A Bitter Brew
(2025)(The second book in the Pumpkin Spice Murder Mystery series)
A novel by Maisy Marple
In the picturesque hilltop town of Amber Crest, where autumn leaves paint the landscape in brilliant hues of amber and gold, former forensic accountant Olivia Reed has found peace running The Daily Grind café. As the annual Autumn Pour Festival approaches, Olivia hopes her signature pumpkin spice blend might finally win the coveted Golden Bean award—until renowned coffee judge Penelope Walsh dramatically collapses during the ceremonial First Pour, throwing the competition and the entire festival into chaos.
With her rival café owner becoming the prime suspect and her own business suddenly under threat, Olivia reluctantly dusts off her investigative skills. Aided by her teenage barista Zoe, who remembers every conversation she overhears, and under the watchful eye of Sheriff Jackson Foster, Olivia discovers something far more sinister than competition sabotage brewing in Amber Crest. As she follows a trail of tampered coffee, suspicious financial transactions, and historical secrets hidden in the town's iconic lighthouse, Olivia realizes that someone is willing to kill to keep their perfectly blended deception from being exposed.
Time is running out as the festival unravels and more lives are endangered, including Olivia's own. With each new clue as rich and complex as her signature coffee blend, she must filter truth from lies before the culprit can strike again. In this cozy mystery filled with autumn atmosphere and coffee lore, Olivia will need all her analytical skills, the support of her quirky friends, and perhaps an unexpected alliance with the pragmatic sheriff to solve a mystery where the stakes are higher than winning any golden trophy—and where the final revelation proves to be the most bitter brew of all.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
With her rival café owner becoming the prime suspect and her own business suddenly under threat, Olivia reluctantly dusts off her investigative skills. Aided by her teenage barista Zoe, who remembers every conversation she overhears, and under the watchful eye of Sheriff Jackson Foster, Olivia discovers something far more sinister than competition sabotage brewing in Amber Crest. As she follows a trail of tampered coffee, suspicious financial transactions, and historical secrets hidden in the town's iconic lighthouse, Olivia realizes that someone is willing to kill to keep their perfectly blended deception from being exposed.
Time is running out as the festival unravels and more lives are endangered, including Olivia's own. With each new clue as rich and complex as her signature coffee blend, she must filter truth from lies before the culprit can strike again. In this cozy mystery filled with autumn atmosphere and coffee lore, Olivia will need all her analytical skills, the support of her quirky friends, and perhaps an unexpected alliance with the pragmatic sheriff to solve a mystery where the stakes are higher than winning any golden trophy—and where the final revelation proves to be the most bitter brew of all.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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