When Gia Morelli moved to Florida to open a cafe, she knew it wouldn't be smooth sailing. Running a breakfast eatery isn't easy. It takes lots of hard work and a great staff. And while Gia is no stranger to hard work, she realized on her opening day, watching her new line cook prepare one meal at a time, that she'd have to work on her staffing.
The move from New York City to Boggy Creek took all her energy, all her extra time, and all her extra money. Buying a house and getting the All-Day Breakfast Cafe up and running took everything she had. But it was worth it. She needed to start over. Between her husband's lies and his career as a thief, stealing the money his clients' had given him to invest, Gia was done even before his court case and all the death threats. That's why she moved to Boggy Creek, Florida, where she could build a new life for herself with the help of her friend Savannah.
The first day was difficult. Gia didn't realize that she would have so many customers ask for grits. Her cook created long wait times for her customers. And then at the end of the day, when the customers and staff had all gone home and Gia had everything cleaned up, that's when she discovered her ex-husband, non-responsive, in the dumpster behind her restaurant.
Now that's a bad day.
As the police investigate Gia's ex-husband's murder, she has to figure out how to stay safe not only from whoever killed her ex but also against Florida and all the bears, alligators, snakes, and spiders that run free in The Sunshine State. Can Gia, her new puppy Thor, and the handsome Detective Quinn find the killer in time to save Gia's new business as well as her life?
Lena Gregory's Scone Cold Killer is the first in her All-Day Breakfast Cafe series, and it offers a tasty combination of mystery and intrigue, with strong characters and an interesting place. An easy read, this book has a light touch, a little humor, a little romance, all served up with some delicious breakfast treats and a murder to be solved. While I found Scone Cold Killer to be a little lighter than my favorite cozies tend to be, its readability and interesting characters did draw me in, and I enjoyed the journey.
Galleys for Scone Cold Killer were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.