No Roast For the Weary

Coffeehouse Mystery #21

by Cleo Coyle

When the Village Blend opens a Writer's Block Lounge, a cold case crime turns up the heat on Clare and her crew in this gripping new entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.

As much as master roaster Clare Cosi adores coffee, the landmark shop she manages won't survive if she doesn't sell enough of it. So when the Village Blend's customer traffic grinds to a halt, she turns to her staff for creative ideas, and the Writer's Block Lounge is born.

Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the shop, is upset by this news. Years ago, a group of accomplished writers used the shop's second-floor lounge to inspire each other, but the group disbanded when something dark occurred. Though that history is shrouded in mystery, Clare presses forward...

Soon the Village Blend tables are filled with aspiring novelists, playwrights, and poets, all happy to be coaxed, cajoled, and caffeinated by her coffeehouse crew. Clare admires the stamina of these scribes, many of them toiling at night jobs—driving taxis, tending bar, ushering for Broadway—while penning projects during the day.

Then one of their fictions turns fatal when a shocking secret leads to a deadly end. Unless Clare can untangle this mystery, uncover the truth, and stop a desperate killer, she fears more of these weary writers may be marked for eternal rest. ~ Includes a knockout menu of recipes.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Cozy, Crime, Adult

1 pages, Audio CD

First published April 1, 2025

About the author

Don'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

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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.

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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!

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of the books in the Coffehouse Mystery Series so Clare Cosi and and all that of the other delightful characters are like old friends at this point. I was extremely excited about the release of No Roast For The Weary and it definitely didn't disappoint. This is another fun, fast-paced mystery in a long series with all of the characters that we've grown to know and love. I love that this story dove into the history of the Coffehouse a bit more and connected it to present-day NYC.
This is a wonderful series to introduce to Book Clubs. I've found that it's become very popular with our library patrons that attended a book club that featured the very first book in the series and it's been fun watching a few of them read the series straight through.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Clare fan and reading this latest book in the series was my Friday night plan.
It seems that Village Blend is struggling after the pandemic and especially after the huge fiasco with the film company.
Clare is worried about the coffee shop's future and what the end could mean for all of them.
It isn't just the story that invites me in to their world, it's all the characters that are more than coworkers, they're roommates, friends, lovers at times, even ex husband and wife, ex mother in law, and so on.
This particular story grabbed my attention from the beginning and even though I didn't want it to end, I was pleased with how it ended.

[Amy Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle is a fine addition to the many coffee house mysteries penned by Cleo Coyle, aka husband and wife team Marc and Alice. Having read all of these fabulous books not only for the creative mysteries and clever storylines, but also for the coffee talk which I adore, I can highly recommend this one to the new reader of this series or to the seasoned reader.

This story is fresh and new just like the way the coffee shop is trying to reinvent itself by bringing back a writer’s lounge as was done previously many years ago. Esther, one of the baristas and a larger than life character, and Mr. Scrib, a writer from the old days, start this book off with a dance off with poetry. No spoilers here! I encourage you to dive right in and discover the rest for yourself.!

Thank you to Penguin Random House, NetGalley and Alice and Marc (aka Cleo) for the opportunity to review this spectacular book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and after so many books, I love seeing the evolution of the coffee shop, the Village Blend and how they have to learn how to adapt as the world and NYC changes. It gave me the most cozy NYC vibes, wishing I could travel downtown and visit this store. I would absolutely be stopping by on my way to work. I LOVED the idea of the Writer's Block and how all the talented baristas of the Blend contributed their skills and expertise to others to save their beloved coffee house. The mystery was intriguing and led to the most interesting places and quirky characters. Madame always cracks me up and the things she gets involved in (and thus Claire) always make me smile with the eccentricities. I was SHOCKED by the ending and I love how Claire got the upper hand in the end with the coffee shop's future as well.

Note: I really enjoyed this audiobook!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Village Blend has hit a rough patch. The customers are not pouring in for their coffee fix as much as they had before the pandemic. There are some real slumps in the day. So, master roaster and manager Clare Cozi pulls her great team of employees together to brainstorm some new ideas to get people in the coffeehouse and drinking their fine brews. Soon they land on the idea of the Writer’s Block Lounge with many thoughts on how to make it a success.

