I like coffee.  I like tea. I like the Java Jive, and it likes me.

Ah yes, let’s head to the coffee shop for a cup of joe and a slice of murder! This cozy mystery takes place in Nashville and so, of course, the amateur sleuth is an aspiring singer with a grande dose of stage fright. A Whole Latte of Murder is the third book in Caroline Fardig’s Java Jive series published by Alibi, and after reading this one, I’m going to need to go back and read the other two.  There is some mild language in this one, but you will find the pacing of the story is excellent.

Meet the Author:

Caroline Fardig
Author

Caroline Fardig is the author of Death Before Decaf and the Lizzie Hart series. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

My Review

5 Stars

Juliet Langley, a coffee shop manager in Nashville tries to return a scarf and finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Even though she’s dating cop, Ryder Hamilton, she sets on her road to discovery along with old love and best friend Pete Bennet.  Readers are never sure just which guy Juliet really cares for in the story and that adds to the suspense. Juliet is all over the place solving the crime, and there was a pretty funny scene where she was signing up to be an escort in the name of investigation. The characters, the pacing and the crime are set up well.  The cover for this cozy mystery drew me in and the writing kept me there. Now I need to go back and read books 1 and 2 of the Java Jive Series.