A Shot of Scandal

A Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery Series #1

by Simone Stier

Small town. Big crime. And one feisty, caffeine-fueled amateur sleuth caught in the middle. It all starts here in A Shot of Scandal—the first brew in the Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery series.

Parker Hayes—a former true-crime podcaster turned aspiring cafe owner—thought swapping the hustle of big-city life for the charm of Magnolia Grove would be a piece of cake … or at least a slice of pie. But when a high-society gala at the historic Beauregard Mansion ends with a murder and the theft of the priceless Magnolia Rose necklace, Parker’s peaceful plans quickly go up in steam.

Between renovating her new cafe and navigating small-town secrets, Parker finds herself in the middle of a mystery steeped in scandal, lies and lattes.

Can she sift through Magnolia Grove’s dirty laundry, catch a killer and still get her cafe up and running?

Pour yourself a cup of intrigue with A Shot of Scandal—where the coffee is hot, the clues are curious and the suspect list is longer than the dessert menu.

All books in the series can be read as standalones.

The Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery Series

A Shot of ScandalA Drizzle of DangerA Blend of BetrayalA Measure of MayhemA Sprinkle of SecretsA Hint of HomicideA Dash of DeceitA Pinch of PerilA Brew of BlundersA Roast of RevengeA Crumble of ChaosA Dusting of DoubtA Twist of TroubleA Dollop of DisasterA Whisk of WoesAlso coming to the Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery

A Cup of CrimeA Steep of SuspicionA Pour of PanicA Grind of GuiltA Splash of SuspenseA Latte of LiesA Teaspoon of TerrorA Swirl of ShadowsA Mocha of Murder

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Crime

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2024

About the author

Simone Stier and her husband Peter are the duo behind the bestselling Cafe Crimes cozy mystery series—clean, humorous whodunits filled with small-town secrets, quirky characters and twisty cases to solve.

Blending humor, heart and Southern charm, Simone’s mysteries are perfect for fans who love clean fun, coffee-fueled adventures and amateur sleuths who always find themselves in the middle of trouble. When she and Peter aren’t plotting their next fictional crime, they’re exploring North Carolina with their dog Cali.

Their heroine, Parker Hayes, is a former true-crime podcaster turned cafe owner and amateur sleuth. In the charming town of Magnolia Grove, Parker serves up lattes, laughter and clever sleuthing while stumbling into mysteries that keep readers guessing until the very last page.

Ready to start your next cozy read? Discover the Cafe Crimes series and sign up for Simone’s newsletter for a free story and author updates..

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in a long series featuring Parker Hayes who has relocated to a small town hoping to slow down from her career as a podcaster and investigator to opening a gourmet cafe.

Parker is an excellent main character who soon finds herself using her skills from her previous life again. There were a number of friendly characters and an interesting mystery. All good fun and of course the pleasure of there being lots more books in the series already written and available.
Four stars

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series! Well-written and entertaining. I recommend!

[Stacy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clean cozy, set in NC during the summer. It was a nice break from 2 heavier books I'm currently reading. I will continue on with the series:)

[Jackie Stayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sensational cup/read! It was good to the very last drop (puns intended). Just when I thought I’d figured out this classic, Southern who-done-it I was thrown another delicately crafted curveball! Catch Ya Latte is definitely going to be sticking around in my literary future!

[Jeff Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

delicious cup of mystery!

So excited to find a new cozy series. I like the combination of crime podcast meets coffee in a quaint little town. We all know by now, little towns hide big secrets! This was fun and hard to put down. Now off to find the second book in the series!

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming!

This is a new author for me and a new series. This was a fast paced enjoyable read. The primary character has relocated to a charming small town to open a cafe focusing on gourmet coffee and pastries. She finds that the building she purchased on line is not quite as depicted and needs a ton of work and renovations.

I love her spunk and the witty dialogue is a treat. Parker soon finds herself in the middle of a mystery that is closer to home to her former occupation. The characters are finely drawn, realistic and all have the feel of a true small town with lots of real quaint southern charm. I have downloaded book 2 and look forward to many more books to come.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a review copy of this book and I enjoyed it, especially the first-person narrative and easy flow writing style.

Ex-crime podcaster and investigator decides to leave the bustle of the city and embark on a new adventure opening a specialist coffee shop in a supposedly sleepy small town. However...

The characters suited the plot, while the plot had its twists. I liked how Parker dealt with the circumstances and her no nonsense approach.

Overall, this was an well-written and engaging story.

Worth a look.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this book got a lot of good reviews. But I just did not care for it. My biggest problem was the main character, Parker. She acts like the people of Magnolia Grove had no idea how to function without her. She was too much of a know it all for me. And the rest of the characters, all fell short in becoming realistic.
Won’t be reading any more of this series.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the vibes here! This was a super cute, easy to read small town mystery. Excited to see what happens next in Magnolia Grove

[Kristin Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cozy vibe! It was definitely a quick read. I did give it 5 stars, but it’s also my first “cozy mystery” so I don’t have a lot to compare it to. But I enjoyed it!! :)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful cozy

1st in there series, I’m sure to read the next. Characters are fun and it didn’t get bogged down anywhere which makes you not want to put it down. Not looking forward to the stalker but am looking forward to the little group of characters who are becoming friends.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid first book, I enjoy cozies. I liked the main character and look forward to seeing what Parker, Whit and Dr Delacroix get into in future stories.
There were a few small editing errors and odd wording choices but they didn't significantly affect the story. I like that it's not overly dramatic, overly cutesie or overly effusive as some cozies can be. Just a nice pleasant read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy Mystery

Thanks to BookBub for recommending this cozy mystery to me. I enjoy a good cozy mystery to cleanse my book palette and this one is my favorite . A small southern town is thrown into gossip and wary of the citizens when a prominent member is killed. The towns newest member, who was a crime podcaster, leads the investigation to find the killer.

