Murder Most Frothy

Clare Cosi, a New York barista, accepts an invitation from her new friend David Mintzer, a millionaire, to spend the summer at his Hamptons mansion. The stay costs her nothing. In return, she trains the staff of his new restaurant, and she brings along her daughter, her former mother-in-law and her own recipe for iced coffee.

The summer starts as a break from the heat of the city. Clare runs the coffee bar at her first Hamptons gala, a glossy social event held on the Fourth of July.

The night turns violent. An employee is found dead in David's bathroom, and the killing appears to be a botched attempt on the millionaire's own life. Nobody heard the gunshots over the holiday fireworks, and the police are held up in holiday traffic, so the household is left on its own.

Worried for the safety of the people around her, Clare starts investigating herself. This is a cozy mystery with a coffeehouse heroine, a summer resort setting and a light, pun-loving tone, and the danger grows as she learns more.