Dead to the Last Drop by Cleo Coyle is the 15th book in the “Coffeehouse” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, December 2015

After the White House asks coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi to consult on the coffee service for a Rose Garden Wedding, she discovers a historic pot was used as a CIA “dead drop” decades before. Now long-simmering secrets boil over, scalding Clare and the people around her. . .

Clare’s visit to the nation’s capital is off to a graceful start. Her octogenarian employer is bunking with her in a charming Georgetown mansion, and she’s invited to work with a respected curator on the Smithsonian’s culinary salute to coffee in America.

Unfortunately, Clare’s new Village Blend DC is struggling to earn a profit–until its second floor jazz club attracts a high-profile fan, the college-age daughter of the U.S. President. Clare’s stock rises as the First Lady befriends her, but she soon learns a stark lesson: Washington can be murder.

First a stylish State Department employee suspiciously collapses in her coffeehouse. Then the President’s daughter goes missing. Is she a runaway bride or is something more sinister in play? After another deadly twist, Clare is on the run with her NYPD detective boyfriend. Branded an enemy of the state, she must piece together clues and uncover the truth before her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness come to a bitter end.

Includes great American recipes!

Every time I pick up a book by the writing team of Cleo Coyle, I know I’m going to be taken on a fast-paced and action-packed ride where every minute counts as Clare and Mike race against time that sets the stage for a well-written drama where intrigue plays a role in the telling of this tale.

This book was a grippingly riveting tale that I could put down as I had to know what was going to happen next. I love the bi-playing dialogue where Clare and Mike each took a turn telling their story that culminated in an aftermath where justice prevailed. Expertly done, with a great cast of characters and engaging conversations made this one of my favorite reads this year. I’m looking forward to the next book in this delightfully endearing series where a cup of java will tantalize your senses.