[Nan H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy Crime

Love this little slice of Spicy Southern Suspense! Parker Hayes is on the job and keeps us guessing as she sashays through Magnolia Grove! I enjoyed every minute.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super quick read small town cozy mystery with fun characters. I’d say 3.5 stars - enough to make me read the next in the series.

[Lisa Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!

[Jennifer Kovaleski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A definite hit

Parker is a,smart likable character who is determined to change her life. Moving to a small town she hoped for a slower pace with no to little crime. When a respectable member of the town turns up dead she is forced to find the answers and justice.

[Lorraine Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Shot of Scandal follows Parker Hayes on her journey to build a new life vastly different from her previous one. She is excited to start a new life in small town North Carolina plenty of miles away from the big city. Small town life with her own coffee shop is what she hopes to find, far from her life in the big city as a famous crime podcaster. But her new town is far from sleepy and when Parker finds herself at the scene of a murder along with almost everyone else in town, she discovers that leaving crime chasing isn't as easy as she thought. A prominent family member of the victim hires her to solve his brother's murder. Parker must navigate a new town and learn who to trust while also trying to open a new business and put down roots in her new home.

For those who enjoy a bit of mystery without graphic violence or gore, this book is just right! The characters are well written each with their own quirks. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged and wanted to continually know more. This book's small town vibes and quirky characters give you the warmth of Gilmore Girls (southern version) while you chase down a murderer. I highly recommend this book to all cozy mystery fans and plan to continue reading more from Simone Stier!

[Tenkara Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘A Shot of Scandal’ is an excellent cozy mystery that takes place in the small town of Magnolia Grove, where everyone knows everyone and the secrets run deep. The characters were fun and intriguing, and the plot was perfect. Who doesn’t love a retired murder-mystery podcaster (also a PI who let her license expire), who just wants a new start and decides to open a quaint coffee and pastry shop in a small town, right away getting dragged into a whodunnit murder mystery? One of my favourite parts was how Parker, the main character, reviews her findings with a dog. Such a fun read, and I highly recommend it for your next cozy mystery.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

great new series

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and the plot kept my attention. I look forward to the next one.

[Brittany G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Cari Whitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I read this book in one sitting? Yes, yes I did. Gotta love a cozy, low stakes mystery!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for a random find when I was looking for a book with autumn leaves on the cover. A quick, easy read, with a core group of entertaining characters.

[Helen Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, easy to read, small town mystery with a plucky and likeable main character in Parker Hayes, and a good supporting cast. There are plenty of suspects and the mystery keeps you guessing until the end.

[Catrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book well written. I enjoyed the small setting of Magnolia Steel. Parker moved from the big city for slow pace life but that’s definitely not what she got. She had brought a building to start a coffee and pastries cafe to find out it’s falling apart. The second night in town she in the middle of a murder at a gala. We meet several charming and not so much charming characters which gives this story charisma. This is a great start to the series of A Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery.

[Beverly Whitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exciting new cozy series. This series' main character, Parker Hayes, is a former big city true crime podcaster turned small town cafe owner. The whole purpose of her relocating and changing jobs was to get away from all the crime in the big city. Little did she realize that small towns have crime too. Her first few days in town, there is a local son murdered at his prominent family's ritzy gala. At first Parker is told to butt out of the investigation by the victim's mother. Then she is hired by the victim's older brother to help solve it.

As she attempts to solve the crime, she is also trying to get her cafe renovated so she can open it for business as well as adjust to small town life, and gossip.

I am definitely excited to read more of this series and author.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Standing still won’t get you anywhere.”

Parker comes to town in hopes to do something completely different, and ends up in the middle of what she left the city for: feet first in a murder investigation. The thing about this small town is that almost after you say it, everybody knows what you want.

Whit, the town historian can charm anyone whether he knows them or not and when he's arrested for the murder Parker kicks into gear to prove otherwise. Neighborhood gossip and history intertwine as the mystery hits a few dead ends. Will Parker solve it? Will Catch ya Latte ever open? Will Major ever stop begging for treats? You'll just have to read and find out. Highly Recommended 5)5

[Debby Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to read!

Just finished reading the first book in this series. I enjoyed meeting Parker and her friends in her new community as she built her coffee shop. Just the right number of characters to make it interesting but still
Keep them straight.
Good writing skills. Descriptive and colorful. I could almost taste the coffee and pie!
Now I'm off to read the next book in the series. ( another thing I think is nice is that there are just four books in the series. A nice amount and affordable. ).

[Timothy P. Hench · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Shot of Scandal”, a book worth opening!

A well crafted, superbly written cozy mystery. Once you start this book you won’t want to put it down.
Clues and puzzle pieces keep you guessing until the very end. The characters are believable and well developed.
The book is an enjoyable read and worth every minute. Enjoy!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! It’s a well written cozy feeling mystery for sure that kept me guessing through to the ending chapters. The ending was amazing! Perfectly the type I love. Good length and great character building. Can’t wait for the next & wish I could’ve read this one straight through, December is too busy! It’s so fluid and refreshing