After a very long time, I picked up a murder mystery. I have always liked murder mysteries, be it a TV show or books. But lately, I was into self help books. I saw A Death at the Yoga Café at our public library. After skimming its preface, I found it very interesting and was only looking for something like this. I was so ready for a change that I finished the book in just two days. I have never done binge-watching, but I did binge-reading with this book. The cover is beautiful, and now, after reading the book, I can say it is very suitable for the storyline.

This is my first time reading Michelle Kelly’s writing; I love her style. She has an emotional honesty that felt very authentic to me. The book is very engaging without spilling the beans. After every chapter, you will be curious about what will happen next. So, let’s dive into this murder mystery…

You may also like: Design your own book cover

Sneak peak:

Keeley Carpenter, the main character, has returned to her hometown after ten years. She opened a vegetarian café and yoga studio on the premises that used to be her father’s butcher shop. The icing on the cake is Keeley is dating her high school crush, handsome local police Detective Ben Taylor. They are pretty serious about their relationship. Keeley enjoys her café business and finds peace in practicing and teaching yoga to the locals. To get involved in the local community, she decides to set up a booth at the annual Belfrey Arts Festival, along with her high school nemesis, Raquel, who owns a diner across the street from Keeley’s cafe.

Everything is flowing in the balance until Raquel’s boyfriend, Town Mayor Gerald, is found dead in his mansion after an argument they had in public. This nasty public argument puts Raquel as the prime suspect. To Keeley’s surprise, Raquel comes to her seeking help. On the other hand, Ben is trying to convince Keeley not to get involved in this matter. But despite her bitter experiences with Raquel, Keeley is not ready to accept that she could be the murderer. Add to this new happening, a sudden visit from Karla- her secretive mother puts Keeley in a tough spot. Will Keeley Carpenter continue on her journey of unfolding the matter, or will she listen to Ben Taylor’s advice and stay away from this case?

Details:

Title: A Death at the Yoga Café

Author: Michelle Kelly

Genre: Murder, Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 261

Publication Date: 2017

Story Plot:

Having left the village of Belfrey, England, as a teenager who was deeply affected by the death of her beloved father and a painful heart break, Keeley Carpenter traveled to India first to study yoga. Then, she went to New York City to become a yoga instructor. Her mother, Darla, with whom Keeley never had a warm relationship, contacts her about her idea of selling Keeley’s father’s butcher shop; Keeley decides to return home and transform the space into a vegetarian cafe cum yoga studio.

Yoga transformed Keeley not just mentally but physically as well. She was no longer an overweight, shy child who never felt enough for her ultra-critical and impeccably groomed mother. Today, she was running her dream business, giving her immense satisfaction and bringing rhythm to her life. She had Ben Taylor, her high school crush, as her boyfriend. Sometimes, she used to pinch herself that it was a dream come true that the best-looking boy at school loved her and treated her as the only woman on earth.

She was soaking herself in these good vibes until two events took place in her life. One was a surprise visit from her mother, and the second was Raquel’s recent boyfriend, the Town Mayor’s death. I said “recent” because Raquel was famous for having an eye for older men with money. Since Raquel had a heated argument with the Mayor in public, all fingers were pointing towards her. But deep down, Keeley wasn’t convinced. She wanted to know the killer, but she never wanted an innocent person to go behind bars. She puts her detective hat on when Raquel requests her to help her prove innocent. Knowing the past about Raquel and how she used to bully Keeley at school, Ben didn’t want his girlfriend to get involved in this case. But Keeley couldn’t stop herself. This affected her relationship with Ben.

If you want to know who the killer was, what happened to Ben and Keeley’s relationship, the reason behind Karla’s visit, and whether she could bring any closeness with her daughter, pick up A Death at the Yoga Café.

Points I liked:

• Easy flowing language
• The author has nicely captured the emotions between Keeley-Karla, Ben-Keeley, and Keeley-Raquel.
• The book gives a cozy feel for a café
• Explanation about yoga poses and some dishes that Keeley prepares at her café

What could have been better?

• The author maintained the suspense until the end, but it was wrapped up very quickly. I would have liked to read more.

Final thoughts:

Death at the Yoga Café, written by Michelle Kelly, is a pleasant read. It will give you the cozy vibes of a yoga studio in a small English village. I have already issued the other novel written by her – Downward Facing Death. She wrote this before Death in the Yoga Cafe. I can’t wait to read it.