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Coffeehouse Mystery #9
Roast Mortem
The New York Times bestselling author brews up another culinary mystery--and this time, it's New York's Bravest that get After local firefighters pull Clare out of a blazing café, she happily comes to their rescue by teaching them the finer points of operating their newly donated espresso machine. But matters really heat up when somebody is torching cafes around the city and firefighters begin to die in suspicious ways...
Believing the two events are related, Clare investigates, staking out a five-borough bake sale and sniffing out clues in the pizza ovens of Brooklyn. When her detective boyfriend, Mike Quinn, is pulled into the fire of a false accusation, Clare is desperate to put out the flames. But will she be able to come to Mike's rescue before someone tries to extinguish her?
Bonus recipes include firehouse favorites
Believing the two events are related, Clare investigates, staking out a five-borough bake sale and sniffing out clues in the pizza ovens of Brooklyn. When her detective boyfriend, Mike Quinn, is pulled into the fire of a false accusation, Clare is desperate to put out the flames. But will she be able to come to Mike's rescue before someone tries to extinguish her?
Bonus recipes include firehouse favorites
350 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 23, 2010
210 people are currently reading
2650 people want to read
About the author
Cleo Coyle
52 books3,554 followersDon't miss the newest title in Cleo's long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series (with more to come),
NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY,
a National Mystery Bestseller and triple #1 Amazon Category Bestseller. Join Cleo's Coffee Club for bonus recipes and giveaways: Click Here to Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter
CLEO COYLE is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million books sold, they have gained an enthusiastic following. Cleo's "relenlessly entertaining" (Criminal Element) novels have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech. Their books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, Best of Year selection honors from multiple reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections.
When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or wrangling their rescued stray cats, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. One of those projects (ghostwritten by Alice Alfonsi) was named by Entertainment Weekly as the best media tie-in book written that year.
CONNECT WITH CLEO at CleoCoyle.com and CoffeehouseMystery.com
*******
CLEO'S TWO BESTSELLING SERIES:
Cleo’s Coffeehouse Mystery series, celebrated for pioneering both the “urban cozy" and “coffee cozy” mystery genres, follows the adventures of amateur sleuth Clare Cosi, a single mom with a complicated love life who manages a Greenwich Village coffeehouse and a crew of quirky baristas who helps her solve perplexing crimes.
Cleo’s Haunted Bookshop Mystery series, hailed as a highly original and "utterly charming" (Mystery Scene) blend of cozy and hardboiled genres, features an earnest young New England widow who catches criminals with the help of a gumshoe ghost, the irrepressible spirit of a tough private detective who’d been gunned down in her bookshop decades before.
*******
LATEST BOOK NEWS:
The newest title in Cleo's long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series is NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY, on sale April 1st and already a national mystery bestseller and triple #1 Amazon category bestseller. Cleo's previous release, BULLETPROOF BARISTA, was a "wildly entertaining" (Criminal Elment) national mystery bestseller; a #1 category best seller for Amazon; and honored with 2 Best of Year list selections by reviewers. It is now availalbe in a new paperback reprint edition along with the previous bestselling book in the series, HONEY ROASTED, "A honey of a tale" (Kirkus Reviews).
Cleo's latest Haunted Bookshop Mystery releases include THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS, praised by Kirkus as "a gem of a story." And THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS, a #1 category best seller for Amazon, which Fresh Fiction called "amazing and unique." Cleo is now writing the next Haunted Bookshop Mystery. Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter for updates on the pub date!
CLEO COYLE is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million books sold, they have gained an enthusiastic following. Cleo's "relenlessly entertaining" (Criminal Element) novels have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech. Their books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, Best of Year selection honors from multiple reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections.
When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or wrangling their rescued stray cats, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. One of those projects (ghostwritten by Alice Alfonsi) was named by Entertainment Weekly as the best media tie-in book written that year.
CONNECT WITH CLEO at CleoCoyle.com and CoffeehouseMystery.com
*******
CLEO'S TWO BESTSELLING SERIES:
Cleo’s Coffeehouse Mystery series, celebrated for pioneering both the “urban cozy" and “coffee cozy” mystery genres, follows the adventures of amateur sleuth Clare Cosi, a single mom with a complicated love life who manages a Greenwich Village coffeehouse and a crew of quirky baristas who helps her solve perplexing crimes.
Cleo’s Haunted Bookshop Mystery series, hailed as a highly original and "utterly charming" (Mystery Scene) blend of cozy and hardboiled genres, features an earnest young New England widow who catches criminals with the help of a gumshoe ghost, the irrepressible spirit of a tough private detective who’d been gunned down in her bookshop decades before.
