My Fair Latte by Vickie Fee

Good Day!  I hope you and your family are well.  These are difficult times with each day bringing news of more closures, the number of those affected rising, and more deaths.  I never thought I would see the day when it was dangerous to go to the grocery store.  I am thankful that I have plenty of things to keep me busy at home (my house has endless projects).  I am also grateful for books, television, puzzles and my craft room.  We need to find activities to keep us busy and engaged.  Mental health is just as important as physical health.  We need to keep our spirits up and think positive.  

My Fair Latte by Vickie Fee has Halley Greer inheriting the Star Movie Palace in Utopia Springs, Arkansas from Leon, her great uncle.  With help from her new friends, Halley begins sprucing up the art deco theater (on a budget) where she plans on showing classic films.  She is adding a coffee and wine bar in the lobby in addition to selling movie theater staples.  Renovations are going well until someone breaks in one night and judiciously uses spray paint on her completed mural behind the coffee bar along with a message to go home.  Halley has no intention of backing down or leaving.  She quickly repairs the damage before her grand opening.  Halley is pleased with the opening night turnout for My Fair Lady.  Things are going well until one of the attendees is found dead in his seat during intermission.  Unfortunately, Halley becomes Detective Stedman’s prime suspect.  She works with her friends to clear her name and find the killer.  Will they be successful, or will it be curtains for Halley?

My Fair Latte by Vickie Fee is the debut A Café Cinema Mystery series.  Halley Greer has come to Utopia Springs, Arkansas to exam her inheritance from her Great Uncle Leon.  Halley was surprised her left her the Star Movie Palace since she had not seen him since she was a child.  She has not been able to get the complete story from her mother as to the reason for the estrangement.  She is grateful that the art deco movie house includes an apartment.  Unfortunately, Leon was not big on housekeeping and had enough items stuffed into the apartment to outfit a thrift store.  She quickly makes friends who help her fix up the theater on a limited budget.  The attendance is good for opening night of My Fair Lady and patrons seem to like Halley’s addition of the coffee and wine bar.  The group is ready to celebrate until a guest is found dead in his seat during intermission.  Detective Stedman has Halley at the top of his suspect list.  Halley, with help from her friends, works to uncover the victim’s killer.  My Fair Latte is a fun cozy mystery with humor, a mystery, and old movie references.  Halley is a down on her luck barista who does not have a good relationship with her mother.  The inheritance came along at a good time for Halley, but she is surprised that Leon left her the theater.  I wish the author had given more background information on Halley.  I found it lacking.  I hope she will provide more details on Halley in the next A Café Cinema Mystery.  Trudy and George Mayfield are delightful people.  They are warm, open and kindhearted.   Trudy also is a fabulous cook.  They are quick to help Halley and Trudy introduces her to Kendra Williams who owns Hidden Clue Escape Rooms (my type of entertainment).  The story moved along at a steady pace and I liked Vickie Fee’s conversational writing style.  The mystery had some interesting details, but it is a cinch to solve.  One little detail gives away the identity of the guilty party.  There was misdirection along with suspicious characters who could have done the evil deed.  I liked the old movie references and the descriptions of the beautiful art deco details.  I thought it was clever to add a coffee and wine bar in the theater (I do not drink either, but I imagine this will attract adult clientele).  My Fair Latte is a charming story with art deco décor, magnificent movies, a dear head named Derek, a jumble of junk, interrupted intermission, copious quantities of coffee and a dogged detective.  

My Fair Latte is available from Amazon*.  Thank you for reading my review.  Tomorrow I am sharing my thoughts on Love and Marriage at Harpers by Rosie Clarke.  It is the second novel in Welcome to Harpers Emporium series.  Both books are available through Kindle Unlimited.  I hope you have a sunny day.  Now for a little humor. . . He said "Books or me."  I sometimes remember him when I am buying new books.  Take care, stay safe and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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