Treble at the Jam Fest: A Food Lovers' Village Mystery

Thank you for visiting today.  A Food Lovers' Village Mystery series contains Death Al Dente, Crime Rib, Butter Off Dead, and the newest addition is Treble at the Jam Fest.  The author, Leslie Budewitz also writes A Spice Shop Mystery series. Readers can follow Leslie on Amazon and receive emails when she releases a new novel.  

Treble at the Jam Fest by Leslie Budewitz is the fourth book in A Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series.  Erin Murphy is the manager of Murphy’s Mercantile in Jewel Bay, Montana.  It is time for the annual Jewel Bay Jazz Festival and Workshop event.  The Merc (as locals call it) will be hosting a special Friday night concert in the courtyard featuring Gerry Martin, a jazz guitarist.  The evening is a hit, but Erin notices tension between Gerry, Gabby, and Dave.  The next day Erin is in the shop when she receives news that a body was discovered on the rocks by the Jewel River.  Erin quickly rushes towards the river and discovers that the body belongs to Gerry Martin.  Two people witnessed Gerry having a lively discussion with a figure they could not identify.  That person then pushed the guitarist over the edge.  Erin immediately swings into investigator mode to track down Gerry’s killer.   Who disliked Gerry enough to want him dead?  As it turns out, the musician was not as well-liked as Erin thought.  The killer is not pleased with Erin’s probing and attempts to put her out of commission.  Will Erin be able orchestrate the killer right into police custody?

Treble at the Jam Fest is nicely written and has a great concept.  I did feel that the pace was a little slow and the story did not engage me.  There are numerous characters, businesses and products introduced in the story (too many).  It can be hard to keep them all straight especially if you are new to the series (like me).  The main character did not win me over (she was alright).  I give Treble at the Jam Fest 3 out of 5 stars.  The murder mystery is a no brainer.  I could pinpoint the killer early in the novel.  Erin’s reason for investigating this crime was paltry (let’s face it, Erin did not need a reason besides her curiosity).  One detail that gave me a good laugh is Erin believing she is maintaining the “chain of custody” on an item she found and removed from the crime scene.  I felt that too much time was devoted to Erin’s questions and thoughts.  I wanted more action and less contemplation.  Treble at the Jam Fest has romance, friends, family, music, a mystery and plenty of food.  

I hope you have a pleasant and relaxing Saturday.  I have a summer cold so I plan on taking it easy today.  I will will share my thoughts on With You Always by Jody Hedlund next time. Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader