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Midge (525 KP) rated Restaurant Weeks are Murder in Books

Mar 28, 2019

Murder & Mayhem In The Kitchen

“Restaurant Weeks Are Murder” is Libby Klein’s very enjoyable third novel, chock full of madness and mayhem in the ‘Poppy McAllister Mystery’ series. The first book is ‘Class Reunions Are Murder,’ followed by book two which is ‘Midnight Snacks Are Murder.’

I haven’t read these other books in this series yet, however, I don’t think that this spoilt my enjoyment of this novel. That said, there is nothing more exciting than picking up a book which is the first in a new series.
Poppy McAllister is opening a new Bed & Breakfast in Cape May, New Jersey, but working in a professional kitchen has always been her passion. Now she’s realising her dream, at least briefly, as she is teaming up with her former fiancée Tim and his partner, Gigi, during a high-profile Restaurant Week challenge. Poppy’s speciality is pastries and if anyone can make glorious gluten-free goodies, it’s Poppy.

As it might be expected, things start to go badly wrong very quickly, especially when some ingredients get switched and Tim is accused of sabotage. Relatively harmless pranks soon escalate into real hazards, including an exploding deep fat fryer. Then one of the judges dies after taking a bite of Poppy’s limoncello cannoli, making her one of the prime suspects . . .

Forty-odd-year-old, pastry chef, Poppy, the protagonist, lives with her elderly Aunt Ginny and Figaro, her mischievous cat. I found Poppy and many of the other characters very funny and likeable, so much so that I felt as though I would like to spend some time in their company myself! As someone who has read several cozies, Poppy’s Aunt Ginny has become one of my favourite cozy characters. She provided plenty of humour in this book from her choice of outlandish outfits to her zaniness and zest for life. I couldn’t help but adore her and look forward to her mischievous antics.

I liked that the opening chapters drew me into the story and captured my attention immediately. Although I had to wait a while before an actual murder took place, there was never a dull moment with such a lot going on. The mystery itself was well thought out with plenty of twists and turns as I puzzled over the clues to discover the perpetrator.

The book had a natural, steady pace, and even though the murder occurred towards the end of the first half of the book I was kept guessing until the surprising reveal. Delightful and entertaining “Restaurant Weeks Are Murder” is a highly recommended, quick, light read for all cozy mystery fans.

{Thank you to #NetGalley and Kensington Books for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}

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Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Angel Makers in Books

Jan 12, 2018

I had high hopes for [The Angel Makers] by [Jessica Gregson]. I mean foreign land, war, infidelity, murder, and mystery, how could you go wrong? It did. The language was a bit cruder that I felt it needed to be even for character development. The beginning of the story started so well. The character of Sari was intriguing but as the book went on she seemed to get sucked into the shallowness of the rest of the characters. The ending just fizzled.

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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2506 KP) rated Murder With Puffins (Meg Langslow, #2) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

A romantic weekend on an island in Maine is anything but for Meg and Michael when they find her family already at the family cabin. That's before a hurricane arrives and strands them with an island packed with birders and a killer. While this book still has the humor of the first in the series, it also features a stronger mystery.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-murder-with-puffins-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2506 KP) rated The Silent Partner (Diagnosis Murder, #1) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

A trip through the cold case files leads Dr. Mark Sloan to think that a copy cat serial killer is out there. Is he right, or is he going to get himself and son Steve in big trouble? Any fan of the show will love this book. The mystery is great and all the main characters (including Jack) are in top form.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/02/book-review-diagnosis-murder-silent.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2506 KP) rated True Light (Restoration, #3) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

This is the third book in a series set in a modern world were modern technology has failed. It's winter, which has made daily survival very hard. Yet things get worse when Mark Green is accused of murder. Can the Branning family clear him? Once again, I was pulled into this world. And the mystery was actually well developed here as well.

Read my full review by <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-true-light-by-terri.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

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Brittany N. Staley (35 KP) rated Knives Out (2019) in Movies

Jan 12, 2020

Knives Out (2019)

2019 | Comedy, Crime, Drama

8.3

(84 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Its a donut inside a donut (0 more)

Fantastic

If this was a book first I can see why it would be a best selling novel! It takes murder mystery and flops it on its head. It was one of the best films I've seen in a while. Daniel Craig did a fantastic job! And it was great to see captain America as a not so loveable character he did fantastic in the role. It emotionally ties you up in the characters too.