A Ground Rules Mystery Book 1
Emmeline Duncan
Cozy Mystery
240 Pages
Blurb:
Portland is famous for its rain, hipsters, craft beers . . . and coffee. Sage Caplin has high hopes for her coffee cart, Ground Rules, which she runs with her business partner, Harley—a genius at roasting beans and devising new blends. That’s essential in a city where locals have intensely strong opinions about cappuccino versus macchiato—especially in the case of one of Sage’s very first customers. . . .Sage finds the man’s body in front of her cart, a fatal slash across his neck. There’s been plenty of anger in the air, from longtime vendors annoyed at Ground Rules taking a coveted spot in the food truck lot, to protesters demonstrating against a new high-rise. But who was mad enough to commit murder? Sage is already fending off trouble in the form of her estranged, con-artist mother, who’s trying to trickle back into her life. But when Sage’s very own box cutter is discovered to be the murder weapon, she needs to focus on finding the killer fast—before her business, and her life, come to a bitter end. . . .
My Review:
Usually I'm not a fan of cozy mysteries, but this didn't read like one. It was just a good mystery with a main character who was passionate about one of my favorite things - COFFEE! I love the complexity and difficulties of Sage's childhood and how she overcame her mother's reputation and history to become the fully-rounded person she is.
Each of the cart owners had their own distinct three-dimensional personalities and I liked how each added to the story. I also loved Sage's coffee metaphors and learning the character's perspective/insight on making perfect coffee/lattes/espresso.
There were a couple things I question, wondering if they'll come to light in future books but overall I really loved this book and I'm excited to see what Sage is going to get up to next!
My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
5 of 5 Stars!
