Tag Archives: valerie burns

Sweet Reads: Yes, Chef and Murder at First Slice

21 Jul

Yes, Chef
by Grace Reilly
Yes, Chef is the new novel by Grace Reilly author of the Beyond the Play Series. In this story a social media influencer falls for the handsome chef her father just fired. The two of them work to launch a new restaurant in Florida. Both have ADHD, which leads them to bond over the struggles they experienced growing up in neurotypical world. The book is inhabited by a diverse group of characters representing a variety of sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds. Yes, Chef will appeal to those fond of grumpy/sunshine romances and who enjoy foodie fiction. Chapters alternate between the two main characters giving insight into both their experiences falling for each other. Beyond the romance there are also strong stories about the complexity of biological and found family relationships. Interested in more culinary romances? Check out T.J. Alexander’s Chef’s Kiss and Casey McQuiston’s The Pairing.

Murder at First Slice
by Valerie Burns
Murder at First Slice is the latest charming entry in Valerie Burns cozy A Baker Street Mystery series about Maddy Montgomery a content creator who inherited her grandmother’s bakery (and her giant pet dog). In this serving Maddy is preparing for her wedding and dealing with the feud between her future grandmother-in-law, Hannah, and Hannah’s cousin, Dorothy. When Dorothy is murdered, it is up to Maddy to exonerate Hannah before she walks down the aisle. I always appreciate a mystery series that allows it’s protagonist to develop their relationships and life making it rewarding to enjoy the overall story arc, but the mystery will appeal to those who have not read the previous entries as well. If you enjoy this series, you may also enjoy Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series and Mia P. Manansala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery Series.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Great Mysteries Part 2-Who Let the Dogs (and ducks) Out: For Duck’s Sake and Two Parts, Sugar, One Part Murder

6 Aug

For Duck’s Sake
by Donna Andrews
For Duck’s Sake is the latest in Donna Andrews long running Meg Langslow Mystery Series. Sometimes series when they run a long time can run out of ideas and become boring, but I always find Andrews stories full of charm. This novel certainly has a lot going on it. Meg must help with the town’s dog adoption festival including a doggie parade of the adoptable canines. On top of that her brother and his family are putting in a duck pond on their nearby property (hence the ducks in the title). When the digging for the pond unearths a body, a mystery about both who the body is as well as why they were murdered is added to the mix. Unlike some cozies the body is found early on in the story so if you are a new reader and like your mysteries focused on solving the crime, you will enjoy this story. There are plenty of appearances though of Meg’s quirky family and friends like New Age Maven Rose Noir, kind hearted vet Clarence, and Meg’s cantankerous grandfather for long term series fans to enjoy. All the various plot threads knit together nicely in the end. I’m looking forward to Meg’s next outing in the Winter holiday themed, Five Golden Wings, which will be available in October.

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder
by Valerie Burns
I adored reading Valerie Burn’s latest in her Baker Street Mystery Series that I couldn’t resist going back and reading the first book, Two Parts Sugar, One Parts Mystery. I found this one equally charming and I didn’t find it detrimental to my enjoyment reading out of order. I loved seeing how Maddy went from urban social media influencer to moving to a small town in Michigan near the Great Lakes. Here we see her inheriting her Great Aunt’s home and business along with a gigantic English Mastiff named Baby (his full show name comes from a tribute to Hoboken’s own Frank Sinatra). It was nice knowing reading this one, that despite her heartbreak that caused her to take this plunge, that true love was in her future. I gave up on a long running mystery series that never felt like it progressed in a satisfactory manor a love triangle between the main character and her suitors, so I it was great to see that this series allowed for sufficient character development. The mystery about the death of New Bison’s mayor is intriguing and it is also nice to see another African American amateur detective; for those looking for more diverse, cozy foodie mystery reads you can check out Abby Collette’s Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series and her Books & Biscuits Mystery Series as well as Valerie Wilson Wesley’s A Glimmer of Death and Olivia Matthews’s Spice Isle Bakery Mystery Series.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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