Review: Death by Dark Roast

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, British

4****

Blurb: The annual Charleton House Food Festival is about to begin. But the first item on the menu is murder… Nestled in the idyllic setting of Derbyshire’s rolling hills, the ancestral home of the Fitzwilliam-Scott family seems an unlikely location for murder. But when a young man is bludgeoned to death with the portafilter of a coffee machine, recent thefts from local stately homes are put in the shade, and caffeine-loving café manager Sophie Lockwood finds her interest piqued by a pair of unusual cases. Who would want to brutally murder a gentle giant of a man? And why would a thief, with an endless treasure trove to choose from, make off with a bowl from Charleton House that only has sentimental value? Enlisting the help of her charismatic and eccentric colleagues, including quick-witted tour guide Mark, Sophie sets off to extract inside information from Detective Constable Joe Greene in return for a generous supply of chocolate croissants. But just as Sophie finds her suspicions falling on a likely suspect, a trail of coffee beans leads to a shocking revelation that turns her caffeine-fuelled investigation on its head. Fans of T E Kinsey and M C Beaton will love Death By Dark Roast. Join Sophie and the Charleton House team for a festival of coffee, cake and crime.

THOUGHTS: this was a very British cozy mystery set in a Duke’s “castle”. During a food festival held on the grounds of the estate, there is a theft, and a murder. Sophie is the manager of the three cafes on the grounds and is a coffee addict. There are two competing coffee companies in attendance. Sophie’s preference is the one run by two sisters. But when one of the men in the other mobile unit is found murdered, they become suspects—as well as several other people. And Sophie is determined to figure out who did it.

This is a good start to the series. There are plenty of twists and turns and a satisfying ending.

Recommended.