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Seaside Cafe Mystery #7
Pleading the Fish: A Beachfront Cozy Mystery
In the seventh and final book of Bree Baker's critically acclaimed Seaside Café Mystery series, Pleading the Fish, Everly Swan's wedding plans are upended by a dead body. She'll have to run her teashop, find a dress, and catch a murderer all before she can walk down the aisle!
Café owner and amateur sleuth Everly Swan, like every Swan woman before her, is cursed in love. The only problem? Her fiancé Detective Grady Hayes has something to say about it—he doesn't believe in magic and is determined to prove the curse wrong so they can spend their lives together. Everly wishes it could be so simple!
It feels like a sign when a historian looking into Swan history is found dead in an antique wishing well, and Everly fears the curse is spreading. Grady takes the case, looking to find justice and prove the curse wrong, while Everly does a bit of investigating on her own. Big change is coming for Everly and her friends, but with mysterious strangers lurking about and someone leaving increasingly threatening messages for the happy couple, Everly's not sure she'll get her happily-ever-after!
Café owner and amateur sleuth Everly Swan, like every Swan woman before her, is cursed in love. The only problem? Her fiancé Detective Grady Hayes has something to say about it—he doesn't believe in magic and is determined to prove the curse wrong so they can spend their lives together. Everly wishes it could be so simple!
It feels like a sign when a historian looking into Swan history is found dead in an antique wishing well, and Everly fears the curse is spreading. Grady takes the case, looking to find justice and prove the curse wrong, while Everly does a bit of investigating on her own. Big change is coming for Everly and her friends, but with mysterious strangers lurking about and someone leaving increasingly threatening messages for the happy couple, Everly's not sure she'll get her happily-ever-after!
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2022
171 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
About the author
Bree Baker
10 books658 followersBree Baker is a Midwestern writer, obsessed with small town high jinks, sweet tea and the sea. She's been telling stories to her family, friends and strangers for as long as she can remember, and more often than not, those stories feature a warm ocean breeze and recipe she's sure to ruin. Now, she's working on those fancy cooking skills and dreaming up adventures for the Seaside Cafe mysteries. Her debut title, Live & Let Chai releases from Sourcebooks in July 2018. Bree is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and the Romance Writers of America. She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
December 17, 2021
***Possible spoiler about the series and ending, so read with caution.***
Pleading the Fish is the seventh and last book in the Beachfront Cozy Mysteries written by Bree Baker, a pseudonym of Julie Anne Lindsey, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost. I've read multiple series by the author, and I found this one earlier in the year. I rushed through it to catch up, then I learned it was coming to a conclusion - very sad! It's my favorite of hers, and one of my top ten overall. Such an easily readable, smart, and imaginative writer. The stories always feel fresh, and the dialog is spot on.
Everly is engaged to be married, but she believes the Swan curse will kill him before they can say I do. She's a magnet for finding dead bodies, and when she discovers that of the woman who was researching the Swan family history, what could it mean? As she explores her own history, Everly learns things about her family's iced tea recipes, dessert-baking concoctions, and the wedding dresses over a hundred women in the family have worn. Which one should she choose?
Relationships are explained. Rivalries are tied up. Babies are born. And there's a jump forward at the end. I loved the whole book, and I am now moving on to her newest series, Bonne and Clyde. Plus, she has another one coming out soon, I hear!
Pleading the Fish is the seventh and last book in the Beachfront Cozy Mysteries written by Bree Baker, a pseudonym of Julie Anne Lindsey, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost. I've read multiple series by the author, and I found this one earlier in the year. I rushed through it to catch up, then I learned it was coming to a conclusion - very sad! It's my favorite of hers, and one of my top ten overall. Such an easily readable, smart, and imaginative writer. The stories always feel fresh, and the dialog is spot on.
Everly is engaged to be married, but she believes the Swan curse will kill him before they can say I do. She's a magnet for finding dead bodies, and when she discovers that of the woman who was researching the Swan family history, what could it mean? As she explores her own history, Everly learns things about her family's iced tea recipes, dessert-baking concoctions, and the wedding dresses over a hundred women in the family have worn. Which one should she choose?
