Diners, Drive-Ins, and Death

A Comfort Food Mystery #3

by Christine Wenger

For Sandy Harbor’s tastiest comfort food, venture to the Silver Bullet Diner. But head next door to the new drive-in theater if you have an appetite for murder….
 
Trixie Matkowski has a tall order to fill this fall. Aside from dishing out delicious fare at the Silver Bullet during peak fishing season, she’s helping her friend—Antoinette Chloe Brown, or ACB for short—open a drive-in movie theater in the vacant lot beside her diner. It’s just the thing to take ACB’s mind off Nick, her missing biker beau.
 
But their plans are fried after Nick’s body is discovered during the groundbreaking for the drive-in. And when the police connect the murder weapon to ACB, she becomes the prime suspect in eighty-sixing Nick. With the fate of her innocent friend and her business on the line, Trixie must make the guilty party pay up before someone else gets stiffed….

Includes Delicious Home-Style Recipes!

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

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 6, 2015

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

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly adequate cozy with all the usual tropes: Small town populated by strange people, colorful elder woman, supercop who couldn't catch a cold in the pouring rain, and the neurotic main character.
I wonder if there's some kind of Freudian deal going on with the detective trios that so often populate cozies?

Anyway, the colorful older woman is suspected of murdering her biker boyfriend, who also happened to be the brother of her ex-husband, who once tried to kill her. She's the main suspect. There's also a small beauty pageant going on in the town, and our sleuth is hosting all the contestants at her house. Amid all of the ruckus, someone has to find the real killer.

Not bad, but not really memorable, either.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Trixie Matkowski owns the Silver Bullet Diner and summer rental cottages. She also has a bit of land that came in handy when her friend’s significant other is found in a shallow grave. Antoinette Chloe Brown, or ACB for short, owns a restaurant in town and she wants to build a drive-in on land next to Trixie’s. Her biker boyfriend, Nick, has taken off without a word to anyone, her ex-husband, the boyfriend’s brother, is rotting in jail, and she is organizing a beauty pageant, so why not jump in with both feet to another venture. She is so worried about Nick she asks Trixie to help her find him but he turns up before they do much looking. His body is discovered during the groundbreaking for the drive-in and there is enough evidence at the scene to arrest ACB and haul her off to jail.

What follows next is a nifty mystery served up with a bowlful of humor. ACB and her colorful mumus and fascinations just crack me up. Seeing her in a motorcycle sidecar must be a hoot! She and Trixie are the best of friends. Trixie even put up the bail to get her out of jail. She also let her move right into her house. The antics of these two are absolutely hilarious but Trixie does keep them on track as they try to find the real killer.

I have grown comfortable with these characters and I appreciate the comfort food served at the Silver Bullet. I don’t know how I got behind on this series but that will be remedied soon. I am so glad I started Flashback Friday to help me catch up on great series like this one. Macaroni and Freeze has moved to the top of the To-Be-Read stack and It’s A Wonderful Knife comes out February 2.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

With names like Trixie, ACB, Toxic Waste, and Fingers, just to name a few, it was easy to see this was going to be a fun book. The lead character Trixie is immediately likeable. I knew spending time with her would be interesting and it was. The supporting cast of characters added a real richness to the story.

The mystery was a good one. Not real easy to guess, but not too hard either (Don’t you want to solve it yourself sometimes?).

I really enjoyed this book. Ms. Wenger is a gifted storyteller. I love the touch of having Trixie send an email off to her Aunt. A clever ides to add a little more depth to the story.

And you can’t have a book about a diner and not have recipes. There are several great sounding ones included. Even one for dog biscuits!

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book as I so enjoyed the previous instalment (even overlooking the small oversight of having already met Ray's family & girlfriend, then asking to be introduced later in the story). This book-I couldn't ignore a huge character development issue with ACB. It seems the author forgot her age between the two books (as ACB recalls remembering the diner being delivered in 1952, but in the previous story she was part of the 1989 HS graduating class-meaning she was born in 1971ish, not even close to 1952). I just couldn't get past this. I blame this more on the editing-how was this not noticed?

