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Cape Bay Cafe Mystery #4
Lattes, Ladyfingers, and Lies
From 3x USA TODAY Bestselling Author Harper the 4th cozy mystery in the popular series set in a charming beach town!Fran is anticipating her trip to Italy with Matty… until a precious diamond ring is stolen from the town’s jewelry store and an employee is murdered. Fran suspects the storeowner of insurance fraud, but what if she’s wrong? Would her life be at stake again if she butts in on another police investigation?Includes two recipes!
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2016
175 people are currently reading
680 people want to read
About the author
Harper Lin
90 books931 followersHarper Lin is the 3x USA Today Bestselling Author of several popular cozy mystery series—8 and counting!
When she’s not reading or writing mysteries, she loves going to yoga class, hiking, and baking with friends and family.
Be the first to hear about early bird discounts and new book releases by signing up for Harper's Newsletter: https://goo.gl/R7XmFR
www.harperlin.com
When she’s not reading or writing mysteries, she loves going to yoga class, hiking, and baking with friends and family.
Be the first to hear about early bird discounts and new book releases by signing up for Harper's Newsletter: https://goo.gl/R7XmFR
www.harperlin.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
November 8, 2020
Es ist immer etwas traurig, wenn man eine Reihe abschliessen kann. Einerseits freut man sich, andererseits ist es schade, von lieb gewonnenen Figuren Abschied nehmen zu müssen. Für mich ist es in Bezug auf diese Reihe definitiv so.
Ich werde Fran, Cape Bay und das Cafe sehr vermissen. Aber es ist genau der richtige Band, um abzuschliessen. Auch wenn es eigentlich die Mitte der Serie ist. Für mich jedoch ein schöner und gefühlsmässig passender Abschluss.
Tschüss, Fran. Es hat mich gefreut, dich kennengelernt zu haben und es hat mir sehr viel Spass gemacht, Zeit mit dir und deinen Freunden zu verbringen.
Ich werde Fran, Cape Bay und das Cafe sehr vermissen. Aber es ist genau der richtige Band, um abzuschliessen. Auch wenn es eigentlich die Mitte der Serie ist. Für mich jedoch ein schöner und gefühlsmässig passender Abschluss.
Tschüss, Fran. Es hat mich gefreut, dich kennengelernt zu haben und es hat mir sehr viel Spass gemacht, Zeit mit dir und deinen Freunden zu verbringen.
November 27, 2021
Delightful series.
December 30, 2019
This is a pretty twisty turny installment in this light-as-a-latte mystery series, though it is getting to be a bit unbelievable that this tiny town should have so much crime, not to mention homicide.
Are we sure Fran isn't the murderer here? Because it seems like she might be the murderer. All this death only started after she returned to town, after all.
Here, a jewellery story clerk is killed, presumably in the course of a robbery in which a huge and valuable diamond ring is stolen, and while Fran tries to stay out of it, excited for her forthcoming trip to Italy with boyfriend Matt, she naturally gets drawn into the web of deceit and awful people that surround the mystery.
A quick note on secondary characters -- Fran's employee Sammy's burgeoning relationship with the handsome new cop in town, Ryan, is very cute.
Are we sure Fran isn't the murderer here? Because it seems like she might be the murderer. All this death only started after she returned to town, after all.
Here, a jewellery story clerk is killed, presumably in the course of a robbery in which a huge and valuable diamond ring is stolen, and while Fran tries to stay out of it, excited for her forthcoming trip to Italy with boyfriend Matt, she naturally gets drawn into the web of deceit and awful people that surround the mystery.
A quick note on secondary characters -- Fran's employee Sammy's burgeoning relationship with the handsome new cop in town, Ryan, is very cute.
