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Bookstore Cafe Mystery #6

Death by Espresso

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Bookstore-café owner Krissy Hancock has plenty to keep her occupied outside business hours, like preparing for her best friend’s wedding and solving a murder . . .
 
Krissy is meeting Vicki’s parents at the Pine Hills, Ohio, airport—it’s the least she can do as maid of honor, even if her relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Patterson is a bit strained. Besides, her own dad is coming in on the same flight. But there are a few additional arrivals, too. Her father’s brought a date—and the Pattersons, both actors, seem to have an entire entourage trailing behind them.
 
Uninvited guests are a headache—especially when one turns out to be, allegedly at least, the most important wedding planner in all the world. Though Vicki and Krissy have already made arrangements for a small, simple party, Vicki’s snobby drama queen mother has her own ideas. Cathy the wedding planner is raring to go, possibly energized by the chocolate-covered espresso beans she compulsively munches. But while the caffeine keeps her awake, it doesn’t keep her alive—and after Cathy chokes on an espresso bean after being hit in the head, Krissy has to find out who ended her supposedly stellar career . . .

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2018

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Alex Erickson

25 books574 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
Profile Image for Carla.
7,658 reviews178 followers
August 18, 2018
Death by Espresso is the sixth book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series by Alex Erickson. If you have not read any of the others, you can still enjoy this book as it can be read as a stand alone. Krissy Hancock, a smart, savy sleuth who is not afraid to laugh at herself and her mistakes is back trying to solve another murder in their small town.

Vicki, Krissy's best friend and partner in the Cafe, and Mason are getting married. Everything is planned and ready to go. Krissy heads off to the airport to pickup her dad as well greet Vicki's parents. What she does not expect is the entourage that arrive with Vicki's parents, one of them being a famous wedding planner, who pops chocolate covered espresso beans like candy. Vicki and Mason are not happy about her parent's interference. The murder happens fairly quickly in the story and of course, Krissy discovers the body. There are many suspects, some twists, a lot of clues and of course, Krissy's sometimes bumbling discoveries.

I found that there was not a lot of action in this book, and at times it was a bit slow. It is surprising that Krissy handles, her job (not mentioned of it or the cafe in this book), the sleuthing as well as her duties as maid of honour for Vicki’s wedding which required her to keep the peace with Vicki and her fiancée and both sets of parents. This caused much of the drama in the story. When the reveal happened, I thought "Oh, really" as it was not climactic at all. One other thing that I liked is that the relationship between Krissy and Will seems to be over and maybe, she might try again with Paul, one can only hope.

If you enjoy a cozy mystery with a colourful cast of characters, a pet or two, and a coffee shop/bookstore setting, then give this series a try. The publisher, Kensington Publishing, provided me with a copy of this book to read. The opinions/ideas stated are my own.
Profile Image for Ann.
6,026 reviews83 followers
September 5, 2018
This is book 6 in the Bookstore Cafe Series and Krissy is busy meeting Vicki's family at the airport for the wedding. Her own father is arriving on the same flight and he's bringing his girlfriend to meet her. Vicki's family arrives with several extra people , one being a world famous wedding planner that ends up dead and the groom a prime candidate. As always, Krissy, Vicki and the local police solve the murder. This series is well written and fun to read. This story can stand alone but the romance between Vicki and Mason is in previous books. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Patty.
1,555 reviews1 follower
June 28, 2018
Death by Expresso by Alex Erickson is the 6th book in the Bookstore Cafe series and another fun addition that I enjoyed. Krissy Hancock and Vicki Patterson, her best friend, own Death by Coffee which is a coffee shop and bookstore combined. Vicki and Mason are ready for their wedding when Vicki's parents arrive bringing extra people with them. When one of them dies, the sleuthing begins. I really enjoy this fun series, and the quirky characters. There are suspects around every corner, that kept me reading page after page until I was finished with the book. The plot and characters were well developed, along with some romance. If you love humorous cozy mysteries, my favorite, I recommend this book/series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Elaine - Splashes Into Books.
3,891 reviews136 followers
August 9, 2018
Forget the bride being bridezilla, in this story it is her parents who deserve that title as they are determined to make this wedding memorable – often for totally the wrong reasons for the ones who are actually marrying! With unexpected guests arriving with the bride’s acting parents, there are bound to be dramatic moments in this fun, cosy murder mystery story that had me laughing out loud. It has great, quirky characters, superb interactions and plenty of twists and turns along with a dash of romance. There are a plethora of suspects and secrets galore to be uncovered.

