On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle

A Mystery came out of my Mixed Book Bag Today

On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle is the first book in the Coffehouse mystery series. Published by Berkley in 2003 the book is part of the Prime Crime Mystery group. Clare Cosi has come back to manage the Village Blend Coffeehouse in Greenwich Village after many years away. Part of the deal to get her back is the use of a rent-free apartment above the coffeeshop. On the day she finishes moving into the apartment she finds one of her employees barely alive at the bottom of the basement stairs. While Clare is the main protagonist in the book she is supported by two male protagonist. One is a police homicide detective and the other is her ex-husband. In addition to the mystery On What Grounds is filled with facts about coffee. I learned about different types of coffee, how to make specialty coffee drinks and where to buy the best coffee for each drink. There are directions and recipes for the coffee drinks published in the back of the book. On What Grounds introduces the main characters and their relationship. It will be interesting to see how everything plays between the main characters out in future books. If you are looking for a enjoyable read try On What Grounds.

Cleo Coyle is the pen name for Alice Alfonsi, who writes with her husband, Marc Cerasini.