Death by Gravity

The Bartender's Guide to Murder, Book 2

By: Sharon Linnea

Narrated by: Abbie Pfaff

Nobody talks to the cops. Everybody talks to the bartender.

And Avalon Nash is a hell of a bartender.

On a cool June night at the Battened Hatch, Avalon is the last to see an Olympic medalist before his mysterious demise. Her superpower is collecting people’s stories, and she soon discovers that the medalist’s death connects to an unsolved kidnapping and murder of a teenager 20 years before—and the perp is looking to silence anyone getting close to the truth.

As Avalon settles into her new home in the Olympic village of Tranquility, New York, can she solve the devastating murders, figure out who is worth trusting, and start to be vulnerable again—while tracking and outwitting a murderer?

The second book in the Bartender’s Guide to Murder series offers scares, humor, and 30 more of the best drink recipes ever imbibed.

©2020 Sharon Linnea (P)2023 Sharon Linnea

5 stars

Death by Gravity is an entertaining cozy mystery with engaging characters and an entertaining plot. I look forward to the next book.

Another terrific story!!

Great mystery story and really enjoying the series. Avalon seems to have a knack for finding trouble and solving mysteries all while pouring a perfect drink! Terrific audio narration.

Death by gravity

I love these books and I don’t even drink! Avalon gets herself into some interesting situations.Narration by Abbie Plaff was grand. I was given this book free for an honest review.

Another fun book for this series

As with the 1st book; this is fun to listen to. Not quit as exciting but still a great book.

Realistic Characters and a Suspenseful Story

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

Since I enjoyed the first book in the series—both the writing and the narration—I was excited to grab the second book when I had the chance to get it for free.

Poor Avalon is dealing with more murder in Tranquility, which is pretty much par for the course in a murder mystery series. This time, there's also the added mystery of a past abduction to unravel. The story does a great job of building suspense through Avalon’s many conversations, each one revealing more pieces of the puzzle. We also get more hints about Avalon’s past, and even meet someone from her history, which adds an interesting twist.

The characters remain well-developed and feel like real people—quirks and all! Some of them are quite odd, but that's what makes them interesting.

We also get introduced to a new investigator, who is far less likable and much more abrasive than the one from the first book. I sensed trouble from the moment he showed up.

If you're wondering if our tastes align, I enjoy watching Midsomer Murders and have liked the series A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery.

The book also continues the trend of including cocktail recipes, though I still haven't tried making any of them, so I can't speak to their quality. Some of the recipes even suggest the best season for using fresh ingredients.

Overall, if you liked the first book, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. I'm definitely looking forward to diving into the next book in the series!