Strangely, Madame, the owner of Village Blend, has reservations about the plan. She explains this is not a new idea. Years ago, talented authors would gather in the lounge on the second floor and help to inspire and motivate each other, but the group fell apart when something terrible happened. Without a lot of details, Claire decides to give the Writer’s Block Lounge a try, and it is a rousing success, much better than she hoped. The second floor overflows with writers working on their craft.

An attack behind the coffeehouse sets off a series of shocking events. Clare needs to remain ultra-caffeinated as she tries to figure out if what is happening now is connected to the happenings in the past while trying to roast the person responsible. She also needs to find out what in the heck Matt’s up to. She knows it can’t be anything good.

The cast of characters Ms. Coyle has created for this series is fantastic. Clare Cosi and her staff are family; she values their opinions, and they take care of each other and truly care about their customers. In this story, Esther forms a unique and genuine bond with an older customer, whom they know as Mr. Scrib. When he has a medical emergency and is later attacked, it is “all hands on deck,” but with Esther in the lead to help her new friend. She takes on a huge obligation in the process.

I truly enjoy how the relationship between Clare and her fiancé, Lieutenant Mike Quinn, has progressed. They have built a high level of trust. They have great discussions, and their daily banter is priceless. They make a wonderful couple and team when things get complicated.

Madame, Blanche Dreyfus Allegro DuBois, Matt’s mother and Clare’s mentor, and owner of the Village Blend, is the connection to Writer’s Block Lounge of yesteryear. Clare wants to find out everything she can about the group, and she needs Madame to open some doors for her. The very active octogenarian is always on the go, and I find it delightful and inspiring. She also has a very interesting new man in her life. He had some great ideas for Clare about the business and the writer’s lounge.

Matt drove me a little crazy in this story. The wild wanderer made some curious moves, but you’ll have to read the story to learn more.

Ms. Coyle has wrapped her wonderful characters into a complex mystery with an abundance of moving parts. Linking the past to the present added many layers to what started as a single case of assault. A sign hung at the coffeeshop sent the entire story into motion. Missing manuscripts, a notebook full of codes, scary chases, a hit and run, secrets, lies, loaded gummies, an unusual pet, and I can’t forget murder had Clare, Esther, Nancy, Tucker, and Dante chasing clues around the city in search of the truth. Twists, turns, red herrings, and more had the pages flying. I loved following along, but the reveal was a total OMG! moment.

I have never traveled to the Big Apple, so I always enjoy the New York City details as the characters travel around the city. The Grand Maison hotel, the skyscrapers of the Financial District, the Theater District, and more, the taxi rides pointing out the sights really added to the story.

Cleo Coyle never disappoints. The husband and wife writing duo hit it way out of the park with No Roast for the Weary. They seem to top themselves with each new installment. This book receives my highest rating – A Trip to Paradise. I escaped right into the story and enjoyed every minute. Easily one of the best books I have read this year. Run, don’t walk to get your copy today!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Cleo Coyle, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Survive everything... and do it with style"

But will the Village Blend survive the reduction in foot traffic between the filming that closed off the regulars and the cost of living ? Clare Cosi and crew are very concerned. A brainstorming session comes up with an idea to actually revive an old idea from when Madame ran the place, and with all hands on deck the Writers Block Lounge is reborn...

Question is, will it save The Blend? Matt's been spotted with their biggest competitor which sets Clare on another mystery. Madame's new beau suggests ways to help keep the Writers Block up to speed, and Water and the crew are adding to the melange. All the while Clare and Mike creep closer to their wedding date.

This book, the latest in the series is as fresh as a Cafe Press of well roasted beans with just a soupcon of intrigue to keep the temperature just perfect. Keep 'em coming Cleo Coyle and your followers will keep reading! Highly Recommended 5/5

[ Disclaimer: I received an early copy of the book as a gift from the author. It did not affect my response or my review in any way]

[VICTORIA STEWART · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved this series from the very start. The characters, the setting, the twists and turns, the jaw dropping moments and gasps…this was fantastic! The Village Blend is such a great “family” and I always enjoy their camaraderie and their bickering. This book captures that wonderfully while solving a mystery that seems to keep revealing changing again and again.
This is quite the page turner and left me reading way past my bedtime several nights. But it was more than worth it.
I’m excited to see what happens next for Clare and the Village Blend. It will be hard waiting for the next book but it is definitely worth the wait!

[Pamela A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing last book in this amazing series!! Absolutely brilliant writing and I absolutely love Esther!! Thrilling twists and turns in this cozy whodunnit set in New York. 🙌🙌🙌

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful continuation of the excellent Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle!

This one takes a bit of a twist and the emphasis is on a murder which took place outside the Village Blend back when Madame was running it and it was filled with creative types during the edgy early years of Greenwich Village. The Blend hosted a Writers' Block, inviting writers of all types to hang out in the upstairs and write, exchange ideas, and (in general) find a place to just be (while consuming coffee of course). When Clair is finding the Blend largely empty during the mid-day hours and it's causing a notable decline in income, the idea is birthed to do something similar and allow writers to hang out while consuming all types of caffeinated beverages. Of course there is a connection between the past murder and the current Writer's Block and we get to go along for the journey of discovering this connection as well as all kinds of interesting twists and turns.

As always, the book is fresh with the writers' block concept which introduces a cast of new characters as well as featuring our favorite baristas at The Blend. Not quite as coffee-centric this time, we still stay close to the coffee house as a base. This installment was so enjoyable, I found myself looking forward to my reading time at the end of the day to visit old friends and learn new things about NYC.

If you haven't read any of the series, please don't be intimated by the fact this is the 21st installment. You can easily jump in at this point and still glean a lot of enjoyment from the book. If you have the time and interest to start from the beginning, what a delight to know you have a long list of books to work through before having to wait a year for the next one.

Just a delight from beginning to end!

[Jalissa Mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clair is back but the cafe is struggling since the pandemic ended. With fewer customers coming in means less sales and that means trouble. An employee meeting brings up an idea of a Writer’s Block Group, but Madam tells Clair it’s not a good idea due to the first group ending in tragic years before. Still, there isn’t much choice and the announcements starts to bring in new customers. When members of the writer’s group start getting into trouble Clair discovers that some of them are original members of the first writer’s group. One of them is writing a book about the man who was murdered years before but has remained unsolved. Apparently someone doesn’t want this book to see the light of day.
Meanwhile the cafe is picking up business but their main competitor is trying to buy them out which is making Clair angry. Secrets from the past come to light and everyone seems to have one. What a great book and mystery. Definitely had some twist and turns that I wasn’t expecting but were fun to read about. I’m worried the cafe’s main competitor will continue to try to buy them out and cause them trouble in the next book though. Too bad I now must wait a year to find out but writers are not machines.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleo Coyle is back with another amazing installment in the series. With the last book, a lot has happened and Clare and the gang had a lot to deal with. But in an effort to brighten their spirits, a little writer’s heaven has been set up at the cafe.

Honestly, I loved this both as a reader and as a writer. This concept felt so fun and fresh, especially after all that has happened in the series. So it really was a joy to read this book.

As always, the mystery is done just right with the right amount of mystery and intrigue. As one of my favorite series, I always look forward to Coyle’ newest book because the concepts are always so different and fun.

As one of the best Cozy Mystery series out there, you really can’t go wrong with picking up this book.

[bella 📓✧˖°. · Rating 4 out of 5]

so i actually started this book off thinking it wasn’t as good as the past books have been, i was so wrong. this book, so far. is the best coffee house mystery there ever was. there was so much character development and it just felt so lighthearted and fun, at the same time ominous. no words, it was just amazing and i absolutely fell in love with it.

[Kathy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyable- love the characters and setting.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read as usual, Nice twist.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Roast for the Weary is book #21 in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle.

The series is still as fresh as when I read the first book years ago. Customer traffic hasn’t recovered from the pandemic and then with location filming blocking traffic, The Village Blend is in trouble. In order to increase business, the team brainstorms and decides to reopen the Writer’s Block Lounge. Of course, they didn’t anticipate what would happen as a result. This is another delightful entry in the series.

Thank you to the author, Berkley, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book in the series thus far...and I've read them all!

[Margie Bunting · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Roast for the Weary is book #21 in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife team). And I am happy to report that the quality of the series is still high. Long-time readers such as myself will enjoy spending more time with master roaster Clare Cosi who, with her ex-husband Matt, took over the management of the New York City coffee house Village Blend after her mother-in-law, grande dame "Madame" retired. The personalities of all of the coffee house employees are diverse, engaging, and interesting.

But Clare is concerned when foot traffic in the cafe drops off regularly after 9:00 a.m., and when her ex seems to be consorting with enemy number one, the owner of a string of Driftwood coffee shops who often steals and renames her most popular drinks and recreates them with inferior ingredients, Could Driftwood be planning a takeover with Matt's approval? Then, of course, there is some mayhem to deal with. The bright idea of creating a new writers' retreat room on the cafe's upper floor that echoes a similar retreat years ago increases profits but also leads to chaos and bad behavior from some of the writers. And it's not long before there is violence, even a few murders. It helps that Clare's now-fiance is an NYPD detective lieutenant, and theirs is a wonderful relationship (although not the focus in this series entry).

The plot is twisty, the violence is not graphic,and some of the villains get their just deserts It's not necessary to read the whole series before trying this one, but why not treat yourself to more of the books on this appealing menu. Recipes are also included.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this latest entry in a long running series & really enjoyed it. Earlier entries seemed more “cosy” than this one, & I appreciated the author’s skill this round at spinning a complex murder mystery where the bodies piled up but the gore was kept to a minimum. (Reminded me of Midsommer Murders!) Quirky, larger than life characters drove a plot in which they morphed from caricatures to very “real” , complex people. Twists & turns in the plot were well paced & the end was satisfying! Highly recommend this great read!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! No Roast for the Weary combines two of my favorite things—coffee and mystery—into a story that’s cozy, clever, and completely addictive. The characters feel like real friends, and I genuinely didn’t want to say goodbye to them at the end.

The mystery kept me guessing, and the coffee shop setting was so vivid I could almost smell the fresh brew. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to curl up with a cup of coffee and just get lost in the story.

If you enjoy light mysteries with heart and charm, this one’s a must-read. Can’t wait for the next in the series!

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series! I have no idea how they keep coming up with new mysteries and plots, but this is another solid entry. The narrator for this series is also absolutely perfect for it. I can’t wait until Book 22 comes out!

[Conni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

does not disappoint! I love this series.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition to this cozy series. I'm not completely caught up so will have to wait what will feel like forever to be back with this fun coffeehouse family.

[Sharon Bezrutczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good read. I love the series

[Susan Barno · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Coffeehouse mystery was more complex with subtle sub plots than previous books in the series, perhaps like some of Clare Cost's new roasted blends with a touch of bitterness thrown in. It was still well worth reading for fans of the Coffeehouse series, which I am. Cleo Coyle's characters have a lot of depth and are enjoyable characters. The plot twists make sense and there aren't confusing rabbit holes to deal with. All the plot points fall into place by the end and there's even a philosophical twist to ponder about secrets, which this book is all about.

Secrets from the past come back to life as Clare tries to revitalize the coffee house with one of the shops original purposes - supporting struggling artists. With the re-inception of the Writer's Block lounge to bring in customers Clare has no clue as to the devious evil plot formulating in real life taken from the pages from the coffee shop's past life. But as in real life, "...most secrets won't stand the test of time. Sooner or later the truth will out." [Mike Quinn, pp 317]

[Chanel Chaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Every book gets better and better.

[Suzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 21 of this fun series and it is still going strong. I have read all this series and loved it and this book is no different. Clare Cosi and her crew have survived the pandemic and the disaster of a film crew (the last book) only to have their Village Bend looking at financial trouble. I love how the characters work together to come up with a great idea and follow through with implementing it. This is a cozy mystery so of course you have a dead body or two but we knew that was coming. What I didn't expect but loved was an old Village Bend mystery to solve as well. Enjoyed getting to reacquainted with all the characters in this series.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy my Coffeehouse mysteries! It feels like I'm taking a trip to NY to go visit my old friends at the Village Blend.
The characters are well defined and enjoyable. And I always look forward to the new drinks and tasty treats that Claire comes up with. I get the newsletter that has recipes in it too!

[Terica Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Cleo Coyle and I gotta say…I’m hooked!
I love Clare! Talk about when life gives you lemons!
Survive everything and do it with style! 😍
This was such an entertaining mystery read. It kept me guessing and turning pages long before my coffee got cold. 10/10

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't get enough of this wonderful series. Really good ending too.