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Sigrid Harald #1
One Coffee With
Detective Sigrid Harald finds herself involved with a variety of colorful and offbeat suspects as she investigates a murder in the art department of a prestigious university.
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
269 people are currently reading
1472 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Maron
120 books757 followersBorn and raised in central North Carolina, Margaret Maron lived in Italy before returning to the USA. In addition to a collection of short stories she also authored numerous mystery novels.
Her works have been translated into seven languages her Bootlegger's Daughter, a Washington Post Bestseller won Edgar Anthony, Agatha, and Macavity awards.
She was a past president of Sisters in Crime and of the American Crime writers' league, and a director on the national board for Mystery Writers of America.
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Her works have been translated into seven languages her Bootlegger's Daughter, a Washington Post Bestseller won Edgar Anthony, Agatha, and Macavity awards.
She was a past president of Sisters in Crime and of the American Crime writers' league, and a director on the national board for Mystery Writers of America.
Like Margaret Maron on Facebook
Follow Margaret Maron on Twitter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
October 27, 2011
I am a big fan of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series, but had never given much thought to reading the Sigrid Harald series. It just seemed too different from Deborah Knott to interest me that much. That was before I read the most recent Knott mystery, Three Day Town, in which Sigrid played a part. I found her an interesting character, one with an intriguing back story alluded to in Three Day Town.
As this first novel in an eight book series was written in 1982, it was a bit like a trip back in time. No cell phones, PCs, etc. but as devices played no real part in the story, it was not particularly dated. Sigrid is a detective with the NYPD (one of the first females to reach that level) and she runs into all the male prejudices attendant, but as I don't think that has changed very much I didn't find it jarring. She is called in to investigate the poisoning of an art professor at the mythical NY City Vanderlyn College. During the course of the investigation, she meets characters who will play an important part in her life. The mystery itself is very well handled, but Maron is a much better writer today.
The characters are what interested me most in One Coffee With. Sigrid herself is so blind to her own attractions, so I look forward to the development of her relationship with Oscar Naumann, Department Head at Vanderlyn. There is no doubt that I will read the rest of the series.
As this first novel in an eight book series was written in 1982, it was a bit like a trip back in time. No cell phones, PCs, etc. but as devices played no real part in the story, it was not particularly dated. Sigrid is a detective with the NYPD (one of the first females to reach that level) and she runs into all the male prejudices attendant, but as I don't think that has changed very much I didn't find it jarring. She is called in to investigate the poisoning of an art professor at the mythical NY City Vanderlyn College. During the course of the investigation, she meets characters who will play an important part in her life. The mystery itself is very well handled, but Maron is a much better writer today.
The characters are what interested me most in One Coffee With. Sigrid herself is so blind to her own attractions, so I look forward to the development of her relationship with Oscar Naumann, Department Head at Vanderlyn. There is no doubt that I will read the rest of the series.
August 16, 2016
I read the Sigrid Harald books years ago and was disappointed when Marin turned to Deborah Knott completely. I read that she is going to do another Harald book and decided to refresh my memory. I really like the character and love the back drop of NYC.
December 31, 2023
Margaret Maron has entered the world of academics, placing her mystery, One Coffee With, in the Art Department of fictional New York institution Vanderlyn College. And here we are introduced to an assorted cast of characters all milling around the department office sharing a morning coffee klatch between classes.
Shortly afterwards, Professor Riley Quinn leaves his office, evidence that he has been sick down the front of his clothes, and collapses. Death is ruled a poisoning.
Now, who could have hated him so much to kill him? The associate professor who argued with him about the book they were working on? His wife's lover? The grad student who he'd told was not going to earn his MFA?
Or perhaps, the poisoned coffee was not meant for him? After all, there were three cups on the tray.
There are a lot of reasons for all the suspects to dislike him — and each other — and nearly everyone could have gotten their hands on the toxin and in the close quarters of the office, plenty of chances to doctor one of the cups.
Detective Sigrid Harald has loads to think about during her investigation, and despite the attraction slowly growing between her and Department Chair Oscar Neuman — that the straight-laced detective fought, she is determined to figure it out. Taken all together, Margaret Maron has created vivid characters, realistic dialogue and a well-drafted mystery.
