Tea Time Tuesday
Shot in the Dark
Every Tuesday come join me as I discuss a recent cozy mystery in review and have Goûter (tea time). Readers can enjoy a thoughtful review while sipping on their favorite teas, they may find new teas to love as well. I will be recommending a good tea for each book. Come cozy up with Tea Time Tuesday.
This Tuesday I am happy to share one of the most beloved cozy mystery series A Coffeehouse Mystery. The upcoming Shot in the Dark, this book was like visiting cherished friends once a year in New York. How could it get any better than great coffee, food, and a mystery too?
This Week’s Tea Time Tuesday
A Coffeehouse Mystery, book 17
Shot in the Dark
CLEO Coyle
- Author: Cleo Coyle
- Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
- Print Length: 352 pages
- Release Date: April 17, 2018
- I Rate it:
- Genre: Cozy
CLEO COYLE is the pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. CLEO COYLE grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning scholarships to study writing at Carnegie Mellon and American Universities, she began her career as a cub reporter for The New York Times. Now an author of popular fiction and New York Times bestselling media tie-in writer, Cleo lives and works in New York City, where she collaborates with her husband (also a bestselling author) to pen the Coffeehouse Mysteries for Penguin. Together Cleo and her husband also write the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries under the name Alice Kimberly. When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, Cleo and Marc are bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, and MGM. In their spare time they cook like crazy and drink a lot of java. You can learn more about Cleo, her husband, and the books they write by visiting CoffeehouseMystery.com. Scroll down the left column of the site's Home Page and you will see links to a number of online interviews and more.
Book Review by Bree Herron
Welcome back to the Village Blend where the coffee is blended perfectly and the mystery is guaranteed to give you a good time. This is the perfect, modern, hip mystery. Swiping for love has never been tougher than it is in Shot in the Dark.
Characters
The crew is back and everyone that doesn’t have a hunky fiance is swiping for love. Clare is not having this new wave of love, finding even her ex-husband Matt is swiping to drive her crazy. When lust hits the fan, Clare is hot on the trail of broken hearts, and I couldn’t have loved her more in a book. Characters in this book varied from unique date hunters to the jerks we all wish we swiped left on. Even Madame found herself with a not so nice snake but then she finds the sea officer, Sergeant Jones. He has found himself to have a smitten kitten in Madame.
All the characters, baristas, Clare, Matt, Quinn make a reader feel right at home. They are quirky and loving, each bring a dynamic that completes the coffeehouse family. Each time you get to engage in a story with the crew it’s a good day!
Cover
I love the cover of this book. It has the jazzy coffeehouse feel to it. Swirling colors and images paint the perfect scene in the Village Blend. These covers go so well on the shelf but they look the best when in your hands.
Enjoyable Moments
I really love how annoyed Clare is with the modern dating apps. I have used these and have found myself as annoyed as Clare, who is just seeing people go swipe crazy. I also love that there was the story starts as lover scorned and takes some high stake twists, but that is what I have come to expect from Cleo Coyle. The author(s) takes a modern social interaction and created a great mystery around it.
Synoptic
As you can tell this book was pretty much amazing to me. But truly I couldn’t go a year (okay, I will give you two Cleo) without a new Clare adventure. This is one of the best books in the series, and that is tough to say as they are all so good! I feel like the book leaves us all with hopes for some white in the next book. Till then enjoy and savor your way through Shot in the Dark.
Drink recommendation: This week it won’t be a tea but a red eye coffee. This is shots of espresso poured in to a strong cup of coffee. I can say that you would want Clare to make this energizing drink for you!
What type of coffee do you drink?
**DISCLAIMER: I was provided an opportunity to read this book as an Advanced Reader Copy in return for a fair and honest review.
Comment on the post prior to 4/18/18 to be entered to win a copy of the book!
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Thank you for your review and information on “Shot in the Dark” by Cleo Coyle.
The book sounds amazing and definitely one that I’d love to read. I absolutely adore cozy mysteries! The cover is to die for – sorry for the pun it just came out. 🙂 The trajectory of the bullet through the coffee cup AT a coffee house and the look of the barista is priceless. How could you not love it?
Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this cool sounding book!
I love this series and am very excited to read this latest installment! The recipes included in each book are amazing as well. I drink black coffee most of the time with an occasional venture into a latte. Thanks for the chance to win!
I sure love your books and would treasure a free one !
Thanks ataylor for stopping!
My favorite coffee is Dunkin’ Donuts regular roast I brew at home extra strong
Extra strong sounds very bold lol. But I know the taste well. Thanks for stopping by!
Funny that you mentioned coffee as I’m having a cup of Peet’s Coffee, Deep Roast. I usually drink tea, my favorite is the Yorkshire tea with milk and honey. Good review & giveaway. Thank you.
Deep Roasts are my personal favorites. Though a light holds more caffeine I love the rich flavor of a deep.
Peet’s Coffee Alma de la Tierra is a staple in our home. Thank you for the review and the opportunity to win this book. I love all of the Coffeehouse Mysteries.
Now that’s a coffee I need to try! I love the name. Thank you for stopping by.
The Coffeehouse Mysteries are one of my favorite series. I find myself re-reading them again when I feel like I need a dose of Clare Cosi. I can’t wait to read SHOT IN THE DARK and enjoyed your review!
Thank you Celia it is one of my favorites as well.
I loved your review of Shot in the Dark! This is my first time to visit but it won’t be my last. Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you Nancy for the kind words! I am thrilled to have you stop by.
I like this series, although the first couple of books where kind of heavy on the coffee information. I enjoy the character’s interaction and growth.
Agreed. I feel like the character truly grow up like living humans do!
I am excited to read this latest installment. Thanks for the review!
Thanks Lori for stopping by!
Thank you for a great review of Cleo Coyles last book. I have all the previous books in this series, and enjoy their ghost series as well. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I LOVE the smell of it brewing…go figure. I love most teas, Earl Grey & English Breakfast are my faves. Thanks for the chance to win this book.
Thanks Nancy for stopping by! I love Earl Grey as well it’s my go to drink.
I have a few of this series in print because I heard how fun it is. Thank you for your review and the chance to win another book for my set.
Rosemary this is a fun series and I hope you are enjoying the ones you have!
I am so looking forward to this book! I avidly await each new book in this series!
Renee, I always feel like Book hangover central when I finish a book in this series. They can’t come fast enough!
I love this series! I really enjoyed your review of “Shot in the Dark” and I’m looking forward to reading the book.
Thank you Dianne it was a great book!
I absolutely love this series and I’m thrilled that there’s a new one to read. Thank you for your review and a chance to win a copy of the book.
It’s the best yet! I am happy
To see a fellow fan.
Happy to have you stop by!
I’m new to this author!! Would very much love to read this!!!
It’s an awesome series!
My favorite coffee is Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla. I love the coffeehouse mysteries. Thank you so much for this chance.
Yum! A good vanilla coffee is nice!
This sounds like a book for me! Coffee, food and a mystery?!?! Perfect. I’m finding, as I get older, that I’m more enthralled with the independent coffee shop, rather than the chain stores. I love going in and exploring the creative side of a small shop owner.
This is a perfect read for you!
I can’t wait to read this! It’s an awesome series.
I enjoyed reading about this book, can’t wait to read it.
I love the cover of this book! Anything coffee is always a good thing. 🙂