Life’s a Beach – Until Someone Dies
Tara Lush’s ‘Cold Brew Corpse’ Mixes Murder, Nude Yoga and Romance By Amanda Hagood
VIA TAMARA LUSH
Life is a beach for Lana Lewis, the who knows all the dish on the neighprotagonist of Tara Lush’s new mysbors, but can’t always remember it — tery, “Cold Brew Corpse.” After losto the cheeky names Lush gives the ing her job as a hard-bitten crime town’s hot spots (like rival coffee shop reporter in MiIsland Brewnette), the ami, as well as “Cold Brew Corpse” will novel immerses readreaders feeling ers in a sunny, quirky, divorcing her leave smug TV news cheerful, satisfied, and only-mildly-disturbing husband, she just a little bit warm and world they won’t want returns to her to leave. quirky seaside fuzzy inside. While we eagerly hometown, Devil’s Beach. She runs wait for Lana and Noah’s amour to Perkatory, a coffee shop inherited unfold, the greatest romance the novfrom her mom, and townies and tourel offers is a passion for coffee, which ists alike go wild for her caffeinated is fragrantly evident in every chapter. Tamara Lush (who also writes under concoctions and confections, espe “As a journalist, I drank a lot of bad the name Tara Lush) with her Coffee cially her newest offering – cold brew coffee,” Lush explains, “but since movLover’s Mysteries at a recent event at coffee. And love is in the air, with a ing to St. Petersburg, I’ve been able Tombolo Books. heavy crush blooming between Lana to enjoy many quality cups.” Brenand Noah Garcia, the town’s hunky dan Smith (St. Pete Craft Coffee Tour) Maybe it’s just the macchiato talking, chief of police. served as “coffee consultant,” providbut I have a suspicion that, just like But when the body of a local yoga ing the expertise that makes the book’s a perfect cup of coffee, “Cold Brew instructor is found in a nearby swamp, scenes with baristas describing and Corpse” will leave readers feeling Lana can’t resist the lure of a good preparing coffee drinks so deliciously cheerful, satisfied, and just a little bit mystery. As she chases down the storealistic. warm and fuzzy inside. ry, notebook in hand, she plunges into the darker side of paradise: scams and betrayal (and also something called Nude Candlelight Yoga) at the yoga studio. A cold case involving a missing childhood friend. And, worst of all, something’s terribly wrong with the café’s cold brew, which now has a distinctively dishwatery aftertaste. Cold Brew Corpse is the second of Lush’s Coffee Lovers Mysteries, folAn Arts & Crafts Show lowing the 2020 debut, “Grounds for Murder.” After years of writing roin Downtown Gulfport mance novels, the author returned to Catch those last minute holiday buyers her roots as a crime reporter for the at this holiday art market! new series and enjoys blending what she calls the “puzzles and clues” of mystery plotting with the “emotions and angst” of romances. This marriage of forms comes together wonderfully in the oh-so-close-but-notquite romance between Lana and Noah, who experience a fair measure of sexual frustration, along with the thrill of cracking a case. The setting’s another high point. December 18th ,2021 Devil’s Beach is rich in delightful #beachlife detail. From the array of 1:00 – 9:00 eccentric characters – most notably Lana’s dad, a sweetly gossipy, somevisitgulfportflorida.com/indiefaire/ what pot-addled real estate agent
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theGabber.com | December 16, 2021 - December 22, 2021
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