Maggy Thorsen, co-owner of Uncommon Grounds coffee house, reluctantly agrees to participate in a specialty coffee tradeshow in Milwaukee. The publicity will help as the small independents struggle against the chain coffee shops. Competition is fierce to retain customers against the chains' seemingly endless coupons for half-price coffee. Maggy doesn't blink at trying to steal their employees. She does, however, draw the line at murder.

When Maggy is found holding the murder weapon over the dead body of Marvin LaRoche, an obnoxious competitor, she becomes a prime suspect. Maggy probes into his death finding an odd assortment of characters who aren't broken up at LaRoche's death. Maggy receives help from Pavlik, her police chief boyfriend, as they uncover plots to sabotage the tradeshow. Pavlik uses Maggy's inside knowledge as they try to decipher the motivations of the other contestants and find the real killer.

GROUNDS FOR MURDER is the second installment in the prickly Maggy Thorsen mystery series. The quirky personalities, along with the clever plot and details of the coffee house trade, make this a tantalizing read. Ms. Balzo's sense of humor shines as Maggy and Pavlik's attempt at romance is interrupted by murder and an overly friendly dog.

Book Summary

At a scaldingly competitive trade show in Milwaukee for the coffee industry, egos and tempers are steaming over such burning issues as store rivalries, product quality and employee-poaching. But events reach a head when coffeehouse owner Maggy Thorsen discovers a body under a table at the conference center. As the reluctant conference coordinator - - and a potential suspect - Maggy must track the murderer, save her coffeehouse, and -- hopefully - put some froth into her love life...