The story was funny and intriguing, and I loved the way there are so many red herrings. I couldn't stop reading, and loved the ride. The plot twists surprised me and had me on the edge of my seat to find out who it was, and I was also wondering what was really going on with Lana and Noah. This was the first time I saw a queer couple represented in the story, which was nice to see, even if I couldn't help but giggle when their names rhymed. I also love the choice to have Noah be Cuban-American, and the beautiful representation of his heritage, which was done thoughtfully and it felt naturally. He isn't the only character of color, either, which was great to see.

Live and Let Grind
by Tara Lush
Pub DateOct 11 2022
Crooked Lane Books
Mystery & Thrillers

Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley provided me with a copy of Live and Let Grind for review:



A hot murder case is brewing at Devil's Beach, and reporter-turned-barista Lana Lewis could be the next victim in Tara Lush's third Coffee Lover's mystery.



A laid-off journalist is thriving as the owner of quirky Devil's Beach island coffee shop Perkatory. She is juggling a relationship with police chief Noah Garcia, enjoying the company of her best friend, Erica, and enjoying Stanley, her golden Shih Tzu. Her neighbor, Gus, incessantly blows leaves with his leaf blower, disturbing everyone in the neighborhood. Erica's rage boils over, and she confronts Gus as Lana tunes out.



 Gus is then found dead, killed when his leaf blower explodes. As a result, Erica becomes suspect number one. In addition, there are plenty of other candidates: Honey Bailey, Gus's soon-to-be-ex-wife, who believes she will be left out of his will; Mickey Dotson and Doug Beck, who were scalded financially after purchasing Gus' pirate-themed cruise business; and numerous angry neighbors who have run into him over the years.


In the waning seconds, will Lana get someone to spill the beans on the killer so she can clear Erica's name, or will Erica go to jail for a crime that she didn't commit?


This was the perfect read for winding down after a busy week!


I give Live And Let Grind five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This was a new to me series and author. This book was definitely a page turner that kept you guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more from this series! I highly recommend.

Loved this third installment in the Coffee Lovers series. Coffee and cozies make a great combination.

This is a fun series featuring Lana Lewis, a reporter turned coffee shop owner in Florida. Great plot and great secondary characters, too.

I'm eager to read more from this author.

There is nothing better than coffee with a good book and this book has both. This would be the perfect fall read

In this third installment of the series, Lana Lewis is investigating the suspicious death of a neighbor. This neighbor seemed to be unlike by almost everyone he encountered, from fellow neighbors to business partners to estranged wife. When Lana's friend and favorite barista becomes the prime suspect, Lana is determined to prove her innocence.

Lana's personality seems to change depending on the situation and persons she is around. She goes from pushy and stubborn to a worry-wort who is unsure of herself. She is still growing as a character, but I wish she would be more consistent. The mystery was well plotted and will of red herrings. I did suspect the murderer just before the grand reveal.

All thoughts and opinions are my own; in no way has anyone influenced my opinion.

This is the third and the series and based in a coffee shop setting. This is a great series due to not having to start it from the beginning. Characters are fun and free spirited . I would highly recommend this to those that love cozy mysteries

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

Live and Let Grind is the third Coffee Lover's shopfront cozy mystery by Tara Lush. Released 11th Oct 2022 by Crooked Lane Books, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a fun light cozy read featuring amateur sleuth and reporter turned barista Lana Lewis (insert small eyeroll here). Lana finds herself trying to solve yet another murder when an unlamented awful neighbor meets his maker in an exploding leaf-blower accident and her bestie, Erica, winds up as a suspect (after a public clash with the deceased).

There are lots of cute cozy tropes front and center: plucky girl reporter, cute pet (a Shih Tzu called Stanley), a loyal best friend (Erica), and a cute local law enforcement officer boyfriend (Noah). It's quite funny in places and the author has a good grasp of timing and plot. There are some completely over the top and silly moments which reminded me a bit of Lucy and Ethel, but they're in good fun, and it *is* a cozy.

It's full of eccentric small-town characters (Lana's dad is a fruit-loop of the first order), and the pacing moves along at a good clip. It works well as a standalone despite being the third book in the series, so readers won't have any troubles keeping up if this is their first foray.