*******
LATEST BOOK NEWS:
The newest title in Cleo's long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series is NO ROAST FOR THE WEARY, on sale April 1st and already a national mystery bestseller and triple #1 Amazon category bestseller. Cleo's previous release, BULLETPROOF BARISTA, was a "wildly entertaining" (Criminal Elment) national mystery bestseller; a #1 category best seller for Amazon; and honored with 2 Best of Year list selections by reviewers. It is now availalbe in a new paperback reprint edition along with the previous bestselling book in the series, HONEY ROASTED, "A honey of a tale" (Kirkus Reviews).
Cleo's latest Haunted Bookshop Mystery releases include THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS, praised by Kirkus as "a gem of a story." And THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS, a #1 category best seller for Amazon, which Fresh Fiction called "amazing and unique." Cleo is now writing the next Haunted Bookshop Mystery. Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter for updates on the pub date!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
August 29, 2021
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October 27, 2016
This was the first book I tried in audiobook for this series and I have to start off by saying that it’s amazing in audio. Since this series is set in New York, the characters have that distinct accent but the Cosi clan are also Italian, etc so there’s quite a lot of really distinct accents in this book and the narrator absolutely kills them all. Upbeat and fast-paced, this audio kicked ass.
Out of all the books that I’ve read so far in this series, ROAST MORTEM has to be my favorite. This one features firefighters so as you can expect it gets hot quickly. Some of these guys are really fun, while others are a little more rough around the edges. But I loved them all because they are the most interesting bunch of characters that we’ve encountered in the series so far. Part of this is due to Michael Quinn’s appearance. Michael is cousin to Mike Quinn, Clare’s boyfriend and he also has an interest in Clare so having to work with him in this investigation is definitely unsettling for her as he is a man who isn’t shy about his advances.
Mike and Clare’s relationship hits a small rough patch in this one and I was slightly annoyed that Mike kept Clare in the dark for so much in this book regarding his past with Michael but in the end, I totally understand why. It’s clear that Mike is the one that belongs with Clare and I loved how the authors also managed to incorporate Madame, Clare’s mother-in-law in this book as well. Her presence certainly spices things up!
October 28, 2011
I have enjoyed every one of Coyle's Coffee House series but not this one. The main character, Clare Cosi (a master at coffee blending,managing an independent coffee house, gourmet cook,etc.) is dashing all over New York City finding an arsonist in one case for the Fire Dept., a murderer in two cases for the police, and oh, yes, solving a drug case for the DEA plus solving a major problem between her boyfriend and his long estranged cousin, getting her artist employer a major commission and recognition and never misses a shift at the coffee house! Too much going on, too hard to believe New York's fire dept, police department and the DEA would all trust a coffee house manager to the extent we are expected to believe they did for Clare Cosi in Post Mortem letting her solve all the crimes going on in this book. I usually grab up Coyle's book as soon as published but I am feeling very tentative about her next one.
June 4, 2023
Seriously, can they write one book where she’s not harassed or assaulted, it’s seriously not a troupe and the mysteries are fine without that detail.
March 7, 2023
This book was between 2 and 3 stars for me. I liked the addition of the firefighters. There's a lot of potential for future storytelling there. The first coffeehouse explosion, with Lorenzo, pulled me right into the story. However, the ending was a bit convoluted, and I yelled to my husband, It has just been done so many times.
July 1, 2016
Every time I read a Coffeehouse Mystery, I ask myself if I am reading a cozy mystery or a textbook on Coffee 101. With the many ways that an espresso can be prepared to the beans and the roasting, to coffee history and coffee grinding, I am beginning to wonder what the true point to these books are.
Clare is the manager of the Village Blend, she and her ex-husband Mateo have been left the day in and day out running of the business by Madam, her ex-mother-in-law and dear friend. One afternoon they head across town to visit Enzo, another coffeehouse owner who has a piece of the Village Blend history in his basement. While Madame and Enzo are in the basement and Clare is upstairs the whoosh of an explosion sends the front window glass flying into the street and flames closing off the only accesses to Madame and her dear friend.
One explosion is tragic, but as the city is terrorized by two additional bombings, Clare shoots into action and one by one eliminates the suspected bombers. As Mike Quinn, Clare’s boyfriend, works on his own cases, it is up to Clare and Mike’s cousin Michael, the firefighter, to work out what is going on in the village. As bodies pile up and destruction rains down, Clare and Matt are scrambling to find the bomber before their beloved Village Blend is next on the bombers list.
At times, I am convinced that Cleo Coyle is in cahoots with coffeehouses since I cannot get through these books without having to run out and pick up a latte or three. Once you get past the college course on the exacting science of coffee, all you want to do is sit and savor a Cinnamon Dolce Latte and read what this bunch of barista’s are up to.
