Guilty as Charred

A Cook-Off Mystery #3

by Devon Delaney

Sherry Oliveri has attained celebrity status after winning the America’s Good Taste Recipe Contest with her delectable New England Crab Cake Sliders. But now that she’s back home in Connecticut, she’s got to deal with something else fishy . . .

Sherry’s making a guest appearance on a local radio show when the news comes in: Poppy Robinson has been found dead in the town’s community garden. Sherry was supposed to be taking questions about her win in the national cooking competition, but instead the callers start dishing dirt.

Poppy and Sherry were both involved in the vegetable garden, and while Poppy may have been a bit priggish, it wasn’t anything that called for a shovel to the back of the head. There was already trouble brewing, with the owner of the land threatening to renege on their agreement, and this murder has taken tensions to a new level. Now while Sherry’s organizing a Fourth of July cook-off event, she’s also got a murder investigation on her plate . . .

Includes Recipes from Sherry’s Kitchen!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

288 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2019

About the author

I am a wife, mother of three, accomplished cooking contester and a recent empty nester. I taught computer education and Lego Robotics for over ten years prior to pursuing writing. All the way I have been handsomely rewarded for my recipe innovation over the last twenty-plus years. Among the many prizes I have won are a full kitchen of major appliances, six-figure top cash prizes and four trips to Disney World. I have also won the grand prize in a national writing contest for my ‘foodie’ poem “Ode to Pork Passion.” Combining my beloved cooking contesting with my enthusiasm for writing was inevitable.

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sherry Oliveri is back with a major win under her belt and another murder to solve. She won the America’s Good Taste Recipe Contest beating out cooks from the other 49 states. While talking about her win for a local radio station breaking news informs listeners that Poppy Robinson has been killed and that her body was found at Augustin’s community garden. Poppy and her family owned the land the community garden was on, she was on its board and ruled with an iron fist. She was also running for mayor.

The current mayor thought a 4th of July cookoff would be a great way to bring tourists to town and thought Sherry would be the perfect person to organize it. He also wants the murder case wrapped up asap! So Sherri is planning a cookoff, preparing for her next cooking contest, working with her dad at the Ruggery and has now added catching a killer to her already long to-do-list. She is going to need the perfect recipe to solve the murder and get on with her life. Hopefully, she can save the community garden too.

_____________

Protag Sherry Oliveri continues to grow and evolve as do all her relationships with a great cast of core characters. I continue to admire her relationship with her father. Detective Ray Bease also returns and tries to keep her out of his investigation but we all know that is not going to happen. I love when her sister comes to visit and the friendship she has built with Amber.

Ms. Delaney has cooked up quite a mystery this time complete with the red herrings cozy readers love. Twists, turns, surprises fill the pages. Sherri now has a reputation for solving murder mysteries and so many people were pressing her for answers. The deceased had an off-putting demeanor but was that enough for someone to want her dead?

I enjoyed the way Sherri handled her investigation, she really didn’t know Poppy well, but the killer is on her tail so she must be on the right track. Her current challenge is to live through her investigation. I must have totally missed a major clue because the killer reveal caught me off-guard.

I was very entertained by this great story. It was well-written and plotted which was key because there were several subplots that all needed to come together at the end. I will say all of Sherry’s activity exhausted me. But her recipes though delighted me. I hope she gets a few months off before the next case comes along. She needs to recharge her batteries and have time for doing what she loves, finding the perfect recipe to win another challenge.

[Alice Liu · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF—I couldn't get past the first 30 pages. Monologues were presented, rather than action, and were full of the kind of expository detail you get from people who love to hear themselves talk.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherry has won the America’s good taste food contest and is making a guest appearance on a local radio show. The breaking news is that Poppy has been found dead in the community garden. Poppy owned the land that the community garden was on and the rumor was was that she was going to sell the land to a developer. Poppy was also running for mayor, something the current mayor is fighting. Sherry is trying to organize a community cook off for the 4th of July. The neighboring town has also decided to have a cook off the same day. Several people have asked Sherry to find out who killed Poppy.

