* A pound of one of Cleo Coyle’s favorite coffees is periodically awarded to a newsletter subscriber. Winners are chosen at random from the current list of valid, active e-mail addresses.

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Click here to learn more about the Coffeehouse Mystery novels.

To purchase the books, click here.

January 20, 2009
I need a new Coffeehouse Mystery!

January 19, 2009
Did you know

January 18, 2009
Note to Cleo

NEW

REVIEW!

Cozy Library
reviews...

THE GHOST AND
THE HAUNTED
MANSION

"The plot is marvelous, the writing is top-notch and the relationship between Pen and Jack gets more and more interesting in this fifth outing . . . "

Click here to read
the entire review
@ CozyLibrary.com

On Sale:
January 6, 2009

Click here
to order.

Coffeehouse
Mystery
Reading Guides

Download for free!

» Books 1 & 2, click here (pdf)

» Books 3 & 4, click here (pdf)

» Books 5 & 6, coming soon

To get free Adobe (pdf) reader software, click here.

FREE
EXCERPT!

Cleo introduces

this EXCLUSIVE

EXCERPT from

Espresso Shot

Click here

to read or print in PDF format

**STARRED REVIEW**
Library Journal!

National Mystery Bestseller

(Barnes & Noble + Borders)

To order Espresso Shot
from Amazon.com
click link below...

Espresso Shot (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 7)

MIKE'S BEAT

CRIME FILE

» NYPD: Official Website for New York's Finest

» NY Crime File (Daily News)

» Police Blotter (NY Post)

Want to Grow
Your Own
Coffee Plant?

Thanks to CM reader Linda for posting info about where to buy coffee plants and seeds. Click here to go to the coffee seed catalog page and scroll down. Look for the "coffea" plants listed in ITALIC alphabetically.

Coffea arabica $3.84 -12 seeds
Coffea catura $3.29 -12 seeds
Coffea kona $3.95 -12 seeds

Linda also says: "Gurney's Plant and Seed catalog has small coffee plants for $8.95 each. Click here and look for item # 11295 for coffee plants."

BONUS RECIPE
from
Coffeehouse Mystery:

THROUGH THE GRINDER

Did you know COFFEE can help you grill or broil a great steak, even with an inexpensive
cut of meat?...

Click here to get my
recipe for
Coffee-Marinated Steak

(recipe in pdf format)

Book Lovers
Find Love!

My publisher (Penguin USA) is launching a dating website for readers. Learn more from theBookseller.com by clicking here.

THANKS, MARY T.!

Thanks to Coffeehouse Mystery reader Mary T. of Appleton, Wisconsin for the little missive below...

Caffeine
Myths

A recent story by the amazing Jane Brody in The New York Times examines coffee and health, click here to read more. (I learned a lot about the myths of caffeine!)

Click here to read about a Harvard study that shows coffee's link to preventing heart disease.

Click here to read how a cup of coffee a day may offset Alzheimer's disease.

BONUS RECIPES
FROM
Coffeehouse Mystery:

FRENCH PRESSED

EASY TARTE TATIN
(Upside-Down
Caramel-Apple Tart)

CREME CHANTILLY
(Fresh Whipped Cream)

PATE SUCREE
(Sweet Pastry Dough-
Can be used for any dessert tart crust)

To download all 3 of Cleo Coyle's FREE recipes
in PDF format, CLICK HERE.

WAKE UP AND SMELL...
THE CANVAS!

"I started painting with coffee because I wanted a cheaper medium that was accessible to me," says Filipino artist Sunshine Plata. A tube of oil paint costs at least 500 pesos ($11), while a jar of instant coffee is only around 150 pesos ($3). Click here to read more about Sunshine and her coffee art.

Coffee Peeps
& Peter Pans

(Real Matteo Allegros)

Shout-out to New York's Hampton Coffee Company!

Remember Murder Most Frothy? My 4th Coffeehouse Mystery gave Clare Cosi a summer job as a "coffee steward" at a posh new eatery in the Hamptons, the fabled seaside escape for New York's rich and famous. Well, here are some real coffee peeps who work hard to give the Hamptons folks a great cuppa joe. Click here to visit Hampton Coffee Co.'s site.

Click here to read about:
"Overstaying the Hamptons Party!"

A fascinating news story about "house shares" in the Hamptons and men who try to keep the postcollege "boys of summer" party going decades after their undergrad days. Shades of my character Matteo Allegro? You tell me!

3 CHEERS TO THE
LITTLE GUYS

The Washington Post reports on how the little coffee shops are thriving, even while Starbucks is in retreat. To read more, click here.

Nuke Therapy

Feeling disgusted with inflation, high gas prices, and increased pink slips while oil co. execs make record profits? Well, click here and you'll feel MUCH better! The site is the brain child of a tres clever industrial designer who himself lives in the Hamptons, Miles Jaffe, author of The Hamptons Dictionary, a hilarious handbook of class warfare: click here to read more about the book, but don't miss the Nuke the Hamptons experience. It's awesome!

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony!

Yes, like the Japanese with their tea traditions, the Ethiopians have a very special way of enjoying coffee. Click here to learn more!

BEST BARISTA
IN THE USA!

Congrats to Kyle Glanville
Winner 2008 US Barista Championship!

Kyle works for Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea in Los Angeles. He edged out 58 of the nation's other top baristas to become the nation's best coffee server. He also qualified to compete in the World Barista Championship in Copenhagen Denmark, which was held in June.

COFFEE COMPOST!

Did you know that old coffee grounds = good compost for your garden? Click here to read more. (Who knew coffee repelled slugs? Now there's a hilarious metaphor for a CM book.)

GOOD NEWS FOR FAIR TRADE!

Fair Trade Coffee prices went up in June 2008, which means coffee farmers will be getting more money for their Arabica beans. Because so many coffee farms are located in the poorest corners of the world, this is great news.

What is Fair Trade coffee?
Click here to learn more.

(For new Fair Trade pricing Click here.)

SUSTAINABILITY vs. GROWTH

Sustainability may seem like a hippie, tree-hugger buzz word, but the recent troubles at Starbucks is a prime example of what I've seen in other industries. When executives in corporations believe "growth, growth, growth" is the chant to live by, increased profits becomes the only measuring stick within the company—and bad decision making often follows. In my own experience working in corporate America, I've seen this. I wonder if you have, too.
—Cleo

Click here to read the BusinessWeek story "Starbucks: How Growth Destroyed Brand Value"

Coffee is Culinary!

Click here to read about a master chef Marcus Samuelsson's work with a master coffee blender to pair coffee with food. Coffee as a culinary experience: Clare would approve!

Coffee Recipes!

Acclaimed chef Marcus Sameulsson created a yummy Chocolate Cinnamon Bread recipe for Starbucks. If you'd like the recipe, click here!

Coffee Dessert Recipes

The National Coffee Association has some great coffee recipes. Click here to get them.

For even more coffee recipes, click here

DOOR COUNTY COFFEE...

And for coffee recipes from DOOR COUNTY COFFEE, a family-run coffeehouse in Wisconsin, click here.

A shout-out of thanks to Mary T., a Coffeehouse Mystery fan, for mentioning her fave coffeehouse on my Coffee Talk Message Board (the green chalkboard at the top of this column)

MOOSE COFFEE AND GIFTS

Stop in and say hello to Melissa!

Thanks to CM reader Melissa for telling us about the place where she works as a barista, Moose Coffee and Gifts of Houston, Missouri. Melissa enjoys experimenting with coffee drinks. Her latest favorite is: "Espresso, steamed milk, white chocolate, caramel, and vanilla." YUM! Click here to read more about her coffeehouse.

If you have a favorite coffeehouse, coffee drink, or recipe, share it with me and my virtual Village Blend visitors! Just click on the chalk board above and post away!
—Cleo Coyle

COFFEE AND BABY FORMULA?!

I laughed out loud at this blog from Sarah Bates of Zanesville, Ohio. Click here to read how a baby changed everything for this coffee connoisseur.

—Cleo

STRANGER THAN FICTION

"Maid Cafes" of Japan

Click here to read about cafes where women dress as maids and their"geek" clientele are fighting crime by packing weapons...

Japan's Romance with Kona Coffee

Click here to read about the growing interest of Kona Coffee-drinking in Japan.

Coffee Health News!

Coffee May Help Prevent Ovarian Cancer

A Harvard study found women who drank 3 or more cups of coffee or tea a day were 25% less likely to develop Ovarian Cancer than those who drank none. Click here to read more.

Coffee May Boost Memory
in Older Women

USA Today reports...

Women older than 65 who drank more than three cups of coffee a day — or the caffeine equivalent in tea — showed better memory retention than men, a French researcher reports. Click here to read the short USA Today report. Or click here to read a longer Scientific American article.

McDONALD'S TO OPEN McCAFE

Click here to read the Wall Street Journal's Page One story about McDonald's plan to take on Starbucks to the tune of $1 Billion. Written by Janet Adamy.

"...McDonald's added a position to its crew: barista."

"Franchisees say that many of their customers don't know what a latte is."

Cleo suggests they read

LATTE TROUBLE!

Coffee Lover Invents

"The Barista Game"

Did you know there's a new board game in which you win by making the perfect cup of coffee? Click here to read about the game designer who invented it.

