Latte Trouble, Coffehouse Mystery #3

     The third book in the Coffeehouse series revolves around New York's Fashion Week. Lottie Harmon, a village regular, has decided to host a party to show her new collection, Java Jewelry. She's hosting it at the Blend because her collection is based on coffee. Everything seems to be going well. The place is packed, the people are loving the drinks, and people are talking about the jewelry line. As for the staff, everyone is doing good, including the new girl Moira, except Tucker, who seems to have problems with men. Things go from bad to worse for Tucker, when his ex-boyfriend, Ricki Flatt, shows up with his new beau. As Tucker walks to deliver an espresso to Lottie Harmon, Ricki, takes the drink and downs half, the other half is drunk my his date. Not long afterwards both men start having problems breathing and Ricki soon dies. In this book we meet 2 new detectives nicknamed Starksy and Hut. Tucker starts to talk and is arrested for the crime and taken to Rikers.
     With the suspect being Tucker, Clare decides to take it upon herself to solve the crime, since Detective Mike Quinn is out on leave. She ropes her mother-in-law Madame into the investigation and her ex-husband. Who, since he's met Breanne Summour, has decided that Clare's investigations are just her way of meddling.
     The investigation progresses and soon Clare learns things about Lottie that may put her in danger. She also gains a list of suspects, one of who is killed. During the investigation, Clare is kidnapped and taken to Fen's nightclub where he gives her grain alcohol. After he is done with her, she stumbles into the club bathroom where she finds none other than her daughter, Joy, getting ready to do cocaine.
    In the end, Clare gets her killer, right before a fashion show, but not before it cost another person their life. I knew who the killing
    This wasn't my favorite book of the 3 in the series. For one, Joy is working my nerves. She acts like she doesn't have a problem and she is soo naive about life. Another character I don't much care for is Breanne Summour. Her character is so superfical. Perhaps if she was more comfortable in those expensive clothes and her own moisturized skin, she wouldn't be pulling on Matteo the way she did in the book. The third thing I didn't like about this book, was the fact that the murderer was kind of obvious. I predicted the murderer after the first murder took place. but the motive became apparent after Lottie Harmon told about her past. Nonetheless, the story was good, but it could have been great.