[Devon Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cook-offs, murder, delicious recipes, quaint setting, action, intrigue - this book has it all

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Yet again, I find myself reading a cozy series out of order but not having a problem keeping up. Sherry has an interesting life, between the cook off contests, the Ruggery and her work with editing the town newsletter. I liked how all of these things added up to being in the right place at the right time, or knowing someone who could help. It certainly made chasing down Poppy''s killer a little easier! It was also a little different to not have Sherry find the body herself, or even be around when it was discovered. It meant clues had to be ferreted out even more, and Sherry really had to be motivated to catch the killer (she explains previously she had success as her father had been a suspect)

As always with food mysteries, be prepared to get hungry while reading this! Thankfully we headed down to a local burger place for dinner last night, and that had to be enough to keep me going on all the delicious sounding food! I also wondered on the cook off idea, it's not really something done very often in Australia except on big TV shows, so it was fresh for me.

Can't wait to read more from this author. Five stars!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 3rd book in the cook-off murders and a new author for me. Sherry Oliveri has won America's Good Taste Recipe Contest with her Crabcake recipe and her winning makes her a celebrity. The cover is the best one, I have seen in a long time.
Sherry has returned home. She having problems with the animal welfare group becoming a volunteer. She learns That Poppy Robinson has been found dead at the community garden. The killer poses her before he left her. The town has decided to due to a spin-off to liven up the fourth of July Celebration. Sherry is in charge of it. The various themes are brought together to form a single story. I highly recommend this book.
Serri's recipes are included.

Disclosure: Thanks to Kensington Books for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

Sherry is on her way home after a successful cookoff with no murder involved as the big winner. Her name is well known now making the flight interesting but that was only the beginning of the chaos to come. Once home there is lots of gossiping about the community gardens that leads to the death of the woman running it. Sherry has no intention of getting involved but others request it anyways. This leads to a merry adventure of her living her hectic life while stumbling across clues. I must say the ending was a nice surprise twist. A great mystery full of quirky characters and mouth watering food that will keep you hooked until the very end. Perfect for fans of culinary themed cozies. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Who killed Poppy and why?
Guilty as Charred by Devon Delaney is a delightful mystery with wonderful characters and a lovely small town setting. It has food, murder, and everything that leads us to a great whodunit.
Sherry Oliveri
Sherry is the winner of a few cooking competition; she also helps her dad run his rug store, plays tennis, edits the town’s newsletter and now is helping to organize the cook-off for the town’s Fourth of July celebration. She is a really busy person. Yet, Sherry is searching for the Poppy Robinson’s murderer. Sherry is an unlikely sleuth, but she loves puzzles much like recipes, and she tries to figure it out.
Things to look for (and that I liked)

Sherry’s family is close even though her sister doesn’t live in town.
This small Connecticut town is full of secrets and gossips.
The community has that small town community flavor.
The idea of the community garden is a fabulous idea that benefits not only those who have garden beds but also the local food bank and the younger generation that learn to grow plants.
The friendship between Amber and Sherry.

4 Stars for Guilty as Charred by Devon Delaney
My rating for Guilty as Charred by Devon Delaney is four stars. I enjoyed the story, characters, and the details about cooking competitions and making of the rugs. You will have to follow the clues because I didn't figure it out until Sherry did.

Don’t forget to check out the recipes at the end of the book. I also loved the cover, and you know how much a cover snob I can be.

I highly recommend this book to all Cozy readers.


Excerpt from Chapter 1

Nolan lifted the window shade. “I was thinking, a huge team must be required to coordinate a cookoff as big as America’s Good Taste. Fifty cooks, each representing their state. Do you have any idea what goes into getting a cooking competition up and running? I imagine the process is as complicated as a space shuttle launch.”

Sherry tucked her phone back in her purse.

