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Bree Baker: Seaside Café Mystery Series

Live and Let Chai: A Beachfront Cozy Mystery (Seaside Café Mysteries Book 1) Have I ever told you that I like the beach? Well, I do. I like the beach… a lot. I can sit for hours just watching the ocean as it continually changes and yet remains the same. Unfortunately, my husband is not so crazy about the beach (but that is a story for another time). At any rate, any Cozy mystery series that contains a lot of beach and ocean, and a shop in an old house on the boardwalk on the beach has a head start to my affection. The Seaside Café Mystery Series has plenty of sun and sand (the sleuth’s tea café is called “Sun, Sand, and Tea”) and Live and Let Chai, the first book in this series by Bree Baker is the next book that I have read to continue my posts about the most popular and recommended mystery series. 

Everly Swan is a 20 something culinary school dropout who has followed her dream back home to open a tea restaurant in Charm, North Carolina. Charm is just a stone’s throw away from Kitty Hawk and Nags Head. Everly had dropped out of culinary school to follow her cowboy (“Wyatt”) on the rodeo circuit. But, after having her heart broken by her cowboy, Everly decided to return to her hometown and open the tea shop that she had always dreamed of. 

Just as Everly seemed to be getting her life back together, a murder occurs in Charm and Everly becomes a chief suspect! Everly begins her own investigation when she decides that the handsome new detective in town seems to not be working hard enough to find the real culprit. (What else is a girl to do?!)

Charm is, well, charming, and Everly, her family, and friends are just the type of cast of characters that a lot of us like to read about in a good and light Cozy mystery. When I use the word “light” I mean it in the best possible way. Live and Let Chai is a true Cozy. The small town, the characters, and especially the beach are all very inviting. Without a doubt, the Seaside Café Mystery Series is a Cozy series worth all of the recommendations it has gotten.

By the way, Bree Baker also writes as Jacqueline Frost, Julie Chase, and Julie Anne Lindsey.

If you are interested in reading some of the other entries about highly recommended Cozy Mystery series, you can find them at the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on the site.

Comments

  1. I read this series over Christmas and New Year and I absolutely fell in love with all the characters and location. Bree Baker is the queen of cozy storytelling in my opinion. Sure made my holidays and looking for more in this series.

    Reply

  2. I have read every book in this series thus far and am absolutely crazy about them. I love the fact that we watch several characters grow through the books. I love the idea of being on the beach, little libraries, cute loving aunts, recipes, small town shops. Thinking I need to explore some of her other series.

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  4. I like Grady in this series! The aunts are adorable. I’m reading A Call For Kelp right now, and hope there are many more in this series.

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  6. I discovered this series when the first book came out and have been pre-ordering new books as soon as they are announced. I really enjoy the stories, especially the legends about the Swan women. I just finished the most recent book in the series Closely Harbored Secrets and it was as interesting as the previous books.

    Reply

    • Janice, thanks for the recommendation! I’m always glad to hear when a series like this is still high-quality beyond where I have read (unfortunately I have to read a lot of “first of” in any given series without having a chance to continue as often as I would like!)

      Reply

  7. Thank you for your review of Live and Let Chai. Reviews like this help me decide whether to buy the book. And by the way, thank you for your blog! I discovered your blog about a couple months ago, and I have found your “Cozies by Themes” so very helpful!

    Reply

  8. These were exceptional cozy mysteries, mostly because the main character was actually very likeable. She was not snarky or self-righteous like so many other cozy mystery women. She didn’t lie when it suited her. She didn’t stand on righteous indignation when someone told her something she didn’t want to hear, but accepted them anyway. In a nutshell– not a hater. I love her. I love Grady and Denver. I love the island. I love the mystery. Please tell me there will be more!

    PLEASE TELL ME THERE WILL BE MORE!

    Reply

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