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Great cast of characters. Just love the names ACB, Fingers and Toxic Waste. Love the banter between Trixie and her ex-husband. ACB is a hoot. Trixie tries to help prove ACB didn't kill her boyfriend Nick and nothing but trouble comes her way.
A very enjoyable cozy mysgtery.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trixie, who owns the town diner, looks into the murder of her friend's boyfriend.

Reading this book is like diving into a big barrel of silliness. Trixie is in no way a detective. Her friend ACB is a caricature of the flamboyant older woman, decorating her jail cell with plush rugs and other fancy things, including wearing her sequined flip-flops and decorated fascinators. I figured out the murderer too early and I don't try to do this.

My mom, in her late eighties, and I joint read this book. She bought it at a book sale because it has a dog on the cover. I dislike books that have very little pet related portions but do this in what seems to be a lure. She didn't like it either and said she "kept waiting for it to get good."

If you're a fan of cozy mysteries and don't mind rampant silliness, you might like this one.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I really enjoyed this one, I just want to say more Ty and less ACB. I really like Trixie, the other characters and the setting. I was very excited to be right in my guess as to who the murderer was. Good story and looking forward to reading more.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Once I got started I had to force myself to put it down to get some sleep and then woke up the next day to finish it. I have not read the other books in this series at all. I did not feel like I have missed much in starting book 3 before reading the others.

I feel in love with Trixie from the moment the book started. The banter between ACB and Trixie is too funny at times and liberating at others. Helping her friend find out who really killed Nick had a lot of twists which kept me wanting to know who was behind this murder. What could he have possibly done?

The fun part was the pageant they were having in town. Poor Trixie had them all in her house not to mention a biker gang hanging out on the lawn that Nick belonged to. Also Chad who had dealings with Nick and a little pushy wanting money from ACB.

TY the deputy was not bad to read about either and seems to bring out the best and worst in Trixie which makes the whole book interesting. He will not share much with Trixie over the investigation but she shares a lot.

With everything going on plus cooking at the dinner this makes a wonderful story. I will be picking up other books by this author. I loved her writing style and easy to picture what is going on in the story. A real page turner. The recipes in the back of the book look great and will try them especially the one for the dogs.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun afternoon read with Trixie, Deputy Ty, ACB and the crew of the Silver Bullet diner. Trixie is really not a good sleuth but her heart is in the right place. I enjoy spending time with these quirky characters.

[Melina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite Cozy series, and I was not disappointed with this installment of the series. This book kept my interest from the time I picked it up, until I finally finished it. I really like visiting Sandy Harbor and all of the eccentric characters that inhabit this small town. This book had everything that I love in a cozy, it kept me guessing till the end, and it also had just the right amount of humor in it. I like the setting of this series and I also like the characters, Trixie is a very strong protagonist. This was a great read to start off my new reading year. Great job Christine, I literally cannot wait for the next book, please keep up the good work.


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

[Melodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to love this series because the author is such a nice gal, but I just don't. This one was a slight improvement over the other 2, so calling it a solid 3-stars. I still don't buy Trixie as a sleuth. There's something just not quite right there. ACB is also just too over-the-top. She has a big heart and is a really nice person, but her "fashion" schtick is just TOO much. If she were toned down just a tad, she'd be more believable to me. I have the 4th one and intend to read it before long. That will be the deciding book for me as to whether I go any further.

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 3 out of 5]

I told myself this book was going to be the fish-or-cut-bait book: either the writing got better or I was dropping the series. Well, the writing *did* get better, but I'd still say there's a long way to go before I'd call it better than average. Still, there's something compelling about the characters and the stories and the author has sucked me in for at least one more book.

Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/114127...

