What a cute idea for a cozy world. I mean who doesn't love all day breakfast? Great concept. This is my first foray into this series. I enjoyed it quite a lot. Gia, Savannah, Cole, Earl, Hunt, and Leo are all great characters. I like the way the town went out of its road to help each other.

I was glad that it didn't end the way I thought it was going to. It was way too easy. Way too quick and it lacked panache. I did figure out who the killer was before the ending. In some ways it seemed kind of obvious. It was still a really great story though and I do believe that I will be going back and reading some of the earlier books to get a better picture of the relationships between all of the characters.

A very good book. I definitely recommend.

Halloween, a time for scares and friendly competition with haunted houses.  Only this year the scares are for real as one of the organizers of the haunted house village ends up dead and buried.  With Hunt and Leo finding dead end after dead end with their investigation Gia can't help trying to find things out, after all if she and her friends are going to be running one of the haunted houses she needs to be sure it is safe! The only problem is she seems to be turning over stones that people would prefer were left alone, and when a friendly homeless man is attacked after talking to Gia she and Savannah realise they may be the next ones headed for a shallow grave!

This is an awesome addition to the series. Lena has created a world that feels like home when I pick up one of the books. The mystery is well-plotted and the down-to-earth characters are some of my cozy favorites.

A fantastic mystery from one of my favorite cozy authors she never disappoints. I highly recommend to any mystery lover.

Cute cozy mystery for fall. Naturally pumpkin spice waffles make an appearance--how could they not!? Gia's discovery of the fall event planner's body sets off a search for the killer. Reminded a bit of the mysteries I read as a kid with those spooky fall shadows, houses and secrets to boot.

This is a cozy mystery, and it is the 4th book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series. I really love the characters and the mystery of this book. This book takes place near Halloween, so this book talks a lot about Halloween and the local Halloween events that is happening. This book is not scary, but it is a cute cozy Halloween mystery. This book was everything I wanted from this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Books) or author (Lena Gregory) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

A Waffle Lot of Murder by Lena Gregory is the fourth book in the cozy All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. Each book in the series centers around it’s own mystery that will be fully solved within the book so they could be read and enjoyed as a standalone. However, there is some continuing character development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the series from the beginning.

The All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series features Gia Morelli who is a New Yorker at heart but after going through a messy divorce Gia decided to follow her best friend down to central Florida. The small town of Boggy Creek is certainly the exact opposite of what Gia was used to but she was determined to make a success out of her new diner she’d opened, the All-Day Breakfast Café.

Somehow Gia’s life in the small town has been balanced between running her cafe, taking care of her puppy Thor and solving murders. When Gia is encouraged to get involved in the Haunted Town Festival she and her best friend, Savannah, end up finding yet another dead body. The event organizer has turned up murdered and it seems had plenty of folks that may have wanted her dead.

The All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series is another cozy series I have been following from the beginning and really do enjoy. The setting is a different side of Florida than the endless touristy beaches or the magical mouse place so it was fun to visit. The characters are all likable and nice to get to know along the way and the mysteries and always fun to unravel. This one also has my love of a humorous side so it will continue to be one I enjoy returning to again and again.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

A Waffle Lot of Murder is the fourth book in Lena Gregory’s All-Day Breakfast Cafe series. It’s been around a year since Gia Morelli moved to Boggy Creek, Florida. Gia can't help but try to investigate murders she stumbles across in her newly adopted hometown. I've read all four books and I think you might have a better understanding of who the main characters are if you read at least the first book, Scone Cold Killer. However, it’s not really necessary.



A Waffle Lot of Murder wasn't my favorite book in the series. I'm not a fan of haunted houses or Halloween, which the story centers around. The Haunted Town Festival includes multiple haunted houses/structures and is held on old farmland outside of town. Gia and her cafe are invited to participate in the event. She and her best friend Savannah make plans to meet up with Barbara Woodhull, one of the festival coordinators, to discuss the festival and look at the structure that’s been assigned to Gia. When they can’t find her, they decide to call her cell and find it in the middle of some brush. Shortly after, Barbara’s body is found on festival grounds. Barbara wasn’t an overly nice person. It was rumored that she liked to dig up dirt on people and blackmail them.

Gia’s boyfriend, Hunter “Hunt” Quinn, is the new Police Captain. The two have what I’m going to call a slowly progressing relationship. They care for each other, but they’re both really too busy with their careers to truly spend time together. One of the biggest issues for them is Gia keeps interfering in murder cases and putting her life and the lives of her friends in jeopardy.

It seems as though Gia has gone through some sort of change since the last book. In this story, she seems to be really focused on her friends. She needs to protect them and oftentimes goes to extremes. Gia does try to stay out of the investigation, however, circumstances push her into putting her sleuthing hat on. Gia’s protective instincts kick in so high that she seemingly blacks out and attempts to find the person or person who has hurt someone close to her.

The mystery of who killed Barbara and why was really good. I was in the dark right up until the big reveal. Even after the reveal, the surprises kept coming. Prepare yourself for a wild ride.

Gia is invited to take part in the Haunted Town Festival which is a big deal for a newcomer. She ropes her friends and favorite customers into helping. As she and friend Savannah are waiting to tour their house, they find the body of the event organizer in the wooded area nearby. The festival seems in jeopardy, and the suspect list is long. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series. The characters work well together, and the mystery kept me guessing!

A wonderful fall festival, to support a local pet rescue takes a fatal twist in the fourth book in the All Day Breakfast series. I always enjoy fall festivals as a setting for cozies and this had one of the best. My favorite character in this series is Thor Gia's beloved dog. There was lots of twists, turns, and suspects. The book was great all the way to the last page.

This is the fourth book in the All day breakfast cafe series. I do recommend reading all the books in order.

Gia Morelli, owner of the All Day Breakfast Café, has been talked into hosting a table and a haunted house at Boggy Creek, Florida's annual haunted town festival. When she and her friend, Savannah, go to meet the event planner, who turns up dead, Gia takes it upon herself to solve the mystery.

The book has the usual cast of fun characters. I enjoy them all. I especially love the character of Harley. This book was a quick and fun read. I enjoyed it but it was not my favorite of the series.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Fall in Florida is so different from fall in New York, but Gia is hoping to adjust. She receives an invitation to take part in the Haunted Town Festival, a fundraiser for the local animal shelter. She is unsure if she wants to get involved but her BFF Savannah twists her arm telling her it would be a great promotion for the cafe and her new pumpkin spice waffles. The event takes place outside of town where there are several abandoned houses and farmland. Gia and Savannah schedule an appointment with the woman in charge of the event to see exactly what participation entails. They arrive at the festival site but the woman doesn’t show up but they do find her phone. Turns out the organizer did arrive but she was murdered before their appointment. Will the festival be canceled? Is the killer still around? Gia and her friends soon find themselves caught up in another murder case.

All my favorite characters return in this 4th installment of the All-Day Cafe Mystery series. Savvanah and Gia take some scary risks in their endeavor to catch a killer instead of leaving the investigation in the police boyfriends’ hands. At one point they even discuss the danger –

“Not a chance.” . . . There’s a fine line between being brave and being too stupid to live, and I have no intention of crossing that line. Again”

But sometimes the adrenaline kicks in or a situation presents itself that makes it hard to walk away. Of course, being in a dark creepy woods with who knows how many men and beasts could be hiding there should be a deterrent but these characters go full speed ahead.. I did appreciate that they did try to abstain from getting too involved at first, but it wouldn’t be a cozy mystery if the characters didn’t get involved and in trouble before the story ends. I was surprised that one character was involved and that they had just a little bit of a transformation because of it. I really like Earl, he is Gia’s best customer and a true friend. Even Thor, Gia’s Bernese Mountain Dog, gets involved in the case. Ms. Gregory has created a core group of dynamic characters. They are all believable and relatable.

We also meet several new characters connected with the Haunted Town Festival. Among them is a variety of suspects. Not knowing these people well made asking them questions difficult but Gia wouldn’t give up and she may have pushed too hard. I really enjoyed each twist and that there was more going on than originally presented. The deceased had made some real enemies and I was captivated as the whole sordid tale was revealed. The author has written a tangled web, so much so, my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd guesses at the killer were all wrong.

I loved that the story took place over Halloween and that the fundraiser was to benefit the animal shelter. A wonderful cause and an exciting fundraiser idea.

I can’t get Pumpkin Spice Waffles off my mind. I am actually craving them, but because I read this book months after it was released means I am out of pumpkin spice season. Another reason not to get behind on a series. LOL, thankfully there is a recipe in the back of the book. I am hoping to get our family chef, aka my husband, to whip up a batch.

A Waffle Lot of Murder was a fabulous story filled with action, drama, and suspense. I enjoy the way Gia has made a home in Boggy Creek and has made so many friends. I have become invested in every one of them and am excited to read Whole Latte Murder when it is released next month.

I love the friendship between Gia and Savannah. I enjoyed the backdrop of Halloween. This is a series that I have been following since the beginning. I really enjoy it,and I can't wait for the next one in the series.

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!

When I saw this book on NetGalley I put out a prayer to the book gods that I would be able to scoop this one up! I mean it was about a haunted fall festival and of course delicious waffles! Two things that I absolutely love! And the best thing is there was a recipe in the back! So this weekend I will be making myself some pumpkin spice waffles!! But anyway, this is a review about the book, not the recipe in the back, so let’s get started!

Gia is the owner of the All-Day Breakfast Café in Boggy Creek, Florida. She was missing her old life in New York and when given the opportunity to have a table and haunted house at the festival her best friend jumped at the opportunity to say “yes” for her. What better way to stop missing your old traditions than to start new ones? The only problem was that when she went to look at the festival area the organizer, Barbara, was no where to be found. So they did what any person would do…call the person! So when they called they heard ringing and followed the sound until the found the phone but still no person. That is when things start becoming a little strange. Another festival participant agrees to show them around and while they were inspecting what would become their haunted house they heard sirens. Yup, you guessed it Barbara’s body was found on the property. To make matters worse, while Gia and her friend were walking around they saw a shovel with what they thought was fake blood….but when the police arrived the shovel was missing. So clearly the killer was on the property and close by.

