I enjoyed reading this light cozy mystery. Gia has left NYC to move to rural Florida to escape a bad marriage and open an All Day Breakfast Cafe. Her ex husband winds up dead behind the cafe and she is the next target. I liked the town, the characters and the restaurant background. The mystery was very light and there were not a lot of suspects. The solution just happens without a lot of investigation. The main character Gia does a lot stupid things. I liked her best friend Savannah better. Her cousin Hunt, a police officer is a possible romantic interest for Gia. I was more intrigued by Savannah's back story than Gia's. I hope it is explored more in future books. The book is a very quick easy read and a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Enjoy

Lena Gregory has written an engaging mystery with likable characters. A Scone Cold Killer is the debut book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe series, and it doesn’t disappoint. New York native Gia Morelli is starting over in Florida after a nasty divorce from a scoundrel. He not only cheated on her, but he cheated many people who want to get even. As Gia is starting a new business, her ex shows up dead in the dumpster behind her new diner. She is immediately suspected by many of the locals and her business is about to go bust. Not only that, but she is being threatened for some reason and she does not know what is going on.

I enjoyed this story and read it in one sitting. I loved the characters in Boggy Creek, especially her best friend Savannah and local fisherman Earl. Gia is a great character. She is so real (has reasonable fears of things like spiders), is kind to the homeless man Harley, is spunky and smart as well as being a great cook. The ending was well done and although I was suspicious of someone all along, the reveal confirmed those suspicions and explained the motive. With the case officially solved and Gia deciding she will stay in Boggy Creek with her dog, Thor, and possible male relationship with Hunter, police detective and Savannah's cousin, I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes. A nice debut in a new series that I recommend to those who enjoy a culinary cozy. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

This is my favorite new cozy mystery series. I absolutely love the characters. Gia Morelli is a diner owner in Florida. She opened the diner after Her husband was a scam artist who swindled half the millionaires in town, and she doesn't want to be there when they decide to take revenge. So she packed up her bags and left New York to be near her best friend in FL.

Things are going well for Gia until her ex husband shows up dead behind her garage bin out back. Was this revenge? Why is he in Florida in the first place ? A fun and entertaining read. I already purchased the other books nin the series on amazon after reading this one!

Gia Morelli has fled New York City and her scambag ex-husband (awaiting sentencing for investment fraud) and takes refuge in a small Florida town with her best friend. Opening up her own Breakfast cafe, the first day wasn't perfect (she didn't have grits and the newly hired cook was worthless) but it gets worse when she discovers her ex dead in her own dumpster.

Apparently, some people were not happy with him and now they're after Gia believing that she has something they want.

I loved the setting, characters and the special little somethings that were added. This was a great first book in a new series.

When Gia Morelli moved to Florida to open a cafe, she knew it wouldn't be smooth sailing. Running a breakfast eatery isn't easy. It takes lots of hard work and a great staff. And while Gia is no stranger to hard work, she realized on her opening day, watching her new line cook prepare one meal at a time, that she'd have to work on her staffing. 

The move from New York City to Boggy Creek took all her energy, all her extra time, and all her extra money. Buying a house and getting the All-Day Breakfast Cafe up and running took everything she had. But it was worth it. She needed to start over. Between her husband's lies and his career as a thief, stealing the money his clients' had given him to invest, Gia was done even before his court case and all the death threats. That's why she moved to Boggy Creek, Florida, where she could build a new life for herself with the help of her friend Savannah. 

The first day was difficult. Gia didn't realize that she would have so many customers ask for grits. Her cook created long wait times for her customers. And then at the end of the day, when the customers and staff had all gone home and Gia had everything cleaned up, that's when she discovered her ex-husband, non-responsive, in the dumpster behind her restaurant. 

Now that's a bad day. 

As the police investigate Gia's ex-husband's murder, she has to figure out how to stay safe not only from whoever killed her ex but also against Florida and all the bears, alligators, snakes, and spiders that run free in The Sunshine State. Can Gia, her new puppy Thor, and the handsome Detective Quinn find the killer in time to save Gia's new business as well as her life? 

