Death in Tranquility

The Bartender's Guide to Murder, Book 1

By: Sharon Linnèa

Narrated by: Abbie Pfaff

No one talks to the cops. Everyone talks to the bartender. And Avalon Nash is one hell of a bartender.

Avalon is on the run from her life in Los Angeles. Having a drink—while waiting to change trains in the former Olympic town of Tranquility, New York—she discovers the freshly murdered bartender at MacTavish’s. A bartender herself, she’s offered the position with the warning that he wasn’t the first MacTavish’s bartender to meet a violent end.

Avalon’s superpower is collecting people’s stories, and she’s soon embroiled in the lives of artists, politicians, ghost hunters, and descendants of Old Hollywood.

Can Avalon outrun the ghosts of her past, catch the ghosts of Tranquility’s past, and outsmart a murderer? The first book in the Bartender’s Guide to Murder series offers chills, laughs, and 30 of the best drink recipes ever imbibed.

"A shot of classic noir, half-ounce of modern flair, and several ounces of bitters round out this intoxicating literary cocktail. This is a series that fans of both modern and vintage crime alike will not want to miss!" (New York Times best-selling author Tosca Lee)

"A spellbinding mystery I couldn't put down. The bonus? A menu of delicious craft cocktails too tempting to pass up." (Cathi Stoler, award-winning author of the Murder on the Rocks series)

Craft cocktail recipes included

©2020 Sharon Linnea (P)2023 Sharon Linnea

Well written Well read

Love the pace of this story
Love the voice of the narrator
Can’t wait to read Book#2

Murder solving bartender

This is the first book in the series and it's off to a great start. I love that each chapter is ended with a cocktail recipe and directions for a drink that is either featured in the chapter or a named after the events of the chapter. In this book we are introduced to Avalon who is the main character in the series. She's just in the wrong place at the wrong time to land in the town of Tranquility while a murder has just taken place. She ends up helping to solve the murder and the story is written in such a way that you can't really guess who the perpetrator is but it all comes together in the end. I liked the introduction to all the characters in Tranquility as well as learning more about Avalon's mysterious past.

Pretty Good

Death in Tranquility is better than I thought it would be. It proves that there is always a lot going on in small towns. The characters are engaging and interesting enough for me to wonder what will happen in the next book.

Original and Intriguing!

This was my first Sharon Linnèa's book, and won't be my last. This is the first book in The Bartender's Guide to Murder Series. Avalon is an interesting and enigmatic character. The supporting characters are intriguing. The storyline is original and captivating. I liked the drink recipes, the mystery, and the intrigue. Abbie Pfaff did a great job bringing this story to life. Looking forward to listening to Death by Gravity, the next book in the series.

Small towns have big secrets

Death in Tranquility is the first in a new series by by Sharon Linnea. Avalon Nash is leaving her old life and stops in for a drink when the train stops in Tranquility NY. After she finds the bartender dead, she decides to stay a while and fills in at the bar. She uses her “superpowers” as a collector of info (who doesn’t talk to the bartender?!) to help solve the murder. More attempted murders, kidnapping, mysterious residents and other crimes belie the town’s name. Lots of twists and turns, good characters and writing. The narration by Abbie Pfaff was excellent. She brought the characters and story to life. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Love it

It's a great story, you sort of get lost at the beginning but bear with it and it all becomes clear.

Intriguing Mystery with a Relatable Lead

~Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook copy of this book.~

I really enjoyed this book! Avalon is such a relatable and likable character, and I was hooked on the hints about why she was running from Los Angeles. Unlike some mysteries I've read recently, her involvement in solving the murder made perfect sense—she finds the bartender’s body and steps in as a temporary replacement, which puts her in the perfect position to gather clues. Avalon is insightful and curious, though her luck (or maybe great timing) seems to always land her where she needs to be.

I also loved how the story delves into the complex relationships and small-town gossip that Avalon has to untangle to uncover the truth. The side characters felt very real and added to the grounded feel of the story. I didn’t figure out the mystery before Avalon did, but the ending was satisfying.

The author’s writing style, paired with Abbie Pfaff’s excellent narration, made this book a pleasure to listen to. The distinct voices and engaging delivery kept me interested throughout.

A small bonus for me was the Pomeranian in the story, even though they played a minor role—I love dogs in books!

One note: the book includes cocktail recipes, but I haven’t tried any yet, so I can’t speak to how good they are.

A quote I really liked:

“Being simply Avalon; no family, no friends, in this place, in this moment, with a sky of cornflower blue…a huge, endless sky, which I’d only seen in tiny puzzle pieces bleached by light pollution above the Hollywood landscape or in a rectangle slice above my grandparents’ townhouse in Brooklyn.”

good

Well it kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the intrigue and found the characters engaging. I would definitely recommend this. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did a good job bringing it to life.

The characters and the story, wow! So good!

When Avalon Nash pops into The Battened Hatch to kill time between trains, the Hatch’s bartender Joe is nowhere to be found. With the place starting to fill, what’s an experienced bartender do? Why jump behind the bar and start pouring of course! Things get, uh, interesting when Joe’s found … expired … and the authorities tell Avalon not to leave town … The characters, the story, the twists and surprises combine to make “Death in Tranquility” an enthralling listen with a distinctly noir feel that not only caught my interest instantly, but held me, fascinated, wondering how this diverse group was connected to one another! The characters that populate the town of Tranquility NY, and interact with each other in this story, are unique, very well defined and beautifully crafted. They have secrets! I wondered about several … were they who and what they said they were … The answers are here, all beautifully provided, in their own time, and … I … am … not … telling! That is the fun of this mystery and the author has woven it perfectly! I was captivated until the very last words were spoken! These fantastic characters, AND this engrossing story were brought to life by truly wonderful narration that perfectly set both the mood, and the “noir” feel, EXACTLY as I am sure the author intended! I loved it, and I am looking forward to more! Five fabulous stars across the board!

Love it

Awesome narration, story line kept you going with interesting facts, details and twists making me not want to sleep so I could hear more.