Tara Lush Books In Order

Publication Order of Coffee Lover's Mystery Books

Publication Order of Crescent Moon Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Devil's Beach Books

Tara Lush
Tara Lush is a Florida based journalist and author. She is an RWA Rita finalist, the winner of the George C. Polk award for environmental journalism, and an Amtrak writing fellow.

She was a reporter with The Associated Press in Florida, where she covered crime, natural disasters, alligators, and politics. She also writes contemporary romance novels that are set in tropical locations under the name of Tamara Lush.

She is a fan of Sinatra-era jazz, vintage pulp fiction book covers, 1980s fashion, coconut anything, iPhones, gin, tonic, kombucha, tropical chill, seashells, Art Deco, strong coffee, telenovelas, street art, and newspapers.

“Grounds for Murder” is the first novel in the “Coffee Lover’s Mystery” series and was released in 2020. Barista Lana Lewis’ sleuthing might land her in a latte of trouble. Lana Lewis’ best, and most difficult, employee quits abruptly and starts working for the competition only days before the Sunshine State Barista Championship, her cafe’s shot of winning the contest are ruined.

In front of a gossipy crowd in the tiny Florida town of Devil’s Beach, Lana’s normally calm demeanor heats up to a boil as she runs into the arrogant java slinger. Obviously, Fabrizio “Fab” Bellucci has got a slick explanation for jumping ship. However once he is discovered dead the next morning under this palm tree in the alley behind Lana’s own cafe, she becomes the top suspect.

Even the island’s handsome chief of police is not all that certain of her innocence. However Lana is not the only one in town that was angry at Fabrizio, one shrimp boat captain, some jilted lovers, and a surfer that had mob ties are each suspects while trouble brews on the beach.

With a Shih Tzu called Stanley, her stoned, hippie of a dad, a new and curious barista sporting a punk rock aesthetic by her side, she is ready to turn the heat up in order to catch this killer. After all, she is a former award winning reporter. While scandal is hanging over her beachside cafe, can she clear her name and win this championship, or is she going to come to a bitter end?

“Cold Brew Corpse” is the second novel in the “Coffee Lover’s Mystery” series and was released in 2021. Lana Lewis, espresso bar owner, returns in another Coffee Lover’s mystery that fans will savor until the last drop.

It is a steamy September, and business is brisk at Perkatory, which is the hottest coffee shop in Devil’s Beach, Florida. Much of the clientele has been pouring in from Dante’s Inferno, which is the hot yoga studio located just next door. However the sunny and bright Gulf Coast days get decidedly dark roast once the body of the owner of the studio shows up in this nearby swamp.

Lana, between running Perkatory and training Stanley (her golden Shih Tzu puppy), is much too busy to do any sleuthing. However once the editor of the local paper asks for her to write about this murder, her dreams of getting back into journalism begin percolating.

Lana learns that this yogi has got a nefarious past and her fair share of mug shots, so grinding her way through the list of suspects is a large undertaking. She learns that the victim was fatally beaned by this SUV before getting dumped in the swamp. However could the killer have been a student? Some envious yoga teacher? Or was it a local photographer that appears to know way too much?

However nobody tells Lana what to do. Hunting the caf-fiend that murdered the yogi lands Lana and Chief Noah’s relationship, as well as Lana’s own life, in very hot coffee.

“Live and Let Grind” is the third novel in the “Coffee Lover’s Mystery” series and was released in 2022. Devil’s Beach is percolating with a hot murder case, and Lana could be the next to get beaned.

Lana is thriving as the proprietor of Perkatory, the coffee shop on quirky Devil’s Beach Island, Florida. She is juggling a relationship with chief of police Noah Garcia, enjoying best friend Erica’s company, and relishing the companionship of Stanley. Only problem is Gus, her neighbor, that incessantly uses his leaf blower, which disturbs everybody in the neighborhood. Lana’s learned how to tune it out, however Erica’s rage boils over and she confronts Gus about it.

Then Gus is discovered dead, killed after his leaf blower explodes. Erica is immediately the prime suspect. However there are plenty of other candidates too: Doug Beck and Mickey Dotson (who were each scalded financially after buying a pirate themed tourist cruise business from Gus), Honey Bailey (his soon-to-be ex-wife that believes she’ll be written outta his will). And a bunch of angry neighbors that have had run-ins with Gus.

While the clock continues ticking down is Lana going to get somebody to spill the beans on this killer so that she can clear her friend’s good name, or is Erica going to go to jail for a crime that she did not commit?

“Give Me Chills” is the first novel in the “Devil’s Beach” series and was released in 2022. Murder and ice cream. Is this amateur sleuth going to melt under the pressure?

Hadley Mortimer, after she got humiliated in front of her whole hometown of Moose Knuckle, New Hampshire, heads down south in order to lick her wounds. All of the way to the island of Devil’s Beach, Florida, where she’s opened Give Me Chills, an artisan ice cream truck, and her first business. After just a couple weeks, she is living the cream and has even met this gorgeous guy called Zander, who seems to appreciate more than just her soft serve cones.

When Zander asks her to bring an ice cream cake to his great aunt’s funeral, she overhears these two people discussing murder. Hadley, who is a true crime junkie, lets her curiosity get the best of her, and starts sleuthing.

It isn’t easy juggling a popular food truck, a new crush, and a murder investigation. Hadley must do all three without having a meltdown.