Clare is the manager of the Village Blend, she and her ex-husband Mateo have been left the day in and day out running of the business by Madam, her ex-mother-in-law and dear friend. One afternoon they head across town to visit Enzo, another coffeehouse owner who has a piece of the Village Blend history in his basement. While Madame and Enzo are in the basement and Clare is upstairs the whoosh of an explosion sends the front window glass flying into the street and flames closing off the only accesses to Madame and her dear friend.
One explosion is tragic, but as the city is terrorized by two additional bombings, Clare shoots into action and one by one eliminates the suspected bombers. As Mike Quinn, Clare’s boyfriend, works on his own cases, it is up to Clare and Mike’s cousin Michael, the firefighter, to work out what is going on in the village. As bodies pile up and destruction rains down, Clare and Matt are scrambling to find the bomber before their beloved Village Blend is next on the bombers list.
At times, I am convinced that Cleo Coyle is in cahoots with coffeehouses since I cannot get through these books without having to run out and pick up a latte or three. Once you get past the college course on the exacting science of coffee, all you want to do is sit and savor a Cinnamon Dolce Latte and read what this bunch of barista’s are up to.
August 25, 2016
“Cold here in the alley, but things will get hotter soon…”
I really love this series. I’ve never liked coffee but this series has taught me so much that I have started to expand my tastes. I had been putting off reading this book as it hit a bit close to home for me. We survived a house fire two years ago. Someone was watching over us as normally we would have been sound asleep and the results may have been completely different. With that being said, I was hesitant to read Roast Mortem as I could totally relate to what was happening throughout the book. After reading it though, I think it was therapeutic in a way. This series is always exciting and informative. This book is dedicated to firefighters and their families everywhere, but especially to all those men and women who fought the blazes after the 9/11 tragedy. The author does a great job humanizing these firefighters--one of which is the brazen cousin of Clare's policeman boyfriend. This conflict has been brewing for awhile so I was glad to see the developments between Mike's Cousin, the other Michael Quinn and the big secrets that were finally revealed that explain the history of the relationship between the two. I also enjoyed Clare coming to Mike's rescue for a change. Each character is getting stronger and even more interesting as the time goes. There are a few funny moments in the book that make it all balance nicely. This series never disappoints to have an entertaining story, delicious recipes and interesting coffee facts. I highly recommend this series. I look forward to the next book, Murder by Mocha, and I’m really glad I over came my fears and read this one.
August 4, 2010
A 3.5.
This mystery was actually a little confusing and I didn't figure out who had done it until maybe 40 or so pages away from the end. I was more into the relationship between the Quinn's and the progression of the relationship between Clare and Mike.
Matt was a sweet guy in this book and I have to wonder why he's married to Breanne. I can't stand that woman!
I dig Sgt. Franco and hope to see him again, he would be give Matt a run for his money if Joy ever comes back ;)
Good use of memories and threats. Liked seeing NYs Bravest and as a NYer myself, it was Really nice to see a book take place in Queens as well as Manhattan. I do have to give the authors credit for that, they aren't afraid to take Clare to Queens when most books that take place in NYC won't leave the island unless it's a quick trip to the Bronx or Brooklyn. sigh.
Anyway, good mystery and good relations. Look forward to the next one.
This mystery was actually a little confusing and I didn't figure out who had done it until maybe 40 or so pages away from the end. I was more into the relationship between the Quinn's and the progression of the relationship between Clare and Mike.
Matt was a sweet guy in this book and I have to wonder why he's married to Breanne. I can't stand that woman!
I dig Sgt. Franco and hope to see him again, he would be give Matt a run for his money if Joy ever comes back ;)
Good use of memories and threats. Liked seeing NYs Bravest and as a NYer myself, it was Really nice to see a book take place in Queens as well as Manhattan. I do have to give the authors credit for that, they aren't afraid to take Clare to Queens when most books that take place in NYC won't leave the island unless it's a quick trip to the Bronx or Brooklyn. sigh.
Anyway, good mystery and good relations. Look forward to the next one.
November 5, 2019
This one I debated between a 2 or a 3. I felt that the ending to this was over the top. Clare is with a friend and they are in a fire. Of course she thinks it's something more. Then begins her trying to figure out the truth. On top of this we have Mike and his cousin's drama. Thankfully in the end all of this works out. On a happy note Clare's daughter wasn't in this.
February 6, 2025
An arsonist is setting coffee shops all over the on fire. Cleo is of course involved, and meets her paramours rival cousin.
There's a lot of running around, but it all comes out in the wash.