“Could be. Every time I’m in one, I pick the organizer’s brain, after the fact. I appreciate their efforts to make the competition a good experience for everyone involved. I don’t know how they get the job done. The task of narrowing the field of entrants down to the finalists takes a panel of experts months. For instance, for yesterday’s contest, I submitted my crab cake recipe online almost six months ago. After the contest received my entry, and hundreds maybe thousands more, a group of reviewers weeded out ones that had too many typos, weren’t organized well enough for an average home cook to be able to replicate, any duplicates, plain awful recipes, and on and on. At the same time, a venue for the contest had to be found, sponsors attracted, advertising created, travel arrangements made, not to mention all the stoves set up, ingredients purchased at the last minute, and aprons and gift baskets provided. The list grew every day until the event day arrived. There always has to be some emergency contingencies in place like what to do if there’s a last minute contestant cancellation, while addressing the obvious, like planning first aid for burns and cuts, etcetera. I’m forever fascinated talking to the officials after a cook-off when they finally can exhale. They let their hair down and spill the beans on everything that went on to get the event to appear smooth as coconut cream. All I know is how to be a contestant. I wouldn’t want the coordinator’s job. Behind the scenes, I imagine they deal with unforeseen disaster after unforeseen disaster. At the end of the day, I’m always so impressed that no catastrophe occurred.” Sherry lowered her voice to a near whisper. “Except for the occasional murder.”

Nolan’s eyebrows merged and he blinked hard.

“I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say murder?”

“That was the mishap I was referring to. Twice there’s been a murder associated with a cook-off I’ve been a part of. You probably read about the incidents if you’ve been anywhere near Augustin over the last year or so. There was nonstop coverage by all the news outlets.”

He leaned forward and planted his elbows on each of his armrests. “Come to think of it, that was my first introduction to cook-offs. I didn’t know a thing about them until I read the news articles. I’ve certainly never attended one, so when I found myself with some extra time in Orlando, I bought a ticket to see what goes on. I really had a good time and there was no murder. That’s a plus.”

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Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Guilty as Charred by Devon Delaney. Don't forget to enter the giveaway of this great book.  

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Guilty as Charred is the third installment in A Cook-Off Mystery series, it can be read alone. What has happened to Sherry in the first two books is summarized for new readers. Guilty as Charred is nicely written, has a good flow, and proceeds at a steady pace. Sherry Olivieri enjoys cooking and comes up with creative recipes for the amateur cook-off contests she enters. After winning America’s Good Taste Cook-off, Sherry is the town’s local celebrity. Augustin decides to take advantage of Sherry’s fame by having her organize a cook-off for Augustin’s Fourth of July celebration. They are hoping to attract more tourists to Augustin. Then Poppy Robinson is found dead in the Augustin’s Community Garden and Sherry is asked to quickly solve the case by various parties. There are multiple suspects along with a red herring or two. There are good clues to aid reads in solving the crime. The whodunit was multifaceted, and Sherry had to do a little digging to find the information she needed. There were some deadly threats and one was very unique. I wish it had been more of a challenge identifying the guilty party. Detective Ray Bease has a shadow in the form of Detective Cody Diamond. Detective Bease is forced to learn how to use a tablet and give up his ever ready paper pad. I was left with a couple of unanswered questions regarding the mystery at the end of the book. I prefer it when everything is wrapped up neatly to satisfy my curiosity. Sherry whips up some delicious dishes and needs to come up with a bacon focused recipe for an upcoming contest. She is also busy working at the Ruggery, taking care on the town’s newsletter, cataloguing seeds that are being mailed to her for use communal garden, planning the Fourth of July cook-off (patties are the theme), spending time with her friends, and going on dates with a new fellow. Guilty as Charred has appetizing cuisine, a technologically challenged detective, a panicked populace, toxic threats, a canine named Chutney, and one prying protagonist.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: Sherry has just won a national food championship and the entire town is thrilled with her victory when she returns home. Not left to rest of her laurels, she is wrangled into helping the town put on a grill-off for Independence Day. In the process she learns one of her co-workers on the project is not the snob she surmised she would be but she also finds out that other folks are not what they seem.
And that leads to murder.
The victim is a woman who has donated land for a community garden whose reputation is being besmirched by rumours and innuendo. Sherry had only superficial dealings with the woman but feels compelled to discover who is behind the hatchet job and the murder. She is encouraged by a number of residents and of course, is warned off by the local police. There are lots of complications thrown in to muddy the waters and to hide the identify of the culprit. I confess I suspected the villain from the very beginning. There were lots of clues to obfuscate but it always seemed the killer was the most likely one.
I did not get attached to the characters, That is never a good sign as in order for me to do more than like a book, I have to feel invested. It never reached that level.
Four purrs and one paw up.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherry Olivieri is just returning from Florida where she won the trophy for creating the winning recipe in America's Good Taste Cook-Off, and while she's exhausted, she still agrees to go on a radio program to talk about it. While she and the host, Kayson Bradshaw, have a difficult beginning, she figures it's only temporary and answers his questions. But when they're interrupted with the news that a board member for the community garden has been murdered - Poppy Robinson - Sherry is stunned. But more so when the calls start coming in and no one has anything good to say about her. Sherry is even more stunned when Kayson asks her out to dinner, and she doesn't know what to say...