Lena Gregory's Scone Cold Killer is the first in her All-Day Breakfast Cafe series, and it offers a tasty combination of mystery and intrigue, with strong characters and an interesting place. An easy read, this book has a light touch, a little humor, a little romance, all served up with some delicious breakfast treats and a murder to be solved. While I found Scone Cold Killer to be a little lighter than my favorite cozies tend to be, its readability and interesting characters did draw me in, and I enjoyed the journey. 



Galleys for Scone Cold Killer were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

4.5 Stars

I’ve been a fan of Lena Gregory since her first book came out in 2016. Her Bay Island Psychic Mystery series is one of my favorites. When I found out she had a new series, I have to admit I was skeptical. I tend to have a favorite series by an author and find that at times, the new series fall short of my expectations. In my opinion, Lena has proven that she isn’t a one series hit wonder. Scone Cold Killer has captured everything I love about Lena’s writing.

Gia Morelli was living a happy life. She loved her job working behind the counter at a New York deli. She knew her customers by name. They knew her. She also loved her husband Bradley and the life they built together. So what, if he worked long hours and he didn’t really discuss his job. When he was indicted for stealing millions from clients, she believed in him and stood by him. That is until tons of victims started coming forward and she found out about all of his extramarital affairs. Now that Bradley has been found guilty, their divorce is final, and Gia has been proven innocent in her former husband’s misdeeds, she’s ready to move on and start over.

With the encouragement of her best friend Savannah, Gia moves to Boggy Creek, Florida and opens her own restaurant, the All-Day Breakfast Cafe. Gia is all excited for her first day. Things get off to a shaky start when Gia doesn’t have a southern breakfast staple and her cook turns out to not really be much of a cook. This is all stuff Gia can overcome. Unfortunately, things get worse. Gia finds the dead body of Bradley in the dumpster behind the cafe and the police are looking at her. Good thing she has Savannah and Savannah's cousin Detective Hunter Quinn on her side.

Scone Cold Killer is a wonderful start to Lena’s All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series. I loved the characters and the character building. I found myself enjoying the story rather than focusing on who the killer was. Lena is very good at misdirecting which is something I appreciate. I have to admit I was surprised by the killer, but my spidey senses did go off. I simply love Lena's mysteries and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

I am a big fan of all things breakfast, so this new series was right up my alley. Gia Morelli has arrived in Florida, where her friend Savannah lives to open up her new café, The All Day Breakfast Café. There are wonderful characters to get to know, a dog and a scheming ex that winds up dead. All in all this was a great start to a new series, I can't wait to read the next one!

How did this book get it's title? And why can I not stop obsessing over that fact long enough to actually enjoy the book?

SCONE COLD KILLER is a new series about Gia Morelli, recent transplant to a small town in FL after having to flee her native NYC once her now ex-husband was charged and convicted of fraud.

So now for my rather standard breakdown of cozy mysteries:
Pluses of the book (and hopefully the new series):
~Great friendship bond that you know will continue to not only help the main character grow, but also will give her a "partner in crime"
~Lots of potential romances, so you know there's a chance for things to go many ways on that front
~Strange but awesome local(s) who save the day in their own way
~Cute dog with great personality
~At least one person on the actual police force that you hate from the beginning and know is going to give the main character a hard time, no matter what, which balances out the fact that there is also at least one person on the police force that you love from the beginning and know is going to be saving the main character's butt through the entire series.
Minuses:
My biggest issue is with the book title. I know that that seems ridiculous, but not only does Gia NOT own a bakery, she owns a restaurant that serves breakfast all day, but she doesn't even sell and/or make scones. Sort of a very big deal given that this is kicking off a new series, isn't it???

This was a fun introduction to a great new series. I look forward to reading more!

“Scone Cold Killer” earns 5/5 Fried Eggs with a Side of Karma!

Gia Morelli moved from New York to Florida for a fresh start; her bitter divorce from her scam artist husband, hassling phones calls, and friends no longer friends facilitated a need for a drastic change of scenery. Thanks to her BFF Savannah, she can look forward to the grand opening of her All-Day Breakfast Café in the touristy community of Boggy Creek. But her ex followed her, and Karma followed him. She finds him dead in the dumpster behind the café, and now her ex-wife motive just might trump those the ex scammed of their money. Detective Hunter Quinn comes on the scene, and although only trying to do his job, he gets scolded by Gia’s BFF. He's Savannah’s cousin, and should know better than to assume Gia is a legitimate “person of interest.” But, Gia and Savannah will not sit on the sidelines, even if her innocence is more obvious. They take it upon themselves to uncover the truth, putting themselves, of course, in danger.

Breakfast? Good. Small town community? Great. Murder of a low-life ex-husband? Priceless! Lena Gregory has penned a great cozy with a “karma” bite. Although you think you know in what direction the mystery will take, she has provided some delightful twists, turns, and dead ends (literally, dead!) to keep you engaged to the “Oh, know I didn't see that coming!” ending. “Scrambled” into the story we have the ins and outs of running the café with good, or not, employees and gaining a local clientele, learning about the community and her friends, and gaining independence and confidence. Great descriptions and dialogue bring the small community and personalities to life. Gregory’s characters are already well defined for a first-in-the-series book: favorite patron Earl who reminded Gia of the need for ‘grits,’ homeless good-guy Harley, a couple of badged friends and foes, four-legged Thor, and the best BFF, a great Ethel to Gia’s Lucy! I admire Gia, our heroine, desperately trying to overcome the emotional damage from her husband’s betrayal, and although she recognizes her insecurities, she also recognizes there just might be a nice bit of romance on the horizon. I highly recommend this book; it all works well and has made me eager for the next book.

This is a delightful debut cozy mystery series that was a fun read and a great sleuth!
Gia Morelli left New York City for a new life in Florida after a scandal with her ex husband. She is hoping to start over and put the past behind her. She and her good friend, Savannah, open her All-Day Breakfast Café with some bumps along the way but soon her cooking and management skills bring her success,. Gia soon discovers that her past has followed her when she finds the dead body of her ex-husband in her dumpster. Someone is framing her for his murder and her new life may be only a memory if she cannot clear her name.
I found her fearfulness , smart and a great sleuth. The supporting characters are likable people with a
interesting backstory and I can't wait to read more..

The first All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery is a promising start to a new series. There is an interesting mystery with lots good food, a well crafted sleuth that kept me guessing, a lovely small town ,a cute puppy, and a abundance of friendship. I look forward to the next in series and more adventures of Gia .
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

Lena Gregory has several good cozy series and this book is the first in the new series All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery. It introduces you to small town, Boogy Creek Florida and it's cast of strange and eccentric characters who love their food, especially grits. Gia has fled New York to open the All Day Breakfast cafe since her husband has been indicted for stealing money. When he turns up dead in her dumpster and then his lawyer is found dead too, Gia is the perfect patsy for the crimes. Nice touch of adopting a shelter dog and best friends helping each other. Looking forward to next book.

After her marriage ends in a bitter divorce, Gia Morelli leaves New York and is ready to start over. With some help from her best friend, Savannah, she starts over in Florida. Gia opens an all day breakfast cafe. She’s nervous about the whole endeavor, but also feels good about it.

However, on the day of her grand opening, things take a unexpected nasty turn. Gia discovers a dead body in her dumpster. It’s not just any dead body. It happens to be the body of her ex-husband. Now, all eyes are on Gia. She quickly becomes the prime suspect in the murder. She wonders what her ex was doing in Florida in the first place. Then, she begins receiving threats and wonders what her ex was involved in and what she is now involved in, thanks to him.

To add to her troubles, her business begins to suffer. Gia questions her choice in coming to Florida.

I enjoyed this one. I loved that this is set in a cafe in Florida. Two of my favorite things. It’s a fast-paced story with quite a few twists and turns. The characters are vividly portrayed and come to life on each page.

The main character, Gia, is vulnerable but she has a great support system with her friend Savannah. Savannah even convinces Gia to get a dog who is the perfect companion.

This is the first book in the series and it’s off to an extremely strong start. It's well written and a great addition to the cozy mystery genre. I will be waiting for the second book to be released.

Confession time, this book took me less than four hours to read because I couldn’t put it down! It has been a long time since I have been this enthralled with a mystery that time just didn’t exist. Truthfully, this is a series I can see myself getting lost in with each new book!

Scone Cold Killer is the first book in Lena Gregory's new All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series.

After her husband is outed as a swindler and a cheat, Gia Morelli flees New York to beautiful, sunny Florida. Her best friend secured housing for her and Gia also purchased a small diner. Her world comes crashing down again when her ex's body is found stuffed in the dumpster out behind the diner on opening morning. With many enemies and people who want him dead, and of course suspect Gia is one of them, her dream may very well crash and burn before she even gets to make it a reality.

Fortunately, Gia has support in form of her best friend, Savannah, and several of the townsfolk have rallied around her. Gia also has the support of Hunt, the detective in charge of the case, who just happens to be Savannah's cousin. Of course, Gia does have motive, what with the betrayal, cheating, and alternate life that Bradley was leading behind her back, and is considered a suspect for that reason. She knows she didn't do it and so do her friends, and now she has to figure out who did do it to keep her reputation from being permanently ruined and to keep her safe. Apparently whoever was after her husband has also made her a target.

I really enjoyed Scone Cold Killer. The book is paced really well - not too fast and not too slow. I was pulled in from the very beginning and engaged in the plot. The character development was done well. We get to know the characters pretty well and learn backstory without being bogged down with useless filler. The story was fun, exciting, suspenseful, and parts of it were sad as you realized the full extent of what Gia's husband did and put her through. The world was constructed well and I was able to visualize the story.

Gia is a broken woman. She was betrayed horribly by someone that was supposed to love her and have her back. She does not come to Florida without emotional baggage. Gia also has stalkers in Florida, just like in New York. Gia has a strength about her that the reader can feel. The author does not, at any time, write her as weak or unstable. She's just had a very rough past that she thought she would escape by moving away from her former life and completely starting over. Samantha and Hunt are stability characters for Gia. Savannah is a wonderful best friend and Hunt proves to be another person who has Gia's back when the circus that is her past comes to town.

Gia does do some pretty questionable things in Scone Cold Killer that made me shake my head. A stranger walks in looking for not only a job but a place to stay, too. This character pretty much bullies his way into the kitchen and the apartment above the diner. No resume, no real interview, no background check, reference check - nothing. After everything she's been through in New York and now in Florida, I found it really hard to believe that she could accept a stranger as quickly as she did. Also, she breaks into her ex's hotel room and takes potential evidence. She's already at the top of the suspect list.....

Despite the couple of issues I had, Scone Cold Killer was an enjoyable cozy mystery. The characters are all likeable, the setting in Florida is nice. the light chemistry between Gia and Hunt is nice. I prefer a little bit of soft romance in my cozy mysteries. I like the author's writing style and love her Bay Island Mystery series, too. I look forward to book 2 in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series.

Scone Cold Killer by Lena Gregory is the first book in the All Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. Gia's life falls apart when she discovers that her husband is a scam artist. She divorces him and moves south to Florida to start her life over. She never bargained for the wild wildlife or finding her ex-husband dead behind her new café. Now she must solve the mystery to prove her innocence and save her café. I enjoyed this first book but would like to see the characters develop a bit more as the series progresses. The setting was fun, and the twist on the café is a fun one. I look forward to a second book in this series.

