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Cannoli Cafe Mystery Series #1
Murder and Macaroons
A retirement dinner is supposed to honor retirement from work, not life!
When library director Frank Tanner is murdered in her aunt’s restaurant, Nicole Capula, the new owner of the Cannoli Cafe, is on the case with her best friend, Lia, and a man from her past, Private Investigator Dean Coogan.
Frank Tanner led an innocuous life, or at least that’s how it appeared until he is murdered. As the investigation unfolds, many skeletons come out of the closet, and it becomes clear that Frank had a number of major secrets and enemies. But which one of Frank’s enemies wanted him dead?
Was is it Linda, Frank Tanner’s wife, who was having an affair with a dominating real estate mogul? Or maybe it was Mayor Diane Eckel, who was angry he didn’t return the love she had for him? Or perhaps it was Mrs. Denise Donnelly, the children’s librarian, who was angry at Frank for not promoting her? Was it Dan Morano, an employee of the restaurant who had a vendetta against Frank Tanner...after all, Frank Tanner was meeting Dan’s wife in secret!
Join Nicole, Lia, Dean, and Nicole’s dog, Ringo, as they try to determine who murdered Frank Tanner and why.
This is the first book in the new Cannoli Cafe Cozy Mystery Series by Lizzie Benton, set in a quaint town in New Jersey, in close proximity to New York City and its gorgeous skyline.
Enjoy this book for free with Kindle Unlimited!
When library director Frank Tanner is murdered in her aunt’s restaurant, Nicole Capula, the new owner of the Cannoli Cafe, is on the case with her best friend, Lia, and a man from her past, Private Investigator Dean Coogan.
Frank Tanner led an innocuous life, or at least that’s how it appeared until he is murdered. As the investigation unfolds, many skeletons come out of the closet, and it becomes clear that Frank had a number of major secrets and enemies. But which one of Frank’s enemies wanted him dead?
Was is it Linda, Frank Tanner’s wife, who was having an affair with a dominating real estate mogul? Or maybe it was Mayor Diane Eckel, who was angry he didn’t return the love she had for him? Or perhaps it was Mrs. Denise Donnelly, the children’s librarian, who was angry at Frank for not promoting her? Was it Dan Morano, an employee of the restaurant who had a vendetta against Frank Tanner...after all, Frank Tanner was meeting Dan’s wife in secret!
Join Nicole, Lia, Dean, and Nicole’s dog, Ringo, as they try to determine who murdered Frank Tanner and why.
This is the first book in the new Cannoli Cafe Cozy Mystery Series by Lizzie Benton, set in a quaint town in New Jersey, in close proximity to New York City and its gorgeous skyline.
Enjoy this book for free with Kindle Unlimited!
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2018
About the author
Lizzie Benton
10 books10 followersLizzie Benton is the cozy mystery author of two series: Cannoli Cafe Investigations and the Cannoli Cafe Mystery Series.
Both of Lizzie's series star Nicole Capula, an engineer turned Cannoli Cafe owner/amateur sleuth, who finds herself at the center of a number of murder mysteries as she transitions to living in her hometown again. The series feature references to Italian American cooking, inspired by the author's lifelong residence in New Jersey.
Lizzie's latest book, Killing it in the New Year, is the second book in the new Cannoli Cafe Investigations series, on sale March 17, 2023!
To see how it all began, check out the prequel series: Cannoli Cafe Mystery series featuring
Murder and Macaroons
Murder and Macaroni
Iced Cookie Murder
Murder and Bubbly
Murder, Purder
The Executive
The Ghostly Night
Books may be read in any order!
To learn more about Lizzie, please check out: http://lizziebenton.com!
Both of Lizzie's series star Nicole Capula, an engineer turned Cannoli Cafe owner/amateur sleuth, who finds herself at the center of a number of murder mysteries as she transitions to living in her hometown again. The series feature references to Italian American cooking, inspired by the author's lifelong residence in New Jersey.
Lizzie's latest book, Killing it in the New Year, is the second book in the new Cannoli Cafe Investigations series, on sale March 17, 2023!
To see how it all began, check out the prequel series: Cannoli Cafe Mystery series featuring
Murder and Macaroons
Murder and Macaroni
Iced Cookie Murder
Murder and Bubbly
Murder, Purder
The Executive
The Ghostly Night
Books may be read in any order!
To learn more about Lizzie, please check out: http://lizziebenton.com!
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 28, 2019
Really enjoyed this book. I liked the chapters alternating between characters who were possible suspects. I will definitely read more in this series!
October 7, 2021
3.75 Stars
At his retirement dinner, library director Frank Tanner was murdered! Since it happened in her aunt's restaurant, Nicole Capula feels honour-bound to bring the killer to justice - especially since her aunt suffered a heart attack from the shock of discovering the dying man. As Nicole and her friends dig deeper, they realize that the seemingly innocent man had a lot of enemies.
For the most part, this tale was a fun adventure (not for Frank, obviously) and the main characters were enjoyable to read about. There were, however, too many suspects to chase down and I couldn't grasp the impetus that thrust Nicole into the investigation in the first place. When we arrived at the conclusion, there was a further problem: It had been a great story until the advent of the final twenty pages. I'm hoping the next book wraps a little differently.
At his retirement dinner, library director Frank Tanner was murdered! Since it happened in her aunt's restaurant, Nicole Capula feels honour-bound to bring the killer to justice - especially since her aunt suffered a heart attack from the shock of discovering the dying man. As Nicole and her friends dig deeper, they realize that the seemingly innocent man had a lot of enemies.
For the most part, this tale was a fun adventure (not for Frank, obviously) and the main characters were enjoyable to read about. There were, however, too many suspects to chase down and I couldn't grasp the impetus that thrust Nicole into the investigation in the first place. When we arrived at the conclusion, there was a further problem: It had been a great story until the advent of the final twenty pages. I'm hoping the next book wraps a little differently.
November 28, 2018
The ending put me off
A great read until the end. Wonderful build up and then it just deflated. Good characters that should get stronger as the series progresses. However some readers might be out of by the fact that it keeps moving back in time to different points.
When a retirement dinner is brought to an abrupt ending by the death of the man of the moment and by the heart attack of the owner of thee restaurant everyone starts trying to get to the truth. Why didn't the mayor attend? Why were so many people absent from the table at the crucial time? Did his infidelity have anything to do with it? Why is there so much backstabbing as to who will take over his position. Glad that her aunt is recovering, she her BFF and the local PI start looking deeper. Can they find out who the killer is?
A great read until the end. Wonderful build up and then it just deflated. Good characters that should get stronger as the series progresses. However some readers might be out of by the fact that it keeps moving back in time to different points.
When a retirement dinner is brought to an abrupt ending by the death of the man of the moment and by the heart attack of the owner of thee restaurant everyone starts trying to get to the truth. Why didn't the mayor attend? Why were so many people absent from the table at the crucial time? Did his infidelity have anything to do with it? Why is there so much backstabbing as to who will take over his position. Glad that her aunt is recovering, she her BFF and the local PI start looking deeper. Can they find out who the killer is?
April 20, 2019
Fast and enjoyable
Well plotted and characters are likeable, including the perp. I enjoyed the home town feel of the place. It was clean and kept my interest, theme wasn’t worn out (you know the 7th in a series and their life isn’t better, everything is still unresolved except the murder). Recommended for cozy lovers and thriller readers who need a break.
Well plotted and characters are likeable, including the perp. I enjoyed the home town feel of the place. It was clean and kept my interest, theme wasn’t worn out (you know the 7th in a series and their life isn’t better, everything is still unresolved except the murder). Recommended for cozy lovers and thriller readers who need a break.
August 26, 2019
This is the first in the series and the first time reading this author. The main character is Nicole and she owns the Cannoli Cafe. Her Aunt opens the door to her office and when she sees the blood and body she has a heart attack. Nicole decides to figure out who did the murder before her Aunt is released from the hospital. Will she figure it out with help from her friends ? Loved this book.
