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Cup of Jo Book #0
Coffee and Crime
Joanna Coffee is hiding from her past, which includes an ex who cheated on her with her best friend. Too ashamed to go back home to Bennett Falls, Jo is living with her aunt clear across the country.
But a crime occurs in the coffee shop where Jo works, and it makes Jo rethink what she’s doing with her life. She’s determined to solve the crime and the problems in her own life.
Fans of Joanne Fluke and Victoria Laurie will enjoy this culinary cozy mystery series.
Scroll up and one-click to start reading today!
But a crime occurs in the coffee shop where Jo works, and it makes Jo rethink what she’s doing with her life. She’s determined to solve the crime and the problems in her own life.
Fans of Joanne Fluke and Victoria Laurie will enjoy this culinary cozy mystery series.
Scroll up and one-click to start reading today!
57 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2020
408 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Hashway
128 books487 followersKelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly is also USA Today bestselling romance author Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 15, 2020
Short story. It had a good Mystery for it’s length and lack of much characterization. Free when I downloaded it, also.
December 31, 2020
Cozy mystery set in a mall where the main character is helping her aunt run a coffee shop. Read this book if you are interested in coffee, murder mystery.
April 4, 2020
a perfect read for readers who like books that should not be taken seriously, at all.
A man is murdered at the mall where Jo works a coffee stand. A to-go cup from Jo's coffee stand is found at the scene of the crime and it looks like it held black coffee. Jo remembers all four customers that ordered black coffee that morning (of fifty customers) and helps the police with a list of suspects. But after the wife of the murdered man is taken in for questioning, Jo decides to do some investigating herself.
I had to stop reading at several points because the simplistic nature of the dialogue or the disregard for proper police procedure got to me. Really, the police should be more skeptic about whether Jo remembers all her customers correctly. Doesn't that mall have CC TV? That could have more reliable information about who went into the bathroom around the time the dead man went in.
A man is murdered at the mall where Jo works a coffee stand. A to-go cup from Jo's coffee stand is found at the scene of the crime and it looks like it held black coffee. Jo remembers all four customers that ordered black coffee that morning (of fifty customers) and helps the police with a list of suspects. But after the wife of the murdered man is taken in for questioning, Jo decides to do some investigating herself.
I had to stop reading at several points because the simplistic nature of the dialogue or the disregard for proper police procedure got to me. Really, the police should be more skeptic about whether Jo remembers all her customers correctly. Doesn't that mall have CC TV? That could have more reliable information about who went into the bathroom around the time the dead man went in.
March 1, 2020
Very simplistic
A cute, short story. It is very cut and dried with a simple plot. Good characters but the book is too short for the reader to connect well.
A cute, short story. It is very cut and dried with a simple plot. Good characters but the book is too short for the reader to connect well.
February 2, 2025
Such a cute & short read about Ms. Jo Coffee ☕️ initially a crime happens or a murder regarding an affair so Jo begins investigating with a police officer however , during the flirtous banter and chemistry going on between them during this investigation she doesn’t want to get herself involved with another police officer. I thought this was an adorable read
June 17, 2020
"A simple recipe"
This has all the elements for success in the cozy mystery world. You only have to look at the number of books by this writer to see how easy it is to follow a simple recipe. The characters have no depth, the settings are cliched, and the plot lines are banal and predictable. Yet books in this genre sell, and sell well. No doubt this will too. Go figure.
This has all the elements for success in the cozy mystery world. You only have to look at the number of books by this writer to see how easy it is to follow a simple recipe. The characters have no depth, the settings are cliched, and the plot lines are banal and predictable. Yet books in this genre sell, and sell well. No doubt this will too. Go figure.
March 20, 2020
Such an adorable cover! Got it for free in Kindle Store and I'm glad I took this because it's such a fun read!
March 29, 2024
Cute and quick read
February 21, 2020
Jo's okay but she need a longer brew time.
This was a cute little book but... I couldn't buy in to how fast Jo got on the good side of the officer or how willing to talk to her the suspects, all strangers, were.
This was a cute little book but... I couldn't buy in to how fast Jo got on the good side of the officer or how willing to talk to her the suspects, all strangers, were.
July 16, 2021
An enjoyable little story, but obviously a prequel
I got this short (around 13,000 words) book free on a promotion. I love a good cozy mystery so I snapped it up straight away. When I started reading I was quickly drawn into the story, which had all the usual cozy mystery elements.
Joanna (Jo) Coffee likes coffee. So, it seems, does her whole family. Her parents have a coffee shop in Bennet Falls, Pennsylvania, and her aunt Cindy runs a coffee cart in a busy shopping mall in California. When Jo broke up with her long-time cop boyfriend she couldn’t stand to stay in Bennet Falls, so she has spent the last three years living with (and working for) her aunt. Everything seems to be running smoothly, until one of her customers is murdered, right there in the mens room of the mall.
At first, Jo seems to be the only connection between the victim and four possible suspects, and draws the not-unwelcome attention of the dashing but hard-to-pronounce Officer Moncavage from the local police. Jo can’t resist following up on the connections to the people she has served, and finds herself getting dragged deeper into the investigation, and somehow also spending more time with Officer Moncavage.
The mystery and the investigation are workable, but the characters, other than Jo, Cindy, the police officer, and Eduardo, one of the regulars at the coffee stand, just don’t seem very interesting. They feel a bit as if they were just plucked from central casting in order to fill roles in this mystery, which is a shame, as it would have been a much more fun story if the suspects and the victim were a bit more individual and quirky.
This story is obviously a prequel, and its purpose is to introduce Jo ready for future stories. It does that, I guess, but I would have preferred a bit more emotion and challenge for Jo to get me engaged and caring about the investigation and the characters.
I got this short (around 13,000 words) book free on a promotion. I love a good cozy mystery so I snapped it up straight away. When I started reading I was quickly drawn into the story, which had all the usual cozy mystery elements.
Joanna (Jo) Coffee likes coffee. So, it seems, does her whole family. Her parents have a coffee shop in Bennet Falls, Pennsylvania, and her aunt Cindy runs a coffee cart in a busy shopping mall in California. When Jo broke up with her long-time cop boyfriend she couldn’t stand to stay in Bennet Falls, so she has spent the last three years living with (and working for) her aunt. Everything seems to be running smoothly, until one of her customers is murdered, right there in the mens room of the mall.
At first, Jo seems to be the only connection between the victim and four possible suspects, and draws the not-unwelcome attention of the dashing but hard-to-pronounce Officer Moncavage from the local police. Jo can’t resist following up on the connections to the people she has served, and finds herself getting dragged deeper into the investigation, and somehow also spending more time with Officer Moncavage.
The mystery and the investigation are workable, but the characters, other than Jo, Cindy, the police officer, and Eduardo, one of the regulars at the coffee stand, just don’t seem very interesting. They feel a bit as if they were just plucked from central casting in order to fill roles in this mystery, which is a shame, as it would have been a much more fun story if the suspects and the victim were a bit more individual and quirky.
This story is obviously a prequel, and its purpose is to introduce Jo ready for future stories. It does that, I guess, but I would have preferred a bit more emotion and challenge for Jo to get me engaged and caring about the investigation and the characters.
June 11, 2020
Easy to follow along with. However, biggest flaw was the stress on black coffee being the main way of weeding through suspects; only x amount of suspects based on who you served coffee to?
References to a past relationship with a police officer sprinkled to add character made for a bit of confusion. This book read more as book #4 in a series as opposed to Book 0.
Recommendation for the author- write the prequel to these ones. What led the character to this point? Lots of questions, which maybe they will be answered in future books, made me, as the reader, confused.
A good first book just a couple of hard to believe and simplified plots.
Thank you for doing a FABULOUS job of doing grammar and spellcheck. The book flowed and was not choppy. I look forward to reading the next book that has more of the wit and zip that I see formulating with the main character.
I would recommend this book because it is easy to read and follow along. I was able to sit down and read it even with a few distractions.
Good
References to a past relationship with a police officer sprinkled to add character made for a bit of confusion. This book read more as book #4 in a series as opposed to Book 0.
Recommendation for the author- write the prequel to these ones. What led the character to this point? Lots of questions, which maybe they will be answered in future books, made me, as the reader, confused.
A good first book just a couple of hard to believe and simplified plots.
