Cleo Coyle Brews up Murder in Our Nation’s Capital {+ Giveaway}

This post contains affiliate links

{Note: The winner of this awesome giveaway is Kelly Oster. Congratulations Kelly and thanks to everyone who dropped by during Cleo's visit.}
 
It’s with great pleasure that I welcome author Cleo Coyle back to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her latest release DEAD TO THE LAST DROP, the 15th installment in her Coffeehouse Mystery series.

To celebrate the release, Cleo is offering an awesome giveaway to one lucky visitor to Thoughts. The giveaway includes an autographed copy of the new hardcover edition of DEAD TO THE LAST DROP; five autographed glossy recipe cards; a large, durable canvas Coffeehouse Mystery tote bag; and a pound of premium "Billionaire's Blend" coffee from One Good Woman Coffee and Tea Co., mentioned in the book's acknowledgment as part of the background research for our "one good woman"--amateur sleuth Clare Cosi. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway.

Cleo joins us today to “Brew Up Murder in our Nation’s Capital”. Afterwards I’ll share my thoughts on this delightful book. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Cleo. First, I have to say I’ve learned a lot from Clare through her 15 adventures. I now enjoy fresh ground coffee daily thanks to Clare, as well as knowing how to use my French Press and stove top espresso pot. Welcome, Cleo and thanks for sharing Clare and the gang with us readers.

First, we send our caffeinated thanks to Mason Canyon for her longtime support of our work. Mason has been reading and reviewing The Coffeehouse Mysteries since the beginning—long before Penguin moved us into hardcover or we hit the New York Times list. 

Our little coffee series that got bigger and bigger is still going strong. This year we’re celebrating over twelve years in print, and we’re here today to tell you about our latest entry.

The premise comes down to a question: How does a hardworking single mother and coffee shop manager go from befriending the First Lady and catering a glittering party at the Smithsonian, to being placed at the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted list? 

For our amateur sleuth, Clare Cosi, it begins when the President’s college-age daughter becomes a fan of her freshly roasted coffee, and a regular at Clare’s D.C. jazz club. Then the young woman mysteriously vanishes, a State Department employee collapses in the shop, and Clare is fit for a frame of kidnapping and homicide.

These capital crimes are the last thing she expects to be accused of when she relocates to our nation’s capital, but Clare must solve both mysteries—and discover who framed her—or she may discover firsthand…

Washington is murder. 

If you are new to our series, don’t hesitate to pick up DEAD TO THE LAST DROP. You can read it as a stand-alone, and if you like the ride, you have 14 more books to enjoy. But don’t miss this Washington story. It’s embedded with twists, turns, and hidden secrets about our nation’s capital that were inspired by my own experiences while living, studying, and working in D.C. 

To read the prologue and first chapter, click here. 

Black Magic Cake 

photo by Alice Alfonsi

DEAD TO THE LAST DROP is also a culinary mystery, with an appendix of more than 25 delicious recipes, including Charming Chocolate Chip Muffins, Carolina-style Mustard-Glazed Sticky Wings, Double-Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes, the best Oatmeal Cookie Recipe you may ever bake, and a fantastic version of Black Magic Cake with a “secret ingredient” chocolate frosting to die for.
 
To see the book’s free Recipe Guide, click here.





Here are some of the places Clare Cosi
will take you on her visit to Washington…


THE WHITE HOUSE
 

White House 

photo courtesy 

HiraV, Wiki Commons

Clare makes two trips to this grand destination, one at the request of the First Lady, who shares a private lunch with her in the Diplomatic Reception Room, a magnificent oval-shaped space famously redecorated by Jacqueline Kennedy and once used by Franklin D. Roosevelt for his legendary fireside chats.


GEORGETOWN

Cox’s Row of Georgetown 

courtesy Library of Congress

This picturesque neighborhood boasts some of the finest examples of Federal period architecture in the country. Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Graham Bell, and John F. Kennedy are among the past residents. It’s here that Clare lands a posh housesitting gig on “Cox’s Row” in a charming mansion that was once part of the Underground Railroad.

THE SMITHSONIAN

Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers 

courtesy Wiki Commons

A glittering black-tie party brings Clare to “America’s Attic,” the nickname of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Clare witnesses a fateful meeting here, in front of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, one of the many fascinating artifacts that celebrate American culture, creativity, and cuisine. Yes, cuisine! As a master roaster and expert on the bean, Clare is asked to contribute her ideas to one of the museum’s newest exhibits, Coffee and the Presidency. 


