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Lemon Layne Mystery #2
Play That Funky Music White Koi
Twists, turns, and suspects aplenty!"My tiny town of Fig Harbor's just recovering from our last tango with murder, only to be faced with yet another—and this time, it sure looks an awful lot like a vampire's on the loose in the Pacific Northwest.Vampires are just Twilight fiction, right?I'm not so sure after a murder victim is found in my koi pond right next to my favorite fish, Koi George, (not good!) with bite marks on her neck, and a gothic antique chalice next to her body with what sure looks like blood residue.By now, everyone knows I can't keep my nose out of a good mystery. But when I literally try to stay out of the fray while our town conspiracy theorist is yelling vampires have invaded our beloved Fig Harbor, I have no choice but to gather up all the garlic I can buy and put my sleuthing shoes back on!”No way. Vampires aren't real. Period! Or are they?Find out in Play That Funky Music White Koi Book 2 of A Lemon Layne Mystery from USA Today bestselling cozy mystery author Dakota Cassidy. A Pacific Northwest mystery with amateur sleuth Lemon Layne, the best Sherlock Holmes wannabe west of the Mississippi!A Lemon Layne Mystery series by Dakota Cassidy1. Prawn of the Dead2. Play That Funky Music White KoiWhat readers are saying…"Lemon Layne and her friends are funny and fun. She is the best amateur detective ever!" ~Nancy"I love her relationships with her mom, Coco, Justice, and the other towns people. I can't wait for the next one!" ~BadgerGrad99"There is a crazy mix of suspects and the usual bunch of crazies at Lemon’s back that guarantee this to be a fun mix of murder and mayhem." ~D. Antonio
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2017
42 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Dakota Cassidy
167 books1,944 followersDakota Cassidy is a national bestselling author with over thirty books. She writes laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, grab-some-ice erotic romance, hot and sexy alpha males, paranormal shifters, contemporary kick-ass women, and more.
Invited by Bravo TV, Dakota was the Bravoholic for a week, wherein she snarked the hell out of all the Bravo shows. She received a starred review from Publisher Weekly for Talk Dirty to Me, won an RT Reviewers Choice Award for Kiss and Hell, along with many review site recommended reads and reviewer top pick awards.
Dakota lives in the gorgeous state of Oregon with her real life hero and her dogs, and she loves hearing from readers!
Connect with Dakota online: https://twitter.com/DakotaCassidy https://www.facebook.com/DakotaCassid...
Join Dakota Cassidy’s Newsletter The Tiara Diaries! Join here: http://mad.ly/signups/100255/join
Invited by Bravo TV, Dakota was the Bravoholic for a week, wherein she snarked the hell out of all the Bravo shows. She received a starred review from Publisher Weekly for Talk Dirty to Me, won an RT Reviewers Choice Award for Kiss and Hell, along with many review site recommended reads and reviewer top pick awards.
Dakota lives in the gorgeous state of Oregon with her real life hero and her dogs, and she loves hearing from readers!
Connect with Dakota online: https://twitter.com/DakotaCassidy https://www.facebook.com/DakotaCassid...
Join Dakota Cassidy’s Newsletter The Tiara Diaries! Join here: http://mad.ly/signups/100255/join
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 2, 2022
Ummm where’s book 3???? This series is fun, quirky, filled with zany, relatable, or not, characters. Lemon is as inquisitive as they come along with her pet JF (Jessica Fletcher) her buddies Coco and the only real detective, Justice. This time it’s vampires to investigate, who is killing of a friend group? And will the Koi in the pond survive?
October 9, 2017
AudioBook Review:
Stars: Overall: 4 Narration: 4 Story: 4
Lemon has been solving mysteries since childhood, but she’s pretty well tapped out after the last murder. Unfortunately, a bludgeoned body with two puncture marks in the neck and an antique chalice are in her pond, right in Koi George’s space, she’s apparently got no end to the questions. Thus begins yet another murder investigation for poor Lemon, even as she’s trying to stay out of it. But for her, curiosity is her guide, so off she goes to investigate. It doesn’t help that Cappy and his proclamations of conspiracies and vampires (the corpse did have bite marks) just add to her questions. And, of course, she does stumble on a major clue that points to a town official and provides at least some evidence of a vampire cult, she can’t help herself.
