I just didn’t have time to read Cleo Coyle’s latest Coffeehouse Mystery, Brewed Awakening, so I’m glad Sandie Herron listened to it. She can share her impressions of the audio book. Thank you, Sandie!
Brewed Awakening
Coffeehouse Mystery #18
Written by Cleo Coyle
(Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini)
(Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini)
Narrated by Rebecca Gibel
Unabridged Audiobook
Blackstone Audio
(12/3/2019)
(12/3/2019)
Listening Length: 10
hours
hours
Clare Cosi returns in the
18th entry in the Coffeehouse mystery series, but she isn’t quite
herself. She awakens on a park bench, aware of where she is and who she
is. However, she thinks she is about 10
years younger with a young daughter living in New Jersey, newly divorced from Matteo
Allegro and having recently left her job at the Village Blend. With no
purse and no keys, she turns to the Village Blend for help, only to be welcomed
into the open arms of her employees who tell her she’s been missing for days.
18th entry in the Coffeehouse mystery series, but she isn’t quite
herself. She awakens on a park bench, aware of where she is and who she
is. However, she thinks she is about 10
years younger with a young daughter living in New Jersey, newly divorced from Matteo
Allegro and having recently left her job at the Village Blend. With no
purse and no keys, she turns to the Village Blend for help, only to be welcomed
into the open arms of her employees who tell her she’s been missing for days.
One observation made by the
memory-challenged Clare is that everyone seems to be walking about staring at
little screens in their hands. The cell phone culture is in full swing,
and it is unrecognizable to her. Clare’s
daughter Joy arrives at the hospital, a young woman, not a young
teenager. The doctor wants to isolate Clare so her memory can return
without jolts of reality. Those closest
to her don’t agree with that protocol, especially Clare’s fiancé Detective Mike
Quinn whom she does not recognize.
memory-challenged Clare is that everyone seems to be walking about staring at
little screens in their hands. The cell phone culture is in full swing,
and it is unrecognizable to her. Clare’s
daughter Joy arrives at the hospital, a young woman, not a young
teenager. The doctor wants to isolate Clare so her memory can return
without jolts of reality. Those closest
to her don’t agree with that protocol, especially Clare’s fiancé Detective Mike
Quinn whom she does not recognize.
As those around Clare put
the pieces together, they realize that Clare’s former mother-in-law and current
employer is a member of an exclusive ladies club called “The Ladies Who
Brunch.” Another of the women, a hotel heiress, invited Clare to taste
wedding cakes. Afterwards, the two took
a walk. Security cameras caught them
strolling when a masked man abducted the hotel heiress at gunpoint.
Unfortunately, the cameras blacked out then, so it is unclear if Clare was also
taken.
the pieces together, they realize that Clare’s former mother-in-law and current
employer is a member of an exclusive ladies club called “The Ladies Who
Brunch.” Another of the women, a hotel heiress, invited Clare to taste
wedding cakes. Afterwards, the two took
a walk. Security cameras caught them
strolling when a masked man abducted the hotel heiress at gunpoint.
Unfortunately, the cameras blacked out then, so it is unclear if Clare was also
taken.
Clare signed paperwork
agreeing to the doctor’s treatment, but after a few days filled with questions
and no answers, she is ready to say no and return into the fold of her loved
ones. Independently, they happen to agree, so when her former
mother-in-law shows up to bust Clare out, Clare agrees with the plan, even
though it means being driven all over New York and New Jersey with her
ex-husband Matt and two baristas from the Village Blend to throw off the
police. Eventually, Matt and Clare escape to a place the police cannot
connect any of them with to try and regain her memories. When Mike Quinn joins them, the hunt for
answers is truly on. Not only are they
searching for memories but answers to find the missing heiress and the solution
to an eerily similar case.
agreeing to the doctor’s treatment, but after a few days filled with questions
and no answers, she is ready to say no and return into the fold of her loved
ones. Independently, they happen to agree, so when her former
mother-in-law shows up to bust Clare out, Clare agrees with the plan, even
though it means being driven all over New York and New Jersey with her
ex-husband Matt and two baristas from the Village Blend to throw off the
police. Eventually, Matt and Clare escape to a place the police cannot
connect any of them with to try and regain her memories. When Mike Quinn joins them, the hunt for
answers is truly on. Not only are they
searching for memories but answers to find the missing heiress and the solution
to an eerily similar case.
Fast paced and well
researched, I found this entry in the Coffeehouse Mystery series
compelling. While it could have digressed into many old memories over
Clare’s past, the ones it touched on were current sensory events meant to
provoke Clare’s memory and not rehash old events. This kept the story
fresh and vibrant. The play between past
and current lovers added more tension to this lively tale. Rebecca Gibel did an excellent job narrating,
creating different voices with various accents for the characters.
Definitely recommended.
researched, I found this entry in the Coffeehouse Mystery series
compelling. While it could have digressed into many old memories over
Clare’s past, the ones it touched on were current sensory events meant to
provoke Clare’s memory and not rehash old events. This kept the story
fresh and vibrant. The play between past
and current lovers added more tension to this lively tale. Rebecca Gibel did an excellent job narrating,
creating different voices with various accents for the characters.
Definitely recommended.
You are very welcome Lesa. I very much enjoyed Brewed Awakening. One thing noted by the memory-challenged Clare was the abundance of cell phones and how people were walking about staring at them. This struck a chord with me since it has become what I think is a somewhat disturbing trend for people to be out with each other yet watching their phones rather than each other.
Clare's predicament in the hospital also touched me. I don't think people realize how quickly a person's right can be taken away when considered "mentally impaired." So the break out scene with Madam and team busting Clare out was comical, it was also very realistic.
I love how "Cleo Coyle" can take such social issues and interject them into their fiction. So be it audio or print edition, I hope your readers enjoy this book as much as I did.
I hope they do, too, Sandie. And, thank you for mentioning those points in the book.
Sandie – Thank you for the lovely review of our latest Coffeehouse Mystery. And cheers to you, Lesa, for hosting it. Marc and I aim to entertain, and we strive to enlighten. Food + food-for-thought = a satisfying read (we can only hope)! Cheers again to you both, you’re the best. –Cleo (Alice)
Cleo, I'm always happy when Sandie can review something when I haven't had a chance. And, I'm really happy she reviewed your book/audio.
So pleased to find this in Large Print at my library system. Thanks for the review.
Gram, I'm happy Sandie reviewed it, too.