Decaffeinated Corpse: 09/05/18

Decaffeinated Corpse by Cleo Coyle is the fifth of the Coffeehouse mysteries. Clare Cosi finds herself and the village Blend in the middle of another mystery when a man tied to a decaffeinated coffee plant ends up dead. Her ex-husband and a friend of his are in the process of a new business venture that will use the beans from this plant.

Mixed into this particular mystery is the history of coffee and the science of removing the caffeine from it. There's also a long discussion of colonialism and environmentalism and just how bad coffee has been for the world and the global economy.

My one complaint with this book that the other books in the series haven't relied on, is the need for two big what-ifs. The first is the existence of a naturally caffeine free coffee plant. The second is the existence of a fictional Caribbean nation that can play with stereotypes without being overtly racist.

The mystery itself, though, involves a lot of derring do with Clare and Madame. There are some fun chases through New York and there are consequences for some of Clare's actions.

The sixth book is French Pressed.

Four stars

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