July 28, 2019
Four books in and the series is settling comfortably into the caffeinated version of your typical whodunnit/ Scooby Doo wholesome mystery series. Fran's group of friends is expanding, as is her adorable relationship with Matt (Te Amo!). Fran's small town insights/ gossip and her crotchety "teenagers these days" grumpiness is eyeroll-worthy; I'm hoping that she doesn't turn out to be a Mary Sue who can do no wrong. Even simple, fun reads should have characters that are allowed to develop and grow beyond the perfect boundaries of expectation.
June 13, 2017
AudioBook Review:
Stars: Overall 4 Narration 4 Story 5
By the fourth book, the main characters in this story are well-developed and feel like friends. Not hard to do with Fran, local café owner and part-time detective, she’s got a full plate. She and Matt are readying for their long-awaited trip to Italy, and between arranging for her time away and packing, she’s not got time for yet another suspicious death. But, things will happen and the body of Georgina, one of the clerks in the store is found and the most expensive ring available in the store is missing. Fran really doesn’t have time for this, and she really tries to not get involved….
But, questions arise: why was Dean called by the alarm company and the police not notified? Why only one, the most expensive ring, stolen when all the other items in the store were left behind? Who wanted Georgina dead and what did she know? Those are obvious questions to Fran, perhaps not so obvious to the police, and she does, after much discussion with Matt, put on her deerstalker and start to ask questions.
Quite quickly, with several twists and turns, she has a concrete list of suspects: and the story just keeps bringing more fun! I certainly didn’t expect several of the twists, and the actual culprit was one that I had dismissed early on: probably why I read mysteries and don’t solve them! Completely enjoyable with plenty of references to past cases and questions, this is a series that is easy to pick up mid-way in: Lin takes the time to present information that will explain and elucidate new to the series readers without bogging down the story for those familiar to it, this engaging installment will keep you interested.
Narrated again by Marguerite Gavin, she provides a sense of ‘knowing’ the characters and stores that brings a solidity to her performance, without getting stale. Each character is distinctly placed and performed, small tics and nuances for each that were established early in the series carry through in this installment, making it easy to distinguish and remember each character – a bonus when you are following a series from the beginning. Another wonderful installment and pairing of narrator, author and book to make this a fun series for fans of small town cozies.
I received an AudioBook title from Tantor audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Stars: Overall 4 Narration 4 Story 5
By the fourth book, the main characters in this story are well-developed and feel like friends. Not hard to do with Fran, local café owner and part-time detective, she’s got a full plate. She and Matt are readying for their long-awaited trip to Italy, and between arranging for her time away and packing, she’s not got time for yet another suspicious death. But, things will happen and the body of Georgina, one of the clerks in the store is found and the most expensive ring available in the store is missing. Fran really doesn’t have time for this, and she really tries to not get involved….
But, questions arise: why was Dean called by the alarm company and the police not notified? Why only one, the most expensive ring, stolen when all the other items in the store were left behind? Who wanted Georgina dead and what did she know? Those are obvious questions to Fran, perhaps not so obvious to the police, and she does, after much discussion with Matt, put on her deerstalker and start to ask questions.
Quite quickly, with several twists and turns, she has a concrete list of suspects: and the story just keeps bringing more fun! I certainly didn’t expect several of the twists, and the actual culprit was one that I had dismissed early on: probably why I read mysteries and don’t solve them! Completely enjoyable with plenty of references to past cases and questions, this is a series that is easy to pick up mid-way in: Lin takes the time to present information that will explain and elucidate new to the series readers without bogging down the story for those familiar to it, this engaging installment will keep you interested.
Narrated again by Marguerite Gavin, she provides a sense of ‘knowing’ the characters and stores that brings a solidity to her performance, without getting stale. Each character is distinctly placed and performed, small tics and nuances for each that were established early in the series carry through in this installment, making it easy to distinguish and remember each character – a bonus when you are following a series from the beginning. Another wonderful installment and pairing of narrator, author and book to make this a fun series for fans of small town cozies.