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite new series. The books have a very cozy and warm feeling to them, probably from the small town atmosphere and the fact that Trixie is always cooking something up at her diner. The preview at the end of the book has me excited for the next in the series. I hope this series continues for a long time!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun comfort food mystery. I enjoy all the quirky characters in this series, and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

[☺Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Diners, Drive-Ins, and Death (book three in the Comfort Food Mystery series) by Christine Wenger to be a quick read and very entertaining.
P. S. One irksome question: If ACB was a child when the Silver Bullet was delivered to Sandy Harbor in 1952, that would make her in her mid to late sixties. Boyfriend/Ex-Brother-In-Law Nick was 55 years old - so it said in his obit (such a big age difference, but not completely unbelievable). Yet, Nick was previously engaged to Aileen/Leslie, who sounds gorgeous (but also mentally unhinged) and is somewhere in her twenties. Weird . . .
Note: I just reread the first three books of the Comfort Food Mystery series. ACB's ex-husband Sal's brother's name was Tony (not Nick) in book 2: A Second Helping of Murder. Editor fell asleep on the job, unfortunately. At least ACB's age is clarified in book 2 - it is stated that she, her ex-husband Sal Brownelli, Rick Tingsley (the mayor), Laura Tingsley (the mayor's wife), and some other suspect townies all graduated from high school together in 1989. That answers that question for me. Now, I can get a clearer picture of quirky ACB while I am reading.
Irksome question number two: In book one, Do Or Diner, Trixie said she went to Oswego State university and, now in book three, Syracuse University is her alma mater. What gives?

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 in the comfort food series. I had not read book 1 or 2 but I was able to quickly become familiar with the characters. Recipes at the end of the book. 3 1/2 stars.

In this entry, Trixie is busy helping her friend ACB get over Nick, ACB's boyfriend and cook who up and disappeared. Nick is found on property that ACB owns, along with some items belonging to her. Can Trixie help clear her friend?

Humorous in spots, well written and lots of things going on in the book, including the Miss Salmon beauty contest. I figured something amiss with one of the contestants and was proved right. I am personally getting tired of over the top characters in some of the cozies out there,and the ACB character was a tad flamboyant for my tastes, which kept me from 4 stars. There's also the standard drop dead handsome detective, however, it's refreshing that he and Trixie are just friends....at least for now anyway.

Having said that, I will probably go for the next one in the series at some later date.

[Lisa Gundrum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this four stars but continuity issues brought that down. A main character graduated high school in 1989 in the last book, in this book she was a little girl in 1952! Also the same characters boyfriend Tony's name changed to Nick from the last book. Last one I noticed, they describe a character wearing a red track suit instead of her normal muumuu then in next paragraph ask if that's a new muumuu completely forgetting about the track suit!

[Courtney Boughner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely not a literary masterpiece, but super cute story and lovable characters. There are some very cheesy parts, but once you get used to that, this book was charming and easy to get into. Perfect for a beach/poolside read!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trixie Matkowski enjoys serving the residents of Sandy Harbor, New York the best in comfort food from the Silver Bullet Diner. She’s happy to learn that her best friend Antoinette Chloe Brown has decided to open an old-fashioned drive-in movie theater right next door. A fun groundbreaking ceremony is planned, but the excitement turns to horror when the digging reveals the dead body of Antoinette Chloe’s missing boyfriend, Nick. Trixie’s friend is devastated over Nick’s death, but if that’s not bad enough, Antoinette Chloe is arrested for the murder. Trixie knows her kind-hearted friend is not the guilty party, so she decides to start her own investigation to find the real murderer.

The best part of this book is how funny it is. Reading the title, "Diners, Drive-ins, and Death" is so clever and the writing in the rest of the book is just as humorous. The quirky characters and funny situations as worthy of a Janet Evanovich novel. Fans of that series will enjoy the adventures of Trixie and Antoinette Chloe. This is the third novel in the Comfort Food series, but this is the first one I’ve read. I was able to quickly catch up on who is who in Sandy Harbor. The only thing I can’t understand is why Antoinette still seems half in love with her ex-husband, who apparently tried to kill both her and Trixie in a previous book.

I enjoy the comradery between Trixie and Antoinette Chloe as well as the friendship between Trixie and Ty. I don’t know if the hunky deputy Ty will be more than just a friend to Trixie in future books, but it’s obvious there is chemistry there, even though Trixie tries to deny her attraction to Ty. This may sound picky, but the name “Antoinette Chloe” is a mouthful. Sometimes Trixie and Ty refer to her by the nickname “ACB”, but unfortunately most people call her by her full first and middle name each time they talk to her or about her, which soon becomes monotonous to read.

