Double Shot Death

Ground Rules Mystery Series, Book 2

By: Emmeline Duncan

Narrated by: Carly Robins

Sage Caplin is taking her Portland coffee cart on the road to a sustainable music festival, but murder is an unwanted special guest . . .

At Campathon, an annual eco-friendly festival held on a farm outside of Portland, fans celebrate the Pacific Northwest's music scene in quintessential PDX style-with gourmet food carts, reusable utensils . . . and lots of coffee. How else to get through three days of nonstop entertainment? Sage has scored a coveted place for her Ground Rules coffee cart thanks to her new-ish boyfriend, Bax, who's friendly with Maya, one of the musicians performing.

The festivities begin with a stream of customers, friends, and acquaintances stopping by for Ground Rules' world-class blends, expertly brewed by Sage and her newest barista. But there are tensions between Maya and her former bandmates, who are on the cusp of making it big, and with Ian, the band's manager. When Sage stumbles upon Ian's dead body in the nearby woods—his hand still clutching one of her coffee mugs—it's clear that someone's grudge boiled over into murder. Can Sage work out who's responsible before another innocent life fades out, and the curtain falls on Campathon, and maybe her own future, for good?

©2022 Kelly Garrett (P)2022 Tantor

Story line.

I stayed connected with the plot which is important for me. It held my interest

Here’s a weird, offbeat review for Double Shot Death by Emmeline Duncan:

Reading Double Shot Death felt like walking into a coffee shop at 2 a.m. where the barista is definitely hiding something in the espresso machine, but you order a latte anyway because… why not? It’s cozy mystery meets hipster caffeine fever dream.

The protagonist, Sage, is equal parts detective, coffee connoisseur, and chaos magnet. Every time she pulls a shot, you can practically hear a suspicious jazz riff in the background, as if the beans themselves are whispering, “Murder.” The book doesn’t just give you a whodunnit—it gives you a sense that maybe your French press is plotting against you too.

The murder mystery? Smooth as cold brew but with a kick that sneaks up on you at the end. The suspects? Frothier than steamed milk. And the pacing? Like a triple espresso shot—fast, jittery, and just when you think you’ve hit peak buzz, another twist slams down like whipped cream on your face.

By the end, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to solve a crime, open a food cart, or just question all of my friends’ latte orders. One thing’s for certain: this book is proof that coffee shops aren’t just for writing novels—they’re also perfect places for murder.

Verdict: 4.5 out of 5 suspicious cappuccinos. ☕🔪

Music vibes

If you are music lover you’ll love this it has elements of music cuz of the festival its so good check it out

All the coffee terminology!

I like the continuation of the characters More characters in this., too. Good kitty addition.

Fast moving with interesting development of characters. didn't guess who the murderer was. Completely surprised.

I'm enjoying the series very much. Can't stop listening!! Eager to start the next book!!!