Cappuccino

Zion Sawyer Series, Book 1

By: M. L. Hamilton

Narrated by: Kelley Hazen

Zion Sawyer had a good job, working customer service for an insurance company in San Francisco. She had friends, a loving family, and a bright future. Until she received a call from a lawyer in Sequoia, California, informing her she is the sole heir to her biological mother’s estate. Zion never met Vivian Bradley, but her death sends Zion on a path of discovery that changes her future forever. And she discovers that you can never escape your past, even a past you didn’t want to know.

©2016 ML Hamilton (P)2018 ML Hamilton

A great beginning to a new series

'Cappuccino' is a great start to a new series by Ms Hamilton, the author of Peyton Brooks and Avery Nolan adventures, both of which I really like a lot. Now we meet Zion Sawyer who is as strong and relateable a character as the other two:)

This is a cozy mystery, much lighter in mood than Peyton Brooks' stories and much more down-to-earth than Avery Nolan's magical adventures - but it's as entertaining and engaging. The book has an interesting starting point, with Zion suddenly inheriting her biological mother's coffee house and other earthly possessions - which at first she rejects, as she has never met her biological mother and has never wanted to meet her. But, as it soon turns out, that unexpected event allows her to change her life completely - a change she definitely needs, for her own good. The little town of Sequoia, California, is exactly what she needs right now, and the people she meets there are a colourful, friendly bunch... well, most of them, anyway:)

There's an intriguing criminal plot, with some good twists to it, there's also a bit of romance - or possible romance - in the air. The two main characters, Zion herself and her 'co-partner in crime', a former cop Tate, are full-bodied people, with complicated personalities, but very likeable, so it's easy to kind of keep your fingers crossed for them...:) The supporting cast are also very well developed, with a lot of quirks and a lot of warmth to them. And there's a lot of humour - Zion is a kind of character that has a healthy distance to herself and can make other people smile a lot (the reader/listener, too).

In a word, it's a book I just couldn't put down...:)

Narration by Ms Hazen is very good, as usual. She does all the different voices very well, some better than others, but in general it's a great performance by her. She adds tension when necessary, and the humour of the book shines in her interpretation:)

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Cappuccino

This is a fun story to listen to. I'm happy I found it. I'll be listening again.

Beginning of a new cozy series

A murder mystery in a quaint California town. Interesting characters, puzzling crimes and a really good story.

It was good :) and that's it :)

It was good, just casual one time reading for me. Loved the narrated and her intonation and such.

An Awesome Listen

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the narrator and found it very entertaining. Big city girl moves to small town to run the Coffee Shop her birth mother left her. Sounds simple enough, but it's not. A big box store wants to come to town and Zion's mother was standing in their way before she was murdered, just a coincidences? Can Zion and her neighbour, the ex-cop solve the mystery before anyone else gets hurt. With this fun cast it doesn't really matter as long as you can listen along as they try. It has it all, suspense, humour, danger and a touch of romance. Once again author and narrator make an awesome team. Looking forward to listening to book 2.