Book Review: Peppermint Mocha Murder (A Molly Brewster Mystery Book 1) by Pam Moll

Molly Brewster’s new café bookshop is the go-to spot for strong coffee, flaky pastries, and juicy gossip. But everything changes when the tide washes a dead body up on shore… practically on the shop’s doorstep. As a newcomer to the tight knit South Florida village, the local sheriff pegs Molly as the prime suspect.

Determined to track down the real killer to clear her name, Molly enlists the help of her loyal chocolate lab, her cantankerous Granny Dee, and the handsome Officer Lucky. With Holly Fest just days away, she must rely on her wits and her fiery spirit to crack the case. Molly’s holiday season is about to go from hectic to downright dangerous…

A combination cafe/bookshop, a Siamese cat on the cover, and a title containing my favorite coffee drink...geez, I wonder why I couldn't click on the "Buy" button fast enough when I saw this book?

Protagonist Molly Brewster owns Addicted to the Bean, and as preparations are underway for the village's Holly Fest, a body washes up on the beach behind the cafe. Molly is dragged into the investigation because one of her employees was spotted arguing with the victim shortly before his demise, and things go from bad to worse when a napkin containing a mixture of stains from Molly's go-to coffee drink and her dog Snickers' slobber is found on the body. Molly sniffs out clues with a little help from her unusual allergy to peppermint (Oh, the horror!)

Unfortunately the gorgeous cat on the cover does not mean much kitty action in the book. In the opening scenes Molly feeds a stray Siamese outside her cafe, and because of his mocha colored fur, she names him Kona. I was hoping she would end up adopting Kona but that hasn't happened yet. Molly's grandmother, mother, and an employee also have cats, but they don't play much of a role in the story either. In spite of this I still enjoyed the fun, light mystery, and completely missed the clues that led to the identity of the killer. One of my favorite characters is feisty 80 year old Granny Dee, who spends her evenings watching reruns of Murder, She Wrote, the Hallmark Channel, and reading Agatha Christie. A fun cast of characters, a seaside setting, and lots of frothy deliciousness...just a few of the ingredients for the purrfect cozy!

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