Jill will be the first to admit she is not crafty, artsy, or creative but in the spirit of supporting other local businesses, she attends a paint-and-sip event with her local detective boyfriend. He becomes concerned with a couple who has imbed a little too much and takes them back to the local bed and breakfast. Unfortunately the next morning the wife is found dead in the art studio. To add confusion, Jill's neighbor and fortune teller has decided to quit her job and leaves cryptic messages with Jill. Can Jill figure out what is going on before she has to walk down the aisle at her BFF's wedding?

Another delightful read in the Tourist Trap Mystery series even if Amy, Jill's BFF was getting on my last nerve. I do not do well with bridezillas. It must be my age. I wanted to reach in the book, give her a gentle slap and tell her to CALM DOWN.

The murder mystery was interesting with a lot of red herrings.

I only wish Jill would give us the titles of the books she reads. I like to pick up new reads from my current reads.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington Books, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Jill Gardner is pretty good at everything she tries, except maybe painting. She is at a Sip 'N Paint event and her painting is almost unrecognizable. She spends time people watching and meets a couple who are in town on vacation. They are sipping a bit much and Greg, Jill's police detective boyfriend offers them a ride home. It is taken care of by someone else, but did they make it home? Nan, the wife, is found dead the next morning in the paint studio. Who killed her? Jill is very busy in this story. First, she has her business, Coffee, Books, and More that she has to take care of. Her quirky neighbour, Esmerelda is acting strange, stranger than the fortuneteller usually act, she is dealing with a situation between her best friend and her fiance as their wedding comes closer and now there is a murder.

I am in the minority on this one. I did not enjoy this book as much as the others in this series. First the wedding issues became a bit annoying to me. I am glad this wedding is finally over. Jill did not spend much time at her business as normal. I always liked that her store was a large part of the story, but this time it was just in the background. The mystery was well-written and there were several suspects, but it didn't seem to have the same interest level as some of the previous ones to me. I also look forward to a reveal or showdown, but this one just got solved with little fanfare. I enjoy Lynn Cahoon's writing, but this one fizzled a bit for me. As I said earlier, I am not in the majority on this one, so if you enjoy this series, give it a go, you may feel very differently from me.

I enjoyed this cozy. Jill owns a coffee/book shop. A new business in town has a sip and paint event where people can come and learn to paint and enjoy nibbles and wine. One couple is pretty drunk. They get a ride back to their B&B. However, the next morning the wife is found dead. Jill is inquisitive and wonders who would want to kill the woman. The prime suspect is Jill's eccentric neighbor, Esmerelda. In the midst of the murder investigation, Jill's best friend is having a melt down regarding her wedding. Between helping her friend, working, and spending time with her boyfriend, the cop, Jill does a little snooping. She knows Esmerelda is innocent so she sets out to find the killer.

There are lots of suspects and shady characters. The community of South Cove sounds fun as do the residents.

This is #12 in this popular long running series "Tourist Trap Mysteries by cozy author Lyn Cahoon.
I love this series and always enjoy returning to the great charcters and South Cove. The mystery is always well crafted and each book flows well with each page turned for intrigue and enjoyment of the world Lyn has created. This was a great addition to this loved series and I look forward to the next in series. Thank you to the publisher for continuing this fine series and to Net Galley for presenting this fun book for review.

I've read several books in other series by this author and really enjoyed them. So when I saw the opportunity to read this book, I jumped on it! It would have been better to have started at the beginning of the series, but I still enjoyed the book. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed the interactions between them. The mystery was set up early in the book and kept you invested in the book.

I have to say that Amy's wedding plans would have driven me nuts if she were my friend. Though the fact that her fiancé disappeared so close to the wedding day may have pushed me over the edge.

I will definitely go back and read the earlier books in this series. I am a huge Lynn Cahoon fan and look forward to any new book she releases!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lyrical Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Catching up with Jill & Greg in the latest book was just what I needed. Not a "scary, don't go in there!" storyline, even as the killer is revealed, it was more subdued & worked perfectly. I'm glad the ending went the way it did, especially with Amy & Justin's wedding (no dragging things out). Nicely written & I look forward to reading what happens next. Thanks to NetGalley & Kensington Books for the chance to preview in exchange for an honest review

Another fantastic read featuring Jill, Greg and the gang from South Cove. This was an interesting mystery with a great side story of Amy & Justin's upcoming wedding. It kept me guessing and the story moved well. Can't wait for my next South Cove visit!

Jill Gardner of Coffee, Books, and More in southern California is back along with her staff and friends. It’s good to catch up the group. Amy’s getting married, Esmeralda is thinking of leaving the police job, and there’s a murder at the new Sip ‘n Paint. I enjoyed this book and the characters especially Evie who I hope to see more of.

More laid back than her other cozy mysteries, not as of an ‘edge of your seat’ vibe. It works well for this one though. Clever, an easy way to pass the day. I’d recommend to anyone who wants an authentic, entertaining book to read for any occasion.

