In the Drink

Mack's Bar Mystery #3

by Allyson K. Abbott

Mack’s Bar and its crime-solving clientele are quickly gaining notoriety for helping solve some high-profile cases. But Mack is learning the hard way that not all press is good press…

By day, Mackenzie "Mack" Dalton is the proprietress of a popular Milwaukee watering hole. But after last call, she uses her unique cocktail of extra perceptive senses to help solve some of the city’s most grisly homicides. Now, Mack and her barstool detectives are happy to help when Tiny, one of the bar’s newest patrons, asks them to look into his sister’s murder. Though the case has gone cold, Mack’s heightened senses quickly put her on the killer’s trail. But when a throng of reporters intrigued by her talents descends on Mack’s Bar, her efforts are muddled as a real-life Moriarty begins putting her infamous skills to the test, leaving Mack feeling shaken and stirred…

* Includes drink recipes *

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Fiction, Suspense, Ebooks

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2015

About the author

Allyson K. Abbott is a pseudonym used by Beth Amos, author of the suspense novels COLD WHITE FURY, EYES OF NIGHT, SECOND SIGHT, NICK OF TIME, and FACE OF DEATH. Beth is also the author of the Mattie Winston mystery series written under the pseudonym Annelise Ryan, which includes WORKING STIFF, SCARED STIFF, FROZEN STIFF, LUCKY STIFF, and BOARD STIFF.

Beth lives in Wisconsin, where she changes identities nearly every day.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I really liked this book and the characters. Mack seemed like someone I would want to hang around with. However, she needs to drop that Duncan dude. The story was good and definitely kept me interested.

My biggest peeve is that the book ends without the man crime being solved. I can see why TV shows do cliffhangers, so you will tune in next week. But books? It's usually a year down the road when you get the next one. For me it's not a cliffhanger, it's a buzz kill. With as many books as I read, I will have forgotten about this one by then. For those who don't read so much, I guess it would be okay. So if your into cozy mystery series with the ending, "wait until the next book", this would be a good one for you.

Anyways, that's why I took off a half star because of the ending not being there. I'm not saying I wouldn't read this author again, I probably would, just wish I knew who did it.

I want to thank Kensington books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this e-galley.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this series and found this third book to be a solid entry in the series. Mack Dalton is an interesting protagonist both because of her condition and how she comes across the page. To me, she is an interesting mix of an independent woman but also someone who is looking for a connection. This book, for me, focused a bit too much on her love life and had the potential to set up a love triangle (and I an not a fan of those). The secondary cast of characters known as the Capone Club complement Mack nicely and give her a solid foundation when she seems to become uncertain about her abilities and how she can help solve crime. There is a core group of secondary characters with some new additions and those that don't play as strong a role as others. There are two mysteries in this book. One is to solve a cold case - the murder of Tiny's sister. This is interwoven with a second mystery - an anonymous letter writer who threatens to harm Mack's friends if she cannot solve his letter puzzles. The murder of Tiny's sister is wrapped up nicely, but the other mystery is one that appears will carry over though the next several books. I'm not sure how I feel about the cliffhanger but I am very interested to see how this story line plays out so I will be borrowing the next book in the series from my local library.

[Casceil · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am furious with this author. I enjoyed the book while I was reading it, and might have given it four stars. I've followed this series since it started, and I really like the characters and setting. But this entire book is a set up for some future book. This book ends with everything up in the air. At the end of the book, a new murder has just occurred, which the main character will believe is her fault and get all angsty and guilty over, and the romantic triangle set up in this book is completely up in the air. I hate it when author's don't play fair with their readers, and this book is as unfair as it gets! Bad author! No biscuit!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Mack and Detective Duncan Albright’s relationship hits a huge bump in the road just when Mack needs him most. But he comes up with a plan to keep her safe as they try to figure out who is tormenting her with a mindboggling game of cat and mouse with deadly consequences.

The Capone Club is working on the cold case for one member of the group, Tiny. His sister was murdered and the cops never caught the killer. A few members are helping with Mack’s case too on the down-low. Both cases keep Mack and her friends busy while the bar is crowded with many new customers loving the new expansion. Hopefully soon Mack will get to enjoy the fruits of her labor too.

“Fail it and I will leave a body for you somewhere here in the city…It will be someone you know, someone who is close to you…”

This author knows how to grab her readers and hold on tight. Again there are two mysteries within the book, this time running concurrently. They are twisted together the entire way but only one is solved by the final page. At first, I was like NOOOO! Then I was thankful that I am reading this series now when the next book and each book in the rest of the series is in my TBR stacks, so I don’t have to wait months or a year for the next book to be released.

