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callmecat's review
4.0
I haven't read any of the other books but it wasn't hard to jump right in. The main character of this book probably gets compared to Nancy Drew a lot but even though that occurred to me I disagreed with the idea. Sure, she's a female, civilian sleuth but that's where the comparison ends.
I really enjoyed the character's love and knowledge of cooking. I'm not really a cook myself but I'm learning. Maybe I'll try some of the recipes in this book! (I don't mind that they're incomplete in my copy) I think it's really cool that the author included them so that we can do that!
I didn't solve the mystery myself. That both vexes and pleases me. I'm not usually as hung up on a certain suspect as detectives tend to be, and therefore I figure it out before them, but this time... What can I say? I guess I agreed with the main character too much or was just too into reading to stop and think about it. But that's making excuses. So I'll just stop and give the author some credit for writing a good one.
I don't want to give anything away but there are some character deaths in this book. That surprised me. I guess I'm not used to that. But I think it's great that the author went that far. And it's realistic. I mean, people die. They should die in books too.
If I have one complaint about this book it's the fact that the main character is ALWAYS talking about her ex-husband. It was unnecessary explanation, even for someone who hasn't read the other books. I wanted to know the story but once I did it didn't need to be referenced again and again. It wasn't essential to the plot-line and it was just so, so annoying after a while. Shut up about your ex, already. Move the heck on! So obnoxious!
And I want to meet her daughter. I wish there had been one scene where she talked to her daughter instead of just talking about her. How much time does this book cover? In all that time, she never talked to her daughter once? Not even a text or an email? Oh well. It wasn't essential to the plot-line either. But her daughter was brought up enough (and not in an annoying way) that I feel like I missed out. Heh heh. ^^"
And I loved the painter who owned the other shop. Aww. I really did. The ending regarding him was nice too. :)
I really enjoyed the character's love and knowledge of cooking. I'm not really a cook myself but I'm learning. Maybe I'll try some of the recipes in this book! (I don't mind that they're incomplete in my copy) I think it's really cool that the author included them so that we can do that!
I didn't solve the mystery myself. That both vexes and pleases me. I'm not usually as hung up on a certain suspect as detectives tend to be, and therefore I figure it out before them, but this time... What can I say? I guess I agreed with the main character too much or was just too into reading to stop and think about it. But that's making excuses. So I'll just stop and give the author some credit for writing a good one.
I don't want to give anything away but there are some character deaths in this book. That surprised me. I guess I'm not used to that. But I think it's great that the author went that far. And it's realistic. I mean, people die. They should die in books too.
If I have one complaint about this book it's the fact that the main character is ALWAYS talking about her ex-husband. It was unnecessary explanation, even for someone who hasn't read the other books. I wanted to know the story but once I did it didn't need to be referenced again and again. It wasn't essential to the plot-line and it was just so, so annoying after a while. Shut up about your ex, already. Move the heck on! So obnoxious!
And I want to meet her daughter. I wish there had been one scene where she talked to her daughter instead of just talking about her. How much time does this book cover? In all that time, she never talked to her daughter once? Not even a text or an email? Oh well. It wasn't essential to the plot-line either. But her daughter was brought up enough (and not in an annoying way) that I feel like I missed out. Heh heh. ^^"
And I loved the painter who owned the other shop. Aww. I really did. The ending regarding him was nice too. :)
cheesygiraffe's review
4.0
Oh la la! Coffee and firefighters! What's not to love? Except maybe Mike's cousin who happens to have the same name but is a firefighter instead. He's also a womanizer. Mystery was great and the characters get better and better.
melinda1962's review against another edition
5.0
My favourite of the series so far. This book brought New York’s finest together with it’s bravest. Hot cops and firemen. Also Mike’s cousin and their animosity towards each other brought on a new level to Mike and Clare’s relationship.
machadofam8's review
4.0
These books just keep getting better! I loved how this one branched out into Queens and Brooklyn.
marlynb's review
4.0
Claire Cosi is back in the ninth Coffeehouse Mystery. Having promised to take her ex-mother-in-law (affectionately known as "Madame") to visit an old friend. Enzo Testa, himself the proprietor of a cafe, has offered the Village Blend an antique coffee roaster. While in the basement checking out the roaster, Claire gets a call from one of her baristas and runs upstairs to let him in. As she closes the door behind Dante, she inadvertently sets off a bomb.
Luckily, there's a fire station just down the street, so firefighters arrive within minutes. But Dante is hurt, and Madame and Enzo are trapped downstairs. The building is lost, but Claire and her friends survive. The next day they find out that another coffeehouse was burned down at almost the same time.
Is someone targeting the coffeehouses in New York? And is the Village Blend on the arsonist's list? Claire is determined to solve the puzzle before anything happens to her beloved shop.
Many of the Village Blend "gang" appear, including Claire's ex-husband Matt and her current
flame Detective Mike Quinn.
Many series lose steam after so many installments, but all the volumes of this one have been consistently good. The plots remain interesting and the characters develop in believable ways.
Luckily, there's a fire station just down the street, so firefighters arrive within minutes. But Dante is hurt, and Madame and Enzo are trapped downstairs. The building is lost, but Claire and her friends survive. The next day they find out that another coffeehouse was burned down at almost the same time.
