Sharon Linnéa

Death From Beyond was honestly a bit of a disappointment. I listened to the audiobook version and I have to admit there were times when I had to rewind as I found myself drifting off as I had difficulty engaging with the story line. I don't think it's the narrator's fault as I just feel there wasn't enough material for the story itself to be engaging.

First of all, the actual story definitely does not live up to the premise of the story as there was an implied paranormal element that was show more supposed to be included. Unfortunately, there was a definite lack of ghosts in this book and while I normally would not have minded, it bothers me when something is touted in such a fashion, and then ... nothing.

The plot itself actually had a lot of promise and I would have liked it a lot better if the reader was allowed to think and conjecture without being led along by the nose. The book pretty much tells you the story rather than show you what's happening, trying to lead you down a certain path, rather than letting the reader figure things out as they go. Considering there were some sensitive topics in this story, this is definitely not the way to approach this as it becomes more suggestive of being preachy rather than showing the problematic nature of the issues and allowing the reader to decide for themselves wherein the problems lie. Personally, I have an issue when I am led by the nose, especially when subjects such as sexuality, abuse, and bullying are being presented, even if I agree with the side of the author. That's not the point, the point is to be able to think clearly about the issues on my own and make up my own mind. Furthermore, the mystery itself was fairly predictable with few twists and turns so it was fairly easy to figure out what was happening and who was involved.

I didn't read the previous books in the series, but I don't think it really mattered. While I would have perhaps understood the relationships between the main characters a bit better, I didn't actually find them to be that distinct from each other in this book as they all seemed one-dimensional in nature. I just didn't care for any of them as a result, and had a difficult time connecting with their issues and feeling any empathy for their situations. And while I like the recipes included in the book, I also found them distracting as they were intrusive and did not seem to fit the narrative.

Verdict
Death From Beyond suffered from a lack of character and plot development and I had a difficult time getting through this book. This was touted as a ghost story, but ghost stories tend to actually have ghosts in them, and this...didn't. At this point, I have no desire to read the first three books in this series. It's too bad as the there was a lot to like in the premise. show less

How much fun was this!

Avalon has time on her hands when her train stops in Tranquility and she has to wait to switch trains, so she heads off to the local hotel bar where she proceeds to get caught up in a murder - discovering the body of the bartender!

Since she loves to mix drinks, Avalon takes over the bartending job, finds herself a cute cottage to live in, and a friendly dog that leads her to more trouble!

Love how new cocktail recipes were intertwined with the story!

Can't wait for the show more next one! show less

Super cute whodunnit with a refreshing twist - literally - as each chapter ended with an original cocktail recipe, some even pulled straight from the story!

Avalon is new in town, having stopped just to switch trains and ends up quickly being wrapped up in local events. It's interesting to see how she keeps getting hooked into things, and how much she enjoys her new town of Tranquility, New York.

The story is sweet, and fun, and surprisingly sweet for a cozy mystery. It's worth the price of show more admission just for the drink recipes. And the novel takes a somewhat original approach in our world of heightened racial sensitivity, in that she pretty much describes everyone (don't quote me, but references such as "anglo american" or "northwestern European" come to mind). While a bit tiring and cumbersome to read, I did appreciate this approach as many books claim diversity, but still basically just assume all the characters are caucasian unless otherwise listed.

If you'd like a light mystery perfect for poolside - this one's for you! show less

In Death In Tranquility, the first book in The Bartender's Guide To Murder Mystery Series, author Sharon Linnea weaves an intriguing cozy mystery tale that follows the amateur sleuth adventures of bartender Avalon Nash.

Set in the picturesque former Winter Olympic lakeside village of Tranquility, New York, Avalon Nash doesn't know what she's gotten herself into while eating dinner at the Battered Hatch Tavern, while waiting to change trains on the last leg of her train trip from Los Angeles show more to New York City. Bartender Joseph Emberg went missing from behind the bar and the orders were stacking up, so Avalon volunteered to look for Joseph, only to find him dead on the smoker's deck in the back of the bar. Tavern owner Glenn MacTavish offers Avalon the bartending position on the spot, and tells her oh by the way, Joseph isn't the first bartender murdered in the tavern! The next thing you know, Avalon finds herself caught up in the middle of the homicide investigation, and she is determined to find out the identity of the killer before she becomes the next bartender targeted to be killed.

Death In Tranquility is an entertaining cozy whodunit tale that has enough quirky characters, witty banter and humor, family drama, danger, suspense, and intriguing twists and turns. Told in the first person narrative, the reader can't help but get caught up in Avalon's crazy amateur sleuth goose chase of an adventure as she tries to help Inspector Mike Spaulding solve Joseph's murder. The story unfolds with a wonderful balance of comedy, drama, and suspense that easily kept me guessing, and left me wanting more. I can't wait to read Death By Gravity, the second book in this delightful cozy mystery series!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that at the end of each chapter is a collection of drink recipes that will make your mouth water!

Death In Tranquility is an entertaining story that cozy murder mystery fans will enjoy reading!

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2021/02/death-in-tranquilty-by-sharon... show less