I really enjoy Mack’s unique gift of Synaesthesia and the way she deals with it. The fact that she now what to really use it to help others so much that she is having her reactions cataloged says so much about her as a person. She is still learning and understanding about her extra perceptive senses but is opening up more about them to people she trusts. She is an amazing character.

Ms. Abbott surrounds Mack with a great cast of supporting characters, regulars, and employees of the bar. This time she introduces us to Mal, an undercover cop who steps in to help Mack when Duncan can’t. This sets up a nice romantic triangle. It is too early to choose sides but Mal has definitely drawn my attention. M & M – Mack & Mal just may become a real thing.

Ms. Abbott is an interesting storyteller. She writes her mysteries in a fascinating way. In The Drink is a fine example of that. She has me hooked with engaging characters that I want to know more about and she has set her stories not far from where I live which adds an extra measure of delight. I am so excited for the next book in this series, Shots in the Dark. I will be grabbing a seat at Mack’s Bar again soon.

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first of the Mack's Bar Mysteries I've read, featuring bar owner Mackenzie "Mack" Dalton, who uses her synesthete talents to help solve crimes. In the Drink tells the story of two mysteries. The first is a cold case involving the sister of Tiny, a member of Mack's mystery-solving Capone Club, which is relatively straightforward and solved during the course of the book. The second, is a cat and mouse game between Mack and a mysterious person who sends her notes with riddles to solve, and if she doesn't do it in time, someone she knows gets killed. This part of the mystery does not get solved during the book, as a number of angry reviewers have noted.

I like Mack, and the synesthesia is a clever way to track down clues and solve crimes. She's got a big group of supporting characters, and I don't know if they all have something to do in the first two books, but Abbott could pare down the cast a bit and still have a good book. The writing is good, but not labeling it as a cliffhanger and trying to juggle the two mysteries left some holes in the plot.

[Verity W · Rating 3 out of 5]

****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review*****

I liked a lot about this - the characters are engaging and the set up is good, but see spoilers below for why I couldn't give this a higher grade.

There is no resolution to the mystery that is set up as the main point of the book. The secondary mystery is solved, but the principal, note-based mystery isn't - and that's a problem for me. The blurbo may give Tiny's sister's cold case as the main feature - but reading the book it's clearly the side order. And it doesn't work to not solve the mystery of who is sending the letters.
I would have given this 4/5 stars otherwise - because the synesthesia is a really neat device, well-explained and something I haven't seen used in cozy crime (or anywhere really) before. But the situation in the spoiler narked me so much I couldn't grade this higher

[Monica Gearhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this one 4 stars only because she left us hanging. I really enjoyed the book.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately fell in love with Mack and her story. As the owner of a bar in Milwaukee, most people are envious of Mack, thinking that she has it all. Sadly she doesn't. Mack lost her mother very early in Mack's life and she was raised by her father, who she had just recently lost. Not long after that Ginny, her dad's long time girl friend is murdered so I guess that Mack doesn't have it all. Assigned to the case is homicide detective Duncan Albright. Mack and Duncan soon become on again, off again friends with benefits. During the investigation it is discovered that Mack is a synesthetic, a neurogical disorder in which the senses are cross wired, and she has been for most of her life. As Mack helps discover the murderer, it is soon leaked to the press that Mack has "special abilities", which puts Mack's life and her friend’s lives at risk. After Mack receives anonymous notes in the mail, Mack's good friends and members of the Capone Club, which was previously formed as a crime solving team that would discuss real and made up cases and they decide to tackle this one. As Duncan can't be with Mack all the time, he asks Mal, who is an undercover cop, to keep an eye out for Mack. Becoming involved in not only the letter case, but also trying to solve the 12 year old murder of 2 young girls puts them all on high alert and at times being so stressed may push people to become strange bed fellows.

FTC Full Disclosure - A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series [which I didn't realize at the time] but after saying that, I don't think it made a difference, well, not to me, I seemed to be able to pick the story up well. Maybe its one of those 'themed' series which have the same main characters but issue different story plots.

This is what you call a 'cozy mystery' its nothing too deep, bit like Miss Marples, or a 'whodunnit' you watch like a little drama on TV on daytime telly. The ending not being finished and you need to watch the next episode.

However, I read a lot of books and leaving cliff hangers can be awesome if you get the complete series at one purchase, however, realistically it may be a year before you get the next book, by that time, I would have read so many other books I would have forgotten and had to recap.