But then Poppy's sister Tessa Yates calls Sherry and asks her to investigate Poppy's murder. While Sherry tries her best to dissuade her, she finally agrees to let her know if she hears of any information that will help in the investigation, while also promising Detective Ray Bease that she'll stay out of the investigation.

To make matters worse, she's been roped into organizing the Fourth of July town cook-off by the mayor. At least she'll have help from a local attorney who's husband is a celebrity cookbook writer, but with all her other duties, she's definitely swamped. Then she receives a package of poison seeds that can injure or kill by just touching them, and suddenly she has to wonder who wants to warn her away from the investigation. If they knew Sherry, they'd know this would only make her more curious, and now she's trying to find a murderer who might just have her on their radar...

This is the third book in the series, and for the most part I enjoyed it. I did believe that the beginning was slow, and it almost lost me, especially when not once, but twice, the word peak should have been pique. You don't "peak one's interest," you "pique one's interest." I pay attention to details and was surprised an editor didn't catch the misuse of the word. But I digress...

The plot was done nicely, and the writing was very good. I still think Sherry has a bit of a bland personality, but hopefully she'll get a little "oomph" in later books. I'm not sure exactly what, but she needs to put a little more life into herself. I also do like the character of Kayson. He seems to be what Sherry needs, and I hope they give it another chance. (I like Ray, but he's as bland as Sherry in the personality department).

It was fun trying to figure out who the murderer was, and even with plenty of suspects, not a single one stood out, so you really had to think about it, which is a good thing. There are clues leading to it, but they aren't overt, and it's almost when Sherry figures it out that you do at the same time. This is a bonus.

I did like the ending of the book, and the fact that it gives us a little something to look forward to in the next one. All in all, it was an enjoyable book and can be read in one evening. A nice cozy with a good feel to it, and I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is enjoyable, fun to read and engaging.
I liked the well written cast of characters, the good mystery that kept me guessing, and the setting.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Linda Hultman · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNL (Did Not Like). Title not appropriate for story. Although the book was supposed to be about the 4th of July, most of it was set in about March/April. The 4th still hadn't happened when the book ended.) No one got charred. Tired of people who can't hang on to their phones, too.

[Karen Hollins-Stallman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guilty as Charred is the 3rd installment in A Cook-Off Mystery series by Devon Delaney. Even though I haven't read the previous books in this series, it didn't cause a problem as this can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the others first.

Sherry Oliveri has attained celebrity status after winning the America’s Good Taste Recipe Contest with her delectable New England Crab Cake Sliders. But now that she’s back home in Connecticut, she’s got to deal with something else fishy . . .

