Holiday Buzz

I enjoy the Coffeehouse series a lot, but I’m binge-reading (having not discovered their existence until Bk 18 was released) them. This is one of those fractional 4.5 books in the series. It was a good mystery, but Clare’s sleuthing is a bit weak on deduction again. The victim was a young woman of many secrets and the unraveling of her real identity gives the plot considerable complexity.

The relationship between Clare and Mike is progressing slowly, which feels realistic given Clare’s shaken confidence in committing to a relationship again. Will boyfriend Mike’s assignment to the FBI really be temporary? The uncertainty shadowing their relationship frustrates both of them. Her ex-husband Matt and his new wife Breanna have settled into a marriage that boggles Clare’s mind, yet she acknowledges it seems to work for them. And then there’s the tricky situation of Franco and daughter Joy to worry about.

Even without the murder, Clare’s got a lot on her mind these days! As the series progresses, Clare’s life has gotten more complicated, and wrought quite a few changes in her outlook as well.

It’s a pleasure to drop into the Village Blend as a reader, and read about the new mystery. I liked the gentle pathos of Muiren’s sad life, which was a nice offset to the brassy and irritating other characters involved in the murder investigation.

I am a huge fan of cozy mysteries and this series in particular. This is the genre I gravitate toward when needing a “comfort read” without a lot of strain on the brain. This series is my favorite of this style of light and fluffy reads and I have faithfully read each and every one.

The twelfth installment finds us back at The Village Blend which is a small, independent coffee shop in the heart of Greenwich Village. Clare Cosi is the manager/operator of the coffee house owned by her ex-mother-in-law, Madame. Her ex-husband, Matt, is the coffee buyer so there is lots of opportunity for interesting story lines involving these three. In addition, Clare is romantically involved with a NYC police detective who has moved to Washington D.C. for a temporary assignment. It is Christmas time in New York and parties are happening nightly, with Clare being very involved in providing beverage service for many of these. She has also partnered with an up-and-coming baker to provide sweet treats to the holiday crowd at the Blend. The baker is providing a seasonal employee (Moirin “M” Faigin) who disappears from a catering event only to later be discovered dead, and close to the event. No one seems to know much about the young woman other than she is one of the many people who come to New York to pursue their art and make a life for herself. As the book unfolds, the reader discovers her secrets and just how those secrets eventually culminate in her death.

As always, the book is heavy on atmosphere and perfect for reading during the Christmas season. The hurried shoppers, frazzled business people, aromatic scents, flavorful treats, and blustery nights are all depicted so well that the reader feels right in the thick of things. I love this type of book on a cold, December night. While I enjoyed the novel, this one wasn’t one of my favorites — there were more storylines going that seemed a bit convoluted and the characters weren’t as appealing as usual (the lecherous hockey player and the Double Ds were a bit much for me). That being said, this was still a book I found largely enjoyable and had no trouble diving back into the story at the end of the day when settling in to read. Even though I didn’t think this one was as good as the others in the series, it is still head and shoulders above most of the books in this genre.

I will definitely be reading the next one when it comes out in the fall of 2013!

Two coffeehouse mysteries in one year? That’s one knowledgeable Secret Santa! Clare Cosi’s Christmas is like everyone else’s; filled with hectic days, late nights, distant loved ones, and brutal violent murder. Well, maybe not like everyone else’s holidays. But that’s what makes serial fiction so much fun. The joy of willfully pretending to believe that someone like Clare would be involved in so many murder cases. But champions of justice can be found anywhere!

Her delightful coffeehouse crew are on hand for serious sleuthing as well as lighthearted comic relief. Necessary comic relief I’d say, after this summer’s weighty ‘A Brew To A Kill’ almost found Matt and Clare arrested for drug smuggling(A little research on my part revealed that the drug problem plagueing Brazil’s lowest classes to be quite real. Details like that earn Ms. Coyle her well-deserved kudos!).

Moirin Fagan reminds this reviewer of an Irish Laura Palmer, whose ghost haunted the denizens of Twin Peaks, her assumption into heaven at that story’s end lovingly mirrored at the close of ‘Holiday Buzz’.

It’s Christmastime in New York and murder takes no holiday off in this action packed drama. As usual, Clare gets caught up in a murder when she finds the body of her part-time employee and has to contend with an obnoxious detective. Clare is at her best in this delightfully charming tale that has us traipsing after a killer from Manhattan to Brooklyn to Long Island to Washington DC, while successfully participating in a Holiday Cookie swap. What I like most about this book is the relationship between the main characters and how they all pitch in to help Clare in her pursuit of justice in this character-driven mystery. With a lovable cast and good dialogue, this is one of the best books in this wonderfully terrific series.

Never too sappy or preachy, these occasional holiday versions of Cleo Coyle’s coffee shop mysteries are always true to her characters and genre first. This one is no exception. A bittersweet revelation of the true gifts the holidays bring a reminder that material things are quickly forgotten. The focus is on people and their intentions. Even a mistake or two can be forgiven when good intentions lie at the heart of an individual. Good read, and not saccharine sweet like many other holiday books. Good quality mystery is at the heart of the holiday happenings and keeps the series moving forward without any big revelations. I enjoyed the book tremendously. I’m looking forward to the next one.

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