Salutations! Turkey Trot Murder by Leslie Meier is the latest A Lucy Stone Mystery novel (Book 24). Lucy Stone and her husband, Bill are going to be alone this holiday. But you can count on Lucy to stir up excitement when she finds a body while training for the Thanksgiving 5K. Turkey Trot Murder will be released on September 26.
Pudding Up with Murder by Julia Buckley is the third cozy mystery in An Undercover Dish Mystery series. Lilah Drake works as a secret chef in her
spare time (when not working at Pine Haven Caterer’s). Lilah
along with her dog, Mick are attending the birthday party of Marcus
Cantwell. She prepared a rice pudding
for her client, Ellie Parker to take to the event. After speaking with Marcus, Lilah is given a
tour and the dish on the family by Cash Cantwell. When Lilah goes back to the kitchen, people
are enjoying the rice pudding. Marcus
enters the kitchen with an empty bowl of rice pudding and collapses. Thankfully, Detective Maria Grimaldi was on
hand to secure the scene and quickly gather evidence. Who disliked Marcus enough to murder
him? When Cash ends up being a prime
suspect, Lilah starts looking at the extended family to find the real killer.
I found Pudding Up with Murder to
be easy to read and it had a decent pace.
The mystery was straightforward and one detail gives away the identity
of the murderer. I could pinpoint the
killer early in the story. I felt the romance
dominated the book (I like a little romance, but I this was over-the-top). I quickly tired of Lilah mooning over Jay and
Jay’s jealousy over Angelo Cardelini (it was ridiculous). I wanted more investigation and less
day-to-day activities. There is cooking,
walking the dog, dates, friends, and work.
These elements make up a significant portion of the book. My rating for Pudding Up with Murder is 3 out
of 5 stars. I do not quite buy into concept
of a secret chef. Why would anyone be
ashamed about not cooking or not wanting to cook? What am I missing? I was not enthralled with Lilah, but I did
enjoy Mick, the dog (a cutie). Pudding
Up with Murder can be a standalone. For cozy mystery readers who prefer the
emphasis on cozy, then you will appreciate Pudding Up with Murder. The first two books in An Undercover Dish Mystery series are The Big Chili and Cheddar Off Dead.
I really appreciate you visiting and reading my latest book review. On my next visit (Monday, September 18), I will share my thoughts on The Beloved Christmas Quilt by Wanda Brunstetter. May you have a very relaxing and enjoyable Saturday. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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