Summer

01 June 2010

UNCOMMON GROUNDS - Sandra Balzo

From the back of the book: Patricia Harper is dead, killed by a hot-wired espresso machine, in Uncommon Grounds, her very own gourmet coffee store! Maggy Thorsen wants to know who killed one of her partners. Maggy needs the store to succeed. Starting over after her divorce, she's quit her PR job to open the coffee store. And if things aren't already tough enough, she begins to suspect one of her friends is responsible for Patricia's murder. Maggy joins forces with Sarah Kingstown, Patricia's closest friend, to investigate her killing. Together, they uncover unsavory small-town politics, bribes, kickbacks, and rampant infidelity. Before she's through , Maggy's sense of right and wrong will be shaken to its foundations. For once in her life, she is forced to draw her own line in the sand, and be prepared to defend it.
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I had a heckuva time finding a copy of this book after putting it on the WWBL after reading a review or synopsis somewhere a while back. Finally located a copy, then it sat in one of the drawers of Mt Git'r'Read until I was in cozy mode. Then I whomped my way through it in rapid fashion.
It's set in a foo-foo coffee shop in a small town where the three friends and partners are hoping that foo-foo coffee will catch on like it does in the big city. And then the murder on the very first opening day puts a kibosh on that hope.
The author did a really swell job of guiding the reader into why the lead character, Maggy, does the investigation. Mostly it's because the new sheriff in town thinks Maggy's the prime suspect!
There were some really fab "What the...?!" moments, really well done ones that had me doing the 'OH MAN! I totally did not see that coming!" I love those when they are so well done like that.
Five...well...coffee beans......



2 comments:

WonderBunny said...

This one sounds very good. Might need to see if I can find.

Make sure to stop by my blog, there is something waiting for you.

Vickie said...

Ruthann: It's worth the search. And thank you for having the giveaway!