Although this is the sixth book in the series, I can vouch for the fact that it works well as a standalone as I haven’t read any other books in the series, though I may well be rectifying that once my tbr pile is lower! I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre or is looking for a fun read . . . now I’m just hoping that nothing similar happens when my daughter gets married!

I requested and was given a copy of this book, via NetGalley. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

Profile Image for Alex Knipp.
479 reviews9 followers
December 6, 2020
A cozy recovery listen with lots of coffee and just a smidge of murder.
Profile Image for Carol Bisig.
585 reviews17 followers
June 26, 2018
This is the type of Cozy Murder Mysteries I dislike, she talks to herself constantly, mulling over the same evidence again and again! I feel like she is fifteen, too immature to being running a business, with no guy in her life, no fiancee, this is perfect for teenagers! I would recommend it for YA!
Not Impressed!
Carolintallahassee.com
Profile Image for Sara Eames.
1,735 reviews16 followers
January 12, 2019
I am a huge fan of cosy mysteries and I love this series. The characters are well-written and the plot moves at a steady pace. Yes, the amount of murders that Krissy finds herself caught up in is ridiculous but I don't read cosies for their gritty realism, I read them for escapism. So, suspend your disbelief and enjoy the story.
Profile Image for Anita (Hearts and Whodunits).
1,016 reviews18 followers
May 15, 2018
When Krissy arrives at the airport to pick up Vicki’s parents and her father for Vicki’s wedding, she is surprised to see other people tagging along. Vicki’s parents invited their friends to the wedding without any notice. One of these guests is a wedding planner to the stars who eats chocolate covered espresso beans by the handful. Vicki’s parents invited her to help change the wedding for the better, even though the wedding is all planned out. What happens when the wedding planner is found dead? Krissy will have to find the murderer before the wedding is canceled.
This was another fabulous mystery by a wonderful author. I loved Krissy and Vicki instantly, and hated how Vicki’s parents didn’t treat her or her feelings with any respect. I also loved how the author showed the differences between Krissy’s father and Vicki’s parents. This was a multi-faceted mystery with many red herrings and twists in the plot. I had no idea who the culprit was until the end, and it was a surprise. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Profile Image for Bryna.
103 reviews
April 17, 2019
I felt this book dragged more so. It didn't grab me and that was a little disappointing as I enjoy the characters but despite the exciting details happening in their lives this time around I wasn't excited.
A lot of waiting for the end to wrap as well despite it happened quickly, there was little build up to it and when Krissy points out her suspect it just takes her far too long to do so .. again, it dragged, was too wordy and I didn't feel a sense of urgency as I had in other books in this series.
Profile Image for Mikaela.
74 reviews
August 20, 2018
Could not finish. Got about halfway through and then quit. Did not captivate me or interest me like the other books in this series.
2,243 reviews30 followers
August 6, 2018
Princess Fuzzypants here: I have often expressed my frustration at human heroines who seem determined to flaunt the law and get themselves into major pickles, often life threatening ones. Krissy is one such character but she has the self awareness to realize what she is doing and she still does it. *Rolls eyes*. Humans. Their logic does not compare to kitty logic.
Despite this major “beef”, I still like this series and Krissy, if truth be told. However, the frustration that other characters in the books express over her actions is all together understandable. She is specifically told not to do something and then she does it anyway. Is it any wonder she spends as much time in the police station as she does. It is a good thing they like her.
Her best friend and business partner is taking on a marital partner and Krissy is the maid of honour. It is not an easy task when the parents of the bride descend with an assortment of Hollywood friends and a wedding planner determined to scrap the plans for the nuptuals and make it “better”. Between these three and some of the other bullies, I felt like hissing a lot. It makes Krissy’s actions seem a bit more reasonable.
Krissy manages to do everything wrong but still figures out who killed the wedding planner. It all works out in the end. While there are signs Krissy’s love life might be moving in the right direction, with her disregard for the law, there can only be more complications in future books.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.
Profile Image for Sandra.
643 reviews8 followers
June 21, 2018
Death by Espresso by Alex Erickson is the sixth installment in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.
Even though this is the first book in this series that I have read I had no trouble at all getting into the book. Past happenings are nicely explained and it is easy to follow the story.
Krissy and Vicky are the main characters and they run bookstore/cafe together in the little town of Pine Hills. Vicky's wedding date is approaching and her parents show up, bringing few uninvited guests with them along with a wedding planner that Vicky doesn't want and their ideas of how the wedding should be like. To say that emotions are running high would be an understatement..
Then unwanted wedding planner gets killed and Krissy is practically caught holding a murder weapon. She has no choice but to get to the bottom of this murder. So with her father's help and support she sets out to question guests and neighbours making them even hostile than they already are.
Easy to read and entertainging enough, this book has a nice plot and is evenly paced. We get a tiny glimpse into the world of not so successful actors and their high strung lives. With a nice cast of characters and good dialogue this is a great book for cozy mystery lovers.
Profile Image for Patrizia.
1,954 reviews42 followers
November 8, 2024
3 stelle e mezza
Perché la protagonista deve sempre (e sottolineo il sempre) fare qualcosa che va contro la legge? Qui entra di nascosto in una camera di albergo e dopo aver passato qualche ore in prigione, lamentandosi ovviamente perché è stata imprigionata (ma va?), viene liberata perché la capa della polizia l'ha in simpatia... Ma quando mai?! Dico io, hai il capo e due poliziotti pronti ad ascoltare quello che scopri investigando, anche se ti ricordano sempre di non farlo, e tu non ne approfitti? Meno male che almeno questa volta, quando va ad affrontare il colpevole, si porta dietro uno dei suddetti poliziotti... Spero ardentemente che nei prossimi libri, pur continuando ovviamente a investigare, la suddetta protagonista eviti questi comportamenti snervanti. Come se ciò non bastasse, alla base della storia c'è un matrimonio: i genitori di entrambi gli sposi sono tutti semplicemente odiosi . Insomma, a tratti è stata davvero dura non urlare di rabbia. Per fortuna la parte del giallo era interessante: ho capito chi fosse il colpevole forse cinque pagine prima della protagonista.
Profile Image for Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review).
882 reviews
May 10, 2018
Vicki and Mason are tying the knot in a weeks time and so her parents (and Krissy's father and his girlfriend Laura) are flying in ready for the wedding.  Krissy has gone to meet them all and is rather surprised that there are a few extra people that weren't expected, one of which is a wedding planner (apparently the wedding planner of all wedding planners), so Krissy lets Vicki know.  Vicki and Mason had planned (and arranged) a nice simple church wedding and then back to the bookstore for the rest of the celebrations, Vicki's mother (and Cathy the wedding planner) have different and much grander ideas.  At this rate the wedding will be called off (which would please Mason's father no end as he has picked some one else for Mason to marry!), but no one expects all the plans to be derailed by the death of Cathy and Mason being pointed at as the probable killer.  

To save her friends wedding and sanity Krissy starts hunting for clues again ... just another day in Pine Hills!
Profile Image for RO G'ma.
1,061 reviews43 followers
June 3, 2018
Death by Espresso is the sixth book in Alex Erickson’s Bookstore Café Mysteries series. The writing flows smoothly at a steady pace, the characters are well developed, and the mystery is interesting. There are plenty of suspects and twists and turns to make it difficult to figure out who the killer is.

Krissy Hancock and her best friend, Vickie Patterson, are the owners of a combination coffee shop and bookstore, Death by Coffee, in the quaint town of Pine Hills, Ohio. Vickie is getting married to Mason Lawyer and, as her maid of honor, Krissy has been helping her with all the details. Krissy goes to the airport to greet wedding guests, including her dad, James Hancock, and Laura Dresden, the woman he’s dating and Vickie’s movie star parents, Gina and Frederick, and the guests they invited. Cathy Carr is also one of the arrivals and introduces herself as the world’s most important wedding planner and, as Gina and Frederick’s wedding gift, would be improving the wedding plans. When everyone meets at Death by Coffee, Vickie is overwhelmed and frustrated by the number of guests her parents brought and the wedding adjustments Gina and Cathy were planning. Vicki and Mason wanted a simple church wedding and to celebrate at the bookstore.