Shortly afterwards, Professor Riley Quinn leaves his office, evidence that he has been sick down the front of his clothes, and collapses. Death is ruled a poisoning.
Now, who could have hated him so much to kill him? The associate professor who argued with him about the book they were working on? His wife's lover? The grad student who he'd told was not going to earn his MFA?
Or perhaps, the poisoned coffee was not meant for him? After all, there were three cups on the tray.
There are a lot of reasons for all the suspects to dislike him — and each other — and nearly everyone could have gotten their hands on the toxin and in the close quarters of the office, plenty of chances to doctor one of the cups.
Detective Sigrid Harald has loads to think about during her investigation, and despite the attraction slowly growing between her and Department Chair Oscar Neuman — that the straight-laced detective fought, she is determined to figure it out. Taken all together, Margaret Maron has created vivid characters, realistic dialogue and a well-drafted mystery.
June 13, 2014
In my worldview people read mysteries for two different reasons: they either focus on the puzzle elements or they enjoy the comedy of manners that the characters play out against the setting. I'm in the second category. I don't care much who killed whom or why, but I enjoy the interplay among the characters. If the books are in an interesting setting, so much the better. I loved Maron's Judge Deborah Knott series from the beginning. Judge Knott is a hoot, and Colleton, South Carolina, is as much a character as any of the people who live and move and have their being in its benevolent landscape. This first book in the Lt Sigrid Harald series is a straight-up police procedural. Clues are scattered around for the police and the reader to glean and try to fit together. Even when I finished, I wasn't clear which of the characters was the murderer and why the deed was done and didn't much care. It felt like an extended session of Clue. Besides I get all the NYPD police procedural action I want from watching old episodes of Law & Order from Netflix. Normally I wouldn't read further in the series, but in the Deborah Knott series, Deborah comes to New York. As a favor to a member of her extended family, she agrees to deliver a piece of art to another member of the extended family—one Lt Sigrid Harald. Since I had no sense of who Sigrid was, I wanted to come up to speed so the meeting would be more interesting. So Judge Knott is on hold while I work my way through the Lt Harald series. If you are a police procedural fan with a yen to solve puzzles, Lt Harald is for you. If you like cozies with a strong sense of setting, go for Judge Knott. It remains to be seen whether Maron can combine the two and satisfy both classes of readers. I have a strong sense that she will pull it off without a hitch.
October 2, 2008
ONE COFFEE WITH - Okay
Maron, Margaret - 1st in Sigid Harald series
Detective Sigrid Harald finds herself involved with a variety of colorful and offbeat suspects as she investigates a murder in the art department of a prestigious university.
It was intelligent and well written, but very slow.
Maron, Margaret - 1st in Sigid Harald series
Detective Sigrid Harald finds herself involved with a variety of colorful and offbeat suspects as she investigates a murder in the art department of a prestigious university.
It was intelligent and well written, but very slow.
December 23, 2021
Obnoxious art history professor and critic, Riley Quinn, is murdered his university office by a poisoned cup of coffee. Plenty of people had motive and opportunity. Was it one of his colleagues, like the who was sleeping with Quinn’s wife or the one who Quinn passed over for promotion? Or maybe it was the university maintenance man who thinks that Quinn cheated him of his artist uncle’s inheritance… Cool and collected, Lieutenant Detective Harald means to get to the bottom of the case working with slow but methodical “Tillie” Tildon, one of the few detectives in Harald’s precinct who doesn’t resent a woman barging in on “a man’s world”.
The first of eight books in Maron’s Sigrid Harald series. This was originally published in 1981 and it is occasionally dated, in particular in how some of the men behave. But on the whole, I liked it and found it clever.
The first of eight books in Maron’s Sigrid Harald series. This was originally published in 1981 and it is occasionally dated, in particular in how some of the men behave. But on the whole, I liked it and found it clever.
September 16, 2018
Too arty for my liking. Lost the characters within the history and description of paintings. Felt Sigrid could have been developed so much more within this short novel.
