On What Grounds
Ten years ago Clare Cosi left an unhappy marriage along with a job she loved: managing the historic Village Blend coffeehouse in New York's Greenwich Village. For a decade she was content raising her daughter in the quiet suburbs of New Jersey. But now that Joy is grown and gone, life has gotten far too quiet.
With a little cajoling from Madame, the Blend's flamboyant elderly owner, Clare agrees to return to her old job, and right from the start she gets one heck of a jolt. On her first morning back as manager she unlocks the front door to find her beautiful young assistant manager, Anabelle, unconscious in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere.
As Anabelle is rushed to the hospital, police arrive to investigate, but Detective Mike Quinn finds no sign of forced entry or foul play and deems it an accident. Clare disagrees. After Quinn leaves there are questions she can't get out of her mind: why was the trash bin in the wrong place? If this wasn't an accident, are her other baristas in danger? On What Grounds is the first Coffeehouse Mystery.
Returns after ten years to manage the Village Blend coffeehouse and refuses to accept the police verdict.
The Village Blend's flamboyant elderly owner, who coaxes Clare back to the job.
The young assistant manager found unconscious in the back of the store.
The NYPD detective who investigates and rules the incident an accident.
Clare's grown daughter.