In an effort to try to keep the peace and give Vickie the wedding she wants, Krissy decides to talk to Gina and Frederick, who are staying at Vickie’s house along with Cathy while she stays with Mason. Only one rental car is there, but all the lights are on and when she knocks, the upstairs light goes out but no one answers the door. When she knocks again, the door pops open, she goes in, and when no one responds to her calls, she ends up in the kitchen where she finds Cathy on the floor. When Gina and Frederick return, they find Krissy holding a candlestick she’d picked up to use as a weapon. Officers Paul Dalton and John Buchannan respond to the call; Frederick accuses Krissy of murder and Officer Buchannan seems to agree. It’s determined that after being hit on the head, Cathy choked on one of the chocolate-covered espresso beans she was almost always chewing on. Vickie and Mason are talking about postponing their nuptials. Mason’s father, Raymond Lawyer, and his girlfriend, Regina Harper, would love for the wedding to be cancelled because they have a different bride-to-be in mind for Mason. Krissy wants the wedding to go forward as planned, but things don’t look promising when Mason is brought in for questioning in Cathy’s demise.

Rita Jablonski, the town’s resident gossip and James Hancock’s biggest fan is devastated when she learns he brought his girlfriend to town with him. Rita is more than smitten with the famous author, and entertained dreams of spending her life with him. Krissy’s boyfriend, Will Foster, a local physician, has accepted a job in Arizona.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Profile Image for Kirsti.
2,500 reviews104 followers
July 5, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the chance to read this book!

This is the second of Alex Erickson's books I've had the pleasure to read, and I must say they are a whole lot of fun. The best cozy mysteries give you a host of varied colorful characters that make a small town tick, and this one just does such a great job with that. Everyone is well fleshed out and believable, even when they're acting out. The mystery is a solid one, and there are many leads and trains of thought as to whodunnit. It features cats, coffee and books, as well as murder, and if that isn't a well rounded diet I don't know what is!

I can safely say these are fast becoming one of my favorite cozies, and I definitely need to go back and read the previous books! Five stars!
Profile Image for Doris.
361 reviews5 followers
September 8, 2019
This adventure includes a wedding with what appear to be insurmountable hiccups, a bunch of Hollywood actors completely out of their depth and the heroine is once again trying to find a killer amidst all all her other duties, including those of maid of honour.
Alex Erickson once again masterfully mixes and matches people from near and afar, creating a masterpiece 'whodunnit' filled with mystery and suspense.
Profile Image for terpkristin.
750 reviews60 followers
September 14, 2021
I don't honestly remember when I finished this, I just know it was before today. Thanks (no thanks) to a family emergency, I found myself in a car a lot driving back and forth from my current home to my childhood home.

This one, like 2 books prior, featured Chrissy's dad, which I really enjoy. But it seems that my previous assessment of who is the murderer in this series holds up.

No idea when I started, I know I finished before Sept 14.
Profile Image for Cozybooklady .
2,180 reviews126 followers
March 11, 2024
When I first started to read this series, I wasn't sure if I'd continue to read them, however, I've read a few more and I've begun to enjoy them.
The main character is a quite interesting but I've really come to like Krissy.
Profile Image for vicinthemeadow.
743 reviews204 followers
November 20, 2024
What a fun instalment this was in the series! A murder mystery and stolen jewels surrounding a wedding. This was one of my favourites, it had drama, gossip and mystery. Really looking forward to the new release soon in this series!
1,387 reviews5 followers
July 4, 2018
This cozy was OK. The writing style was easy to read and the murder was a surprise. I didn't really care for the characters. Krissy was very immature, Vicki panicked at every bump in the road and expected others to fix it. Most of the family members were mean and selfish. It just seemed that everything was extreme. It was a book that was easy to put down.

I received the book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Sarah Sammis.
7,958 reviews247 followers
August 19, 2022
It was fun to re-read. I remembered most of it but not the final solution.

The heart of the matter ends up being a necklace. Various people lay claim to it. The necklace's value is under dispute. The necklace ends up being part motive, part MacGuffin, and part red herring. It's also the pea in the shell game. Keep track of what the necklace means to whom and you'll be on your way to solving this mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for OpenBookSociety.com .
4,109 reviews136 followers
July 4, 2018
http://openbooksociety.com/article/de...

Title: Death by Espresso
Series: Bookstore Cafe Mystery
By: Alex Erickson
ISBN: 149670889X (ISBN13: 9781496708892)
Author’s Website: http://alexericksonbooks.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Summary:

Bookstore-cafe owner Krissy Hancock has plenty to keep her occupied outside business hours, like preparing for her best friend’s wedding and solving a murder . . .

