On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Cleo Coyle (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 2, 2003

Book #1 in New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery series...

"The perfect cup of coffee is a mystifying thing. To many of my customers, the entire process seems like some sort of alchemy they dare not try at home...."

Ten years ago, Clare Cosi left an unhappy marriage along with a job she loved: managing the historic Village Blend coffeehouse in New York's Greenwich Village. For a decade, she was happy raising her daughter in the quiet suburbs of New Jersey; but now that Joy is grown and gone, life has gotten way too quiet for Clare. With a little cajoling from Madame, the Blend's flamboyant, elderly owner, Clare agrees to return to her old job, and right from the start she gets one heck of a jolt. On her first morning back as Village Blend manager, Clare unlocks the front door to find her beautiful, young assistant manager unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere. As Anabelle is rushed to the hospital, police arrive to investigate, but Detective Mike Quinn finds no sign of forced entry or foul play, and he deems it an accident. Clare disagrees; and after Quinn leaves, there are a few questions she just can't get out of her mind, like why was the trash bin in the wrong place? If this wasn't an accident, are her other baristas in danger? And are all NYPD detectives this attractive?

Editorial Reviews

Review

#1 Paperback Bestseller, September 2003 -- Independent Mystery Booksellers Association

A great beginning to a new series...Clare is a well-conceived character...and [her] investigation is very methodical. A fast, one-sitting read... -- The Mystery Reader

A hilarious blend of amateur detecting with some romance thrown in the mix...I can't wait to read the [entire] series. -- Cozy Library

The setting is wonderful...Clare is a character [who is] honest but never brutal and her intelligence is what shines through. -- Cozies, Capers & Crimes

From the Publisher

Introducing a delightful new series featuring Clare Cosi, manager of the landmark Village Blend coffeehouse...

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; a edition (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042519213X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425192139
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (145 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Visit Cleo Coyle at her *virtual* coffeehouse: www.CoffeehouseMystery.com where she posts coffee picks, bonus recipes, and maintains a message board.

CLEO COYLE grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning scholarships to study writing at Carnegie Mellon and American Universities, she began her career as a cub reporter for The New York Times. Now an author of popular fiction and New York Times bestselling media tie-in writer, Cleo lives and works in New York City, where she collaborates with her husband (also a bestselling author) to pen the Coffeehouse Mysteries for Penguin. Together Cleo and her husband also write the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries under the name Alice Kimberly. When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, Cleo and Marc are bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, and MGM. In their spare time they cook like crazy and drink a lot of java. You can learn more about Cleo, her husband, and the books they write by visiting www.CoffeehouseMystery.com. Scroll down the left column of the site's Home Page and you will see links to a number of online interviews that Cleo has given.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

192 of 201 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Start to An Exciting New Mystery Series May 11, 2004

By Erika Sorocco

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Ten years ago, at the age of twenty-nine, Clare Cosi used to manage the historic Village Blend located in the heart of Greenwich Village, New York, when she left to pursue a life in suburbia where she could raise her daughter. Now, at the age of thirty-nine, she's decided that the slow pace of New Jersey is beginning to bore her, so when she gets a call from Madame (the owner of the Village Blend) to come back as manager, Clare jumps at the chance. However, as she and her cat Java make their way into the Blend, Clare is startled to find Anabelle, the Village Blend's assistant manager, sprawled on the floor, unconscious, surrounded by coffee grounds. When the police arrive, they feel that it was nothing more than an accident, as there is no sign of forced entry, or a struggle, but Clare feels differently. Now she's on the case to find out who had it in bad enough to hurt Anabelle, before the Blend is sued for everything they have.

First off, let me say, I am NOT a coffee drinker. In fact, I can't even stand the taste or smell of the stuff. However, I adored this mystery. It was interesting to read about all of the preparations that you have to go through to make a great cup of coffee, and Cleo Coyle informed us in ON WHAT GROUNDS in a very fun way. Clare is a fun character, who is spunky and nosy, and will capture the hearts of cozy mystery lovers everywhere. Her outlook on life that coffee makes any problem better is hilarious, as are the various quotes about coffee scattered throughout the book. The bottom line: Whether you're a coffee lover or not, you'll love this story. I can't wait for the next one, THROUGH THE GRINDER. Oh, and for those who do love coffee, there are various recipes in the back of the book for different coffees and desserts.

Erika Sorocco

83 of 89 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Been there.... February 14, 2005

By Reader

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Gotta say, I live in Greenwich Village and used to work at St. Vincent's Hospital (where the victim in the book is sent) and I l-o-v-e-d this book. I could really relate to the details, although I can't yet figure out if/where the coffee shop is modeled after here in NY. I don't even know if we have any such places anymore now the Starbucks is here, too.

