On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mystery, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jan 18, 2014 Debbie rated it really liked it

This was a great story. I am ready to find the next installment, but right now I need to grab a cup of coffee.

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Mar 02, 2020 Brindi Michele rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, personal-interest-adult, cooking-baking, cozy-mystery

I am SURPRISED to say I really ENJOYED my first cozy mystery! And I'm sure it has EVERYTHING to do with COFFEE. All the coffee. I liked the writing style, even though going into it I thought it might be too corny. But nope, I sipped up this amateur sleuth novel, devouring every bit of coffee knowledge right along with it (some I already knew, other tips I added, happily, to my once-barista repertoire). And I'm excited to read the next in the series, AND to try some of those tasty recipes. ...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Darlene rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, for-review, cozy-mystery, read-in-2013, 2013-a-to-z-reading-challenge

I jumped into this cozy-mystery series late at Book #8, Holiday Grind, earlier this year and absolutely fell in love! I then read the next one in the series, Roast Mortem, and now I want to read this series from the beginning to have a better understanding of the characters and, in particular, to learn more about the interesting relationship between the heroine, Clare Cosi, and her ex-but-still-cozy-husband, Matteo "Matt" Allegro.

I am so glad that I went back to the beginning of the series becau I jumped into this cozy-mystery series late at Book #8, Holiday Grind, earlier this year and absolutely fell in love! I then read the next one in the series, Roast Mortem, and now I want to read this series from the beginning to have a better understanding of the characters and, in particular, to learn more about the interesting relationship between the heroine, Clare Cosi, and her ex-but-still-cozy-husband, Matteo "Matt" Allegro.

I am so glad that I went back to the beginning of the series because some of the missing pieces have fallen into place. After Claire and Matt divorced ten years prior, Clare moved to Jersey with her daughter, Joy. Madame Allegro, Clare’s ex-mother-in-law, woos Clare to come back to the coffeehouse with an interesting proposition: A percentage of ownership in the business as well as rent-free accommodations in the furnished duplex above the business. Madame explains that the last manager practically ran the business into the ground, and she needs Clare to come back and resume management of the coffeehouse so that it can bounce back and start turning a profit. Now that Joy is away at college, the time is right for Clare to return to Greenwich Village and she decides to take Madame up on her offer.

The book starts off with the crime: Anabelle Hart, the assistant manager for the Village Blend, has let someone she knows into the coffeehouse after closing. She is found the next morning at the bottom of the basement steps, barely alive and unconscious. The police investigate and decide that it is nothing more than an unfortunate accident, but Clare’s gut tells her that they are wrong. She decides to conduct her own inquiry into Anabelle’s background in an effort to solve the crime.

I really enjoyed this series debut. I was already a fan, and I continue to be. Coyle has the right blend of mystery, humour, flirtiness, and delectable culinary descriptions which makes the series a fun, light read! If you are a cozy-mystery fan, I highly recommend this series!

I’m also already a fan of Rebecca Gibel, who is a flawless narrator. She conveys so much emotion in the tone of her voice, and her distinctive characterizations make it very easy to follow who is speaking in the story.

I received this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. ...more

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