A Second Helping of Murder

A Comfort Food Mystery #2

by Christine Wenger

Trixie Matkowski is warming up to running her family’s diner in the small town of Sandy Harbor in upstate New York. But the only thing more demanding than serving up piping-hot comfort food twenty-four hours a day is getting to the bottom of a double homicide....

Trixie fondly remembers summers as a child spent visiting the shores of Lake Ontario. Not much has changed—there are still vinyl booths at the Silver Bullet Diner, families eating home-cooked comfort food, and days of swimming in the lake.

But before Trixie can say “Order’s up,” someone’s summer is abruptly cut short. One of the cottage residents is found dead, and Trixie suspects the crime might be linked to an unsolved disappearance in the picturesque town’s past.

As Trixie works with Deputy Ty Brisco to solve both mysteries, their shocking discoveries will shake up the small town. And when word gets out that she’s on the case, Trixie’s in trouble—after all, the murderer won’t spare her life just because she makes a killer corned beef sandwich....

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Food, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Christine Wenger has worked in the criminal justice field for many years. She has a master's degree in probation, parole administration & sociology from Fordham University, but the knowledge gained from such studies certainly has not prepared her for what she loves to do--write romance! A native central New Yorker, she enjoys watching bull riding & rodeo with her favorite cowboy, her husband Jim.

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for some comfort food reading, this is a great story! Wonderful characters and an interesting murder mystery to solve.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am so excited! I received an advance copy of this book and I quickly devoured it!!!

The Silver Bullet reminds me of my own past. My family ran a local diner type restaurant and all the lingo and comfort food brings back such wonderful memories. The camaraderie of the staff rings true to everything I saw growing up. We disagreed occasionally but always had each others back no matter what.

Trixie is trying so hard to make things work so she can keep up her payments to her aunt who has retired to Florida. Getting the housekeeping cabins ready for the tourist season has kept her handymen Clyde and Max quite busy. Plus she has decided to bring back the Saturday night dance tradition started by her aunt and uncle. Things are really looking up until she finds her first guest in Cabin #8 murdered. Funny, that is the same cabin a girl who disappeared 25 years ago was staying in.

Wenger has plotted a fantastic mystery linking a cold case to a new one. She has also added some intriguing characters to the mix. The Van Plank family is quite an interesting group. I really like new busboy/dishwasher/computer genius Ray. I am thrilled that Trixie hired him, looking past his little hacking episode. I hope to see much more of him in the future. Deputy Ty may just be the man to make Trixie forget about Deputy Doug which puts a big smile on this reader’s face.

I loved this story, awesome characters, a mystery that kept me guessing right to the end, fabulous food and a dance that featured a polka band!!! I know this is set in New York but this Wisconsin girl enjoyed this book from the first page to the last!! I think I will try that easy pulled pork recipe and impatiently wait for the next book in this wonderful series!

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Release Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Cozy Mystery

I really love cozy mysteries! I guess it's the sleuth in me- I love looking for clues and finding the suspects! Another thing about these books are that they are lighthearted and just plain fun. There isn't any unnecessary drama and there is always a happy ending. I appreciate these books even more due to the fact that I am always reading these crazy romances with enough emotion to keep me sated for a year! So it's nice to get lost in a book like this.

With that, A Second Helping of Murder quenched my thirst for a good cozy mystery and I really enjoyed getting to know Trixie (the amateur sleuth) more. This is the second book in the series so make sure to read the first book - Do or Diner- first to understand where Trixie came from and how she came to own the Silver Bullet Diner.

In this book, readers will help Trixie and Deputy Ty Brisco discover what happened to an old friend many years ago while solving not one but TWO murders. Trixie is a smart and sassy sleuth and takes crap from no one- not even the handsome detective who she has no intention of catching feeling for...

Readers who like the genre and those who are looking to start into it would probably love this one! It's filled with a great cast of characters, delicious and vividly portrayed country home cookin', and a murder that will keep you guessing until the very end.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable cozy read by Ms. Wenger. This time it's a cold case that ties into a new case of murder this time at one of the cottages that Trixie owns near her Silver Bullet Diner. An enjoyable afternoon read.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series! Trixie enjoys being a new owner of a Diner and some Cottages ( which have been in her family for a long time ) - and she also enjoys helping to solve murders in her community. Deputy Ty sounds like a great guy, and Trixie is enjoying getting to know him ( and helping him solve murders ).

