A Bean to Die For: 02/29/24

A Bean to Die For by Tara Lush and Kae Marie Denino (Narrator) (2024) is the fourth book in the Coffee Lover's mystery series. Lana Lewis has decided to try growing her own coffee for Perkatory and her father has a lead on a plot of land in the community garden. Unfortunately she finds the previous farmer dead among his tomatoes!

This volume hinges on small organization politics. The community garden has aged beyond its founders and is suffering from growing pains. The victim was the founder but the organization has evolved from his initial vision.

Unfortunately for the current president, her known on going strife with the victim makes her a perfect suspect. Lana, though not exactly friends with the woman decides to help her clear her name.

In the background of the murder investigation is Lana's attempts to get ready for meeting her Noah's mother and sister. She's promised to make an elaborate lasagna for everyone. But she doesn't ask for enough help and she doesn't push back when her boyfriend and his family make more demands than she has time or spoons to deal with.

I'm happy that things ultimately work out for her but she needs to learn how to push back and set boundaries. Hopefully in future volumes she will. The book then ends with a coda that focuses on Lana's relationship with Noah and his plans for the future. Secondary characters do sometimes successfully change careers and live to tell about it. I hope that's the case with Noah but I'm worried he'll end up the murder victim in book five, should there be a fifth book.

Five stars

Comments (0)