One of the marks of a good cozy series is when you can read a book in the middle of the series, and feel as though you were reading well-rounded characters with an interesting story, and didn’t feel like you needed the previous books to enjoy this adventure. Lena Gregory’s writing is exactly that.

With a well-crafted plot, three dimensional characters l, and a backdrop of the most magic place on earth, this was an enjoyable, quick read. And left enough interest in her writing to check out the rest of the series!

Gia had a difficult task ahead, deciphering the puzzle and finding the killer, this was imperative or her dear friend could spend the rest of his life in prison wrongfully. Although Gia is engaged to a lawman, she has one of the most dangerous eye-openers ever.

This is such a wonderful book in a great series. I love all the characters and the story had just the right amount of twists and turns, I highly recommend this book and series

Battered and Buried is the 7th book in the amazing All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series. Gia finds her head cook embroiled in the murder of an unpleasant newcomer. The evidence against Cole continues to stack up but Gia knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's not guilty. Proving it, however, has become a full-time job.

I really enjoyed Battered and Buried. The book is perfectly paced - not too fast and not too slow. I was pulled in from the very beginning and engaged in the plot. The character development continues, and we learn more about the characters and learn backstory without being bogged down with useless filler. The story was fun, exciting, suspenseful, and full of twists and turns. I had a wonderful time trying to figure out just what happened and who was responsible. The continued world building is great, and I was able to visualize the story.

Gia came from New York one person and has since evolved into another as she gets used to the differences in Florida. Gia is a very strong character and I enjoy the books about her world. I love that 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 is an excellent partner.

The characters are all likeable, the setting in Florida is nice. The chemistry between Gia and Hunt is sweet and believable. I prefer a little bit of soft romance in my cozy mysteries. I really enjoy the author's writing style and love her Bay Island Mystery series.

Book Review: Battered and Buried by Lena Gregory

Rating 4 Stars

Battered and Buried by Lena Gregory is a captivating mystery novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

The story follows café owner Gia Morelli and her loyal friends as they stumble upon a murder scene during what was supposed to be a relaxing kayaking trip. The plot thickens as Gia's head cook, Cole, becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation, forcing Gia to take matters into her own hands to prove his innocence.

The author, masterfully weaves a tale filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and a touch of humor that adds depth to the characters and the storyline. The setting is vividly described, transporting readers to the quaint town where the murder takes place, adding to the overall charm of the book.

A highlight of Battered and Buried is the well-developed characters that are not only relatable but also endearing. Gia's determination to clear Cole's name showcases her loyalty and courage, making her a protagonist that readers will root for throughout the book.

Furthermore, the pacing of the novel is spot-on, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the truth behind the murder mystery. The plot is intricately crafted, with enough red herrings and surprises to keep even the most seasoned mystery reader guessing until the very end.

Overall, Battered and Buried is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone looking for a thrilling and entertaining read. Lena Gregory's writing style is engaging, the characters are well-rounded, and the plot is full of suspense and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to others. I look forward to reading more books in this series and discovering what other mysteries Gia (and friends) will find herself entangled in.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This lack details and I tended to have trouble following the story line. Did have great characters and did pick up toward end of story

Battered and Buried by Lena Gregory is the seventh 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 or in any order if choosing to do so. However, there will be 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. This time around Gia thought she was going to have a relaxing time going out kayaking with her friend but of course comes across yet another dead body on the trip. The worst part of finding another murder victim is that Gia’s own cook, Cole, is standing over the body and the two have quite the history together making Cole suspect number one in the case and Gia knows she needs to clear his name.