The book is entertaining because of the interesting characters and funny dialogue, but Trixie could use some help in the sleuthing department. At one point in the story, Trixie and Ty acknowledge that “ACB” is in danger from another possible suspect in Nick’s murder. Strangely, only a couple of paragraphs later, the two are completely baffled as to who would possible have a motive for framing ACB. There are a few other times when Trixie isn’t able to figure out some pretty obvious clues. Perhaps in future books, even if they don’t get together as a couple. Trixie and Ty can work together so they are better equipped for an investigation.

Everything gets wrapped up at the end and the epilogue is cleverly done in the format of an e-mail from Trixie to her Aunt Stella. A few recipes from the diner follow this to wrap up the book. There are some missteps in the book, but overall, I enjoyed the story and would read another in this series to catch up on what’s happening next in the lives of Trixie, Ty, and ACB.

This review was originally written for Smitten by Books. (3.5 stars)The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Katreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Death by Christine Wenger
The 3rd Comfort Food Mystery

On a cold wintry day there's nothing better than a nice dish of comfort food...and the latest Comfort Food Mystery by Christine Wenger.

Trixie Matkowski is back bringing comfort food to the people of Sandy harbor, NY at the Silver Bullet Diner. Her friend, the irrepressible Antoinette Chloe Brown, is also back with plans to build an old fashioned drive-in movie theater. Unfortunately, on ground breaking day the body of ACB's missing boyfriend is found...dug up by the backhoe! Who wanted Nick dead? Could ACB's ex-husband been jealous enough to kill his own brother? Could it have been one of the men from the gang of biker chefs? A prior business associate? Or ACB herself? Trixie knows she has to help ACB with or without the help of Deputy Ty. Will she be able to find the killer while babysitting a house full of beauty contestants, keep ACB out of trouble, and still cook through the night serving up delicious diner food?

I remember as a kid getting into my pajamas early then grabbing my sleeping bag and pillow and getting into the station wagon. My parents and I were going to the drive-in. It was still light when we got there so I played in the playground till it was dark enough for the movie to start. I can vividly remember that, though I couldn't tell you the film for the life of me! Those days are gone now, and most of the drive-ins with them. I'm pleased that ACB also remembers the fun of the drive-in and the wish to create a new one.

The books in Christine Wenger's Comfort Food Mystery series are comforting and nostalgic in the best ways. They evoke those happy memories of the past while giving us an adventure in the present. The author also adds lots of fun: ACB's fashion sense and the Miss Salmon pageant, complete with an 88 year old choreographer and girls dressed as salmon...and fishermen! That being said, these books are by no means fluff. There are issues at play and underlying everything is the strength of friendship and the power of nostalgia. Of course, we also have a fine mystery as well.

I welcome Trixie Matkowski and the people of Sandy Harbor into my home with each novel. I only wish I could visit the Red Bullet Diner myself and have a heaping plate of comfort food!

Recipes included.

[Doward Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trixie owns and operates a diner where comfort food is the menu. The business includes vacation and fishing cabins and a big Victorian house that she shares with her dog. Now she is helping her friend, Antoinette Chloe Brown, oversee the Miss Salmon Contest, build a drive-in theater and hunt for her missing biker boyfriend. All of this leads to murder with suspects ranging from a biker gang to a wealthy investor. Book#3 continues to build the wonderful characters and setting that give us a solid feel of comfort and reality. The murder is exceptionally well plotted and twists you every way, right up to the explosive ending. This is great series that balances characters, background and murder plot in a perfect mix of entertaining reading. I think any cozy or mystery fan will enjoy it and I can't wait to get the next installment of A Comfort Food Mystery!

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific series. I love the way the author blends mystery with humor. Antoinette Chloe is one of my favorite cozy characters. She marches to her own beat but at the same time is generous, caring and very warm-hearted. I think she and Trixie compliment each other wonderfully. I also like the way the relationship is developing between Ty and Trixie. Sandy Harbor is a fun small town and the residents round out a cast of fun characters. The mystery was well plotted with plenty of suspects, clues, twists and turns. I figured out the identity of the killer but at the same time as Trixie.

This is a very enjoyable series and I will be back to see what is in store next for these characters.

