by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

After taking over her great-uncle’s souvenir shop in Keyhole Bay, Florida, Glory Martine has become accustomed to surviving hurricanes and tropical storms. What she was not prepared for was the renovation of the small apartment just above the Southern Treasures store. It was part of an ambitious project now that she had bought Lighthouse Coffee next door, but her friends and boyfriend Jake had done their best to prepare her for the chaos of construction. What she’s not expecting (although she should, considering her past experiences), was the news that Fowler Auto Sales owner Matt Fowler has been found squashed underneath one of his car lifts. Much to the annoyance of Police Chief Boomer Hardy, possible safety regulation violations means that some other State or Federal agency will be involved, complicating matters and confusing the investigation.

Glory herself is also unable to remain on the sidelines due to her parrot Bluebeard, the bird she inherited who happens to be possessed by the spirit of her great-uncle. Bluebeard is both extremely vocal and yet vague regarding clues to the death, which he does immediately imply was not an accident. Following the path of newspaper articles left by Bluebeard, Glory is given several avenues of investigation that could lead to the parrot’s ominous warning of “woman trouble.” Indeed, it turns out that Matt Fowler’s widow and an unknown ex-wife are now battling over his estate, and his habit of preying on women means that there is no shortage to those wanting the sexual predator dead. Joined by her radio station news reporter BFF Karen Freed, they follow a path of victimized women, infuriated men, and conflicted relatives.

This fifth in the Haunted Souvenir Shop series under a different publisher contains the same fun characters and very Floridian characteristics. Their tourist-driven community means that it’s in everyone’s best interests to have the death investigation closed as quickly as possible, motivating and justifying Glory’s amateur detecting. Her relationship with the bookstore-owning Jake hits a few bumps as they become a closer couple, with Glory coming to terms with their power dynamics and separate businesses. Bluebeard is his usual flirtatious, occasionally inappropriate self with customers, who more often than not find him an attraction rather than a deterrent. The paranormal aspect is lighter than Glory’s practical investigation into Matt Fowler’s past and present crimes, leading up to a logically laid-out conclusion. Fans of this series will be more than satisfied to see Glory and the Keyhole Bay community continue their enjoyable adventures.

To enter to win an ebook copy of Murder Buys a Lemon, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “lemon,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 23, 2022. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.