Personally, I loved the coffee-trivia even though some other reviewers complained; I like cosies where you learn something.

The plot was good, many different possibilities as the killer and some good "relationship" issues going on.

The only problem is, I've been yearning for a GOOD cuppa since I finished the book (in a day -quick read)!!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Clare- My "Cup of Coffee" December 7, 2004

By K. G. Buchanan

Format:Mass Market Paperback

From the start of this book, the reader is cheering Clare on as she stumbles into a life that she left a decade before. She is intelligent and has the interesting situation of having to decide between two men- her exhusband Matt or Dect. Quinn.

Not only is this a mystery that keeps you guessing, it has profound passages and reflections about life, September 11th, and living in New York.

If you like coffee, make yourself a pot because this book will keep you up late reading.

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars On What Grounds April 17, 2006

By D. Schryver

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I picked up this book because coffee and mystery seemed such a great combo as I love them both. I was not disappointed. Our main character Clare has found herself back managing The Village Blend, an historic coffeeshop in Manhattan. What she finds upon returning, however, is an attack on an employee; her ex husband living in her apartment; and a cute detective on the case. Since the police seem to be under the impression this attack was just a workplace accident, Clare is determined to solve the case herself.

I thought this was a great little mystery with a lot of good coffee tips as well. It flowed quite nicely, and was a quick read. I look forward to continuing with this series.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Savor the flavor... August 2, 2006

By Big_Jackie

Format:Mass Market Paperback

(Note: If you don't like coffee, then give this four stars instead of five, because you'll learn a lot about coffee in this book. But don't let the series theme dissuade you from reading this first-rate cozy mystery. I know a tea drinker who loves Ms. Coyle as much as I do.)

My frequent trips to the coffeehouse (be it latte, coffee of the day, or blended drink) have been a part of my life for years. Some people enjoy a glass of wine, a mug of beer, a ciggy...I indulge too...in that premium cuppa o' coffeehouse coffee, so sue me for taking an hour every so often to sit and watch the world go by.

Because of my love of the joe, I was giddy to find a mystery series set in an urban coffeehouse (in this case Greenwich Village, New York). This is the first book in the series (my edition says the paperback hit the #1 best-selling position on the Independent Mystery Booksellers list)...and I can see why.

This is a not only a clever, well-constructed mystery, it is delightful reading as fiction, mainly because the characterizations are so well drawn. Clare and the people in her life are much less shallow and more deeply realized than a lot of the cozy mysteries out there.

The reading is quick (in one sitting, easily) but it's not insubstantial by any stretch. I missed the characters (major and minor, including Esther and Tucker) when the last page was turned and I thought, thank heaven there are other books in the series.

The basic plotline: Clare Cosi loved her time managing the Village Blend Coffee house but was weary of her husband cheating on her. She divorced him and moved with her daughter to the New Jersey suburbs.

Now Joy is over eighteen, enrolled in chef's school in New York City.... It gives Clare the perfect excuse to leave New Jersey once more and move back into Manhattan.

Enter: The owner of the village Blend, who also happens to be Clare's ex-mother-in law, a grand elderly lady with French origins (Madame Dreyfus Allegro-Dubois).

Madame offers Clare the job of managing the coffeehouse once again for her. And this time she is offered a deal where she will eventually co-own the coffeehouse. Clare takes the deal...and on the day she moves into the duplex above the city coffeehouse, she finds the body of Anabelle, the assistant manager, unconscious at the bottom of the basement stairs.

After Anabelle Hart is rushed to the hospital, the police take a look around the premises and believe Anabelle had an accident. Clare thinks she met with foul play based on the fact that the garbage can is out of place and coffee grinds are on the floor.

Clare has a wonderful sleuthing soul and a stubborn nature and starts making inquiries of people close to Anabelle. By the end, Clare has grilled a number of intriguing suspects around New York City (and the settings are wonderfully described). Eventually, she gets so close to solving the crime, Clare herself find she's on the wrong end of a gun!

The writing is clever and witty yet not so light that the characters don't stay with you after the last page is turned. I couldn't wait to read another in this series.

Clare's mother-in-law playing matchmaker makes for some humorous moments too--she really wants Clare to get back together with her son, even if she has to trick them into sharing the same living space.

The two-ex-spouses (Clear and her ex-husband Matt) end up hooking up in the sleuthing and they make an entertaining team. Since they've got so much history and know each other so well, there's a lot of funny bickering. It really does makes for some hilarious moments. At the same time, there are many touching moments, the ending is a page-turner and I was truly shocked by the revelation of the real killer.

As another reviewer has already said...Cleo Coyle is a bright new light in the mystery horizon. Read more ›