This book felt different than the last. There is a great deal going on – Jill’s best friend’s wedding planning and honeymoon shenanigans, a rehashing of previous books, Esmeralda in turmoil, finger-pointing, and then there is a murder. A murder that felt as if it was getting in the way of everything else going on.

To support the other businesses in the beach town of South Cove, Jill Gardner decides, against her better judgment, to attend a sip and paint event down the street from her shop, Coffee, Books, and More. When a disagreement breaks out between another couple, the local police-detective arranges to have the couple escorted home. What no one expected was the discovery of the wife’s body at the art studio the next morning.

Of course, Jill starts her sleuthing, but surprisingly, compared to other books, she is much more laid back and not putting herself in the usual amount of danger. Lynn Cahoon does leave the reader with a bit of a cliffhanger leaving everyone wondering what Jill will do when presented with the next chapter of her life.

Picture Perfect Frame (Tourist Trap Mysteries #12)
by Lynn Cahoon

Jill Gardner is the owner of Coffee, Books and More, the only coffee shop-bookstore in town. However, the cosiness of their little town is disrupted once again when a visitor from outside of town is murdered in one of the local shops. Jill, along with her police-detective boyfriend Greg, takes it upon herself to solve the mystery and catch the culprit before they commit again.

This is the 12th book in the series, however this was my first introduction to the main character as well as the town and I will say that I had no problem memorising characters or feeling like I missed out on anything. The actual murder mystery happens a little later than usual, but I did not mind it. I enjoyed getting to know the main character, Jill and the rest of the characters.

This is a fairy good read. It has everything you could want in a cosy mystery— a small town setting, a cast of quirky characters and a murder. I will admit that I did have my guesses as to who the murder could have been quite early on, and it did turn out to be the culprit (yay me!). That could be because I had read a good amount of mystery books across all genres so I had a fairy good idea of what clues to really take note of. Nevertheless, this was a fun, solid read that had me intrigued from start to finish.

Overall, I would recommend this for people who love cosy mysteries and are looking for a new series to get into— this one should definitely be on you radar!

3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to review the arc of ‘ Picture Perfect Frame’ by Lynn Cahoon

I've loved every book in the Tourist Trap Mysteries and this one does not disappoint! It's a joy visiting Jill and her bookstore coffee shop. It's fun to see what Jill and her friends are up to and how they all interact with one another to solve the mystery and just living their regular lives. In Picture Perfect Frame, Jill meets an out-of-town visitor at a paint and wine party, only to find out later that the visitor was found unexpectedly and unnaturally dead in the paint shop. This whodunit was a bit challenging for me, but I liked making guesses and considering the motives and alibis of the suspects, along with reading about Jill and her staff planning for the town's St. Patrick's Day event. There was also a bit about Jill's best friend Amy and her upcoming wedding and disappearing fiance that added to the richness of this book.

As are Lynn Cahoon's other books, Picture Perfect Frame is well written and fun to read from start to finish. I highly recommend any of her books, which can be read as stand-alones, but as a series lover, I always suggest starting at the beginning to appreciate the long-term story lines and character development!

I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Another in the Tourist Trap Mysteries. It’s the first I read in this series, might have helped some if I read the previous books. Only to know the characters better, but I really don’t think that mattered much. Jill runs the small town Book store/Coffee shop and is in a relationship with the towns head police officer Greg. They are invited to the town’s newest business, a paint shop that offers classes with appetizers and drinks. Most all of the guests invited are Jill’s friends, plus a couple from the Bed and Breakfast down the road, Jill learns painting is not her forte and is teased by her friends. All are having a good time, but Nan, who came from the B&B is drunk, Greg doesn’t want her or her husband Steve behind the wheel and the owner’s husband tells him he will drive them home.
The next day Nan is found dead in the Paint shop....and the mystery continues. Who done it! Plus there is a wedding being planned, a missing groom and a St. Patrick’s day festival to be planned.
A nice enjoyable getaway.

Jill Gardner has her hands full with a new employee, running her store, and getting ready for her best friend Amy's wedding, which is in a couple of weeks. At one of her Business-to-Business meetings, she's invited to attend a paint-and-sip event at a new business in town, run by Meredith Cole. During the evening, a woman named Nan Gunter is very drunk and causing scenes. Assured by Neal, Meredith's husband, that he will take them back to the B&B, Greg and Jill enjoy their evening.

The next morning, Nan's body is found inside the art studio, and now Greg has a murder on his hands. While Jill is sure Meredith couldn't have had anything to do with it, she doesn't know who would kill the woman. More problems arise with Esmeralda, Jill's neighbor and Greg's receptionist. With Jill stuck in the middle of both work and personal problems, trying to help solve a murder just doesn't seem to fit in with her time. But she can't sit still with a killer on the loose, one who might be just around the corner...

This is the twelfth book in the series, and I have read them all. This is one of my favorite series, and I do like Jill quite a bit. South Cove is a nice little tourist town, but just like all towns it has its share of both nice and not-so-nice people. This time out, we have a frantic bridezilla in the form of Amy, who keeps changing her plans about things even so close to her wedding, and has problems of her own that Jill can't help her with. Jill's aunt, who just got back from her own honeymoon, hasn't any time to spend with Jill, so she's depending on her employees, Toby, who's also a police officer, Deek, and newbie Evie, who now lives in the apartment above the coffee shop. I do love Deek, with his aura-reading abilities and studying hard to be a writer; Jill got lucky with him and he's one of the most interesting characters in the book.

Back to the murder: with Jill trying to figure out who killed Nan, she goes to her usual place of visiting Doc Ames, who gives her a surprise regarding the woman. Then Jill is off again, trying to put the clues together. It actually doesn't come until late in the game, which is distinctly what a good mystery should do anyway. Ms. Cahoon is a talented writer who can bring people into the world of her characters and enjoy being there.

When the ending comes, the murder is solved nicely (as we know it will be) and it leaves us with waiting for the next book eagerly. I hope that it comes soon. Highly recommended.

Picture Perfect Frame is the 12th book in the Tourist Trap Mystery series by featuring Coffee, Books, and More shop owner, Jill Gardner. I have read one other instalment in this delightful series but plan to read the others at some stage.

I enjoyed reading Picture Perfect Frame immensely! In this instalment, set in South Cove, California, wedding preparations are being finalised for her BFF, Amy's nuptials in two weeks time. Meanwhile, Jill is supporting a new local business in the town, the Drunken Art Studio, owned by Meredith and Neal Cole, and is attending their paint and sip event. The next morning one of the attendees, Nan is found dead in the studio, creating difficulties for law enforcement as the person killed is a tourist. The victim's husband points the finger of suspicion at Jill's fortune-teller friend and neighbour, Esmerelda so Jill sets out to prove her innocence aided by Greg King, Jill's detective boyfriend.

This novel was an extremely intriguing tale and I was delighted to be visiting Jill in her coffee, book and trinket shop in coastal South Cove! Although the list of plausible suspects was fairly small, unravelling the mystery alongside Jill and Greg was lots of fun and I welcomed the comfortable pace. I did my level best to solve the subtle clues, wade through the red herrings and concentrate on the murderer but repeatedly found myself sidetracked by other events, happenings, and occurrences. Lynn Cahoon certainly knows how to write a well-crafted, compelling, and colourful tale.

Picture Perfect Frame is a highly recommended read that will be of interest to many cozy readers, and I’m game to see what's going on in South Cove next time. If you haven’t tried this series out yet, then you’re definitely missing out!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

A cozy mystery full of twists. Picking up a book in this series is like visiting old friends. Jill gets wrapped up in a murder when one of her friends is a suspect.
There is a lot going on in this one. A murder, a festival, and a wedding keep the pace going. I read it in one sitting. I love the progression in the relationships. Jill and Greg are so cute and their banter makes me chuckle. And that ending! I can't wait for the next one.

Murders and Weddings Don't Mix
A strange murder in South Cove and more wedding drama than you can imagine. This book is the twelfth episode in the Tourist Trap series. It is full of romance, friendship, and weird happenings. While one does not need to read the entire series in order, you will enjoy it so much more if you do. The author does not spend too much time reliving the past, but just enough that a new reader won't be lost. The characters in the story are so real they could be relatives. The author is very good at painting the word picture of life on the coast of California. Beaches, surfers, picnics, and running with dogs; soon you can smell the salt air and taste the fish. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I enjoyed going back to visit with all my friends in South Cove. Have you ever taken a painting class? I think I enjoyed mine more than Jill did. Of course, the main purpose is to have fun with your friends. Jill and Greg were kept busy trying to keep everything under control. I enjoyed this story line and I love my South Cove friends. I would love to visit with Esmeralda for a while. I can’t wait to hang out again at Coffee, Books, and More, with a tasty drink and a good book. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

I love Jill and her crew! Yet another fun cozy mystery that takes us back to the quaint little town of South Cove. When a drunk guest from a painting class winds up dead and Jill's friend Esmerelda looks like a culprit it's up to Jill and her friends to find the real killer. Doesn't help that the guest was already dying of cancer- why kill her now?
This is a light fast paced read and a sure winner in my book.

Picture Perfect Frame by Lynn Cahoon is a Tourist Trap Mystery. Meredith Cole is the owner of Coffee, Books and More and as the name suggests, it is a coffee and bookshop with pastries and trinkets available to purchase as well. Meredith lives with local police chief Greg, who in turn has a receptionist named Esmeralda who lives across the street from them, and has just quit her job, stating it will be easier for him (Greg). There was a murder, of course. Meredith can't help but investigate. The relationships are so intertwined and complicated, and of course, Esmeralda came up. There also appeared to be some spousal abuse and certainly some cheating. Did that make a murderer?

The plot was good and the characters are likeable and accessible but the writing was bad enough to make me notice, primarily the sentence structure. I can overlook a bit but Cahoon either needs to slow down or get a new editor, or both. So many sentences with clumsy or had the modifiers misplaced. I have not noticed this before in her books. Other than that, it was an engaging and entertaining read, worth your while. An enjoyable cozy mystery with characters we are in tune with.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Picture Perfect Frame by Netgalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own. #netgalley #pictureperfectframe