Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am so excited to have Cleo here today to tel you all about her new book!
Escape to Washington with Cleo Coyle and
Coffeehouse Mystery sleuth Clare Cosi #Giveaway, too!
What would you do if a handsome federal agent burst into your shop, offered you his hand, and told you: “Your life is in danger, and you must come away with me now, no questions asked.”
If you’re coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi, and the agent is decorated Detective Mike Quinn, on special assignment with the US Justice Department, you would take his hand and go.
A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare Cosi is a coffeehouse manager by day, a relentless snoop by night. Dead to the Last Drop marks her 15th adventure, and Marc and I are excited about taking her to our nation’s capital to solve a capital case—one that involves the disappearance of the President’s college-age daughter and the death of a suspicious State Department employee.
If you’re a newcomer to our series, you should have no trouble reading our latest mystery as a stand-alone book. Mike’s story and Clare’s intertwine, putting them both on the run as they attempt to find the President’s daughter, solve a puzzling murder, and remove themselves from two most-wanted lists.
The plot is an exciting escape in itself, but so is the setting. Many of the twists and turns were inspired by my own past experiences while living, studying, and working in Washington.
Now Marc and I invite you to escape with Clare to…
THE WHITE HOUSE
Clare makes two trips to this grand destination, one at the request of the First Lady, who shares a private lunch with her in the Diplomatic Reception Room, a magnificent oval-shaped space famously redecorated by Jacqueline Kennedy and historically used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his fireside chats.
GEORGETOWN
This picturesque Washington neighborhood boasts some of the finest examples of Federal period architecture in the country. Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Graham Bell, and John F. Kennedy are among the neighborhood’s past residents. As for our amateur sleuth, Clare lands a posh housesitting gig on “Cox’s Row” in a charming Georgetown mansion rumored to be part of the Underground Railroad.
THE SMITHSONIAN
A glittering black-tie party brings Clare to “America’s Attic,” the beloved nickname of our favorite Smithsonian museum, The National Museum of American History. That’s the scene depicted on the cover of Dead to the Last Drop, where Clare witnesses a fateful meeting in front of Dorothy’s famous ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, one of many fascinating exhibits that celebrate American culture, creativity, and cuisine. Yes, cuisine! As a master roaster and expert on the bean, Clare is even asked to contribute her ideas to one of the museum’s temporary exhibits, Coffee and the Presidency.
THE JAZZ SPACE
While this location in our mystery may be fictional, it’s based on an actual, legendary jazz club in DC called Blues Alley. The delectable menu of our fictional Jazz Space becomes an important plot point in Dead to the Last Drop. Check out the book’s appendix for more than 25 delicious recipes, including an outstanding version of Black Magic Cake with a chocolate frosting to die for. And watch for the opening of our virtual Jazz Space on the web.
There are many more fascinating locations in Dead to the Last Drop. Marc and I sincerely hope you will pick up the book for a great escape!
Thanks for dropping by today and thanks especially to Dollycas for being such a kind hostess. May you read (and eat) with joy!
~Cleo
Dead to the Last Drop:
A Coffeehouse Mystery
15th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Washington DC
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery (December 1, 2015)
In Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Hardcover: 432 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425276099
E-Book ASIN: B00U5LC1EM
After the White House asks coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi to consult on the coffee service for a Rose Garden Wedding, she discovers a historic pot was used as a CIA “dead drop” decades before. Now long-simmering secrets boil over, scalding Clare and the people around her…
Clare’s visit to the nation’s capital is off to a graceful start. Her octogenarian employer is bunking with her in a charming Georgetown mansion, and she’s invited to work with a respected curator on the Smithsonian’s culinary salute to coffee in America.
Unfortunately, Clare’s new Village Blend DC is struggling to earn a profit–until its second floor jazz club attracts a high-profile fan, the college-age daughter of the U.S. President. Clare’s stock rises as the First Lady befriends her, but she soon learns a stark lesson: Washington can be murder.
First a stylish State Department employee suspiciously collapses in her coffeehouse. Then the President’s daughter goes missing. Is she a runaway bride or is something more sinister in play? After another deadly twist, Clare is on the run with her NYPD detective boyfriend. Branded an enemy of the state, she must piece together clues and uncover the truth before her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness come to a bitter end.