Is someone targeting the coffeehouses in New York? And is the Village Blend on the arsonist's list? Claire is determined to solve the puzzle before anything happens to her beloved shop.
Many of the Village Blend "gang" appear, including Claire's ex-husband Matt and her current
flame Detective Mike Quinn.
Many series lose steam after so many installments, but all the volumes of this one have been consistently good. The plots remain interesting and the characters develop in believable ways.
rebelbelle13's review against another edition
4.0
This installment of the Coffeehouse Mysteries was fun, engaging, full of characters, and the plot never stalled like it does in some cozies. Normally I'm not interested in mysteries with arsonist plots, but Coyle kept the focus on the victims, the FDNY and the mystery itself, which made me want to keep reading to find out what happened next. There were plenty of red herrings to the point I was sure I knew who the perpetrator was, only to have my theory wrong 2/3 of the way through the story. There were quite a few people with the motive and opportunity to set the fires, but it just came down to who the author decided was the villain. We get the typical bad guy monologue at the end (which, let's be honest, it's a staple at this point) and the nice comfortable wrapping up of all loose ends. Sure, it's unrealistic, but it's a cozy mystery. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you can relax and enjoy a title like this for what it is.
One thing I'm really liking as the series goes on is Clare's relationship with her ex-husband Matteo. Now that he's in his second marriage, there's hardly any awkwardness or fighting between them, and they act more like a team than enemies who have to work together. There's also no jealousy from Quinn, Clare's boyfriend. It's refreshing. Joy is noticeably absent from this novel, which is also much appreciated, as when she is part of the story Clare just dotes on her like a big lovesick puppy and can't think or do much else.
All in all, I appreciated all the characters, the twists and turns, the relationships, and even the ending. Looking forward to the next one!
One thing I'm really liking as the series goes on is Clare's relationship with her ex-husband Matteo. Now that he's in his second marriage, there's hardly any awkwardness or fighting between them, and they act more like a team than enemies who have to work together. There's also no jealousy from Quinn, Clare's boyfriend. It's refreshing. Joy is noticeably absent from this novel, which is also much appreciated, as when she is part of the story Clare just dotes on her like a big lovesick puppy and can't think or do much else.
All in all, I appreciated all the characters, the twists and turns, the relationships, and even the ending. Looking forward to the next one!
git_r_read's review
5.0
Smokin'! This is the best Coffeehouse/Clare Cosi yet! Most times a series will start to head south with nine on the shelves, but not this one. Each book is better than the last.
The mixture of the coffeehouses being torched brings Clare into the picture with credibility, which not all cozies can do with any sense of veracity. My favorites are the ones that do it in aces, and this one does it nicely roasted spades.
Okay, enough of the playing card euphemisms...
I liked seeing plenty of Clare and Mike's growing relationship as much as I liked seeing how well Clare gets along with Matt, her ex-husband and still business partner..and friend. They help each other out and the tension seems to have dissipated that was always near the surface in past books. Probably helped that Breanna, Matt's current fashionista wife, wasn't in the book except as honorable mention. Don't like her...there..it's said...
Learning more of Mike's past was enlightening. There is a rivalry between Mike Quinn the cop and his cousin Michael Quinn the firefighter, a rivalry in all things, including the attentions of Clare.
Defnitely plenty of twists and turns through the story and the 'Whaaaa..?!' moments were priceless and believable.
I was honored to have an email from Cleo Coyle not long ago asking if I'd like an advanced copy of ROAST MORTEM before it comes out on 3 Aug 2010. I emailed right back with a very composed, "Yes,yes,yes,yes...please!!" Okay, I was a wee bit giddy....sigh...there it is...
Five the girl is giddy and the book is smokin' fab beans and five diamonds to go with....
The mixture of the coffeehouses being torched brings Clare into the picture with credibility, which not all cozies can do with any sense of veracity. My favorites are the ones that do it in aces, and this one does it nicely roasted spades.
Okay, enough of the playing card euphemisms...
I liked seeing plenty of Clare and Mike's growing relationship as much as I liked seeing how well Clare gets along with Matt, her ex-husband and still business partner..and friend. They help each other out and the tension seems to have dissipated that was always near the surface in past books. Probably helped that Breanna, Matt's current fashionista wife, wasn't in the book except as honorable mention. Don't like her...there..it's said...
Learning more of Mike's past was enlightening. There is a rivalry between Mike Quinn the cop and his cousin Michael Quinn the firefighter, a rivalry in all things, including the attentions of Clare.
Defnitely plenty of twists and turns through the story and the 'Whaaaa..?!' moments were priceless and believable.
I was honored to have an email from Cleo Coyle not long ago asking if I'd like an advanced copy of ROAST MORTEM before it comes out on 3 Aug 2010. I emailed right back with a very composed, "Yes,yes,yes,yes...please!!" Okay, I was a wee bit giddy....sigh...there it is...
Five the girl is giddy and the book is smokin' fab beans and five diamonds to go with....
karen_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
lakecake's review
4.0
This started out kinda slow for me, but picked up toward the end. I like that it had both a compelling mystery plot and good development for Clare in her personal life.