Cold Brew Corpse: A Coffee Lover’s Mystery

In Lush’s enjoyable sequel to 2020’s Grounds for Murder, Lana Lewis, a former Miami crime reporter who has returned home to Devil’s Beach, Fla., can’t resist the chance to do some freelance work for the local newspaper by looking into the disappearance of Raina Rose, the owner of Dante’s Inferno, the yoga studio next door to Perkatory, Lana’s coffee shop. Lana’s search for answers leads to conflict with the paper’s newly hired and extremely flirtatious photographer, Cody Graves, and, more importantly, with Lana’s hunky love interest, the Devil’s Beach police chief. When Raina’s body turns up in a nature preserve, Lana discovers a host of murder suspects connected to Dante’s Inferno, including Raina’s boyfriend, who helped run the studio. Distinctive characters, including Lana’s stoner new age dad, complement the twisty plot. On the minus side, the reason for Lana’s cold brew blend tasting terrible, a concern that runs throughout the book, comes as a letdown. Those who prefer their whodunits without sex or strong language will be satisfied. Agent: Amanda Leuck, Spencerhill Assoc. (Dec.)