French Roast - (Maggy Thorsen Mystery) by Sandra Balzo (Hardcover)

About the Book

Wisconsin coffeehouse owner Maggy Thorsen's cousin, Jacque Oui, is in trouble. Big trouble! His grocery store is struggling and his ex-wife has arrived from Paris claiming they're still married. Then a fire rips through the store's flat and a gruesome discovery is made... With Jacque suddenly missing, is Maggy about to be scorched by a killer?

Book Synopsis

Things go from bad to worse for Wisconsin coffeehouse owner Maggy Thorsen when her cousin Jacque Oui finds himself in hot water.

Coffeehouse owner Maggy
Thorsen's cousin, Jacque Oui, is in trouble. Big trouble! Not only is his
cash-strapped Schultz's Market facing competition from a big bucks grocery
chain, but his supposedly ex-wife Paulette has arrived from Paris,
spectacularly claiming that she and Jacque are still married, despite Jacque
being engaged to Maggy's friend and star barista Amy Caprese.

Maggy is keen to avoid
this troubling brew - until a huge fire rips through Schultz's Market and a
gruesome discovery is made in the store's flat, reluctantly drawing her into
Jacque's affairs. But where is he? With her cousin suddenly missing, can Maggy
uncover the truth behind the disturbing events triggered by Pauline's arrival,
or is she about to be scorched by a determined killer?

Review Quotes

"Connecting murders past and present provides a welcome challenge for coffeehouse cozy fans"-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Big Steep"

Balzo's latest will keep readers on their toes . . . Solid cozy fare-- "Booklist"

The body count rises quickly as Balzo's quirky cozy turns darker than a freshly brewed espresso-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Vividly drawn characters and dialogue crackling with wit propel the fair-play plot

-- "Publishers Weekly"

Lively, intelligent characters and Maggy's refreshingly anxiety-free relationship with her fianc�, Brookhills County Sheriff Jake Pavlik, make this stand out from the cozy pack. This is a perfect entry point for newcomers'-- "Publishers Weekly on The Big Steep"

Numerous plot twists, nicely delineated characters, dry humor, and details of running a coffeehouse define this cozy. Suggest to those who enjoy Laura Childs' Tea Shop mysteries-- "Booklist on Flat White"

Readers who like their heroines on the spunky side will enjoy Maggy's company-- "Publishers Weekly on Flat White"

About the Author

Sandra Balzo built an impressive career as a public relations consultant before authoring the successful 'Maggy Thorsen' coffeehouse mysteries, the first of which, Uncommon Grounds, was published to stellar reviews and nominated for an Anthony and Macavity Award. She is also the author of the 'Main Street Murders' mystery series published by Severn House.