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78th out of 293 books
—
980 voters
Crime Brûlée (A Carolyn Blue Culinary Mystery #1)
Forty-something homemaker Carolyn Blue is through with cooking and cleaning. She’s finally decided to throw in the dishtowel—and take on a dream job as food writer. Now her plate is filled with exotic locales, delectable foods, and even a dash of crime—to taste. She could very well get used to this. It was a perfect arrangement. Carolyn had already planned to accompany her...more
Mass Market Paperback, 275 pages
Published
April 1st 2001
by Berkley Prime Crime
(first published 2001)
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The first book was enjoyable but I have now read the series back to back to back and I can honestly say that Carolyn Blue does NOT grow on you. She is an uptight, prissy, self-righteous prig who exercises by jumping to conclusions.
The series had such hope--written at a higher vocabulary level than the average cozy, exotic locations, recipes, interesting premise and some unique supporting characters, but 9 books into Carolyn, all novelty has worn off and she's like the annoying, uptight moral aun...more
The series had such hope--written at a higher vocabulary level than the average cozy, exotic locations, recipes, interesting premise and some unique supporting characters, but 9 books into Carolyn, all novelty has worn off and she's like the annoying, uptight moral aun...more
Fairbanks' Crime Brulee was a fast, fun read that was hard to put down. Carolyn is traveling to a conference with her husband to New Orleans and decides to put together a reunion dinner for their old college pals. Her best friend, Julienne, shows up for the dinner and disappears soon after. Carolyn is the only one truly worried for her friend and decides to investigate herself since no one else including the police will. Carolyn is a very likeable character because she is very easy to relate to,...more
I don't know what to say. I wanted to like this and sometimes I sort of did but I'm not committed to this series quite yet. I think I'll have to try another in the series to see what I think of the main character.
Carolyn Blue, a professor's wife is in New Orleans with her scientist husband to attend a convention and a reunion of college friends. When her childhood friend disappears and none of her other friends including the missing woman's husband seem to care. So, Caro decides to try to solv...more
Carolyn Blue, a professor's wife is in New Orleans with her scientist husband to attend a convention and a reunion of college friends. When her childhood friend disappears and none of her other friends including the missing woman's husband seem to care. So, Caro decides to try to solv...more
This is a new author for me, and I was suitably entertained as to look for more of her books. The characters were opinionated and different (from what I've read) and I really enjoyed the food and location descriptions. It was very frustrating though, waiting untill the very last chapter to find out what became of the missing woman, Julliene. I was getting frustrated not knowing, that I almost jumped to the end just to relieve the tension. It was really driving me crazy;I just wanted to know if s...more
This book kept making me think of a saying, 'if one jackass tells you something, ignore it. But when a whole herd of jackasses tell you something.....'
The narrator (a very defensive stay-at-home-wife who is a little critical of her working mom friends/acquaintances) continuously makes people furious/storm off/etc. If everyone around you is constantly irritated - MAYBE YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.
I didn't even finish this one, which is a shame. I was hoping this long series would be an addition to my bo...more
The narrator (a very defensive stay-at-home-wife who is a little critical of her working mom friends/acquaintances) continuously makes people furious/storm off/etc. If everyone around you is constantly irritated - MAYBE YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.
I didn't even finish this one, which is a shame. I was hoping this long series would be an addition to my bo...more
Why read: Looking for new-to-me culinary mystery series
What impressed me: I really enjoyed that Carolyn was a culinary writer. It was a great twist on the usual culinary mystery. I loved that the focus shifted away from cooking and was more on the taste and appearance of the food she wrote about.I liked traveling along with Carolyn and getting the touristy feel of New Orleans.
What disappointed me: I'm totally over the victim's jerk spouse. This comes up way too often in mysteries in every form o...more
What impressed me: I really enjoyed that Carolyn was a culinary writer. It was a great twist on the usual culinary mystery. I loved that the focus shifted away from cooking and was more on the taste and appearance of the food she wrote about.I liked traveling along with Carolyn and getting the touristy feel of New Orleans.
What disappointed me: I'm totally over the victim's jerk spouse. This comes up way too often in mysteries in every form o...more
Now that her children have flown the coop and are attending college, Carolyn Blue has firmly put her days as family cook and housekeeper behind her, especially as she has been fortunate enough to land a contract to write a book of anecdotes about eating in interesting places. And since Carolyn will be be accompanying her her husband to an academic conference in New Orleans, Carolyn decides that her first assignment will be to write about the many culinary delights to be found in that city. Carol...more
I couldn't even finish this book. I ended up with big case of "who gives a fuck" and the like. I found her need to use grandiose words at all times tiring and her attempt at using dialect an insulting throw back to mammy waiting for massa to come home and deal with Miz Scarlet. I am not opposed to giving one the idea of a dialect but this was too much a minstrel show version for me. I felt at times that the maim character was condescending to the reader and was treating said reader as if we were...more
There was much to like about this book -- an interesting setting (who doesn't love N'Awlins?), a curious premise, and the added benefit of great recipes. I enjoyed following Carolyn Blue's attempts to locate her missing friend in the Big Easy.
Conversely, several elements bothered me. Carolyn never seemed real -- her character was half "dippy dame," as my father would say, and half academic-from-the-ivory-tower. She never rang true to me.
The plot also was a bit far-fetched, with more than a hint...more
Conversely, several elements bothered me. Carolyn never seemed real -- her character was half "dippy dame," as my father would say, and half academic-from-the-ivory-tower. She never rang true to me.
The plot also was a bit far-fetched, with more than a hint...more
This was a really fun read. I liked how the food critiques and recipes were interwoven with plot. The main character was quirky and likable. All the other characters were kind of bland. The mystery wasn't very easy to solve, but it didn't quite have the suspenseful twist and turns that make it impossible to put the book down. I will look for more books in this series when I'm in the mood for another light read.
Carolyn Blue rigorously plans a dinner party for close "friends," and when one storms out, she assumes that her friend is kidnapped. I mean, what else would happen in the heathen town of New Orleans? Throw in a few other stereotypical characters and we pretend to have an adventure. To be honest, the cooking parts of the book are great. Growing up in New Orleans I guess I never realized the rich culinary history behind a lot of the different dishes. I think I would prefer to read the book the mai...more
Carolyn Blue is a professor's wife who has become an amateur food critic. In this first story, she must find out why her best friend has suddenly gone missing at their small college group's reunion in delicious New Orleans. An enjoyable food mystery with some tasty looking recipes included!
Food writer Carolyn Blue is in New Orleans with her husband who is attending a convention of the American Chemical Society when her friend, Julienne, disappears. And no one but Carolyn seems to care. As a mystery it was a little disappointing, but academic humor and recipes made it a fun read.
New Orleans, food, and murder. What's not to like, right? Unfortunately, the main character's personality began to grate on me around the second page. And the author makes what I consider a cardinal mistake: she attempts to write in the (New Orleans) vernacular.
Ah declayah, it was just more than a body could stand. Ah flang that book across the room, y'all.
Ah declayah, it was just more than a body could stand. Ah flang that book across the room, y'all.
I think I've pretty much read this one in 24hrs. The only version the library had was large print and hardback, but survivable. Enjoyed it - quite taken with the recipe for praline - seems easy enough! I felt it still had some unresolved loose ends, but overall, a quite good read.
Nothing much happens in this book. Carolyn eats and searches for her friend. For the Reader's Digest version, read chapter 32 and you can give the rest of the book a miss. However, some of the recipes do look pretty good!
I tried so hard to enjoy this book. Maybe it was just not the right time for me to read it... I think it did have some good ideas and maybe one day I'll pick it up and reread it to see if my opinion has changed at all about it.
This book was particularly enjoyable because it was set in New Orleans, which happened to be where I was when I was reading it. Carolyn Blue is a former caterer who would just as soon eat someone else's food these days and is developing a career as a food writer. When her husband Jason is invited to a conference in New Orleans it's a great opportunity to visit with old friends and eat new food. Things go wrong from the first. I really liked Carolyn and her husband, though Jason seems too perfect...more
A first installment in a routine cozy mystery series. Couldn't quite get a handle on the main character...sometimes she seemed very prim and proper and sometimes she was just normal. None of the red herrings were the murderer who didn't appear until the story needed to be wrapped up.
It was a light read, for something different for me. Can't say it was particularly spellbinding, but I will give the next one a chance.
Did not enjoy this book. I am hoping it was the setting New Orleans and not the writing as I have 5 more unread in this series.
Can't put my finger on just what it was that made me dislike this book so much. I'll have to think about reading the next book.
Enjoyed the descriptions of the restaurants in New Orleans. There were some good humerous parts to a good mystery.
Super easy reading - fun mystery series with recipes included! Also read French Fried, and Bon Bon Voyage...
That's an interesting first book, but where does she go from here? I'm waiting to find out.
This was ok. I'll give the second in the series a chance.
You know, this wasn't a bad book, it just... wasn't. I didn't much care about the characters, couldn't figure out why the protagonist hung out with such a vile group of "friends" and really didn't give a rip if the mystery was solved.
It was very easy to just set the book down - nothing really held me. I think I got about 3/4 way through it (5 or 10 pages at a time) and finally decided to give up.
This is an airplane book. Entertaining, not taxing, and just something to point your eyes at to avoid...more
It was very easy to just set the book down - nothing really held me. I think I got about 3/4 way through it (5 or 10 pages at a time) and finally decided to give up.
This is an airplane book. Entertaining, not taxing, and just something to point your eyes at to avoid...more
slow moving, boring characters, flat ending.
Good enough to keep going to the end.
One of my favorite desserts!
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A pseudonym used by Nancy Herndon.
Series:
* A Culinary Mystery with Recipes
More about Nancy Fairbanks...
Series:
* A Culinary Mystery with Recipes
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