There's a lot of running around, but it all comes out in the wash.
September 1, 2015
WARNING this more like a Ranterview and contains some spoilers.
Claire Cossi is at it again! Save me please.
Claire becomes Super Barista in this installment of the Coffee House Mysteries.
Somebody is burning down cafes around the boroughs and obviously only Claire can solve the case. Not the Arson investigator, not the NYPD, but Super Claire. Things get hot when fire fighters start to die. Not only is one of the almost murder victims Fire Captain Michael Quinn but his own cousin Detective Mike Quinn is a suspect in the attack. Confusing right?
Take one part annoyance, judgmental, nosey demanding coffee house manager and stir in some tight ass, brew together unit you have the perfect pain in my ass aka Claire Cossi.
I understand that characters need flaws in order to be more relatable and realistic, I actually prefer it, but Claire Cossi annoys me beyond all reason.
First: She is so incredibly judgmental, I can't give you examples because none stick out, it's just something you pick up while reading, or at least I do, in every book.
She basically accused everybody of being the arsonist without any evidence what so ever.
You can't pay me to believe that every investigating body, NYFD, NYPD, DEA and FBI will defer to a coffee barista to solve everything that is going on in this book, and believe me there is a lot.
Second: I understand that the point of these cozy sleuth novels are nosey main characters, but Claire demands answers out of people with no credentials whatsoever . I for one can tell you she wouldn't get spit out of me if I didn't want to disclose anything. Period. Also, I like my cozies somewhat short, I think this book was entirely too long. If Claire didn't painstakingly relate everything to coffee with descriptions longer than The Great Wall this book wouldn’t have been so long.
Claire is such a coffee snob. I love coffee, a lot. You don't get the best me until I have a cup of the good stuff first. You would think that coffee was the blood of Jesus the way Claire goes on and on about thought.
I really do enjoy themed cozies but I don't think they should overshadow the mystery. The mystery should be on the forefront while the theme, an accent to the story as well as informative.
There is some tension between Mike and his cousin Michael that goes way back and Claire does everything she can to find out, despite the fact that Mike definitely doesn't want to talk about it.
I a firm believer that if somebody's past doesn’t affect the case you’re butting in or relationship, you should leave it up to them to disclose it. That's a no go for Claire she has to know EVERYTHING.
Third: She is so uptight, not a single cuss word or close to comes out her mouth. Three words that had me thinking I was reading a book from the 30's
1. Randy
2. Holy Cats
3. Ninny
Give me a break. Betty White use more foul language than anyone in these books.
Her relationship
There is no spark to me. I just can't get invested in it. Not only does Claire let Michael Quinn put doubt in Mike Quinn without even letting him tell her his side first. How could you be so high and mighty and want justice one minute, but get a burr in your butt when you find out your boyfriend, who is a cop, did his job and had is cousin arrested for DUI? It's like she doesn't even know Mike at all.
In the last book she instantly believed Matteo when he told her that Mike was cheating on her. She got herself all in a twist when she found out Mike hadn't disclosed his ex-wife’s shenanigans, but how Matteo continues to treat her like they are still in a relationship is never discussed. It just is.
A blind man could see the NYFD Michael Quinn had slept with Linda, and that was the other part of back story behind the family feud. In the last book, we discovered that NYPD Mike Quinn's ex-wife was an adulterous spoiled bitch. There was a reason for so much animosity for a reason, and it wasn't because a kid got arrested for a well-deserved DUI. 1+1 is 2 AmIrite?
By the end of the book Claire manages to get her struggling artist employee some recognition solves the arsonist fire cases, the undercover drug case Mike was working on and the attack on Captain Michael Quinn of the NYFD. All in the days work of a coffee house manger.
Claire Cossi is at it again! Save me please.
Claire becomes Super Barista in this installment of the Coffee House Mysteries.
Somebody is burning down cafes around the boroughs and obviously only Claire can solve the case. Not the Arson investigator, not the NYPD, but Super Claire. Things get hot when fire fighters start to die. Not only is one of the almost murder victims Fire Captain Michael Quinn but his own cousin Detective Mike Quinn is a suspect in the attack. Confusing right?
Take one part annoyance, judgmental, nosey demanding coffee house manager and stir in some tight ass, brew together unit you have the perfect pain in my ass aka Claire Cossi.
I understand that characters need flaws in order to be more relatable and realistic, I actually prefer it, but Claire Cossi annoys me beyond all reason.
First: She is so incredibly judgmental, I can't give you examples because none stick out, it's just something you pick up while reading, or at least I do, in every book.
She basically accused everybody of being the arsonist without any evidence what so ever.
You can't pay me to believe that every investigating body, NYFD, NYPD, DEA and FBI will defer to a coffee barista to solve everything that is going on in this book, and believe me there is a lot.
Second: I understand that the point of these cozy sleuth novels are nosey main characters, but Claire demands answers out of people with no credentials whatsoever . I for one can tell you she wouldn't get spit out of me if I didn't want to disclose anything. Period. Also, I like my cozies somewhat short, I think this book was entirely too long. If Claire didn't painstakingly relate everything to coffee with descriptions longer than The Great Wall this book wouldn’t have been so long.
Claire is such a coffee snob. I love coffee, a lot. You don't get the best me until I have a cup of the good stuff first. You would think that coffee was the blood of Jesus the way Claire goes on and on about thought.
I really do enjoy themed cozies but I don't think they should overshadow the mystery. The mystery should be on the forefront while the theme, an accent to the story as well as informative.
There is some tension between Mike and his cousin Michael that goes way back and Claire does everything she can to find out, despite the fact that Mike definitely doesn't want to talk about it.
I a firm believer that if somebody's past doesn’t affect the case you’re butting in or relationship, you should leave it up to them to disclose it. That's a no go for Claire she has to know EVERYTHING.
Third: She is so uptight, not a single cuss word or close to comes out her mouth. Three words that had me thinking I was reading a book from the 30's
1. Randy
2. Holy Cats
3. Ninny
Give me a break. Betty White use more foul language than anyone in these books.
Her relationship
There is no spark to me. I just can't get invested in it. Not only does Claire let Michael Quinn put doubt in Mike Quinn without even letting him tell her his side first. How could you be so high and mighty and want justice one minute, but get a burr in your butt when you find out your boyfriend, who is a cop, did his job and had is cousin arrested for DUI? It's like she doesn't even know Mike at all.
In the last book she instantly believed Matteo when he told her that Mike was cheating on her. She got herself all in a twist when she found out Mike hadn't disclosed his ex-wife’s shenanigans, but how Matteo continues to treat her like they are still in a relationship is never discussed. It just is.
A blind man could see the NYFD Michael Quinn had slept with Linda, and that was the other part of back story behind the family feud. In the last book, we discovered that NYPD Mike Quinn's ex-wife was an adulterous spoiled bitch. There was a reason for so much animosity for a reason, and it wasn't because a kid got arrested for a well-deserved DUI. 1+1 is 2 AmIrite?
By the end of the book Claire manages to get her struggling artist employee some recognition solves the arsonist fire cases, the undercover drug case Mike was working on and the attack on Captain Michael Quinn of the NYFD. All in the days work of a coffee house manger.
October 27, 2016
This was the first book I tried in audiobook for this series and I have to start off by saying that it’s amazing in audio. Since this series is set in New York, the characters have that distinct accent but the Cosi clan are also Italian, etc so there’s quite a lot of really distinct accents in this book and the narrator absolutely kills them all. Upbeat and fast-paced, this audio kicked ass.
Out of all the books that I’ve read so far in this series, ROAST MORTEM has to be my favorite. This one features firefighters so as you can expect it gets hot quickly. Some of these guys are really fun, while others are a little more rough around the edges. But I loved them all because they are the most interesting bunch of characters that we’ve encountered in the series so far. Part of this is due to Michael Quinn’s appearance. Michael is cousin to Mike Quinn, Clare’s boyfriend and he also has an interest in Clare so having to work with him in this investigation is definitely unsettling for her as he is a man who isn’t shy about his advances.
Mike and Clare’s relationship hits a small rough patch in this one and I was slightly annoyed that Mike kept Clare in the dark for so much in this book regarding his past with Michael but in the end, I totally understand why. It’s clear that Mike is the one that belongs with Clare and I loved how the authors also managed to incorporate Madame, Clare’s mother-in-law in this book as well. Her presence certainly spices things up!
*Reviewed by Annie
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May 29, 2011
I do enjoy reading the Coffee House Mysteries. I find the characters well developed and the plots intriguing. Unlike some female sleuths, Clare Cosi has not fallen into, or as at least pulled herself away from, the whole "I'm going to do it because I was told not to" syndrome. While Clare ends up in situations that she promised her boyfriend Mike she would not get involved, she didn't get there intentionally. It's refreshing quite truthfully.
In this latest edition in the series, an arsonist is burning coffeehouses. While no one is suppose to be in the buildings (as the reader you usually know what the bad guy is thinking), people are hurt and a fireman loses his life during a fire. Clare, manager of The Village Blend, and independent coffeehouse; Madame Dubois, owner of The Village Blend and Clare's former mother-in-law; and Dante Silva, a barista at the Village Blend, barely miss death while meeting the owner of Caffe Lucia to pick up a roaster when the bomb goes off trapping Madame and Enzio in the basement and injuring Dante. Clare tries to tell the fire marshal that it was an act of arson, but he basically just blows her off.
