Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle, a Mysterious Review.

Review: Greenwich Village coffeeshop owner Clare Cosi discovers the murdered body of the father of one of her baristas, who acts as a local Santa during the holiday season, in Holiday Grind, the 8th mystery in this series by Cleo Coyle.

Clare is hosting a small gathering of family and friends to try out some new holiday-themed recipes the night she finds Alf Glockner shot to death. The police believe the murder to be a random mugging, someone out for the money "Santa" was collecting from donors. Clare isn't so sure, but her boyfriend, homicide detective Mike Quinn, is preoccupied with his own high-profile murder investigation. So she starts her own line of inquiry into the life of a man she thought she knew, but really didn't, and that quickly includes two other murders and ultimately a threat to her own family.

Holiday Grind is a charming addition to this cozy series, incorporating elements of the holiday season into its mystery storyline. Though it is far too long to support the relatively thin plot, the delightful characters and Manhattan setting tend to compensate. The book also includes a generous collection of enticing coffee drink and holiday recipes for readers to try at home, and tips from the (fictional) Village Blend coffeeshop.

Espresso Shot
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), September 2008
ISBN-13: 9780425221778; ISBN-10: 0425221776

Roast Mortem
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), August 2010
ISBN-13: 9780425234594; ISBN-10: 0425234592

Holiday Grind

A Clare Cosi Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle