November 17, 2018 – mjbreviewers

I’m so excited to be a stop on the blog tour for author Lena Gregory and her new release A Cold Brew Killing. This is the third book in her An All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mysteries Series. I read all the books in this series and they are awesome.

A Cold Brew Killing (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Lyrical Underground (November 6, 2018)
Print Length Approximately 250 Pages
Digital ASIN: B079R5Y14L

Purchase Links

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When an ice cream vendor discovers a frozen stiff, Florida diner owner Gia Morelli has to serve up some just desserts . . .

Gia has become good friends with Trevor, a fun, flirtatious bachelor who owns the ice cream parlor down the street from her popular All-Day Breakfast Café. Trevor has the scoop on all sorts of local attractions and activities. But when he bursts into her diner, trembling and paler than a pint of French Vanilla, she can tell something’s very wrong. Trevor points her toward his shop then passes out cold. When Gia runs down to his shop, she discovers a chilling sight—a dead body in the open freezer. But the ice cream man’s troubles are just beginning. The police suspect him of this murder a la mode, especially when details of his questionable past surface. Gia believes in her friend and is determined to clear his name and find the real cold-blooded killer before someone else gets put on ice . . .

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The characters are well rounded and well developed. Although Gia does not have a conventional family, she has a family of friends and co-workers who mean so much to her. I love the relationship between Gia and Savannah, it seems so warm and sincere. All of her relationships feel that way.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book was an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and drew me into the story from the very beginning. Boggy Creek and all of the shops and restaurants came to life in my mind and it is a place I would like to visit.

The mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace. There were plenty of twists and turns and red herrings thrown in and it was a difficult mystery to solve, which is fine with me.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. It has humor, personable characters, loving friendships and an intriguing mystery. I have read all the books in this series and they just keep getting better.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children.

When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/

When did you know that you wanted to be an author? What things, if any, influenced that decision?

I’ve always loved reading, and I loved curling up in bed with my kids at night and making up stories for them, but it wasn’t until my youngest son was born, and didn’t sleep through the night, that I decided to try writing my own novel. I mentioned it to my husband and then to my best friend, and they were both so supportive I figured it couldn’t hurt to try.

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With so many cozies being written today, what makes your books stand out from the crowd?

I like to think my characters stand out. I love introducing back stories for all of my characters, even some of the less prominent ones, and bringing their past histories into current situations. I also like a bit of suspense in my cozies, so my heroines often find themselves in dangerous situations.

Do you work from an outline or plot or do you just see where the characters take you?

I used to just wing it and write whatever came to mind as I went along, but now I tend to work from an outline. Since my books now tend to be contracted before they are written, I have to follow the outline I turned in. But I will admit, my characters sometimes get stubborn and outright refuse to follow my guidelines.

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Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you do anything special to get those reviews?

I do actually read my reviews, but I only comment on them if the reviewers are part of a blog tour I’m doing. Then I thank the reviewer for taking the time to read and review, regardless of whether the reviews are positive or negative. Other than that, I don’t do anything special to get reviews, but I am very appreciative any time someone takes the time to write a review for one of my books.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Follow your dreams! When I was in fifth grade, I wrote a story for a spelling class. The teacher insisted I didn’t write the story. In hindsight, I guess I should have felt flattered, but instead, I felt like she was accusing me of cheating. I never let anyone else read my writing after that, other than class assignments. If I could go back to that day, I’d tell my younger self to be more secure and confident, to keep on writing and never to give up on a dream no matter what.

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Do you think that the cover plays an important part in someone buying your book(s)? Who designs your book covers?

Absolutely! I think the cover plays a huge role in selling books. Since I’m contracted with publishers, they have a cover artist design the covers, but I do get input. I love when they include my ideas and create the perfect cover, better than I could have done for sure.

Please give us an insight into your main characters. What do you think makes them special?

Gia Morelli, the main character in the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, is an emotional mess. She’s been through more than she thinks she can handle. When she finally escapes her past in New York City and ends up in the small town of Boggy Creek, Florida, she thinks hard times are a thing of the past. She couldn’t be more wrong. I think what makes her special is that she keeps on going no matter what life throws at her. Even if she’s on the verge of giving up, she digs deep and finds a way to tough it out.

Cass Donovan, the main character in the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, was a psychologist until a tough year forced her to return home to Bay Island. Even though she’s been through a few life changing experiences, she still wants to dedicate herself to helping people, and she pursues her life-long dream of opening a psychic shop on the boardwalk, despite the fact that she’s not really psychic—or so she thinks. I think one of the things that makes Cass special is her ability to read people, to know what’s in their minds and their hearts and to want to help them.

What have you learned about yourself since becoming an author?

I have learned that I am not a patient person. Lol. I never really realized that I am terrible at waiting, and this is not the career for someone who has no patience. So, I’ve learned to adapt, sort of. I don’t think I’m any more patient than I was, but now I can at least focus on another project while the previous one is out on submission. And I only check my email about a hundred times a day, which is better than I used to do.

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Do you write full-time or part-time?

I still work a day job, so I am only able to write part-time, but I still sometimes spend forty to sixty hours a week writing if I am on a tight deadline.

What do your plans for future projects include?

I am currently writing book four, A Haunted Medium, in the Bay Island Psychic Mystery series and outlining book four in the All-Day Breakfast Café series. I’m also starting a new series about a house cleaner in the Hamptons, which I’m very excited about.

What do you think the hardest part of writing is? What is the easiest?

For me the hardest part of writing is getting the first rough draft done, especially the first half of the book. The easiest part is the first round of edits. Once the story is down, I love going through and fleshing it out and making my characters come to life.

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What type of books do you like to read? Who are some of your favorite authors?

In addition to cozy mysteries, I also love to read suspense, fantasy, and YA. Some of my all-time favorite authors include JRR Tolkien, Margaret Mitchell, JK Rowling, Kay Hooper, Allison Brennan, Nora Roberts (JD Robb), and Janet Evanovich.

What is the one thing you would like your readers to know about you?

I am an insomniac, and I love chatting, so I can often be found on facebook late at night. I am also an admin of the Cozy Mystery Crew on Facebook. We chat about cozies, real life, pretty much everything, so if you love cozy mysteries and you’d like to join, we’d love to have you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1757692634274149/?ref=bookmarks

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Do you have anything specific you would like to say to your readers?

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Every time someone reaches out to let me know they enjoyed one of my stories, whether on social media, by email, or through a kind review, it makes me so happy.

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