BOOK TWO in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.Black Friday turns fatal when an armored security truck hits an icy patch and runs over an embankment near the cafe. With one driver dead and the other in a coma, police are … in a coma, police are baffled by the discovery that $500,000 is missing from the truck’s cache.
When strangers show up at Barks & Beans asking nosy questions about a young cafe employee, Macy’s mama bear instincts kick in. She can’t ignore what her gut is telling her—that things aren’t all they seem on the surface—and with a little help from her brother, Bo, and her Great Dane, Coal, Macy follows up on a few leads of her own. But if the ruthless thief beats her to the stash, the thin ice she’s been skating on might just crack.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
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Iced Over
Barks & Beans. Book #2
Heather Day Gilbert
5 Stars
Synopsis:
BOOK TWO in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!
Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.
Black Friday turns fatal when an armored security truck hits an icy patch and runs over an embankment near the cafe. With one driver dead and the other in a coma, police are baffled by the discovery that $500,000 is missing from the truck’s cache.
When strangers show up at Barks & Beans asking nosy questions about a young cafe employee, Macy’s mama bear instincts kick in. She can’t ignore what her gut is telling her—that things aren’t all they seem on the surface—and with a little help from her brother, Bo, and her Great Dane, Coal, Macy follows up on a few leads of her own. But if the ruthless thief beats her to the stash, the thin ice she’s been skating on might just crack.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Macy and Bo get along really well and they will do anything for each other. Macy likes to help her friends out and she will need to do just that when a security truck has an accident and it gets robbed. With the help of her brother and dog, Coal, she will do what she can to solve the mystery and prove someone’s innocence.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and it made a clear picture in my mind’s eye. I could picture the coffee shop and all of the activity with the animals. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved, which is how I like my mysteries.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I cannot wait to read book three.
I love this series!! This is a well written cozy mystery that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. I read it in one sitting, yes it’s that good! I can’t wait to see what Macy, Bo and Cole get involved with next. I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Heather Day Gilbert knocked it out of the park again with this one! I absolutely love her cozy mysteries! I can’t get enough of them! I loved this new installment in the Barks & Beans series! I read this in one sitting, it was that good!! I can’t wait to read the next one! Macy, Bo, and Coal are a great team! I can’t wait to see what’s next for them!
I just love Macy Hatfield! Adorable and cute and so clever and quirky. Sometimes, though, ya just wanna knock some sense into her! Then again, ya gotta admire her tenacity! And the girl got some serious observation skills, noticing random and obscure details. Details that end up being vital clues in solving cases.
And I just love Ms. Gilbert’s writing style! She grabs the reader and welcomes them to the story, and plunges them right into the bedlam.
Not only has Ms. Gilbert has created a memorable and loveable character in Macy, she blends disparate personalities to make a robust story-brew. The interactions between the characters are real and relatable, the reactions and personality quirks authentic. And the dialogue is as snappy and quirky as the characters.
The twist and turns and layers in this story are compelling and page-turning. Just when I thought I (might have) figured out whodunnit, Ms. Gilbert hits the reader with another twist, shining the spotlight on a different suspect. Truly, she keeps the reader wondering until the end.
Then, just when ya think the story’s all wrapped up, there’s a surprise twist at the end!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Iced Over, Heather Day Gilbert
Macy and her brother Bo are back. Another crime has become the talk of their small town, and Macy’s interest is piqued—especially when one her employee’s family is affected by the tragedy.
Heather Day Gilbert keeps you guessing as to who is behind everything, bringing in multiple possible suspects and even building on the ending of the previous book with another twist you don’t see coming.
While the plot was intriguing, Macy does tend to be a little fatalistic when she’s working through her theories. Her tendency is to think of all the worst-case scenarios without even considering the more logical possibilities. Of course, this puts her in some uncomfortable situations with a few people.
If the cozy mystery isn’t enough for you, there’s also the lovable pet angle. Macy has Coal and Bo now has a kitten. And many of the visitors to the Barks & Beans café find their forever friends while getting their coffee.
Iced Over is a great addition to the series, and I look forward to what happens next with Macy, Bo, and Coal (and is anyone else crossing their fingers that something more develops between Macy and Titan?).
When I saw Iced Over, #2 Barks and Beans Café Series by Heather Day Gilbert was for sale, I had to preorder. This is a book I would not want to miss. The wonderful smell of flavored coffee beans, the sound of espresso machines, the chance to pet shelter dogs with a view to adopt…plus the chance to play Nancy Drew with a brother who used to be a DEA agent? Let’s just say I wonder if I could convince one of my loyal brothers to open a dual purpose shop like this? “Bo and I were bringing happiness into our corner of the world, one coffee drink and one perfect doggie match at a time.”