Relationships are explained. Rivalries are tied up. Babies are born. And there's a jump forward at the end. I loved the whole book, and I am now moving on to her newest series, Bonne and Clyde. Plus, she has another one coming out soon, I hear!
March 15, 2022
Lemon cake is to bolster a hero's heart.
I have really enjoyed this delightful series, set in the coastal town of Charm, North Carolina, on the OBX, Outer Banks, and am sad to see it end as it is a favorite. But that being said, Bree Baker has done a wonderful job of tying up loose ends of different characters and situations while giving us an enjoyable final mystery for Everly Swan, owner of Sun, Sand, and Tea Shop, to investigate. Everly owns an old Victorian house right on the beach with a tea shop on the bottom floor, lives on the second floor, has a third floor, and widow's walk. She comes from a family of strong women, who seem to have a curse of losing their men at a young age. She was raised by her grandmother and great-aunts, Fran and Clara.
Swoon-worthy Detective Grady Hays loves Everly, and she loves Grady. She has agreed to marry him if the curse can be proven untrue. But Susan, the woman she hires to research her family is killed. Everly is determined to find the killer and why she was killed. This is another scary and crazy time of sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong to get answers but a mystery that I didn't guess beforehand.
Changes abound in Charm with friends and family...even an enemy. Lovely story and series that I will miss. I plan to check out the author's other series.
I received a complimentary ARC from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
I have really enjoyed this delightful series, set in the coastal town of Charm, North Carolina, on the OBX, Outer Banks, and am sad to see it end as it is a favorite. But that being said, Bree Baker has done a wonderful job of tying up loose ends of different characters and situations while giving us an enjoyable final mystery for Everly Swan, owner of Sun, Sand, and Tea Shop, to investigate. Everly owns an old Victorian house right on the beach with a tea shop on the bottom floor, lives on the second floor, has a third floor, and widow's walk. She comes from a family of strong women, who seem to have a curse of losing their men at a young age. She was raised by her grandmother and great-aunts, Fran and Clara.
Swoon-worthy Detective Grady Hays loves Everly, and she loves Grady. She has agreed to marry him if the curse can be proven untrue. But Susan, the woman she hires to research her family is killed. Everly is determined to find the killer and why she was killed. This is another scary and crazy time of sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong to get answers but a mystery that I didn't guess beforehand.
Changes abound in Charm with friends and family...even an enemy. Lovely story and series that I will miss. I plan to check out the author's other series.
I received a complimentary ARC from Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
December 3, 2021
A sensational, emotional ending to one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Everly Swan owns the successful Sun, Sand, and Tea Cafe in the seaside village of Charm, North Carolina. Everly’s descendants have always believed that Swan women are cursed and that any man they love will die. Book seven highlights the quest to disprove the curse so Grady and Everly can marry and be happy. When a researcher working for Everly on her ancestor’s information is murdered, Everly and friends do their best to find answers as to why.
The author has filled the intriguing plot with plenty of threat’s against Everly; fantastic news for Amelia; a major life change for Great Aunt’s Clara and Fran; lots of humor; and the lowlife perpetrator is flushed out of hiding.
While I wasn’t ready for this wonderful series to end, all loose ends are tidily wrapped up, and happy endings are wished for all involved! Delicious recipes included.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Poison Pen Press. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
The author has filled the intriguing plot with plenty of threat’s against Everly; fantastic news for Amelia; a major life change for Great Aunt’s Clara and Fran; lots of humor; and the lowlife perpetrator is flushed out of hiding.
While I wasn’t ready for this wonderful series to end, all loose ends are tidily wrapped up, and happy endings are wished for all involved! Delicious recipes included.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Poison Pen Press. All opinions are my own. Thank you.
October 12, 2024
Although Everly is not my favorite cozy sleuth and Charm isn't my favorite settings of the places I've read about, I did overall enjoy this series. I actually really appreciate that the Seaside Cafe Mysteries are a contained series with its own arc that has a beginning, middle, and end. The series is done and this book does a great job of wrapping that series up. I mean, I'm sure Murder She Wrote was a great series on TV, but as I've heard it joked, how can there be that many murders in a small quaint village and have anyone standing or the feds not declare the place a national emergency. The threads and story lines sounded like they were wrapped up.
