Author: Lynn Cahoon
Published: November 4, 2025 by Lyrical Press
Format: Kindle, 196 Pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: A Tourist Trap Mystery #18
Blurb: Jill’s store, Coffee, Books, and More, is co-sponsoring a charity dart tournament on Thanksgiving weekend with Chip’s Bar, where toys and cash will be collected. She and her new husband, Greg, will be competing as well—that is, if Greg’s brother and his girlfriend don’t ruin the evening. But the event leads to something much worse than a family squabble when the bar owner is found dead the next morning after being used as a human dartboard . . .
Jill and her police-detective hubby both aim to find the killer—but scoring a bullseye will be hard since the place was packed with a rowdy crowd of locals and a platoon of stuffed-animal-toting, very competitive motorcyclists. And with the night’s big haul of cash donations left untouched, what could possibly be the motive for this murder?
My Opinion: I’ve always had a soft spot for the town at the heart of the Tourist Trap series; it’s charming, familiar, and the kind of place you want to revisit. But with this, the 18th installment, I found myself questioning whether that is enough to keep me invested.
For anyone new to the series, this is a tough entry point. There are plenty of recurring characters, original and newer, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. And honestly, if you’re just starting out, why jump in at book eighteen? By the time I reached page thirty, continuity issues were already cropping up. Maybe some readers can overlook those details, but I can’t help but think that’s exactly what editors and beta readers are supposed to catch.
The story itself feels stretched. At under 200 pages, it somehow drags, with ideas that read more like choppy, repetitive draft ideas than polished narrative. I understand Cahoon writes multiple series, and that’s no small feat, but the result here feels rushed and under-edited. After reading other reviews, I wondered if I’d picked up a different book entirely since what I experienced was far from the glowing praise.
By the halfway mark, I knew I was done. Between the uneven writing and lack of editorial care, this series no longer feels worth my time or money. If Cahoon and the publisher decide to deliver a cozy mystery that respects the reader’s investment, maybe I’ll return. For now, though, I’m stepping away.
Jill and her police-detective hubby both aim to find the killer—but scoring a bullseye will be hard since the place was packed with a rowdy crowd of locals and a platoon of stuffed-animal-toting, very competitive motorcyclists. And with the night’s big haul of cash donations left untouched, what could possibly be the motive for this murder?
My Opinion: I’ve always had a soft spot for the town at the heart of the Tourist Trap series; it’s charming, familiar, and the kind of place you want to revisit. But with this, the 18th installment, I found myself questioning whether that is enough to keep me invested.
For anyone new to the series, this is a tough entry point. There are plenty of recurring characters, original and newer, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. And honestly, if you’re just starting out, why jump in at book eighteen? By the time I reached page thirty, continuity issues were already cropping up. Maybe some readers can overlook those details, but I can’t help but think that’s exactly what editors and beta readers are supposed to catch.
The story itself feels stretched. At under 200 pages, it somehow drags, with ideas that read more like choppy, repetitive draft ideas than polished narrative. I understand Cahoon writes multiple series, and that’s no small feat, but the result here feels rushed and under-edited. After reading other reviews, I wondered if I’d picked up a different book entirely since what I experienced was far from the glowing praise.
By the halfway mark, I knew I was done. Between the uneven writing and lack of editorial care, this series no longer feels worth my time or money. If Cahoon and the publisher decide to deliver a cozy mystery that respects the reader’s investment, maybe I’ll return. For now, though, I’m stepping away.
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