Gilbert keeps her cozies to the cozy foundations. No swearing, no sex scenes, but there is a small town with an amateur sleuth. As one of my friends said about Gilbert’s previous book, “a book I don’t have to be on guard as I read. “
Macy has a heart the size of her adopted Great Dane, Coal. I loved the way she actually puts feet to her prayers that her employee’s family would have their needs met.
I also loved that one of the secondary characters who we get to know is an unashamed plus-size 24-year- old. She is fashionable, fun, and has a good head on her shoulders. While she may not be perfectly pleased with her body, she accepts herself and that causes others to look beyond the outer wrappings.
One thing I always look for in a cozy is whether our sleuth actually spends time working at his or her purported job. Macy does indeed spend much of her time at the café, and it is so well described, I really wish I could at least visit one if I can’t work at one.
The sleuthing side becomes a little dangerous, and I am glad I am enjoying solving the mystery vicariously. I loved the introduction of another possible love connection
for Macy, but I wanted to see more romance for Bo, too. However, as Macy says, “Bo was about as romantic as a pot of cold coffee.”
Gilbert likes to end her cozies with a nice twist, leaving you needing the next book.
If you are a dog parent or a coffee aficionado, you will want to read this fun cozy.
Cute second installment to the Barks & Beans Cafe series! I loved being back with Macy and Beau – and Macy’s dog, Coal, and another mischievous dog named Waffles. The wintry setting was fun to read about here at the height of summer heat, and I enjoyed meeting more of the people that live in and around their small town.
The mystery in this one is unique to me in that the villain really isn’t one; it was not who I suspected at all. I like the layered nature of villains in this story, namely that it was hard to tell just who all was involved with what aspects of the crime. I was happy to see more of Titan McCoy in this book, and I like that there is an over-arching baddie in the background who keeps everything from being tied up as nicely as you might expect by the story’s end. Beau’s pre-cafe days are catching up to him, and I’m eager to see how it plays out in the next book.
This series is exceedingly entertaining to me, and I’ve got book three pre-ordered already – it’s slated to release in October, so there’s plenty of time to read books one and two in the series before it’s release.
Siblings Macy and Bo are ready to weather a West Virginia winter with the charming blend of steaming beverages and warm puppy kisses offered at their Barks & Beans Cafe. But when a tragic armored truck accident disrupts their community, nothing seems merry or bright anymore, especially when it starts to look like the wreck had little to do with black ice and everything to do with cold, hard cash.
Iced Over is a highly entertaining follow-up to No Filter, Book 1 in the Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery series. Macy and Bo make a clever and endearing pair of sleuths, and they’re surrounded by colorful supporting characters, both human and furry. Macy’s stalwart and lovable Great Dane Coal returns along with a temperamental cat, and a loopy labradoodle named Waffles. These personalities mix like a well-crafted mocha to invigorate a perplexing whodunnit that keeps readers guessing until the very end.
If you’re a fan of great mysteries and memorable settings, I recommend cozying up with the coffee and canines at Barks & Beans and find out if Macy and Bo can catch a crook before all their clues are Iced Over.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not obliged to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
“Let’s just say that we lucked out when we hired a sweetie like her.”
The Barks and Beans Cafe’s new hire, Bristol Goddard, is a perfect fit for the cafe’s combination of “cups and canines”. She’s a hard worker, obviously loves dogs and gets along well with the establishment’s owners and fellow employees. Unfortunately, Bristol’s struggling family life takes a turn for the worse, when her uncle is seriously injured in a suspicious armored security truck accident- turned- heist, pulling kindhearted cafe co-owner Macy Hatfield into the fray.
Macy’s nose for investigative work takes her down one disappointing path after another. She’s anxious to help the Goddards, but exactly how much do they already know? She’s on a very slippery slope, especially when it appears that outside forces are working overtime to thwart her efforts.
What a fun continuation of a very creative series of cozy mysteries!
Iced Over is Heather Day Gilbert’s second book in the Barks & Beans Cafe series. Having read the first I was excited to start reading Iced Over. I was not disappointed. Macy and Bo, sibling owners of the Barks & Beans Cafe, along with Coal, the ever present and vigilant Great Dane, are once again entangled in a murder mystery. One of their employee’s uncle is caught up in an armored truck heist. Can they keep the family safe until the case is solved? And who is the extremely tall, long-haired blond man with a German accent? The story moves quickly along with lots of action, quirky characters, and lots of dogs (almost makes me want to adopt one–almost!). What more could a cozy mystery lover ask for? There’s a third book in the offing, Fair Trade, and I can’t wait.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
I’m loving this cozy series, and book two is as great as the first one! Barks & Beans is a neat set-up owned by a brother (Bo) and sister (Macy) team. Bo is the java expert who runs the coffee (beans) half of the business while Macy is the animal lover who takes care of the rescue dogs for adoption (barks) side. They meet some lovely people, and unfortunately, some bad people.
The mystery is interesting and it’s fun reading and trying to solve whodunnit. Bo has a secret past we’re continuing to learn about. I admire how he’s devoted to his sister’s safety. Macy is a bit flighty, but her heart’s in the right place and she’s very close to her brother, also. The supporting cast is likeable and the coffee shop setting is cozy. I look forward to reading each story in this wonderful series!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Macy and Bo Hatfield are back and the Barks and Beans Cafe has a new employee, Bristol Goddard. She fits in really well with the rest of the staff and the owners. She loves dogs and is willing to work as many hours as needed. Macy didn’t know much about her new employee until a freak accident leaves Bristol’s uncle in a coma. Working as a security guard for an armored car company, the truck he is riding in hits a patch of black ice. The driver loses control and the truck goes over the embankment. The driver doesn’t survive. With Bristol’s uncle in a coma, there are more questions than answers but when they learn $500,000 has vanished from the truck things get crazy. Could Bristol’s uncle be in on the heist?
Macy with an assist from brother Bo and his friend Titan McCoy digs into the case. Her Great Dane Coal also makes a fine cohort while tracking the truth but her sleuthing could turn dangerous and get her iced!
I love the whole theme of the Barks and Brews Cafe. We recently lost our two border collie/blue heeler mixes to old age after they lit up our lives for over 17 years. If there was a Barks and Brews near here I would probably visit every day to play with the dogs and enjoy a hot beverage or two. Then maybe after some time had passed give a lovable canine a “furever” home.
After giving readers a delightful setting Heather Day Gilbert gives us an awesome mystery. Twists, turns, red herrings, this story has them all. I found it so easy to escape right into the mystery and I was kept guessing right up to the big reveal. Ms. Gilbert has a great writing style, brewing real-life happenings right alongside the mystery.
I fell hard for Macy and Bo quickly when reading Book 1, No Filter. They are even better in this story, especially now that his secret has been revealed. I think it makes them even closer if that is even possible. I love that some romantic entanglements are starting to emerge.
Readers are also treated to a wonderful supporting cast and are introduced to some interesting new characters. They are cleverly written and develop nicely throughout the story. I really like the personalities she creates for the non-human characters too.
Iced Over is a very entertaining mystery and a fine addition to this series. A perfect book to curl up with on a chilly evening. Brew yourself up a warm beverage, a little snack, and enjoy a few hours with Macy and the Bark and Brews gang.
The next book in the series, Fair Trade was released today. Spilled Milk will follow next year in April. I will be reviewing Fair Trade soon.
ICED OVER by Heather Day Gilbert
The Second Barks & Beans Cafe Mystery
Thanksgiving brings with it a wintry chill along with some ice and snow to West Virginia. Macy Hatfield is enjoying the season with her brother, Bo, and Great Dane, Coal, pleased with the success of their Barks and Beans Cafe. She’s also happy with the employees, especially the bubbly young Bristol. When Bristol’s uncle winds up in a coma and his partner dead in the crash of their armored security truck, Macy does all she can to help the young woman and her family. When it turns out that $500,000 is missing from the truck and suspicious strangers are asking about the truck and Bristol’s family, Macy and Bo go on high alert. Was the crash really an accident or is something more sinister going on?
ICED OVER brings the warmth of Thanksgiving with a winter chill. The coziness of friendship and family, as well as the willingness to help others is poised over the darkness of treachery and cold blooded murder. The mystery starts slowly, reeling in readers in with positive vibes. The accident seems just that, an accident, for the most part. But as we get more involved we find more mysteries and suspicions rise against friends old and new…not to mention the major players who we later discover are also involved.
Aside from lots of lovable dogs, the thing I like best about the Barks & Beans Cafe Mystery series is its protagonist. Macy Hatfield is smart and loyal. She keeps the police informed and knows when to ask for help. She has a wonderful relationship with her brother as well as her dog Coal, who is a favorite character as well. I am so happy that the series promotes animal adoptions and shows the variety of animals that can be found in local shelters. I loved meeting Waffles and hope to see more of her in future books, hopefully in a home that can appreciate her.
ICED OVER is a smart engaging mystery that lures you in with dogs and coffee and leaves you satisfied with family, friends, and murder.