Clare Cosi runs a coffeeshop in New York City, in the West Village. It's been there for decades, home to artists, poets, actors, writers, and all sorts of artsy types, as well as those who seriously love good coffee. Her ex-husband Matt is a globe-trotting master of sourcing coffee, so Clare's roasts are always the cream of the crop. 

The Village Blend is a two-story shop filled with warmth and flavor. The baristas are personable, the pastries delectable, and the atmosphere encourages conversation and creativity. That's why it was named one of the top three meeting places in the city, and the young singles with their smartphones and the Cinder app were out in force. While Matt was getting shot down by the women he was meeting, the sound of gunfire up on the second floor sent Clare running to find out what was happening. 

Upstairs, a seriously annoyed Cinderella was trying to teach a lesson to her Prince Not-at-All Charming by waving a gun around and shooting at the ceiling. And although it turned out to be a prop gun filled with blanks, the viral videos from several customers' phones put the Village Blend even more into the spotlight. It wasn't until later that night that Clare saw a woman floating in the Hudson River and recognized her as a customer of the coffee shop. 

As Clare looks into what may have caused so much turmoil in just one evening, she also questions a culture where intimacy has fallen to the wayside in lieu of staring at phones and swiping for a quick match. But delving further into the woman's death--and into her life, what Clare finds is far deeper and darker than her darkest roast coffee, and it puts her in hotter water than she's ever felt. 

A Shot in the Dark is the 17th in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery series. This is the first one I've gotten to read, but it certainly won't be the last. A friend suggested Coyle's series to me earlier this year, and I had, of course, known about it, but I hadn't realized how good it is. There is a specific formula for a cozy mystery, and the best cozies take that formula and find a way to elevate it. A Shot in the Dark does that, looking not just at a murder but at the larger culture that influences the choices that lead to such a deviant crime. It's smart and interesting and even includes recipes at the end (Hello, Clare's Double-Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake with Whipped Coffee Cream! Where have you been all my life? And why is there not yet an app where I can swipe right on that?!). I highly recommend A Shot in the Dark to all of my cozy friends, perfect for reading in your favorite coffeehouse, especially if they have snacks. And if you're like me and this is your first serving of Cleo Coyle, you should definitely come back for more. 

Galleys for A Shot in the Dark were provided by Berkeley Prime Crime through Penguin's First to Read program, with many thanks.