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Decaffeinated Corpse (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 5) Mass Market Paperback – Audiobook, July 3, 2007

by Cleo Coyle (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 378 ratings
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Book #5 in New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery series...When an old friend of her ex-husband develops the world's first botanically decaffeinated coffee bean and smuggles it into the country, Clare Cosi, manager of Village Blend, believes it's a business opportunity she needs to investigate...at least until the first dead body shows up.
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  1. Book 5 of 20
    Coffeehouse Mysteries
  2. Print length
    288 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Berkley
  5. Publication date
    July 3, 2007
  6. Dimensions
    4.2 x 0.75 x 7 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0425216381
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0425216385
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

#1 Paperback Bestseller -- Independent Mystery Booksellers Association, July 2007

Coyle displays a deep understanding of coffee [and] coffee shop culture. If you haven't yet discovered the series, you should. -- Eric S. Chen, Baristo.net

Great characters, smooth plotting, and top-notch writing, it's no wonder these books are bestsellers. -- Cozy Library

About the Author

Cleo Coyle is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than one million books sold, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling authors of the Coffeehouse Mysteries--now celebrating twenty years in print, three starred reviews, a Mystery Pick of the Month by Library Journal, and multiple Best of Year list honors by reviewers. They also write the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, originally released under the pen name Alice Kimberly. Alice and Marc write independently and together and are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City. Connect with Cleo at CoffeehouseMystery.com

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley; 8th Printing edition (July 3, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425216381
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425216385
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.2 x 0.75 x 7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 378 ratings

About the author

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Cleo Coyle

Cleo Coyle

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CLEO COYLE is the New York Times bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, collaborating with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million copies of their books sold, Alice and Marc have written 20 entries in their long-running, critically acclaimed Coffeehouse Mystery series. HONEY ROASTED, their most recent release, was honored with three "Best of Year" list selections by reviewers and praised by Kirkus as "a honey of a tale." Don't miss their upcoming 20th Coffeehouse title, BULLETPROOF BARISTA, now available for pre-order.

Cleo also writes the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. Don't miss their newest release, THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS, which was praised by Kirkus as "A DELIGHTFUL TALE," full of good humor and good fun. Their previous two releases in the series were both honored with "Best of Year" selections by reviewers: THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS and THE GHOST AND THE HAUNTED PORTRAIT, which was also one of Aunt Agatha's top ten cozy mysteries of the year.

Cleo's books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, mutiple "Best of Year" selection honors from reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist and Library Journal as among the best cozy mysteries for core library mystery collections.

Connect with Cleo at her online coffeehouse (open 24/7) at CoffeehouseMystery.com and her haunted bookshop at HauntedBookshopMystery.com

Keep in touch with Cleo (and receive her latest books news and bonus recipes) by signing up for her newsletter. Simply send a "sign me up" email to coffeehousemystery@gmail.com

* * * *

"Cleo" (aka) Alice Alfonsi grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning scholarships to study creative and professional writing at Carnegie Mellon and American Universities, she began her career as a cub reporter for The New York Times. Now an author of popular fiction and bestselling media tie-in writer (who even served as ghostwriter for an Entertainment Weekly media tie-in Best Book of the Year), Alice lives and works in New York City, where she first met her husband and collaborator, Marc Cerasini. Marc was also born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and is a graduate of Ohio University. He is a New York Times bestselling author of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction.

Working independently and together, Alice and Marc have created bestselling tie-in properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, they cook like crazy and drink a lot of java. You can learn more about Alice, her husband, and the books they write by visiting CleoCoyle.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
378 global ratings
Another great mystery
4 Stars
Another great mystery
Another great mystery from Cleo Coyle! My favorite part of this series is how involved Clare Cosi is with everyone. She knows her family, her friends, and her customers. The introduction of a new (old) friend to Matt, Clare’s ex-husband, was a great addition to the series. I look forward seeing what progresses with Joy in the next book.
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Top reviews from the United States

DCSZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Another cosy (or should that be Cosi?(o:) mystery
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2007
Verified Purchase
"Decaffeinated corpse" is the fifth mystery novel in the Coffeehouse Mysteries-series by Cleo Coyle, and by far the best. (Not that the others weren't good; just that this one is even better). This series has grown with leaps and bounds, and especially the setting, for the most part in other parts of New York, away from the Village Blend makes this for a far more entertaining, energetic read.
Anyway, to recap for those new to this series: Clare Cosi is manager of the Village Blend, a historic coffee shop in New York's Greenwich Village. Her life is a complicated blend of managing the Village Blend; pleasing the customers with delightful espressos, lattes and other kinds of coffee; worrying about her daughter Joy who's now grown and gone but has a knack for getting into trouble; her attempts at managing the difficult, headstrong Village Blend's coffee buyer and also her coffeeshop-partner (AND ex-husband) Matt Allegro, not to mention the other beaus in her life like NYPD-detective Mike Quinn; and handling Madame, the Blend's flamboyant, elderly owner. To add something extra to this complicated brew, she also has a tendency to have things "happen around her", like murders.
Of course, in "Decaffeinated corpse" it doesn't take long before the first dead body shows up as she gets involved when an old friend of her ex-husband develops the world's first botanically decaffeinated coffee bean, which seems a great business opportunity for the Blend's international kiosks which have recently been started up by Matt. And after that, it really starts to get complicated as casualties start piling up and high on the suspects-list are those near and dear to her... But I leave it to the reader to find out how Clare manages to find the murderer...
Anyway, Cleo Coyle (husband-and-wife team Marc Cerasini and Alice Alfonsi) has a winner on her hands with this novel! You can read it as a stand-alone, but why not get to know these characters better at first? For that, be sure to read the other novels in this series. Or, if you like your mysteries with a bit more "noir" added: pick up the Haunted Bookshop mystery series by Alice Kimberly (Marc and Alice writing under a different pen-name), also a great read!
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Mary Johnston
4.0 out of 5 stars Neat series!
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2020
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I liked other books in this series better. That being said, it is still a good book. I really like this series and plan on reading all the books. I'm reading them in order and enjoying each one! Fun to read! 😃
3 people found this helpful
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Janet Boyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Get the Lead Out
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2007
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Since May 2007, I've become addicted to the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle. (Incidentally, "Cleo Coyle" is really the husband and wife writing team of Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. They are also "Alice Kimberly", who writes the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries.)

I savored the first book,  On What Grounds , and also enjoyed  Through the Grinder  (although it was suprisingly sad and dark at the end). I've recently finished Book 3  Latte Trouble  (my least favorite of the series), as well as the fourth book  Murder Most Frothy  (you can see my reviews of those books at their product page).

I'm pleased to report that Decaffeinated Corpse is one of the best in the Coffeehouse Mystery series--almost on par with the first (and best) book!

In the fifth book of this series, one of Matteo's friends, Ric, has cultivated a naturally decaffeinated plant. Because decaf is in high-demand (and because the Village Blend's expansion into kiosks placed at high end boutiques has caused a financial strain), both Clare and Matteo jump at the chance to get exclusive rights to distribute the Gostwick Estate Reserve.

However, when Ric is assaulted in the alley behind the Village Blend, Clare begins to suspect that something shady might be going on...and that the assault was, in fact, attempted murder.

I love the evolution of the characters (Clare, her ex-husband Matteo, ex-mother-in-law Madame, floppy-haired barista Tucker and even the icy Breanne Summour)--as well as the realistic complexities of relationships...including Clare's relationship with her coke-snorting culinary daughter, Joy, and her attraction to the rumpled cop, Mike Quinn (which is now creeping towards a bona fide romance).

I keep rooting for Clare to get back with Matteo--and the authors make him a very likable rogue!

As always, there are FASCINATING coffee growing/brewing tips in Decaffeinated Corpse, especially in terms of decaffeination. And, there are GREAT recipes at the back, too. I can't wait to try Clare's Cappuccino Muffins!

I'm looking forward to the sixth installment,  French Pressed , set to debut in March 2008!
4 people found this helpful
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L. A. Vitale
5.0 out of 5 stars No Buzzkill Here!!
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2008
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"Decaffeinated Corpse" is the 5th book in the Coffeehouse Mystery Series by Cleo Coyle. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from start to finish, so much so, that I found it difficult to put down and do other things!!

What made this novel such a wonderful read is described below:

* Great Storyline That Grabs & Keeps Your Attention Throughout The Novel.
* Great Cast of Characters, Whom Are Well Developed By The Author. Plus Great Writing By Cleo Coyle.
* Lots of Red Herrings Throughout The Novel, That Keep One Guessing Who The Killer Is.
* Wonderful Dialogue Between Characters, Which Helps Move the Storyline Along & Gives The Reader More Insight Into Each Character.
* The Coffee History Written About In The Novel Was Also Fun To Read. Especially If You Are A Coffee Drinker/Lover. It Adds To The Coffee Theme Of Each Novel.
* I Also Love The Recipes That Are Placed At The End Of Every Novel.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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C. Manning
5.0 out of 5 stars Caffeine deprived killer
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 6, 2011
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At the Village Blend, Clare and her baristas refer to a decaffeinated espresso as a "why bother?" but Clare knows that a growing percentage of customers prefer decaf at least part of the time. So when an old friend of Matt's develops the first botanically decaffeinated coffee bean, Clare leaps at the exclusive opportunity to distribute the beans. But then Matt's friend is attacked and Clare begins to investigate as the body count begins to rise.