August 22, 2024
Nope, not interesting enough in characters or storytelling for me to continue with this series. I really am a series gal but this one didn't do it for me... c'est la vie
May 17, 2013
Margaret Maron's first novel after (according to her introduction to this Kindle edition) many years of writing only short stories, introduces New York City policewoman Sigrid Harald. Although I've been enjoying Maron's Deborah Knott series since the beginning, I was never very interested in the earlier series. But now that Maron introduced Harald into the Deborah Knott series with Three Day Town, I thought I should go back and read at least one of the Harald books.
It is somewhat evident that One Coffee With is a first novel. Not that it's not good, but somehow it reads more like a long short story. The story of a murder in a college art department apparently did start out as a short story, and was revised and added to to bring it to the required length for a book. In order to do this, Maron added a slightly unbelievable love-at-first-sight subplot and another character whose arrival on the scene was also quite unusual. Although it was all well written, the plot and characters didn't hang together in the same way as in the later books after Maron has honed her craft.
Nevertheless, it was a good mystery and I'll probably catch up with the rest; it will be interesting to see how Maron's writing developed to the point that her first Deborah Knott novel won the Best Novel Edgar.
It is somewhat evident that One Coffee With is a first novel. Not that it's not good, but somehow it reads more like a long short story. The story of a murder in a college art department apparently did start out as a short story, and was revised and added to to bring it to the required length for a book. In order to do this, Maron added a slightly unbelievable love-at-first-sight subplot and another character whose arrival on the scene was also quite unusual. Although it was all well written, the plot and characters didn't hang together in the same way as in the later books after Maron has honed her craft.
Nevertheless, it was a good mystery and I'll probably catch up with the rest; it will be interesting to see how Maron's writing developed to the point that her first Deborah Knott novel won the Best Novel Edgar.
November 6, 2014
Margaret Maron is an author that I keep meaning to read-- especially after having read and enjoyed her first Judge Deborah Knott mystery-- and I keep getting sidetracked. First published in 1982, One Coffee With takes Maron back to her beginnings as a writer, and her introduction to this newest release should not be missed.
However the novel itself shows her inexperience at the time. The book is so focused on the minute ins and outs of the Art Department that the story takes much too long to get moving. By the time it does, I was almost at the point of wanting everyone to be found guilty and thrown in jail just so it would end.
Only when Maron begins to delve into Sigrid Harald's character does the book begin to come to life. She's closed off and quirky and prefers to be left alone, but she has an eye for detail that's phenomenal. I intend to continue with the series simply because I want to know more about Harald.
One Coffee With may have a problem here and there, but it's also plain to see the promise buried inside the story. It's the beginning of a phenomenal career, and I'm glad to see how it all began.
However the novel itself shows her inexperience at the time. The book is so focused on the minute ins and outs of the Art Department that the story takes much too long to get moving. By the time it does, I was almost at the point of wanting everyone to be found guilty and thrown in jail just so it would end.
Only when Maron begins to delve into Sigrid Harald's character does the book begin to come to life. She's closed off and quirky and prefers to be left alone, but she has an eye for detail that's phenomenal. I intend to continue with the series simply because I want to know more about Harald.
One Coffee With may have a problem here and there, but it's also plain to see the promise buried inside the story. It's the beginning of a phenomenal career, and I'm glad to see how it all began.
March 27, 2016
I've been reading Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series and throughly enjoying the thrills of her whodunnit stories. After reading 'Three Day Town' and being introduced to Lt Harald and I picked up the first in that series.
Within the first few chapters, there are numerous characters thrown at us and at times I had to go back to figure out who was who. It starts a little slow but soon picks up as the hunt for the murder of a local professor gets into full swing. What I really enjoyed is reading Lt. Harald's thought process as to the who and to the why. It was great as she went though each scenario and either eliminated a suspect or had more questions.
Overall I'm glad to have gotten to know Lt. Harald a little bit better and look forward to reading her next murder case.
Within the first few chapters, there are numerous characters thrown at us and at times I had to go back to figure out who was who. It starts a little slow but soon picks up as the hunt for the murder of a local professor gets into full swing. What I really enjoyed is reading Lt. Harald's thought process as to the who and to the why. It was great as she went though each scenario and either eliminated a suspect or had more questions.
Overall I'm glad to have gotten to know Lt. Harald a little bit better and look forward to reading her next murder case.