If you don't read many books, and just pick one up now and again on your bedside table to read lightly before going to bed, then I would say, go for it. By the time you read this then the next book may be released, but for an avid reader like me I was left hanging, and now I shall want to know who it was........until.....another book grabs me and this one will fade into distant memory.


I would gladly read books by this author again and again, but with cliff hangers like this and having to wait ages for the next book, I would have to refresh my memory!

A first class Cozy Mystery.


*Thanks to the author and to Kensington Books for my copy to read and review *

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fictional Mackenzie Dalton owns a bar in my hometown of Milwaukee, WI, a fact that only served to increase my enjoyment of this cozy mystery. I had so much fun puzzling out this story and it was really great to mentally follow Mack around town.

Nestled inside the larger murderous plot is a secondary story that the Capone Club at Mack's bar tackles - a cold case murder of the sister of a Club member. At times, I thought this plot overtook the larger story; however, once I reached the massive cliffhanger ending, everything made more sense. (And who knows? Maybe author Allyson K. Abbott has some more interconnected secrets for we readers in the next book!)

Allyson K. Abbott crafts a chilling premise - an unknown sender is leaving cryptic (and time sensitive) notes for Mark, challenger her to live up to the recently published image of super sleuth the local paper has thrust on her. The motivation for Mack? If she doesn't play along, the sender will kill someone near to her. As a recent orphan, it's a risk Mack can't - and won't - take.

In the Drink is compulsively readable and will leave you eager for more!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a real soft spot for American cosy mysteries and have found some great reads through Net Galley.
Mackenzie runs a bar in Milwaukee and a group of customers discuss various crimes. She has a heightened senses skill set which is often helpful to solve murder cases ‘after hours’! But the media have become aware of her and this makes things more difficult.

I loved the characters – a little murder group! One of them wants help solving his sister’s murder. Will they be able to solve the crime? What danger might be unearthed?

This is part of a series and I am keen to read more. A selection of drink recipes is included at the back of the book.

With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.

[Shelley Giusti · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the start of this booked you get pulled into the story. Revisiting Mack and the bar is always a delight and if you add in a murder to solve it makes for the perfect book. The characters have grown so much they are like old friends waiting for a visit. The plot twist and story line will keep you so captivated that you will lose all sense of time.. I am eagerly waiting for the next one in this series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gah, cozy mysteries aren't supposed to not be resolved at the end. This series has veered into even less believable for a cozy mystery territory with the beginning of an apparently multi-book story arc about a taunting murderer who puts Mack on a scavenger hunt. I don't mind terribly much, since it's entertaining, and I actually enjoy being toured around the sites of Milwaukee. This book also introduces another love interest for Mack, resulting in the dreaded love triangle that I wasn't expecting to encounter outside of the YA genre. Surprisingly, I prefer the new guy, but maybe because their interactions are more believable, since they're supposed to be restrained, unlike the instalove with guy number one. I have to admit that the love triangle makes Mack come off in a slightly unflattering light, like she is needy and therefore prone to cheating.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stelle e mezza
Questo libro si chiude con un cliffhanger pazzesco perché c'è un pazzo che ha preso di mira la protagonista mandandola a fare una caccia al tesoro e ... non dico altro per non fare spoiler. In più si è aperto un triangolo nella sua vita amorosa e neanche io saprei chi scegliere fra i due uomini che se la contengono. Per quanto riguarda il cold case che è al centro della trama, avevo capito chi fosse il colpevole non appena apparso sulla scena, anche perché le sue motivazioni mi sono subito sembrate chiare.
Insomma fra il pazzoide e il triangolo mi sa che leggerò presto il libro successivo...

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one w/Mack & her crew.

And I really like how the writer sums up things so succinctly that if you’re starting in the middle or it’s been a while, you won’t be lost in who’s who & what’s what.

A killer is sending Mack anonymous notes with clues which causes the crew to undergo a scavenger hunt of sorts. Plus is there another guy on horizon for Mack’s heart? Hmm….

Great characters, intriguing mystery. I had a feeling but this one kept me guessing.

My negative is that it ended on a cliffhanger. Seriously, aye ya!!! ( so I deducted half a star)

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this entry in the series. Mack is a fun and interesting character. I enjoyed the cold case storyline as well as the cat and mouse one (at least in a cozy it’s not too creepy). The parts I didn’t like are the brewing love triangle and the continuing story arc (who knows when I’ll read the next book and what I may forget). The writing is good and even though this book was long it was a quick, easy read.

[Johnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first time to read this author and this series. Found it to be very interesting. The main character, Mack, has what is known as Synesthesia, where a sound can have a color or taste .......i actually looked this up to see if it was really a condition and low and behold it is. Made the story so interesting! Def a good read

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable mystery but why did the author have to bring another guy into the mix when she is still dating Duncan?? I'm not a huge fan of that when she is still clearly part of an item, but I guess we'll see how it plays out. There is one ongoing mystery in this one (and a fun scavenger hunt :-) ) that continues into the next book. Then there's the mystery for this novel. Mack's crew was a good distraction for today. Onto book 4 tomorrow!

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pissed! 1. Added a love triangle. 2. Main character became a mindless twit. 3. Didn’t solve the mystery. As in it ended mid story with a cliffhanger killing.

Won’t be reading more of these...even from library. Done with this series.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I don't usually like "one joke show" characteristics in mysteries. I got bored with Dexter before I finished the first book and never picked up another. But in this series the unusual characteristic that the heroine has doesn't come across as gimmicky in the least. This one ended on a cliffhanger -- not bad in my case because I already have the next book but I can imagine when it first came out there was some screaming to be heard in the land!

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was loving the series until this one- why the stupid love triangle nonsense and almost cheating troupe, way to ruin a good story and series. There’s a killer game, a murder to solve , blah blah but the relationship stuff overshadowed the mystery.

[Susan Moxley]

A awsime read that had me guessing.

[Juuli · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good but the book ends with a cliffhanger. I hate it. So, of course now I have to find the next story. Uhh.
3.5 stars

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this cozy series. The characters are great and the mysteries are always captivating.

Mack has a neurological condition called synesthesia. It allows her senses to be stimulated in a very special way. She can hear colors, taste feelings and see sounds. I’m so intrigued by this and it adds a cool twist for an amateur sleuth to utilize while solving various mysteries. In this storyline, someone is out to expose Mack’s ability and has turned it into a deadly game. She is given rather vague clues and has a limited time to solve it before the killer hurts someone close to her. This cat and mouse scenario added great suspense.

The Capone Club (a murder mystery group that meets at Mack’s bar) is picking up on the cold case mentioned in the last book. This mystery was equally intriguing. I really like the members of this group and was happy to see this one have a conclusion.

I’m not sure how I feel about the sudden love triangle that developed rapidly in this book. I always liked Duncan in the previous two books, but I honestly preferred Mal in this one. It just came out of nowhere though and I’m not a fan of Mack leading both on.

This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order. The author ends with perfectly planned cliffhangers. The books tend to pick up right where the pervious one ended and the storylines / mysteries do overlap.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It starts out rather ominously.

Mack ( Mackenzie Dalton) receives an anonymous letter touting her claim to being a top dog in crime solving.

The person challenges her to prove it by passing a series of tests. As she passes each test, she’ll move on the next one. A catch – each one is timed.

And there’s a chilling warning:

“Fail it and I will leave a body for you somewhere here in the city…It will be someone you know, someone who is close to you…”

She must do this on her own, no police, including her kind of boyfriend Detective Duncan Albright.

The test starts now and the letter is the first clue.

First off, this is the third book in the series and I haven’t read the others, so I worried about what I didn’t know. The author quickly filled me in on past events and I had no trouble with this installment.

Mack assisted the police in the past, first with her father’s murder and then with the murder of her father’s girlfriend. She has no claims of being a master sleuth. She’s a bar owner. She just wanted answers.

Mack’s is a synesthete, it’s a neuro disorder where the senses are cross-wired. An example is she can taste or see things that she smells. Also, her senses are extra acute, hearing things others don’t, smelling things others can’t. These things can be a great asset when trying to solve a crime. This can also help her sense when someone might be lying.

She’s kept it to herself for a long time. You can imagine the taunting Mack got from her peers when she was young, when she mentioned “music is too green”, or “apple is too loud”.

Someone leaked Mack’s ability to the press and her boyfriend, Detective Duncan was suspended for using her on a case. He eventually got his job back, but wasn’t allowed to use her on new cases.

Their budding romance is on the back burner because he’s been told to stay away from her or lose his job.

Mack knows she can’t handle this by herself, so she uses her crime solving group, the Capone Club, at her bar. They use real and made up crimes and try to solve them. Kind of just for fun, but one man wants the group to help with the cold case of his sister’s murder.

Now they have two real cases to solve.

Since Duncan can’t officially help Mack, and the psycho warned her not to tell anyone, he has a friend, Mal, an undercover cop, pose as her new beau so she won’t be left alone.

The tangled webs are woven.

Mack has a strong personality despite her insecurity about her disorder. I felt she was brave to expose herself to ridicule to help solve a crime. I liked her from the beginning.

It took a bit to warm up to Duncan. He was torn between his job and his attraction to Mack. You don’t get much about him in the beginning, but once the story gets rolling, you learn more. And when Mack feels a strong attraction to Duncan’s friend, Mal, things get really interesting.

Mack tastes chocolate when she thinks of Duncan. She savors the sweetness melting in her mouth. She also has the same sensation when thinking of Mal. Uh oh!

The plot is fantastic. So wicked. So twisted. This would be a great episode for the show Criminal Minds.

And the characters. I loved Mack and quickly became fond of Duncan and Mal. The secondary characters are too numerous to mention. I felt like I new them, the bar employees, the regular patrons, and the Capone Club. I bartended for almost twenty years and I could see their faces, recognize personalities.

Now we’ve reached the end of the book. Obviously I can say a word about it. But, I can say two – No Way!

I love suspense, thrillers, and mysteries, the creepier the better. Add in a frustrated romance, a possible poacher on said romance, and one sick, twisted villain, and I’m hooked til the end.

I received this book for my honest review.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mac Dalton stared at the letter unable to believe what said. Is it a joke or true? Later she learns that a friend is found MURDER. Mac can't asked Duncan to help her as the letter said not or someone would die. Mac is using her ability to since things to figure out clues in time. Members of the Capone Club are exploring the MURDER of Tiny, a bartender, of his sister that occurred several years ago. Will Mac be able to prevent another killing. This is the book in the series and I had no problem connecting with the characters.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Kensington Books through Netgalley for an honest review. I would very to thank them for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A synesthete as the protagonist?! Absolutely brilliant! Such an interesting affliction, and explained so well and blended seamlessly into this Wisconsin cozy. The Capone Club is a great amalgamation of interesting characters and add an extra boost to the two main mysteries. Plot twists aplenty, great descriptions of Milwaukee and an innovative heroine make for an enjoyable cocktail!

[Marcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointment.

A book with no ending and that "ended" on a horrible and depressing note. I read cozies for light escapism and this wasn't it. When I want a depressing read I look for one. I don't appreciate being smacked with one from a cozy.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this cozy mystery. The story starts out with Mack (Mackenzie Dalton) who owns a bar in Milwaukee receiving a letter that wishes to test her skills solving crimes. She has Synethesia which allows her to experience sounds, tastes, and smells differently than most people. She has used these skills in the past to help solve a couple of murders. Her boyfriend, Duncan, who is a detective has been told not to associate with her because of problems during a prior case. They are sneaking around trying to see each other but both are busy and it is causing problems for them. The letter also says not to involve him or people will die. One of the members of a "crime solving club" that meets at her bar has been murdered and she is afraid more will be.
The club is working on solving a cold case murder of the sister of one of its members. Mack is helping with this while also trying to figure out who is sending her these letters and how to keep others from being killed. Duncan wants her protected so he asks an undercover cop to keep an eye on her. They start the pretense of dating and they actually both have a definite attraction for each other which complicates things a bit.
I like the characters and the author has a unique angle by using the Synethesia. There were two stories going on in the book the main one I thought was the mystery letters which actually leads to a cliff hanger so need to read the next book and the secondary story of finding the killer in the cold case.

[Caitlin C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first two in this series quite a while ago and I had forgotten how much I liked them. The third one was even better than the first two and I liked it so much that as soon as I finished, I immediately started the 4th!

In the 3rd installment, Mack is trying to lay low and stay out of the spotlight after her recent involvement in helping her detective boyfriend, Duncan solve some murders. Mack has a unique set of skills, created by her having Synesthesia, a disorder which alters her senses and allows her to hear smells, or taste sounds.

There are two mysteries going on at once in this book. The Capone Club is helping one of their members, Tiny, solve the cold case mystery of his sister's death, 12 years ago. While investigating this case, Mack starts receiving letters which send her on a macabre cat scavenger hunt. The letter writer gives her obscure clues, sending her all over the city with the threat of if she does not make it by the deadline, someone close to her will die.

In order to keep Mack safe, Duncan asks his friend, Mal, who is currently undercover, to spend time with Mack and go with her on this treasure hunt of horrors. Mack and Mal (aptly named M&M) pretend to be dating so he can accompany her when she's goes in search of the next clue. No one expects that they will start developing feelings for one another. I am not sure how I feel about the love triangle. For right now, it's not too bad. We will see how it goes in the next one.