"My Fair Latte" A Café Cinema Mystery By Vickie Fee: Review/Giveaway

by Cynthia Chow

Details on how to win a copy of this book at the end of the review and links to purchase it.

An unexpected inheritance lands Halley Greer in Utopia Springs, Arkansas, where she optimistically plans to take over her late great-uncle’s Star Movie Palace. The once-glamorous theatre has seen better days, but along with the building and unsanitary apartment comes enough of a trust fund to allow Halley to restore it to its lofty former status. At least, that’s what Halley hopes to do by screening classic films and serving both gourmet coffee and wine.

---

➡ switch to KingsRiverLife.com for more articles ⬅

---

Image Source Henery Press

Welcoming her into the town of just over 2000 are art gallery owner George Mayfield and his yoga-teacher wife Trudy, not to mention Hidden Clue Escape Rooms’ Kendra Williams. Someone does not have the same good wishes for Halley’s future, though, vandalizing her initial renovations and spray-painting “Go Home.” Tragically, it is not until the Grand Opening and showing of My Fair Lady that Halley discovers the culprit’s identity, one made when they find Vince Dalton’s body during the Intermission. His having made offers to buy the theater only to be foiled by Halley’s inheritance not only implicates him in the vandalism, it gives Halley motive for his murder. That he died with a lethal drug overdose, Cracker Jacks, and coffee in his stomach only further ensures that Halley is the #1 Suspect.

Halley’s new friends propose that in order to prevent her from being arrested all they need to do is offer up a better alternative to the police, which leads them to the improbable possibility of buried treasure. Underground tunnels remain from an era when flooding had businesses building up off of the tourist-attracting medicinal springs, and rumors abound linking them to bounty hidden by Jesse James. Uncle Leon’s adorable feline Eartha Kitty accepts Halley as part of her new family as much as these new friends, but a jealous Officer Susie Stone warns Halley from treading too closely to the reporter marked as her own. It’s not as though Halley doesn’t already have her hands full with a handsome winery owner, a fitness buff running the outdoor gear store, and the son of a Chinese Restaurant owner (who somehow hasn’t managed to figure out that he’s in love with Kendra).

This debut series shines by highlighting the charming relationships that naturally build between Halley and her Utopia Springs neighbors. While the mystery involving stolen bounty and blackmail is compelling, readers would be just as satisfied by the clever conversations and witty banter between these new friends. Classical movie lore make this a must-read for cinephiles, and foodies will find much to enjoy in Halley’s obvious love and dedication to good coffee. Based on the real town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Utopia Springs comes alive as an enviable place to both visit and call home. This is a fantastic start to a new series that leaves readers needing to know more about Halley and the town that embraces her.

Check out other Henery Press mysteries on their website.

To enter to win a copy of My Fair Latte, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "latte,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 11, 2020. U.S. residents only. If entering via comment please include your email address. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win, we will not use your address for any other reason. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast featuring mystery short stories and first chapters read by actors. A new episode went up this week!

You can use these links to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

My Fair Latte

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.