Sherry’s making a guest appearance on a local radio show when the news comes in: Poppy Robinson has been found dead in the town’s community garden. Sherry was supposed to be taking questions about her win in the national cooking competition, but instead the callers start dishing dirt.

Poppy and Sherry were both involved in the vegetable garden, and while Poppy may have been a bit priggish, it wasn’t anything that called for a shovel to the back of the head. There was already trouble brewing, with the owner of the land threatening to renege on their agreement, and this murder has taken tensions to a new level. Now while Sherry’s organizing a Fourth of July cook-off event, she’s also got a murder investigation on her plate . . .

Includes Recipes from Sherry’s Kitchen, but not ones from the story which was disappointing.

The protagonist Sherry is a strong woman, and the other characters are interesting. There are twists and turns, a few red herrings but I guessed whodunnit fairly soon in the story. The story moves at a steady pace but I did have trouble getting into the story.

I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

First this cover is absolutely outstanding. I love a great cover that contains clues for the reader.
This is the 3rd in the "Cook Off" Mystery series and I have read the prior books in the series. This book can be read as a stand alone. Thank you for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

In this next in series our savvy chef and talented protagnist Sherry Oliveri has won another cooking contest and has just arrived home. She finds that Poppy Robinson has been murdered in the community garden. Sherry and Poppy did not know each other well but she agrees when the town ask her to investigate. She is also fighting to keep the community garden as the owner wants to do away with it. At the same time she is helping plan the town's 4th of July bash and it seems everyone in town has a task for her to do . Sherry is wearing many hats in this next in series. I like that she respects her fellow townspeople and that people depend on her.

Soon Sherry is finding some distasteful details about the dead woman's life. When she is threatened by the killer she is as determined then ever to prove who the killer was and why. Sherry is a likable protagonist with ties to her community and gumption that drives her to solve mysteries. I love the sleuth which kept me guessing. I appreciate the author's well crafted story and the recipes included as always are divine. I look forward to the next in series

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cook-off competitions can be crazy, engaging and engrossing but small time life can be hectic and homicidal!

Sherry Oliveri is finding out that she is becoming famous on the Cook-off circuit (selfies with fans anyone!) which leads to her being interviewed on the local radio for their food section Bites, before they get to the phone in section there is some breaking news as a body has been found in the community garden, now Sherry is being dragged hither and thither with some people wanting her to find out the truth, others blocking her (and in the case of Detective Ray Bease telling her to keep her culinary fingers away from the investigation!), but when she starts to get threatened and someone she might become close to accidentally ends up in the cross hairs, she takes off her chef's hat and puts on her deerstalker.

Whilst all this is going on she is getting ready for her next cook-off, arranging a cook-off for the 4th of July celebrations, oh and getting better at tennis. so keeping the plates spinning is what she needs to do (and she wishes people would stop asking her to taste test their offerings for the cook-off!)

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherry Oliveri has become a celebrity chef after winning the “America’s Good Taste Recipe Contest”. While doing an interview for a local radio station, word comes that there has been a murder in the community garden both Sherry and the victim were involved in.

Guilty as Charred is the 3rd book in the series, but can easily be read as a standalone. It was a fun read with a mystery that kept me guessing. Sherry is a clever, strong protagonist, and I look forward to getting to know her better in future installments.

For a recipe from the book, see the review on my blog here.

[LittleRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherry Oliveri has won another cooking contest and gets home just in time to find that Poppy Robinson has been murdered in the community garden. Being a woman of many talents, Sherry happens to also be a bit of a sleuth and solved two previous murders in which she and her father were suspects. Now the town comes to Sherry asking her to help finger the murderer to speed the case up.

As Sherry begins to dig into the life of the woman she barely knew, she finds not all of her neighbors are exactly what they seem. But Sherry seems to be cooking her own goose as the killer sends her warnings and she needs to heed those warnings before she’s burnt to a crips.