The All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series is another cozy series I have been following from the beginning and really do enjoy returning to time and again. The series has all of that fun quirkiness that I enjoy, a cute critter companion to the lead and fun characters to follow along with. Seeing this one set in Florida I also jumped to thinking tourist trap but no, this is small town, off the beaten path Florida so it also gets that small town charm nod. With another fun mystery here in book seven I will definitely return If there is any more additions to the series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The cook at Gia’s diner discovers a dead body in the forest - who happens to be an old enemy who had gotten into a dust up at the diner just the day before. With her cook (and friend) under suspicion, Gia starts asking questions.
While the acceptance of her participation by the detectives investigating the murder (her best friend’s husband and her own boyfriend) strains credulity, Gia has a closely knit set of friends who look after each other. There are a lot of suspects and a lot of twists and turns,
I have to admit as a Bernese Mountain dog owner, Thor may be my favorite character, but the whole cast is well written. Though many books into this series, there’s just enough backstory included to allow for reading this as a stand-alone, while not so much that it bogs down the story.
My thanks to NetGalley for making this available.

Another enjoyable and well plotted cozy mystery by Lena Gregory. Had fun, was glad to catch up with characters and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Princess Fuzzypants here: Gia and her friends Savannah and Cole are busy with the crowd at her all day breakfast restaurant when she is confronted by an obnoxious customer. He is rude, insulting and threatening and he has a history with Cole. Little did the three expect but this man would mess up their lives and not in the way he intended. Both Cole and Gia are in the forest where his body is found and the first cop on the scene seems determined to lay the murder on Cole. Even Gia and her detective fiancé have to admit the evidence seems to be piling up against Cole. Maybe a little too much. Maybe someone is trying very hard to set up Cole.

Naturally Gia and Savannah feel obliged to investigate even though their better half’s have the case. There is a grudging respect and they share information as they can. So what is often a battle of wills is more cooperative. I doubt an adversarial relationship would last long. Each are able to uncover background information that first implicates and then clears a series of suspects. But this has the effect of making the killer feel trapped. It puts Gia in the middle and an increasingly desperate villain is a dangerous villain.

Four purrs and two paws up.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Battered and Buried is the seventh book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series by Lena Gregory. It is also the second book I have read by this author. So far, Ms. Gregory’s books are engaging and have kept my interest throughout. The best part was that it did take me a while to conclude who the real killer was! Which is crucial to me when reading a cozy mystery.

The crux of the story is that Gia Morelli, the owner of the All-Day Breakfast Café in Rolling Pines, hopes to find out who killed Rusty Bragge. The police believe (and circumstances point to) her good friend and full-time cook, Cole Barrister as the killer. And to further muddy the waters (and does not bode well for Cole) is the fact that the deceased is essentially a life-long enemy of Cole’s – they have history – and it is not pretty. This history revolves around, you guessed it, a woman – Rusty’s wife…an ex of Cole’s. Cole describes Rusty as “vicious, mean, spiteful and a person that who will stop at nothing to get his way”. Definitely not a nice person! And I must say – that is proven throughout this story.

Gia and Trevor (Gia’s friend) were out kayaking when they came upon Cole and Cybil walking in the marsh. They pulled over to see what Cole and Cybil were looking at…soon to discover it was a body. Which of course, turns out to be Rusty. At this point in time, Cole is going to be hard pressed convincing anyone, let alone the police, that he had nothing to do with Rusty’s murder since they had a shouting match at the All-Day Breakfast Café the day before… with a LOT of witnesses.

What made it an interesting read was that it was not obvious as to who the killer really was. I also enjoyed the journey that I had to follow while Gia unravelled the truth. While there are a few suspects, I think it was the myriad of towns folks that kept me interested. As the story proceeded, I truly began to really dislike the deceased. While I didn’t really wish him dead, I certainly think he did not have any redeeming qualities!

I quite enjoyed Trevor’s enthusiasm with respect to Goa’s impending nuptials, especially while kayaking. And then the fact that Gia and her fiancé Hunt (Captain Hunter Quinn – captain of the Boggy Creek PD) have not actually set a date or discussed any details. This made me chuckle just a wee bit.