From the traumatized Koi George and the clever puns with the victim Amy actually ‘sleeping with the fishes” the laughs and humor in this story are plentiful, all while presenting a series of red herrings and clues that point to several suspects, all while the actual culprit does manage to divert attention from their own involvement. With secondary characters that provide a real sense of community and Lemon’s place in it, the quirkiness of small town life and the sense that the group of friends and townspeople are truly invested in solving these murders are clear. Side scenes with Lemon and her friend Coco, the conspiracies that Cappy sees in every action, and the fact that despite wanting to stay out of the investigation, people can’t help themselves when it comes to sharing with her.
Hollie Jackson takes on the role of narrator for this series, and manages (I don’t know how) to deliver some of the quirkiest and funniest moments of dialogue with flair – moments where smiling are required, you can’t help but hear the smile. Lemon is completely relatable and present in her moments, her own interior voice is distinct and present, even as she is being dragged in. Dialogue with other characters is clear and distinct, easy to recognize who is speaking and their emotions are clearly presented. Another winner in this series, easily read (and enjoyed) without having read (or listened to) the first in the series, and brings a quirky humor and sense of fun to the genre.
I received an AudioBook copy of the 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: 4
Lemon has been solving mysteries since childhood, but she’s pretty well tapped out after the last murder. Unfortunately, a bludgeoned body with two puncture marks in the neck and an antique chalice are in her pond, right in Koi George’s space, she’s apparently got no end to the questions. Thus begins yet another murder investigation for poor Lemon, even as she’s trying to stay out of it. But for her, curiosity is her guide, so off she goes to investigate. It doesn’t help that Cappy and his proclamations of conspiracies and vampires (the corpse did have bite marks) just add to her questions. And, of course, she does stumble on a major clue that points to a town official and provides at least some evidence of a vampire cult, she can’t help herself.
From the traumatized Koi George and the clever puns with the victim Amy actually ‘sleeping with the fishes” the laughs and humor in this story are plentiful, all while presenting a series of red herrings and clues that point to several suspects, all while the actual culprit does manage to divert attention from their own involvement. With secondary characters that provide a real sense of community and Lemon’s place in it, the quirkiness of small town life and the sense that the group of friends and townspeople are truly invested in solving these murders are clear. Side scenes with Lemon and her friend Coco, the conspiracies that Cappy sees in every action, and the fact that despite wanting to stay out of the investigation, people can’t help themselves when it comes to sharing with her.
Hollie Jackson takes on the role of narrator for this series, and manages (I don’t know how) to deliver some of the quirkiest and funniest moments of dialogue with flair – moments where smiling are required, you can’t help but hear the smile. Lemon is completely relatable and present in her moments, her own interior voice is distinct and present, even as she is being dragged in. Dialogue with other characters is clear and distinct, easy to recognize who is speaking and their emotions are clearly presented. Another winner in this series, easily read (and enjoyed) without having read (or listened to) the first in the series, and brings a quirky humor and sense of fun to the genre.
I received an AudioBook copy of the 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 4, 2025
An enjoyable story
June 28, 2017
Play That Funky Music White Koi by Dakota Cassidy
A cozy mystery. Second in the series but can be read alone.
Lemon Layne has been asking questions and solving mysteries back to her childhood days. But this is the second murder in the small town in just a few months and it's causing all kinds of havoc and crazy behavior.
The danger is just outside Lemon's door and with investigation, turn out its not the first death surrounding a group of friends.
Lemon investigates while her family and friends try to keep her safe and out of trouble, not always successfully.
A bit on the light and humorous side but overall much more gripping than the first book. A good mystery.
Excerpt:
“I told you, I saw it on Thea’s Facebook pa…” I stopped short and gave her a guilty look, waiting for my lecture, because despite what she’d said about not nagging me, she was Coco after all.
“As you snooped,” she said on a laugh, poking my arm. “I told you, I’m not going to nag you anymore. I just want you to be careful, and while you’re at it, admit you can’t resist getting involved.”
I let out what felt like the longest-held breath in the history of holding one’s breath and threw my hands up in the air in defeat. “Okay, so I was snooping, and I can’t help but snoop because it’s in my blood and I mostly suck at it, as proven in the case of Myron’s murder. But it’s a compulsion I’m unable to control. I fought it all day long and it’s killing me. Like, literally, it’s all I can do not to bury myself in Facebook pages. I mean, Cappie and I found a dead woman in my koi pond, Coco. Almost right on top of Koi George. How am I just supposed to ignore that?”
Wow, that felt good to say out loud."
Excerpt from Play That Funky Music White Koi by Dakota Cassidy
A cozy mystery. Second in the series but can be read alone.
Lemon Layne has been asking questions and solving mysteries back to her childhood days. But this is the second murder in the small town in just a few months and it's causing all kinds of havoc and crazy behavior.
The danger is just outside Lemon's door and with investigation, turn out its not the first death surrounding a group of friends.
Lemon investigates while her family and friends try to keep her safe and out of trouble, not always successfully.
A bit on the light and humorous side but overall much more gripping than the first book. A good mystery.
Excerpt:
“I told you, I saw it on Thea’s Facebook pa…” I stopped short and gave her a guilty look, waiting for my lecture, because despite what she’d said about not nagging me, she was Coco after all.
“As you snooped,” she said on a laugh, poking my arm. “I told you, I’m not going to nag you anymore. I just want you to be careful, and while you’re at it, admit you can’t resist getting involved.”
I let out what felt like the longest-held breath in the history of holding one’s breath and threw my hands up in the air in defeat. “Okay, so I was snooping, and I can’t help but snoop because it’s in my blood and I mostly suck at it, as proven in the case of Myron’s murder. But it’s a compulsion I’m unable to control. I fought it all day long and it’s killing me. Like, literally, it’s all I can do not to bury myself in Facebook pages. I mean, Cappie and I found a dead woman in my koi pond, Coco. Almost right on top of Koi George. How am I just supposed to ignore that?”
Wow, that felt good to say out loud."
Excerpt from Play That Funky Music White Koi by Dakota Cassidy
October 6, 2017
This is a fun book, I mean just look at that title. :) If you want to laugh and still have a decent murder mystery then you should try this series! :)
Lemon Layne isn't looking to get into any more murder mysteries but then Cappie comes to her house and they discover a dead body in her Koi pond. Of course, Cappie who is the fun loving conspiracy theorist sees that she has two punctures in her neck, starts speaking of vampires!! You just got to love Cappie!
Lemon really doesn't want to get involved but when someone dies in your Koi pond how could you not be curious and want to find out what happened. She can't help it if people talk to her and she finds out all about Amy from her friends and they were into alternative medicines, etc.
I really like Lemon as she is a fun character but I really love the side characters like Cappie as he cracks me up! It also has a pretty decent mystery for being only 4 hour and 40 minute listen. I just let the killer slip through my fingers as I just didn't suspect that person and it should have been pretty obvious...lol. :)
If you love wacky and zany characters then you should try this series. It's great after you have listened to something heavy and need a light crazy book. :)
The Narrator
I am getting to where I enjoy Hollie Jackson more and more with each read. She does a good job with this series.
Lemon Layne isn't looking to get into any more murder mysteries but then Cappie comes to her house and they discover a dead body in her Koi pond. Of course, Cappie who is the fun loving conspiracy theorist sees that she has two punctures in her neck, starts speaking of vampires!! You just got to love Cappie!
