Espresso Shot: 10/31/18

Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle is the seventh in the Coffeehouse mystery series. Ex-husband Mateo is getting married and Clare's been hired to design gourmet coffee and dessert spread for the reception. It becomes acutely apparent that someone wants to hurt Breanne before her wedding when a dancer who looked just like her is shot down just outside the Village Blend.

Since the intended victim is Breanne, Clare ends up having to learn more about Mateo's fiancé. That means a closer look into the world of fashion reporting. With a New York setting, it's hard not to compare Breanne's empire to Mode Magazine in Ugly Betty.

Breanne's attitude ends up explained through the hard work she had to put into making a name for herself. She ends up being one of those people who had made a lot of enemies over the years. With her wedding being such a public thing there's more than one person wishing her ill. Imagine if you will, The Trouble with Harry except that Harry lives.

The actual murder mystery is buried in all these other hostile red herrings. The clues are there for the observant reader. I figured it out, though did try a couple different ways to tie the A plot into a more complex one with the many B plots. Eventually though it became obvious that it was a straightforward plot buried in less obvious ones.

That said, I enjoyed this book. Wedding plots often make me cringe but this one was fun.

The next book in the series is Holiday Grind.

Five stars

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