Maisie Dobbs
historical mystery
Series · cozy mystery
Coffeehouse Mysteries
The Coffeehouse Mysteries series by Cleo Coyle has 21 known books (21 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with On What Grounds (2003).
- Books
- 21 known books (21 novels)
- Published
- 21
- First published
- 2003
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Mystery & Crime
Start here: On What Grounds (2003)
— then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
On What Grounds
Book 1 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, On What Grounds (2003, 275 pages) follows Clare Cosi managing Greenwich Village's Village Blend for her formidable ex-mother-in-law -- and, true to the series' formula, stumbling across a body connected to the coffee trade or her own complicated extended family along the way. Alternative text for cover: Cover of On What Grounds - Book 2:
Through the Grinder
Through the Grinder (2004) runs 275 pages as book 2 in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries, where Clare Cosi's amateur sleuthing shares the page with genuine coffee expertise -- origins, roasting, brewing -- and a slow-building romance with NYPD detective Mike Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Through the Grinder - Book 3:
Latte Trouble
Published in 2005 at 321 pages, Latte Trouble is the 3th Coffeehouse Mystery, part of the series Cleo Coyle (the pen name of husband-and-wife writers Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) builds around Clare Cosi's work at the Village Blend and her still-tangled ties to her ex-husband and globe-trotting coffee buyer, Matt. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Latte Trouble - Book 4:
Murder Most Frothy
Murder Most Frothy (2006, 272 pages) is book 4 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, continuing Clare Cosi's case-work in and around the Village Blend, the landmark Greenwich Village coffeehouse she runs on behalf of her ex-mother-in-law -- with recipes for coffee drinks and baked goods closing out the book as usual. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Murder Most Frothy - Book 5:
Decaffeinated Corpse
In book 5 of the series, Decaffeinated Corpse (2007) delivers 281 pages of New York City atmosphere and real culinary detail, with Clare Cosi's investigation unfolding alongside the ongoing pull between her ex-husband Matt and the NYPD detective she's fallen for, Mike Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Decaffeinated Corpse - Book 6:
French Pressed
Book 6 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, French Pressed (2008, 270 pages) follows Clare Cosi managing Greenwich Village's Village Blend for her formidable ex-mother-in-law -- and, true to the series' formula, stumbling across a body connected to the coffee trade or her own complicated extended family along the way. Alternative text for cover: Cover of French Pressed - Book 7:
Espresso Shot
Espresso Shot (2008) runs 368 pages as book 7 in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries, where Clare Cosi's amateur sleuthing shares the page with genuine coffee expertise -- origins, roasting, brewing -- and a slow-building romance with NYPD detective Mike Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Espresso Shot - Book 8:
Holiday Grind
Holiday Grind (2009, 376 pages) is book 8 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries -- one of the series' two Christmas-set entries, but part of the main numbered sequence rather than a side series, so it follows Clare Cosi's ongoing case-work and her evolving relationships with Matt and Mike Quinn in publication order like the rest. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Holiday Grind - Book 9:
Roast Mortem
Published in 2010 at 463 pages, Roast Mortem is the 9th Coffeehouse Mystery, part of the series Cleo Coyle (the pen name of husband-and-wife writers Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) builds around Clare Cosi's work at the Village Blend and her still-tangled ties to her ex-husband and globe-trotting coffee buyer, Matt. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Roast Mortem - Book 10:
Murder by Mocha
Murder by Mocha (2011, 363 pages) is book 10 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, continuing Clare Cosi's case-work in and around the Village Blend, the landmark Greenwich Village coffeehouse she runs on behalf of her ex-mother-in-law -- with recipes for coffee drinks and baked goods closing out the book as usual. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Murder by Mocha - Book 11:
A Brew to a Kill
In book 11 of the series, A Brew to a Kill (2012) delivers 370 pages of New York City atmosphere and real culinary detail, with Clare Cosi's investigation unfolding alongside the ongoing pull between her ex-husband Matt and the NYPD detective she's fallen for, Mike Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Brew to a Kill - Book 12:
Holiday Buzz
Holiday Buzz (2012, 570 pages) is book 12 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, the second of the series' Christmas-set books -- again simply the holiday installment of the main sequence, not a separate series, continuing Clare Cosi's run of the Village Blend and her long-running entanglements with Matt and Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Holiday Buzz - Book 13:
Billionaire Blend
Book 13 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, Billionaire Blend (2013, 337 pages) follows Clare Cosi managing Greenwich Village's Village Blend for her formidable ex-mother-in-law -- and, true to the series' formula, stumbling across a body connected to the coffee trade or her own complicated extended family along the way. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Billionaire Blend - Book 14:
Once Upon a Grind
Once Upon a Grind (2014) runs 542 pages as book 14 in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries, where Clare Cosi's amateur sleuthing shares the page with genuine coffee expertise -- origins, roasting, brewing -- and a slow-building romance with NYPD detective Mike Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Once Upon a Grind - Book 15:
