Hey there, it’s me, Jill Gardner, owner of South Cove’s one and only coffee bar. Well, coffee bar-bookstore combo. I’ve just been over to the high school where the drama coach lent me a bright red twenties flapper dress and a mobster suit including a fake Tommy gun and hat for Greg. We’re part of South Cove’s first ever, charity murder mystery dinner theater.
Yep, it’s another one of my Aunt Jackie’s big ideas, but I don’t think she’s the only one to blame for this production. The mystery book club she runs had a big part of convincing her that the play would be a good idea.
Now, I have to run to the monthly Business-to-Business meeting. Our newest shop owner, Sherry King, offered to host this time. Although I’m happy not to have the meeting at Coffee, Books, and More, I’m not so happy to be at Vintage Duds. I mean, I’ll be on Sherry’s turf and let’s just say the two of us don’t see eye to eye.
I know what you’re going to say, it’s because she is Greg’s ex-wife. But really, it’s not about Greg. He’s the only thing that the two of us have in common. I’m jeans and flip flops. Sherry’s designer dresses and hooker shoes, I mean, platforms. She puts more hair products in her hair in a day than I’ve owned in my lifetime. And I read real books in my spare time, while Sherry surfs celebrity sighting websites. Okay, maybe the last one’s totally made up and unfair. I do read, a lot. But I have no idea what Sherry does in her free time except hang with her bestie, Pat, and apparently shop for clothes since I’ve never seen her in the same outfit twice.
Or eat more than a bite of anything.
Okay, now that was snarky. I guess I better go into the shop for the meeting. I mean, how bad can it really be? The business owners get together, talk about any upcoming festivals, or ones that just finished, and then we adjourn and drink more coffee. Even Sherry can’t mess up a simple meeting like this.
Can she?
You can read more about Jill in Dressed to Kill, the fourth book in the “Tourist Trap” mystery series, published by Kensington. The first two books in the series are Guidebook to Murder and Mission to Murder.
About Dressed to Kill
Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books, and More in the tucked-away town of South Cove, California—is not particularly thrilled to be portraying a twenties flapper for the dinner theater murder mystery. Though it is for charity. . .
Of course everyone is expecting a “dead” body at the dress rehearsal. . .but this one isn’t acting! It turns out the main suspect is 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? Jill may discover the truth only when the curtain comes up on the final act. . .and by then, it may be far too late.
“Murder, dirty politics, pirate lore, and a hot police detective: Guidebook to Murder has it all! A cozy lover’s dream come true.” –Susan McBride, author of The Debutante Dropout Mysteries
About the author
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho native. If you’d visit the town where she grew up, you’d understand why her mysteries and romance novels focus around the depth and experience of small town life. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and two fur babies.
Find her at www.lynncahoon.com
Sounds like Sherry might be a bit of a problem.
Ha! Understatement of the year. 🙂 Glad you stopped in Sally.
Sounds interesting!
Hi Barbara, Glad to see you.
Good luck with the meeting! I hope everything goes okay.
I guess it depends on who you asked. 🙂
Looking forward to reading this one.
Thanks Dotty!
Thanks, just picked up my copy and it was great to see you bring it to life.
Hi Jeanie!!!!
I have so many books to read but this is one series with the first book in my weekly stack. Thank you for a chance.
I’m glad you’ve put Tourist Trap on the top of your list. Enjoy your trips to South Cove!
Sounds great, thanks for the chance 🙂
Thanks for stopping in Lisa!
This should be fun. I’d like to add it to my library.
I hope you try out all the Tourist Trap books. Guidebook to Murder starts the fun.
This is a fun series, thank you for the chance to win the next one in the series
Thanks for your comment. 🙂
This looks really good! Can’t wait to read it!
Thanks Jill!
Sounds like a great read.
Getting ready to start Mission to Murder, it’s up next on my list…I realized that it got buried on my kindle. Thanks for the chance to win this one.
Buried…lol…murder humor. 🙂
This sounds like a great book and I can’t wait to read it! Thanks Dru and
Lynn for the opportunity to win a copy! 🙂 I am new to this series, so I look forward to starting the series from the beginning. I appreciate learning about it…thanks!
Welcome to South Cove Barbara!
Thanks, Dru and Jill/Lynn. A coffee shop/bookstore…yes! I am, also, new to this series.
I loved hanging out at The Library at home. Coffeeshop with books all over the dining area.
Thanks for the chance to win.
You’re welcome Mary!
Would love to read more about Lynn and Sherry.
Lauigl [at] carolina [dot] rr [dot] com
Sherry’s a real character. 🙂
This just sounds wy too good! Love the interview, too!
Hope you try out South Cove Kathleen…
This sounds like a great adventure:) Thank you
Thanks for stopping in Penny!
I really enjoy this series.
Yay, Prentiss! So glad.
A must-read for me!!!
Thank you for the giveaway…..
Need to bump this series up on my list. Looks like a really fun read.