Flat White Fatality

We see more behind the scenes in Sage's business and a lot of Bax's business. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I did like learning more about the characters that work in Bax's business. The mystery had several twists. The murder victim wasn't exactly who they thought and the solution to the mystery has a twist that I wasn't expecting. I thought the reveal was good, but there are some who probably won't like it. The post mystery events were unexpected and I liked that part. The setting wasn't my favorite, but the characters and plot were good.

Book Review: Flat White Fatality by Emmeline Duncan

A Pretty Decent Cozy Mystery with a Hipster Vibe...⭐⭐⭐ out of 5 Stars

Alright, folks, let's chat about Flat White Fatality by Emmeline Duncan. This cozy mystery serves up a unique blend of coffee culture and crime. Our main protagonist, Sage, owns a roastery called Ground Rules Roastery and finds herself smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. When a mischievous programmer named Robbie winds up dead in her joint, fingers start pointing at Sage and her boyfriend Bax. But hold up, there could be a disgruntled employee in the mix too! With suspects galore, Sage takes it upon herself to crack the case before anyone else bites the dust.

Now, let's talk about the good stuff. The writing in this book is rock solid. Emmeline Duncan knows how to string words together to keep you flipping those pages. The story is easy to follow, and you don't need to read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. It stands on its own just fine. The pacing is on point too, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

But here's the deal: Flat White Fatality just wasn't my cup of coffee. It has this whole hipster vibe going on that just didn't jive with my particular taste buds. It's all about that trendy roastery setting and all those hipster references. Some readers might find it a bit too niche or over the top. Now, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing—it's just a matter of personal preference.

So, my fellow readers, if you're into cozy mysteries with a side of hipster flair, Flat White Fatality might just be your jam. The writing is strong, the plot keeps you hooked, and the coffee culture adds a little extra buzz to the story. But if you prefer your mysteries without all that hipster jazz, you might want to give this one a pass. Either way, grab yourself a cup of joe and get ready for an entertaining ride through the world of coffee and crime. Cheers!

ARC Via NetGalley

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and that is saying a lot because I end up disliking 75% of the ones I try. Many are just so.....lame? Poorly written?
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced peek at this awesome book.

In Flat White we meet up with Sage and Bax at his office where the staff is dressed in duck costumes because, as a team building activity the Grumpy Sasquatch team is going on a scavenger hunt around town. How cool is that? Unfortunately, someone doesn't get to finish the hunt and Sage has to bust out her mystery-solving skills to figure out who had it out for that particular character.
Here's the thing about this series: the cozy formula is there, but it is not obvious because the writing is THAT GREAT. I love all of these characters and the setting and there are two larger mysteries that continue throughout the series: what is up with Sage's mom and what on earth is Mark up to?
So, Flat White Fatality CAN be read as a standalone, but I don't recommend. I'd start with book one and get the full flavor.
One more thing before I get into my notes:
I am very concerned by how many reviewers only seem to focus on the idea that this is a “millennial mystery.” That is exclusory and untrue. I get it, I truly do. I've read some cozies written in the 90s and early 2000s that just do not stand up to the test of time, but to pigeon-hole Emmeline Duncan's writing is not fair. I am Gen X and I love this series. Luckily I read the first one before I started seeing those reviews. I might not have picked it up otherwise, thinking it's not for me.
Notes: Grumpy Sasquatch is not that removed from Concerned Ape, do we have a Stardew Valley fan at the helm (squee)?
Fave quote:
“One of the game testers was a woman in her fifties who regularly rocked graphic tees and clunky Doc Martens, and had major DGAF energy coupled with kindness.” location 2131
Hee hee!
“My inner child still giggles when I call it the POS system.” location 2279 Haha! Me too!!