Roast Mortem is a celebration of the fire fighters of NYC. The descriptions of fighting fires, and to a certain extent the descriptions of the equipment they use, brings honor and celebration to these heroes of New York City.
In this latest edition in the series, an arsonist is burning coffeehouses. While no one is suppose to be in the buildings (as the reader you usually know what the bad guy is thinking), people are hurt and a fireman loses his life during a fire. Clare, manager of The Village Blend, and independent coffeehouse; Madame Dubois, owner of The Village Blend and Clare's former mother-in-law; and Dante Silva, a barista at the Village Blend, barely miss death while meeting the owner of Caffe Lucia to pick up a roaster when the bomb goes off trapping Madame and Enzio in the basement and injuring Dante. Clare tries to tell the fire marshal that it was an act of arson, but he basically just blows her off.
Roast Mortem is a celebration of the fire fighters of NYC. The descriptions of fighting fires, and to a certain extent the descriptions of the equipment they use, brings honor and celebration to these heroes of New York City.
October 31, 2019
Cold here in the alley, but things will get hotter soon...
This is the ninth book in the Coffee house series. It's been a while since I rad the last book but I was able to fall back into the characters fairly quickly. Clare and Madame, her ex-mother-in-law, get caught up in an explosion in a quaint coffee shop while visiting the owner. Clare suspects arson and dives into investigation mode.
I love that these books teach us so much about coffee and the proper way to brew it. I am more of a tea drinker but do appreciate the science that goes into a great cup of coffee.
Mike's cousin, Michael Quinn is a major character in this book. We learn a lot about the bad blood that is between the two. I wanted to smack Michael every time he was in a scene.
As a daughter of a fireman, I really appreciated the portrayal of the brave men and women on the fire department. Of course there was some shady things going on and suspects were wide and varied.
This is the second book I've read in a week that gives a nod to an old Hitchcock film. That was very well done.
Of course the recipes in the back are yummy! Not a single one that I should be eating but I can always drool.
I won't wait as long to get to the next book in the series.
This is the ninth book in the Coffee house series. It's been a while since I rad the last book but I was able to fall back into the characters fairly quickly. Clare and Madame, her ex-mother-in-law, get caught up in an explosion in a quaint coffee shop while visiting the owner. Clare suspects arson and dives into investigation mode.
I love that these books teach us so much about coffee and the proper way to brew it. I am more of a tea drinker but do appreciate the science that goes into a great cup of coffee.
Mike's cousin, Michael Quinn is a major character in this book. We learn a lot about the bad blood that is between the two. I wanted to smack Michael every time he was in a scene.
As a daughter of a fireman, I really appreciated the portrayal of the brave men and women on the fire department. Of course there was some shady things going on and suspects were wide and varied.
This is the second book I've read in a week that gives a nod to an old Hitchcock film. That was very well done.
Of course the recipes in the back are yummy! Not a single one that I should be eating but I can always drool.
I won't wait as long to get to the next book in the series.
April 18, 2025
I love these cozy mysteries
Probably should start at the beginning of the series. This one I figured out half way but still enjoyed the author leading me to the end.
Book 27 of 2025
Probably should start at the beginning of the series. This one I figured out half way but still enjoyed the author leading me to the end.
Book 27 of 2025
August 25, 2011
It may be time for me to give this series a break. I've really enjoyed it, but I began to feel as if the coffee accessories industry was sponsoring this book. A lecture on not using "cheap blade grinders"! And all the details on how a proper espresso pull happens and how machines need to be set up? I'm not THAT into coffee!
I'm finding myself less interested in the characters. There was a lot of good information about firefighting, but the author admits in the end that she made some of it up (of course, she did--it's fiction), and I felt that was a bit unnecessary. Why not use equipment that already exists?
Coyle seems to be trending more black and white when it comes to her characters. The bad/obnoxious people have very few redeeming qualities, the good people, while flawed, make up for their actions quickly. Even a family misunderstanding winds up being more black and white than a tragic misunderstanding/difference in point of view as is more often the case.
Also, her publisher has really jacked the price up on the Kindle editions, and frankly these books are not worth that steeper price. I waited over a year for this to drop down below $10.
I'm finding myself less interested in the characters. There was a lot of good information about firefighting, but the author admits in the end that she made some of it up (of course, she did--it's fiction), and I felt that was a bit unnecessary. Why not use equipment that already exists?