July 14, 2013
2.5 stars. I can't figure out why I liked this mystery so much the first time I read it roughly 10 years ago. It has not aged well.
December 16, 2016
Not as good as the Knott series.
May 4, 2018
As a disclaimer, I haven't read Maron's Judge Deborah Knott series.
The book was published 1982 and is very much a product of it's time. There is an element of feminism, especially when you compare Sandy, the secretary to Sigrid. An underlying theme of women are competent is woven throughout the book. I appreciate it's clearly dated for the time it was written, but did we have to have the main female lead go gaga because a strong male showed her interest? So many time it spoke about how Sigird could be beautiful, or was beautiful when she tried. "She doesn't know she's beautiful" is a tired trope.
The mystery element was done well enough. I found the characters hard to keep track of, and could have done with a suspect list. The story moved a little slowly in the beginning, but it's a short book so I didn't overly mind.
The reveal of the murderer was a little annoying to me. "someone is killing people, but I'll just trust anyone who walks into the room". (Insert eye roll here).
The book was published 1982 and is very much a product of it's time. There is an element of feminism, especially when you compare Sandy, the secretary to Sigrid. An underlying theme of women are competent is woven throughout the book. I appreciate it's clearly dated for the time it was written, but did we have to have the main female lead go gaga because a strong male showed her interest? So many time it spoke about how Sigird could be beautiful, or was beautiful when she tried. "She doesn't know she's beautiful" is a tired trope.
The mystery element was done well enough. I found the characters hard to keep track of, and could have done with a suspect list. The story moved a little slowly in the beginning, but it's a short book so I didn't overly mind.
The reveal of the murderer was a little annoying to me. "someone is killing people, but I'll just trust anyone who walks into the room". (Insert eye roll here).
December 17, 2025
This novel is the launch of a mystery series centered on NYPD homicide detective Sigrid Harald. The story begins with the poisoning of Professor Riley Quinn, whose seemingly ordinary morning coffee becomes the instrument of murder. Set within the art department of Vanderlyn College in New York City, the novel introduces a confined circle of suspects, each with plausible motives. Among them are a young secretary (Sandy Keppler), an angry Hungarian maintenance worker (Mike Szabo), and a colleague entangled in a personal scandal (Piers Leyden). The investigation unfolds as Sigrid Harald applies her sharp observational skills and professional intuition to an unusual academic environment. The review highlights the contrast between the artistic setting and the grim reality of homicide. It emphasizes Harald’s distinctive temperament and intellectual approach to solving the crime. Overall, the book portrays an engaging, character-driven mystery that combines classic whodunit elements with a fresh protagonist and an unconventional setting. I give it four stars out of five.
November 22, 2021
Three and a half stars, rounded up. I liked this rather-old-fashioned academic whodunnit introducing Sigrid Harald, despite the dated aspects from its 1981 publication date and late '70s zeitgeist of it being rare for women to be in an authority position on the police force. I enjoyed the novel, the author's first long work, back when I read it in the early '80s, and I still liked Sigrid and Oscar both. I appreciate Sigrid for her career focus and refusal to play feminine games in her dealings with others. I like Oscar for having the intelligence to notice Sigrid's appeal and for his artistic skill, style, charm, maturity, and verbal quickness. Fans of Agatha Christie and Amanda Cross would enjoy this series.
It's also interesting that all the Harald mysteries take place over the course of a year in Sigrid's life, despite being published from 1981 to 2017.
1. One Coffee with (1981)
2. Death of A Butterfly (1984)
3. Death in Blue Folders (1985)
4. The Right Jack (1987)
5. Baby Doll Games (1988)
6. Corpus Christmas (1989)
7. Past Imperfect (1991)
8. Fugitive Colors (1995)
9. Take Out (2017)
It's also interesting that all the Harald mysteries take place over the course of a year in Sigrid's life, despite being published from 1981 to 2017.