Lemon really doesn't want to get involved but when someone dies in your Koi pond how could you not be curious and want to find out what happened. She can't help it if people talk to her and she finds out all about Amy from her friends and they were into alternative medicines, etc.
I really like Lemon as she is a fun character but I really love the side characters like Cappie as he cracks me up! It also has a pretty decent mystery for being only 4 hour and 40 minute listen. I just let the killer slip through my fingers as I just didn't suspect that person and it should have been pretty obvious...lol. :)
If you love wacky and zany characters then you should try this series. It's great after you have listened to something heavy and need a light crazy book. :)
The Narrator
I am getting to where I enjoy Hollie Jackson more and more with each read. She does a good job with this series.
May 28, 2018
4 Stars for Play That Funky Music White Koi
Play That Funky Music White Koi is the second book in the Lemon Layne Mystery series and is another fun cozy mystery. Lemon Layne is a magnet for trouble, especially the unusual kind. Lemon discovers another dead body on her property and thanks to Cappy, the local conspiracy theorist and doomsday prepper, another crazy speculation of whodunnit points to the supernatural. In the first book, Prawn of the Dead, Lemon was up against zombies and in this second book it appears vampires have taken residence in her peaceful town of Fig Harbor. But all is not what it seems, and Lemon can’t help but get to the bottom of this murder. This time readers discover more of Lemon’s heartbreaking past but with the support of her mom, best friends and adorable pet monkey, Lemon is healing, one day at a time. I also picked up on a spark of a romance which I hope I am right.
Play That Funky Music White Koi has everything I look for in a cozy mystery – fun and lovable characters, a suspenseful mystery and unique story twists. Author Dakota Cassidy has a fun sense of humor and I am enjoying this series. Hollie Jackson returns as the narrator and I think she did a good performance. But the voice of Coco still bothers me, but it is growing on me.
The Lemon Layne Mystery series is a quick and fun read. I can’t wait for the next book!
Play That Funky Music White Koi is the second book in the Lemon Layne Mystery series and is another fun cozy mystery. Lemon Layne is a magnet for trouble, especially the unusual kind. Lemon discovers another dead body on her property and thanks to Cappy, the local conspiracy theorist and doomsday prepper, another crazy speculation of whodunnit points to the supernatural. In the first book, Prawn of the Dead, Lemon was up against zombies and in this second book it appears vampires have taken residence in her peaceful town of Fig Harbor. But all is not what it seems, and Lemon can’t help but get to the bottom of this murder. This time readers discover more of Lemon’s heartbreaking past but with the support of her mom, best friends and adorable pet monkey, Lemon is healing, one day at a time. I also picked up on a spark of a romance which I hope I am right.
Play That Funky Music White Koi has everything I look for in a cozy mystery – fun and lovable characters, a suspenseful mystery and unique story twists. Author Dakota Cassidy has a fun sense of humor and I am enjoying this series. Hollie Jackson returns as the narrator and I think she did a good performance. But the voice of Coco still bothers me, but it is growing on me.
The Lemon Layne Mystery series is a quick and fun read. I can’t wait for the next book!
July 4, 2017
Lemon Layne is at it again. I must say, I think Dakota totally channeled my current situation for Lemon this time around. The insomnia, her requirements set forth by her doctors, it's almost spot on. Seriously! Anyway. Like always, Dakota knows her word magic. This was another great adventure for Lemon, Jessica Fletcher, Mama May, Coco, Justice and Cappie. Being from Washington State, it's always nice to read what authors think of that state and Dakota didn't disappoint. In this story, we return to Fig Harbor and Lemon's Smoke and Petrol Station for brisket and catfish. This time, the action takes place in her koi pond. And Koi George, her pet koi fish is traumatized instead of their bathroom. One of the Fig Harbor locals is "sleeping with fishes", literally. While Lemon promises to stay out of the investigation and does everything she can to stay out of it, everyone else seems to work against her and keeps dropping things into her lap. It's a whirlwind of days as Lemon meets those that are associated with the lovely lady associated with sleeping beauty in the pond and how it all relates. As Lemon seems to be everywhere, so is Justice. Will they be able to figure out the case before something tragic happens? Grab a copy and enjoy the read to find out!
