After her music career crashes and burns spectacularly, Juliet Langley is forced to turn to the only other business she knows: food service. Unfortunately, bad luck strikes yet again when her two-timing fiancé robs her blind and runs off with her best waitress. Flushing what’s left of her beloved café down the toilet with her failed engagement, Juliet packs up and moves back to her college stomping grounds in Nashville to manage an old friend’s coffeehouse. At first glance, it seems as though nothing’s changed at Java Jive. What could possibly go wrong? Only that the place is hemorrhaging money, the staff is in open revolt, and Juliet finds one unlucky employee dead in the dumpster out back before her first day is even over.
The corpse just so happens to belong to the cook who’d locked horns with Juliet over the finer points of the health code. Unimpressed with her management style, the other disgruntled employees are only too eager to spill the beans about her fiery temper to the detective on the case. Add to the mix a hunky stranger who’s asking way too many questions, and suddenly Juliet finds herself in some very hot water. If she can’t simmer down and sleuth her way to the real killer, she’s going to get burned.
About the Author:
Caroline Fardig is the author of Death Before Decaf and the Lizzie Hart series. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.
Review of Death Before Decaf
Review (4.5 Stars): I loved Juliet in Death Before Decaf. She was absolutely adorable and had the best job ever until she finds the body of her cook behind the shop in the dumpster. The cook who she recently had an argument with and everyone in the restaurant witnessed. So it becomes no surprise that she is the prime suspect for his murder. Juliet must now clear her name before it is too late and her dreams of a new career go up in smoke.
Death Before Decaf was a delightfully charming mystery with humor, suspense and a cast of characters to die for. I instantly connected with Juliet, who is a firecracker, as she made her way back to an old haunt to make a fresh start as the manager of Java Jive. This mystery was a lot of fun, well-written and I loved figuring out the clues right along with Juliet. This is the first book in a brand new series and it is definitely a winner. I’m looking forward to seeing where Juliet goes from here.
Barb Hackel
Caroline, I have had this on pre-order since July and can hardly wait to read it. I loved the Lizzie stories, and this sounds equally entertaining. The good news that there are 3 more made me do a little happy dance. (Well, I THOUGHT about doing a happy dance anyway.) Juliet sounds like another great character I will enjoy getting to know.Only 1 more week!
Caroline Fardig
Barb–Thanks for the note! I hope you enjoy the new book. And be on the lookout for some crossover characters!
Jeanetta
Thank you for introducing me to a new author, and Death Before Decaf sounds like a great mystery. 🙂
Peggy Hyndman
I love reading books written by Caroline Fardig. The Lizzie Hart series is wonderful and I did a Read & Review of Death Before Decaf and it’s awesome. I’m looking forward to reading more of your books!!