Olive You to Death

by Lynn Cahoon

Wedding bells are in the air for two couples. Jill, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, is ready to tie the knot with Greg, South Cove’s detective. First, however, Josh, the owner of the antique store, and Mandy, from the family who grows olives and products for sale at the South Cove farmers market, surprise the town with an announcement of their upcoming wedding. Mandy is sweet and has worked wonders on the formerly grumpy Josh.

When she disappears without a word, Josh is heartbroken and worried sick. Several other mysteries weave in and out with the assumed kidnapping. Josh and a professor are collaborating on finding a buried treasure that has been the stuff of local legends for many years. When the professor is killed, there are several suspects including some of his former teaching assistants who had previous ties to Mandy. Is her disappearance related to the murder or to the hidden treasure? Jill is involved in the various investigations while trying to locate a wedding venue for her own upcoming nuptials, finish her final paper for her MBA, reorganize her business plan and staff, maintain her friendships, and nurture  her relationship with Greg. For her own health and that of Emma, her faithful golden retriever, Jill also tries to take a beach run every day. 

Olive You to Death is a clean cozy mystery with lots of threads and a little danger. It will keep you wondering whodunit, but is tied up nicely in the final chapter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #16 in the Tourist Trap Mystery series. It could be read as a standalone, but reading the recently published prequel (2024), Murder in a Tourist Town, first is a great introduction to the characters and setting.

  2. Includes the author’s recipe for “Weekday Enchiladas.” With a pound of both ground beef and ground pork, this recipe must make a lot of enchiladas, but she says they freeze well to provide leftovers for extra lunches.

Publication: June 4, 2024—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

The sun sparkled off a stretch of the ocean as I drove by. Living here wasn’t bad at all. Even with the drought. And now the rivers of rain. Days like today made it all worth it.

“Man, every day we’re on this earth is a sightseeing trip. You just need to open your eyes to the magic.”

I felt like the upheaval of my life was finally slowing down to at least a workable amount of stress. I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. I just hoped it wasn’t a train.