Lattes and Lies (Comics and Coffee Case Files, #2) by Christine Zane Thomas

Lattes and Lies (Comics and Coffee Case Files, #2) Reviews

• 
  Terric853

  Cute enough, especially since it was free.
  
  Kirby Jackson owns a comic book/coffee shop. His Memaw invites him to a book club meeting with one of his favorite childhood authors. During the book club meeting, he encounters Avett, Memaw's friend Barb's niece, with whom Kirby previously had one date. They decide to go out for pizza after the meeting and when he takes her home, they find her aunt dead.
  
  Since Barb had cancer and told very few people, Kirby, Avett and everyone else assume the cancer was the cause. But, it turns out that she was poisoned. Kirby's best friend, Felicia, is a detective for the local police department and gives him some information about the case, but gets angry and refuses to talk with him when he confronts a suspect.
  
  The plot twist was good and I liked how it was handled. Don't let my 3-star rating sway you; I've discovered that I'm not really a fan of "cozy mysteries." If I were a fan of the genre, I probably would have give this 4+ stars.
  
• 
  Jeffrey Poole

  Very enjoyable story about an owner of a cafe/comic book story and his adventures. Along with Gambit, his adopted dachshund, they tackle this latest mystery, namely, the death of his girlfriend’s aunt.
  
  Very easy read, with relatable characters and a believable plot. This series is definitely worth checking out. And yes, I will be looking into the next installment!
  
  Great job, guys!
• 
  Bonnie Dale Keck

  kindle unlimited, did not like it as well as book 1 ditto 3, rating it 3 here but 4 zon, because they have 3's as negative, js, and writing review after finished 3
  
  
  
  Comics and Coffee Case Files
  Marvels, Mochas, and Murder 1
  Lattes and Lies (Comics and Coffee Case Files 2
  
  A Foodie Files Mystery
  The Salty Taste of Murder 1
  A Choice Cocktail of Death 2
  
  
• 
  Laura King

  Enjoyed reading about Kirby and Gambit’s adventures. The author knows how to bring the reader into the story and keep us guessing until the end. Excited to read the next book in the series.
• 
  ette

  Short but OK
  Could have been longer and more developed
• 
  Carlin

  I liked it!
  
  Note: I read this in June 2019 and in June 2020 downloaded a box set of the first 4 in this mystery series (so I can see if I like #1, 3, & 4 as much as #2).
• 
  Paula Dyches

  KAPOW Coffee + Cozy Mystery= Fun Read
  
  This really was a fun read. It has a bit of a Big Bang Theory vibe to it but with it's own characters. And what a business concept, comic book store and coffee shop in one! Who needs Starbucks. I love Kirby and watching him run his shop and date girls... It's very encouraging for a mom of two teenage boys who are both D&D nerds too. The story stays clean and the mystery keeps you engaged with enough twists to keep it from being too easy to solve. Overall it's a fun clean cozy mystery that will have a broader reader appeal.
  
  Parents- PG - middle school and up readers
  Language- mild
  Violence- PG - very little to none- not a bloody murder scene
  Sexual Content- PG - just some kissing and hand holding, nothing to warn of
  
  Narrator did a great job. I preferred 1.25x listening speed.
  
  —I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
• 
  Aprilleigh

  Not bad, but I wish I'd read the first book because the bits and pieces dropped into this book make it sound like a great story. However, you can absolutely read this one first.
  
  The solution was reasonably clear by a bit past the halfway mark, but it was still nicely done. There were a few details that were a little confusing even after the denouement, but that's okay. The author explained the most important details.
  
  One thing that threw me is the protagonist is male but I had to keep reminding myself of that. He came across as female in the first chapters. I'm not sure if that was deliberate or just me picking up on inadvertent clues from an author who doesn't write male characters well but I kind of liked it. It didn't take me out of the story at all and the ambiguity was both realistic and appealing.
• 
  Brenna

  I took well over a month to read this because, while it was good, it didn’t hold my attention more than sleep did as I always read before going to bed. It was an intriguing enough mystery mixed with a little relationship, but I felt confused because it lead me to believe another relationship was brewing when it really wasn’t. It also had a random plot line of the main guy breeding his dachshund so some characters could get puppies…🙄 The only redemption to that part is when he didn’t want a puppy himself but preferred rescuing a dog or cat.
  
  To be fair, I didn’t guess who dunnit, and the explanation of the culprit was actually kind of genius. Overall, it still sort of felt like a waste of my time, but unless they’re awful I don’t like giving up on books so I kept trusting forward slowly.
• 
  Holly

  Likeable characters, decent plot
  
  This is the first book in this series that I have read, and I liked it enough to read more. I read a lot of cozies and it's rare to have a male protagonist. Kirby is a likeable guy with a rescue Daschund dog. The writing is competent and well edited. The mystery is decent, and the story is complete. There are a few references to the first book in the series, enough to give you some background into Kirby's relationships with Felicia and Avett, the two main female characters. This is a quick read, and a clean one with no sex or foul language.
• 
  Saravanan Mani

  A nice follow up to the first one. The crime-solving aspect is a little subdued here, but the overall experience of a leisurely encounter with some interesting characters pretty good. Mee-Maw getting into more hijinks was just what the series needed. Did not expect the story to go the "meta" way so early in the series - but when a writer of cozy mysteries comes into town to visit a friend and a crime takes place, we are given the opportunity to reflect how the genre works as a whole. Overall, a fun read!
• 
  Bev

  Kirby is all excited that Memaw's book club is having his favorite mystery author! But the night ends with Barb, Memaw's friend is dead. Kirby didn't know she had cancer, or a boyfriend, and she was the basis character of a bestselling mystery series! Kirby is pretty sure someone killed her before she told her secrets. But who? I know this sound tragic, but this story is written with great humor. It is a refreshing change for your usual murder mysteries.
• 
  Ryan Hoffman

  Kirby is back and full running Kapow Koffee. He's also grown to like dashound Gambit, and has a new girlfriend, a local nurse his Memaw knows, there going to meet mytery author Pamela Isley at his Memaws book club. Also in attendance is Barb Simone, his Memaws freimd and also the aunt of the woman he's seeing, as detective Felicia Strong, his old flame, wants to be friends. Barb dies and Pam is the prime suspect. It's a great way to continue the story.
• 
  Paula Hanlon

  Pretty good cozy mystery!
  
  I like that the main protagonist only has a great head on his shoulders but also takes into account the opinions of people he trusts when confronted with a mystery that needs solving. Even when it involves friends and family. Also he has a cute dog. That always helps. 😁
• 
  Remona Hargis Munson

  Interesting and entertaining
  
  This book kept my interest throughout the entire book. Usually, I figure out the ending pretty early on and I lose interest shortly thereafter. It took longer than usual for me to figure this one out and I wanted to keep reading even afterwards because the storyline was entertaining. Great cozy mystery.
• 
  Cheryl

  This is the second in the series and the first time reading this author. The main character has a coffee shop with a corner for comics. He trips over a body at the end of a date and the murder victim is a friend of his Memaw's. It takes a while for him to figure things out. I enjoyed this book.
• 
  Christine

  Not a regular member of Memaw's book club, Kirby Jackson is excited to attend this evening's meeting. In Lattes and Lies by Christine Zane Thomas, Kirby's favorite author Pam Isley is the guest of honor. But when someone close to them is murdered, Kirby and Avett become the detectives. Clever, cute mystery.
• 
  Heather

  Cute pallet cleanser
  
  I’ve been reading some pretty long and heavier books and needed something cozy and light in between. This fit the bill. Fun, fast and didn’t have to do too much thinking.
• 
  Helen

  Great short audio mystery for a road trip. It didn’t feel short, as there was good character description, including the animals. I will be looking for more in this series, as I’m anticipating more road trips.