"Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior's life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune's shady underbelly...

When her best but most difficult employee switches sides days before a state barista championship, coffee-shop owner Lana Lewis investigates jilted lovers, a shrimp-boat captain, and a mafia-connected surfer to prove her innocence of a rival's murder.