Coffee Killed My Mother

Anna Lee is an anxious 17-year-old whose life is stuck, largely because of her strained relationship with her mother Jacqueline, a quirky recovering alcoholic who is now addicted to coffee. The two take off on a trip to explore independent coffee shops along the east coast, but Jacqueline’s real agenda is an opportunity to reveal a series of disturbing family secrets to Anna Lee--a twin that died in utero, a fatal drunk driving accident, an abusive parent, and her mother's betrayal of a woman Anna Lee holds dear.

Buy Now!

Coffee Killed My Mother

“…a realistic story of an entire family struggling to recover not just from alcoholism, but the codependent pattern it creates…thoroughly engrossing and hard to put down.” Midwest Review

“…a wonderfully written tale about a mother-daughter journey.” Nancy Stancill, Author

“Easily one of the best novels I’ve read this year.” Toni Morgan, Author

“Stramella does a wonderful job of doling out Jacqueline’s persona from behind a curtain of secrets and half-truths that drive the story’s pacing to its unexpected conclusion.” James White, Author

“…a finely crafted coming-of-age story, a daughter’s journey of discovery with her mother.” Elizabeth Gauffreau, Author

“…it is beautiful, beautiful enough to draw tears.” Rita Baker, Author

“The mother daughter relationship is brilliantly rendered, full of humor and pathos in equal measure…” Joyce Yarrow, Author

learn more

Among the Bones

“A compelling murder mystery, a subtle comedy involving a cast of unforgettable characters, a meditation on profound loss and its long-tail effects, a story about a community of exiles living in a cemetery who have found their own strange redemption.” Carol LaHines, Author

“Readers looking for an entertaining read with relatable characters, an unusual setting, secrets hidden and revealed, and a mystery to be solved with enjoy Among the Bones!” Elizabeth Gauffreau, Author

“A fast-paced murder mystery that will keep you guessing to the end.” James White, Author

“Beautifully written, you will be glued to your seat and spellbound by the cast of interesting characters.” Linda Murphy-Marshall, Author

Amazon Readers:

“Among the Bones is a gripping story. I couldn’t put it down!”

“One of my favorites! Each character is unique, and you can’t help getting drawn into their world.”

“It was a very exciting mystery and had a twist at the end which I love in a compelling, riveting novel!”

“The book took me through the range of emotions, including fear and humor. This was a suspenseful and enjoyable read!”

learn more

About The Author

Donna Koros Stramella is a writer from Maryland whose fiction and nonfiction pieces have been published in multiple literary magazines, Columbia Magazine, and the Baltimore Sun. She is a previous award-winning journalist and video writer-producer. A graduate of the University of Tampa MFA in Creative Writing, she authored Coffee Killed My Mother and Among the Bones. Her short story Hendrix and Wild Ponies was selected for the well-regarded anthology, Distant Flickers. When not writing, she enjoys hiking, playing pickleball, and listening to live music–especially one of her husband’s bands. She credits her grade school teacher, Sister Madeline Cecilia with discovering (and inspiring) her writing abilities. Currently, Stramella is working on a mystery series, Dying in the Suburbs.
Facebook-f Amazon Goodreads
donna koros stramella

Readers' Praise For Coffee Killed My Mother

“…will have you reflecting back on your own life.” 

Randy P

“…speaks to the fragility of the mother-daughter bond and is laugh-out-loud funny.”

Carol P

“It captures both the human struggle, and the joy that rises us up from suffering.”

Alex G

“…a finely crafted coming-of-age story…” 

Liz G

“The effects of addiction woven into a beautiful mother daughter love story.”

Alexis H

“Succeeds in creating a thoroughly engrossing study in recovery that is more realistic, immediate, and unlike most competing tales of family alcoholism and relationships.” 

Midwest Review

“This is more than a road-trip book. It is also a story of understanding, perspective, forgiveness, and tolerance.” 

Mike C