Death by Iced Coffee
It’s a brutally hot day in Pine Hills, and Krissy Hancock would love to sit in a shady spot and sip her favorite iced coffee. Instead, she’s lacing up her sneakers for a marathon and swiftly regretting it, but she promised Rita, so she suffers through. Especially when she finds one of the other runners lying motionless. At first, Krissy suspects heatstroke, but the red marks around the man’s throat tell a more sinister story.
The victim, it turns out, had brewed up all kinds of enemies thanks to his cheating ways, both romantic and financial. Naturally, Krissy’s not keen to get involved, but her friend Rita’s boyfriend, Johan, seems to be mixed up in the mayhem. For Rita’s sake, Krissy wants to help filter out the real killer. But can she do it before another Pine Hills resident gets permanently iced?
The Details
Series: A Bookstore café Mystery – Book #11
Author: Alex Erickson
Genre/Category: Cozy – Bookstore/Cafe
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ISBN: 1496736672
Page Count: 320
Rating: 
The Review
Who in their right mind runs a marathon in the blistering heart? Krissy isn’t normally a runner, but she promised Rita that she would do it, and she has to keep her word. But, unfortunately, before she can reach the end, she begins to suffer from heat stroke and manages to come up on a body. It’s not the first time and probably won’t be the last time.
Most of the characters readers love, Krissy, Paul, Rita, and so forth, appear in this book. But when Rita’s boyfriend becomes a suspect, Krissy has to jump into the investigation. Suspects can be found everywhere, from marathon runners to possible love interests from the past and financial dealings. Evidence is scattered throughout the story but doesn’t tell the reader as much as they would like. By the time the killer is found, readers will be wondering if Krissy doesn’t have more than a slight case of heat stroke. The reveal is filled with danger and intrigue.
Although I enjoyed Death by Iced Coffee, I had issues with it. I felt that Kirssy was foolish for running the marathon in heat that could kill seasoned runners. I found that the promise to Rita was not a good reason to participate in what was a mistake and could have caused people to die. It just wasn’t very believable. The suspects were varied; some had iron-clad reasons for wanting the victim dead, but finding the killer felt slightly off. Krissy is a little more irritating than usual, which is hard to take on a good day. Overall, it was a good book that fits in with the series, but it wasn’t my favorite.
The Author
Alex Erickson is the author of the Bookstore Café and the Furever Pets mysteries. When he’s not writing, he enjoys gaming or playing music. Alex has always wanted to write, even at a young, impressionable age. He’s always interested in the motive behind murder, which has led him down his current path. He’s always ready with a witty, at least in his opinion, quip and tries to keep every conversation light and friendly. Alex lives in Ohio with his family and resident felines, who provide endless amounts of inspiration. Contact Alex via social media or the website.
Readers will enjoy more books in this series, such as Death by Spiced Chai and Death by Hot Apple Cider.
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