Four stars. Readable and funny.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I’m not a coffee lover or drinker, so I’m always a bit uncertain about books themed around it. However, despite this being the third in the series, and the first I’ve read, I really enjoyed it. The characters are well drawn and even though I don’t have complete backgrounds on them, I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing too much because of it.

Someone has killed Lana’s neighbour Gus, who was annoying the neighbourhood with his incessant leaf blowing. Is it a neighbour who’s had enough, or is there something about Gus that brought his demise? Lana, against the wishes of her police chief beau, Noah Garcia, sets out to investigate with her best friend Erica.

Set in the Florida Keys (?), this is an enjoyable whodunnit with a good mystery, and although I had my suspicions, I was kept on my toes to the end. It was, however, a bit disappointing that the climactic scene happens off-screen, after Lana has an accident with a Seadoo. Feels like a bit of a cop out. Otherwise, recommended, and likely a nice addition to the series for this following it.

Laid-off journalist Lana Lewis is thriving as the proprietor of Perkatory, a coffee shop on Devil’s Beach Island, Florida. She’s dating police chief Noah Garcia, hanging out with her best friend, Erica, and loving her Shih Tzu, Stanley. The only problem is when her neighbor, Gus, uses his leaf blower, and disturbing everyone in the neighborhood. After Erica gets mad and confronts Gus, he’s found dead, killed when his leaf blower explodes. Erica immediately becomes a suspect. Can Lana clear her friend’s name?
This was a great whodunnit with a likeable sleuth, a sunny and warm setting, and a cute romantic subplot. The side characters, like Lana’s quirky father, made me giggle at times. I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Orange Vanilla cold brew or orange vanilla muffins are a great pairing for this latest Coffee Lover’s mystery. Something sweet to snack on while contemplating the sandy shores, the quiet town of Devil’s Beach, and the colorful characters of Florida. A peaceful town, as long as you don’t have that neighbor who doesn’t seem to care that it is early on a Saturday morning and most people would like to sleep in as opposed to hearing the obnoxious whine of mechanized landscaping machinery, such as the neighbor who runs the leaf blower ALL THE TIME? It’s enough to make you want to scream or find a way to silence the machine, not that either Lana or Erica would ever even consider doing more than complaining. So if they didn’t do the deed, maybe it was the young widow who spends her days roller skating like it’s 1975. Perhaps it was a former business partner? Maybe the other folks on Lana and Tara’s street had enough of his nonsense, after all, did you hear about what he did to the manatee mailbox? There are just so many suspects and clues to be checked out, when Lana isn’t busy running Perkatory her family coffee shop, spending time with police officer Noah, and trying to keep not get a concussion from shaking her head over her Dad’s monkey antics. Highly entertaining and keeps you turning the pages while pondering the amazing coffee creations that Tara comes up with. I have to wonder if all laid-off investigative journalists are as creative with getting to the truth as Lana. Looking forward to the next installment!

Even though I'm not a coffee lover at all, I love this series and this book didn't disappoint. Fun read, kept me guessing till the end!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Cute cover on this one!

<b>"Live and Let Grind"</b? was my first introduction to both this series and Tara Lush as an author. And i must say, I was pleasantly surprised. This book was well written and well paced. The setting was fun. It held up well as a standalone. The plot was engaging and kept me guessing right up until the end. The characters were both likable and quirky, throw in the adorable dog and you have a highly entertaining read! Tat said, I do have one minor complaint...no recipes at the end! 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe in the next book...

""ARC Via NetGalley**

When neighbor Gus is found dead by leafblower and her best friend is the prime suspect, Lana Lewis knows she has to find the real culprit even if she's promised her boyfriend (who's the local sheriff) not to investigate.

Live and Let Grind is book three in Tara Lush's Coffee Lover's Mystery series. I read book one, Grounds for Murder, but I missed book two, Cold Brew Corpse. There is also a novella, Give Me Chills, that I haven't read. I don't think you need to read the previous books if you want to jump right in with this one. Some details about the previous murders Lana has been involved with and about the characters are provided in this story.

Of the cozy mystery series I read, this series probably has the more quirky characters. Perhaps it is the island beach setting but they are all pretty laid back and have some interesting foibles that make them feel more fictional. But it does make for an entertaining read.

If you enjoy coffee there is some coffee-related discussion and while not recipes per se there are some flavor combinations you might want to try.

