Another great entry in a great series. Ground Rules is opening their brick and mortar location, and that of course comes with new dramas. An excellent mystery that is resolved but also elements of this book further the overall stories of the characters.

Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery. I did feel the pacing was way too slow and there was a lot of dialogue and not enough character or relationship building that I prefer in cozy mysteries. The red herrings were done well and kept me changing my thoughts on who the murderer was, and I did like that there is an underlining additional story involving Sage’s background that poses to be interesting to learn more. Also, the book ended on a cliffhanger, which was a nice twist. With that being said, I wasn’t hugely invested in the story and the same thing went for the previous novel in the series so I’m on the fence if I’ll be giving this series another shot.

This was a new author and series for me. Didn't realize it was book four in the series, but that's alright. The author did a good job letting you know what was going on and the relationship between the characters. The fact that the main character's backstory is very much tied up in the mystery only helps you to keep up with no issues. Sage and her partner finally add a brick and mortar location to their business besides the coffee truck and beans distribution center. This is a center where mutiple food businesses like the Ground Rules can finally have a set location and support one another. Unfortunately some of these businesses have had a run in with Sage at other locations where they have been located, and to add to the drama a young podcaster is trying to dig into Sage's mother's past, and it's not a pretty one. When a cup of coffee from Ground Rules leads to the death of a neighbor, what will that mean for Sage and company? I thought this was a well written and compelling mystery with lots of good suspects and a lot of interesting characters that I was immediately drawn to. Will definitely read more in this series. Thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensingtonbooks for the opportunity to read!

This has become one of my favorite cozy series with a strong millennial voice! We pick up in this story with Sage opening her brick and mortar store in the Button Building for her coffee business! On the first day of business, murder happens and Sage is the prime suspect. We get a bunch of new characters in this one, expanding the universe for this series, but I still enjoyed having the Sasquatches in it too! It also has a locked room mystery vibe to it for those who love that (which is me)!! Lots of twists and turns in the mystery and I didn't have a strong suspect for the murder so was surprised! If you're looking for a great cozy set in Portland, this hits all the right vibes!

Trying to start a series on book 4 is clearly a no-no 😂

I tried so hard to read this but as I was missing loads of back stories and previous story arcs that got us to Death Unfiltered, it was hard!

I am gonna start from the beginning because the writing was great, the characters are well rounded. I feel people who are invested in the series are going to love this. So while Number 4 didn't do it for me now, it will when I get there as it's opened up a new series for me!

DEATH UNFILTERD is the fourth book in the Ground Rules Mysteries by Emmeline Duncan. I think each book gets better and better, as it builds on the preceding storyline so that the reader gets a deeper insight into protagonist Sage Caplin, her family, and her crew of baristas. There’s also the thread of Sage’s con-artist mom running through each story. It adds a depth of emotion as Sage struggles to overcome her guilt at how she was a part of her mom’s schemes as a young child, then abandoned when she’d outgrown her usefulness. In Death Unfiltered, old wounds are opened, and she comes face-to-face with one of her mother’s victims. Because of this, it’s probably best to start at the beginning of the series, even though this could be read as a standalone based on the murder mystery itself.

Ms. Duncan has created a colorful cast of characters in a very colorful city: Portland, Oregon. With edgy vibes and a definite love of coffee, Sage and her company, Ground Rules, certainly fits in. There are vivid descriptions to bring the locale to life and it’s hard to not want to book a flight right away to visit. Sage and her business partner, Harley, are opening a brick-and-mortar store. Everyone is excited about the new venture except the neighboring Breakfast Bandits shop owner, Bianca. When Bianca drops dead after sipping on Ground Rules coffee on the morning of their grand opening, it looks like their fledgling business might not survive. With Sage in the crosshairs of law enforcement and a true-crime podcaster dogging and recording her every step, Sage must find the actual killer. This well-plotted mystery has a good pace. Ms. Duncan weaves coffee details, the subplot of Sage’s mom, and the murder together into a cohesive story that never lags. I was truly surprised at the reveal… I never suspected the culprit. And with a zinger of an ending, it will take all my patience to wait until I can have the next book in hand to find out what happens next!

There are several recipes included at the back of the book, including drinks, plus savory and sweet dishes.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Once again death finds Sage this time at the opening of their bricks and mortar storefront. She has new employees that are slightly suspicious and fellow owners that could be involved. There’s also a podcaster looking into her mom’s cons. All of this and Bax has his new game coming out. I love Sage and enjoy every one of these books.

cozy-mystery, Oregon, family-drama, family-dynamics, family-history, podcaster, coffee-culture, coffee-shop, friction, friendship, series, amateur-sleuth, local-law-enforcement, closed-circle-mystery, siblings, lawyers, murder-investigation, small-business****

The premise for the coffee shop paired with other short order specialty shops ringing a courtyard with multiple employees bring orders to customers and then bussing the mess sounds heavenly! On opening day of the Ground Rules coffee shop a dodgy podcaster is sharing coffees with a contentious shop owner when the shop owner suddenly dies. Poison. But it was coffee from our MC's shop so she is a major suspect. Lots of other stuff going on while the murder is being investigated. Good read!
I requested and received a temporary EARC from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley.
Pub Date 26 Mar 2024 #GroundRulesMysteriesBk4

Sage’s backstory gets additional shading in this installment of the series. A young podcaster is very interested in Sage’s mother’s trail of scammy destruction, and wants Sage’s help to tell the story. Sage doesn’t really have time to deal with that because she is opening her first brick-and-mortar store, only for a neighboring vendor to drop over dead on the first day. Sage must leverage her family and community to come up with the killer. The Portland of this series is such a bright, vibrant community filled with cool people. It’s lots of fun spending time with Sage in her city.

I always have such fun reading the Ground Rules series. This next installment was just as great as all the others! I love reading from this series every year, it’s become a tradition for me. This story takes us to the Ground Rules grand opening at the Button Building and what happens when someone dies from drinking a cup of coffee. This book came to me at a time where I needed a story with familiar characters. I’m so excited for the next book in this series! Thank you Emmeline Duncan, NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for this great and fun digital copy.

A perfectly weaved cozy mystery with interesting characters.

I couldn't put the book down, loved it.

A must read.

this was such an incredible book! i am so thankful to netgalley for letting me read it early. it was just a pure delight and i think everyone should read this one!!!

I loved this fourth installment in the series and the coffee aspect. Haven't read from this author before, but will definitely be picking up more!

I loved Death Unfiltered by Emmaline Duncan! It was a perfect cup of coffee and I savored every drop. The fourth installment in the series brings about a brick and mortar Ground Rules and more character development for Sage.

Sage has opened a store now but sadly someone dies after drinking a coffee from the new Ground Rules store. Sage has to solve this if she wants to go forward with the expansion and make it as successful as the mobile store. Great character development. Engaging mystery. Another excellent addition w the series! Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I liked this 4th entry into the series. There is a lot more about Sage's mother, which is interesting and I think will come into play in the next book. I did not see that plot twist coming at the end. If I had a criticism, it would be that I skimmed a lot in the middle because I did not find the whole narrative to be as engaging as the first 3 books.

I love discovering new cozy mystery series and this one is going to be one that I will have to continue to read. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery. It was a little difficult for me to follow since I haven't read the previous books in this series but I still enjoyed it. If anything not knowing the back story or the characters has motivated me to read the other books in this series.

This was everything that I was hoping for from a mystery novel, I loved the true-crime podcaster elements to this story. The characters had a charm to them and I enjoyed how everything worked in the world. I enjoyed the way Emmeline Duncan wrote this and hope to read more mysteries from them.

This series has quickly become a favorite of mine. I absolutely love the Portland setting and the characters Duncan has assembled. Sage is a delightful lead, with plenty to keep her busy given the rapid expansion of Ground Rules. The mystery in this book was particularly compelling, with some twists that I very much didn’t see coming.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

First of all, the cover is adorable. Second it takes place in Oregon which I love to visit. Third it features a coffee shop.

This cozy little mystery was fun. I wanted to binge it but it is meant to be read slower paced. I struggled with that but otherwise great coffee shop hipster vibes