by Cleo Coyle
First published 2026
Clare Cosi brings her Village Blend coffee creations to a rooftop celebration for Ava Welsh, her daughter Joy's childhood friend who has become a successful businesswoman. The evening promises romance when Clare's boyfriend Ryan plans to propose. A woman's scream cuts through the party as someone hurls a guest from the balcony to her death. Ryan bolts from the scene and becomes the prime murder suspect. Clare commits to helping Ava prove Ryan's innocence. Her investigation reveals disturbing links to a dangerous incident that nearly killed Joy and Ava years earlier when they were teenagers. Clare discovers that someone will kill again to keep old secrets buried. The master roaster and her coffee shop team face mounting danger as they pursue the truth.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, adult, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, engaging, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, found-family, secrets-revealed, wrongly-accused
Setting: Village Blend, New York, rooftop
Period: 21st-century, contemporary
400 pages · Hardcover · Berkley
Content warnings: death, murder, violence