I received an AudioBook title from Tantor audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
June 29, 2018
Francesca Amaro is glad the busy summer season is over at Antonia's cafe. She's really really looking forward to her upcoming trip to Italy with Matt. She is fretting over what she will wear though. When she overhears a group of book club women discussing a recent death, Fran is shocked and dismayed to discover her new friend Georgina was the latest dead body in Cape Bay! While she didn't know Georgina well, Fran knows Georgina didn't deserve to die. The police feel Georgina was a victim of a robbery and merely in the wrong place and the wrong time. Dean, proprietor of the jewelry store where Georgina worked, thinks his employee was deliberately murdered and asks Fran to investigate. Fran grabs Latte and sets out to solve the latest case!
This is such a fun series. The mystery was really good. I never figured out who did it until Fran made her confrontation. I was one half step ahead of her. I actually suspected the same person Fran did initially. It seemed pretty obvious to me. I didn't guess any of the other suspects at all. I only had one other inkling of who it might be but I was wrong. This story didn't quite follow the pattern of the two others I read. It does pick up where the third book left off but a few months later and one mention of another murder solved. This mystery can stand alone but it's better to read in order for the relationship plot.
I still like Fran but really... her investigating techniques are a little silly. Why would anyone point blank ask a murder suspect if they killed someone? That makes no sense. At the end she made me cringe when she went to confront the suspect. I liked that she DID NOT do that in the second book. In order to love this genre, you just have to go with the flow and suspend disbelief so I did. I couldn't believe Fran had no idea what a quarterback does. She must be the ONLY woman in ALL of New England who doesn't know. She does seem to know who Tom Brady is but not what he does. He's the throwing guy Fran... everyone knows that even me and I don't even worship at the altar of Brady. (Sorry guys he's just not that special...) I was thrilled that Fran and Matt's relationship heated up a notch! They're practically living together now. This is good. I like Matt. He's a great guy and he loves Latte. I LOVE the way they talk to Latte! Fran is Mommy and Matt accepts that. He loves Latte as much as Fran does. Latte is more of a sidekick in this story. He's really really cute but I wish he had more of a role in the mystery plot. One minor quibble on authenticity: did the author even look at this breed of dog? They're much larger than a small hole under a fence and certainly not what I would describe as little. Maybe Latte IS a mixed breed.
At the cafe we get to know the employees better. Sammy seems to have broken up with her loser boyfriend and started flirting with Ryan, a policeman on the force with Mike Stanton. They are soooo cute together! I look forward to that relationship developing and deepening. Rhonda is another employee and at first I didn't like her because she seemed a little harsh and mean. It turns out she just likes to give people a hard time and she means well. I was surprised she got Fran to shop at Neiman's though. Too bad Filene's Basement is closed. That's where she would have gone with her mom and grandmother growing up! Mike has more of a role here. He's the detective assigned to murder cases and knowing Fran since childhood he knows what she's thinking. I love the PR spin she put on her investigation but Mike is too smart for that. Mike loves Fran like a sister and wants her to be safe. I like how he knows what to say to her and accepts that he can't change her, only warn her to be careful and not break the law. I dislike how Mike is one of the few characters who has a Massachewzits accent. The reader, Marguerite Gavin, does a passable job with the accents but it's not quite accurate. She needs to draw out those vowels more. It may not be noticable to outsiders but for those of us who hear it every day we know what it sounds like.
The new characters are not super likable. Deb, a book club member, is a total nasty pill. What bug got up her butt? She's rude to everyone and tests even Fran's perkiness. There's also Dean, owner of the jewelry shop. He seems like a somewhat shady character to me. I think he would be more shaken up at discovering the body of an employee at his store! I didn't like how he urged Fran to investigate when she didn't want to. He planted seeds in her head to make her conduct her own investigation and of course solve the mystery for the police. Georgina may have given him a hard time but she didn't deserve to die. Her ex-boyfriend Alex is either a creepy stalker or an immature young man not ready to settle down depending on who you ask. Sean another suspect is a loser and completely unsympathetic. He could have murdered Georgina and not cared at all. His girlfriend Sabine is a piece of work. Her attitude did not endear me to her and I didn't understand why she kept pushing Sean to buy her a ring that was well beyond his means and that Dean didn't want to sell anyway. Like Mike, Sean and Sabine have Massachusetts accents and theirs are more tough guy than authentic.
