Thank you, 8th Note Press for this advance copy in exchange for my review.

Wow what a follow up! I adored Gator Queen and I think I may have loved Swamp Princess even more.
It was wonderful to read Maggie's love story along with the Floridian shenanigans and mysteries that made book one so great.
If you want a lighthearted refreshing book with great humor and a little mystery, Swamp Princess is for you.

Thank you to 8th Note Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I loved Gator Queen when I was sent an ARC by 8th Note Press and was thrilled to receive the second book in the series. The Critters and Criminals series is zany and fun and this one was no exception. It was so fun to reunite with characters from the previous book while also meeting new people. I loved the continuing romance between Maggie and Jack while other romances heated up. The collection of characters kept me guessing and I truly was surprised at the end. Who knew that a cryptology convention could turn so murderous? If you are looking for a fun mystery that will make you laugh and give a dash of romance this is an excellent one to pick up!

Swamp Princess is book 2 of the Critters & Criminal series. It’s a laugh-out-loud cozy mystery and I look forward to more shenanigans with Maggie and Vera. The story takes place in Florida (where I live) which is always a plus. The characters are fun and quirky.
Definitely recommend reading book 1, Gator Queen!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was so fun, I loved the first book, but this one might be my favorite. Maggie and Jack sleuthing makes my day. They just work so well together, I was happy to get more of them. Poor Maggie is somehow always at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

In this one, Maggie is giving a nature walk during a Bigfoot convention when someone on the walk literally drops dead. Once it's deemed a murder, Maggie and Jack work together to figure out who did it. Of course, this isn't their job and, much to the displeasure of Maggie's twin sister, Vera, they don't drop it.

I loved how this played out, a little bit of mystery and intrigue mixed with a little bit of romance. Can't wait to see what happens next in Wahoo.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I found this very entertaining and a very easy and cozy read. I can’t wait for the next in the series!

Swamp Princess

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“ Maggie Andrews is swamped—literally—as she tries to balance running her family's gator trapping business, "defining the relationship" with tattooed professor Jack Bianchi, and helping her twin sister Vera with her bookstore.
When she's invited to speak at a conference about the dangers hunting for cryptids in gator-infested waters, she assumes it's a joke she doesn't have time for. But it's all too real; hundreds of Bigfoot fans are sure that their monster has migrated to the swamps of Florida. Against her better judgement, Maggie agrees to lead a group of them on a small expedition. And it's going well—until a cryptozoology influencer ends up dead.”

This was the first book I finished in awhile due to life but man o man I couldn’t put it down once I started it. Tara Lush wrote another wonderful book. This series is awesome. I love the way the characters are written and the setting is amazing. I want to go to Wahoo and hang out in the bookstore and be friend with Maggie and Vera. I can’t wait to see what comes next in the bigger picture for them. Highly recommend this book and this series.

That was so much fun, my sides still hurt from laughing so much and so hard. This story was the perfect blend of mystery, romance, and the absurd. The author so successfully kept me off balance, I was never able to out-think (or out-guess) the plot to be able to identify the villain before the big reveal. And what a reveal that was; I’m still giggling thinking about it. I’m quickly falling in love with these characters and I can’t wait for our next opportunity to watch them in action.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

I’m always a little iffy of sequels, especially because vividly remember how much I loved Gator Queen, but this author did not disappoint!! I couldn’t put this book down for two days straight. The writing is so addictive and action packed, but the characters are so genuine and loving. I’d love for the next book to be about Vera’s love story.

Maggie, the Gator Queen is once again at the right place, at the wrong time! In the 2nd book in this series, Maggie is once again looking into a mysterious murder. What started as a work conference, speaking at the Florida Bigfoot Conference, and snacking on a yummy bigfoot pretzel, soon turns into watching a young woman mysteriously die. Maggie, Jack, Alex and Vera are together once again, and the investigation commences!
I read the first book Gator Queen, I enjoyed that book, but I like this story even more. I don't think you need to read the first book to enjoy the 2nd book in the series. The stories are different, and you get enough background enabling the reader to jump into the second book.

I am not usually a fan of cozy mysteries, I usually find them corny, and the dialogue silly. But not with this author. She writes a smart cozy mystery, with a bit of slow-burn romance, plenty of humor, and a little gator-catching thrown in too. I enjoy the dialogue, the characters, and the mystery. The Florida Bigfoot Conference (Yes it's real!), makes for an interesting background, and itself a character in this book.
This truly is a feel-good, smartly written, cozy mystery. I look forward to more books in this series, and visiting these characters and their relationships more in the future.

4.25 STARS!

I received this ARC from Netgalley for my honest review.

This book was fine but overall I found myself bored less than halfway through. The mystery piece didn't really make sense to me, I wasn't enthralled in the mystery, and the twin sister drove me nuts.

I will not be reviewing this book on my Instagram, but did review on Goodreads.

There’s a Big Foot conference in town and Maggie has been booked to give a tour and to speak as the Gator Queen. Vera is selling books like crazy – who knew there was so much demand for cryptid romance? Unfortunately, one of the stars of the show has dropped dead on Maggie’s walk. Jack shows up to lend support on clearing Maggie’s name. I love the characters in this series, there’s more than a hint of romance, and there’s general fun and suspense. Fun, new series. Read it!

I really loved this follow up to Gator Queen! The story continues for Maggie and her sister Vera, along with Jack. Maggie is the local gator wrangler but this book features a different setting: a conference about the dangers of hunting for cryptids, like Bigfoot. As per usual, Maggie finds herself embroiled in another murder, one she didn't commit but is dedicated to solving. This book is the perfect blend of whodunnit and romcom, both of which I really enjoyed. It's laugh out loud hilarious, it's mysterious and suspenseful, it's got romance, and it's also sweet and cozy too. I like that the author continued to explore the relationship between Maggie and Jack, and I really love them together. This series is just so fun and a good time that will have you wanting more!

Swamp Princess is the second book in the Critters and Criminals series by Tara Lush. Maggie Andrews is invited to speak at a conference dedicated to crypids and Bigfoot. During a tour a cryptozoology influencer ends up dead. Maggie and her criminology professor boyfriend, Jack team up again to help the police solve the case. This book series is so fun. The romance aspect of the book ramps up a lot in this installment. I really like Maggie and Jack together. The mystery was good with plenty of quirky characters as suspects. I will be watching out for further installments in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie is a gator trapper in Wahoo, Florida with her twin sister Vera. While a Cryptozoology conference is in town, they ask Maggie to present a session on Florida wildlife and to lead a small hike. During the hike however, a very famous Bigfoot expert dies. But what happened, and why? Maggie has another murder to solve, while trying to help her sister with her new romance bookstore. This was a really fun mystery, and I loved it. The plot was less about gators this time, but I still liked the Florida setting. Maggie is a lot of fun, and her romance with Jack is really cute. I can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun, entertaining read. This story has a good mystery plot and an enjoyable romance subplot. I liked the main characters – Maggie and Jack – and the role they played in solving the mystery. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The book is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another super fun cozy mystery/romcom from Tara Lush. I really enjoyed the first book in this new series, Gator Queen, but this one was even more wacky and fun than that one. Set around a Cryptid conference, Maggie is a guest speaker, while her sister Vera is a vendor, hawking paranormal and monster romance books.

When one of the 'famous' big foot hunters drops dead literally at Maggie's feet, she finds herself caught up in another murder mystery with her new boyfriend, Jack. Full of action, romance, gator wrangling and two kick ass Southern twin sisters. I loved this one and can't wait for more in the series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is Book #2 in the cozy mystery series. I liked the first book so I was looking forward to this one. We’re back in Wahoo, FL and Maggie ‘the gator queen’ is a speaker at a Bigfoot convention. While on her guided ‘gator’ walk, a woman dies. It was a fun cozy mystery. The topic of Bigfoot was a bit bizarre but entertaining. I loved the romance and the mystery had the usual suspects. I loved Tara Lush’s previous cozy mystery series (about coffee) a lot more but this series is fun too! Can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Gator-wrangler Maggie stumbles into a murder investigation when a Bigfoot enthusiast drops dead during her swamp expedition. As she navigates conspiracy theories, jealous rivals, and her own complicated love life, Maggie must uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice—before they strike again.

This is a fun and whimsical cozy mystery with quirky characters and heartwarming relationships. The plot kept me guessing. The author does a good job of bringing the Florida wetlands and their inhabitants to life.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Cozy-ish Mystery in which a Florida woman who runs a gator trapping business turns sleuth after a cryptozoology influencer and Bigfoot hunter dies suspiciously.

4/5 stars: This is the second entry in Lush's Critters and Criminals series, which is a Cozy-ish Mystery that takes place in Florida and features a former zookeeper who's juggling running her alligator trapping business, helping her twin sister's romance bookstore and trying to figure out her “relationship" with a tattooed criminology professor. When a cryptozoology influencer looking for Bigfoot ends up dead she turns sleuth to investigate. With plenty of twists and turns, Lush has crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. With wit and humor, Lush's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's fun to catch up with Maggie, her twin Vera, their friends and family. I also like seeing Maggie's relationship with Jack, who's writing a book about serial killers, progressing. (Be aware the romance is pretty steamy.) And of course one can't forget Maggie's cat, Casty Cline and Harry the iguana. Plus I really enjoy the wildlife info, gator wrangling and Chubbs the golf course gator. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Gator Queen.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and 8th Note Press in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Snark, fun, simmer, mystery, great characters, I mean really, female alligator wranglers? Oh heck yea! Second in series and going strong. Great characters, snark, I really LOL many times, plus a fun mystery. You can't go wrong with this one, and I hope to see many more! (FTB, but more spice would be nice ...)