Krissy is meeting Vicki’s parents at the Pine Hills, Ohio, airport–it’s the least she can do as maid of honor, even if her relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Patterson is a bit strained. Besides, her own dad is coming in on the same flight. But there are a few additional arrivals, too. Her father’s brought a date–and the Pattersons, both actors, seem to have an entire entourage trailing behind them.

Uninvited guests are a headache–especially when one turns out to be, allegedly at least, the most important wedding planner in all the world. Though Vicki and Krissy have already made arrangements for a small, simple party, Vicki’s snobby drama queen mother has her own ideas. Cathy the wedding planner is raring to go, possibly energized by the chocolate-covered espresso beans she compulsively munches. But while the caffeine keeps her awake, it doesn’t keep her alive–and after Cathy chokes on an espresso bean after being hit in the head, Krissy has to find out who ended her supposedly stellar career (Goodreads)

Review:

Death by Espresso is the sixth book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series by Alex Erickson. I did read the first book in the series, Death by Coffee. Now having read the sixth book, I will most definitely be going back and reading books 2 through 5 as well ☺ But make no mistake, this book can be read as a stand alone, after all – I missed all that happened to Krissy between book 1 and 6 to no detriment to my appreciation and enjoyment of Death by Espresso.

What starts off as a simple trip for Krissy to the Levington airport to greet her dad (James Hancock) and his girlfriend (Laura Dresden) and Vicki’s parents (Gina and Frederick Patterson), seems to quickly turn in to a gong show. There are several more people travelling with the Patterson���s (8 to be exact). And one of these guests is a wedding planner to the stars (Cathy Carr) who eats chocolate covered espresso beans constantly. The remaining additional people are “second rate” actors, all with a story to tell both with respect to their successes (and failures) in the acting business and their relationships between each other. A veritable tangled web. But the journey to untangle this web made for an engaging read.

The murder happens fairly quickly in the story. I was disappointed that our amateur sleuth tainted the crime scene – by handling the candlestick that was on the floor by the body. Okay, I do realize Krissy was scared that the killer might still be in the house and come after her, but with a number of murders behind her, I would hope she would be more aware of a crime scene.

Well there is definitely no shortage of potential suspects. It was a pleasant journey to read how each of the out of town guests knew the victim. Krissy’s process to convince herself that each one was a viable suspect or not was interesting and at times made me laugh. I was more than surprised that Krissy could handle the sleuthing as well as her duties as maid of honour for Vicki’s wedding… and trying to keep the peace with Vicki and her fiancé and the soon-to-be in-laws – Gina and Frederick.

One thing that was bothersome was how Gina and Frederick did not seem to have any respect or thoughtfulness towards their daughter. Or Mason’s parents wanting the wedding to be cancelled so they can introduce Mason to someone they think is more suited to him…. If I had been Vicki or Mason – I would have asked all the parents to kindly and firmly but out and let them have the wedding of their dreams with the man/woman of their dreams. But we all know – everyone’s relationship with their parents is complicated. So that did add drama and giggles to the read.

I really liked the name of Vicki’s cat…. Trouble. All I have to say, aren’t all cats trouble in their own way?

I look forward to the future books in this series as I really feel this reader needs to see more of a romantic future development between Krissy and Paul Dalton perhaps? And of course – future sleuthing with respect to the future murders that are bound to happen in Pine Hills.

If you enjoy a good cozy mystery with a colourful cast of characters and a pet or two thrown in for good measure, then you will enjoy Alex Erickson’s sixth book the in Bookstore Cafe Mystery series – Death by Espresso.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Toni.
1,572 reviews65 followers
August 13, 2019
This is the sixth book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series, or as I like to call it, the Death By Coffee series.

This book starts out with Krissy Hancock meeting her dad, James Hancock, famous mystery author and his new girlfriend, Laura at the airport. They and Vicki’s parents are coming in for Vicki’s wedding to Mason Lawyer. Vicki is Krissy’s co-owner of Death by Coffee, their cafe slash bookstore. But the two couples aren’t all that show up. The Patterson’s bring a few more couples in tow with them even though their daughter requested it be a “small” wedding with only close friends and family. Vicki’s mom Gina has decided that her gift to her daughter would be the services of a famous wedding planner. It didn’t matter to her that the wedding was already planned and perfect the way Vicki wanted it. Mothers wanted what mothers wanted. When the wedding planner ends up dead and Krissy pegged as the prime suspect, things start to get interesting.