May 6, 2022
When Nicole Capula, owner of the Cannoli Café, receives word that her Aunt Lucia is in the hospital, she rushes to her side. It turns out that her aunt, owner of a restaurant herself, found the dead body of Frank Tanner, who was having his retirement party there. Now Nicole, along with her friend Lia, and private investigator ex-boyfriend Dean Coogan, are trying to figure out who wanted Frank dead and why.
But they have no idea who might be a suspect, and therefore their work is cut out for them. They don't know if it's his wife Linda, the mayor, or even the floral shop owner who might be guilty. Hopefully, they can find a killer before someone else winds up dead...
This is the first book in a new series, and I always like to give a new author a pass, so I am giving it three stars instead of two. But honestly, I felt this book was all over the place. It went back and forth between timelines, which was odd in itself. The writing felt a bit stilted, and I couldn't get a feel for any of the characters at all, not even Nicole.
There was no description of the town they lived in, so I have no idea if it's small or large; no description of the restaurant, so ditto for that; and it appears that Nicole only has one employee named Susie. How does she keep her restaurant running with one employee? There was, unfortunately, no spark between Dean and Nicole. Nothing that hinted to a past relationship. (Blushing just doesn't do it).
When the ending came and the killer was revealed, I felt like it came out of the blue and was completely rushed. Again, no feelings one way or the other. I do hope that the second book in the series will improve and there will be more on the characters and the town -- and we'll have better clues.
But they have no idea who might be a suspect, and therefore their work is cut out for them. They don't know if it's his wife Linda, the mayor, or even the floral shop owner who might be guilty. Hopefully, they can find a killer before someone else winds up dead...
This is the first book in a new series, and I always like to give a new author a pass, so I am giving it three stars instead of two. But honestly, I felt this book was all over the place. It went back and forth between timelines, which was odd in itself. The writing felt a bit stilted, and I couldn't get a feel for any of the characters at all, not even Nicole.
There was no description of the town they lived in, so I have no idea if it's small or large; no description of the restaurant, so ditto for that; and it appears that Nicole only has one employee named Susie. How does she keep her restaurant running with one employee? There was, unfortunately, no spark between Dean and Nicole. Nothing that hinted to a past relationship. (Blushing just doesn't do it).
When the ending came and the killer was revealed, I felt like it came out of the blue and was completely rushed. Again, no feelings one way or the other. I do hope that the second book in the series will improve and there will be more on the characters and the town -- and we'll have better clues.
April 28, 2019
The first book in the Cannoli Cafe Mystery Series is Murder and Macaroons. In Rosewood, New Jersey, the Cannoli Cafe was bequeathed to Nicole Capula. She is thirty-five years old and lives with her dog, Ringo. One night her aunt Lucia Capula is holding Frank Tanner's retirement party. He is retiring as director of the town library. She literally has a heart attack when she discovers him murdered in her restaurant! Nicole and her friends immediately go into sleuth mode. This book has so many interesting people who are potential suspects! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more about Nicole and her possible love interest, Private Detective, Dean Coogan.
March 27, 2019
A fairly nice story -- too short and too compact to be called a "novel." A few too many typos, punctuation/grammatical/spelling errors to have been release so soon. It could also do with more fleshing out. Not bad for a first-timer. Keep trying, Lizzie.
January 14, 2019
Needed more development. Good ideas but just not fleshed out sufficiently for me as a reader.
March 16, 2019
Good
This book is all about how one murder victim has so many different people who had reasons to kill him.
This book is all about how one murder victim has so many different people who had reasons to kill him.
April 8, 2019
Good first.debut story, one got interested from the beginning, and liked the characters. A murder and the long list of suspects.
Will look for more by her
Will look for more by her
February 14, 2020
The story itself was a pretty good one, but the dialogue seemed so dull and unnaturally formal a lot of the time.
May 26, 2023
Nice clean mystery
I enjoyed the character and that this was a clean mystery. It was fun to read and I would recommend it to others who enjoy clean mysteries.
I enjoyed the character and that this was a clean mystery. It was fun to read and I would recommend it to others who enjoy clean mysteries.
October 25, 2022
This is the second book that I have read by Benton. I enjoyed the characters, but the ending left much to be desired, as many people have mentioned. Also, I was not too fond of jumping around in terms of time.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews