ARC Review: Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Rhythm and Clues
Author: Olivia Blacke
Series: The Record Shop Mysteries (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Paperbacks (March 26, 2024)

Description: The rhythm is gonna get you.

It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.

Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip & Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren’t ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.

When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni’s help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?

My Thoughts: Juni Jessup and her two older sisters own Sip & Spin - a coffee shop and a vinyl record shop - in a small Texas town near Austin. They have recently opened and are wondering if they will be able to make it as small business owners.

They are the target of predatory investors. One of the investors is Zackary Fjord. Juni and he went to college together but didn't really know each other. Now he and his partner Samantha are pressuring Juni and her sisters to take his company as a partner. 

However, when Zack dies in a car wreck in front of Sip & Spin during a raging thunderstorm, Juni and her sisters want to know who killed him. It turns out that there are a number of suspects right in town. Zack and his partner Samantha have their fingers in a number of local businesses. The owner of the local music store isn't happy with the partnership. The owner of a clothing shop is also on the side of the haters since he blames them for his store going out of business. Only the owner of the local consignment/thrift shop seems happy with the bargain she made. 

All the while Juni is investigating, she is also dealing with her two love interests. It has become time to stop juggling them and deciding which one she really wants to be with. Beau Russell was her first love, but he broke up with her when she left Texas to take her dream job in the Pacific Northwest. Beau, who is now a police detective, wants to rekindle their romance. Teddy Garza, the local postman, was a childhood friend but the friendship is shifting to romance now that Juni is back in town.

This was a fun cozy mystery. I enjoy Juni who is just now getting into "adulting." I liked the terrific puns for the coffee drinks that Juni creates at Sip & Spin. This is the third book in an enjoyable series. 

Favorite Quote:

The first person in line wanted to know what was in a Never Gonna Give Brew Up. I explained that it was a simple drip coffee made with mild roast beans. When I asked if they wanted a small, medium, or Ariana Grande, they ordered the grande. How could they not?

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.