Espresso
Shot
A
Coffeehouse Mystery with Clare Cosi
Cleo
Coyle
Berkley
Prime Crime (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-425-22177-6 (0425221776)
ISBN-13: 978-1-425-22177-8 (9781425221778)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $22.95
Synopsis (from the publisher): Manager and head barista of the bustling New York coffeehouse The Village Blend, Clare Cosi's been hired to create a gourmet coffee and dessert bar for a swanky wedding. Clare should be thrilled at this chance to shine, but it's Matteo Allegro, her ex-husband and current business partner, who's tying the knot-to Trend magazine editor Breanne Summour, who's in full-blown bridezilla mode. Claire's got to put her misgivings aside and focus on business, but since she's a successful amateur sleuth, murder is Clare's business, too. And when fatal accidents begin befalling people close to Breanne, Clare becomes suspicious. But what she unveils, amid melted chocolate and steaming mochaccinos, may just get her burned ...
Review:
New York coffeehouse owner Clare Cosi investigates a case of apparent
mistaken identity, and a fatal one at that, in Espresso Shot,
the seventh mystery in this series by Cleo Coyle.
Clare's ex-husband Matteo is getting married. The bride-to-be is
beautiful, wealthy, opinionated, and, it probably goes without saying,
feared by many and hated by even more. She is Breanne Summour, a senior
editor for the powerful and influential Trend magazine. At a bachelor
party for Matteo, a look-alike for Breanne shows up to spice things up,
as it were, but is shot and killed by an unknown assailant after
leaving the party. The police think the shooting may be random
violence, but Clare and Matteo believe otherwise. Someone had tried to
run Breanne down just a few days earlier and Matteo is convinced, and
ultimately convinces Clare, that the two events are related. When
someone in Breanne's office is poisoned, it seems certain that Breanne
was the target all along. Breanne has a long list of enemies, but the
questions facing Clare are, why here and why now?
Espresso
Shot bucks a recent trend in
theme-driven chick-lit-style cozies by actually developing an
interesting murder mystery plot to accompany the inevitable, and
usually irrelevant, banter about designer clothes and shoes, dishing of
boyfriends and co-workers, and the like. True, Breanne's character
opens the door to the potential of name dropping everything in sight,
and subtle differences between boutique plantation coffee roasts hardly
seem weighty enough material to carry any story, but both are cleverly
woven into the extravagant wedding being planned that's at the heart of
this story and are not only appropriate and relevant but play a
significant role in solving the murders. The interesting plot twist
towards the end is also a refreshing and pleasant surprise. Though
about 50 pages too long, Espresso
Shot
is nonetheless a delightful and entertaining mystery. Coffee tips,
coffee talk, and recipes follow at the end.
Special thanks to Penguin Group for providing a copy of Espresso Shot for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Espresso Shot? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
On
What
Grounds
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), September 2003
ISBN-10: 0-425-19213-X (042519213X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-19213-9 (9780425192133)
Through
the
Grinder
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), October 2004
ISBN-10: 0-425-19714-X (042519714X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-19714-1 (9780425197141)
Latte
Trouble
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), August 2005
ISBN-10: 0-425-20445-6 (0425204456)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-20445-0 (9780425204450)
Murder
Most
Frothy
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), August 2006
ISBN-10: 0-425-21113-4 (0425211134)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21113-7 (9780425211137)
Decaffeinated
Corpse
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), July 2007
ISBN-10: 0-425-21638-1 (0425216381)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21638-5 (9780425216385)
French
Pressed
Berkley Prime Crime (Mass Market Paperback), April 2008
ISBN-10: 0-425-22049-4 (0425220494)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-22049-8 (9780425220498)
Espresso Shot
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), September 2008
ISBN-10: 0-425-22177-6 (0425221776)
ISBN-13: 978-1-425-22177-8 (9781425221778)
Holiday Grind
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), November 2009
ISBN-10: 0-425-23005-8 (0425230058)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-23005-3 (9780425230053)
Omnimystery
keywords for Espresso Shot
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Location(s) referenced: New York City.