I must say, the cover art for this book is good. The puppy was cute and I found the pancake in the shape of a skull eye catching. A bit of foreboding I must say.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries – then I would like to suggest picking up this 7th book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mystery series. I myself plan to go back to the beginning of the series and learn about Gia, her pets Thor and Klondike as well as the love story between her and her fiancé, Hunter. Maybe learn more about her bestie, Savannah and her hubby, Detective Leo Dumont and the other residents of Boggy Creek.

Though I must say, this book does stand on its own and was a delight to read.

Any time I am up for some good ole breakfast and some crime solving, I return to Gia and everyone at the All Day Breakfast Cafe. I find myself there and smelling everything, mouthwatering and feeding my soul at the same time with the fellowship and comradery of the people that come to the cafe and work there as well.

An amazing group of characters. I love how everyone just clicks and seems to balance each other out. I do not know if a place like this actually exists but if it did, I would hang out there every day just soaking up the friendships and harmony.

I relate a lot to Gia. I have lived in a lot of different places and have also had to leave some of them because of other people. It's frustrating but also character building and you can tell that that is exactly what has happened with her. She's grown because of having to have left New York City. And yes, that pain is still somewhat evident, but she's surrounded herself with such wonderful people that you can tell she is starting to be able to heal.

I love how the cafe gang comes together to be able to help solve these crimes. I know there is a thin line between help and hindering the police, but I think they walk that tight rope very well. This mystery really had me going around in circles. Nothing made sense, until it did.

As always, these books are very well written, and I love that you can root for them all to figure out the clues and solve the crime. It's all about justice and not about egos. I wish I could live in these books. I recommend this book and this series highly.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Lena Gregory for the ability to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Quite a cute and cozy murder mystery. One of Gia’s friends and employee is accused of murder, so her group of friends make it their mission to not only prove the friend isn’t involved, but also find the true killer.

The characters are very relatable and evoke emotions in the reader easily. At times the book dragged on a bit, but the overall idea was good. The ending left me wanting a bit more, mainly since there seems to be a lot of coincidences.

Overall a good story and I am definitely interested in reading more by this author.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the seventh book in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries by Lena Gregory, and set in Florida.

This book started quickly and just kept going. It wasn’t difficult for me to know who did it. The difficult part was the reason. I enjoyed every twist and turn.

Looking forward to the next book. I was given an advanced readers copy days after publication. I am not required to leave a positive review.

rural, rumor-mill, local-law-enforcement, friendship, fiancé, Florida, arachnophobia, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, small-business, small-town, culinary, pets, murder, murder-investigation, racoon, bear, situational-humor*****

Gia Morelli runs the 'All-Day Breakfast Café', a diner in Boggy Creek, Florida and has made many good friends there since moving from NYC. A former resident who alienates others quite deliberately and successfully is found murdered and Gia's friend/cook is the chief suspect because of past history between the two. Let the sleuthing (and fun!) begin. The publisher's blurb is pretty good, I was happy to see a cast of characters listed at the beginning. Loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC copy from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

Gia Morelli is working the day at her cafe when her friend and waitress Savannah tells her that a man wants to see her. When she goes to the front, he complains about how bad the meal was. No matter what she offers, he continues his rant, and when her cook Cole comes to the front, he makes derogatory remarks to him about his cooking, and leaves. Gia later finds that the man, Rusty, is an old enemy of Cole's and Rusty's never happier than when ruining businesses so he can open the same ones in the same area.

When Gia discovers that Rusty wants to open a cafe down the street, she's dismayed. But later, while kayaking with her friend Trevor, they see Cole and his friend Cybill on the shore and Cybill looks distressed. When they reach her, they find that Cole found Rusty's body -- and now Cole is the main suspect in his murder. Determined to prove Cole innocent, she and Savannah set out to find clues they can give to Gia's fiancé, a homicide detective and Savannah's cousin. But doing this might be harder than they think, since the widow isn't talking, and neither is anyone else -- for now.

