For a gang of old college buddies, the quaint resort town of South Cove, California, is the perfect spot for a no-holds-barred bachelor party. But for Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books and More—this stag party is going to be murder . . .
After a few months of living with her boyfriend Greg, Jill is still getting used to sharing such close quarters, but she’s got no hesitation about joining him for a weekend at South Cove’s most luxurious resort. While Greg and his college pals celebrate their buddy’s upcoming wedding, Jill intends to pamper herself in style. But when the groom is found floating facedown in the pool, Jill must find the killer fast, or she might not have a boyfriend to come home to any more . . .
Also by Lynn Cahoon
The Tourist Trap Mysteries
Killer Party
Hospitality and Homicide
Tea Cups and Carnage
Murder on Wheels
Killer Run
Dressed to Kill
If the Shoe Kills
Mission to Murder
Guidebook to Murder
The Cat Latimer Mysteries
Fatality by Firelight
A Story to Kill
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
Killer Party
Tourist Trap #9
The Boys are Back in Town
Lynn Cahoon
LYRICAL UNDERGROUND
Kensington Publishing Corp.
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Also by Lynn Cahoon Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Acknowledgments CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15 CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 18 CHAPTER 19 CHAPTER 20 CHAPTER 21 CHAPTER 22 CHAPTER 23 Teaser chapter ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.
LYRICAL UNDERGROUND BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2017 by Lynn Cahoon
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Lyrical Underground and Lyrical Underground logo Reg. US Pat. & TM Off.
First Electronic Edition: July 2017
eISBN-13: 978-1-60183-635-9
eISBN-10: 1-60183-635-X
ISBN: 978-1-6018-3635-9
To the men in my life who are loving, caring, and a little bit crazy.
Acknowledgments
Men have always been a mystery to me. One day in Chicago, I was having dinner in an outdoor café. At a table nearby was a group of guys, enjoying the early summer evening and telling tales, like men are prone to do. As the meal progressed, I watched their interaction closely. So when I started writing Killer Party, I knew how the book would start. Thanks for the muse and the strangers who pointed me the way into this next Tourist Trap story.
Writers tend to be magpies, picking up shiny bits and pieces to add to our collection. I hope you enjoy the latest design as I had fun bringing Jill and the gang along for the ride. Huge thank you to the Kensington crew who have taken the Tourist Trap series and made it shine. Esi, Michelle, and Alex—thanks for keeping me on track and getting the word out for the books. You guys all rock.
CHAPTER 1
Whoever wrote the line you can’t go home again must have been staying in a luxury hotel at the time. I stretched out on the king-sized bed and sank into its glorious softness. The Castle was less than ten miles away from my house, but we’d checked in for the weekend. Or at least, our host, Levi Walters, had done the checking in. In fact, the tech millionaire had rented the entire place for his bachelor party.
“I’m just staying in bed for the entire weekend,” I told Greg as he unpacked his suitcase, hanging up the slacks and dress shirt he’d brought for the formal dinner tonight. Greg was my boyfriend and as of a few months ago, my roommate, too. I still wasn’t totally comfortable with the entire couple cohabitation thing, but I did appreciate having him around. Especially when he mowed the yard. “Throw me a book and the room-service menu, and I’ll see you when we check out.”
He jumped on the bed next to me, his baby-blue eyes sparkling with humor. He brushed back a wayward curl from my face. “No such luck, buttercup. Where I go, you go. At least this weekend. We have to show the upcoming newlyweds what a proper couple acts like. I’m pretty sure