This was the first book where I really felt concerned for Krissy’s safety. She knew better and should have called the cops herself upon finding the body and not let Vicki’s parents make the police believe she was a criminal. I mean, who would really kill a wedding planner because she was forcing unwanted services on them? Seems a little far fetched. I loved the Clue reference here: Krissy in the kitchen with the candlestick. Classic.

Krissy ended up in jail quite a bit in this one. And Paul, although concerned, didn’t let her off the hook immediately. Good for him. Finally wearing his big cop panties. Sometimes Krissy gets away with more than she should in Pine Hills. There are laws you aren’t supposed to break, ya know. I feared Chief Dalton might put her in the pokie for good. After her search of Lyric’s hotel room, I was afraid it was all done for and Krissy and she might stay in jail. That girl needs to take her own safety into consideration sometimes.

Then there was Will and his sudden departure from her life. How rude was that? He kept pulling himself away from her so he wouldn’t have to face her before leaving for Colorado. What a pansy! I never understood why Krissy and Paul never tried for a relationship after their first official “date”. They seem to fit each other much better than she and Will ever did. I have a hope for a relationship in a future book.

And what’s up with Misfit and his affection for her father’s girlfriend? How weird is that? She must have that calming effect on everyone around her. Good to see James with a gal he deserves. And Rita was a hoot nearly losing it after realizing that James was off the romantic market. I hope I don’t have to read scenes like Misery someday when James and Laura actually get married. Rita may completely lose her head.

This book is like coming home. I feel giddy reading each book and I may have to do a re-read of the entire series now that I have read them all. I am excited for the future of the series. Book seven in the series DEATH BY CAFE MOCHA is coming out August 27, 2019. Check it out too.

Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Faythe Shattuck.
256 reviews
June 30, 2018
Krissy is meeting Vicki's parents at the airport in Pine Hills, Ohio, it's the least she can do as maid of honor. Even though her relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Patterson is a bit strained. Besides, her own dad is coming in on the same flight, but there are a few additional arrivals, too. Her father's brought his new girlfriend along, and the Pattersons who are both actors, have an entire entourage trailing behind them. The uninvited guests are a headache especially when one turns out to be, most important wedding planner in all the world. Though Vicki and her fiance Mason with Krissy's help have already made arrangements for a small, simple wedding and reception. Vicki's snobby drama queen mother has her own ideas as does her father who thinks the already made plans are not good enough for his daughter. Cathy the wedding planner is raring to go, possibly energized by the chocolate covered espresso beans she compulsively munches. While the caffeine keeps her awake, it doesn't keep her alive and after Cathy chokes on an espresso bean after being hit in the head, Krissy has to find out who ended her supposedly stellar career.

The mystery has lots of red herrings along with plenty of twists and turns, that keep the reader guessing who the murder is until the surprising conclusion. The author does a a nice job of showing how different the relationship between Krissy and her father is compared to the relationship between Vicki and her parents. The author also does a nice job of getting the reader up to date with the other town residents and store employee's lives.

I didn't like how Vicki's parents gave no consideration to her already made wedding plans or to her feelings, while trying to take over her wedding. I liked how Krissy's father always made time for his daughter no matter what was going on in their lives no matter if they are in the same house or clear across the country from each other. I also liked that Krissy was open to her father's new relationship and how she made an effort to get to know his new girlfriend. I was not happy that Will Krissy's boyfriend decides to take a job in another state and breaks up with her, instead of seeing if their relationship would work out or not.

I got an ARC of this book from Netgally and Kesington Books for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Andra Weis.
764 reviews14 followers
July 13, 2018
http://openbooksociety.com/article/de...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Death by Espresso is the sixth book in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery series by Alex Erickson. I did read the first book in the series, Death by Coffee. Now having read the sixth book, I will most definitely be going back and reading books 2 through 5 as well ☺ But make no mistake, this book can be read as a stand alone, after all – I missed all that happened to Krissy between book 1 and 6 to no detriment to my appreciation and enjoyment of Death by Espresso.

What starts off as a simple trip for Krissy to the Levington airport to greet her dad (James Hancock) and his girlfriend (Laura Dresden) and Vicki’s parents (Gina and Frederick Patterson), seems to quickly turn in to a gong show. There are several more people travelling with the Patterson’s (8 to be exact). And one of these guests is a wedding planner to the stars (Cathy Carr) who eats chocolate covered espresso beans constantly. The remaining additional people are “second rate” actors, all with a story to tell both with respect to their successes (and failures) in the acting business and their relationships between each other. A veritable tangled web. But the journey to untangle this web made for an engaging read.

