Shot in the Dark marks the seventeenth entry in our Coffeehouse Mysteries. Once again I thank my partner in writing and life—the talented Marc Cerasini. Though we met before the rise of dating apps, I “swiped right” from the moment I saw him, and we haven’t gone wrong since.
The pleasures and pitfalls of romance in the digital age are depicted in this mystery with a fair measure of cheek, but also truth. Marc and I thank the many “Cinder-ellas” and “-fellas” who provided background material by sharing their dating delights and mishaps with apps.
New York City plays a pivotal role in this story, especially Hudson River Park (hudsonriverpark.org), the longest waterfront park in the United States. We thank the Hudson River Park Trust for answering our questions and, more importantly, for their work in transforming our city’s decaying waterfront into a priceless gift to the people of New York and the millions who visit each year.
A delicious shout-out for location research goes to the kind staff at Pier 66 Maritime (pier66maritime.com) on the Hudson River, where you’ll find the Frying Pan lightship permanently moored, and a high-spirited outdoor bar and grill with a stunning view of the city’s waterfront.
Our interaction with New York’s Finest has been nothing but the finest, and we thank them for providing background, including information on the NYPD Harbor Unit. Deviations from doctrine are our doing with an age-old defense—in the service of fiction, rules occasionally get bent.
We thank our agent, John Talbot, to whom this book is dedicated, for his perseverance and professionalism. John in three words: a class act.
Caffeinated cheers to everyone at Penguin Random House’s Berkley for their indispensable roles, especially Kate Seaver, whose keen suggestions strengthened this story. Cheers also to our new editor, Michelle Vega, for taking us on; and assistants Sarah Blumenstock and Jennifer Monroe for keeping us on track.
We applaud our longtime cover artist Cathy Gendron for another dazzling cover and gratefully acknowledge designers Rita Frangie and Kristin del Rosario; production editor Stacy Edwards; copyeditor Marianne Aguiar; and Tara O’Connor in publicity for their essential contributions.
To everyone we could not mention by name, including friends and family, we send our heartfelt appreciation for all the beautiful support you’ve shown us over the years.
Last but far from least, we toast our readers. Please know that we absolutely treasure the encouraging notes you send us via e-mail, our website’s message board, and on social media. You inspire us to keep writing, and we cannot thank you enough for that.
Whether you are new to our world or a longtime reader, Marc and I invite you to join our online Coffeehouse community at coffeehousemystery.com, where you will find recipes, coffee picks, and a link to keep in touch by signing up for our newsletter. May you eat, drink, and read with joy!
—Cleo Coyle,
New York City