by Sarah Erwin

This week we have a review of the first in a brand new series by debut author Adrian Andover, along with an interesting interview with Adrian. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Whiskey Business: A Mixology Lounge Mystery by Adrian Andover
Review by Sarah Erwin

Whiskey Business is a debut cozy mystery by Adrian Andover, and this reader is hoping there are many more to come in this Mixology Lounge Mystery series!

Meet Reece Parker, a mixologist living in his small hometown of Hope Mills, Pennsylvania, and going through some big life changes. He’s broken off his engagement and has recently opened Subplot, a literary-themed underground cocktail lounge. As if all of that wasn’t enough to manage, Reece stumbles across the body of a customer late one evening. To prove his innocence and protect the reputation of his business, Reece naturally falls into the role of amateur sleuth.

This cozy mystery is an absolute treat from start to finish. I read this in two days and missed hanging out with Reece when I had to put it down for adulting things like work and chores! The plot was well paced––readers don’t have to wait long to jump into the mystery. I thought I had an idea of the true culprit, but several twists and turns kept me on my toes and revealed that I did not, in fact, have the mystery solved.

In addition to a terrific plot, I just adored Reece. He’s such a thoughtful character, learning to be true to himself––he’s very real and loveable. The side characters are equally well developed and unique.
The small town of Hope Mills is a delightfully cozy setting for the story, and the bookish themes of Subplot are so creative and warmed this book lover’s heart. The big reveal is tense, and the last scene is so enjoyable. I can’t wait to read more about Reece!

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Interview With Adrian Andover:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Adrian: I’ve been writing just about as long as I’ve been a reader. By the fourth grade, I began to devour books, and I wanted to create the same magic I felt when I read. The result was a lot of half-baked stories that I didn’t finish and that didn’t go anywhere, but I never stopped writing.

KRL: Have you always written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Adrian: My debut novel, Whiskey Business, is a cozy mystery, but I’ve also written some unpublished literary fiction. Outside of fiction, I’m also a songwriter. My first published “writing” were songs I performed at school talent shows, open mic nights, coffee shops, and small art festivals. Although there are several genres I’d like to write, I’m sticking with cozy mysteries for now because I love the challenge of crafting a whodunit.

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series?

Adrian: My Mixology Lounge Mystery series is set in a literary-themed cocktail lounge called Subplot, which was inspired by a real lounge called Laylow in Asbury Park, NJ. Laylow is located beneath an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant called REYLA, and you have to go through a secret doorway to get down there. Laylow has a music theme—the menus are inside CD cases, and the check comes out in a cassette case at the end of the night. I really wanted a literary version of Laylow to exist, so I created Subplot. It was really fun to think of all the ways to incorporate literature—from the punny drink titles to the audiobooks which play over the speakers in the restroom.

As for the town my story is set in, Hope Mills is a fictionalized version of the real-life New Hope, PA. It’s a quaint, artsy town nestled along the banks of the Delaware River, and it has a rich colonial history. I first visited back in 2022 and wished there was a cozy mystery set there… so I set out to write one.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Adrian: I hope there are layers to what I write. For the readers who are looking to be entertained, I hope they find that. For readers who are looking to read about a perspective different from their own, I hope they find that. For readers looking for social commentary, that’s threaded through my stories as well. I absolutely wish to entertain readers, but I also want to touch their hearts or maybe even inspire them. Maybe they even find a piece of themselves in the story. Ultimately, I hope readers find what they’re looking for when they read my work.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Adrian: I have a pretty regimented writing routine. I envy the writers who can open up their document and write anytime, anywhere. For me, structure is a pretty necessary ingredient.

KRL: What is your ideal time to write?

Adrian: I usually write on weekday mornings from about 5:30 until 8 or 8:30. When I’m getting close to a deadline, I’ll sometimes wake up earlier or write in the evenings. I’ve also been known to keep entire weekends clear so that I can devote entire days to writing. I call those weekends “Book Bootcamp” because I usually do little else. I even order takeout, which I rarely ever do.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Adrian: I do outline. I usually plot out my stories chapter by chapter, beat by beat. For Whiskey Business and the second book in the series (which I’ve already written), my outlines were close to fifteen pages. However, I usually veer from my outline as I write. For the third book, which I’m starting to think about now, I’m experimenting with my process. I still plan to outline, but I think I’d prefer to keep it a bit looser and briefer.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?

Adrian: I think it’s a matter of perspective. At first, I pursued traditional publishing, which involved searching for an agent. I submitted another cozy mystery, and I got some great feedback from agents, but no offers for representation. A lot of it came down to the state of trends in the publishing market. Even though I received feedback that it was becoming more difficult to sell cozy mysteries to major publishing houses, I saw thriving communities of mystery readers online and at events like Malice Domestic and Ashland Mystery Festival. Seeing that there are devoted cozy mysteries readers—even if the genre isn’t what’s hot in traditional publishing right now—inspired me to start Chestnut Avenue Press and publish independently. It’s been so fulfilling to not only write my books but also be so involved in every step of the publication process. I’m grateful for the way everything played out.

KRL: Do you feel like you faced any extra challenges being an LGBTQ+ author writing about an LGBTQ+ main character?