THE JAZZ SPACE

This fictional location is based on a real jazz club in Washington called Blues Alley. The mouthwatering menu of our Jazz Space becomes an important plot point in DEAD TO THE LAST DROP, and the recipes for many of the menu’s items are included in the book. You can even visit our Jazz Space online. Come to our website CoffeehouseMystery.com to learn more.


CLEO’S NEWSLETTER: Contests, recipes, news, fun facts, and videos. To sign up, simply write an e-mail that says “sign me up” and send it to CoffeehouseMystery@gmail(dot)com You will receive a reply with links to past newsletters that include free recipes.

TITLE CHECKLIST: Get a free title checklist with mini summaries of all 15 Coffeehouse Mysteries. To download the list as a PDF document, click here.

Alice Alfonsi and her husband,

Marc Cerasini, who write as 

Cleo Coyle. 

Photo by Alice Alfonsi

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating over ten years in print. 

Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and has written young adult and children’s books. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. 

Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together, including the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. 

For more on this remarkable writing team, check out these links:

www.CoffeehouseMystery.com

www.Facebook.com/CleoCoyle

www.Twitter.com/CleoCoyle

www.Pinterest.com/CleoCoyle

Cleo (Alice and Marc), thanks so much for visiting with us today and sharing this insight into Clare’s newest adventure. You always have such fascinating bits of information woven into these adventures. It’s a combination of fun reading and learning at the same time.

Now for my thoughts ………

When an author can make you feel the emotions of their characters, then they have truly captured your imagination.

Author Cleo Coyle does an excellent job of this in her Coffeehouse Mystery series. Her latest release, DEAD TO THE LAST DROP, is a prime example.

In this 15th entry of the series, the author takes protagonist Clare Cosi out of her New York coffeehouse and puts her in Washington D.C. Master roaster Clare has her hands full trying to get the new Village Blend, DC, shop up and running. Struggling to earn a profit, Clare tries to get her volatile chef to change his menu to no avail. The only peace she enjoys is from the coffeehouse’s second floor jazz club. But that’s short-lived when a jazz piano genius turns out to be the President’s daughter bringing problems of her own to the club.

When a State Department staff member bursts into the coffeehouse late one night and collapses, Clare’s troubles escalate. Clare’s boyfriend, NYPD Detective Mike Quinn, is on special assignment in DC for the Justice Department, but is dealing with problems of his own. His boss, Acting Director Katherina Lacey, has her sights set on him, but Mike’s interest in her has to do with proving she is corrupt.

When the President’s daughter goes missing and the State Department staffer dies, Clare finds herself a wanted woman by the FBI. On the run with Mike, Clare has to blend the elements together to discover who wants her behind bars or worse.

The author begins the story with an adrenaline rush and doesn’t let up until the end. Combining a historical setting with intrigue, Coyle infuses the story with a touch of romance, political intrigue and fascinating history. The mystery takes twists and turns to keep you guessing.

The characters are well-developed and extremely likable. Clare is a strong and determined protagonist with a soft side readers can relate to. The friendship and loyalty among the core group of characters gives depth to the story.

Readers don’t have to have a love of coffee to enjoy this series even though bits of coffee knowledge is woven throughout the story. Political conspiracy, fascinating characters, amazing settings and a murder mystery will hold you spellbound.

DEAD TO THE LAST DROP can be read on its own with new readers having no problems following the plot and characters. Returning fans will delight in the new directions of their favorite characters. In addition, there are recipes, tips, a jazz playlist, and an interesting list pertaining to Coffee and the Presidency to tantalize you.

Coyle keeps the story fresh and the intrigue high as she takes readers on a roller coaster ride through the streets of D.C. and surrounding area. With a glimpse inside the White House and a taste of jazz, the author blends her magic for another enthralling mystery.

Dead To The Last Drop by Cleo Coyle, Coffeehouse Mystery Series Book #15, Berkley, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425276099, Hardcover, 432 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This awesome giveaway is provided by Alice and Marc. It includes an autographed copy of the new hardcover edition of DEAD TO THE LAST DROP; five autographed glossy recipe cards; a large, durable canvas Coffeehouse Mystery tote bag; and a pound of premium "Billionaire's Blend" coffee from One Good Woman Coffee and Tea Co. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

Just leave a comment (be sure to include your email address, if it’s not in your profile) and you will be entered to win. If you wish not to enter the giveaway but want to comment, just say not entering in your comment.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Cleo’s visit. Are you a fan of the Coffeehouse Mystery series? Have you ever tried something such as coffee or a craft after reading a book?