The murder happens fairly quickly in the story. I was disappointed that our amateur sleuth tainted the crime scene – by handling the candlestick that was on the floor by the body. Okay, I do realize Krissy was scared that the killer might still be in the house and come after her, but with a number of murders behind her, I would hope she would be more aware of a crime scene.

Well there is definitely no shortage of potential suspects. It was a pleasant journey to read how each of the out of town guests knew the victim. Krissy’s process to convince herself that each one was a viable suspect or not was interesting and at times made me laugh. I was more than surprised that Krissy could handle the sleuthing as well as her duties as maid of honour for Vicki’s wedding… and trying to keep the peace with Vicki and her fiancé and the soon-to-be in-laws – Gina and Frederick.

One thing that was bothersome was how Gina and Frederick did not seem to have any respect or thoughtfulness towards their daughter. Or Mason’s parents wanting the wedding to be cancelled so they can introduce Mason to someone they think is more suited to him…. If I had been Vicki or Mason – I would have asked all the parents to kindly and firmly but out and let them have the wedding of their dreams with the man/woman of their dreams. But we all know – everyone’s relationship with their parents is complicated. So that did add drama and giggles to the read.

I really liked the name of Vicki’s cat…. Trouble. All I have to say, aren’t all cats trouble in their own way?

I look forward to the future books in this series as I really feel this reader needs to see more of a romantic future development between Krissy and Paul Dalton perhaps? And of course – future sleuthing with respect to the future murders that are bound to happen in Pine Hills.

If you enjoy a good cozy mystery with a colourful cast of characters and a pet or two thrown in for good measure, then you will enjoy Alex Erickson’s sixth book the in Bookstore Cafe Mystery series – Death by Espresso.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Cozy Reviews.
2,050 reviews5 followers
June 30, 2018
Death by Expresso by Alex Erickson is the sixth book in the Bookstore Cafe series. I have read the entire series and each new addition is a delight. I do recommend the series for any mystery reader. This new release is full of twist and turns of a great sleuth, wedding madness and fun throughout.
Krissy is helping Vicki finish the last details on her wedding. When Vicki's actor parents arrive, the problems never end. They have brought a top wedding organizer who eats espresso beans by the handful and takes over much to the chagrin of the bride.

Krissy goes to visit the parents to try to talk some sense into them about the wedding when she finds the wedding organizer's body. The Patterson's arrive next and they find Krissy standing over the body holding the possible murder weapon.. They are convinced she did it !
Krissy already decided to start her own investigation. So she is now working on the last minute wedding details, managing her Cafe and book store and conducting the investigation. She has proven to be a adept sleuth and soon many clues abound.
Pine Hills is a great little town described perfectly . The supporting charcters are all enjoyable and add much to the story. I love the cafe and book stores which is a dream business. The story has a great sleuth and is fast paced and fun to read. There are twists and turns in the sleuth to keep even the most avid mystery reader guessing. I loved this next in series and look forward to further books in the series.
Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.
Profile Image for Marsha.
402 reviews15 followers
June 26, 2018
Death by Expresso by Alex Erickson is the sixth book in the Bookstore Cafe series. I must say, it is one of my favorites.
We return to Pine Hills, Ohio where Krissy is helping Vicki finish the last details on her wedding. When Vicki's actor parents arrive, with an unexpected entourage, the problems begin. They have brought a top class wedding planner and even though, Vicki keeps reminding them she has everything set for the wedding, they insist the wedding planner Cathy's ideas will set the wedding over the top.
The parents are not exactly happy and having to blame someone, Krissy is it.
Krissy decides to go to visit Mr. and Mrs. Patterson and Cathy to try and talk things over. Instead of finding all of them, she finds Cathy's body. Then when the Pattersons arrive back, they find Krissy standing over the body holding the possible murder weapon, they blame Krissy.
Krissy already decided to start her own investigation. So she is now working on the last minute wedding details, trying to run the Bookstore Cafe, hiring a new employee, visiting with her father and his new love, and the investigation.
Erickson does a great job of catching up with the residents of Pine Hills. The story has a great story line and flows. There are twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. The only problem, you may crave a cup of coffee with a chocolate chip cookie!
I received an ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.
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