This was a fun summer read!

I love our main characters, Jill & Greg. :) They're likeable and well-rounded. I've enjoyed watching their relationship grow over the last eight books. In this ninth one, they have recently moved in together and are both getting used to that new dynamic in their relationship.

The side characters in this installment were something else. Zany, crazy, and wild for sure. Thank goodness Jill has lots of experience in dealing with over-the-top personalities and good old-fashioned vanity because she's got her hands full of them this weekend!

There aren't a lot of setting descriptions here (partially because it IS the 9th book in the series and we've had lots of descriptions of the town up until now), but what are there are enough. They're not too wordy and flowery, but they aren't stark either. They provide enough information for you to be able to imagine the setting well.

The plot line was interesting and moved along steadily. I did have an idea of who the killer was but was never sure until it was revealed. There were definitely a lot of suspects who could have done it and the author kept me guessing until just before the ending.

All in all, a great addition to the series! ( )

Love this series. The characters are very likable. Need more than 2 books a year :) ( )

Jill Gardner returns in Killer Party, the 9th book in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. Jill is settling into her relationship with live-in boyfriend, Greg, while juggling her college classes and her business, Coffee, Books & More. Greg invites her to spend the weekend at local luxury hotel, The Castle, to join him for the annual reunion weekend with his best college buddies. Jill looks forward to meeting his old friends, relaxing by the pool and reading. Her plans change abruptly when one of Greg's friends is found dead, floating in the hotel pool. Could one of Greg's friends be a murderer?

As usual, Lynn Cahoon delivers a great cozy mystery with this new Tourist Trap book. The mystery is well-paced, with lots of possible suspects and unexpected twists and turns. I enjoy Jill as a main character. She is intelligent, independent, and a skilled amateur detective. I like how she works together with Greg (a local police officer) to gather clues. The side characters -- Aunt Jackie, Brenda, Deek, Toby, Amy, etc -- add a nice depth to the story. This latest installment in the series kept me guessing until the end. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the story took a turn in another direction. The ending is great -- believable and surprising! Loved it!

Lynn Cahoon is also the author of the Cat Latimer Mysteries series. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.lynncahoon.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.** ( )

Another visit to South Cove, California finds our protagonist Jill Gardner adjusting to life having recently begun living with her boyfriend, police detective Greg. She had an extremely busy life with her recent life change, juggling college classes, her business and her aunt, who is planning her upcoming nuptials. Even with all she has on her plate, she makes time to spend a weekend at "The Castle" to celebrate the engagement of Greg's best friend as well as meeting all the guys and their wives that Greg grew up with. When the guest of honor, Levi, is found dead floating in the pool, the party quickly becomes a group of people that are all considered suspects. When Greg is taken off the case because he was present at the party, he asks Jill to help him investigate. He feels responsible for Levi's death due to the fact that he was killed in his town. Jill does ask some questions and do some research, but she is careful not to put herself in danger. Will they be able to find the killer without The Castle becoming a victim as well? Will Greg find out that one of his friends is a murderer?

I enjoyed this story very much. It was as much about relationships as the mystery itself. What are the implications when an engaged couple has one of them die? Will Greg and Jill be able to survive Greg's previous relationships? What will Greg find out about himself? There is a lot of soul searching going on as this mystery gets solved. The thing that knocked my rating down to 4 stars was the reveal at the end of the book. It seemed to come out of left field although it is explained at that time in the story. There is a bit of a suspenseful cliffhanger at the end involving one of the relationships in the story that I really want to find out what happened. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via netgalley.
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** SOME SPOILERS AHEAD**

Jill Gardner, - owner of Coffee, Books and More - is still new to having her boyfriend Greg King, South Cove's police chief, living with her when they're invited to a weekend getaway. Well, not so much of a getaway when it takes place at The Castle, which is only ten miles out of town. But still, it's a weekend she doesn't have to work or think about anything but fun...or at least that's what she expects.

The reason they're even there is because Greg's friend Levi, a tech millionaire, is getting married and has rented the entire place for his close group of friends. What Jill doesn't expect is how close this group is. Greg's known everyone since he was a kid, and they pretty much stick together; albeit not the way she'd expect. The girls are in one place, and the guys another. No mingling with their spouses here! Not something she likes, but it's only for a weekend, right?

Wrong...before Jill even has a chance to get to know anyone, Levi is found dead floating in the swimming pool, and since Greg knew the victim, it's the job of a neighboring town to investigate the murder. However, since he can't officially investigate and doesn't want to jeopardize his own job, he calls on the sleuthing skills of his girlfriend to help him (surreptitiously, of course) find out who the murderer might be. While he doesn't want to believe it's any of his friends, Jill isn't so sure. She saw enough of the interaction to realize someone may have wanted Levi gone.

But finding out isn't going to be easy. These people are keeping it close to their vest and not saying anything, for whatever reason. And is Levi's girlfriend Jessica really grieving or is she just a great actress? Since no one will talk, Jill's going to have to tap into the powers of the Internet and her own attention to detail to discover who killed Levi and why - and if there's another person on the agenda...

I have to tell you that this is one of the most delightful series I've ever read. Each book is filled not only with an intriguing mystery, but several subplots as well that blend well with the story and keep it from having 'dead spots'. And, if you're paying attention, they usually lead into the next installment of our narrative.

The characters are well-written, fully dimensional and it's a pure pleasure to spend time with them. Watching the progression of Jill and Greg's relationship is a plus, too, along with the rest of South Cove's residents. It doesn't hurt that there's a possibility of romance on the horizon for one of their community in a future book.

While we watch Jill unravel the mystery in her own unique way - not stepping on toes or being too invasive - we realize once again that things are not what they seem, and the answers we're looking for might be closer than we think. When the ending comes close, and the killer is revealed at last, we realize that obsessions come in many different forms, and even the most obscure of them can be the most visible if we're paying attention.

This is the ninth book in the series, following Hospitality and Homicide, but can be read as a stand alone. It is, as always, outstanding and an entertaining way to spend your hours reading. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended. ( )