Includes great American recipes!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This book is amazing to the last word!
Clare Cosi, Master Roaster Extraordinaire, has come to Washington D.C. to get Village Blend DC up on it’s feet. She struggles to get control of the kitchen from a chef with a very high opinion of himself and tries to find a way for the jazz club portion to make a profit. Enter a college student who plays like a dream. When Clare finds out the young lady is the daughter of the President she knows there may be an issue with her continuing to play at Village Blend but she never imagined the way things would spiral out of her control.
Brew a full pot of coffee and be prepared for an all-nighter when you start reading Dead to the Last Drop
Clare takes us all over DC, The White House, The Smithsonian, a beautiful mansion in Georgetown. She also travels around some less noteworthy parts of the area as she tries to solve the mysteries that have surrounded her.
This story is jam-packed with drama, action, and mayhem. It all happens at a pretty fast pace too. Intermixed with all the havoc is wonderful food and music. I could almost hear the band, smell the coffee and taste the glorious food.
Clare’s boyfriend, Detective Mike Quinn, is still working with the FBI in Washington. This is a good thing because they both need each other as things start to get crazy. Employees from New York come down to help with a major event and that includes Clare’s ex, Matt. We also meet some Washington elite, the First Family, and some of the White House staff. Again these characters leap off the pages.
If you are new to the series it is not too late to jump in, each story contains enough detail that will get you up to speed in no time. If you are already a fan you are probably waiting very impatiently for your pre-ordered copy to arrive. December 1 will be here soon. I will also add a book is a great holiday gift idea, coffee/cozy mystery buffs will love this story.
This story has earned my Paradise rating. Its contents are truly off the charts!
Cleo Coyle is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating over ten years in print. Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, DC, and New York, and has written young adult and children’s books. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, including the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries.
CLEO’S NEWSLETTER: Contests, recipes, news, fun facts and videos. To sign up, simply write an e-mail that says “sign me up” and send it to CoffeehouseMystery@gmail(dot)com You will receive a reply with links to past newsletters that include free recipes.
TITLE CHECKLIST: Get a free title checklist with mini summaries of all 15 Coffeehouse Mysteries. To download the list as a free PDF, click here.
CLEO COYLE GIVEAWAY!
* One autographed edition of Dead to the Last Drop
* 5 autographed Glossy Recipe Cards, and
* A large, two-toned, canvas Coffeehouse Mystery Tote Bag
I also have 2 Hardcover copies to give away thanks to the people at Penguin!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.
Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Leave a comment for Cleo for 5 Bonus Entries.
Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End December 2, 2015 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Click Here For Entry Form
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Sounds intriguing! Thanks for sharing!
Dead to the Last Drop sounds like an amazing read! Thank you for the giveaway.
Love the checklist! What a great idea for long running series.
Dead to the Last Drop sounds great . Love the check list , great idea
This is such a great series I always look forward to new books by this author
Love the contest and am eagerly awaiting the book.
This is such a great series and this newest one promises exciting twists. Can’t wait to read it.
This book looks really good. I love that there is a checklist for all of the titles in the series because now I’m curious about the other books as well.
Can’t wait to read your new book. Sounds like a good read for the winter.
Thanks for the great giveaway. It sounds like a book I would really enjoy.
Congratulations on the new book and the series! Thank you for this opportunity.
This would be an awesome win! Cleo/Alice always does such beautiful posts and this series is wonderful. Congratulations, on #15!
This is my most favorite series , I own them all on kindle and audiobook ! What a fantastic giveaway ! kathambre@yahoo.com
Congratulations! What a wonderful feature and giveaway. Many thanks.
I love this series.
Add your name to my list of must reads. Looking forward to reading your books.
So excited for this next one in the series!
Cleo Coyle’s books must be outstanding to have so many published. I would love to have the series to read. robeader53@yahoo.com
Your books sound good, along with a good dark cup of coffee and a slice of that chocolate cake!! Thanks for the opportunity!!!
LOVE this series!!!!!! Thanks for a chance to win.
I’ve read every one of the this series and love them! Especially Matt’s mother and her machinations, the interactions between Claire, Mike and Matt. I must confess to wishing Claire and Matt to get back together but that will never happen 🙁
These books just get better and better, and the posts are always fascinating. What a great giveaway, thanks!
It has been a very long time since I read the beginning of this series, so it would be almost brand new to me! Would love to read it and see Washington (and the good-looking guy) through your…oops, Clare’s eyes. What a treat, to even see Dorothy’s red shoes 🙂
Oh boy. A new cozy series and so many fun ones!
When you start a new book, do you have all the characters in place and an ending planned, or does it come to you as you write?
I love love love this series and can’t wait to read this one. Nothing better than enjoying a cup of coffee and reading this series
I LOVE THIS SERIES!! It helped to renew my passion for coffee. I got my French press out of the cupboard, went back to grinding beans, and spending delicious hours reading and drinking.
Thanks for all the work you do. Coffeehouse Mysteries is my favorite series.
Love this series. Sent email to brother about it, saying his daughter might enjoy it. He decided from my description that he wanted to read your books,
I’ve been collecting this series since the very first one. Can’t wait to read this!
Yay! Yay! Yay! Looking forward to reading this one! Also thank you for the great chance to win a copy!
I’m sure this is where I first met you Cleo (well, virtually met). Then I went into Powells and saw your books. Then I bought some, read them, and was hooked. Great to see you here again.
Of course, I didn’t win the first time around, so I don’t suppose I will now either. But Powells is still there.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I love this series! Thank you for this chance!
I love Cleo Coyle and her Coffehouse Mysteries!! I am currently reading Once Upon a Grind and then I will be all caught up just in time for this latest installment! Cleo and I share so much in common. I was born snd raised near Pittsburgh, PA…have also lived in Michigan…and now I’m in NY. Upstate, not NYC, but still love the city! Thanks for this giveaway!
Can’t wait to read this one! I love this series
The Coffeehouse books have to be my favorite books of all-time. Can’t wait til I get the new one. I also want to read the Bookshop series, but our library doesn’t seem to have them–so gotta wait until I can order them—Please keep writing the Coffeehouse books!!!
That cake looks to die for! So excited about this one!
The DC setting sounds like an interesting change. I look forward to reading it.
Cleo, This is one of my all time favorite series. I can’t wait to read it!
Love this series, and this new one sounds even better. Its nice to occasionally have a change a scenery. 🙂
I love the photos around Washington DC and the Smithsonian. I haven’t been back there since 1980. I always enjoyed visiting there.
Oh this sounds like just the thing to get me going for the holidays.
I can take a breather after turkey say, read Claire Cosi’s latest (and sound like the GREATEST) adventure yet.
I do t know HOW I wait so long between books.
I also don’t know HOW the authors write such wonderful, new every time, stiries.
But thank you Santa AND Cleo Coyle!
Thank you so much for the pdf of your books, Cleo! I have not read many of the series so I am so glad this one can stand on its own! Your pdf list will help me a lot when I go to a bookstore again. And the book sounds so good! Thanks, Lori, for your review!
I enjoy it when book locations are inspired by real locations. I have not read any in this series but want to because I believe mysteries and coffee houses just go together. Thanks Cleo and Lori for the giveaway! Cheers and happy Wednesday.
Congrats on the upcoming release of Dead to the Last Drop! Since this is a new series for me, I found the Coffeehouse Mysteries checklist very helpful. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Love this series, I have all of them so far except for this last one of course 🙂 can’t wait to read this one after i reread all the other ones first.
Wonderful giveaway, thank you for the chance!
I love the setting of this series.
I can not wait for this next read!
what are your young adult novels titles?
I love the Coffeehouse Mysteries. Cannot wait to get caught up with this new book!
Congratulations on another release of a good to the last drop book. Thank you for the opportunity to enter your giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com
Sounds perfect for me
I am always waiting for the next one! I love coffee because of this series!
Looking forward to reading your book. Sounds interesting.
I love the Coffeehouse Mysteries. I’ve read all of them and try to wait patiently for each new release. Can’t wait to read this new one.
scarletbegonia5858@gmail.com
Thanks for sharing this review! I’m always excited to read a new Cleo Coyle cozy! This one should be really different, taking place in Washington, DC. Thank you for the giveaway!
Can’t wait to read this book! Thanks for the great giveaway!
I LOVE this series. Each book has been so fun and entertaining to read. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. Thanks for the giveaway! eeyore722 (at) gmail (dot) com