1. One Coffee with (1981)
2. Death of A Butterfly (1984)
3. Death in Blue Folders (1985)
4. The Right Jack (1987)
5. Baby Doll Games (1988)
6. Corpus Christmas (1989)
7. Past Imperfect (1991)
8. Fugitive Colors (1995)
9. Take Out (2017)
May 23, 2022
Meet Lt. Sigrid Harald. She's a little awkward, loves puzzles, logic, and order, and is an excellent detective in the homicide division of the NY Police Department. In the early 1980s, there aren't cell phones or lots of desktop computers, so policing is done the 'old fashioned' way.
When the deputy chair of the art department is murdered, Lt. Harald is confronted with seven suspects, all capable of murder, all with means and opportunity.
I love the Lt. She's smart, she's got a sense of humor, and she knows her stuff. And there's a budding romance in the works in the first installment of this 8 volume mystery series.
I've read #8 and decided to start at the beginning. As a Margaret Maron fan from way back, I'm pleased to find a new series to savor. Sadly, Ms Maron passed away in 2021. I'll have to go back and read her books from the beginning.
Thanks to my art historian friend for the introduction to Sigrid Harald.
When the deputy chair of the art department is murdered, Lt. Harald is confronted with seven suspects, all capable of murder, all with means and opportunity.
I love the Lt. She's smart, she's got a sense of humor, and she knows her stuff. And there's a budding romance in the works in the first installment of this 8 volume mystery series.
I've read #8 and decided to start at the beginning. As a Margaret Maron fan from way back, I'm pleased to find a new series to savor. Sadly, Ms Maron passed away in 2021. I'll have to go back and read her books from the beginning.
Thanks to my art historian friend for the introduction to Sigrid Harald.
November 27, 2017
I say they're not compelling, and yet I keep reading them...
I ran hot and cold on this book. There's a weird treatment of feminism here, which I think may be a product of the times in which it was written, where the female characters are strong, self-assured (mostly), and definitely capable, and yet the author sometimes wants to assure us that they're not *those* kinds of feminists. If this were a contemporary book, I assure you, reader, it would hit the wall over that.
The solution in this particular book felt just out of left field to me. The motivation makes sense, definitely, as does the method, and it is a time-honored tradition to say, "HA! You were focused on all these people over here, while actually it was THIS GUY!!" but this time, the execution of the reveal didn't feel right.
I ran hot and cold on this book. There's a weird treatment of feminism here, which I think may be a product of the times in which it was written, where the female characters are strong, self-assured (mostly), and definitely capable, and yet the author sometimes wants to assure us that they're not *those* kinds of feminists. If this were a contemporary book, I assure you, reader, it would hit the wall over that.
The solution in this particular book felt just out of left field to me. The motivation makes sense, definitely, as does the method, and it is a time-honored tradition to say, "HA! You were focused on all these people over here, while actually it was THIS GUY!!" but this time, the execution of the reveal didn't feel right.
September 13, 2024
I liked this one. It is a typical cozy mystery, but it strays a little into the police procedural arena. I liked the main character, a strong woman Lieutenant, but found the book to be very dated. I had to check a few times, and the copywrite says 1982. I see many great reviews of the author. I am thinking the author must have been older in the early 1980s, because too many terms and customs seemed to be dated to a much earlier time than the 1980s. Since I grew up in the 1980s, middle and high school to be exact, I think I would have found the terms old then, and some had been used by my parents, but some were used by grandparents and beyond. I hate to spend so much time on this, but it was distracting to the reading experience to find the terms so archaic. I may read another in the series simply because I liked the main character, but I am not really sure.
July 16, 2017
An old favorite
I still have the original paperback I bought when this first came out. It's a little fragile now so I was very glad to see an ebook version. While I like Deb'rah, Sigrid had always been my favorite. Whether because I met her first, or because, like her, I'm a New Yawker, not a Southerner, I couldn't say. Although this was the first of the series and the first full-length novel, one would never know it. It has held up over the 36 (!) years since it was first published and I was very happy to re-read it.
I still have the original paperback I bought when this first came out. It's a little fragile now so I was very glad to see an ebook version. While I like Deb'rah, Sigrid had always been my favorite. Whether because I met her first, or because, like her, I'm a New Yawker, not a Southerner, I couldn't say. Although this was the first of the series and the first full-length novel, one would never know it. It has held up over the 36 (!) years since it was first published and I was very happy to re-read it.