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Jessica Cobleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not a disappointment. It introduced new characters that I immediately liked. It had a tease of romance without too much going on. It had, murder, suspense, and laughter. My favorite part was that I wasn’t sure until the last chapter who the murderer was and that is new for me. I usually figure it out halfway through but not this time. There was enough redirection to keep me thinking. I cannot wait to read the next one.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the first. Time for the next one.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It was a cute read that kept me engaged throughout. I never read the first book in the series but I don't feel that I needed to. I read a gruesome book prior to this one, so it was just what I was looking for and needing. I will read the third book in this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really liking this series. The characters are fun and the food sounds amazing. The mystery was good and kept me guessing. Looking forward to reading more!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! I cannot believe I finished this book. The main character, Trixie was incredibly annoying and the plot read more like a poorly-written harlequin romance than a mystery novel. Seriously, I never want to read books with such irritating characters, and if I had wanted to read a romance then that is what I would have signed out from the library instead of the mystery novel that I thought I had chosen.

I figured out that the irksomeness of this character was due to her sense of entitlement and her mooning over Ty, and her pouting and whining whenever she did not get her own way. But the aha! moment came after I returned the book to the library. While at the library I also picked up the book 'In Sheep's Clothing' by George Simon Jr.. At the start of In Sheep's Clothing, Simon gives a description of the passive-aggressive manipulator. The description matched Trixie to a T. Who could get excited about a character like that? Who would want to read books starring a character like that? Certainly not me.

On top of the annoying nature of the character, the plot was only ho-hum, focusing not on the mystery but instead largely on the diner and the meals that people were fed there, Trixie mooning about Ty, Trixie pouting because she did not get her own way, and Trixie's impulsive actions; actually, her impulsive actions hint more toward sociopathy more so than basic passive-agressiveness, but I would have to read more to see if the actions were more than just hints and one book in this series was way more than enough. Another reason that I could not read any more books in this series was that it seemed like Trixie and Ty were going to end up together in later books. Really, I have no interest in seeing Ty walk into an abusive relationship, so that is another reason to preclude me reading anymore books starring this character. And really, I did not need any excuses; the book, the limping plot, and the supremely annoying Trixie were more than enough to convince me to never read another book in this series. Blech.

[Melina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second installment in the Comfort Foods Mystery Series was better than the first, and the first, Do or Diner, was really good. I loved visiting with Trixie and the folks in Sandy Harbor and the Silver Bullet Diner. Christine is an excellent writer. Reading this story made me feel like I was really there, experiencing everything the characters were experiencing. This story was one, that once I started it I couldn't put it down, and I devoured it, just like I would like to devour some of the great food that Trixie makes. I am looking forward to more in this series, as it is one of my favorites. I guarantee if you pick up a copy of this book, you won't be disappointed.


I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would love to give this book a higher ranking, but the editing mistakes in this book are too many to count! I counted at least 3 glaring mistakes, that someone should have caught during editing or re-writing. Someone should have found these! Overall the story, the characters, the murder are all good in this book. But, with all of the editing mistakes, I just can't give this a higher rating. I will read the 3rd one, but if the same thing continues, I will give up on this series.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Comfort Foods Mystery. I love the residents of Sandy Harbor and the Silver Bullet Diner. Such a fun loving cozy mystery. This time someone is murdered in one of the cottages which is bad for business and everyone cancels. Trixie needs to find out who did it so she can get her cottages rented again. I loved every minute of this book!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun mystery with Trixie and the gang. In this adventure Trixie and Ty try to solve a 25 year old mystery after a body turns up. Christine Wenger knows how to keep the mystery going to the very end.

[☺Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, quick read.

[Ann Babcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery! Can't wait to read more from this author!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has several great things going for it. I will tell you about them first and then give a nod to the two things I didn't like.

There is sweet and some adult humor in the talk, the author is very clever at how she sneaks in and they are more clever than offensive. The mystery is complex and the author does really lead you astray, instead, there are many she lines up a long list of suspects and the list keeps growing through the b0x. The beginning romance between Trixie Matkowski and Deputy Ty Brisec is lovely and enticing. Her new employee is a computer nerd who would definitely be a great help at unwinding future mysteries.

All that makes it a six but I subtracted two stars for the momentary appearance of two words that make me squirm but maybe not you. And then there was the typewriter! A great source of information that all people like me who have used them would know but Trixie did not figure out until the story was close to the end. The irked me some. I do recommend reading it but beware.

[Michelle Przekwas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in this series finds Trixie, owner of the Silver Bullet Diner & a set of summer cottages along Lake Ontario, once again involved in a murder. Not only is she reading about the discovery of remains from twenty-five years ago but there is the appearance of a writer whose sudden, brutal death (within Trixie's cottages) stirs up more of these same past memories of the summer of 1989.
This is a well-paced, continuing story of Trixie, personalities within a small town, and a little more of a build-up of a possible romance for Trixie with Sheriff Ty. Everything moves quickly and makes for a great cozy read. (Again no romantic scenes. It's not needed here. Its all about the mystery for Trixie.)
I can finish these books within a day...now I'm on to #3 in the series. I would recommend this series to any cozy mystery reader.

[Sandra Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book. I can't remember the 1st book sadly though i read my last review to see if it would jog memory. But to be fair this book works great on its own even if you miss the first one.
So in this first book Trixie is now blooming in her Silver bullet diner. along with it she owns 12 cottages i believe. Her crew is amazing and you can tell she is madly in love with Deputy Ty Brisco but due to her past marriage she tries to avoid him which is hard as her new guest requests Cabin 8 which once belonged to a missing girl whose body was recently discovered. The new tenant is now found dead. So Ty and Trixie end up trying to solve the old mystery and this new one.
Overall a great mystery and I cant wait to see Trixie and Ty evolve.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the comfort food series and I just love the stories and characters!!! Trixie fondly remembers summers as a child spent visiting the shores of Lake Ontario. Not much has changed. Someone's summer is abruptly cut short. One of the cottage residences is found dead, and Trixie suspects the crime might be linked to an unsolved disappearance in the town's past. As Trixie works with Deputy Ty Brisco to solve both mysteries their shocking discoveries will shake up the small town. And when word gets out that she's on the case Trixie is in trouble after all the murderer won't spare her life just because she makes a killer corned beef sandwich.....

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t like leaving a poor rating, but the writing was not so good. It read like fan fiction, the author trying to get in the typical cozy mystery tropes.

My main problem was too much dialogue. Secondly, There were inconsistencies in the story. One example Trixie meets Ray’s parents at his court hearing. In a later chapter Ray tells Trixie his parents are coming to the Dance Fest, and her reply is “you’ll have to introduce us.”

Lastly, I don’t think Trixie slept for 72 hours. She works graveyard shift, but spends her days running around with Ty, having lunch with people, and preparing food for Dance Fest. I know it’s fiction, but….

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

A day after checking in to Trixie's cottage's a reclusive writer is murdered. Since a 25 year old murder was uncovered a week earlier Trixie wonders if they are connected. The earlier murder was of a 17 year old whom Trixie idolized when she was 10. Trixie starts looking for clues since both murders are impacting her business. This is pretty typical of the cozy genre with the heroine stirring things up despite being told to stay out of things. The setting is not far from me so it was interesting to figure out the locations.

[Pam Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trixie Matkowski is running her family’s diner in the small town of Sandy Harbor in upstate New York along with managing some guest cottages. But the only thing more demanding than serving up piping-hot comfort food twenty-four hours a day is getting to the bottom of a double homicide, one current and one 25 years ago that appear to be connected. As Trixie works with Deputy Ty Brisco to solve both mysteries, their shocking discoveries will shake up the small town.

I enjoyed the first in this series, and this one was also very good.

[Katherine Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable cozy. After a long “time off” from this series, I finally got around to continuing it. I remember enjoying the first one, but because it had been awhile I wondered if it would harder to get back into it. I appreciated that there was just enough “background recap” to get me hooked really quickly. Once I got reading, I could not put the book down. The relationship/ interactions between Trixie and Ty is what really makes it for me. I like the idea of tying an older crime in with a new one. I look forward to seeing where all the characters go in the next book.

[Jean Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, except for the main character's actions regarding the murder. She is so determined to find the killer herself that she puts herself in dangerous situations without thinking about her own safety. Especially when she could have taken the policeman with her and she slipped out without telling anyone where she was going.

[Nixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book even though I feel like she had a poor sense of timing and a couple of errors... like Trixie did (x amount) of things in a day but I don’t think sleep was one of them... and a character disappears and reappears in a conversation amongst others. (How is so and so coming back when they never left the table?)

[Jennifer Kovaleski · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this second book of the series, Trixie is upset to learn the body of a friend who she idolized is found. Feeling the need to examine what happened and find justice leads her to old secrets. Great cozy vibes with the dinner and all the delicious food described as d a touch if romance makes this a fun read.

[Melissa J Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read

I'm really starting to get addicted to Trixie and everyone. They're such well written, likeable characters. I always feel like I'm at the diner too when I read these. Just an awesome read

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant time passer, a very quick read, set in a part of the world I love.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series😍