Holiday Buzz by Cleo Coyle

Blurb: Holiday time is party time in New York City, but after a sparkling winter bash ends with a murder, Village Blend coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi vows to put the killer on ice... At the Great New York Cookie Swap, pastry chefs bake up their very best for charity. Clare is in charge of the beverage service, and her famous Fa-la-la-la Lattes make the gathering even merrier. But her high spirits come crashing down to earth when she discovers the battered body of a hard-working baker's assistant. Police suspect a serial attacker whose escalating crimes have become known as "The Christmas Stalkings." Clare's boyfriend, NYPD detective Mike Quinn, finds reason to believe even more sinister forces are involved. Clare isn't so sure, until she finds a second bludgeoned baker and becomes a target herself. Now Clare must investigate "Saint Nick," crash a pro-hockey party, and dodge a pair of reality TV divas--because she's not going to rest until justice is served.

My Review: When I rediscovered my love for mysteries nearly 10 years ago, Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries was the first series I picked up. So many years later it's still going strong and I couldn't be happier. This series has a depth to it you don't see in every mystery...perhaps because the series has gone on for quite some time the characters have had more time to develop. I've loved watching Clare's relationship with Quinn grow, as well as her daily interactions with her business partner/ex-husband Matt, her daughter Joy, the delightful Madame, and all her quirky employees. I enjoy all the coffee tidbits in these books, and with this one in particular I loved the Christmas in New York setting and all the yummy details of the Great New York Cookie Swap. Clare's attempts to solve her part-time employee's murder while dealing with a real jerk of a detective, reality tv stars and a professional hockey player who can't keep his hands to himself made for an action-packed page turner.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.

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