*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

Incredible start to a brand new series that now has me hooked moaning the fact that I have to wait for the next one. Meet Gia as she moves to Florida, where her best friend lives, to escape the chaos of her life in New York after her ex-husband is convicted of financial illegal activities. She is hoping that she left that all behind as she opens her new cafe. On opening day she finds the ex dead in her dumpster and despite the fact that she may be the only person to not wish him dead she of course is the main suspect. What follows is a fascinating story with lots of twists that drew me further and further into the story with lots of heartwarming moments to balance the murders. I especially love the puppy named after Thor from the movie (which is my favorite of the superhero movies) as he is just too cute for words. I like how this story has a different set up from the other cozies I read and The quirks in Gia are a hoot. The hint of romance was sweet plus it was nice to have a supportive detective instead of one convinced of their guilt. If you enjoy very well written culinary cozy mysteries you really have to read this one at it will just make your day. I absolutely loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.

After the scandal and trial of her now ex-husband, Gia is ready for a fresh start, moving from New York City to Florida, to open a breakfast café and spend time with her friend Savannah. The opening day of the café does not go well, and the day goes from bad to worse when Gia finds Bradley, her ex, in the dumpster. Afraid that trouble has followed her from NYC, she does her best to figure out who killed Bradley so that she can get on with her new life.

SCONE COLD KILLER is the first book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series by Lena Gregory, and I was excited to read it. However, the book is disappointing and just an “ok” read for me. The pace of the story is fine, but the mystery left me wanting more. It is difficult to enjoy a book when one does not like the protagonist, and I definitely do not like Gia. I do not feel like she knows how to run a business and makes poor choices. Who hires not one, but two employees for a position without checking references, when not checking the references led to the problem with the first employee to begin with? Who does not investigate the wants (grits) of their target market before composing their menu? Gia does have some legitimate fears but some irrational ones, too. Throughout the book, I found myself thinking she was “too stupid to live”.

This said the supporting characters are quite enjoyable. Friend Savannah is a great sidekick. Local detective Hunt is no caricature of his profession and is a nice potential love interest. Gia’s first customer Earl is a treasure. I would not mind spending more time with these folks at all. And, of course, puppy Thor is entertaining (though I think Gia getting a dog right away further represents her poor choices).

I really enjoyed this book. There was much more suspense than in your average cozy mystery - Gia flees New York to get away from her past, but it seems to follow her there and you're just not sure whom you can trust in this book. Of course there is a cute guy and a pet (in this case, a Husky named Thor); the book also takes place in a small-town, which is one of my favorite aspects of a cozy mystery.

I would definitely recommend this book and can't wait to continue reading this series.

I enjoyed this book very much and am looking forward to the next one. "Scone Cold Killer" is both a mystery, and the story of a woman rediscovering herself after a rough divorce. She's left her life in New York City and moved to a small town in Florida. She has a lot of adjusting to do and I cracked up so many at her thoughts about and encounters with local wildlife. She is not a fan of spiders, lol. Or bears. Or alligators. Gia is feeling raw and insecure after the end of her marriage and her self-esteem is in the pits. She constantly questions herself, and after her ex-husband's dead body is found in her cafe's dumpster, she decides about a half dozen that she should give up and go back but each time she decides to stay. It helps that her best friend lives in town, and that friend's brother is romantically interested in Gia.

Gregory did a good job not only in writing the mystery, with red herrings and lots of shenanigans, including a couple of stupid moves on Gia part, but also showing us Gia's pain, her insecurities, and her growth. Starting a business is nerve-wracking at the best of times but add in moving to a new location, one very different from your old location and life, and Gia was dealing with a lot even before her ex's murder and the suspicion that she killed him. Gregory kept me entertained, kept me reading, and kept me guessing. There were a couple of characters who it seemed clear weren't what they appeared, and while I was right about that, I was wrong about who they really were. I was saddened to find out the truth about one as I really liked that character and had hoped their story line might go in a different direction.

"Scone Cold Killer" was a light, fast, entertaining read and a strong start to a new series.

Favorite quote:

"All right. Calm down." Leo lifted his hands as if in surrender, but the look of sheer panic in his eyes gave him away. He'd obviously never dealt with a hysterical woman before. "Calm down? Calm down? Seriously? That's the best you can do?" He'd also never read the top ten list of things never to say to a hysterical woman.