Decaffeinated Corpse (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 5)
by Cleo Coyle
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Book Summary Information
Author: Cleo CoyleEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-07-03
ISBN: 0425216381
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Berkley
Book Reviews of Decaffeinated Corpse (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 5)
Book Review: Good to the last drop!
Summary: 5 Stars
After the dissolution of her marriage to a handsome coffee buyer, Clare Cosi swept out of hip Greenwich Village, New York, her young daughter, Joy, by her side, and exiled herself to the suburbs of New Jersey, where she took on the position as a freelance writer to pay her bills. When her ex-mother-in-law, Madame, asked her to come back to the city and manage her booming coffee shop, The Village Blend, however, thirty-something Clare made the decision to trek back to the city she always knew and loved, happy to know that she would, once again, be just a stone's throw away from her now adult daughter, and the culinary school she happens to be attending. The one thing Clare didn't realize about her move is that it would turn out to be so...deadly.
When it comes to brewing a good cup of coffee, Clare is convinced that all it takes is a little TLC, and a lot of caffeine. In her mind, decaffeinated coffee is a huge no-no, and deserves to be called a "why bother?" Unfortunately, much of America has begun to favor the decaffeinated blend; and if Clare wants to keep the Village Blend in full swing, she'll have to jump on the bandwagon, and produce something that makes the customers tastebuds dance in delight. Enter Frederico "Ric" Gostwick. Ric has been a friend of Clare's ex-husband, and business partner, Matt, since childhood; and has just perfected a botanically decaffeinated bean that is sure to knock America of its feet. This bean actually tastes delicious, but doesn't leave customers feeling the jittery buzz of caffeine. Due to their long relationship, Ric has granted exclusive rights to the Village Blend. This means that they'll be the only ones allowed to sell the genius new product. Unfortunately, on the night of Ric's arrival, Clare finds him slumped in the alley behind the Blend, the victim of being pistol-whipped. Clare has a hunch that his attack has a lot more with the coffee bean, which he has illegally smuggled into the country, than it does with a casual mugging, and knows that the police should be investigating the crime. Ric, on the other hand, refuses to report it, leaving Clare to take on the investigation herself - privately, that is. Now, with the help of Madame, the two amateur sleuths are determined to get to the bottom of the crime before someone ends up fatally wounded. Unfortunately, with Joy creeping around with some new mystery guy - wonder-chef, Tommy Keitel - Clare's mind isn't completely focused on the case at hand, which may just leave her vulnerable to a sneak attack of the worst kind.
Cleo Coyle roped me into the world of Clare Cosi and her comrades with the release of ON WHAT GROUNDS back in 2003. And now, here we are in 2007, and I still can't get enough of the historic Village Blend. With each installment, Clare grows on you more and more. Her nosiness is humorous, as she manages to butt into the middle of everyone's business - much to their chagrin - while her determination to protect her growing daughter provides a semblance of sentimentality to the storyline, which shows that Clare never allows anything to get in the way of caring for her family - even murder. Over the years, Clare has managed to become like a best friend, whom you would love to sit down with over a warm cup of coffee, and shoot the breeze. Of course, so have her associates. Matt manages to grate on your nerves with his womanizing ways, and constant disappearing acts. However, the story would not be the same without him. Joy, on the other hand, shows that, even though she is a legal adult, she needs constant protecting. And, as the reader, you actually want to reach out and steer her in the right direction when you see her making the wrong decisions. I must admit, though, that, after Clare, Madame is the most irresistible character. I adore how Coyle has introduced her as a more prevalent piece of the series over the last few books. While she's pushing eighty, her spunk and eccentricities make her seem much younger; and, together, her and Clare make quite a dynamic duo in the world of detecting. The wonderful atmosphere provided by the Blend is cozy and comfortable - a bit like home - while Coyle's descriptions of New York City - from the brownstones, to the traffic, and everything in between make Greenwich Village sound like something out of a fairytale. It was also interesting to see Coyle introduce some facts and statistics about 9/11 and the homeless situation in New York City, as it proves the authors to be socially aware; and provides the layman with some unknown information. Of course, the recipes provided at the end of the novel don't hurt too much either. Good to the last drop!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Summary of Decaffeinated Corpse (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 5)
When an old friend of her ex-husband develops the world's first botanically decaffeinated coffee bean and smuggles it into the country, Clare Cosi, manager of Village Blend, believes it's a business opportunity she needs to investigate...at least until the first dead body shows up.
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