Wrecked by Rum by Lucy Lakestone

Wrecked by Rum is the second book in Lucy Lakestone’s Bohemia Bartenders Mystery Series.

I will start this review by saying ‘with each new addition, this series keeps on getting better and better.’

Having read Risky Whiskey, the first book in Bohemia Bartenders series, I was really looking forward to knowing what’s next for our sassy protagonist Pepper Revelle and her handsome hunkish boss/crush Neil.

In Wrecked by Rum, our Bohemia Bartenders gang – consisting of Neil (the bossman), Pepper, Barclay, Luke and Melody – are at a rum-soaked tiki convention in South Florida. Rum, rum and more of rum!

Fizz, a high-profile rum collector, is found dead – his head is bashed in with a muddler. What’s more interesting is, Fizz was talking about a rare London Dock Rum just minutes ago and the prized bottle is now missing. Was Fizz killed so that the thief could walk away with a century-year-old rum? Luke is found at the scene of crime, holding the same bloody muddler with which Fizz was killed. Pepper wants to prove Luke innocent.

I am a teetotaler but the cocktail mentioned in this book (and Risky Whiskey) sounds delicious. A cocktail of rum and murder – well, doesn’t that sound mysteriously intoxicating?

I am in awe of Lucy Lakestone’s storytelling. As I reading through Wrecked by Rum, it felt like I was right in the center of the Tiki convention and not at the comforts of my home. The mystery is absolutely fantabulous. The chemistry between Neil and Pepper is sizzling!

The story begins with the Bartenders driving to Florida. Pepper’s dog Astra is tagging along – or, should I say farting along? Astra stole a piece or two of bacon and eggs that morning and she’s been spraying the car with her fragrant digestive gases. Ahem. 😉

Fizz, the victim, was known to be a handsy guy. He took Melody to the kitchen on the pretext of getting a drink and tried to kiss her. Pepper goes to the kitchen a few minutes later and finds Fizz dead. Melody’s nowhere to be seen. She finds Luke instead – standing with a bloody muddler clutched in his hand. The cops are called in and Luke is taken to the station for questioning. One of the detectives who arrived at the scene is Barclay’s dad.

As the story proceeds, we see Luke being let off but he’s still a suspect. It’s up to Pepper now to prove his innocence and bring Fizz’s killer to justice. Amateur sleuthing isn’t easy as it sounds – not especially when the killer knows the sleuth is on their track.

Apart from the Bartender gang, we also have a few minor characters from the previous story – Cary, Mr Mixy (Pepper’s ex) Dick and Dale (they are getting hitched!), Alistair and Mark.

The mystery is engrossing and kept me on the edge of the seat. We also have a little twist in the story and I am curious to know how this will be incorporated in the next book. Neil’s grandfather is missing.He was one of the treasure hunters and we have the prized rum surviving a shipwreck – connect the dots here.

A mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, shots of rum and cocktails, a sizzling chemistry between two characters, a splash of humor and hotness, I absolutely recommend you to read Wrecked by Rum by Lucy Lakestone.

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I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.