Dru’s Short Musing:
The author blends the art of creating cocktails and the magic of what reading brings in this delightfully engaging whodunit that immediately had me immersed in all aspects in this new cozy series.
This is a well-executed whodunit with crisp writing and a comfortable tone making it easy to follow along with what the author intended. The mystery is nicely defined with a solidly wicked multi-plot storyline with visually descriptive narrative and dialogue that moved the story forward. We meet the protagonist, Reece Parker, who owns a literary speakeasy and is holding a secret from his family. When he finds his customer dead outside his establishment, this propels Reece into investigating who wanted him dead and why and to save his business.
The author did a great job in crafting this mystery that kept me intrigued from beginning to end as I had to know who was doing what to whom. As Reece searches for clues, the situation gets a bit hairy especially when warned against further probing by both the police and the killer. As the story moves forward, the frenetic pacing increases as the pieces fall into place and the person left standing is the killer. Overall, this is a great start to this new series, and I can’t wait to see where we go next with Reece and his friends.
Series Name: A Mixology Lounge Mystery Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: September 9, 2025
Format: Digital, Print
Purchase Link
Book Synopsis:
Reece Parker is a mixologist—shaken by his recent breakup, stirred up in a mystery, and searching for proof of his innocence…
After breaking off an engagement with his fiancée, Reece Parker opens Subplot, a literary-themed underground cocktail lounge in his quaint hometown of Hope Mills, Pennsylvania.
While launching a new business temporarily distracts him from self-pity, Reece’s regret is compounded when he stumbles upon a customer’s body behind the lounge after a whiskey club meeting gone wrong. As if he wasn’t already on the rocks, his ex-fiancée’s big brother is a police officer on the case.
Reece takes matters into his own hands to prove his innocence, save his new lounge’s reputation, and restore peace in his beloved town. But as he seeks out the victim’s killer, will he meet his own bitter end?
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.