I'm warming up to the reader, Marguerite Gavin. I think she sounds more like Fran, an older lady, than perky 30-something Francesca. I like her male voices very much and I can usually tell who is speaking from her voices. Not always though. I love this series so much! I can't wait to backtrack and read the third, then I have to request the library buy the 5th!
This is such a fun series. The mystery was really good. I never figured out who did it until Fran made her confrontation. I was one half step ahead of her. I actually suspected the same person Fran did initially. It seemed pretty obvious to me. I didn't guess any of the other suspects at all. I only had one other inkling of who it might be but I was wrong. This story didn't quite follow the pattern of the two others I read. It does pick up where the third book left off but a few months later and one mention of another murder solved. This mystery can stand alone but it's better to read in order for the relationship plot.
I still like Fran but really... her investigating techniques are a little silly. Why would anyone point blank ask a murder suspect if they killed someone? That makes no sense. At the end she made me cringe when she went to confront the suspect. I liked that she DID NOT do that in the second book. In order to love this genre, you just have to go with the flow and suspend disbelief so I did. I couldn't believe Fran had no idea what a quarterback does. She must be the ONLY woman in ALL of New England who doesn't know. She does seem to know who Tom Brady is but not what he does. He's the throwing guy Fran... everyone knows that even me and I don't even worship at the altar of Brady. (Sorry guys he's just not that special...) I was thrilled that Fran and Matt's relationship heated up a notch! They're practically living together now. This is good. I like Matt. He's a great guy and he loves Latte. I LOVE the way they talk to Latte! Fran is Mommy and Matt accepts that. He loves Latte as much as Fran does. Latte is more of a sidekick in this story. He's really really cute but I wish he had more of a role in the mystery plot. One minor quibble on authenticity: did the author even look at this breed of dog? They're much larger than a small hole under a fence and certainly not what I would describe as little. Maybe Latte IS a mixed breed.
At the cafe we get to know the employees better. Sammy seems to have broken up with her loser boyfriend and started flirting with Ryan, a policeman on the force with Mike Stanton. They are soooo cute together! I look forward to that relationship developing and deepening. Rhonda is another employee and at first I didn't like her because she seemed a little harsh and mean. It turns out she just likes to give people a hard time and she means well. I was surprised she got Fran to shop at Neiman's though. Too bad Filene's Basement is closed. That's where she would have gone with her mom and grandmother growing up! Mike has more of a role here. He's the detective assigned to murder cases and knowing Fran since childhood he knows what she's thinking. I love the PR spin she put on her investigation but Mike is too smart for that. Mike loves Fran like a sister and wants her to be safe. I like how he knows what to say to her and accepts that he can't change her, only warn her to be careful and not break the law. I dislike how Mike is one of the few characters who has a Massachewzits accent. The reader, Marguerite Gavin, does a passable job with the accents but it's not quite accurate. She needs to draw out those vowels more. It may not be noticable to outsiders but for those of us who hear it every day we know what it sounds like.
The new characters are not super likable. Deb, a book club member, is a total nasty pill. What bug got up her butt? She's rude to everyone and tests even Fran's perkiness. There's also Dean, owner of the jewelry shop. He seems like a somewhat shady character to me. I think he would be more shaken up at discovering the body of an employee at his store! I didn't like how he urged Fran to investigate when she didn't want to. He planted seeds in her head to make her conduct her own investigation and of course solve the mystery for the police. Georgina may have given him a hard time but she didn't deserve to die. Her ex-boyfriend Alex is either a creepy stalker or an immature young man not ready to settle down depending on who you ask. Sean another suspect is a loser and completely unsympathetic. He could have murdered Georgina and not cared at all. His girlfriend Sabine is a piece of work. Her attitude did not endear me to her and I didn't understand why she kept pushing Sean to buy her a ring that was well beyond his means and that Dean didn't want to sell anyway. Like Mike, Sean and Sabine have Massachusetts accents and theirs are more tough guy than authentic.
I'm warming up to the reader, Marguerite Gavin. I think she sounds more like Fran, an older lady, than perky 30-something Francesca. I like her male voices very much and I can usually tell who is speaking from her voices. Not always though. I love this series so much! I can't wait to backtrack and read the third, then I have to request the library buy the 5th!
May 29, 2024
This one was a lot of fun.
July 12, 2025
Cute but I once again I don’t really ship mat and her and the whole “I love you” thing was really annoying to me, the plot twist was ok but not the best!
March 28, 2018
Fran is excited to be taking a vacation to Italy with her boyfriend Matty. Things are going so great for them but before they can go someone steals a diamond and a store employee is murdered. Fran hates what happened to the lady because she would come into the cafe and can't help getting involved. She has till they leave to go to Italy to solve the crime.
I like this series as they are nice and short but still very good mysteries as I really wasn't sure whodunit though I had my suspicions. I like Fran and she is very good at figuring things out and it's been fun reading/listening about her and Matty. He was a friend from her younger years and she is wondering why she never seen him as a potential boyfriend before now.
I like this series as they are nice and short but still very good mysteries as I really wasn't sure whodunit though I had my suspicions. I like Fran and she is very good at figuring things out and it's been fun reading/listening about her and Matty. He was a friend from her younger years and she is wondering why she never seen him as a potential boyfriend before now.
July 10, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Cape Bay Cafe mysteries and each book is written so that you can start off anywhere in the series and not feel the least bit lost. Fran is planning a vacation to Italy when she finds out her friend who works in the jewelry store down the street has been murdered. She has one week before her vacation to solve the murder and there are a number of suspects to consider. This was a very fast paced and enjoyable read. I highly recommend!
July 18, 2017
The mystery plot for this book is probably the strongest for the series, again it was logical and the killer was a character in the book, that had been mentioned before the solution was given. Same strong points as before, characters are great, same weaknesses for the earlier books, length and depth of the book not long or deep enough.
May 10, 2017
Another super entry to this fine series
I have been really enjoying this series, set in a small Cape town in Massachusetts. Smart, personable characters, a cozy family-owned cafe, and excellent editing contribute to an easy, enjoyable read.
I have been really enjoying this series, set in a small Cape town in Massachusetts. Smart, personable characters, a cozy family-owned cafe, and excellent editing contribute to an easy, enjoyable read.
July 25, 2020
Francesca is in her mid-thirties and worked in New York for many years in PR. She moved back home to run the family Italian café in a small town in Massachusetts when her mother passed away a couple months ago.
A jewelry store across the street from Fran's café was robbed one night and Georgina, an employee, was killed during the break-in. The robber/killer only stole one thing ... a $50,000 ring. Fran is curious so goes over to talk with Dean, the owner. Because she has a reputation of solving murders, he asks her to investigate and, though she is heading to Italy next week on vacation with her boyfriend, Matt, of course, she does. There are many who could have robbed the store and killed Georgina.
This is the fourth in the Cape Bay Cafe Mystery Series (I've read the first three) by this author. It is written in first person perspective in Fran's voice. The "whodunnit" and ending came together really quickly (as always). Fran solves the mystery on day three, ahead of the police (as always), which is unbelievable considering she is just a café owner.
I keep reading them because they are a quick light read. It is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. Fran has been dating Matt for a couple months and in this book, there is finally some kissing. I'm assuming there is more going on considering they are heading to Italy for two weeks.
There are recipes at the end.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/07...
A jewelry store across the street from Fran's café was robbed one night and Georgina, an employee, was killed during the break-in. The robber/killer only stole one thing ... a $50,000 ring. Fran is curious so goes over to talk with Dean, the owner. Because she has a reputation of solving murders, he asks her to investigate and, though she is heading to Italy next week on vacation with her boyfriend, Matt, of course, she does. There are many who could have robbed the store and killed Georgina.
