When Sandie Herron first started sending occasional reviews to Lesa’s Book Critiques, we called it Sandie’s Corner. Then, she switched to reviewing audio books for “Have You Heard?”. Today, she has a book review for us, last year’s Coffeehouse Mystery, Dead Cold Brew by Cleo Coyle, now out in paperback. Thank you, Sandie.
Dead Cold Brew
By Cleo Coyle (Alice
Alfonsi & Marc Cerasini)
Alfonsi & Marc Cerasini)
Berkley;
Paperback reprint edition (March 6, 2018)
Paperback reprint edition (March 6, 2018)
“Friendship has no legal
status.” Clare Cosi didn’t know what significance that statement would
have when her boyfriend, New York City Detective Mike Quinn, pushed her back
into the shadows of The Village Blend, the coffee shop Clare co-managed.
A sniper was taking shots at New York’s finest including Mike and his
squad. When one member of the squad was
hit, Clare and Mike went to the hospital after the paramedics, and the nurse
would talk to Mike as commanding officer, but she would tell Clare nothing
since she was “just a friend.”
status.” Clare Cosi didn’t know what significance that statement would
have when her boyfriend, New York City Detective Mike Quinn, pushed her back
into the shadows of The Village Blend, the coffee shop Clare co-managed.
A sniper was taking shots at New York’s finest including Mike and his
squad. When one member of the squad was
hit, Clare and Mike went to the hospital after the paramedics, and the nurse
would talk to Mike as commanding officer, but she would tell Clare nothing
since she was “just a friend.”
Clare’s ex-husband Matt
Allegro, also co-manager of The Village Blend, brought Clare a newspaper about
all the recent cop shootings as well as news of a special opportunity.
Clare had recently created an exquisite coffee blend with the many kinds
of coffee that Matt scouted around the globe.
Available on a limited basis, the Billionaire’s Blend held just the
qualities the owners of the newly replicated Andrea Doria were seeking.
An exclusive blend was needed for her maiden voyage; could Clare do it?
Allegro, also co-manager of The Village Blend, brought Clare a newspaper about
all the recent cop shootings as well as news of a special opportunity.
Clare had recently created an exquisite coffee blend with the many kinds
of coffee that Matt scouted around the globe.
Available on a limited basis, the Billionaire’s Blend held just the
qualities the owners of the newly replicated Andrea Doria were seeking.
An exclusive blend was needed for her maiden voyage; could Clare do it?
While the cop shootings
remain unsolved, Clare enticed Mike to an evening of sheer delight after a
36-hour shift. She began to ask him to propose again while Mike began to
break things off for a while to help her worry less. She professed that she would only worry more.
What will they do now?
remain unsolved, Clare enticed Mike to an evening of sheer delight after a
36-hour shift. She began to ask him to propose again while Mike began to
break things off for a while to help her worry less. She professed that she would only worry more.
What will they do now?
In researching the possible
Andrea Doria coffee blend, Clare went straight to a good source: Matt’s Italian
godfather, Gus Campana, who was on the ship when it sank. In today’s
world Gus is a world-famous jeweler running his family business in the Diamond
District of New York City. It seemed odd
that shortly after that visit, Matt received a summons to meet an attorney in
the massive complex of vaults embedded in Manhattan’s bedrock underneath the
Diamond District. The summons was issued on behalf of Gus Campana and
Silvio Allegro, Matt’s godfather and father. What could they have had in common
that would bring this attorney, Matt, and Gus’ daughter Sophia together sixty
years later in a tiny room of private safe-deposit boxes guarded by Lyons
Global Security guards?
Andrea Doria coffee blend, Clare went straight to a good source: Matt’s Italian
godfather, Gus Campana, who was on the ship when it sank. In today’s
world Gus is a world-famous jeweler running his family business in the Diamond
District of New York City. It seemed odd
that shortly after that visit, Matt received a summons to meet an attorney in
the massive complex of vaults embedded in Manhattan’s bedrock underneath the
Diamond District. The summons was issued on behalf of Gus Campana and
Silvio Allegro, Matt’s godfather and father. What could they have had in common
that would bring this attorney, Matt, and Gus’ daughter Sophia together sixty
years later in a tiny room of private safe-deposit boxes guarded by Lyons
Global Security guards?
If you want to answer these
questions and more, enjoy this 16th entry in the coffeehouse mystery series by Cleo Coyle, real-life
husband and wife team Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. I asked them the
oft-asked question about a series – “Do I need to read them in order?” Their answer is no. They told me what this means to them:
“When we sit down to write a new Coffeehouse Mystery, we do our best to
provide enough background on the characters and storylines to give longtime
readers a quick refresher and new readers the chance to enjoy our work without
feeling lost … anyone can feel comfortable picking up each book as standalone
reads.” I believe they do a beautiful job of this by writing
an intriguing mystery with charming characters in a city large enough to house
any number of stories. I think this
series has longevity because the authors make each entry a self-contained story
but leave the long-term relationships flowing from book to book. Each book carries a different theme while
they all engage in a bit of social satire and have a biting sense of humor.
questions and more, enjoy this 16th entry in the coffeehouse mystery series by Cleo Coyle, real-life
husband and wife team Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. I asked them the
oft-asked question about a series – “Do I need to read them in order?” Their answer is no. They told me what this means to them:
“When we sit down to write a new Coffeehouse Mystery, we do our best to
provide enough background on the characters and storylines to give longtime
readers a quick refresher and new readers the chance to enjoy our work without
feeling lost … anyone can feel comfortable picking up each book as standalone
reads.” I believe they do a beautiful job of this by writing
an intriguing mystery with charming characters in a city large enough to house
any number of stories. I think this
series has longevity because the authors make each entry a self-contained story
but leave the long-term relationships flowing from book to book. Each book carries a different theme while
they all engage in a bit of social satire and have a biting sense of humor.
We even
get a clue what is coming up since for the first time, the paperback release of
DEAD COLD BREW includes a bonus teaser of the first chapter from the 17th in the
series – SHOT IN THE DARK due out April 17, 2018. All I’m going to say is
don’t miss it!
I love this series! And it's been a while since I read one. I agree that you could pick up wherever and still know what you're about. They do tell enough. Glad you enjoyed this. Looking forward to the new one. Maybe one day I'll catch up with the ones I've missed, but if not, it's all good. 🙂
And thanks for doing your reviews, audio and print, Sandie!
Kay – We're so pleased to know that you are enjoying our Coffeehouse Mysteries. As Sandie mentioned in her very kind review, Dead Cold Brew is the 16th title in our series, and Marc and I are finding that the more entries we write, the more people pose the question of whether they need to read our books in order. From what our fans have told us over the years, they do not. Of course, many readers prefer to start any series with book 1 (in our case On What Grounds). But many of our newer readers tell us they "discovered us" with our most recently published work and have enjoyed going back to the earlier titles, reading them as prequels to learn more about our characters and their back stories. The truth is, as authors, we aren't particular when it comes to which entry in our series a reader picks up first, as long as she or he enjoys it.
Sandie – Thank you again for taking the time to write such a lovely review. We're so pleased to know that you were entertained by our latest Coffeehouse Mystery!
Lesa – Three cheers to you for hosting, and congratulations on the fourteenth anniversary of your wonderful blog.
~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Follow Cleo on Facebook
Thank you, Sandie, for this nice review. It reminded me of all the reasons I loved Dead Cold Brew. Cleo, I enjoy both of your mystery series. The Coffeehouse books I began with Once Upon a Grind. Then I went back and started from the beginning. The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries I began with the first book. Thank you for writing such wonderful stories!
Georgia
Definitely my pleasure, Cleo. You're welcome!
Thanks to all for reading my reviews. It’s almost always a pleasure to bring you word of a new book or bring light to an already released.title. There are many choices to be made when deciding what to read next. I’m glad to offer my opinion on a few of those choices.
I enjoyed this review, thank you! I started reading the Coffeehouse Mysteries with Latte Trouble because I loved the title. I ended up loving the book too. Then I went back to read Cleo's earlier books. They were such good reads that I continued forward. All caught up now and cannot wait for Cleo’s next one!