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FATAL BROUHAHA is the fifth book in the Ground Rules Mysteries by Emmeline Duncan. It doesn’t get much better than pairing whiskey with coffee and launching the joint venture with a 4th of July festival and fireworks display to celebrate! Protagonist Sage Caplin and her business partner, Harley, own Ground Rules, a successful and expanding coffee company in Portland, Oregon. Sage is a wonderful character. She’s ambitious, yet down-to-earth, relatable, and a good friend to all her employees and customers. The author does an admirable job in giving each character individual personalities with well-developed backstories. She also brings the setting of Portland and the festival to life, so that the reader feels like they’re right there, smelling the mouthwatering aroma of fresh-ground coffee and tasting the invigorating brew, while listening to bands playing popular music. Harley is a good foil to outgoing Sage. She’s the character behind the scenes making things happen while developing the specialty coffee grinds their company is known for. She’s quiet, yet steady, so when their nemesis, Mark, creates a brouhaha and Harley lashes out, it’s unexpected.
Mark has been a thorn in the Ground Rules business from the very first book. And while murder is never the right answer, it seems karma has finally caught up to him… except it doesn’t take long for Harley to become the primary suspect. As if launching a business venture and planning a wedding isn’t enough, Sage knows Harley is innocent and pulls out all the stops to prove it. The author provides a well-plotted mystery with twists and turns that kept me engrossed in the pages, with plenty of suspects who might have wanted the rival coffee house owner dead. The subplots added interest and intertwined with the story perfectly. There is a touch of humor and heartwarming scenes to make you want to come back and see what happens next in Sage’s life, while keeping the reader guessing with a clever whodunit!
Sage creates all kinds of delicious treats to sell at Ground Rules. I appreciate that often the recipes are dairy free with tips on making them gluten-free for those who have dietary concerns. As soon as I saw the recipe for Ground Rules Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars, I knew I had to try them. My goodness, these are rich, chewy, and oh-so-yummy! The oatmeal provides a nice texture to the bars, and there is a decadent amount of chocolate chips to keep the bars gooey. I’ll readily admit that this is one of those treats I wanted to hoard for myself. But since they are easy enough to mix up and bake, I decided to share and then bake up a second batch.
Amazon Synopsis
In addition to her beloved coffees, Sage is thrilled to be expanding her offerings in collaboration with the local whiskey company that is throwing the festival. And how better to launch their new product than with fellow entrepreneurs. But among the crowd of artists and creators, Sage is surprised to spot Left Coast Grinds owner Mark Jeffries, who has it out for Ground Rules. The distillery didn’t invite Mark and they apologize. But nothing can make up for the glare Mark aims at Sage and her co-owner, Harley. And that’s just a taste of what’s to come . . .
Soon Mark incites a loud argument with Harley and is ousted from the property. But later that night, Sage finds Mark’s body by the Ground Rules Subaru. She knows that when investigators learn that Harley and Mark had a history of butting heads, Harley will be a prime suspect—and she’s right. But Mark rubbed many people the wrong way, and several are at the festival. Now Sage will have to filter through secrets, grudges, and blackmail to get to the bitter truth—and as her sleuthing heats up, the closing fireworks won’t just be the ones in the sky . . .
A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of FATAL BROUHAHA to one lucky winner! Contest ends May 4, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or substitute butter if desired)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (you can sub in an equal amount of oat flour to make it gluten-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (this recipe will be dairy-free if you use dairy-free chocolate chips!)
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F), and line an 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment paper.
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Add the dry ingredients (salt, baking soda, flour, and rolled oats) to a bowl, mix, and set aside.
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Combine the vegetable oil (or butter), brown sugar, and white sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and airy.
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Add the egg, mixing well; then add the vanilla. If you use oil, beat it until the mixture looks frothy. If you use butter, it will be denser (but still light).
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
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Dump the cookie dough into the prepared pan and gently level it with your fingers or a spoon (don't press it down hard).
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Bake for 25 to 30 minutes; the cookies should be golden brown on top.
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Remove from oven and let the pan cool completely before cutting into bars.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