TAKING COFFEE CAMPING

A friend of mine (Hi, Terri!) asked me how to brew coffee on a camping trip. I had some ideas, but this article has some even better ones! Click here for tips on brewing coffee (and even espresso) in the woods. Click here to shop for coffee-making camping gear.

Making joe for a Living...

Click here to read an interesting article about the owner and roaster of the Clarksville, Tennessee, coffeehouse Mugsy's—a favorite coffeehouse of CM reader "Kimberly," a life coach who sometimes meets clients here. Click here to go to Mugysy's website.

BIG COFFEE NEWS!

Ethiopia announces commercial culitvation of low-caffeine coffee plants! Ric Gostwick's "dream" coffee from Decaffeinated Corpse is no longer fiction! To read about this amazing breakthrough, Click here

#1 Bestselling Paperback

When the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association published its list of top selling mystery novels for July 2007, Decaffeinated Corpse made the #1 spot on the paperback list. Thank you, Coffeehouse Mystery readers. You helped to make Decaffeinated Corpse a national bestseller.

AND NOW

FOR SOME

OF CLEO'S

PAST

COFFEE PICKS...

---------------------------

SEPTEMBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

MAGNOLIA GRILL BLEND
With the tip of a chef's hat to the married couple who run Magnolia Grill, Cleo's coffee pick for SEPTEMBER 2007 was Magnolia Grill Blend sold by Counter Culture Coffee roasters. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

OCTOBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

GOMBE RESERVE

Cleo's pick for OCTOBER 2007 was Gombe Reserve sold by Green Mountain Coffee Co. and endorsed by Dr. Jane Goodall. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for youself, CLICK HERE.

NOVEMBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

MAJOR DICKASON'S BLEND

In tribute to the late, great Alfred Peet, Cleo's pick for NOVEMBER 2007 was Major Dickason's Blend sold by Peet's Coffee and Tea. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

DECEMBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

100% KONA PEABERRY

For DECEMBER 2007 Cleo's pick was 100% Kona Peaberry sold by Bad Ass Coffee Company of Hawaii. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

Behold the Kona Happy Dance!

JANUARY '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

"YIRG" - ETHIOPIAN YIRGACHEFFE

Cleo's pick for JANUARY 08 was Ethiopian Yirgacheffe sold by Counter Culture Coffee Company. This coffee was also featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: FRENCH PRESSED. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

FEBRUARY '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

RWANDAN VILLAGE BLEND

Cleo's FEBRUARY '08 pick was Rwandan Village Blend sold by Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co. To purchase this excellent coffee for yourself, CLICK HERE. To read Cleo's archived article on this coffee, CLICK HERE.

MARCH '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

KENYA

Cleo's MARCH '08 pick was Kenya, sold by Counter Culture Coffee, Co. and Peet's Coffee. This coffee was also featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: FRENCH PRESSED. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

APRIL '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

PURPLE PRINCESS

Cleo's April '08 pick was the amazing "Finca El Puente" from a coffee in Honduras nicknamed "Purple Princess" by the coffee director of Counter Culture Coffee of Durham, NC. This coffee was also featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: FRENCH PRESSED. To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

MAY - JUNE '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Cleo's June '08 pick was the "Jamaica Blue Mountain" of the South Pacific. An award-winning coffee grown on the exotic island of Papua New Guinea (north of Australia). To read more about this coffee or purchase it for yourself, CLICK HERE.

JULY - AUGUST '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

SOLAR ROAST COFFEE

Cleo's July - August '08 pick was Solar Roast Coffee of Pueblo, Colorado, the only company in the world that roasts its coffee using solar energy! Meet Dave and Mike, the two brothers who invented this one-of-a-kind solar roaster, and learn how you can purchase their delicious coffees for yourself by CLICKING HERE and reading Cleo's archived article.

SEPT. - OCTOBER '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:

JOE'S VIENNA ROAST
from the NYC coffeehouse:

Joe, The Art of Coffee

The September-October '08 pick was Joe's Vienna Roast, sold by Joe, The Art of Coffee café in Greenwich Village, New York, recently named one of the best coffee bars in the country by Food and Wine magazine (and one of Cleo Coyle's inspirations for her fictional Village Blend!). CLICK HERE to visit Joe's online store and order the Vienna Roast for yourself. (Check the center of the Home Page for Cleo's posted article about this delightful coffee and the amazing cafe where it's sold.)

NOV. - DECEMBER '08

Cleo's Coffee Pick

BOUCHON BLEND

This smooth, delicious coffee is the House Blend served at Bouchon Bakeries, which are owned and run by award-winning chef Thomas Keller. This coffee was featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: ESPRESSO SHOT. It is blended and roasted by Equator Estate Coffee and Teas, a women-owned company based in northern California. Click here to learn more about the coffee or order it for yourself.

CLEO'S NEXT

COFFEE PICK

Will be announced
in January 2009!