Murder is brewing in ‘Death by Iced Coffee’ | Book Talk
There are more than the usual number of suspects in “Death by Iced Coffee” by Zanesville author Alex Erickson, second in his Bookstore Café Mystery series.
The narrator is Krissy Hancock, co-owner of a combination coffeeshop and bookstore in fictional Pine Hills, Ohio. She’s halfheartedly running in a charity marathon when she hears a call for help coming from ahead on the course. A crowd has gathered around a man who’s been strangled. Before the race, he’d been seen complaining about the hilly course and the merciless heat.
Afterward, Krissy suffers from sunburn and possible heatstroke, which causes her to be dizzy and shaky on her feet. She does remember having seen a man skulking behind a shed at the start line, which sticks in her mind because he is her friend’s boyfriend, and he’s supposed to be out of town. She keeps this choice bit of information from her cop boyfriend.
Overhearing partial conversations and meeting the clients of an unlicensed therapist help her gather information on the case, but also lead to her being handcuffed and receiving a threatening note.
“Death by Iced Coffee” (315 pages, softcover) costs $8.99 from Kensington. Alex Erickson also is the author of the Furever Pets mystery series.
‘A Cure for the Common Scam’
In “A Cure for the Common Scam: A Non-Technical Guide to Navigating the Pitfalls of the Internet,” Kyle Jekot of Stow reports his dismay upon learning that his wife’s aunt and uncle fell victim to a common ripoff: They were contacted by a phony computer technician who said they needed to “update” their software — for a fee, of course.
Jekot was especially troubled because he is a certified fraud examiner and has spent a career working on fraud prevention. This slender book provides solid advice for those who may not be well versed in the danger of clicking on risky links, and a good refresher for those who might need it.
Starting with advice for making a strong password, Jekot continues with some various types of scam calls, suspicious bank account action and safe online shopping, and finishes with guidance about what to do when an account is compromised. “A Cure for the Common Scam” would make a good gift for a relative who could use a brush-up.
“A Cure for the Common Scam” (68 pages, softcover) costs $11.95 from online retailers.
Events
Mandel Jewish Community Center (26001 S. Woodland Road, Beachwood): The Cleveland Jewish Book Festival closes out with Sharona Hoffman, author of “Aging with a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow,” 11:30 a.m. Sunday, and Albert Ratner and Michael Roizen, authors of “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow,” 11 a.m. to noon Monday. Register at mandeljcc.org.
Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights): Alodia Thaliel signs her novel “Peaches and Cream,” 1 p.m. Sunday.
Fireside Book Shop (29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls): Jane Capuzza signs “The Fifth Star: Ohio’s Fight for Women’s Right to Vote,” 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Hudson Library & Historical Society (96 Library St.): Three-time Edgar Award winner T. Jefferson Parker (“Silent Joe”) talks about “The Rescue,” a thriller about a journalist who adopts a dog from a Mexican shelter and is drawn into danger, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Register at hudsonlibrary.org.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Parma-Snow branch, 2121 Snow Road): David Grann talks about “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder,” about survivors of a 1740s wreck who tell differing stories, 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The $30 admission includes a copy of the book. From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Gretchen Rubin talks about “Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World”; the $30 admission includes a copy of the book. From 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Angeline Boulley discusses her young adult novel “Warrior Girl Unearthed.” Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Medina County District Library (210 S. Broadway St.): Novelist Joshilyn Jackson (“Never Have I Ever)” talks about her new book “With My Little Eye,” 3 p.m. Tuesday. Seating is limited; go to medina.lib.oh.us.
Brunswick Middle School (1483 Pearl Road): Joshilyn Jackson talks about “With My Little Eye,” 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Go to medina.lib.oh.us.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Bay Village branch, 27400 Wolf Road): Lisa Damour talks about “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents,” 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. t
Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library: Britt Hawthorne, author of “Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Guide,” makes a virtual appearance at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Register at smfpl.org.
Mentor Public Library: Britt Hawthorne discusses “Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide in a virtual event from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday. Go to mentorpl.org.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Parma-Powers branch, 6996 Powers Blvd.): Samantha Tucker and Amy Spears discuss “Collective Chaos: A Roller Derby Team Memoir,” 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library (Coventry Village branch, 1925 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights): Dave Schwensen, author of “The Beatles in Cleveland: Memories, Facts & Photos About the Notorious 1964 & 1966 Concerts,” presents “Beatlemania: The Cleveland Concerts,” 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Register at heightslibrary.org.
Music Box Supper Club (1148 Main Ave., Cleveland): John Grabowski, editor of “The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History” and associate editors Megan Schill and Ryan Chamberlain (“Pistols, Politics and the Press”), join the Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties series with “Political Ripples from CLE 1890-1936,” 7 p.m. Thursday. Dinner is $25; the lecture is free. Register at musicboxcle.com.
Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center (1855 Ansel Road, Cleveland): In a rescheduled event, Elif Batuman, whose “The Idiot” was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and Gary Sheyngart (“Our Country Friends”), join the 2022-2023 William N. Skirball Writers Center Stage Series, 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $30; go to case.edu.
Visible Voice Books (2258 Professor Ave., Cleveland): “5x5x5: An Evening of Poetry” features Eileen G’Sell, Virginia Konchan (“Bel Canto”), Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers (“Chord Box”), Alyssa Perry and Bridget Lowe, 5 p.m. Friday. At 6 p.m. Saturday, Kimberly Mack talks about “Living Color Time’s Up,” about the 1990s rock band.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch, 1876 S. Green Road, South Euclid): A Self-Publishing Roundtable features Carey Hardisky (“Welcome to Coolersville”), Paulette C. Jackson (“My Test)imony”) and Ticana Zhu (Dynasty of Summer Part 2”), 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Learned Owl Book Shop (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Bob Walker signs his children’s book “Do Kangaroos Have Eyebrows?”), 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Email information about books of local interest, and event notices at least two weeks in advance to BeaconBookTalk@gmail.com and bjnews@thebeaconjournal.com. Barbara McIntyre tweets at @BarbaraMcI.
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Author Alex Erickson’s new mystery is ‘Death by Iced Coffee’
