Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
by Lena Gregory
About Rocky Road to Murder
Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher : Gemma Halliday Publishing (July 1, 2025)
Number of Pages – 222
Paperback : ISBN-13 : 979-8288239274
Digital ASIN : B0F7MV3JW5
From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty summer murder mystery…
Danika Delaney is thrilled that her old fashioned malt shop, the Coffee & Cream Café, has gotten a catering contract for the biggest party of the season, the Rutherford Manor Fourth of July gala. She’ll be providing desserts for the party as well as attending the exclusive event on Eastern Long Island.
However her path to the gala quickly becomes a rocky road…
Dani arrives at the event, only to find the gala’s hostess, Cressida Rutherford, dead! What’s worse, one of Dani’s signature parfaits sits next to the dead woman, with what looks like peanuts in it—a food Cressida is severely allergic to. Amid the melted ice cream mess, Dani initially blames herself, thinking she made a mistake while rushing with the desserts. However she quickly learns that what appeared to be an accident was actually foul play, and suddenly Dani has to spring into action proving that she isn’t the perpetrator. Along with her friends, Dani uncovers a string of people in Cressida’s life who might have wanted the socialite dead. Can she prove her innocence and make sure the killer gets their just desserts?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Independence Day has arrived in Watchogue, New York, and the biggest party will be at Rutherford Manor. Cressida Rutherford has asked Danika Delaney and her staff at the Coffee & Cream Café to cater desserts for all the guests. The cherry on top is that she will get to attend the exciting event, after she attends a mandatory dinner with her family, where she is also in charge of dessert.
By the time she arrives at Rutherford Manor, the party is in full swing. There is only one problem. The hostess of the grand affair is dead. And one of Danika’s dessert parfaits is near her body. And it appears to have peanuts in it. Dani was informed that Cressida was extremely allergic to the legume, and no desserts for the party were to contain peanuts. She thought she and her staff were so careful in the preparations.
Could someone have tampered with her ice cream parfaits? Who would have done such a terrible thing? Dani’s boyfriend, Detective Jake Barlow, isn’t going to like it, but she and her friends are determined to find out who killed Cressida Rutherford and why. Otherwise, it could be a rocky road for Dani and her Coffee & Cream Café. She needs to stay one scoop ahead of the killer to soft serve them up for Jake and Officer Marty.
Ms. Gregory’s characters continue to develop and shine in the latest Coffee & Cream Café Mystery, Rocky Road to Murder. Danika Delany is a fun protagonist who finds herself involved in a lot of murder investigations in addition to serving coffee and ice cream. Taking over her Uncle Jimmie’s ice cream shop was a great move. Summer is a busy time, but taking catering jobs can only improve her bottom line, unless there is a murder attached to one of her desserts. Thankfully, Jimmie and his best friend Harry are at the cafe more often than not to step in when she needs to do a little sleuthing. Her part-time barista, Eli, has some special talents that may or may not be legal, which can help her get the information she needs. Her best friend, Gwen, is ready to help in any way she can, be it attending the gala with Dani, rearranging her schedule to help at the cafe, or chasing down clues and suspects with her bestie. Dani’s sister, Meghan, “the golden child”, also lends a hand when she can. Now that she and Eli are an item, she seems to be around a lot more. Jake, oh Jake. He knows Dani isn’t going to sit idly by, no matter how much he begs her to leave the investigating to him. They really do make a cute couple. The rest of Dani and Meghan’s family are crazy and quirky in their own ways. Sunday dinners are wild even when they are not on Sunday.
The author has plotted out another intriguing mystery with an abundance of suspects. Eli uses his techy skills to obtain information on several of them, which sends them off chasing new clues. When Dani learns she may have set some bad things in motion for removing something that could be evidence, the case takes a huge, scary turn. An open door sets up a hair-raising scene where all the players are revealed. Our quick-thinking amateur sleuth sets off an awesome diversion that leads to a glorious takedown.
I enjoy the way Ms. Gregory twists humor into the story in all the right places. Aunt Miriam never disappoints, but this time it was paddleboard yoga that had me laughing out loud. After the five previous books, we know Danika Delaney is not the most coordinated person, but she is willing to take one for the team to get the information they need. Water, a group of experienced paddleboard yoga enthusiasts, a paddleboard, and Dani. Oh my stars!
Rocky Road to Murder has everything I love about cozy mysteries: a tight-knit group of friends, a kooky family, a nice town, a perplexing mystery, and ICE CREAM! I highly recommend this book and the entire series! They are perfect Summer reads!
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 and Gemma Halliday Publishing for providing me with an ARC.
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About Lena Gregory
Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.
Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Author Links
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Purchase Links –
Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Kobo
Find all of Lena Gregory’s books HERE.
Great Escapes Praise for Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
by Lena Gregory
Scoops of delicious fun sprinkled with a few thrills and dollops of romance make ROCKY ROAD TO MURDER a spectacularly scrumptious mystery.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a read that lifts your heart while keeping you absorbed in a compelling mystery, then Rocky Road to Murder is the book for you!
~Reading is my Superpower
Cozy details, a sparkly warm setting, and a layered mystery make this a must-read. Five scoops of ice cream (or stars!).
~Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books
I highly recommend Rocky Road to Murder for its outstanding characters, witty dialog, fun setting, and intriguing mystery! 5 Huge stars!
~Christy’s Cozy Corners
This is a lively, fast-paced read. The dialogue adds a lot to the storytelling, and there is a funny scene at a paddleboarding yoga session. I recommend Rocky Road to Murder – and the Coffee & Cream Cafe Mysteries – for other cozy mystery fans!
~View from the Birdhouse
From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty summer murder mystery…I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted cozy mystery. I really liked this book. 5 STARS
~MJB Reviewers
I loved every single page of this book, from the characters, the setting, the mystery, and the author’s writing style. I found myself totally immersed in every facet of Rocky Road to Murder. The pacing was perfect, and once I started the book, I just couldn’t put it down.
~Sapphyria’s Books
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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.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