This is the fourth in the Cape Bay Cafe Mystery Series (I've read the first three) by this author. It is written in first person perspective in Fran's voice. The "whodunnit" and ending came together really quickly (as always). Fran solves the mystery on day three, ahead of the police (as always), which is unbelievable considering she is just a café owner.
I keep reading them because they are a quick light read. It is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. Fran has been dating Matt for a couple months and in this book, there is finally some kissing. I'm assuming there is more going on considering they are heading to Italy for two weeks.
There are recipes at the end.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/07...
December 10, 2019
Franny and Mattie are getting ready to go on their dream trip to Italy to see where their families came from. Just before they can go, there is a robbery with a murder near Franny's cafe and the shop owner asks Franny to find out who could possibly have murdered the woman, only stealing one item. She does this because she really wants to bring justice to the woman for her death. She does what she does best, she asks questions and learns so much.
The story was interesting as it showed her process of learning things about the people involved. It also explained the old adage, "Why buy the cow if you get the milk for free." It also asked questions about why is this only said to women and never to men.
The story was interesting as it showed her process of learning things about the people involved. It also explained the old adage, "Why buy the cow if you get the milk for free." It also asked questions about why is this only said to women and never to men.
November 3, 2020
By far the worst book of the series. A bit boring compared to the others and I wished we could hear more about Francesca and Matts trip to Italy.
Not my favourite. Still feeling the coziness but I hope she’s not continuing the series because she feels like she has to.
Not my favourite. Still feeling the coziness but I hope she’s not continuing the series because she feels like she has to.
June 12, 2022
Fun and easy read, everything I was hoping for in another installment of the Cape Bay Mystery series. The characters feel more developed & mature in this book, but maybe I'm the one who's grown since the last book 😅.
November 21, 2024
This is the 4th book in the Cape Bay Cafe Mystery series and I've enjoyed them all...nothing earth-shaking but fun reads. In this installment, Fran, the owner of a coffee shop, is getting ready to go to Italy with her boyfriend, Matt; however, as it goes with each book she gets wrapped up in a murder to solve and she's very good at solving murders. It was another quick and fluffy cozy mystery read and I'll continue the series.
April 11, 2020
Another mystery solved!
Following Fran's adventures as she somehow gets pulled into solving yet another murder. The way she picks up on clues is great!
Following Fran's adventures as she somehow gets pulled into solving yet another murder. The way she picks up on clues is great!
November 23, 2020
i'm italian
February 26, 2022
A great mystery in a favorite series of mine. The mysteries are always well done, and I really enjoy the characters. Excited to be reading on this set.
March 17, 2025
Platform: E-Book
Book four was a good change of pace and plot line; however, it is a bit unrealistic how many crimes are occurring after Francesca moved to Cape Bay. It is interesting how many people open up to Fran regarding their knowledge about xyz - such as the Jewelry Store’s employee in the park with her dog. The ending was absolutely adorable with Matty & Fran in Italy! I am excited to see how the relationship between Sammy & Ryan plays out in the rest of the series.
Book four was a good change of pace and plot line; however, it is a bit unrealistic how many crimes are occurring after Francesca moved to Cape Bay. It is interesting how many people open up to Fran regarding their knowledge about xyz - such as the Jewelry Store’s employee in the park with her dog. The ending was absolutely adorable with Matty & Fran in Italy! I am excited to see how the relationship between Sammy & Ryan plays out in the rest of the series.
March 18, 2024
Easy, peasy, lemon squeezey energy. This series is a cozy, easy to digest time. I’ve had a lot on my mind, so it’s been great to just sit back and listen to these on the way to work or before bed. Definitely not a perfect series, and I’d describe it more as just cozy stories with a random murder than a murder mystery. It’s good enough for comfort nonetheless. :)
August 28, 2024
Continuing to love this series!
The points this particular volume loses are my own fault, but this is my own review so I get to decide that--sorry! Essentially, I listened to this one (as I do with the other books) usually in one or two "sittings" (my long commute to work). However, with this specific book, I had a long gap between reading the rest of the book and reading the last 2-3 chapters. This led to some confusion I believe in the last chapters of the book, although I think some of this confusion would have been present anyway...
That being said, I once again appreciated the "who" of the whodunnit and the motivation as well. I feel like this aspect gets stronger with every book. Although it does always feel a bit of a mad rush at the end--I suppose that's what a "climax" of the book is for, but I'd love a slowburn volume to shake things up.
Another thing I appreciated about this book was the development of side characters and relationships. That was something I'd been hoping to see more, so having these moments of bonding between Fran and Sammy, and Fran and Rhonda (her part-time employee who is a mother to two boys). That felt very natural, and we got to see Fran sort of accept this new/old town and ingratiate herself with the people there more. I loved seeing that and seeing the natural female friendships develop as well! Sammy really shone as a side character in this book I believe. I've been loving her character <3
Also, the relationship between Fran and Matty saw natural and needed development. I appreciated that and the ending of this book in particular felt like such a sweet nod to their relationship. I usually don't care too much about romantic plotlines, but these two are cute and are such a healthy couple. While reading, you never doubt the fact that they'll be together forever.
Overall, a solid entry into the series that is brought down only by my own pause in reading it--whoops!
The points this particular volume loses are my own fault, but this is my own review so I get to decide that--sorry! Essentially, I listened to this one (as I do with the other books) usually in one or two "sittings" (my long commute to work). However, with this specific book, I had a long gap between reading the rest of the book and reading the last 2-3 chapters. This led to some confusion I believe in the last chapters of the book, although I think some of this confusion would have been present anyway...
That being said, I once again appreciated the "who" of the whodunnit and the motivation as well. I feel like this aspect gets stronger with every book. Although it does always feel a bit of a mad rush at the end--I suppose that's what a "climax" of the book is for, but I'd love a slowburn volume to shake things up.
Another thing I appreciated about this book was the development of side characters and relationships. That was something I'd been hoping to see more, so having these moments of bonding between Fran and Sammy, and Fran and Rhonda (her part-time employee who is a mother to two boys). That felt very natural, and we got to see Fran sort of accept this new/old town and ingratiate herself with the people there more. I loved seeing that and seeing the natural female friendships develop as well! Sammy really shone as a side character in this book I believe. I've been loving her character <3
Also, the relationship between Fran and Matty saw natural and needed development. I appreciated that and the ending of this book in particular felt like such a sweet nod to their relationship. I usually don't care too much about romantic plotlines, but these two are cute and are such a healthy couple. While reading, you never doubt the fact that they'll be together forever.
Overall, a solid entry into the series that is brought down only by my own pause in reading it--whoops!
July 10, 2016
This is the fourth book in the Cape Bay Cafe Mystery series, and this time Fran tries not to get involved in a murder just down the block from her cafe. However, her sense of justice for the dead woman is just too strong to avoid. So, with a week until she and Matt go on their long awaited trip to Italy, Franny multi tasks between running the cafe, preparing to leave on vacation, and finding a murderer. If anybody can do all that, it has to be Fran! Although she discussed the murder with Matt, he doesn't offer help or suggestions this time around. Whether it was the time pressure of her trip or the fact that she has gotten better at crime solving I couldn't say, but she certainly seemed to narrow down the suspects in a hurry. What results is an enjoyable read with some surprising twists.
As with any series, I recommend you read the books in order, insuring that you know the main characters and all references that are made about past mysteries. However not everyone does that as I realize. In this case, Ms Lin is careful to give you details that allow you to understand and enjoy this story almost as much as if you had read the previous books.