A cute cozy with a good mystery. Not sure I am totally in sync with the main character, but will read another to see how I feel after a second helping. The few recipes that were included didn’t connect to the story at all. It would have been nice if the recipes weren’t so random and tied into what Sherry made in the book. All in all, I’m glad I was able to experience a new author and series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilty as Charred is the 3rd installment in A Cook-Off Mystery series. Sherry Oliveri is back home after winning America's Good Taste recipe contest and is being interviewed on the local radio station when news comes in that Poppy Robinson has been found dead in the community garden. Sherry knew Poppy as she was also involved in the community garden cannot imagine who could want her dead. The landowner wants to no default on the community garden and tensions are even higher with the murder. Sherry is also organizing the 4th of July cook-off contest and try and figure out who killed Poppy. This is a good series and Sherry is a strong character. This is a fast read and a solid mystery. Looking forward to the next installment.

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Sherry Oliveri returns to town after winning a cook off with a new celebrity status. But her fame will quickly die off when a body is found in the community garden. She and the victim were both involved in the community garden.

Who wanted her dead? To make things worse the landowner wants to null the land agreement causing more tension. Furthermore Sherry has to plan a Fourth of July cook-off in the midst of everything.

Food cozy readers will enjoy the read as it includes recipes that you are tempted to try.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guilty as Charred is a well written cozy mystery with great characters and an easy story to follow.

Synopsis:
Sherry Oliveri has attained celebrity status after winning America’s Good Taste Recipe Contest with her delectable New England Crab Cake Sliders. But now that she’s back home in Connecticut, she’s got to deal with something else fishy . . .

Sherry’s making a guest appearance on a local radio show when the news comes in: Poppy Robinson has been found dead in the town’s community garden. Sherry was supposed to be taking questions about her win in the national cooking competition, but instead, the callers start dishing dirt.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherry's back in town after winning a recipe contest but this doesn't mean her life is going to go smoothly. She finds herself investigating her neighbors when Poppy is found dead in the community garden. As veteran cozy readers know, there's always more to the victim than it appears on the surface and that's the case here. I've said it before - there's a better book in here and I do wish Delaney had used a detached reader to rework some of this. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Oh, and there are recipes.

[Jessica Wilhoite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great - I like saying the name Sherri Oliveri in my head as I'm reading - I know, silly!

I liked that the characters are developing more as the series goes on and I'm happy that Amber has moved and stayed in town, I like her as a character.

This book was a big puzzle and I went back and forth as to who I thought the culprit was; I went back and forth so many times, I don't even remember if I had it right LOL.

Hopefully this series will continue as it is fun, funny, and a quick-read.

4.4 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed this book on Netgalley.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cooking contests, recipes, small town, community gardens, and murder, what's not to like? Everyone in town expects contest celebrity Sherry to solve the murder of an irritating woman found in the community garden. How she goes about it and who she calls on for help makes this an interesting read.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food and folly with a setting to literally die for, Guilty as Charred is a cozy that lights up the night with a mystery sure to stump the most frugal of cooks. With recipes and a fun cast of characters, Devon Delaney reminds us again how much fun solving murders can be. I recommend this book to anyone in need of a tasty homicide.


Thanks to Kensington for the ARC. All opinions are mine.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/27/19 2.5 rounded up because of Sherry's refreshing briskness with men (and the insanely good recipes!) Full review tk at CriminalElement.com.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilty as Charred was a fun and light read that included an interesting mystery and sub-plots. I also really liked the idea of the community garden, that not only benefited the gardeners, but also those less fortunate.

[Karen Holman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in A Cook-off Mystery series by Devon Delany. The crafty characters, Eastern setting, and a familiar ending have readers asking will there by more of the same next time. copy right 2019 290 pages

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great cozy mystery with a unique theme. I love the characters and the mystery was well planned. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. I hope there will be more books in this series!

[Joellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read, had me surprised at the end.