A Deadly Brew by Lynn Cahoon
Series: A Tourist Trap Mystery #9.5
Published by Lyrical Press on August 4, 2018
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Pages: 67
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
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As Halloween approaches South Cove, California, four couples get into the spirit of the holiday by conjuring up spirits. . .
The house has sat empty for fifteen years, taking up prime real estate along the picturesque coastline. Built by one of the founders of South Cove, its last known owner, Maryanne Demerit, vanished without a trace. Now her home will be demolished for a condo development, but until then, it’s the perfect spot for a Halloween haunted house.
Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, her boyfriend, and three other couples are spending the weekend in the Demerit home. But what begins as an all-in-good-fun fright fest turns into a mystery begging to be solved as Jill is contacted by the ghost of Maryanne . . .

A light spooky cozy mystery from the Tourist Trap mystery series caught my eye when I was hunting for an Autumn seasonal read. It was my first time with author and series and it was a great experience that has me eager to return for more.

A Deadly Brew is book 9.5 in the A Tourist Trap Mystery series. It probably wasn’t the best place to start as it was obvious that the heroine and those in her circle had prior experiences together, but, that said, I had no trouble diving in because the author gave a brief intro to the characters and setting as it appeared in the story.

This was a quick read novella that falls between the usual novel-length mysteries. It was a lock in haunted house weekend for four couples. They wanted to explore the old house by the sea that would be torn down for developments and have a nice weekend getaway. But, strange things start to happen and Jill Gardner, local bookshop owner and amateur sleuth, begins to wonder if the ghost of the long time missing owner is trying to help her discover the truth of what happened back in the past.

The four couples were a fun group together and I liked the cold case and spooky manifestations. I thought their time at the old spooky place was fun and entertaining. The backstory and descriptions of the world and setting were minimal and things moved along swiftly with the mystery, but it worked just fine for an afternoon quick read. The heroine Jill was engaging enough and I liked the time with her boyfriend the town police detective, her friends and neighbor. It did have a nice twist or two even if it was a light-weight story.

I think those looking for a fun, light cozy mystery that would be perfect for Halloween would find this one a good bet.