Death Before Decaf: A Java Jive Mystery by Caroline Fardig

Juliet loves to sing but has debilitating stage fright.  She also loves to bake so she goes into the restaurant business.  That was going great until her fiance stole all the money, all the furnishings and ran away with the head waitress.  Now she's broke, lost her business, and is bummed on life.  She'll just stick her tail between her legs and go home, where she can run a small diner.  It's the best she can do now.

Alibi and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published November 17th.  This is a new cozy series.

Juliet's best friend is Pete.  They've known each other for years.  Pete's Dad died and the diner needed a new manager.  He called and Julie answered.

The first thing Juliet notices is that things are not as clean as they should be.  The staff is not impressed by her.  Her instructions to them are not well received and she ends up in a fight with Dave.  When she comes back to apologize, he's already off work.  That should be the end of it until tomorrow but when she goes out after the diner is closed, she finds him stuffed in the garbage can dead.  Not a good start on a new job.

The mystery was OK but it was the romance that carried this story.  She's interested in this sexy professor that comes into the diner.  He appears to be interested in her, too.  She's getting close to him until she finds out he's not a professor nor is he who says he is.  Who is he?  And why is he snooping around the diner?

Her friend, Pete, is involved with a woman she doesn't like.  She loves Pete herself but tries to ignore it.  She's very fond of her mystery man but she can't act on that either.  I'm not sure where she's heading in love but I don't think it's going to be an easy choice for her.  I wonder what mystery she'll run across next...