Americano

A Zion Sawyer Cozy Mystery, Book 5

By: M. L. Hamilton

Narrated by: Kelley Hazen

Now that spring has arrived and the snow has melted, Zion and Tate look forward to warmer weather, more customers, and time to explore the beautiful Sierras. Logan is doing well in his final year in school and Zion is about to open the coffee kiosk. Everything is running smoothly.

Until Lorenzo Whitefeather summons Tate to the Acorn Casino with a mysterious death he needs help solving before the federal government gets involved. Zion doesn’t like Tate entangling himself with the taciturn, intimidating casino boss, so she insists on helping him solve yet another mystery.

So much for leaving the mean streets of San Francisco for paradise.

©2019 M.L. Hamilton (P)2019 M.L. Hamilton

Americano

I’ve followed this series from the beginning and I love catching up with all the characters.

M.L. Hamilton continues to develop the characters that we’ve grown to know and love, while introducing new characters as the story progresses.

It amazes me how Kelley Hazen can voice so many different characters. Each has their own voice and personality and I never have any doubt as to which character is speaking.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Great Read

Americano (A Zion Sawyer Cozy Mystery Book 5) was another great read by M.L. Hamilton. Zion and Tate's relationship is as good as ever. Zion has opened the Half Caf and everything seems to be going well with her new shop. Lorenzo Whitefeather summons Tate to his casino to investigate a mysterious death. I enjoyed reading Tate and Zion's story about their investigation. This was another great read by M.L. Hamilton and I can't wait to read more by the author.

Love This Series

This is a really entertaining series. Zion and Tate are fun and smart. I enjoy the way they puzzle through the mysteries. I also enjoy the supporting cast. Zion's parents and friends add comedy and mayhem that keeps the story moving at a quick pace. I can't wait for the next book.

Characters of Sequoia

I totally enjoy all the characters (they are like family) of Sequoia in this mystery series especially with the narration. In this book the main characters are Zion Sawyer, Tate, Logan, Deimos, and Jaguar .There are new characters such as Evie, hired to work the Half Café. Logan turns 18 and Tate want to get him something and to go to the prom. Joe and Gabi (Zion’s parents) are so such fun and good hearted. Lorenzo (casino boss) ask Tate to investigate the death of Dr.Germs (drug dealer) found frozen in the freezer. Recommend if you enjoy cozy mystery series but suggest you listen from the start to know the characters. Keep them coming. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you

Lawman and Dream Girl

Americano by M.L. Hamilton is full of incredible imagery. The storyline is original, it has murder, mystery, humor, romance and some endearing characters. I love the nicknames of Lawman and Dream Girl for Tate and Zion. The author writes some great twists in the book. Kelley Hazen is perfect narrating this book. She brings the characters to life with her distinguishable voices for them. I can easily hear who is speaking, I requested this review copy audiobook and have voluntarily written this review. I will most definitely listen to more books by the author and narrator. I loved it!

Death of a Drug Dealer

In Americano by M.L. Hamilton, things are going well in Sequoia until Tate, the hardware store owner and consulting deputy, gets summoned to the Acorn Casino by Lorenzo Whitefeather. "Enzo," as Tate insists on calling him, takes Tate, with Zion insisting on tagging along, to the kitchen, where a man sits on a chair in the walk-in freezer, frozen solid. Zion soon realizes that the dead man is Dr. Germ, who, according to the gravestone composed by the hippy barista Deimos, "was a healer, and was a drug dealer."

The case proves to be a particularly complex case, as every possible suspect seems to get ruled out quickly, and Dr. Germ kept his numerous files in code. Zion's hippy parents, who named their daughter after their honeymoon location, provide comic relief as they arrive in town with their new motorcycle gang, the Rusty Buckets. The relationship between Tate and Zion continues to progress, but it felt that they have too many "romantic interludes." It keeps the sex scenes behind closed doors, but we have the doors close on us all the time. That got tiresome after a while.

This book has a strong anti-drug message to it, though sometimes it feels like it gets too preachy about its message. The mayor is planning a new music festival and teaming up with an anti-drug advocate to plaster the festival with messages of, "Say nope to dope." The advocate becomes too aggressive, and then the message about Dr. Germ and his life becomes too blatant and pushy.

The audio edition is performed by Kelley Hazen, who continues doing a generally good job of bringing the book to life. I like the voice she uses for Deimos, the hippy barista with a heart of gold. I did think her voicing of Evie, a young woman who comes to work for Zion, sounds like she is mumbling, making the lines a little confusing to understand at times. However, overall I continued to enjoy the narration.

I enjoyed Americano, but this book was not as enjoyable as the previous four. I highly enjoyed seeing Tate and Zion track down the killer, a creative path. I just would have liked to see less physical passion and a softer message against drugs. I give this book four stars.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free for review purposes, but that had no influence on the content of my review.

still a great series

note for author, I feel like the book should begin it's wrap up after the killer has been revealed instead of dragging it out. I love this series and how. the narrator does her part in bringing the book to life. just feels like it's never gonna end. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

An Awesome Listen

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the narrator and found it very entertaining. The Half Caf should be the most exciting thing happening in Zion's life but as usual things keep happening. Tate gets a summons from the casino owner and once again Zion and Tate have a mystery to solve. With Zion's parents in town to help and hinder, there's never a dull moment. There's something for everyone in this mystery. Once again this is a perfect combination of writing skill and narration. Looking forward to the next one.

Another win in the Zion series...

It's another book in the Zion Sawyer Cozy Mysteries series and it's another win. Although the beginning feels a bit slower than in the previous books (that's why I'd give the story 4.5 stars - rounded up to 5) and it takes us a bit more time to get to the "juicy' part (that is, the murder:)), the mystery itself is again intriguing and touching on an important issue. The new characters that appear in this part quickly become familiar and feel like they belong there and the background story of Zion's personal life is as funny and heart-warming as always.
Definitely a great addition to the series.

Narration by Ms Hazen is as good as ever, with the pace of her reading just about right, nice variation of voices, and perfect interpretation of the individual characters' feelings and emotions.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.