Grounds for Accusation: A Mug & Murder Mystery

Ivy Thorne thought she had traded the high-stakes world of investigative journalism for the peaceful hum of an espresso machine. As the new owner of the Mug & Murder coffeehouse in the fog-drenched town of Salt-Stained Cove, her biggest daily challenge is usually a temperamental steamer wand.

Until she buys the "Brass Beast."

When Ivy wins a vintage 1950s Faema espresso machine at a local auction, she expects a restoration project. Instead, she finds a decades-old secret tucked inside the boiler: a yellowed envelope claiming that the town’s golden boy, Arthur Penhaligon, didn’t die in a tragic accident ten years ago—he was murdered.

There’s just one problem: Arthur Penhaligon is currently sitting in Ivy’s shop, very much alive.

As Ivy digs into the machine's history, she realizes the man sipping lattes across the street is a perfect impostor. But in a town where the local historian manages the memories and the Mayor manages the maps, no one wants to hear the truth. With a teenage assistant who knows too much and a mysterious stranger who orders drinks from a secret menu, Ivy must filter the facts from the lies.

From the jagged cliffs of Siren’s Leap to the hidden sea caves beneath her own floorboards, Ivy is about to discover that some secrets are buried for a reason—and the "Director" of this deadly play is ready to write Ivy’s final chapter.

If you love atmospheric Pacific Northwest settings, intelligent sleuths with a sharp wit, and mysteries that keep you guessing until the final drop, you’ll love the first installment of the Mug & Murder series.