and the action and investigation move quickly. I liked that the police investigation was kept separate and pretty much out of sight for most of the book. Detective Barlow holds his card close to the vest with not too much unrealistic "quid pro quo," as Dani called it, or sharing of confidential information. As Dani seeks answers from the central members of the victim's old friends' group, she uncovers several good suspects and plausible motives for the murder. I wasn't sure of "who done it" until the obvious reveal occurred, and I was highly satisfied with that.I recommend MURDER A LA MODE to cozy mystery readers looking for a charming new series, especially those who enjoy a culinary theme in their reading.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.