Dead Cold Brew is the sixteenth entry in our Coffeehouse Mysteries. As our longtime readers know, I have written every one with my very talented spouse, Marc Cerasini. I couldn’t ask for a better partner—in writing or in life.
Both Marc and I have been long intrigued by the stunning fate of Italy’s SS Andrea Doria. Though the mystery in these pages is fictional, the shipwreck was all too real, and we are grateful to the sources that provided details of that tragic history, including Life magazine (August 6, 1956).
For further reading on the subject, our suggestions include: Alvin Moscow’s Collision Course, perhaps the best all-round history; Richard Goldstein’s Desperate Hours, which tells the story through the testimonies of survivors and eyewitnesses; and Kevin F. McMurray’s Deep Descent, which focuses on attempts by scuba divers to explore the sunken hulk, despite the perils.
A few of New York City’s many “secret places” were also important to this tale.
The real-life model for Gus Campana’s jewelry shop and backhouse is located at 93 Perry Street. You can view photos of the property at Nick Carr’s website Scouting New York: scoutingny.com/the-secret-courtyard-on-perry -street.
Author H. P. Lovecraft used this very Perry Street address in a 1926 short story “He,” which you can read in The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H. P. Lovecraft (Penguin 20th Century Classics, 1999).
Our second secret place is found inside the 21 Club, a New York City institution with a history that stretches back to the dark days of the Volstead Act. Today you can legally partake of a cocktail at this historic speakeasy—as long as you’re of drinking age, of course! And its kitchen continues to serve one of the most famous menus in the city. Learn more at: 21club.com
To learn about more secret New York places mentioned in our book, drop by our website: coffeehousemystery.com.
For coffee inspiration in this entry in the series, we thank the New York–based coffee company Joe and its flagship store in Greenwich Village (joenewyork.com) as well as Intelligentsia Coffee of Chicago, LA, and NYC (intelligentsiacoffee.com), and Big Island Coffee Roasters of Hawaii (bigis landcoffeeroasters.com).
Our interaction with New York’s Finest is always nothing but the finest, and we thank them for providing answers to our questions, and risking their blue lives every day. Do bear in mind that this is a work of amateur sleuth fiction, and the rules occasionally get bent— or witness “corrected,” as Sergeant Emmanuel Franco might say.
A continued caffeinated round of applause goes to everyone at our publisher who helped put this book into your hands. Special thanks to Kate Seaver, our editor, whose valuable suggestions made our story stronger. Cheers also go out to assistant editor Katherine Pelz for keeping us on track; to senior production editor Stacy Edwards and copyeditor Marianne Aguiar for their kind diligence. We also sincerely thank our designers Rita Frangie and Kristin del Rosario, as well as Roxanne Jones in publicity for their hard work.
Another salute goes to artist Cathy Gendron for her unique and striking covers.
To John Talbot, our longtime agent, we send heartfelt appreciation for the treasure of his support and professionalism.
Last but far from least, special thanks to everyone whom we could not mention by name, including friends, family, and so many of you who read our books and send us notes via e-mail, our website’s message board, and on social media. Your encouragement keeps us going, and we cannot thank you enough for that.
Our virtual coffeehouse is always open. Marc and I invite you to join our Coffeehouse community at coffeehousemystery.com where you will find recipes, coffee picks, and a link to stay in touch by signing up for our newsletter.
—Cleo Coyle,
New York City