Seeing as Gia was at the scene of the crime and she lived in a small town, news traveled fast and the next day her shop was full. People were hoping to get the latest gossip about what happened and what Gia knew about the murder. Of course, this works both ways and Gia was actually able to find out some information on the victim and potential motivation for murder. Can you say, blackmail? Gia tries her best to not get involved in solving this murder but things clues kind of start falling into her lap. Then things take a personal turn when one of Gia’s friends get attacked. Gia had no choice but to find out who was behind the murder and behind attacking her friend. She throws herself head first into this case and even ends up chasing someone in the woods and even coming face to face with a killer.

The author did an amazing job making you care about each of the characters. Gia and Savanah’s friendship was everything! Harley was a delightful man and I hope that he eventually becomes part of the community again. And the rest of the characters were great too. The pacing of the book was perfect and I really found myself wrapped up in it. Lena Gregory made sure to give the reader enough clues to keep them interested without giving away the ending. The twist at the end was actually pretty pleasing because it was kind of hinted at but then there were a few red herrings sprinkled in. There definitely was an “I knew it” moment when the final reveal happened. I also enjoyed that we found out what happened after the arrest and we got to see that the festival did happen. Plus, did I mention there was a recipe? The book was almost perfect! The only thing that was that while I loved the focus on friendship at parts it was on the verge of being a bit cheesy. Either way the book was very enjoyable and I plan on reading more by this author for sure!

This is such a fun series. I love Gia and Savannah and the entire All Day Gang.

Halloween, Haunted Houses, Fall Food, and MURDER.

When Gia and Savannah find a body at the Haunted House Festival, they begin investigating against the advice of their law officer boyfriends. Getting themselves in too deep is an understatement.

I adore their adventures and their friendships. I am going to need Gia's romantic relationship to progress though. I need more love for her lol.

I was awarded a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I am looking forward to continuing with this series, its so much fun.

I really loved this book in a new to my series. Tha characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end

Gia had a hard time trying to sift the truth out from the jumbled mess surrounding the murder mystery, it became more difficult by the actions of two devious women, who completely had her fooled. Although the storyline was a good one, I thought, I will do anything for my best friend a bit overdone, which did not detract much from it being an engaging, mildly intriguing, and exciting read.

Gia Morelli, the owner of the All-Day Breakfast Café in Boggy Creek, Florida, has been persuaded by her friends and staff to participate in the annual Haunted Town Festival where she decorates a themed haunted house and has a table for selling her wares. While trying to decide on her theme and checking out her "house" Gia and her BFF, Savannah, are supposed to meet with Barbara, who is in charge, but that's not going to happen because they find first her phone with some incriminating pictures and then Barbara DEAD.

Knowing that the other townspeople that are working on the Festival might be involved in the murder Gia sets out to solve the crime while decorating her house.

This was a fun idea and well-written but I really didn't5 like the non-standard characters very much.

A Waffle Lot Of Murder
All-Day Breakfast Cafe, Book #4
Lena Gregory
5 Stars

Synopsis:

For diner owner Gia Morelli, her seasonal fall menu calls for two main ingredients—maple syrup and murder . . .

While the first hints of autumn grace Boggy Creek, Florida, Gia misses the colorful harvest traditions she left behind in New York. On a scramble to make new fall memories—and promote her irresistible pumpkin spice waffles—things take a dark turn when she gets roped into the Haunted Town Festival, a spooky celebration held on deserted farmlands. The desolate area conjures plenty of eerie vibes at night, but Gia and her best friend, Savannah, are nearly frightened to death upon the discovery of the event organizer’s body buried in the nearby woods. More alarming, the local rumor mill says the woman’s shady dealings may have egged someone into sending her to an early grave. Now, there’s no shortage of creepy clues to feast on as Gia and her pals try to stop a killer with a very scary appetite . . .

Praise for Lena Gregory

“Hold on to your plates for this fast-paced mystery that will leave you hungering for more!”
—J.C. Eaton, author of the Sophie Kimball Mysteries, on Scone Cold Killer

“Family secrets, old mansions, and a growing list of murder victims—these elements and more blend together to make an intriguing as well as entertaining cozy mystery.”
—RT Book Reviews on Occult and Battery

“As breezy and salty as a gust of wind off the chilly bay waters.”
—Juliet Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchcraft Mysteries on Death at First Sight

“An intriguing opening to a fun new series.”
—E. J. Copperman, national bestselling author of the Haunted Guesthouse Mysteries on Death at First Sight
(Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I love the relationship between Gia and Savannah, they are more like sisters than friends. They are a dynamic duo when it comes to sleuthing, and they will have to do that to find a murderer. When they find the event organizer dead, they are on the case, much to the chagrin of their boyfriends.

The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly through their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. Whether it was the descriptions of the Haunted Town Festival or the descriptions of some of Gia’s food, I was engaged throughout the entire book.

The mystery was intriguing and not easily solved. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider, and I could not figure out who the culprit was.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you are looking for a great read, check this book out.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.