This is the fifth Coffeehouse Mystery (after  On What Grounds , Through the Grinder , Latte Trouble  and  Murder Most Frothy ). I was a little disappointed in the last one which left me apprehensive of beginning this one. Thankfully this is both a return to form and to the usual NYC setting.

The mystery this time revolves around the world of decaffeinated coffee and is full of infomation on how coffee beans are decaffeinated, and even touches on biopiracy and the intellectual property rights of new breeds of plant. Beginning with what appears to be a simple mugging, Clare's investigation quickly involves Madame and Quinn who is back for this book. Matt's relationship with Breanne is blossoming, as is Joy's inappropriate new relationship. The mystery takes centre stage though, and leads up to a brilliant ending.

As usual the book includes scrumptious sounding recipes, this time for Coffee Milk, Homemade Coffee Syrup, Italian Sesame Cookies, Carne Con Cafe "Matt's Ragout", No Biggie Coffee Cake, PB and Nutella Sandwich (who knew nutella is rare in the US?) and Clare's Cappuccino Muffins. There's also a section on what foods contain caffeine.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm really looking forward to  French Pressed .

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 49/50
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Skatersally
5.0 out of 5 stars The story goes on
Reviewed in Germany on March 1, 2008
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This crime of the coffeehouse mystery begins pretty exciting. Matt's friend of childhood and recent partner Ric Gostwick had been mugged in an alley. Clare found him and wanted to call the police or at least a doctor. But he refused any help except of a hotel room booked on Matt's name. There he told about his latest experiment with decaffeinated beans. They would be the very first of the world who cultivate that sort of brew. As Clare investigated these new business connections, she also met her old friend Elly working in the botanic garden. As she did not appear at the launching party and Matt had a fight with a latin American dictator, Clare had enough suspicions to tell detective Quinn about.

As in the previous four books, Clare Cosi manages the Village Blend, a coffeehouse right in New York. In addition, she takes care on her twenty-year old daughter and her boyfriends. I am still waiting for the guy Clare takes for good. Then there is also the relationship with Michael Quinn who is finally separated from his wife. The team of authors Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini created an interesting figure with Clare Cosi in a surrounding, which offers a lot of opportunities for further mysteries. The dialogues are witty and the plot is in a logical order. The question of the evaluation is best answered by another question: Is there caffeine in an espresso? There is definitely only one answer and I am really looking forward to the next case "French Pressed". Besides, each book contains a few receipts for tasty caffeine beverages and pastry. I can really recommend sitting down with a big latte when reading the 288 pages. As some characters developed during the series, it is a good idea to start in the right order.
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Wombatsbooks
4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best in this series, but still a good read!
Reviewed in Germany on July 31, 2007
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In this 5th book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series Clare and her cast of characters are back at the Village Blend. Clare's ex-husband Matteo wants to win the Blend's customers over to decaffeinated beverages. An old friend of his, Ric, has allegedly succeeded in breeding the first naturally decaffeinated coffee plant in Brazil and smuggled a seedling into the US. After the first tasting Clare and her crew are with it. But then Ric gets mugged and dead bodies start to pile up. All of them have been involved with the new coffee bean in some way or the other. Since Clare and Matt need this new business venture to be successful, she decides to take action yet again - against Detective Mike Quinn's advice.....

Although I am mighty glad that Clare and the rest of the gang are back in NYC, to me this one is "only" a 4-star-read, because she did include a bit too much information on breeding, cross- and back-breeding of coffee plants for my liking. "Decaffeinated Corpse" was paced nicely, though. Some interesting and major changes are happening and/or have been insinuated respectively. "Decaffeinated Corpse" is not the best in the series, but once you get over the breeding passages or decide to skim them, is a good read. Am looking forward to No. 6 "French Pressed", which will be out in March 2008!

By the way: The Coffeehouse Mystery series has recently started its' own internet coffee house - the virtual Village Blend. Quite fun to have a look at ;-)!
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Froglady
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2015
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And another good book.
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kleiner Rabe
4.0 out of 5 stars Nette Fortsetzung
Reviewed in Germany on September 2, 2007
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einer erfreulichen Serie, die mich immer wieder zum Kaffetrinken verführt. Angenehm zu lesen, mit einer sympathischen Weiterentwicklung der Charaktere und der Beziehungen, aber auch nicht umwerfend, deshalb nur 4 Sterne.
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