Battered and Buried (An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery) by Lena Gregory
Battered and Buried (An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting - Florida
Publisher: Beyond the Page (March 19, 2024)
Paperback: 188 pages
ISBN-10: 1960511580
ISBN-13: 978-1960511584
Digital ASIN: B0CW18PPSQ
About Battered and Buried:
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 . . .
My Review:
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.
Previously reviewed on Sapphyria's Books.
I was provided a copy of this book.
My Rating:
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