April 2, 2018
Another great Lemon!
I just love this series! Hopefully more books are due in the not too fistant future. I love everything about this book, the characters are great, the story is well written, and the setting is perfect. The writing style pulled me in from page one of the first book and this book was the same. Although there were a lot of things that seemed different, Lemon still was involved despite trying to stay out of it. It was fast paced with non stop action. The dialog flows naturally. This is just a winning combination melded together for a really good cozy mystery.
I just love this series! Hopefully more books are due in the not too fistant future. I love everything about this book, the characters are great, the story is well written, and the setting is perfect. The writing style pulled me in from page one of the first book and this book was the same. Although there were a lot of things that seemed different, Lemon still was involved despite trying to stay out of it. It was fast paced with non stop action. The dialog flows naturally. This is just a winning combination melded together for a really good cozy mystery.
June 25, 2017
Lemon Layne is back! You would have thought that her adventures in Prawn of the Dead would have put her off sleuthing but when a body is found in her koi pond she just has to find out what happened. There is a crazy mix of suspects and the usual bunch of crazies at Lemon’s back that guarantee this to be a fun mix of murder and mayhem. If you are looking for a clean, fun, cozy mystery I heartily recommend Lemon Layne.
October 7, 2019
Dakota Cassidy writes GREAT and humorous books. I adore the actor that reads them.
They are light, and funny and make me laugh.
Lemon Layne - is that a great name or what? Finds a dead person in her Koi pond and it really looks like Vampire bites on her next, Even though the police swear they are taser marks.
Follow Lemon's hilarious antics as she hunts down the murderer or maybe even a vampire.
They are light, and funny and make me laugh.
Lemon Layne - is that a great name or what? Finds a dead person in her Koi pond and it really looks like Vampire bites on her next, Even though the police swear they are taser marks.
Follow Lemon's hilarious antics as she hunts down the murderer or maybe even a vampire.
May 12, 2024
I enjoyed the second book of this series a lot more than the first book. She keeps saying she won't get involved all while doing exactly that. Cappie is a fun side character, and this book gives us a look into his character. Her mom is at risk in this one instead of the BFF. The killer was fairly obvious and earned some sympathy. Where is Book #3?
January 7, 2025
This was a cute book. I didn't read the first one in the series, and it would help to have read it. Lemon Layne finds a body in her koi pond, and gets involved in the investigation. The dead woman was involved with a group that are into alternative medicine and the supernatural - when taser marks are mistaken for bite marks by a local, the rumor of vampires goes rampant. 3.5 stars.
July 3, 2017
Puns abound once again.
I'm beggining to wonder if Lemon's place has a triangle around it. Death and disasters seem to accumulate there. How peaceful can a Koi pond be if people keep dying around it.
I'm beggining to wonder if Lemon's place has a triangle around it. Death and disasters seem to accumulate there. How peaceful can a Koi pond be if people keep dying around it.
August 5, 2017
a cute fun mystery. Dakota never fails to keep my attention. I also think Justice LOVE LOVES Lemon.
April 25, 2018
She is in the middle of the mystery again, even though she says she is staying on the side lines. It was an okay read
July 5, 2019
Fun summer read
December 31, 2023
Funny to the very end
May 17, 2024
Another of Dakota's books that made me smile. I like Lemon, and I wish she had more adventures.
July 22, 2025
A fun murderous listen - A group of friends are being picked off one by one. Lemon is in the thick of it, her koi pond the dumping ground for the first victim. Everyone is on high alert as the bodies pile up around town. Who will be left standing? A great short listen but the editing could have been better. I heard a lot of stuff being done to, with, and for I and we.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews