50 Book Reviews Reviews Published

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Feed the Need to Read and Eat





These unbiased reviews are given in exchange for early access granted by NetGalley  and various publishers.

Sifting Through Clues (Cookbook Nook Mystery  #8)
By Daryl Wood Gerber
Published by Beyond  the  Page

A progressive dinner sounds like a wonderful idea, until you include a side of murder with your dessert. This story was as sweet and savory as the recipes layered tgrought the chapters. With a variety of characters and the possibility of Pepper being the prime suspect, Jenna was sure to get involved to help clear her friend. There are several suspects and some very interesting  mythological symbolism, not to mention the excellent food descriptions. Food, friends, and foul play plus an expectant baby makes this an excellent and delectable mystery.

Souffle of Suspicion
by Daryl Wood Gerber
published by Crooked Lane Books
July 20, 2019

What could be better than Crush Week in Napa? Well a sweet treat festival and crush week topped off with a nice French bistro and a highly suspect cast of characters. Mimi Rousseau, former executive Chef and  now owner/operator of Bistro Rousseau and Maison Rousseau. The event is taking place on the grounds of the Maison with Chef Camille's sister in charge, at least until she is found dead in the Chef's kitchen. Was it a jealous sister, a jealous role model, a jealous husband, the jealous former event owner? Things are heating up for Mimi's kitchen as her staff try to hold down the fort while Mimi searches for a way to keep her mourning Chef from being suspect #1 when there is a whole menu of people to choose from. In addition to Mimi's fierce loyalty to her friends, the sweet sparks that are happening between her and Nash, there are amazing recipes at the end of the book that I cannot wait to make and share or make and eat while reading my next great cozy.

 
Crepe Expectations (A Pancake House Mystery)
by Sarah Fox
published by Lyrical Press/ Kensington Publishing
May 28, 2019

Marlie and the crew of the Flipside Pancake House are back and this time the mayhem and murder surround a local armature chef cooking contest. Cooking contestant sabotage isn't the only conundrum in this latest mystery. The remains of a local girl who was thought to have taken off for bright lights of a big city after high school graduation are found in the woods behind Brett's latest landscape job. A cold case warms up as graduates of Chloe's high school class are under suspicion because not everyone liked popular Demetra regular mean girl to Chloe . Marlie can't seem to help finding dead bodies and doing good which one of the reasons I so like her character. She has a heart of gold and wants to help everyone, even lost little kitties. As with the other Flipside mysteries there are great recipes and I can't wait to try out the Boston Cream Crepes!





Murder From Scratch (A Sally Solari Mystery)
by Leslie Karst
published by Crooked Lane Publishing
April 19, 2019

Meet Sally Solari, line cook/restaurateur and crime solver. So you know what that means! RECIPES with awesome Italian food at the end of the book, yet another reason to really sink one's teeth into this story. Sally's crime solver expertise is completely happenstance as she works to help her blind cousin, Evelyn, prove that her Mom couldn't have possible ended her own life when she had so much to live for. A cast of characters to choose from for a possible murderer, was it the ex-boss, the ex-partner, the ex-husband, or the ex-coworker? Evelyn might not be able to see but she can clearly tell that something is wrong and things are not as they should be.  Sally needs to keep her wits about her when cooking and sleuthing because asking the wrong questions can get her burned.



One Potato, Two Potato, Dead (Farm to Fork Mystery)
by Lynn Cahoon
published by Lyrical Press/ Kensington Publishing
March 19, 2019

Rule #1 in a newish relationship, you do not skip town without letting your girlfriend know. Rule #2 you do not leave town, inform your Aunt and Uncle, who are not sharing information as to why with said girlfriend. Angie may have her hands full with the restaurant she and her gal pal Felicia co-own but not so much that she won't find time to help keep her protégé Hope from being the victim of a "wrong place, wrong time, with the wrong person" sort of problem. Hope's culinary school instructor seems nice enough although Angie's boyfriend Ian sure did seem to have his hackles up upon meeting him or was he merely reintroduced to someone he used to know? The same someone who ends up dead. Hope is the easy suspect because her prints are on a wine glass found in the house of the very naked instructor. The same instructor who was having an affair with a married woman and then there is the possibility that there were dangerous people looking for him. The guy has a small digital footprint and so many unanswered questions. Very good book, excellent character development and an overall great read! Looking forward to trying out the Idaho potato pie sans sausage almost as much as the next installment and antics of the zoo.



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