Brew or Die

Juliet Langley is officially a licensed private investigator, and her past successes spur her to take more challenging cases. Pete Bennett, her best friend, and boss at the Java Jive isn’t 100% on board with her new PI license. He isn’t worried that he might be losing a BFF or a great manager, he worries she will find herself hurt or worse while sticking her nose in places people don’t think she should be. But when baristas, Shane, asks Juliet to look into the death of his fiancée, Pete encourages her to get involved.

Shane suspects that his fiancée’s party-planning colleagues are up to their ears in criminal activity and will do anything to keep it quiet, even murder. Juliet and Pete go undercover at a wedding showcase, where she discovers that wedding gowns and tuxedos are an excellent cover for drug deals and murder.

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Series: A Java Jive Mystery – Book #4
Author: Caroline Fardig
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Alibi

Rating:

Juliet is a great investigator; many times, she is ahead of the police. When her friend and fellow PI, Maya asks her to join her team, Juliet jumps at the chance. Maya has faith in Juliet and doesn’t hesitate to throw her in at the deep end or interfere in her love life. Her British resolve and outlook on life allow Juliet to excel in her new career. However, while Maya is away all hell breaks loose, and she finds herself not only trying to find a murderer, she is handed an embezzlement case, her first solo investigation. Nothing goes right. Before long she finds herself deeply involved with several criminals and her former boyfriend Ryder Hamilton, a man she never wanted to see again.

Pete isn’t happy when Ryder reappears in Juliet’s life. Pete makes certain that Juliet knows how he feels about the situation, but nothing is as it seems and Juliet finds that she cannot confide in her best friend. Even in the midst of his grief, Pete cares enough about Juliet’s emotions and well-being to be worried and concerned while at the same time wanting to be involved in her investigations but not understanding why she is allowing Ryder to be involved in her life again.

The new addition to this series is a wonderful mystery filled with twists and turns that will keep the reader turning the pages. Caroline Fardig is a talented writer with a quick wit, creativeness, and a grasp on what will entertain.  This is a fast-paced read, is very well written with developed characters and a wonderful setting.  The plot is truly interesting and will keep the reader on their toes. The surprise ending will leave the reader feeling either angry or filled with hope.  This story is a fun read.