A Tourist Trap Mystery

Lynn Cahoon

Latest release: June 4, 2024

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Books

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“Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective . . . A cozy lover’s dream come true” from the New York Times bestselling author (Susan McBride, USA Today bestselling author).

In the gentle coastal town of South Cove, California, all Jill Gardner wants is to keep her store—Coffee, Books, and More—open and running. So why is she caught up in the business of murder?

When Jill’s elderly friend, Miss Emily, calls in a fit of pique, she already knows the city council is trying to force Emily to sell her dilapidated old house. But Emily’s gumption goes for naught when she dies unexpectedly and leaves the house to Jill—along with all of her problems . . . and her enemies. Convinced her friend was murdered, Jill is finding the list of suspects longer than the list of repairs needed on the house. But Jill is determined to uncover the culprit—especially if it gets her closer to South Cove’s finest, Detective Greg King. Problem is, the killer knows she’s on the case—and is determined to close the book on Jill permanently . . .

Praise for The Tourist Trap Mysteries

“Lynn Cahoon has created an absorbing, good fun mystery in Mission to Murder.”—Fresh Fiction

“I love the author’s style, which was warm and friendly . . . [A] wonderfully appealing series.”—Dru’s Book Musings
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A local dispute leads to suspicion of murder for a small-town California bookshop owner in this cozy mystery by the New York Times bestselling author.

The small town of South Cove, California, has all kinds of attractions, from resorts and beaches to Jill Gardner’s charming bookshop café. But now Jill may have discovered yet another hidden treasure. The old stone wall on her property might be the remnant of a centuries-old mission worthy of being declared a historical landmark. There’s just one problem—and his name is Craig Morgan.

The obnoxious owner of South Cove's most popular tourist spot, The Castle, Craig makes it his business to contest Jill’s claim. When Craig is found murdered at The Castle shortly after a heated argument with Jill, even her detective boyfriend Greg has to ask her for an alibi. Jill decides she must find the real murderer to clear her name. But when the killer comes for her, she'll need to switch from historic preservation to self-preservation.

New York Times-Bestselling Author: Folks love spending the holidays in this sunny California town—but a sudden death has cast a cloud of suspicion…

As owner of Coffee, Books, and More in South Cove, California, Jill Gardner looks forward to the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers. But when the mayor ropes her into being liaison for a new work program, ’tis the season to be wary. Local businesses are afraid the interns will be delinquents, punks, or worse. For Jill, nothing's worse than Ted Hendricks—the jerk who runs the program.

After a few run-ins, Jill's ready to kill the guy. That, however, turns out to be unnecessary when she finds Ted in his car—dead as a doornail. Detective Greg King assumes it's a suicide. Jill thinks it's murder. And if the holidays weren't stressful enough, a spoiled blonde wants to sue the city for breaking her heel. Jill has to act fast to solve this mess—before the other shoe drops…

Praise for the Tourist Trap Mysteries

“Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective…A cozy lover's dream come true.”—Susan McBride, author of The Debutante Dropout Mysteries

A costume drama turns truly deadly in this cozy mystery set in small-town California by the New York Times bestselling author.

As the owner of Coffee, Books, and More in the tucked-away town of South Cove, California, Jill Gardner has been known to enjoy a suspenseful tale of murder—as long as it’s confined to the pages of a good book. But now a local charity wants her to portray a twenties flapper in a dinner theater murder mystery. She doesn’t love the idea, but going the extra mile for a good cause never killed anybody…until now.

While everyone is expecting a “dead” body at the dress rehearsal, they are shocked to find one of their castmates actually dead. Suspicion falls on the late actor’s conniving girlfriend Sherry—who also happens to be the ex-wife of Jill’s main squeeze. Sherry is definitely a master manipulator. But is she a killer? It’s up to Jill to find out before it’s curtains for someone else.