July 24, 2017
Sigrid Harald is one of the first women to become a homicide detective and is still proving herself. This is the first murder where she is the lead detective. The victim is one of the teachers on the staff of the art department of a near-by university. There is much jealousy. discord, and guarding of turf among the staff. Sigrid solves the murder while falling in love with one of the professors. one of the more unlovable ones in my opinion.
This is the first series for Ms Maron. I don't think it is up the standard of the Deborah Knott series but it is still an enjoyable read,
This is the first series for Ms Maron. I don't think it is up the standard of the Deborah Knott series but it is still an enjoyable read,
October 25, 2021
The plot premise was fine, although how Detective Harald reached the conclusion was a bit convoluted. Hard to read books with the stereotypes of femininity from past decades. There are several cringe worthy moments revolving around Sigrid Harald’s business-like manner, but Marin makes sure to drop in moments where her manner could be overcome by another character.
TW: There are two scenes where she’s kissed by force. And, of course, she secretly doesn’t really mind it can be rather off-putting or distressing, depending on how you feel/relate.
TW: There are two scenes where she’s kissed by force. And, of course, she secretly doesn’t really mind it can be rather off-putting or distressing, depending on how you feel/relate.
March 19, 2021
I was tempted to drop the rating because I thought the Harlequin romance parts were too ridiculous. But I liked the twists and the rivalries of the art department.
Sigrid is portrayed as a smart and attractive woman who is unaware of the effect she has. And when she falls for this guy - “Never had she met a man so willful, conceited and infuriating!” Just like a romance heroine, it’s too much for me. But I’ll read the next book in the series.
Sigrid is portrayed as a smart and attractive woman who is unaware of the effect she has. And when she falls for this guy - “Never had she met a man so willful, conceited and infuriating!” Just like a romance heroine, it’s too much for me. But I’ll read the next book in the series.
April 1, 2021
This is the story of a female detective with the New York Police Department, Sigrid Harald. When she is assigned a case of poisoning at Vanderlynn College, she and her fellow detective have a lot of questioning to try to uncover the killer. How they do it makes for a great story and had me guessing to the end. Great ending and total surprise. I am reading all of Mrs. Maron's books I have not read before and really enjoyed this one.
March 27, 2023
A great, intelligently written who-done-it. I like the protagonist, NYPD's cool and calm Lt. Sigrid Harald, and the fact that she gets respect from most of her colleagues and the public because they are befuddled by her complete professionalism. It took a while before I flipped back to reconcile the story with the title, at which time it made total sense. I particularly loved the introductory description of life within City University of New York's Veanderlyn College.
April 18, 2025
This is an adequate mystery, an interesting look at an art college and the petty and not-so-petty rivalries between the professors. The main character is a strong woman about thirty years old who has never been in love. I was disgusted when she was interested in a man thirty years older than she, and it was even worse that he was a possible suspect. I don’t need to need to read more in this series.
May 21, 2018
One Coffee With is the first book in Margaret Maron's Sigrid Harald series...Sigrid is a detective in NYC, onr of the first few females in her position! She is called for a murder at a local college, one of the professors has been poisoned in his morning break coffee...Who would murder a tenured art professor...and why! Can't believe I have missed this series...
June 12, 2018
I had started this earlier this year, then put it down, and just finally finished it. A good police procedural mystery, but what makes this book a delight is how well it describes the early 1980s late 1970s. It really was a different world. And it also captures the hijinks of an academic art department to a t. Well, except for the murder part of course.
March 22, 2021
I was not impressed with this book. It is the first book of Margaret Maron's that I have read. I became interested in her when I read her obituary and found that she was from North Carolina. I will try the first one from her other series. I am intrigued with the main character, Sigrid Harald. I may have to catch up with her later.
August 5, 2023
Quite outdated and boring. Written 40 years ago, and too much "intellectual" nonsense.
About a murder among a bunch of "academics". no real meat in it. Won't read the rest of
this series.
Such a shame, since the Deborah Knott series were all pretty good, and at least kept you
interested.
About a murder among a bunch of "academics". no real meat in it. Won't read the rest of
this series.
Such a shame, since the Deborah Knott series were all pretty good, and at least kept you
interested.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews