Clare Cosi's new friend, millionaire David Mintzer, has an offer no New York barista could turn down: an all-expenses-paid summer away from the sticky city. At his Hamptons mansion, she'll relax, soak up the sun, and, oh yes, train the staff of his new restaurant. So Clare packs up her daughter, her former mother-in-law, and her special recipe for iced coffee--for what she hopes will be one de-latte-ful summer...

Yes, entertaining, but somehow I liked the previous three books more. Perhaps it was because this didn't happen at Clare's coffeehouse, but in rather extravagant surroundings. But a nice mystery anyway.

To Kirjakko!

I'm a tea-drinker and I've only read tea-shop mysteries so far. Let's see if I can switch to coffee.

Last summer I spent many weekends here in my work mate's summer cottage dog- and horse-sitting. I noticed that I left a few books behind.
Tonight I am here on a similar errand but for a totally different reason. My work mate's aunt Viola, 91 yrs, is dying. They phoned from the hospital in the morning that it will happen any moment now. Relatives rushed over, we cancelled some patients, but as the aunt would not die, we had to began work. When we finished in the evening my friend wanted to go and release her mother from the bedside and asked if I could take her dogs to the cottage and stay the night - she won't be back unless the aunt dies.
My friend's sister is flying from the States tomorrow and I said the aunt might hang on until Sirpa is here, but just as I am writing this I got an sms telling she has passed away.
As I opened this book I noticed that it begins with a murder on the 4th of July, tomorrow, that is! Earie!
July 4th had no special meaning to this aunt, but I am sure that my aunt knew when it was a good day to die (like the Indian chief in the movie Little Big Man). On Dec. 4th her kidneys stopped functioning and we were told it would be any moment now. I said to my Mom, when she left to see her, that if Auntie knows at all what date it is, she will hang on for two more days. Mom said I was ridiculous, nobody can decide on what date they'll die (unless it is a suicide). I said if somebody can, it would be Auntie. She was very patriotic and what would be a more patriotic thing than to die on the 6th of December? Everybody will remember it, it is a day when flags are been pulled up and gosh how good the date would look on her tombstone. I was right, after the Great Hand-Shaking Parade on telly was over Auntie passed away. Who needs kidneys, anyhow?

Hmm, the book wasn't finished or not even properly began, my mind must have been elsewhere. It's good that I had written that JE, I had by now forgotten that Auntie Viola and Mom died the same year, Mom in November. People in my family die during the dark and cold months. But it feels like Viola died ages ago and Mom not that long ago.
Viola timed her death perfectly; when Sirpa arrived from the States she arrenged that Viola was cremated and they took her ashes to Pori, where her first husband was buried and her grandchildren still lived, held the memorial service - and carried on to Pori Jazz where they had bought tickets already half a year before! Sirpa also emptied and sold Viola's flat during the month she was here holidaying. Very efficient!
I'm reading this now to get a parcel going - there is still room for a couple of books.

I liked this book, although tea is my poison and in real life Cleo would have been dead several times for all the stupid things she did...

A wishlist tag, coming up!

Thank you very much for this wishlist book!