As with any series, I recommend you read the books in order, insuring that you know the main characters and all references that are made about past mysteries. However not everyone does that as I realize. In this case, Ms Lin is careful to give you details that allow you to understand and enjoy this story almost as much as if you had read the previous books.
July 7, 2016
This author never fails to surprise me with her great storylines. Fran has been asked by Dean, the owner of the local jewelry store, to investigate the murder of an employee and the theft of a very expensive ring. Fran will need to figure out if it was murder was part of a robbery gone wrong or if the deceased was actually the intended murder victim. Fran has to investigate the murder while also trying to get ready for her trip to Italy with her love Mattie. This story is full of mystery, murder, intrigue, romance and friendships. I love this author’s books because I have a really hard time figuring out what really happened. I am always intrigued from beginning to end.
July 10, 2016
Another winner for Harper Lin. Enjoyable story.
Fran is taking a vacation. Matt is taking her to Italy. She doesn’t really have time for murder. So she is on a deadline to figure out the newest robbery and murder in her town before vacation begins. She does jump from suspect to suspect asking questions and being her nosy self. I like the friendly coffee shop and the group of gals that work there. The customers are interesting and the setting makes it a place I would enjoy. Even the detectives seem friendlier in this book. Or maybe they just expect Fran will butt in so why fight it! I liked the book.
Fran is taking a vacation. Matt is taking her to Italy. She doesn’t really have time for murder. So she is on a deadline to figure out the newest robbery and murder in her town before vacation begins. She does jump from suspect to suspect asking questions and being her nosy self. I like the friendly coffee shop and the group of gals that work there. The customers are interesting and the setting makes it a place I would enjoy. Even the detectives seem friendlier in this book. Or maybe they just expect Fran will butt in so why fight it! I liked the book.
July 10, 2016
Matt and Fran are one week away from their dream trip to Italy when another murder takes place. This time it happens in the Howard Jewelry store, and Georgina Rockwell has been killed in what appears to be a robbery gone wrong. Problem is only 1 ring is gone....the most expensive ring the in the whole store. Why would anyone take just 1 ring out of all those displayed in the cases? Who would want Georgina killed? Why did the alarm company call Dean Howard instead of the police when the alarm went off? Can Fran solve this murder before her trip to Italy?All she knows is that she owes it to her friend Georgina to solve this terrible crime. For the answers to these questions read the book.
September 25, 2016
Murder occurs at the jewelry down the street from Fran's café. The owner asks for her help to discover the murderer and thief of the $50,000 ring from the store. Fran, although told to stay out of it, gets involved.
I enjoy this series. I like how Fran's circle of friends is expanding and that we get a glimpse into their friendships. The story is good and I solve the murder at the same time Fran did. We both had the same suspects and logic.
This is a fun read. I hope there are more of Fran and company.
I enjoy this series. I like how Fran's circle of friends is expanding and that we get a glimpse into their friendships. The story is good and I solve the murder at the same time Fran did. We both had the same suspects and logic.
This is a fun read. I hope there are more of Fran and company.
July 28, 2016
I received a free copy of this e-book as part of the author's review crew - thank you, it's an honour!
As the fourth in the series, L,L&L certainly lives up to the standard. I have a feeling the plot and the mystery improve with each book. The crime in this sequel was definitely more gruesome and consequently more intriguing. I especially liked the ending and how the author always mnages to spice the plot up with some romance.
As the fourth in the series, L,L&L certainly lives up to the standard. I have a feeling the plot and the mystery improve with each book. The crime in this sequel was definitely more gruesome and consequently more intriguing. I especially liked the ending and how the author always mnages to spice the plot up with some romance.
March 9, 2018
Fran and Matt are getting ready for a two week trip to Italy when a robbery and murder takes place at the jewelry store down the street from her cafe. Fran as usual cannot keep from investigating the crime. Can she figure it out before the police & before she heads off to Italy? Pick up a copy and find out. This is the 4th book in the Cape Bay Mystery Series and I have read & enjoyed every one of them!
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