The murder mystery is interesting and I couldn't guess the killer. So if you are looking for something fun to read that is set in a warm and sunny locale, then this would be a great book to pick up.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday, Dec. 21 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/12/live-and-let-grind-by-tara-lush-review.html

This was a fun and engaging mystery. This was the first Lana Lewis mystery book I've read, and I look forward to reading many more. Lana's neighbor, Gus , is killed when his leaf blower explodes. Lana and her friend, Erica, try to find out who killed Gus. They also try to find out who poisoned a business associate, Julian, in Lana''s coffee shop, Perkatory. The book has plenty of suspense and intrigue as well as comic moments ,thanks to Lana's pot smoking, old hippie, animal rights protesting father, Peter Lewis. I highly recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

This is another enjoyable cozy mystery set on an island of the Florida Gulf Coast. I like some of the quirky people Lush adds to the scene, like a disco roller skating social media star. Even Lana's dad is a crazy character. I like the unusual murder method of death by leaf blower.

Lana investigates the murder, hoping to prove Erica, her friend and a suspect, innocent of the murder. That means she has some tense times with her boyfriend and police chief, like him trying to foil her attempt to write an article about the murder. Relationship drama and poisoned coffee spice up the plot a bit.

This is a good cozy mystery for coffee lovers. Lana and Erica come up with some interesting coffee combinations, like with mushrooms and oranges. (I'll just have a cup of drip, thank you.) I was not happy with how the murder investigation went and was not surprised at the killer. Nonetheless, for a cozy mystery, the plot is good enough.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I really enjoyed the first two books in the Coffee Lover's series, however, I admit that it took me a couple of tries to read this one. I think it's because one of Lana's friends wasn't exactly truthful with Lana. The other reason is her dad is really too far out there. I'll read the next one and hope it's back up to the level that I thought books 1 and 2 were.

Live and Let Grind: A Coffee Lover’s Mystery
By Tara Lush
Crooked Lane Books
October 2022

Review by Cynthia Chow

Despite an unexpected career turn that forced laid-off journalist to pivot into becoming the owner of her family’s Perkatory coffee shop in Devil’s Beach, Florida, Lana Lewis is thriving. She is dating Police Chief Noah Garcia, works and lives near her best friend Erica, and their innovative flavor twists have perked up business tremendously. The fly in the ointment is neighbor Gus Bailey, who insists on running his leaf blower at the crack of dawn and on weekends. He is the embodiment of the old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn, except that Gus is surprisingly fit and barely middle-aged. After an unfortunate screaming fight with Erica that ends up him turning and giving them more of a blowout than they would have ever wanted, Erica immediately becomes the primary suspect when Gus is found dead with a tampered leaf blower. Lana’s dormant journalism instincts kick in and have her more than ready to investigate, something Noah not only forbids, he asks the local paper editor to intervene and not assign her the story.

Infuriated and not about to allow her friend to be unjustly railroaded, Lana begins tracking down Gus’s ex-wife and resentful business partners. Lana and Erica strap on skates in an attempt to interrogate Insta-famous roller-skating Honey Bailey, with them later checking out more than just books as they track down Gus’s new librarian girlfriend. The arrival of a barista trainer has Lana juggling business with her checklist of suspects, which seems to be growing longer by the minute. When a poisoning at Perkatory leads to them being temporarily shut down until Noah can complete his investigation, tensions are high and Lana is as determined to solve the mysteries as she is to discover why her boyfriend is so reluctant to introduce him to his family.

This third in the series introduces an abundance of quirky and entertaining characters, along with happenings that could only occur in Florida. Pirate-themed booze cruises, Lana’s father protesting on behalf of monkey rights, roller rink discos, and of course a death-by-leaf-blower all make this an undeniably Floridian mystery. Lana is conflicted between needing the approval from the men in her life while also wanting to be a very independent, successful (freelance) investigative journalist. Erica gets Lana into as much trouble as she also helps them to get out of, making for fun and surprising adventures. An adorable Shih Tzu, delicious coffee flavorings, and romance that would benefit from some honest conversations make this a must-read for those looking for a cozy mystery that celebrates all of the quirks that make Florida so unique.

I absolutely love this series, and this book did not disappoint! I loved the mystery and thought the plot was well paced and very engaging. The characters are endearing and fun to follow. I cannot wait for the next one!