Good stuff.
Good stuff.
November 3, 2021
Pleading the Fish is the last installment in this series by Bree Baker.
I enjoyed the books, and I'm sad to see it end. The last few books didn't have the same tone as the previous ones.
I enjoyed the books, and I'm sad to see it end. The last few books didn't have the same tone as the previous ones.
February 27, 2022
Everly finally has her chance for happily ever after with the love of her life if only there was not that family curse. She has a multitude of people helping with research to find facts to disprove the curse but when a researcher is murdered there seems to be more involved than just a curse.
This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series so when I saw this was the last book in the series I was feeling disappointed. However, it was handled so well with some conclusion for all the characters I have become so invested in through seven books that in the end I felt content. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series so when I saw this was the last book in the series I was feeling disappointed. However, it was handled so well with some conclusion for all the characters I have become so invested in through seven books that in the end I felt content. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
January 19, 2022
“Pleading the Fish” the 7th and final instalment in the A Seaside Cafe Mystery Series by Bree Baker. It was bittersweet reading as I knew there wouldn’t be another, which could be why it took me longer to read as I just did not want it to end. I’m so glad the author knew in advance so she could wrap up the series for us, with no loose ends.
Everly Swan's wedding plans are upended by a dead body. She'll have to run her teashop, find a dress, and catch a murderer all before she can walk down the aisle!
As I have said so many times before one of my favourite things about the books is the sense of family, friendship and how the community comes together. This time was no different as Everly's wedding approaches.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with enough twists to keep you interested. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Poison Pen Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Everly Swan's wedding plans are upended by a dead body. She'll have to run her teashop, find a dress, and catch a murderer all before she can walk down the aisle!
As I have said so many times before one of my favourite things about the books is the sense of family, friendship and how the community comes together. This time was no different as Everly's wedding approaches.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with enough twists to keep you interested. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Poison Pen Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 30, 2022
A satisfying ending to a wonderful, quirky series. A lot of changes are happening in Charm and for many of its citizens. Everly has agreed to marry Grady, yet still has secret reservations due to the curse on her family. When the historian that she has asked to help research the curse ends up murdered, Everly once again sticks her nose in the investigation. There are many sweet, emotional moments-such as when Everly finds “the one”, when trying on wedding dresses. A great series that I’m sorry to see end. I’ll have to pick up one of the author’s other books for sure!
September 6, 2022
I will admit that I kept moving this book down on my tbr pile because I just wasn't ready to say goodbye. I finally read it, and next to book 1, this might be my favorite in the series. Everly's emotions felt so real and I love how Grady was beside her every step of the way. Their connection is inspiring. I am glad we got to see Maggie & Lou play contributing roles in this mystery. Oh what a good mystery it was. I was guessing until the end! && the curse! && the Town Charmer! && the friendships! This was a great end to a fantastic series! I highly, HIGHLY recommend you give it a try. Now please excuse me while I pour myself a glass of iced tea and start back at book 1.
April 16, 2022
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have loved every book in this series so knowing this is my last visit to Charm is bittersweet. Sad to let these truly wonderful characters go but thrilled with the way Bree Baker ended their story.
I anxiously awaited each book in this series to check in on Everly, Clara, Fran, Grady, Denver, Denise, Matt, Wyatt, Amelia, Ryan, and all the other residents of Charm even Lou and Maggie. Each visit has been absolutely delightful, and chasing down clues with Everly was always fun.
For that reason, this is probably one of the shortest reviews I will ever write because I don’t want to give anything away and spoil this amazing story for anyone.
As always Ms. Baker has given her readers a marvelous mystery but more than that she takes them on an emotional ride with all the characters. I feel blessed that the author knew that this was going to be the last book of the series. That gave her the chance to write the story in a way for her characters to receive the farewell they deserved. It also gave us readers the joy of some really happy endings and peeks at the future.