Thank you for doing a FABULOUS job of doing grammar and spellcheck. The book flowed and was not choppy. I look forward to reading the next book that has more of the wit and zip that I see formulating with the main character.
I would recommend this book because it is easy to read and follow along. I was able to sit down and read it even with a few distractions.
Good
May 16, 2020
Quick read
I've been reading quite a few Cozy Mysteries lately, thanks to my best friend and favorite teacher. I'm not really as good at picking them out as she is, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. The only drawback is that it's too short. It had almost all of the elements of a good Cozy, even a hint of romance, but it lacked the suspense it could have had if it had been longer. I was a bit bummed out by the main characters final decision, but it makes me want to read the next book to find out exactly how they work that out. I'm just hoping the next one will have more to it.
I've been reading quite a few Cozy Mysteries lately, thanks to my best friend and favorite teacher. I'm not really as good at picking them out as she is, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. The only drawback is that it's too short. It had almost all of the elements of a good Cozy, even a hint of romance, but it lacked the suspense it could have had if it had been longer. I was a bit bummed out by the main characters final decision, but it makes me want to read the next book to find out exactly how they work that out. I'm just hoping the next one will have more to it.
December 31, 2020
Meh with a bit of ridiculousness. The elements for a good, if predictable cozy mystery were all there yet they didn't really come together. The writing was rather simplistic and the author was too dependent on cliches - both setting and plot. And that ordering black coffee was the main (and pretty much only) way of weeding out suspects was shake my head, over the top, plot insanity. But Jo seems like she'd be a decent cozy mystery protagonist if she was given more time to develop, so maybe I'd be willing to try another book in the series (if I was looking for mindless, no need to think reading).
February 25, 2020
A short but fulfilling read
A great little coffee break read that seems appropriate given the title and the contents. Yes you don't get much in the way of description but you get a real feeling for the characters especially the main one. A battered, bruised soul that has run away to escape the fact that she was betrayed by her BFF and boyfriend.
The plot is simple. A murder of a cheating husband. But is it really the wife that everyone suspects or will Jo be able to help the handsome officer get a clue that will throw the case wide open?
A great little coffee break read that seems appropriate given the title and the contents. Yes you don't get much in the way of description but you get a real feeling for the characters especially the main one. A battered, bruised soul that has run away to escape the fact that she was betrayed by her BFF and boyfriend.
The plot is simple. A murder of a cheating husband. But is it really the wife that everyone suspects or will Jo be able to help the handsome officer get a clue that will throw the case wide open?
September 12, 2020
The punny bit in this cosy is that the MC’s name is Jo Coffee.
*makes a face*
Yeah…
Yikes. She isn't.
She makes giant leaps based on very little evidence and don’t expect her efforts to follow police procedure or you know, the law.
And then at the end she decides to go back to her small town, after this book has spent the whole time setting up all the side characters and the flirty cop [another necessary ingredient of cosies]
Nope.
1 star
*makes a face*
Yeah…
I figured after dating a police detective for years, I might be good at solving mysteries, (p. 24).
Yikes. She isn't.
She makes giant leaps based on very little evidence and don’t expect her efforts to follow police procedure or you know, the law.
And then at the end she decides to go back to her small town, after this book has spent the whole time setting up all the side characters and the flirty cop [another necessary ingredient of cosies]
Nope.
1 star
April 15, 2020
Short sweet mystery
Loved this one! The perfect short read much like an episode of a great drama introducing a love interest in a new way. I just became absorbed in the plot and the investigation. It was so practical and realistic, with just a few hints of background information for characters this whole narrative fleshed out beautifully.
I am absolutely going to be reading more!
Loved this one! The perfect short read much like an episode of a great drama introducing a love interest in a new way. I just became absorbed in the plot and the investigation. It was so practical and realistic, with just a few hints of background information for characters this whole narrative fleshed out beautifully.
I am absolutely going to be reading more!
June 22, 2020
If you like mystery, looking for a quick read, and a free e-book on Nook, then this book is for you. For some reason, the plot of the story reminds me of the video game Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney. In fact, this novel might as well be adapted into a game where the crime takes place near or at the coffee shop and somehow, the barista-turned-detective Jo becomes involved and takes on the investigation.
