by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of Barista Bump-Off, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Caffeinated Conundrums!
Roxy Bloom, now Mrs. Roxy Cane, is enjoying the success of her coffeehouse, The Bean Hive, situated on the boardwalk with a lovely vista of Lake Honey Springs. Her shop is a go-to stop for tourists and locals alike to pick up a sweet treat, a cup of her personally crafted blends, and some delicious gossip. She’s an integral member of the community partnering with Pet Palace to have on hand a few adoptable shelter animals, like Polly, a “be careful what you say” talking bird, joining in various community events, and currently allowing her young employee Birdie Bebe a place for her home economics study group to meet. The home economics department is a victim of budget cuts, and their teacher agreed to cram into the final semester lessons she would have presented next year. So, life is full of friends, family, student chefs, several fur and feathered friends, and…of course, some dead bodies that seem to pop up when least expected.

Barista Bump-Off Earns 5/5 Mystery Mopeds…Entertaining Fun!
Honey Springs is a small lake community nestled in the hills of the Kentucky bluegrass, and most residents feel safe enough to often keep doors unlocked…but “Low-retta” Bebe is the most recent, and most vocal, victim of a “drive-by purse snatching” brazenly committed in broad daylight on the boardwalk in front of The Bean Hive. Lots of finger pointing between the mayor, Sheriff Shepard, and residents about the rise in crime and who is ultimately responsible, but it gets worse when Roxy, triggered by her schnauzer Pepper’s incessant barking, finds a body floating near the pier. The victim’s identity was difficult to pin down since the name she’d given the rental company was false, and although it was surprising to discover the victim was a self-taught barista, it was more surprising to learn the victim had won a ten million dollar lottery. The story about how the winning ticket came into her possession, the recent rash of purse snatching, and her mother’s giddy laughter gives Roxy plenty to explore.

Brew-rific! Tonya Kappes has brought another exciting drama for her eleventh book in the Killer Coffee Mystery series with lots of coffee, a few sweet treats, and a clever, engaging murder mystery. Twisting together all the different facets of greed, the suspect pool becomes a plethora of friends, family, residents, and visitors. Of course, it is difficult to assign consequences to the “sin” of greed when need is considered. I thought I had discovered the right solution, but again, Kappes’ signature surprises gave me a big “Oh, my!” smile! The mother/daughter dynamic between Penny and Roxy takes on an old, yet renewed, conflict with which many mothers and daughters might identify. Roxy always had a unique relationship with her paternal Aunt Maxi for which her mother has not been a fan. Penny Bloom has squabbled with her sister-in-law for decades, and now that Penny has moved to Honey Springs, issues have yet to be resolved. And now that she’s “dating,” it’s more complicated. Lots of animals about, and the “mouthy” bird is a fun addition. Still one of my favorite caffeinated series!

Recipe, Please! Straight from The Bean Hive, enjoy an easy-to-follow recipes for Lemon-Poppyseed Biscuits and Frothy and Frozen Caramel Latte. Yum!

Be a Big Tonya Kappes Fan!
USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes pens a variety of series. along with the Camper & Criminals Cozy series, she also has a Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery, but you can also get exciting ghostly-, magical-, and caffeinated-themed series. For ghosts, she has Ghostly Southern Mystery and Kenni Lowry series. Add some magic with her Southern Magical Mystery, Magical Cures Mystery, and Spies and Spells series. And finally, get a little caffeinated with this marvelous Killer Coffee Mystery. She also has an enjoyable online presence and various events enticing fans to gather to talk, share, and partake in the fun!

To enter to win an ebook copy of Barista Bump-Off, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “barista,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 9, 2022. US only, and must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out the first chapter of Tonya’s book Dead to the Last Drop which was featured in a past podcast episode. You can listen here, or in the player below:

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Be sure to check out our new mystery podcast too with mystery short stories, and first chapters read by local actors. A new episode goes up next week.

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Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.