Part of Bookstore Cafe Mystery
First published 2015
Krissy Hancock celebrates the grand opening of Death by Coffee, the bookstore café she runs with best friend Vicki in Pine Hills. They named their shop after a mystery novel written by Krissy's father. Their first day takes a deadly turn when customer Brendon Lawyer collapses after drinking his coffee. The death looks like a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, but Krissy finds no nuts in his drink. Someone also made off with his emergency medication. The townspeople show little sadness over Brendon's demise, yet a killer walks among them. Krissy's love of solving puzzles pulls her into the investigation. She meets Officer Paul Dalton and gets to know her new neighbors while digging for answers. The truth hides behind layers of deception, and Krissy must expose it to rescue her new business and stay alive.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, adult-fiction, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: charming, community-focused, cozy, puzzle-driven, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family, meet-cute, small-town-setting
Setting: Pine Hills, Death by Coffee
Period: 21st-century, contemporary
320 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Kensington
Content warnings: death, murder