On the Lamb (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (February 25, 2020)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

Synopsis

Lucy Berberian is busy preparing her family’s Mediterranean restaurant for Easter on the Jersey Shore—but a batch of sweets is to die for . . .

Bikers are thundering into the seaside town of Ocean Crest for the annual Bikers on the Beach gathering that raises funds for injured veterans. It’s a big boost for the Kebab Kitchen, as well as for local businesses like Melanie Haven’s candy shop. But Melanie is about to find herself in a sticky situation.

When Melanie and Lucy attend a beach bonfire, a local landlord is found dead after apparently choking on a piece of salt water taffy. Melanie, who was known to have a contentious relationship with the victim, is quickly skewered as the prime suspect. But Lucy is determined to prove her friend’s innocence before the real killer coasts free . . .

Recipes included!

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Review

My mouth waters every time I read a book in this series.  I love Mediterranean food and the thought of a hummus bar just puts me over the top!  Food aside, this series has a perfect equation of mystery, intrigue, romance, and quirky characters that draw me in each and every time.

I was drawn into this story from the beginning.  Lucy’s search for affordable housing is something I can relate to in Texas.  It is hard to find a decent place at an affordable place.  Lucy gets lucky and her agent helps her find an apartment in a senior’s home so she can fend off her nephew’s attempts to move her into a nursing home.  Eloisa is a hoot!  She doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her and does her own thing.  Unfortunately, it is her nephew that ends up dead and she becomes a suspect.

Melanie is a friend of Lucy’s that is also a prime candidate for the murder because of an argument.  I enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about Melanie and her sister.  There is tension and deception surrounding her, but could Melanie have killed someone?

The mystery is well written and there are several possible killers in the mix but the author doesn’t reveal anything too soon and throws other possible suspects into the mix.  I was a bit surprised, but not too much when the killer was revealed.  The character wasn’t on my radar as a strong possibility….there were too many other good choices!

The romance between Lucy and Azad continues to heat up and I enjoy their relationship.  There is a friend of Lucy’s, Michael, that could have been a contender for Lucy’s heart but there is something about her past with Azad that pulls her in to him.

I’m glad to see Lucy’s parents slowly letting her truly manage the restaurant.  I know that her father continues to push back against change, but sometimes there are better ways to do things, like digitizing inventory.  Part of me feels like they don’t trust her, but part of me also realizes it is hard to give something up that you have controlled for thirty years.

Side note – I was able to meet the author at Bouchercon in 2019.  She is delightful and appreciates her readers!

Overall we loved this book and suggest reading the whole series (in order) if you haven’t yet.

About the Author

Tina Kashian spent her childhood summers at the New Jersey shore, building sand castles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business where her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. She worked almost every job—rolling silverware and wiping down tables as a tween, to hosting and waitressing as a teenager.

After college, Tina worked as a NJ Deputy Attorney General, a patent attorney, and a mechanical engineer. Her law cases inspired an inquiring mind of crime, and since then, Tina has been hooked on mysteries. The Kebab Kitchen Cozy Mystery series launches with Hummus and Homicide, followed by Stabbed in the Baklava and One Feta in the Grave by Kensington Books. Tina still lives in New Jersey with her supportive husband and two young daughters. Please visit her website and join her Newsletter to enter free contests to win books, get delicious recipes, and to learn when her books will be released.

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