Roast Mortem
by Cleo Coyle
Humorous, clever and moving culinary mystery
When
Clara
Cosi, manager of the Village Blend coffeehouse, gets caught in a fire
at Enzo Testa's Caffe Lucia, she just knows that the fire was started
by someone even though the firemen do not believe that the fire is
arson. During the fire her friends, Enzo and Madame
Dreyfus Allegro Dubois are injured in the fire, Clara is all the more
determined to catch the culprit. Teaching the firemen how to
operate the new espresso machine recently donated to the firehouse is
the perfect excuse to get closer to learn any more details about the
fire investigation. When another coffeehouse catches fire and a fireman
is killed, the case becomes deadlier and more mysterious. Even
her detective boyfriend Mike Quinn gets caught up in the case.
ROAST MORTEM, ninth in author husband and wife team's popular
Coffeehouse series, is a cozy mystery with just enough spunk and
modernity in her characters blended perfectly with intriguing
clues and a tribute to the good things in life -- coffee, art, and the
heroism of firemen. Dedicated to the New
York
Firemen, ROAST MORTEM gives a reader intriguing insights into the world
of the firemen. The firemen are not idealized and a variety
of characters from irritating to admirable can be found at the
local fire station. Indeed, ROAST MORTEM is all the more a worthy
tribute precisely on account of the multi-faceted portraits created by
Cleo Coyle. Coffee and coffee lore fills the pages of this
mystery, including a guide to roasting coffee at the end of the book
that will leave readers anxious to explore this culinary art. In
addition, recipes for some of the meals mentioned in the book are
included at the end.
Most moving for this reader was the description of Enzo's mural.
Not only does Clara's vision and feelings honor the beauty of art, but
also through her eyes, the reader truly feels the destruction caused by
fire, not just of things themselves but of something more. Cleo
Coyle gives readers a whole cast of wonderful characters whose
interactions create a finely woven puzzle for the mystery lover.
Set in New York City, ROAST MORTEM takes the reader into the heart of
the setting. ROAST MORTEM cleverly keeps the reader guessing til
the end and, by the end, leaves a reader appreciative of the finer
things, not just coffee and art but also friends and family. A
delightful mystery through and through!
For mystery lovers new to the Coffeehouse series, ROAST MORTEM can be
read as a stand alone. Sleuth Clara Cosi, however, will most
definitely
leave a reader wanting to read more Coffeehouse mysteries!
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
(August 3, 2010)
