Grounds for Murder (Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries) by Lena Gregory | Book Review

Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Grounds for Murder (Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries) by Lena Gregory, Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

Grounds for Murder (Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries)

by Lena Gregory

Grounds for Murder (Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Watchogue, Long Island, New York
Gemma Halliday Publishing (November 21, 2023)
Number of Pages 226

From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty new mystery with a killer twist…

Danika Delaney is thrilled to have taken over her uncle Jimmie’s old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and is working hard to make it her own. In an effort to increase business, Danika invites a mystery writer to the Coffee & Cream Café for a discussion and book signing. Things seem to be going well, until a guest shows up and confronts the author, accusing him of plagiarizing his work. Embarrassed by the incident, Danika goes to the inn where the writer is staying the following morning, hoping to apologize and offer him another chance to return. What she finds instead is his dead body—beside a cup of poisoned coffee! Now it’s up to Danika to find out who wanted to silence the author… before the killer decides to write Danika a not-so-happy ending!

Author Guest Post: The Coffee & Cream Café

People often ask me about the inspiration for the Coffee & Cream Café. Let me start by saying, I love ice cream. It’s my all-time favorite dessert. The thought of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor on Main Street in a small town brings to mind memories of childhood, when every concert, play, and dance recital ended at the local ice cream shop. It was not only a place to grab dessert, but a venue where local gossip ran rampant.

That being said, what better place to set a cozy mystery series? Watchogue is a fictional town on the south shore of Eastern Long Island, New York (exactly like the one I grew up in). And like many small towns on Long Island, the local businesses are the gossip hot spots. But Danika Delaney wasn’t content to take over her Uncle Jimmie’s failing mom and pop ice cream parlor. She wanted to create her own brand, a place where people could come in after a long day at work, or on their way to school, and kick back. So, the idea for the Coffee & Cream Café was born.

Since I worked at Friendly’s when I was young, as well as my grandfather’s small-town deli, I had a good idea of exactly the atmosphere I was trying to create. Even still, a lot of research goes into writing this series. I research everything from how to make homemade ice cream, to symptoms of cyanide poisoning. (Hopefully, no one will ever check my search history.) The Coffee & Cream Café is the perfect place for locals to relax, catch up on rumors, and discuss murder.

My review of  Grounds for Murder

Grounds for Murder is the second book in the charming Coffee & Cream Cafe Mystery series by Lena Gregory. I do suggest you read the first book, Murder A La Mode, since it gives you lots of background though you can enjoy this without having read it! It’s set in the fictional small town of Watchogue, Long Island, New York. The setting is really cozy, and the shops are filled with lots of gossip. 

When Danika Delaney came home to run her uncle Jimmie’s ice cream shop, she insisted on being able to run the place how she wanted and to add or subtract items from the menu too. Since uncle Jimmie agreed, Danika has renovated and rebranded (sort of). She still serves ice cream and coffee, but she has a cozy cafe set up with comfy chairs and small seating areas. To bring business in, Danika hosts a mystery author for a book signing. He’s a total jerk and has possibly plagiarized someone else’s work, but he really doesn’t deserve to be murdered! Like any good amateur sleuth, Dani is on the case; after all, she brought him to town. 

What makes Grounds for Murder so wonderful is its characters. They are so well-described that they seem real. Gwen is the perfect BFF for Dani. She’s always there when Dani needs back-up, and she knows what Dani needs even before she knows she needs it! Take for example, Eli. Dani is going to need help at the cafe, so Gwen sends Eli who is now my favorite character. I would tell you about him, but that would spoil the fun! There are a couple of possible “love” interests for Dani. I think I know who I want her to end up with, but I might change my mind as the series progresses. Uncle Jimmie and the rest of Dani’s family are great, but they’re not in this one as much as the first. Hint: read it too! 

The mystery has lots of suspects and will throw you some curveballs! Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, something pops up to lead you to a different suspect. I loved searching out clues with Dani (and others…not telling you who!). All in all, this was a puzzling mystery! 

I highly recommend Grounds for Murder for its baffling mystery, the cozy, small town setting, and Lena Gregory’s marvelous characters! I can’t wait to see what mystery Dani and her friends get tangled up in next!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About Lena Gregory

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Author Links

• Newsletter: http://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1.
• Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/

Purchase Links
Amazon –   B&N  –  Kobo 

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Grounds for Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 21 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 21 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

November 22 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

November 23 – Thanksgiving U.S.

November 24 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT

November 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 25 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

November 26 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

November 26 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

November 27 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

November 27 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

November 28 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

November 28 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT  

November 29 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 29 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW

November 30 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

November 30 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

December 1 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

December 1 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

December 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

December 2 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

December 3 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

December 4 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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