Thank you Bree Baker for creating such an amazing series! I will never forget the pleasure of totally escaping into each and every book and my time spent at the beach and all the virtual ice tea I drank while following Everly everywhere she went! This entire series is Must Read! I recommend them all highly.
Note: Bree Baker is a pseudonym of Julie Anne Lindsey, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost. This series may have wrapped but she has several others to check out. In fact, the first book of her new Thelma & Louisa Mystery Series was released yesterday!
I have loved every book in this series so knowing this is my last visit to Charm is bittersweet. Sad to let these truly wonderful characters go but thrilled with the way Bree Baker ended their story.
I anxiously awaited each book in this series to check in on Everly, Clara, Fran, Grady, Denver, Denise, Matt, Wyatt, Amelia, Ryan, and all the other residents of Charm even Lou and Maggie. Each visit has been absolutely delightful, and chasing down clues with Everly was always fun.
For that reason, this is probably one of the shortest reviews I will ever write because I don’t want to give anything away and spoil this amazing story for anyone.
As always Ms. Baker has given her readers a marvelous mystery but more than that she takes them on an emotional ride with all the characters. I feel blessed that the author knew that this was going to be the last book of the series. That gave her the chance to write the story in a way for her characters to receive the farewell they deserved. It also gave us readers the joy of some really happy endings and peeks at the future.
Thank you Bree Baker for creating such an amazing series! I will never forget the pleasure of totally escaping into each and every book and my time spent at the beach and all the virtual ice tea I drank while following Everly everywhere she went! This entire series is Must Read! I recommend them all highly.
Note: Bree Baker is a pseudonym of Julie Anne Lindsey, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost. This series may have wrapped but she has several others to check out. In fact, the first book of her new Thelma & Louisa Mystery Series was released yesterday!
March 24, 2022
Lighthearted, quirky, and highly entertaining!
In this latest novel in the Seaside Café Mysteries, Pleading the Fish, we head back to Charm, North Carolina, and into the life of tea shop owner Everly Swan as she once again finds herself unexpectedly tied up in a local murder and dividing her time between baking treats, investigating who killed the local historian and why, and working on overcoming her fears about the infamous Swan curse and finally marrying the man she loves the handsome, patient Detective Grady Hays.
The writing is smooth and sweet. The characters are sharp, supportive, and rash. And the plot is a delightfully whimsical whodunit full of misdirection, amateur sleuthing, suspicious personalities, small-town living, community, romance, and decadent delights.
Overall, Pleading the Fish is another playful, mysterious, charming read by Baker, and even though it’s a little bittersweet to say goodbye to all the characters I’ve come to know and love over the past seven novels, it is nevertheless a superb ending to a fabulous series that I will undoubtedly miss and highly recommend.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this latest novel in the Seaside Café Mysteries, Pleading the Fish, we head back to Charm, North Carolina, and into the life of tea shop owner Everly Swan as she once again finds herself unexpectedly tied up in a local murder and dividing her time between baking treats, investigating who killed the local historian and why, and working on overcoming her fears about the infamous Swan curse and finally marrying the man she loves the handsome, patient Detective Grady Hays.
The writing is smooth and sweet. The characters are sharp, supportive, and rash. And the plot is a delightfully whimsical whodunit full of misdirection, amateur sleuthing, suspicious personalities, small-town living, community, romance, and decadent delights.
Overall, Pleading the Fish is another playful, mysterious, charming read by Baker, and even though it’s a little bittersweet to say goodbye to all the characters I’ve come to know and love over the past seven novels, it is nevertheless a superb ending to a fabulous series that I will undoubtedly miss and highly recommend.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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March 8, 2024I absolutely adored this conclusion to one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I loved the exploration into Everly's family curse. The setting of Charm, North Carolina and Everly's cafe were great. The characters were fantastic as always, and the mystery was fun! I love that Bree Baker got to end this series the way she wanted, and the ending was emotional and lovely!
March 24, 2022
I have dipped in and out of this series and kicked things off in book 2 with 'No Good Tea Goes Unpunished', followed by book three 'Tide and Punishment'. I have yet to read book one, 'Live and Let Chai' and book four, 'A Call For Kelp'.
In this one, Pleading the Fish, the seventh instalment in Bree Baker's Seaside Café Mystery series, protagonist Everly Swan is living her busy life and has agreed to marry her fiancé, Detective Grady Hays provided certain conditions are met. Her seaside café and iced tea shop, Sun, Sand and Tea, is doing all right on the island of Charm, on the Outer Banks, North Carolina. But things turn sour when a historian, Susan, hired to research Everly's family, is found in a wishing well.
This wonderful cozy mystery, set on the small island of Charm was both compelling and enjoyable. With a fantastic plot, the characters are very well drawn by Bree Baker but I am gutted that this is the last instalment in the series. A perfect book to enjoy with a mug of tea and a treat or two, the clever writing from Bree Baker continued to impress me which held me in its enthral until the end. The conclusion was a surprise and the author did a wonderful job wrapping up the story and the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
In this one, Pleading the Fish, the seventh instalment in Bree Baker's Seaside Café Mystery series, protagonist Everly Swan is living her busy life and has agreed to marry her fiancé, Detective Grady Hays provided certain conditions are met. Her seaside café and iced tea shop, Sun, Sand and Tea, is doing all right on the island of Charm, on the Outer Banks, North Carolina. But things turn sour when a historian, Susan, hired to research Everly's family, is found in a wishing well.
This wonderful cozy mystery, set on the small island of Charm was both compelling and enjoyable. With a fantastic plot, the characters are very well drawn by Bree Baker but I am gutted that this is the last instalment in the series. A perfect book to enjoy with a mug of tea and a treat or two, the clever writing from Bree Baker continued to impress me which held me in its enthral until the end. The conclusion was a surprise and the author did a wonderful job wrapping up the story and the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 11, 2022
I strongly dislike it when one of my favorite series ends, but unfortunately, my dislike doesn’t change things. Pleading the Fish is the seventh and final book in the beloved “Seaside Café Mysteries” series. It is filled with wedding plans, a family curse, murder in a wishing well, friends, family, and love. In other words, everything a cozy mystery lover could want!
Everly is reluctantly planning her wedding. Even though she believes that her family has a curse that makes male loved ones die young, she has a ray of hope that the curse is fake and her marriage will not end prematurely. Grandy, her fiancee, doesn’t believe in curses, and he sets out to prove it to Everly. Then a body shows up just when they need it least, and Everly and Grady set out to find a killer. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for them to become distracted by the investigation giving Everly something else to worry about. But most importantly, she fears her family curse may be the motive for the murder.
The characters in this series are always welcome guests. They have distinctive personalities and quarks that make them loveable and make readers want to call them family. The victim in this story is liked, and readers will feel awful when the character is found dead at the bottom of a wishing well just weeks before Everly’s wedding. Readers will wonder if the family curse has played a part in the death of what appears to be an innocent victim. But suspects soon come out of the woodwork, and readers are treated to plot twists, red herrings, and evidence that will set their teeth on edge. When the killer starts targeting Everly, family and friends will do whatever they can to keep her out of the line of fire and walk down the aisle on time. Curses don’t stand a chance when everyone gets involved in finding a murderer and helping Everly solve the case.
Pleading the Fish is the best book in this series, not just because it is the last one. Everything about the setting, characters, and premise keeps readers on the edge of their seats while smiling with delight. It's a wedding no one thought would ever happen, and a family curse that makes all of us who have those weird events in our family history something to laugh about. I hope one day we will get a follow-up book or story to let us know how Everly and Grady spend their lives, update us on their (hopefully) children, and show us how happy a couple can be once they find the right one to trust and spend their lives with. Warning: The ending of this book may make readers cry. I did!
Everly is reluctantly planning her wedding. Even though she believes that her family has a curse that makes male loved ones die young, she has a ray of hope that the curse is fake and her marriage will not end prematurely. Grandy, her fiancee, doesn’t believe in curses, and he sets out to prove it to Everly. Then a body shows up just when they need it least, and Everly and Grady set out to find a killer. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for them to become distracted by the investigation giving Everly something else to worry about. But most importantly, she fears her family curse may be the motive for the murder.
The characters in this series are always welcome guests. They have distinctive personalities and quarks that make them loveable and make readers want to call them family. The victim in this story is liked, and readers will feel awful when the character is found dead at the bottom of a wishing well just weeks before Everly’s wedding. Readers will wonder if the family curse has played a part in the death of what appears to be an innocent victim. But suspects soon come out of the woodwork, and readers are treated to plot twists, red herrings, and evidence that will set their teeth on edge. When the killer starts targeting Everly, family and friends will do whatever they can to keep her out of the line of fire and walk down the aisle on time. Curses don’t stand a chance when everyone gets involved in finding a murderer and helping Everly solve the case.
Pleading the Fish is the best book in this series, not just because it is the last one. Everything about the setting, characters, and premise keeps readers on the edge of their seats while smiling with delight. It's a wedding no one thought would ever happen, and a family curse that makes all of us who have those weird events in our family history something to laugh about. I hope one day we will get a follow-up book or story to let us know how Everly and Grady spend their lives, update us on their (hopefully) children, and show us how happy a couple can be once they find the right one to trust and spend their lives with. Warning: The ending of this book may make readers cry. I did!
April 14, 2022
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I would give this 10 stars if I could. I can't believe this series is over. It's so bittersweet. Grady and Everly have come such a long way and they are the literally cutest! That prologue?!?! THAT EPILOGUE?!?! My heart was in tatters on the floor. Thank you Bree Baker for making me feel sooooo many things. I will treasure this series always.
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://youtu.be/wAsz4Uf3l6k
I would give this 10 stars if I could. I can't believe this series is over. It's so bittersweet. Grady and Everly have come such a long way and they are the literally cutest! That prologue?!?! THAT EPILOGUE?!?! My heart was in tatters on the floor. Thank you Bree Baker for making me feel sooooo many things. I will treasure this series always.
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2025
actual rating: 4.5/5 stars
i honestly don’t think i’ve ever read a cozy mystery series this long and actually made it all the way to the end but i adore this series so of course i had to see it through. i’m so attached to these characters, and knowing this was the last book definitely bumped my enjoyment. it wrapped everything up so well. questions we’ve had since the very beginning finally got answers and there was a real sense of closure. i’m sad to say goodbye but i also think it’s the right time since the series was starting to get a little repetitive.
the mystery in this one wasn’t my absolute favorite of the series but it was still strong. i didn’t see the murderer coming at all and the setup felt a little different from the usua, which i appreciated. it was still that fun, cozy, seaside whodunit vibe i love so much from these books.
this was such a nice, satisfying conclusion to one of my favorite cozy series. i’m really going to miss this world.
i honestly don’t think i’ve ever read a cozy mystery series this long and actually made it all the way to the end but i adore this series so of course i had to see it through. i’m so attached to these characters, and knowing this was the last book definitely bumped my enjoyment. it wrapped everything up so well. questions we’ve had since the very beginning finally got answers and there was a real sense of closure. i’m sad to say goodbye but i also think it’s the right time since the series was starting to get a little repetitive.
the mystery in this one wasn’t my absolute favorite of the series but it was still strong. i didn’t see the murderer coming at all and the setup felt a little different from the usua, which i appreciated. it was still that fun, cozy, seaside whodunit vibe i love so much from these books.
this was such a nice, satisfying conclusion to one of my favorite cozy series. i’m really going to miss this world.
February 23, 2022
I tried so hard not to rush through this book since I knew it was the last book in the series, but I read it in one day. The prologue alone made me swoon, so i knew this was going to be great. I seriously could not put it down. Such a great story with so many unexpected twists. What a wonderful finish to the series! The author really knocked it out of the park with this one!
October 27, 2021
I've read every book in the series and the fact that this is the last instalment is bittersweet. I loved Everly and Charm, NC when the series began. Her aunts were a riot and her friends were sweet. However, the last few books didn't have as many scenes with the aunts or townsfolk and Everly has become a bit of a pill. She's now headstrong and obstinate and not very considerate of her fiancé, yet expects everyone to understand why she is behaving badly. For instance, she is worried she is cursed and the man she loves is destined to die. However, when he is repeatedly put into danger by her sleuthing and he asks her to stop, she claims she can't help herself. Um, a curse is out of your control. Your behaviour is not. The mystery in this one was difficult to solve and I still love the aunts. I would definitely recommend starting with the first book in this series, because it's great, and then see how you feel about the ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
December 22, 2024
This book was the perfect ending to this series! I can’t even explain how much I love this series. Just read it if you haven’t.
February 24, 2022
Everly Swan is getting ready to marry detective Grady Hays. Everly, believing the Swan women are cursed in love, asks someone to look into her family history. The person dies before giving Everly what she found. This was the perfect ending to one of my favorite series. It made me sad that the series has ended but I loved the way Bree Baker ended it. That epilogue made me so emotional. I have fallen in love with these characters, and it was just the perfect ending to Grady and Everly's love story. The mystery was well done. I did not suspect the killer at all. If I could give higher than 5 stars I would. This is a must-read series.
I received this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2022
So sorry to see this fun series end! As usual Everly is going to get herself into trouble, although she has so many reasons not to, and as usual all the wonderful characters in this series, people and animal, will find a way to keep her safe from her own inquiring mind! While planning her wedding to Grady, running her business, supporting her best friend in her new career as an author and looking for a way to overcome the "curse" one would think she had enough to do. While the mystery is certainly entertaining, the real triumph in this book is learning that all our favorite folks are going to be just fine.
August 25, 2025
rating: ★★★
audio narrated by Thérèse Plummer
audio narrated by Thérèse Plummer
April 23, 2022
Gosh, I am really sad that this series is over and sad to say bye to these characters. All the parts other than the mystery made me smile. Everything was wrapped up so nicely in the end. And the reveal of the town charmer was a real shocker to me, how I exclaimed at that part 😃 but it makes sense now that I know who the person is. And the epilogue was everything I needed, I had happy tears in the end but it was good to know things turned out well.
October 4, 2021
Everly Swan is finally getting married. Well, if Grady Hays can prove to her that the Swan family curse where husband die young isn’t real. As much as Everly loves Grady, she would never put him in that position, not with a young son who already lost his mother. To help with the research, Everly hires a local historical researcher to look into the Swan family curse as well. When the researcher is murdered, Everly needs to do two things: find out what the woman found out and find the woman’s killer. All while planning a wedding that may, or may not, take place.
As Everly and Grady conduct their own investigations, the killer makes their displeasure known as they appear to be getting closer to the truth. Will the Swan family curse strike yet again, or will Everly and Grady get their happily ever after? it’s touch and go and only time and fate will decide their ending.
I hate saying goodbye to one of my favorite cozy series. The characters and town of Charm have come to be old friends and I will miss them, though I am sure the author has new friends and locations to share in future works. However I loved the ending and feel like she wrapped everything up with satisfaction. Fate.
As Everly and Grady conduct their own investigations, the killer makes their displeasure known as they appear to be getting closer to the truth. Will the Swan family curse strike yet again, or will Everly and Grady get their happily ever after? it’s touch and go and only time and fate will decide their ending.
I hate saying goodbye to one of my favorite cozy series. The characters and town of Charm have come to be old friends and I will miss them, though I am sure the author has new friends and locations to share in future works. However I loved the ending and feel like she wrapped everything up with satisfaction. Fate.
November 11, 2021
Pleading the Fish by Bree Baker is a wonderful cozy mystery that is the seventh and final installment in the delightful Seaside Cafe mystery series.
This is such a cute series. While I have not read every book this far (I have read 4/6 of them), I had no problems filling in the gaps and following along. However I have to say, I enjoyed it so much that I am making it a priority read the remainder of the series.
