A Steep of Suspicion - Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery Book 17 - Simone Stier

Jul 30, 2026

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A Steep of Suspicion is the seventeenth Cozy Mystery installment in the Cafe Crimes series, set in a charming town where a film festival brings out strong opinions, glittery preparations, and eager caffeination. As an opening day scene unfolds at a cozy cafe, amateur sleuths watch the conversations around famous film stars, pastries, and festival festivities. Beneath the glamour, tensions rise and clues begin to surface as the story turns toward Q&A, uncertainty, and escalating trouble that demands investigation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages191

Reading Time4 h 54 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

The Opening Shot

The Red Carpet

The Premiere

Q&A And Murder

The Morning After

Stan’s Place

Prescription For Trouble

Showtime

Chain Of Custody

The Legend

Spilling The Tea

Drive-Through Confessions

Smoke And Vinegar

The First Responder

Fake It Till You Break It

The Reel Tea

Deep Fake

The Big Picture

The Final Reel

Roll Credits

A STEEP OF SUSPICION CAFE CRIMES COZY MYSTERY BOOK SEVENTEEN SIMONE STIER [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) CONTENTS A Steep of Suspicion Dedication 1. The Opening Shot 2. The Red Carpet 3. The Premiere 4. Q&AAnd Murder 5. The Morning After 6. Stan’s Place 7. Prescription For Trouble 8. Showtime 9. Chain Of Custody 10. The Legend 11. Spilling The Tea 12. Drive-Through Confessions 13. Smoke And Vinegar 14. The First Responder 15. Fake It Till You Break It 16. The Reel Tea 17. Deep Fake 18. The Big Picture 19. The Final Reel 20. Roll Credits Untitled [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) A STEEP OF SUSPICION A Cafe Crimes Cozy Mystery Book 17 Simone Stier [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) © 2026 Simone Stier All Rights Reserved This book may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Except for review quotes. This is a work of ﬁction. All people, places, names, and events are products of the author’s imagination or a mysterious coincidence. Cover art by Mariah Sinclair. [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) DEDICATION To amateur sleuths everywhere … [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) THE OPENING SHOT Thmeoespresso machinement to appreciatheissed itsthe chaosmrning greeting, and I took a Catch You Latte had transformed overnight. Hazel had arrived at ﬁve a.m., a fact she’d announced via eleven increasingly enthusiastic text messages, and the results of her early-bird energy now hung from every available surface. Film-reel garlands were draped across the exposed brick walls. Tiny director’s chairs perched on each table. A hand-painted banner above the counter proclaimed WELCOME, FILM LOVERS! in letters that somehow managed to be both crooked and charming. “What do you think?” Hazel bounced on her heels, her hair currently a cinnamon swirl shade, a warm copper-auburn gloss with subtle golden ribbons. “I was going for classic Hollywood meets cozy cafe. Very Golden Age, very glamorous, very—” “Very a lot,” I ﬁnished, eyeing the silver tinsel stars dangling from the ceiling fans.“How much glitter did you use?” “A normal amount.” Renee glanced up from the display case where she was arranging her latest creations.“Honey, there’s glitter in my buttercream.” “It’s festive!” Hazel insisted. I grabbed the box of straws and stocked them in the condiment caddy, shaking a little sparkle off my sleeve as I went. “Okay,” Hazel conceded,“maybe slightly more than a normal amount.” The morning rush had hit its stride, that familiar rhythm of orders and chatter that meant February in Magnolia Grove was off to its usual start. Except today wasn’t usual. Today marked the opening of the town’s ﬁrst ﬁlm festival, and apparently, everyone wanted to caffeinate before becoming cultured. My regulars had claimed their territory and were already deep in debate. “Clint Eastwood.” Clyde Honeycutt leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his white beard bristling with conviction. “Now there’s a man who understood cinema. Didn’t need a whole lot of lines. He could just squint and say two words and you’d feel it in your spine.” He nodded to himself.“Only ﬁlm worth its salt is one with Clint Eastwood in it.” Mr. Henderson, the hardware store owner from across the street, glanced up from his coffee.“You talking acting or directing? He does both.” Clyde considered that for approximately half a second. “If his name is on the credits somewhere, it counts.” Kenny Lewis didn’t look up from his crossword.“Westerns and space movies. Those are the only two genres worth watching. Everything else is just ﬁller between shootouts and spaceships.” Maggie Thomas, owner of Boutique Chic and my best friend, waved a hand. “Y’all are wrong. The best movies are the ones that make you feel something. Like Forrest Gump, Titanic, The Shack.” Kenny raised an eyebrow.“I loved Caddyshack.” Maggie blinked. “I said ‘The Shack,’ Kenny. Caddyshack is a silly comedy.”

FAQs

What is the setting for this seventeenth Cafe Crimes mystery?

The story unfolds in Magnolia Grove at the opening of the town’s first film festival, centered around a cozy cafe environment full of festival preparations and regulars’ conversations.

How is the opening scene introduced?

The opening focuses on the cafe being transformed overnight with film-themed decorations, as Hazel arrives early with enthusiasm and Renee supports the festive setup with pastries and details.

What kinds of conflict or investigation elements appear early on?

Early chapters introduce a murder mystery thread through the festival schedule (including a Q&A), shifting community reactions, and rising suspicion around who may attend or what is really going on as the plot escalates.

Jul 30, 2026

Upload by Patrick