Rocky Road

A Culinary Mystery #10

by Josi S. Kilpack

THE ST. GEORGE SPECTRUM
Dr. Trenton Hendricks was last seen Friday, April 8, when he set out alone on a backpacking trip. Hendricks's Jeep Grand Cherokee was located Tuesday at the Chuckwalla Trailhead, but after six days and thousands of man-hours, the official search has been called off. He is presumed to be deceased.

It was supposed to be a girls' weekend in scenic St. George, Utah, that would included shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fund-raiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fund-raising event, a local doctor, had disappeared two months before was not supposed to be Sadie's problem.

When Sadie learns that her friend Caro and Caro's cousin, Tess, have started a grassroots investigation into Dr. Hendrick's disappearance, Sadie graciously refuses to be a part of it. With her wedding to plan and her most recent case still fresh in her mind, Sadie is determined to leave this case to the police—until she meets the ex-wife of the missing man.

How could she not ask a few questions ... that lead to more questions ... that lead to a small town and even more questions? When the local police ask her to be their eyes and ears, Sadie can't help but jump in with both feet. Before she knows it, she is on the rocky road of another investigation, following a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.

Genres: Mystery, Lds Fiction, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Adult Fiction, Cozy, Adult

333 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child in 1998 and haven't stopped. My most recent books have been Historical Romance through the Proper Romance line with Shadow Mountain Publishing.

I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed all of the books in this series, but this one not quite as much. In this tenth installment, Sadie finds herself involved in solving the disappearance of a popular doctor in St. George, Utah. Instead of sticking to the mystery and following the formula that I've liked reading for the past nine books, however, Kilpack decided to make Rocky Road a primer on life as a Mormon. The constant references to Mormon culture, church buildings, and organization felt awkward and forced. I am a Mormon and understand all of her references, yet it just felt weird to me.

From the beginning of the series, we knew Sadie Hoffmiller as a person of faith. Her faith was never identified, though, and was only touched on lightly throughout the series as these references helped the reader to get to know who she was and what her motivations were. Yet after nine books, one religion, that has nothing to do with any of the main characters in the series, is heavily referred to in specific ways throughout the book. The problem is that it also had nothing whatsoever to do with the plot. It was just distracting and, again, forced.

The other problem I had with the book was the character of Tess. She was completely irritating and there was no resolution with her. I also thought it was strange that as Kilpack was familiarizing everyone with Mormons, she introduced a Mormon character that was completely immature, self-centered, and territorial. Not really a ringing endorsement.

I just wish she'd left all of it out and written a mystery with the characters we've come to enjoy.

[Kim Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's start with what I didn't like about the book:

1) I didn't like Tess. I know we weren't supposed to, but her attitude never got explained. I also didn't like that this was the first time The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was brought into the books, and the character she chose was so unlikable. Sadie kept talking about hoping to repair their "relationship". What relationship? They'd hadn't met until the day they came into conflict with each other. I wanted more resolution with that one.

2) The book was a little slow to get into.

3) I didn't like the ending.

All of that said, once this got going, it did catch my attention more than some of the more recent ones. I liked that Sadie didn't really end up in a life or death situation. (No normal person deals with that much.) I really liked the police aspect of this one.

There are only two more books in the series (plus the Christmas one), and I really hope she resolves the situation with Jane before the series ends.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rocky Road by Josi S Kilpack is the 10th book in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series. Sadie is reluctantly pulled into an investigation into the disappearance of a local doctor by her friend Caro and her cousin Tess. Another enjoyable book in the series with plenty of food descriptions and recipes. Sadie has improved a great deal as an investigator and I like that she is cooperating more with the police and sharing her findings rather than taking unnecessary risks.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my continuing efforts to find true escapist reading, I turned to another old stand-by...Josi Kilpack's Culinary Mysteries. They aren't high-end, award-winning, perfectly crafted writing; but I adore the main character, Sadie. I also love the food references (complete with recipes) and the different locations of each book. This one took place in St. George where my parents live. And this mystery pulled me in hook-line and sinker. I was turning pages as fast as I could to try to get to the ending. It kept me entertained and let me escape my busy, crazy end of the school year life. Thank you! It was just what I needed.
My one mild complaint -- this book contained multiple references to the "Mormon" culture/community that I felt were awkward, stereotypical, and forced. I guess since it took place in Utah they were semi-related to the plot, but none of the other books in her series have had religious undertones and this took an unexpected turn that way. Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-religion in books, but it just felt overdone. But maybe that is just me being over-sensitive.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be much better than several of the previous books in the series. I felt like it went to new heights. Usually these books I'm content to just listen to as I do household chores or exercise. This book, however, found me wanting to keep listening to it. I even pulled out a copy of the ebook and read for a couple of hours because I was in a place where I could read but couldn't listen.