April 1, 2020
Turn down the lights, fire up your e-reader and get ready for a relaxing cup of decaf! This is a short little cozy that keeps you guessing right up to the end. Even those who aren't big into coffee will find this to be a percolating mystery without a lot of java lingo. It is the perfect read to refresh your palate in between more hearty meals, um, reads!
April 30, 2020
I LOVED this book, and would DEFINITELY recommend for anyone the ages of 9-14. I couldn't put this book down! I loved trying to figure out who the murderer was from the clues I found. This was a fun, suspenseful, well-written book, but the reason I put the minimum age for 9, was because there was some flirting in the book. Other than that, I LOVED this book, and REALLY enjoyed it!😊👍
March 10, 2020
A quick and fun read! Joanna (Jo) Coffee is working in her aunt's coffee shop when a murder is discovered in the mall. An empty cup from the coffee shop is discovered near the body. Jo helps the police figure out the killer's identity.
March 17, 2020
I was all set to read and read this book. But it ended. I'm so sad 😇
Well thought out and delivered. I really would have enjoyed a lot more of No and the cute cop.. Hope you enjoy it ,too!
Well thought out and delivered. I really would have enjoyed a lot more of No and the cute cop.. Hope you enjoy it ,too!
April 7, 2020
This was a short, fun mystery! When a murder happens near the Coffee Break, Jo (the main character who sells the coffee) springs into action to help the detective decipher the mystery! With twists and turns this is a fun mystery! Very good, quick read!
April 13, 2020
Brief but still good
This book was sweet and to the point. Jo has a lot going on but she has decisions to make along with helping to solve a murder. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
This book was sweet and to the point. Jo has a lot going on but she has decisions to make along with helping to solve a murder. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
May 6, 2020
Coffee
Okay reading for a teenager. A mix of betrayal, meeting of a possible love interest and murder. Just enough adventure but not detailed enough. Left me wondering what happened.
Okay reading for a teenager. A mix of betrayal, meeting of a possible love interest and murder. Just enough adventure but not detailed enough. Left me wondering what happened.
May 16, 2020
Who doesn't love coffee and crime?
This book popped up when I typed in coffee, it wasn't what I was looking for but I'm glad I found it. This is a great quick read, I would say it's perfect for teen-adult audiences. I just wish it was longer!
This book popped up when I typed in coffee, it wasn't what I was looking for but I'm glad I found it. This is a great quick read, I would say it's perfect for teen-adult audiences. I just wish it was longer!
May 29, 2020
Wonderful
What a lovely cozy mystery, Jo Coffee works at her aunt's coffee stand in a mall when there is a murder. Jo helps solve the murder. This is a book that is easy to get into, the character's are lovely.
What a lovely cozy mystery, Jo Coffee works at her aunt's coffee stand in a mall when there is a murder. Jo helps solve the murder. This is a book that is easy to get into, the character's are lovely.
May 30, 2020
Coffee!
Already being a coffee lover makes me love this book even more. This young lady coffee that she sold to a customer is involved in a murder. This book is short and gets to the point. Fun, good mystery book.
Already being a coffee lover makes me love this book even more. This young lady coffee that she sold to a customer is involved in a murder. This book is short and gets to the point. Fun, good mystery book.
July 4, 2020
Short, fun read.
Jo works in her aunt's coffee shop and a man there is killed. It seems like Jo served the killer a coffee and the story goes on about how Jo finds the killer. Short and totally fun filled and Jo - the main character was well-etched.
Jo works in her aunt's coffee shop and a man there is killed. It seems like Jo served the killer a coffee and the story goes on about how Jo finds the killer. Short and totally fun filled and Jo - the main character was well-etched.
May 15, 2022
This was a quick, easy read. The story was thought out well and was well written. I do still find some of the details are a little unbelievable, but I guess you can only fit so much into a short story.
March 31, 2024
Cup of Coffee
When a cup of coffee is used in a murder in the men's restroom, the server helps the police find the killer.
A cute little story that flows well. Great for reading at the doctor's while you wait to be called.
When a cup of coffee is used in a murder in the men's restroom, the server helps the police find the killer.
A cute little story that flows well. Great for reading at the doctor's while you wait to be called.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews