Concerning the zeros for
$$
\lambda\cosh(\sqrt{as}+\sqrt{bs})+(1-\lambda)\cosh(\sqrt{as}-\sqrt{bs}) = 0
$$
making $s = x + i y$ and taking the real and the imaginary parts
$$
R=\lambda \cos \left(\left(\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2} \sin \left(\frac{1}{2} \arg (x+i
y)\right)\right) \cosh \left(\left(\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2} \cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \arg
(x+i y)\right)\right)-(\lambda -1) \cos \left(\left(\sqrt{a}-\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2} \sin
\left(\frac{1}{2} \arg (x+i y)\right)\right) \cosh \left(\left(\sqrt{a}-\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2}
\cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \arg (x+i y)\right)\right)=0\\
I = \lambda \sin \left(\left(\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2} \sin \left(\frac{1}{2} \arg (x+i
y)\right)\right) \sinh \left(\left(\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2} \cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \arg
(x+i y)\right)\right)-(\lambda -1) \sin \left(\left(\sqrt{a}-\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2} \sin
\left(\frac{1}{2} \arg (x+i y)\right)\right) \sinh \left(\left(\sqrt{a}-\sqrt{b}\right) \sqrt[4]{x^2+y^2}
\cos \left(\frac{1}{2} \arg (x+i y)\right)\right)=0
$$
and analyzing the root locus for some values of $a,b,\lambda$ we have good information.
For instance with $a = 3, b = 2, \lambda = 0.9$ no zeroes.

with $a = 3, b = 2, \lambda = 0.1$ the zeroes are at the intersections.

with $a = 3, b = 2, \lambda = 0.5$ no zeroes.

So we can visualize the zeroes position depending on the parameters. This can help with the residues method. Follows the MATHEMATICA script to make the plots
re0 = -(-1 + lambda) Cos[(Sqrt[a] - Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Sin[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]] Cosh[(Sqrt[a] - Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Cos[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]] + lambda Cos[(Sqrt[a] + Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Sin[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]] Cosh[(Sqrt[a] + Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Cos[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]]
im0 = -(-1 + lambda) Sin[(Sqrt[a] - Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Sin[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]] Sinh[(Sqrt[a] - Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Cos[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]] + lambda Sin[(Sqrt[a] + Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Sin[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]] Sinh[(Sqrt[a] + Sqrt[b]) (x^2 + y^2)^(1/4)
Cos[1/2 Arg[x + I y]]]
a = 3;
b = 2;
lambda = 0.1;
r = 50;
gr1 = ContourPlot[re0 == 0, {x, -r, r}, {y, -r, r}, ContourStyle -> Red, PlotPoints -> 25];
gr2 = ContourPlot[im0 == 0, {x, -r, r}, {y, -r, r}, ContourStyle -> Blue, PlotPoints -> 25];
Show[gr1, gr2]