Knight Brew (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – West Virginia
Publisher : WoodHaven Press (November 11, 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 190 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8987556979
Kindle ASIN : B0DMST6FZM
Book Nine in the RWA Daphne Award-winning series!
Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.
The Barks & Beans booth at the Renaissance Faire is hopping, since Macy managed to talk her muscled redhead brother into donning a kilt for the occasion. Even better, Macy’s boyfriend Titan has come for a visit, so she can’t wait to peruse the shops and watch the shows with him.
But when a well-rehearsed joust takes a fatal turn, Macy becomes a key witness. Can she believe her eyes, or did someone cloak their ruthless intent with smoke and mirrors? A late night stakeout seems the only way to determine what really happened…but someone scarier than the plague doctor is lying in wait for Macy, and this time, the damsel might not find a way out of her distress.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The Barks & Beans Cafe is taking its delicious coffee drinks on the road to a booth at a Renaissance Faire. The pooches are not tagging along but Macy has flyers to promote the shelter and the dogs that visit the cafe. Macy has even talked her hunky brother into wearing traditional Scottish garb and her boyfriend Titan arrives in costume too. She will be wearing a Viking dress.
One of the biggest events at the faire are the jousting matches. But one goes terribly awry when one of the knights doesn’t survive. Macy saw it with her own eyes but she can’t explain it. When she learns the cause of death, she tries to remember everything she saw at the arena. Did she see the murderer? Titan and Bo don’t want her involved in another investigation but what trouble could she get into doing a teensy weensy late-night stakeout?
I have to say I love these characters. Siblings Bo and Macy Hatfield and their significant others Summer Adkins and Titan McCoy are such good genuine people. Their relationships are blooming at a natural pace. Their pets are absolutely adorable – Macy’s Great Dane, Coal, who she dressed up as a dragon for his visit to the fair, Bo’s kitty, Stormy, and Vera’s dog Waffles. Vera lives next door to Macy and the cafe and she has her fingers on the pulse of the community and sits on her porch to keep an eye on everyone too. I always open a book in this series with a smile because it truly is like catching up with old friends.
Now the murder at the Ren Faire was a complex one with several suspects including someone who works at The Barks & Beans Cafe. The victim was a dastardly individual. Macy knows her talents, people open up to her better than they do to police but she has to be careful not to push too hard. With the end of the faire near Macy took a very frightening risk and I truly was at the edge of my seat trying to see where the author was going in that scene but she’s a pro, the moments didn’t last too long and she kept the drama in the cozy realm.
A subplot had Macy nervous about meeting Titan’s family, especially his Granny McCoy. The introduction happened in the final chapter and all I can say is I can’t wait for Book 10.
Huzzah! Heather Day Gilbert has served up another stellar cozy mystery in Knight Brew. It is another Perfect Escape!
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About the Author
HEATHER DAY GILBERT, an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries with unpredictable twists, much like the Agatha Christie books she read growing up. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love. Find out more at heatherdaygilbert.com.
Author Links
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The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
Book 4: Spilled Milk
Book 5: Trouble Brewing
Book 6: Cold Drip
Book 7: Roast Date
Book 8: Shade Grown
Book 9: Knight Brew
Standalone Novella: House Blend
Find all of Heather Day Gilbert’s books HERE.
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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.”