Death Among the Stars

Oh what a fun ride. I loved this latest "The Bartenders Guide to Murder" mystery with all of its edge of the seat moments, love interests, relationships, and reflections on personal and societal struggles. Sharon Linnea has a wonderful storytelling style that weaves together humor and seriousness, hitting all the right notes. I love Avalon and her sense of self as she unpacks the mysteries that seem to happen ever since she got to Tranquility. I've read the two preceding books in this series and I think that made Death Among the Stars more enjoyable since I knew a lot of the characters already.

And I am devouring the wonderful cocktail recipes that tie into each chapter. The non-alcoholic additions to this book are a treat too.

(Having had a personal reading by the author of the first chapter was a terrific introduction to Death Among the Stars and set the perfect tone for me).

Appreciate the ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.

This is the third book in the Avalon Nash series and the third one I’ve read. They are wonderfully written books in this outing there is a film festival going on in town and one of Avalon’s good friends from high school is the star of one of the featured films he and two other childhood friends turn up.
Being a mystery there is, of course, murder and then it gets exciting. Who is doing the killing? Is it the star’s stalkers? Is it the star himself or someone else? Can Avalon trust him or is she the next victim?
MS Linnea keeps the pot boiling and the plot moving to a gripping climax that made this reader hold on to his book as the climax unfolded at a furious pace.
The book is very well written and Ms. Linnea has a gift for having characters arrive fully fleshed out and very real and relatable it’s as if they arrive on the page and you feel as if they could almost step off of that page and join you for a cup of tea or a drink. Something that she does that many authors do not is make the settings come alive. The reader can picture them vividly and is transported to them whilst reading.
Ms. Linnea is also not afraid to tackle controversial issues in her books she did so in the first two and does so again in this book with current issues such as drugs, stalking, economic inequity in getting needed services, and emotional dependency. To do all of that and still make the book a great read is quite an accomplishment. Sharon Linnea is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors.