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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2566 KP) rated Cajun Kiss of Death in Books

Aug 16, 2021 (Updated Aug 16, 2021)  
Cajun Kiss of Death
Cajun Kiss of Death
Ellen Byron | 2021 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Celebrity Chef Comes to Call
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and the town of Pelican, Louisiana, is buzzing about the new restaurant getting ready to open. It’s the latest from celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson, and this one will have an emphasis on Cajun food. However, Phillippe isn’t ingratiating himself with his new community, and several people have fights with him, including Maggie Crozat’s friend, JJ, the owner of a popular local restaurant, and Maggie’s own mother. The night of the restaurant’s official opening is more explosive than anyone planned, and in the aftermath, someone is dead. Will Maggie figure out what is going on?

It’s always a pleasure to return to Pelican. I absolutely love the characters, and the growth we’ve seen in them and their relationships continues here. There are several sub-plots, so something is always going on, and I had a hard time putting the book down. Since this is the last book planned in the series (at least for now), we get a wonderful epilogue that will leave fans very happy. As usual, there are recipes and a few notes on the reality behind the fiction at the end. Fans will be delighted with this visit, and if you haven’t met the characters yet, you need to fix that today.
  
The Witless Protection Program
The Witless Protection Program
Maria DiRico | 2024 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mia’s Past Disrupts Her Future
Mia Carina is impatiently waiting for her boyfriend, Shane, to propose, but her life gets turned upside down when she catches of glimpse of her supposedly dead first husband, Adam. She thought he had died several years ago in a boating accident. Why is he back? What will this mean for Mia’s future?

When Adam was mentioned in the first book in the series, I knew he’d pop back up at some point, but as is always the case in something like this, it’s how the story is executed that matters. This one was great, with plenty of twists to keep us engaged. A couple of things get rushed in the climax, but that is minor. Meanwhile, we get a couple of strong sub-plots that weave in and out of the mystery perfectly. The characters are strong, even if over-the-top at times. Mia and Shane keep things grounded for us, and we get plenty of laughs along the way. Sadly, this is the final book in the series, but the author wraps things up well. We even get another four delicious sounding recipes at the end. Fans will be happy with how this book ends the series. If you’ve missed reading these, don’t hesitate to pick up this delightful series.
  
A Slay Ride Together with You
A Slay Ride Together with You
Vicki Delany | 2024 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Spring Brings Another Murder to Rudolph
Spring in Rudolph, New York, American’s Christmas town, is usually a little show, which means it is the perfect time for Merry Wilkinson’s friends Vicki and Mark to plan their wedding. They’ve even managed to buy the Cole House to move into, but only because it needs a lot of work. However, things aren’t going well at the house since the couple are hearing strange noises in the night. Then, when Merry is visiting, the trio find a dead body. With Mark under suspicion, Merry starts gathering clues. Can she figure out what happened?

Normally, I enjoy this series, but this entry didn’t work for me. The story was too slow to get going. While things did pick up once we found the body, including giving us some great suspects, it wasn’t satisfying. Having said that, my questions were answered at the end. Since this is set in spring, it didn’t have quite the usual Christmas cheer, but I think that’s on me more than anything. The series regulars were still fantastic, and I did enjoy getting to see them again. And we got three recipes that Vicki has been working on for her cookbook. Fans of the series will be happy to check in on the characters, but everyone else can pass this one by.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2566 KP) rated Fondue or Die in Books

Dec 12, 2024 (Updated Dec 12, 2024)  
Fondue or Die
Fondue or Die
Korina Moss | 2024 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Pageant Proves that Murder is not Beautiful
This Labor Day, Willa Bauer is participating in the Dairy Days festival held in the next town over. Her employee and friend, Mrs. Schultz, is once again helping out with the Miss Dairy pageant that closes out the festival. But when Willa finds the pageant director dead, plans turn chaotic. The police don’t seem that certain that it was murder, but Willa is concerned about the safety of her friend, so she starts investigating. Can she figure things out?

I’d forgotten just how much I love this series until I picked up this book, but I was soon under the spell of the characters again. We aren’t in the usual locations as much, but that’s a minor complaint. The characters’ relationships continue to draw me in, and I liked the new characters we met as well. At least the ones who weren’t acting suspicious. One relationship gets some wonderful development. The mystery is fantastic. I kept second guessing myself until we reached the climax. I did have a niggle with the ending, but it was minor overall. As usual, these books will make you crave cheese, so you’ll be happy with the three recipes at the end. Fans new and old will find themselves savoring this entry.
  
Take the Honey and Run
Take the Honey and Run
Jennie Marts | 2023 | Mystery
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Is Granny Bee a Killer Bee?
Bailey Biggs has returned to her small town in Colorado to help her grandmother, who has recently broken her foot. But when she arrives, she finds Granny Bee yelling at the town’s founder. The next morning, she finds the man dead from his honey allergy, a jar of Granny Bee’s signature Hot Spiced Honey on his table. With the sheriff questioning Granny Bee, Bailey jumps in to figure out what really happened. Can she find a sweet killer?

I’d heard lots of good things when this book came out, and I’m glad I finally got a chance to read it. The book jumps right in, and we met a group of characters at once. It took me a while to separate them all, but I was able to. The main characters are strong, and the suspects are good. The plot also started quickly, and it kept me buzzing from one suspect to the next until we reached the logical solution that wrapped everything well. The book was funny, although I do feel it got a little too zany at times. If this book finds you craving honey, you’ll be delighted in the six recipes at the end. If you enjoy cozies on the comedic side, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.