Adrian: Not at all. I had moments of insecurity about writing a male sleuth and a gay protagonist, but the reason I wrote a cozy mystery in the first place was because I wanted to bring my voice to the genre. I wanted to see more characters like me represented in cozies. Readers have been so supportive and receptive to my main character, and I haven’t seen or heard anything negative on the subject. The only challenge I faced was my own insecurity, which I luckily conquered. I’m grateful that readers have been excited to read about Reece, and, if anything, they’ve told me it was refreshing to read a cozy told from a different perspective than they’re used to.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Adrian: I don’t have any big horror stories. Similar to my previous answer, I think the biggest rejection I faced was rooted in my own insecurity. As a writer, it can be difficult to receive feedback on a story you’ve poured your soul and so much effort into. But at the same time, feedback and critiques are essential to making the story the best it can be so that it resonates with readers. There was a moment where I’d received some feedback that was absolutely correct, but it required me to cut huge chunks of my story. I almost debated scrapping the entire book and starting again, and I became very frustrated. But again, this was an example of me standing in my own way. In the same way that I can be my harshest critic, I also need to be my own biggest fan. I need to believe in my story and myself enough to keep writing. Learning to show up for myself has been an incredible journey.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Adrian: My brother and aunt drove seven hours to attend my very first book signing, which was just over a month ago. I’m so grateful that they went so out of their way to support me, and it will be difficult to top that moment. I started on a very high note!

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Adrian: My biggest goal is to keep going. I’d love to keep writing at a steady pace and be as prolific as I can. I’m not writing for awards or sales or money. If I can continue to write and readers continue to want to read my work, I will consider myself a success. I would like to branch out and write in some other genres, though. I have an idea that I believe is the story of my heart that I’d love to write after I get further along in the Mixology Lounge Mystery series.

KRL: Who are your writing heroes?

Adrian: My number one writing hero is Kate DiCamillo. Although she writes for a middle grade audience, I will always read anything she writes. In the fourth grade, we read her novel Because of Winn-Dixie as a class, and it captivated me. One Friday afternoon, we ended our reading on a cliffhanger, and it drove me wild. I scrounged together some holiday money, and my dad took me to the Waldenbooks in our mall that weekend. I bought my own copy of the book so that I could read ahead and see what happened next. That book changed me as a reader, and I will be forever grateful. Her stories are a beautiful balance of joy and pain, and her prose is breathtaking. From a young age, I sought out any interview with Kate DiCamillo that I could find online. I wanted to learn everything I could about how she wrote, and that played a big role in my own writing journey.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Adrian: I try to keep my research as basic as possible. As someone who loves to learn, I could easily spend every writing session on research and not writing a word. I restrict any Google searches while I write to the absolute necessities, and when writing a first draft, I try not to do any research at all. The most intentional research I do is in-person. I’m not a mixologist, but I write about one. To make my protagonist and his world feel more real, I will take a small notebook to a local cocktail lounge all on my own. I write pages of observations, ask questions of the mixologist or bartender, and search for the tiny details that help bring the story to life. Oftentimes, I find that those small, personal details are more effective in storytelling than any technical research I try to work into the story.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Adrian: I read pretty broadly. In terms of fiction, I love literary novels, thrillers and suspense, cozy mysteries, a little bit of romance, and even some horror. The music geek in me loves to read music memoirs, and those make up a sizeable portion of my reading. Some of my go-to authors include Stephen King, Fredrik Backman, Jodi Picoult, Harlan Coben, and Ellie Alexander, but there are truly too many to name.

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Adrian: I don’t watch a lot of TV or movies, but I feel like my taste for each is very different. When it comes to TV, I prefer lighthearted entertainment. I love watching nineties sitcoms like Seinfeld. When it comes to movies, though, I love to watch anything mind-bending or that makes me cry. Donnie Darko and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are some of my favorite mind-benders, and Holding The Man is a movie that makes me sob every time I watch it.

KRL: Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Adrian: My biggest advice to aspiring writers is to begin building community as soon as possible. There’s a belief that writing is a solitary craft—and it’s true that you’ll spend countless hours writing on your own. But as I mentioned before, feedback is essential. Having writer friends who can serve as critique partners is a game-changer. Not only will you improve your own work based on their feedback, but you’ll also learn a ton by reading their work, too. Plus, when you get stuck or need extra encouragement, those writer friends will be there for you. I am so grateful for the community I’ve found with other writers. They make the journey so much more enjoyable and a lot less lonely.

KRL: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Adrian: People are usually surprised to learn that I’m a twin. I have a twin brother, and we’re fraternal. We don’t look anything alike!

KRL: Do you have any pets?

Adrian: I don’t right now, but that could change soon. I’ve been considering adopting a cat. Maybe one day!

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Adrian: Thank you so much for having me today! It’s been a pleasure to share more about my work and my journey to becoming a writer. I’m very grateful. I’d encourage anyone reading to do something for themselves that will add a little extra joy in their day—whether it be going for a walk, reaching out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, or listening to your favorite song.

KRL: Thank you for chatting with us! Where can our readers find you online?

Adrian: The best place you can find me is my website, adrianandover.com. You can sign up for my newsletter there, where I send out updates on a regular basis. All of my social links are on my site, too. I’m @AdrianAndover across all platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and Threads. Every Wednesday, I post a short video update called Waffle Wednesday, where I share what I’m reading, what I’m writing, and what I’m up to. It’s not only a great way for me to share updates, but it’s wonderful to interact with readers in the comments and DMs as well. I try my very best to respond to every message!

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of Whisky Business, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “whisky” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 8, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.