Dead to the Last Drop
Published in 2015 at 480 pages, Dead to the Last Drop is the 15th Coffeehouse Mystery, part of the series Cleo Coyle (the pen name of husband-and-wife writers Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) builds around Clare Cosi's work at the Village Blend and her still-tangled ties to her ex-husband and globe-trotting coffee buyer, Matt. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dead to the Last Drop - Book 16:
Dead Cold Brew
Dead Cold Brew (2017, 507 pages) is book 16 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, continuing Clare Cosi's case-work in and around the Village Blend, the landmark Greenwich Village coffeehouse she runs on behalf of her ex-mother-in-law -- with recipes for coffee drinks and baked goods closing out the book as usual. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dead Cold Brew - Book 17:
Shot in the Dark
In book 17 of the series, Shot in the Dark (2018) delivers 432 pages of New York City atmosphere and real culinary detail, with Clare Cosi's investigation unfolding alongside the ongoing pull between her ex-husband Matt and the NYPD detective she's fallen for, Mike Quinn. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Shot in the Dark - Book 18:
Brewed Awakening
Book 18 of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, Brewed Awakening (2019, 364 pages) follows Clare Cosi managing Greenwich Village's Village Blend for her formidable ex-mother-in-law -- and, true to the series' formula, stumbling across a body connected to the coffee trade or her own complicated extended family along the way. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Brewed Awakening - Book 19:
Honey Roasted
In the Coffeehouse Mysteries series, "Honey Roasted" (2021) follows the nineteenth position, arriving after "Brewed Awakening" and ahead of "Bulletproof Barista". Alternative text for cover: Cover of Honey Roasted - Book 20:
Bulletproof Barista
In the Coffeehouse Mysteries series, "Bulletproof Barista" (2023) follows the twentieth position, arriving after "Honey Roasted" and ahead of "No Roast for the Weary". Alternative text for cover: Cover of Bulletproof Barista - Book 21:
No Roast for the Weary
"No Roast for the Weary" is the twenty-first and most recent Coffeehouse Mysteries novel, published in 2025 by Cleo Coyle after "Bulletproof Barista". Alternative text for cover: Cover of No Roast for the Weary
Key facts about the Coffeehouse Mysteries series
The Coffeehouse Mysteries series has 21 books on our list. Since all 21 are out now, you can read the whole list today.
Start with On What Grounds, since it opens the publication order in 2003. Through the Grinder is book 2, from 2004. Latte Trouble is book 3, from 2005.
Murder Most Frothy is book 4, from 2006. Decaffeinated Corpse is book 5, from 2007. French Pressed is book 6, from 2008.
Espresso Shot is book 7, from 2008, while Holiday Grind is book 8, from 2009. Roast Mortem is book 9, from 2010.
Murder by Mocha is book 10, from 2011, while A Brew to a Kill is book 11, from 2012. Holiday Buzz is book 12, from 2012. Since the list above shows all 21, you can find the rest there.
Each title links to its own page, while the list keeps them in date order. Each book page shows its dates and editions. The catalogue marks it as ongoing, yet no next book has a date so far.
The books came out between 2003 and 2025, while their length runs from 270 to 570 pages. That is a run of 22 years.
Cleo Coyle has 30 books on our list. Additionally, they write Haunted Bookshop Mystery. We shelve the books under cozy mystery.
About the Coffeehouse Mysteries series
Clare Cosi manages the Village Blend, a landmark coffeehouse in Greenwich Village she once ran as a young barista and now oversees on behalf of her ex-mother-in-law, the shop's formidable owner. Between pulling shots, training baristas, and hunting down the perfect single-origin roast, Clare has an unfortunate habit of finding bodies — connected to the coffee trade, the neighborhood's colorful characters, or her own complicated extended family, which still includes her ex-husband Matt (the Blend's globe-trotting coffee buyer) and the NYPD detective she's fallen for, Mike Quinn.
Cleo Coyle (the pen name of husband-and-wife writing team Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) builds each mystery around genuine coffee expertise — origins, roasting, brewing methods, coffeehouse history — delivered with the same connoisseur's enthusiasm Laura Childs brings to tea. Recipes for coffee drinks and baked goods close out most books. The series balances Clare's am-sleuth casework with a long-running divorced-but-not-quite-over dynamic with Matt and a slow-build romance with Quinn, plus a large recurring cast of Village Blend regulars. It's for readers who want New York City atmosphere, real culinary detail, and a heroine whose day job gives her a plausible reason to be everywhere trouble happens.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Coffeehouse Mysteries series?
There are 21 published Coffeehouse Mystery novels, from On What Grounds (2003) to No Roast for the Weary (2025). A 22nd book, Eat, Drink, and Get Buried, is announced for fall 2026.
What order should I read the Coffeehouse Mysteries in?
Publication order, starting with On What Grounds. Clare Cosi's relationships and the Village Blend's cast develop continuously across the series.
Is the Coffeehouse Mysteries series finished?
No, it's ongoing. Cleo Coyle continues to publish new entries, with Eat, Drink, and Get Buried announced for fall 2026.
Who is Cleo Coyle?
Cleo Coyle is the pen name of the husband-and-wife writing team Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini, who also write the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries together.
Do the books include real coffee recipes?
Yes. Most entries close with recipes for the coffee drinks and baked goods featured in the story, a signature element of the series alongside the mysteries themselves.
If you like the Coffeehouse Mysteries series
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