I love Charm, NC. It is fun, quirky, and a great backdrop for this series. I enjoyed the full cast of characters, especially Everly. I will miss her and the whole series in general. As usual, the murder/mystery plots were enjoyable, creative, and kept me turning pages to find out the resolution. I also enjoyed the satisfying ending. I won’t say any more, so as not to spoil it for other readers and fans.
This series has been well-crafted, and it is bittersweet to see it end.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Poisoned Pen Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/29/22.
This is such a cute series. While I have not read every book this far (I have read 4/6 of them), I had no problems filling in the gaps and following along. However I have to say, I enjoyed it so much that I am making it a priority read the remainder of the series.
I love Charm, NC. It is fun, quirky, and a great backdrop for this series. I enjoyed the full cast of characters, especially Everly. I will miss her and the whole series in general. As usual, the murder/mystery plots were enjoyable, creative, and kept me turning pages to find out the resolution. I also enjoyed the satisfying ending. I won’t say any more, so as not to spoil it for other readers and fans.
This series has been well-crafted, and it is bittersweet to see it end.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Poisoned Pen Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/29/22.
June 7, 2022
I was doing such a great job not crying until Grady's Epilogue. The last page made the tears fall.
Bree Baker's Seaside Cafe series is one of the first-ever cozy mystery series I ever read. Live and Let Chai (Book 1) was the first book I ever read by one of my absolute favorite authors, Julie Anne Lindsey (who also writes as Bree Baker, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost).
The charming setting (no pun intended) of Charm - on the water, with the beautiful ocean and almost always gorgeous weather. It was the perfect combo of quirky characters, a wonderful setting, family, and an amateur sleuth, Everly Swan, whose curiosity kept getting her into sticky situations. Fortunately, Grady Hays was always there to make sure all was well and the bad guys were caught.
Each book - Pleading the Fish most definitely included - is a terrific, page-turning whodunnit where the killer isn't revealed until the author wants to reveal him or her to the reader. The playful banter between Everly and Grady was something I especially liked throughout the series, but most especially in this one.
I'm sad to see this one go but thrilled to have read them all. If you're looking for a fantastic cozy series to binge-read, read this series of 7 books. They're fabulous reads!
Bree Baker's Seaside Cafe series is one of the first-ever cozy mystery series I ever read. Live and Let Chai (Book 1) was the first book I ever read by one of my absolute favorite authors, Julie Anne Lindsey (who also writes as Bree Baker, Julie Chase, and Jacqueline Frost).
The charming setting (no pun intended) of Charm - on the water, with the beautiful ocean and almost always gorgeous weather. It was the perfect combo of quirky characters, a wonderful setting, family, and an amateur sleuth, Everly Swan, whose curiosity kept getting her into sticky situations. Fortunately, Grady Hays was always there to make sure all was well and the bad guys were caught.
Each book - Pleading the Fish most definitely included - is a terrific, page-turning whodunnit where the killer isn't revealed until the author wants to reveal him or her to the reader. The playful banter between Everly and Grady was something I especially liked throughout the series, but most especially in this one.
I'm sad to see this one go but thrilled to have read them all. If you're looking for a fantastic cozy series to binge-read, read this series of 7 books. They're fabulous reads!
July 27, 2022
Great ending to this series!!!
January 1, 2025
Best book in the series. My heart was NOT ready for that ending. 😭💛
July 12, 2022
Ultimo libro di una bella serie come si deduce dall'epilogo tripartito. Non dico di più al riguardo per non fare spoiler, ma ho davvero apprezzato l'epilogo. Mi spiace che la serie sia finita, la protagonista mi era simpatica nonostante la sua indubbia inclinazione a cacciarsi nei guai. Mi ero affezionata anche ai vari caratteri secondari, Grady in primis, ma anche Maggie e Lou (una gatta e un pellicano: non chiedete, ma giocano sempre un ruolo nelle storie...).
January 20, 2023
Wow! Just Wow!! This is the last of the series, and I have held off reading it because I was afraid I might be disappointed. I should have known better. Bree Baker knew this was going to be the last, so she gave us a great mystery, and then spent the last 21 pages giving us Epilogues that wrapped everything up with a bow.
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