When a local politician is murdered, a young woman must find the killer to save her grandmother’s café in this feel-good new cosy mystery with a hint of romance, perfect for fans of Murder at the Black Cat Café and Before the Coffee Gets Cold .

Welcome to the Matcha Café, where every cup holds a story… and perhaps a secret.

Hana Takahashi moved to the Uji for a fresh start – to help her grandmother, Reiko, run the family’s beloved matcha café and leave her old life in California behind. But six months after Reiko’s death, Hana is barely keeping the business afloat.

Just as Hana thinks things can’t get worse, a powerful local councillor collapses during a ceremonial tea tasting in Reiko’s honour. It soon becomes clear he’s been poisoned, and suspicion falls on the café

Refusing to let her grandmother’s legacy be ruined, Hana teams up with the handsome local detective assigned to the case. As she digs into the town’s secrets, she uncovers shady deals, jealous rivalries, and grudges steeped far longer than tea.

But strange things are happening inside the café: a tea bowl reflecting something that isn’t there, steam forming a pattern Hana recognises, her cat Momo reacting to shadows she cannot see. Reiko always said the café had a spirit of its own. Hana never believed her… until now.

Can Hana untangle the truth before the killer strikes again – and before the Matcha Café is destroyed for good?

Blending warmth, humour and a satisfying whodunnit, Murder at the Matcha Café is the perfect mystery for readers of cosy crime and uplifting healing fiction.

© Jasmine Kagami 2027 (P) Penguin Audio 2027