Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ellie Alexander for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Laying Down the Latte coming out August 26, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love this author’s writing! I’ve read a lot of her books. I love the baking and recipes involved. The characters are really fun in this book. I think they really come together to solve the mystery. I would definitely read more books by this author!

“Laying Down the Latte” the twenty-second book in Ellie Alexander’s Bakeshop Cozy Mystery series, takes Jules Capshaw, her husband Carlos, and barista Andy away from their bakery Torte to Costa Rica to a coffee farm to not only help a friend but get some ideas for expanding their bakery. Their trip is interrupted by family troubles and then a murder and Jules and company want to solve the mystery before they have to return home.

I think it’s always a risk to take a long running mystery series away from its setting, even if only for one book, but Ellie Alexander does a great job with this book bringing in new characters along with established characters (I love the text messages between Jules, her mother, the Professor, and especially Lance). The description of Costa Rica and the coffee farm is well done – I am not an expert on coffee by any means but this book has me craving not only coffee but the various food made in the book. The mystery is well done with just the right amount of suspects to keep readers guessing whodunit. All in all another nice book by Ellie Alexander.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

What a treat to join Juliet, Carlos and Andy on a vacation/ coffee research trip to Costa Rica. As always the characters are wonderful. The trip was meant to enhance Andy's coffee expertise and take him to the next level in his career at the Torte bakeshop in Ashland OR.. It was also supposed to provide a little relaxation for Juliet and Carlos. Of course nothing goes as planed. In the 21st installment Alexander does a great job keeping the series exciting. Adding the exotic location and coffee lore was brilliant. The regular Torte crew were woven in to the story so they never felt forgotten. I love this series. Highly Recommended.

Having previous good experiences with several of Ellie Alexander's books, I was happy to grab another. She writes adorable cozy mysteries and I enjoy them.

Description:
Baker Jules Capshaw, along with her husband, Carlos, and Torte’s resident barista, Andy, are packing their bags and preparing for the ultimate coffee excursion in Costa Rica. A fortuitous invitation from one of Carlos’s former colleagues, Valentina, has them venturing to the coffee capital of the world for a tasting tour and an immersive weekend at her family's organic coffee farm.

They soak in the tropical breezes, the vibrant colors, the sounds of morning birdsong, and the sweeping views of the historic coffee farm. Valentina is the ultimate host, offering them traditional meals and thrilled to have their input as she’s preparing to open a coffee counter and bakery on the farm.

The getaway is just what Jules needed. A chance to relax and unwind, curl up with a book and iced latte by the pool, and tinker in Valentina’s kitchen, dreaming up new recipes to bring home. Except her tranquil weekend quickly turns into a nightmare when one of Valentina’s employees is found dead in the pulping machine. Now, Jules will have to put her vacation on hold to try and uncover the murderer before one of Torte's beloved workers becomes the next body thrown into the mix.

My Thoughts:
I found the description misleading saying that employee was found not - it wasn't exactly an employee though. So this story took place almost entirely in Costa Rica with Jules and her husband planning to relax and enjoy the tasing and their student, Any the barista learning everything he can about coffee production. With the murder things turn to investigating to find out who the perpetrator was and also to try to save the coffee farm from corporate takeover. This was a complex investigation for a cozy mystery; however, it was interesting and I feel like I learned some things about coffee while reading. I think mystery lovers will enjoy this one.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

If you’re looking for a cozy read with just the right amount of suspense, endearing characters, and a setting you’ll wish were real, this one is a winner. Perfect for fans of clean mysteries with a side of baked goods, gossip, and good-hearted sleuthing.

Jules, Carlos and Andy are off to Costa Rica to visit a friend. Here Andy gets to learn and experience the art of coffee, his passion. Sadly their trip to paradise gets an unexpected turn when Andy witnesses a death of a worker from the coffee farm. Jules has to solve quickly as Andy is at risk of becoming the second victim.
This one was a great read while relieving the magic of Costa Rica while learning about coffee. This book makes me want to go back. I never guessed the killer so this was a great ending. Can’t wait to read the next installment.

There are some series where with each book the reader feels like they have been invited to share in the lives and personal and professional developments of the characters. It has been a great journey with Jules and Carlos from the rocky days of their reunions to their various collaborations. We have also had the pleasure of watching the side characters grow as well and perhaps no one has done so more than Andy. He is now an expert coffee roaster and Jules and Carlos have plans for him to spread his wings within the Torte family. Let me tell you, if all bosses were like these two no one would ever want to leave.

Included in their plans is a trip to Costa Rica to visit a friend from the ship whose family owns a coffee plantation. Andy comes along so he can soak up all sorts of knowledge. He did not expect to see a murder on his first day but then no one did. Explanations of what happened are scarce and no one, except the killer, knows for sure. There had been a lot of tension under the surface as Valentina’s cousin is negotiating to sell his half of the business to an international conglomerate. No one is in favour so the fact that Martin is the deceased comes as no surprise. I had pegged the killer very early on but I love it when the red herrings are so well done that I questioned my choice many times. I rather enjoy it when a story makes me wonder.

Be warned though, reading this book may have you heading to the nearest airport for the next flight to Costa Rica. Five purrs and two paws up.

Laying Down the Latte is book #21 in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander.

In this book, Jules, the owner of Torte bakeshop, her husband Carlos, and barista Andy go to a coffee farm in Costa Rica. I enjoy seeing familiar characters in unfamiliar settings every once in a while and this did not disappoint. No rest and relaxation when a murder occurs! The mystery kept me guessing until the end. Can’t wait to see what is in store for Jules and the gang back in Ashland!

Thank you to the author, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Jules, Carlos and Andy head to Costa Rica for a coffee vacation. They're visiting a friend from their cruise ship days, whose family owns and runs a coffee plantation. Valentina and Miguel share ownership but when Miguel is killed before Andy's eyes, there are plenty of suspects. A twisty tale but with Jules on the job resolution comes to A conclusion before the coffee vacation ends. I loved the change of scenery, but still lots of connections to the bakery and the people back in Ashland. A great read!

Laying down the Latte is perfect if you are a coffee lover. I personally don’t love coffee, but that did not deter me from enjoying it. Carlos, lovable barista, Andy, and Jules, the owner of Torte bakeshop, were at a scenic Costa Rican coffee farm. Lance, my favourite character, was back at Torte any only chatted with Jules over text but was still his genuine, flamboyant self, helping encourage Jules to solve this crime of an employee of the coffee farm. It was a bit of a disappointment he was not there in person.

My gratitude to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the advance copy. This was an honest review.

This was a fun edition of the Bakeshop Mystery series - Number 21! In past books, we've seen Juliet and Carlos in their small town at their bakery Torte but this time, they have gone on a coffee sourcing trip to Costa Rica. I loved the descriptions of the scenery and the coffee farm. It was really a good mystery that wasn't cut and dried but I did have my suspicions.

This was an entertaining read and is a good addition to the series. Anyone who is interested in a fun cozy mystery, this one is highly recommended!

Jules, Carlos, and their barista, Andy are headed to Costa Rica to visit a former colleague. Jules and Carlos are taking Andy hoping to make him their resident roasted in their restaurant. Jules is of course pregnant with their twins. When they arrive Jules feels stress throughout the plantation. The cousins that are co-owners have a major disagreement regarding the future of the plantation. When one of the cousins is found murdered the whole plantation joins the search. Of course, wonderful characters and a great story. #Netgalley

Look, if you’re reading this review… you’re already a fan. Because you’re in deep with the Bakeshop series. If you haven’t read any yet, go to the beginning and have fun! This is another delightful installment in the series. I love it when Alexander takes the characters somewhere else. I will say that I missed Torte and the bulk of the crew, but it was fun to see folks from Jules and Carlos’s previous world. Overall, this is another fun and solid installment in a long running (and delightful) mystery series.

Laying Down the Latte by Ellie Alexander takes us back to Ashland and Torte but only for a moment as Jules, Carlos, and Andy are off to Costa Rico to visit a coffee plantation owned by a friend from the cruise ship. When they arrive it is obvious that there is some sort of problem. Valentina is off her game entirely. It seems her cousin, and partner, Miguel, is making plans to sell the plantation, or at least his 50%. No one is happy about it except him. Then during a tour of the various machines that aid in the process, Miguel falls and dies instantly. It is a horrible accident or is it murder? There are plenty of witnesses but of course no one was expecting this to happen so they weren’t paying attention where it was necessary. The police come and immediately arrest Alex, who had bonded with Andy over coffee. Jules wasn’t so cure and despite being pregnant with twins, rushed headlong into investigating. Valentina is trying so hard and they have such a good product. It cannot be allowed to close.

Jules is in constant contact with Lance, of course, who is busy planning the most outrageous wedding he can come up with. Bless his fiance, Arlo, for letting him natter on. This was a change of scenery for the group, but a good one. Andy is beside himself with the stuff he has learned. He and Carlos are excited about the roasting operation they are going to open in Ashland. This is a wonderful, as always, Torte novel featuring all our favorites.

I was invited to read Laying Down the Latte by St Martins Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #EllieAlexander #LayingDownTheLatte

I like the title of this book with its invitation to think about coffee drinks. I also found the cover to be a fun one with it spilled coffee skull, delicious looking pastry, and sense of a beautiful location.

The trip that Jules, Carlos and Andy took sounded like fun and started out so promisingly with its offer of relaxation, good food and drink in a gorgeous setting, and a lovely host. Of course, all of this was disrupted by murder

It was enjoyable to watch the mystery unfold. I enjoyed spending time with the characters and liked the location.

This title will, I think, appeal to those who enjoy traditional mysteries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this title. All thoughts are my own.

This is another win for Ellie Alexander. I love this series and the character development just gets better and better along with the writing and plot. Highly recommend!

This book has two distinct locations which I found interesting because they are totally different.
I enjoyed the cultural coffee farming in Costa Rica with the background being unique and educational. Fun cast of characters and lots of food and coffee drink references. It had me guessing until the end.

Another great addition to the Bakeshop Mystery series! I love coming back to Ashland and visiting all the folks at Torte, but this time Jules, Carlos and Andy are traveling to Costa Rica. Jules' pregnancy is moving along well, Carlos is spoiling Jules rotten and Andy is along for the ride to see the other end of his passion, coffee. Vacation is put on hold to figure out who killed one of the workers at the coffee farm. I don't like giving away who did it, you have to read the book to find out for yourself! This was an easy read, would have been quick if I had time to just sit at read. Certainly would have been an easy and quick weekend read! Can't wait to see what's happening at Torte in the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Couldn’t put this one down! Such a cute and cozy story with the perfect mix of coffee shop vibes, delicious baking, and a dash of mystery. Ellie Alexander blends warmth and intrigue so well that you feel like you’re right there sipping a latte while trying to solve the puzzle. A fun, comforting read!

This next in series takes place in Costa Rica on a coffee plantation. Jules, Carlos and Andy have traveled to be invited guests at a family farm. Jules was hoping to relax but is busy cooking and experimenting with recipes. Their host is hoping to open a bakery and and needs their assistance.
When murder occurs Jules is on the case. A interesting look at the coffee business in another culture. This is the 21st in series. It's always enjoyable when authors write about their travels.