Grounds for Murder by Sandra Balzo
Maggy Thorsen is back! When the coffeehouse owner is dragooned
into emceeing the barista competition (think “Iron Chef,” but with
coffee) at the industry’s scaldingly competitive trade show, she fears
nothing good will come of it. Sure enough: The morning of the
finals, Maggy discovers the body of her chief rival and conference
organizer, Marvin LaRoche, under the trophy table. Finding herself not
only the fill-in conference coordinator, but also chief suspect, Maggy
must track the murderer, save her coffeehouse and, if she has some
spare time, heat up her love life."Maggy is charming and extremely funny, and Balzo’s keep-‘em-guessing plot and fresh, breezy prose are more than enough to ensure that this series will continue to delight." -- Booklist Starred Review
"What moves Balzo's book high above other writers who try to cover the same territory is a sharp and often amusing skill that convinces us that this is real life, and that it matters." -- Chicago Tribune
"Look out Diane Mott Davidson, there’s a new writer with an appetite for murder." -- Denver Post
Sandra Balzo turned to mystery writing after twenty years in corporate public relations, event management, and publicity. Her first novel, "Uncommon Grounds," was nominated for an Anthony and a Macavity Award, and her debut short story, "The Grass is Always Greener" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine), was an Anthony nominee and won both the Robert L. Fish Award and the Macavity Award for Best Short Story in 2004. Her second short story, "Viscery" (also EQMM), won the Derringer Award and was nominated for a Macavity.
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