Sifting through clues as they can, Gia enlists help from a computer hacker, and what she discovers only makes things more tangled. Will she be able to untwist the lies long enough to find a killer? Or will she finally meet her end?

This is the seventh book in the series and just as good as all the others. Ms. Gregory is a talented writer who is able to pull you into the story and experience life with the characters. While never having been to Florida (not sure if I want to, either, after all the critters show up), I still get an idea of the area and how Gia's life is progressing; she's happy in her new life -- until murder slows her down.

When she finally starts putting things together, she's sure she has the end result locating a killer, until an unexpected situation arises that puts her back at square one. While I knew the killer before Gia did, this did not diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. I loved how it played out, and in the end, we get an epilogue that gives us something to look forward to in the next book. Recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

Battered And Buried
An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery
Lena Gregory
5 Stars

Synopsis:

The best-laid plans may go awry, but the best-laid clues could frame a man for murder . . .

Never one to let a day off work go to waste, café owner Gia Morelli and a friend head out for a blissful kayaking trip through the local national forest. But the peacefulness of the day is soon shattered when they come across Cole, her head cook, standing over a dead body. Worse still, the victim was a lifelong enemy of Cole’s, and clues found on the body point to the cook as the culprit. When the police take Cole in and subject him to an intense grilling, Gia vows to do everything she can to prove his innocence.

As even more incriminating evidence surfaces—including when the murder weapon itself is found hidden at the café—Gia knows she’s up against someone brutal enough to kill and devious enough to frame Cole for the deed. With the police ready to make an official arrest and wrap up what they consider an open-and-shut case, Gia turns for help to an old friend who’s not above breaking the law himself. Because if she can’t find the killer, Cole may go from serving up hot dishes to serving a life sentence . . .

Praise for the Books of Lena Gregory:

“I loved the protagonist, Cass. She and her friends were very well developed, and felt like a group of people I’d like to get to know.” —The Book’s the Thing

“This has quickly become one of my favorite series! A well-written cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal, making for a delightful story full of unexpected twists.” —Books a Plenty Book Reviews

“The future shows much success for this series! Fun, vibrant characters (as well as a sexy smolder or two for good measure) give the novel just the right tone.” —RT Book Reviews on Death at First Sight


About the Author:

Lena Gregory is the author of the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, the Coffee and Cream Café Mysteries, and A Mini Meadows Mystery. She grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, and recently relocated to Clermont, Florida, with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. While Gia is out having a relaxing kayaking adventure, she stumbles across a dead body. If that was not bad enough, her head cook is found with the body. She knows Cole did not kill anyone, so she has to find to find the real killer

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved.

I would recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This author is one of my favorites and I cannot wait for her to write more.

Thank you, NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

I have not read any other books in this series but I found it easy to follow since the author includes a cast of characters list with a summary of who they are. The characters were entertaining and I kept wanting to get to know them better.

The murder happened early in the book so it was a great way for me to get to know the characters as they worked together to solve the mystery. I found this to be somewhat a light hearted mystery that had me smiling at times. As for the who done it, I couldn't figure it out which made the book more enjoyable for me.

I will warn readers that if you haven't read the other books in this series, there are a few spoilers in this book since they do refer to past events. It may turn off some readers but it actually made me want to go back and read those others books. In fact, I will be going back to read the rest of the books of this series since I enjoyed this one so much.

This is a fun, entertaining cozy mystery. Gia, Savannah, their significant others and friends all work together to uncover the truth behind a murder, and clear Cole's name. As always, the series has great characters, enjoyable plot, and a great ending. Lots of motives, a sprinkle of action, and some fun four legged heroes. Overall, a great read.
Ii received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A cozy mystery that throws multiple suspects for the murder of a very unpopular local. The heroine navigates mystery and danger while running her cafe and keeping up with her friends and fiancée. Will she go to far in her investigation and get herself killed?