Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am happy to share my thoughts today about Death Unfiltered (A Ground Rules Mystery) by Emmeline Duncan!
Death Unfiltered (A Ground Rules Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Oregon
Publisher : Kensington Cozies (March 26, 2024)
Paperback : 256 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496744896
ISBN-13 : 978-1496744890
Kindle ASIN : B0C9VXMQ4X
Ground Rules isn’t the only newcomer set to open in Portland’s grand new Button Building. Fortunately, most of the fellow micro-restaurant owners and patrons are great—with two exceptions. There’s Rose, a true-crime podcaster and active TikToker who’s pestering Sage for an interview about her estranged con-artist mother; and Bianca, the familiar and perpetually unpleasant owner of Breakfast Bandits. Bianca is abrasive to everyone, so Sage doesn’t feel singled out. . . . Until Bianca falls dead at the building’s grand opening—a to-go cup of Ground Rules coffee in her hand. Laced with Ketamine, also known as Special K.
It doesn’t help that just before she collapsed, Bianca was publicly rude to Sage. Or that Bianca’s boyfriend points the police toward Sage. Or that Rose, still hung up on investigating Sage’s mom, has declared she’ll solve the murder. Now it will be up to Sage to sift through a complex blend of motives, blackmail, and old and new rivalries to get to the truth of a very bitter brew . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Grounds Rules and several micro-restaurants are counting the days to their grand openings at the fantastic new Button Building. With its unique octagon footprint, each business has an opening to the street and a door to a communal covered courtyard. Sage is excited to have a brick-and-mortar shop in addition to their food carts and roastery. Her mood is brought down though by true-crime podcaster and TikToker, Rose. Her latest podcast series focuses on Sage’s con-artist mother and she wants Sage to sit for an interviewer. Also, Bianca who owns Breakfast Bandits seems to have a bug up her butt about something. She is picking fights with everyone including Sage.
Two weeks later the Button Building’s grand opening is a go until Bianca collapses and dies in the common area with a Ground Rules coffee cup in her hand. They soon learn her coffee was spiked with Special K (Ketamine). Sadly, that puts Sage and her new employees in the hot seat. Who tampered with Bianca’s coffee? Sage knows there are plenty of suspects other than her. She gets help with her investigation from a surprising individual, Rose, the podcaster. Can they sort through the clues to find the killer who brewed up this murder? Or has Sage poured her last cappuccino?
I am so happy that Sage’s dream of having a brick-and-mortar shop has come true. Her boyfriend Bax has a big event of his own. The new video game that Sage played a huge role in is almost ready to be released. I love that they found time to be together no matter how busy their schedules were. We meet two new baristas and catch up with those we have met previously. Harley spends most of her time at the roastery with Sage’s dad or making deliveries. The new store is Sage’s baby. Podcaster Rose digging into Sage’s mother’s past was difficult for her but it brought to light things she had forgotten or didn’t know. This thread has been a subplot in every book in this series but in Death Unfiltered it gets intense when part of that past finds its way to Ground Rules and knocks Sage for a loop. The core cast of characters continues to develop nicely. The new characters were interesting and had a purpose in the story.
The Button Building is a cool place and Ms. Duncan’s description of it made it and every place we traveled with Sage so easy to visualize. She really drops her readers into each scene making her stories so much fun to read.
The author twisted the murder mystery together with Sage’s daily happenings and her mother’s past with an expert hand. The story was very well-plotted and written. I was especially drawn to Sage’s history with her mother and learning about her victims. I am intrigued to see that storyline continue. The mystery was complicated and I think I fell for a red herring because I had brewed on the whodunit and picked a person only when all was revealed I was wrong. I love when that happens! That was not the only surprise, the ending included a shocker.
Death Unfiltered kept me on my toes with a complicated mystery, fun and intriguing subplots, and genuine characters. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for her characters next. Each book builds from the last so I recommend you read the series from the start in order.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas.
About the Author
Emmeline Duncan is a mystery writer based out of Portland, Oregon. Her novels include the Ground Rules series, starting with 2021’s Fresh Brewed Murder
Emmeline also writes YA novels as Kelly Garrett. Her debut YA, The Last To Die
Emmeline/Kelly is a board member of the Northwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America and co-organizes Friends of Mystery’s Bloody Thursday lecture series. She’s also a member of Sisters-In-Crime, Willamette Writers, and SCBWI.
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram –
Thanks to the publisher I have 1 ARC copy of
Death Unfilteted to give away!
The 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 Following My Facebook Fan Page.
Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads
for 3 Bonus Entries.
Follow Kensington Books on Twitter for 2 Bonus Entries!
LIKE Kensington Publishing on Facebook for 2 Bonus Entries!
Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.
If you share the giveaway on Threads, X, or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
The contest Will End June 12, 2024, at 11:59 PM CST
The winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
The Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
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.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”
Sounds like a good cozy.