[A Holland Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I love about the cozy mysteries is that so many of them include great recipes to try out and this book is not exception. This book is a fun quick read that I read in one weekend. I have not read any other books in this series but was able to keep up just fine. Although now I want to go back and read the rest of the series. This is set in the fun little town of Sandy Harbor, now if we could only visit that would be nice. The characters are so fun to read about - they are someone you would have fun hanging out with. Christine did a good job of keeping you guessing on who killed Nick. I suggest picking this book up if you like a fun - fast paced mystery.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun read! What else can you expect with a Miss Salmon pageant, fishermen all over town, biker chefs, and a local murder mystery?! Trixie is determined to prove her friend ACB didn't kill her boyfriend chef (who was also her ex-brother-in-law), and if she happens to interfere with Ty's investigation? Well, so be it. Good thing he's so patient and understanding, haha.

Several editing errors in this one, from missing words or letters to misspellings, but honestly, this was such a fun story, I almost didn't mind! Almost. ;)

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mom got this book at her library's book exchange section. The title seems to play off of Guy Fieri's show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives"--or at least that's what it made me think of. I haven't read the first two in this series (and probably won't).

ACB is a little too over the top for me. I wasn't quite sure how Trixie and the others put up with her and her antics, but at least she seems to have a good heart. The dog (Blondie) didn't seem to figure too much in this book. The idea of a pageant sounded interesting, but most of the book dealt with practicing the Salmon Dance number and very little of it dealing with the pageant itself.

The back blurb promised Delicious Home-Style recipes, but the recipes included in this book weren't ones I thought I'd use or make, which was disappointing.

[Michelle Przekwas · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 3rd installment of this cozy food mystery, Trixie's new bestest buddy, Antoinette Chloe, is the lead suspect in her motorcycle boyfriend's death especially when his body is found on her lakefront property in a fresh, shallow grave. Trixie and handsome cowboy Sheriff Ty are searching through suspects until the final satisfactory (although slightly predictable) conclusion.
I found this to be a fun cozy. Trixie is building friendships and relationships with her diner staff and a few of the townspeople. They are all a quirky bunch which makes it a fun cozy read. I've got my bookmark settled into #4 in this series already...'Macaroni and Freeze.' I am looking forward to my cozy weekend reading with Trixie and Ty.

[Pam Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trixie Matkowski is dishing out delicious fare at the Silver Bullet during peak fishing season, and she’s helping her friend—Antoinette Chloe Brown, or ACB for short—open a drive-in movie theater in the vacant lot beside her diner. It’s just the thing to take ACB’s mind off Nick, her missing biker beau.
But their plans are halted after Nick’s body is discovered during the groundbreaking for the drive-in. And when the police connect the murder weapon to ACB, she becomes the prime suspect in killing Nick. With the fate of her innocent friend and her business on the line, Trixie must find the guilty party.

I love this series and the many and varied characters so well described by the author.

[Sandra Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I always seem to forget these books til I read them than I remember what’s is happening. I’m so glad the first and second book get reminded as the second book made me feel lost but after this book now I get Trixie owns a diner and cabins. I couldn’t figure out where the cabins came from in the second book for some reason but remembered the diner.
In this book Trixie friend Antoinette Chloe boyfriend nick is found dead and AC is thought to be the suspect. Along the way they also are planning the first Miss Salmon contest. AC is the emcee and helping Trixie with the contestants who will be staying in the big house and of course the sexy deputy is around to help. Not a bad book and honestly I knew who the murderer was and figured it out kinda fast but still liked how the book went.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these mysteries keeps me guessing!!!! Trixie Matkowski has a tall order to fill this fall. Aside from dishing out food at the Silver Bullet during peak fishing season she is helping her friend Antoinette Chloe Brown or ABC for short open a drive-in movie theater in the vacant lot beside her dinner. It is just the thing to take her mind off of Nick her missing biker beau. But their plans are fried after Nick's body is discovered during the groundbreaking for the drive in. And when the police connect the murder weapon to ACB she becomes the prime suspect. With the fate of an innocent friend and her business on the line Trixie must make the guilty party pay up before someone else gets stiffed!!!!