Fresh Brewed Murder

Grab your glass pour-over carafe, put in a Kalita wave filter, grind up your coffee, add exactly 21 grams of Fair Trade single-origin beans and gently, in circular motions, pour 375 grams of 200 degrees Fahrenheit water over the beans. Wait two minutes. Pour into a reusable cup, grab Emmeline Duncan’s “Fresh Brewed Murder” and sip while you read! Sound excessive? Then you aren’t ready for the hipster Portland coffee scene. Good news - you’ve got time to brush up on your coffee knowledge as this book is to be published March 30, 2021.

Sage Caplin knows her coffee; good thing, because she’s just opened Ground Rules, a coffee cart, in Portland’s Rail Yard. She’s got her Uncle Jimmy backing her as a silent partner, Harley helping her roast the beans and the best location in her uncle’s Rail Yard. She’s made it two full days before disaster strikes. A customer, the construction manager from the site across the road, is found dead beside Ground Rules. Sage is immediately considered a person of interest as it was her box cutter that dealt the final blow. As the investigation deepens, Sage’s past starts to catch up with her. Will Saffron Jones derail Sage’s attempt at forging a new future? Will Ground Rules meet its bitter end? Just who killed David Stevens?

If your day doesn’t start until you get coffee, this book is for you. Not only will you get to learn about coffee culture, but you will also be treated to a well-written cozy mystery. I love Duncan’s writing style. She’s obviously in touch with the Portland foodie scene and familiar with the hipster vibe. In addition, it’s refreshing to see someone write about the homeless, the challenges of running a small business, gentrification, the concept of suspended coffees for those in need, and food choices for those with different health concerns; all issues millennials and generation Z readers will appreciate. You’ll find yourself giggling at some of her descriptions: “a college-aged girl with sleepy eyes and an almost terminal case of bedhead ordered a caramel mocha.” The pacing and characterization is on point. The coffee culture is secondary to the character development and the sprinkle of humour rounds out the overall flavour. This is book one of a new series and I look forward to hearing more about the customers who frequent Ground Rules.

Thank you to Emmeline Duncan, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

From the bold cover, to the snippet of a description, I had a really good feeling about this book. I’m so happy to say my intuition was correct and Fresh Brewed Murder is a fantastic addition to the cozy mystery genre.
Sage and her business partner Harley, are the owners of a hip coffee truck. Pulling shots is one of the things Sage does best, but when she finds herself tangled up in a murder investigation, she needs to do all she can to prove she’s innocent.
I really enjoyed this book, the characters are very likable and I always like to read a book that features coffee and baristas.
I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
#FreshBrewedMurder #NetGalley