Lucy Berberian moved home to help in her parents's restaurant and when she found out they were retiring and wanted to sell, Lucy decided to stay and manage the place herself. She found herself working with her high school sweetheart, for whom she still has feelings and to whom her parents wish to see her married. She also is attracted to the "boy next door" who gives off bad boy vibes and is the son of a local crime boss. Lucy keeps assuring everyone that she and Michael are "just friends." Not wanting to live at home again, Lucy moved in with her best friend, who is recently married to a cop. This gives Lucy more motivation to find her own place.
Enlisting the help of her brother-in-law, a local real estate expert, they find a SPECIAL place for her to live, close to work, the beach and TROUBLE. Her landlady is a hoot!
Full of quirky characters & darkly interesting motorcycle riders, this book takes place at the beginning of summer during a Biker Festival for charity. The action starts quickly as a local landlord is discovered dead on the beach and another shop owner is framed for the murder after a very public argument with the victim.
Can the Lucy and Ethel of crime discover the truth while waiting for Bill's promotion to detective to be approved?
What forward movements will happen in the romance department for Lucy?

A happy beach bonfire goes awry when Melanie discovers Gilbert, a local landlord, dead on the beach. Not only had he been bashed on the head, there was a piece of salt water taffy crammed down his throat. Our intrepid amateur Lucy was present for the party, along with her BFF Katie and they are pretty sure (pretty sure)that Melanie didn't do it- especially when they find out more about Gilbert, who was not only a rat to his aunt Eloise and his tenants but also was a usurious moneylender, Lucy is the manager of her family's restaurant and is in a relationship with Azad, the chef (wait for the end) but has a something something going with neighbor Michael. The mystery here is classic cozy and the characters are good. The writing is awkward in spots (not everyone's physique needs to be described) but the plot skips along, Thanks to net galley for the ARC. This may be the 4th in the series but it would be fine as a standalone.

I love this series so much. Characters are so funny and relatable. A shady property owner is killed and Lucy's friend is the main suspect.

So lovely to be welcomed back into The Kebab Kitchen and catch up with Lucy and the gang. Of course, reading this story has once again put me in the mood for Mediterranean food. There are delicious recipes included at the end of the book but I’m not that ambitious. Gotta get to my local Mediterranean restaurant soon.

As for the mystery, we have to figure out who killed the obnoxious Gilbert Lubinkski. Is it one of his tenants? One his ‘special’ clients? His soon to be ex-wife? His aunt? Or is it an impatient business partner? There are several viable suspects, a few of whom we wouldn’t mind being found guilty too. When Gilbert’s side business is revealed, motives and suspects increase. There are several clues and red herrings laid out for the reader to follow and they are revealed at a good pace, to keep interest piqued. I don’t think there were any clues that particularly lead us to the true culprit (more than any other suspect) but the big reveal is gripping.

This installment introduced us to the delightful Mrs. Lubinski, as Lucy’s landlady. I suppose a cozy series wouldn’t be complete without a quirky, more ‘experienced’ cast member. Eloisa Lubinski is no spring chicken but she’s living her life to the fullest, tiara and all. Throw in her temperamental Shih Tzu, Cupid and you’ll realize Lucy has some serious LOL moments in her future.

Other series regulars make their appearance as well, including best friend Katie who always wants to go sleuthing, gets cold feet and then pulls through with the best cover ups at the last moment. She and Lucy make quite a pair. Handsome boyfriend, Azad, gets his time in the spotlight as well and things with him and Lucy get serious.

Overall this was another fun foray into the Jersey Shore community of Ocean Crest and I look forward to reading more mysteries in the series.

The 4th installment in the Kebab kitchen does not disappoint. Lucy Berberian is managing her family’s restaurant and learning to cook from her Mother and taking over the reins from her Father. Not sure her parents have fully embraced retirement, however, Lucy is determined to stay. Her brother-in-law Max has found a possible rental apartment in her income range and she goes to see it. It is right on the beach and is upstairs with a deck, the only issue is the nephew (Gilbert) of the owner (Eloisa) is trying to have her declared incompetent so he can sell her home. Lucy moves in and on the night of a bonfire on the beach with her friend Michael and his biker friends Gilbert is found dead. He had just been arguing with Melanie about her rent and Michael’s friends Pumpkin and Craig jump in to defend her. Gilbert takes off but then Lucy hears Melanie’s screams. Gilbert has been hit with a piece of driftwood but the killer was Melanie’s root beer saltwater taffy (that sounds good though). The police focus on Melanie and Lucy and Katie are convinced she is innocent and their investigation is underway. Plenty of suspects as Gilbert was not well liked and was running a side loan shark business. His wife can’t wait to get out of town and thanks to his death she inherits everything versus a small divorce settlement. Craig (Michael’s friend) was a business partner and Pumpkin was seeing the soon to be ex-wife. Even Lucy’s landlady had a reason to kill her nephew and was even on the beach that night. Lucy is torn as she is friends with Michael but needs to question his friends and she likes her landlady. He helps as does Azad her boyfriend. This is a fast paced and enjoyable read with a good solid mystery. The culprit was not obvious. The addition of Eloisa could be fun in the future.

First book in series I’ve read. Lucy who manages the family restaurant, solves the murder of her landlord’s nephew. Variety of people, each one vibrant and enriches the story line. First chapter from the next in the series was bonus. Enjoyed the Sweet bread recipe!

Description
Lucy Berberian is busy preparing her family’s Mediterranean restaurant for Easter on the Jersey Shore—but a batch of sweets is to die for . . .Bikers are thundering into the seaside town of Ocean Crest for the annual Bikers on the Beach gathering that raises funds for injured veterans. It’s a big boost for the Kebab Kitchen, as well as for local businesses like Melanie Haven’s candy shop. But Melanie is about to find herself in a sticky situation. When Melanie and Lucy attend a beach bonfire, a local landlord is found dead after apparently choking on a piece of salt water taffy. Melanie, who was known to have a contentious relationship with the victim, is quickly skewered as the prime suspect. But Lucy is determined to prove her friend’s innocence before the real killer coasts free . . .

My Review
The 4th installment in the A Kebab Kitchen Mystery Series - "On The Lamb" is a delightful cozy mystery. Tina Kashian has done it again.

In this novel you find Lucy working overtime as the manager of Kebab Kitchen, her family's Mediterranean restaurant off the Jersey Shore town called Ocean Crest. Things were going to get even busier with the Bikers on the Beach fundraiser coming up soon. Meanwhile Lucy moves into a home owned by Eloisa Lubinski, an elderly woman. If that's not enough drama - Gilbert a not so liked member of the community is found murdered and the number one suspect is Lucy's friend Melanie.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, thank you Kensington and Netgalley. Highly recommend this for anyone is enjoys a truly great cozy mystery. I give this a 5 Star!!

ON THE LAMB, the fourth book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series by Tina Kashian, is a delightful read that immerses the reader in the boardwalk culture of Ocean Crest, New Jersey. Ms. Kashian does a fabulous job with her descriptive voice and I felt like I was there experiencing the beachy tourist destination and beautiful ocean views. The protagonist, Lucy Berberian, works as the manager for her family’s Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. I love how close-knit her family is, from her parents (who are trying to ease into semi-retirement) to her sister, Emma, along with her sweet niece and brother-in-law. Their interaction seems realistic and the support between the family members is also extended to the other employees who work at their restaurant. The author also creates many memorable characters that adds to the entertainment of the book, such as Lucy’s new elderly landlady…she’s a hoot…and a Harley-riding biker named Pumpkin.

When her landlady’s nephew is found murdered on the beach during a bonfire event, the local candy shop owner, Melanie, becomes a suspect because of an argument she had with him shortly before his demise. Melanie begs Lucy to find the truth so she begins to ask questions around town. Assisting Lucy is her best friend, Katie. They make a great team and I enjoyed how they not only egg each other on, but then they try to talk sense into each other before getting into danger. This leads to some humorous situations. There were plenty of suspects who hated the dead man and keeps the reader guessing. With an edge-of-your seat reveal, the author kept me turning pages faster and faster until I’d read the very last page.

Not only does Lucy run Kebab Kitchen, but she’s dating the head chef, Azad, and is planning to host her very first family Easter dinner. There are so many mouth-watering mentions of food throughout the book and, luckily for the reader, Ms. Kashian provides a few recipes.

An entertaining and well crafted cozy mystery. Great plot and characters. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

I always love cozy mysteries for a stress free, quick read. This series has become one of my favourites.

However, I find this book a too long with too many extra details that weren't necessary. Some parts of the story line (the romance between Lucy and Azad) was an afterthought and parts unbelievable. For these reasons, I gave the book a lower rating than usual.

Despite this lower rating it's still a series I'd recommend!

Easter is coming to the Jersey shore and Lucy Berberian and her family are preparing delicious foods at their Mediterranean restaurant. In On the Lamb by Tina Kashian, Lucy and her friends are readying for their traditional bonfire on the shore.

With the Bikers on the Beach in town there are plenty of people at the bonfire. Local landlord and totally obnoxious person Gilbert Lubinski publicly humiliates Lucy's friend Melanie Haven. Melanie, who operates a boardwalk candy shop, has fallen behind on her rent and Gilbert has demanded she pay or vacate her shop. When someone is late found dead, Lucy itches to investigate

The perfect compliment to this feast of a series! Good food, engaging characters, and a mystery that will keep you as captivated as a delicious plate full of baklava. The author does a good job building on already established character relationships all while building new ones with the perfect amount of guessing. A superb read!

On the Lamb is the fourth installment in the A Kebab Kitchen Mystery series set in the New Jersey seaside town of Ocean Crest and featuring Lucy Berberian, manager of her families Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. Spring is approaching and it's time for the annual Bikers on the Beach motorcycle gathering to raise funds for injured veterans.

Lucy's find found her own apartment and is moving out of Katie and Bill's house. She's going to miss living with her best friend and policeman husband, but her new apartment has a spectacular ocean view and she can bring Gadoo, the stray cat she's adopted from Kebab Kitchen. The only downside is the landlady, Eloisa Lubinski lives downstairs with her feisty dog Cupid and there are no locks on the doors separating upstairs from down. Adding to the drama is Eloisa's nephew Gilbert, a nasty Ocean Crest property owner and landlord, who is claiming his aunt suffers from dementia and needs to give him her beachside home and relocate to a nursing home.

Michael Citteroni, owner of the bike shop next door to the Kebab Kitchen, and son of a reputed mobster has invited Lucy and her friends to join him and his biker buddies at a bonfire on the beach. Everyone is having fun until Gilbert shows up at the bonfire and begins threatening Melanie Haven, owner of the local candy shop, that she's behind on her rent. Several of the bikers get involved in the argument and Gilbert hightails it down the beach. It's not long before a loud scream pierces the air and Gilbert's body is found dead - all fingers point to Melanie.

Not believing her friend could be guilty of such a heinous crime, Lucy teams up with Katie to track down a killer. She soon realizes that in addition to being a nasty landlord, Gilbert has also been running a side business as a loan shark and one of his customers was none other than Lucy's boyfriend, Azad. Between the tenants, money borrowers, the bikers and a soon to be ex wife, Lucy has her hands full of suspects that will keep her running up and down the boardwalk.

A fast paced plot with a cast of recurring characters. I'm looking forward to getting to know Eloisa, as I hope her zany antics will feature in future adventures with Lucy and Katie. I will say that I was disappointed with the final few pages - I was really rooting for the bad boy.

I received an advanced copy of On the Lamb from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

On the Lamb is another great mystery in the Kebab Kitchen series. Restaurant manager Lucy Berberian has just moved into her own place where she rents the upstairs of the home of an elderly lady who lives downstairs. Lucy, her BFF Katie, and friends head to the beach with her friend and next door bike shop manager Michael and two of his friends for the first bonfire of the season. It is Bikers on the Beach week and the south Jersey shore town of Ocean Crest is filled with motorcycles. It is almost Easter and still chilly, especially at night, so the bonfire is a fun way to spend the night with food, music, and fun...that is until Gilbert, a grumpy landlord, shows up to give Melanie, owner of a candy shop grief over a late rent payment. Things really go bad when Melanie is found later standing over Gilbert's body. Lucy and Katie set out to prove Melanie's innocence by finding the real killer. Lucy's landlady is Gilbert's aunt and she is one of the suspects along with many others, including Gilbert's estranged wife, as it turns out that Gilbert is also a loan shark, hated by many.
It is always fun to return to Ocean Crest and visit with recurring characters and a new mystery to solve. Lucy and Kebab Kitchen Chef Azad are spending more time together dating. Things seem to be going well. This is another winner in the series and one of my favorites.
I received a complimentary ARC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

Lucy Berberian is adjusting to her life on the Jersey shore, happy to be working in her parent's restaurant once again.
Lucy is also beginning to rekindle old feelings for her old flame, so life seems pretty good for her at the moment.
Discovering a dead body was not part of her plan, but it seems Lucy has a habit of finding them. Her previous career as an attorney helps her when it comes to asking questions, so it doesn't take Lucy long to find herself caught up in another investigation.

I enjoy the easy camaraderie among the characters. They all work well together and bring their own unique brand of humor to the series.

I'm looking forward to reading more by the talented Tina Kashian.
#OntheLamb #NetGalley

Lucy has given up her big city law career, returning to her hometown to manage her parents' seaside restaurant. When an unpopular man is murdered on the beach, Lucy and her friend Katie decide to investigate. There are quite a few suspects since so many people disliked the victim, among them his almost ex, his business partner, and others he had victimized in some way. I am enjoying this well-plotted new cozy series, with likeable characters and a seaside setting, and look forward to reading more by this author. Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the fourth book in the Kebab Kitchen series. Lucy Berberian is attending a bonfire on the beach with her friends Melanie and Katie. When Melanie's landlord is found dead she immediately becomes the main suspect as she was seen arguing with him about her rent just hours before. Lucy and Katie know Melanie isn't capable of murder so they start looking in the landlords death. I really enjoy this series. It always has the perfect blend between quirky family and friends and mystery. Lucy 's parents, especially her mom, are always entertaining. I can't wait to read more.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! The mystery itself was engaging enough to keep me guessing until the end. The cast of suspects kept things interesting and the subplots did not feel like they were out of place. This book had a great flow to it so the slow moments were few and far between. Something that I've always enjoyed about this series are the characters...they're like old friends! (I may have said this in my previous review about another book in the series and this title is no different.) There's enough depth to address certain subplots without feeling like information is being left out. I seriously can't wait to read the next book in the series considering the event that took place at the end. I'm so excited!

It's been almost a year now since Lucy Berberian quit her Philadelphia law firm and moved back to the Jersey Shore to work in her family's Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. In this 4th installment of the Kebab Kitchen Mysteries, Lucy is still adjusting to her new role as manager of Kebab Kitchen. She attends a beach bonfire with some of her closest friends. Everyone is having a good time until her friend, Melanie's landlord shows up, and they get into a heated argument about her unpaid rent. When Melanie finds his body later that night, she immediately becomes the police's main suspect. With the help of her best friend and sleuth partner, Katie, Lucy is determined to help Melanie prove her innocence and catch the murderer.

On the Lamb by Tina Kashian is a delightful cozy mystery, with a wonderful cast of characters and mouthwatering descriptions of food. Tina Kashian's engaging writing style and detailed descriptions of the charming town of Ocean Crest quickly drew me into the story and kept me turning the pages. I loved Lucy's family and the restaurant atmosphere. Lucy is the type of character that anyone can relate to. She's a hard worker and very devoted to her friends, family, and career. I thought she was a very good sleuth. She wasn't too nosey and I like that she always took Katie along to help her investigate instead of wandering off on her own, potentially putting herself in danger. Katie and Lucy make a great team and I look forward to solving more mysteries with them.
The murder mystery kept me guessing until the reveal. The author provides plenty of suspects and red herrings in a bid to throw readers off the scent. And it completely worked because the culprit wasn't even on my radar. Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and look forward to the next one. As an added treat, delicious recipes are included.

I received an ARC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

cozy-mystery, family-dynamics, friendship, amateur-sleuth, small-business, small-town

Interesting sleuth! Discouraged with her career as a big city attorney, Lucy came home to the Jersey Shore to manage her parents' restaurant and has somewhat rekindled an old romance. A friend helps her to find an affordable apartment with a fascinating octogenarian landlady and she meets her slimy nephew. Who is the victim of murder is no surprise, and while the list of suspects is long, topping the list is a good friend. Let the sleuthing begin! Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!