It's Christmas time in New York, and coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi is getting in the mood for the season. But her holly jolly holidays may turn blue when she discovers Santa has been gunned down in a nearby alley. And Clare may be spending the holidays in the pokey if she doesn't clear her own name in the red-suited old elf's murder. In the eighth edition of Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries, HOLIDAY GRIND, sassy barista Clare Cosi finds herself once again faced with solving a murder while brewing up some of the most delicious coffee in New York City. Clare was extremely fond of Alfred Glockner, the part-time charity Santa who would stop by the Village Blend to warm up on cold days. And when she finds him brutally gunned down, Clare finds more than a few clues that leads her to believe that Alf's death was more than a mugging. For a while, Clare herself is considered a suspect, but is cleared with a little help from her boyfriend, NYPD Detective Mike Quinn. But Mike is too busy with a case of his own to help Clare track down Santa's killer, so it's up to Clare to try and find out who would snuff out Jolly Ol' St. Nick, but would her curiosity cause her to become the next holiday tragedy of the season? Cleo Coyle (which is the pseudonym for the husband/wife writing team of Marc Cerasini and Alice Alfonsi) once again offers a lively cup of perfectly brewed mystery that is sure to delight fans of the Coffeehouse Mysteries. In addition to the fast-paced action, this well-crafted story also offers a holiday treat in the form of delicious coffee and dessert recipes guaranteed to make mouths water! Coffee, candy canes and a cozy mystery...what a luscious combo for the holidays!