Coyle seems to be trending more black and white when it comes to her characters. The bad/obnoxious people have very few redeeming qualities, the good people, while flawed, make up for their actions quickly. Even a family misunderstanding winds up being more black and white than a tragic misunderstanding/difference in point of view as is more often the case.
Also, her publisher has really jacked the price up on the Kindle editions, and frankly these books are not worth that steeper price. I waited over a year for this to drop down below $10.
December 26, 2014
A great fun, fast read. I loved how the author combined the fire and police department in this book and I loved the tension that was built between Mike and Clare. Overall a quick, wonderful read.
January 30, 2019
In the real world: This book pays tribute to the New York City firefighters, with a special forward dedicated to them and in honor of them for their service every day, and especially on 9/11.
In the fictional world: Clare Cosi is a coffeehouse owner/operator. She is a master blender of coffee and has perfected the art of the espresso. But someone in the city is setting fire to coffeehouses. Clare is “hot” on the trail of the arsonist.
I’m not a huge fan of cozy mysteries, but this one is very well written, action packed, and an interesting novel. I recommend it to all who love cozy mysteries.
In the fictional world: Clare Cosi is a coffeehouse owner/operator. She is a master blender of coffee and has perfected the art of the espresso. But someone in the city is setting fire to coffeehouses. Clare is “hot” on the trail of the arsonist.
I’m not a huge fan of cozy mysteries, but this one is very well written, action packed, and an interesting novel. I recommend it to all who love cozy mysteries.
April 28, 2022
This installment of the Coffeehouse Mysteries was fun, engaging, full of characters, and the plot never stalled like it does in some cozies. Normally I'm not interested in mysteries with arsonist plots, but Coyle kept the focus on the victims, the FDNY and the mystery itself, which made me want to keep reading to find out what happened next. There were plenty of red herrings to the point I was sure I knew who the perpetrator was, only to have my theory wrong 2/3 of the way through the story. There were quite a few people with the motive and opportunity to set the fires, but it just came down to who the author decided was the villain. We get the typical bad guy monologue at the end (which, let's be honest, it's a staple at this point) and the nice comfortable wrapping up of all loose ends. Sure, it's unrealistic, but it's a cozy mystery. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can relax and enjoy a title like this for what it is.
One thing I'm really liking as the series goes on is Clare's relationship with her ex-husband Matteo. Now that he's in his second marriage, there's hardly any awkwardness or fighting between them, and they act more like a team than enemies who have to work together. There's also no jealousy from Quinn, Clare's boyfriend. It's refreshing. Joy is noticeably absent from this novel, which is also much appreciated, as when she is part of the story Clare just dotes on her like a big lovesick puppy and can't think or do much else.
All in all, I appreciated all the characters, the twists and turns, the relationships, and even the ending. Looking forward to the next one!
One thing I'm really liking as the series goes on is Clare's relationship with her ex-husband Matteo. Now that he's in his second marriage, there's hardly any awkwardness or fighting between them, and they act more like a team than enemies who have to work together. There's also no jealousy from Quinn, Clare's boyfriend. It's refreshing. Joy is noticeably absent from this novel, which is also much appreciated, as when she is part of the story Clare just dotes on her like a big lovesick puppy and can't think or do much else.
All in all, I appreciated all the characters, the twists and turns, the relationships, and even the ending. Looking forward to the next one!
January 6, 2025
I was liking the book until the assault scene in the last 3rd of the book. Not so much that there was an assault - I didn’t like the way the FMC responded to it. The male character was a PoS the entire book and then drunkenly groped and kissed the FMC and grabbed her boob in a back alley of a bar, after the FMC repeatedly told him no and he blocked her way out. The FMC blew it off as “he’s just drunk, he didn’t mean it” and tried to keep her boyfriend from defending her when he caught the assault in action and punched the guy -she said “it’s not what it looks like, let me explain” not for her innocence in the situation but sticking up for the male character. It was so dumb and unrealistic and romanticized the act of a drunken perv. Later when she learned this wasn’t his first time doing this exact thing to her boyfriend’s ex-wife she still tried to make excuses for him. This literally had nothing to do with the main plot of the book but was so absurd that it took me out of the book and although I finished it I did not enjoy it.
Also if the FMC is a super sleuth she really missed a ton of obvious clues. Overall more annoying than good.
Also if the FMC is a super sleuth she really missed a ton of obvious clues. Overall more annoying than good.
November 5, 2019
This wasn't the best story in the series, but it also wasn't the worst. The ending is over the top, which ruined the rest of the story for me, but there us a happy ending, which I liked. There is arson, coffee, art, and family drama in this story. There are some interesting turns, and some ridiculous ones too.