One thing I enjoyed is that Sadie wasn't dealing with any personal, emotional problems in this mystery. While I have enjoyed that aspect at times in the past book, it was refreshing not to have it in this book. It was also refreshing to have Sadie on her own without any previous characters except for Pete's cousin, Caro. The mystery was intriguing. I like Sadie's personal growth over the series and found her new-found restraint also refreshing. Nicely done!!

[Kay Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, I didn’t like Tess’s behavior but I didn’t think about it that much. I did think about Dr. Hendricks a lot and how much information he was holding back. I liked knowing that Sadie was working with the Police Department there in Utah, and earned their respect. She didn’t stop until all the answers were given even though her life was in danger. I liked knowing that idolatry is real and to not put things above God.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous installment of the Sadie Hoffmiller series. I missed Pete in this one, but I loved how Sadie just can't resist getting caught up in an unsolved mystery even when she's on a "girls only" vacation. The further I got into the story, the more complex it became... definitely a rocky road of a plot!

[Deborah Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This continues to be a series that is a nice easy read. Like the others not very gripping that you can't put it down and yet, there is a point, you want to pick it up again to read a little more. I figured out the "whodunit" pretty quickly but I must admit I didn't see the little, small twist at the end that wrapped up the book.

[Chrissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of hard for me to rate this book. It starts out soooooo slooooooow. Like, actually kind of boring. More like a PSA for breast cancer awareness. Which isn't a bad thing... unless you're reading a mystery novel and you're expecting to be dealing with a mystery and not a medical article. The beginning just felt kind of forced because Sadie wasn't directly connected to the mystery. Sure, she's investigated things that affected the lives of complete strangers before, but they never felt shoehorned like this one did at the start.

But once she gets involved fully - and once Officer Nielson comes onto the scene - this story trucks. And doesn't let up. In fact, a little past halfway is when the story hits the gas and doesn't stop at all until the end. There's lots of sordid intrigue involved here and all kinds of terrible people doing awful things (the charity foundation turning out to be one big fraud really made me want to throw something). But the beginning of the story took a long time to get there. Thus, the three-stars (really, more like 3.5).

[Lyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is one of the best in the series, definitely my favorite so far. Tess drove. me. CRAZY. I thought Sadie showed remarkable restraint (though she admitted to being a people pleaser and kept hoping for mended bridges with this woman), because I would have had words with her quickly and often. And I would have told Caro to keep Tess in the dark after misstep #1.

I loved that Sadie actually (finally) worked with the police, and her relationship with this officer in particular. I thought she was smart and resourceful and had good intuition. I don't know, either Sadie is growing on me and I don't notice her flaws as much, or Tess was SO OBNOXIOUS that it made Sadie look very mild by comparison. I didn't mind it.

This mystery had a different set up and it felt less suspenseful, which I appreciated. This was one of the few that I wanted to read over again as soon as I'd finished it, with the benefit of foreknowledge.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadie is on a girls' weekend with her friend Caro, and Caro's cousin Tess, to support breast cancer awareness. When she gets to Tess's hometown, she finds that Caro had promised Tess that Sadie would help them investigate the disappearance of a cancer doctor who had saved Tess's life. Sadie flat-out refuses--her last case was traumatic, and she's supposed to be relaxing before the final hectic days of wedding planning before her second marriage. But when she meets the doctor's ex-wife, she finds herself getting interested despite herself, and meeting a sympathetic policeman increases her involvement. There are lots of recipes and lots of plot twists before the police help Sadie nail the perpetrator.

[Vicki Rinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Kilpack's "Lemon Tart" a long time ago and enjoyed it. Similarly,"Rocky Road" is a quick, easy read. It is not literary fiction. The writing is simple and straightforward. Like many popular fiction novels, many of the characters are not well developed. Kilpack does give us some decent description of the St. George, Utah area, including Pine Valley which seems like a good place to visit. Additionally, there were enough twists to keep the mystery interesting. Finally, I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes. A good enough book for times when your brain is fried and you just want some entertainment.

[Alicia Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a fun read!

Sadie didn’t want anything but a fun girls trip but caro and caro cousin had other plans when a local dr went missing.

Tess (the cousin) seems great until Sadie explains she doesn’t want to get involved and then from there on out she’s so salty and it’s annoying. She acted like a petulant child ever since so wasn’t happy with her throughout the story.

There were a few things I suspected that came true then a few things that did catch me by surprise. This is a good one!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up this series again, after a several years rest. I enjoy Sadie and her adventures, and the food recipes, but it was getting on my nerves a bit. Now reading book 10, I had fun, but still remember what annoyed me in the first place. Sadie just comes off as a busybody in my mind. It's hard to get past that. Although, in this story, she's asked by the police to help. I will read the next few and finish the series off.

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was prepared to be all same ol same ol here with this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. There was a little less formula and a little more depth to this book than some of the others in the series. Maybe it’s because she finally had a weapon. My goodness it’s about time.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really missed Pete in this book, I get that it can't all be about them, but I like their comradery and chemistry. Also, there was a character in this book that I reallllly did not like, and I don't know that I can say that about any of her other books. However, all of that aside, I did enjoy this book, and I was proud of Sadie for being the adult. ;)

[Naomi Noorda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess was incredibly annoying in this book, and I kind of hope she won’t be a reoccurring character even though there was little resolution.
I missed having Pete and Sadie’s kids in this book.
Can’t decide whether I enjoyed the constant nods to church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint culture or not…. There were a lot of them haha. But it was fun to read a mystery taking place in Saint George, love that place. It was cool to see how Sadie has matured in her investigative techniques and to see her be hired by the police for once!
Loved the twist at the end.

[Jenny Koim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I eagerly read this in a matter of hours and absolutely was not expecting the ending, just as in the previous mysteries. I would absolutely love it if there was a tv show of Sadie Hoffmiller solving these mysteries. I loved how Josi again built up the story little by little and how each book is introducing us to her family.

[Candi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rocky Road takes you on a journey through beautiful parts of Utah as Sadie solves yet another mystery. What starts as a favor for a friend becomes a windy who-done-it that leaves you uncertain of the real culprit until the very end.

Personal comment - The religious references are unrelated to the actual story were far too frequent and unnecessary.

[Katey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off slow, and didn't really pick up for me until the middle. And then finding out about Dr. Hendricks's personality and what he was capable of, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have the others in the series. But the recipes in this book look delicious.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good little mystery novel that served well to distract me from life fir a few hours. The beginning seemed a little rough, but the story developed nicely. I appreciated the author’s ability to help me as the reader keep track of the different characters. I enjoyed the story.

[Leesa Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm SUPER ADDICTED to this series! I loved that this one took place in Utah (my home state)! I really like the writing style of Josi Kilpack. Each book has enough twists and turns to keep it interesting and hard to put down!

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit different that some of the others in the series but I really liked it. Interesting twists and turns in the plot and I liked Sadie’s character more in this one that some of the prior ones. Enjoyable and fun read.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadie is now in St George learning a little about the "Mormons" as she tries to find a doctor who came up missing. Now she is actually working with the police to find out what is going on. Recipes here include "fry sauce, Maddox rolls, and Café Rio barbacoa pork salad"

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josi Kilpack finally has Sadie come to Utah. This is probably Sadie's most strained book. As she attempts to stay out of the mystery solving business, she is pulled in, nevertheless. Filled with typical Utah recipes and hospitality, this will keep readers guessing until the end.

[M Summ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly think this might have been my favorite book in the series. I loved how she incorporated God in this one, it was beautiful and natural. I loved all the Utah locations I am so familiar with. And mostly I love that she wrote about Pine Valley Utah, where we honeymooned ♥️.

[Samantha Zollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Most people are idiots.”

Freaking famous last words. Sadie cracked this case wide open.

Things I LOVED:
🎀The descriptions of St. George
🎀The talk about God
🎀The Mormon references
🎀That Sadie worked WITH the police
🎀Caro and Sadie’s relationship growing

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was ok. I like that the character is working through their anxiety. I will definitely continue the series. I read this book for the prompt read a book in a series with an uneven number of books (52 books summer mini challenge.

[Tiffeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit it. These books have grown on me. And I like the recipes.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book.