January 31, 2019
Still enjoying this series, as with many cozy mysteries it sort of has a formula, but they are still very enjoyable.
December 15, 2019
Satisfying cozy mystery, but, sadly, Matteo Allegro doesn’t get killed off.
Here’s hoping that palooka gives up the ghost in the next book.
Here’s hoping that palooka gives up the ghost in the next book.
February 2, 2025
A perfect lazy Sunday read, though I am starting to find the Clare character a tad annoying.
April 23, 2025
Found the sexism and sexual harassment from the firefighters over the top, which made this one pretty miserable to read.
February 4, 2018
Another fun one --one of the better ones in the series. I like to hear about firefighters I guess. :)
July 31, 2025
A good solid read in this series that I adore, but this one did not resonate with me.
August 3, 2024
Another good entry in the Coffeehouse Mystery Series.
October 19, 2017
Just unbearably dumb.
November 4, 2016
I have grown to love this series to where it has become one of my top five series of must read when the books come out. Cleo Coyle knows how to make the characters intriguing, fun, witty, and most importantly, likeable. This is the ninth book in the coffeehouse mystery series, and each one gets better and better.
Clare Cosi operates a little coffee house, Village Blend, along with her ex-husband Matt and his mother Madam. When Madam asks Clare to drive her to an old friend, Enzo’s restaurant where he has a very old expresso maker that Clare is dying to see. Madame and Enzo are in the basement and Clare goes upstairs, she can’t help but snoop around, I think it’s in her DNA to snoop, when suddenly there’s an explosion setting the restaurant in blazes and Madam and Enzo trapped in the basement. The NY fire dept. shows up and rescues Madam and Enzo from the basement. The fire Marshall thinks at first that Enzo started this fire for the insurance money so that he can return to Italy to live out the rest of his life, but Clare hears somethings that didn’t make sense to her and her curiosity ends up getting the better of her and she precedes to do her own investigation to help the fire Marshall capture the right person.
When Clare goes over to the fire house to help the firemen learn how to use their new coffeemaker, Clare meets her detective boyfriend Mike Quinn’s cousin, Michael Quinn, and she soon learns that there is a lot of bad blood between the cousins. But when another fire breaks out in another coffee shop, Clare has a feeling this just isn’t an accident, not when another fire fighter loses his life to the fire. Clare starts piecing things together and remembers what she has learned about the equipment and how they work from what the other firefighters tell her, that when she learns of the death of the fallen fire fighter, she turns to Michael Quinn to find out more, but when Michael’s had to much to drink at a pub he makes a pass at Clare, while she’s fighting him off the next thing she knows Michael is on the ground and her boyfriend Mike is on top of him. Mike looks at the two of them and walks away. Clare goes after him to talk to him and he leaves her behind. Clare now has to try and help solve the mystery behind the fires to help save Enzo and she has to make Mike see that she truly loves him and what he saw wasn’t what he thought it was, but is there enough time to do both.
Clare Cosi operates a little coffee house, Village Blend, along with her ex-husband Matt and his mother Madam. When Madam asks Clare to drive her to an old friend, Enzo’s restaurant where he has a very old expresso maker that Clare is dying to see. Madame and Enzo are in the basement and Clare goes upstairs, she can’t help but snoop around, I think it’s in her DNA to snoop, when suddenly there’s an explosion setting the restaurant in blazes and Madam and Enzo trapped in the basement. The NY fire dept. shows up and rescues Madam and Enzo from the basement. The fire Marshall thinks at first that Enzo started this fire for the insurance money so that he can return to Italy to live out the rest of his life, but Clare hears somethings that didn’t make sense to her and her curiosity ends up getting the better of her and she precedes to do her own investigation to help the fire Marshall capture the right person.
When Clare goes over to the fire house to help the firemen learn how to use their new coffeemaker, Clare meets her detective boyfriend Mike Quinn’s cousin, Michael Quinn, and she soon learns that there is a lot of bad blood between the cousins. But when another fire breaks out in another coffee shop, Clare has a feeling this just isn’t an accident, not when another fire fighter loses his life to the fire. Clare starts piecing things together and remembers what she has learned about the equipment and how they work from what the other firefighters tell her, that when she learns of the death of the fallen fire fighter, she turns to Michael Quinn to find out more, but when Michael’s had to much to drink at a pub he makes a pass at Clare, while she’s fighting him off the next thing she knows Michael is on the ground and her boyfriend Mike is on top of him. Mike looks at the two of them and walks away. Clare goes after him to talk to him and he leaves her behind. Clare now has to try and help solve the mystery behind the fires to help save Enzo and she has to make Mike see that she truly loves him and what he saw wasn’t what he thought it was, but is there enough time to do both.
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