What do you think?
Rate this book
Someone's in the Kitchen With Dinah
Recently separated from her husband, cooking columnist Dinah McKinnon flees to Webb Key, a tiny town in the Florida Keys. craving peace and quiet. Instead, she finds herself entangled with a wacky groups of Conchs, artists, fishing captains and rednecks, one of whom may be responsible for two grisly murders and a missing person. Sassy, funny and glib, yet basically compassionate, Dinah becomes the target of someone's rage as she works on her new cookbook and tried to adjust to the possibilities of a new life and a new love.
218 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 6, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
All Dinah wanted was some time and space to pull herself together. She got a hurricane and a couple of murders instead.
Dinah earned my respect almost immediately. She demonstrated admirable strength and resilience after the death of her father and the collapse of her marriage by setting out on her own and moving on with her life. Even when her smooth talking ex-husband makes an unexpected and unwanted appearance, Dinah puts him firmly in his place. She is certainly not the sort of woman to let others run over her. As with many well rounded characters, Dinah has a softer side as well. She is a very compassionate person who makes friends easily no matter their background or what other people may think. Her relationship with Amanda, a young girl who doesn’t speak, is especially sweet.
Webb Key is home to many colorful characters, but Rena is by far the most developed. She has a larger than life personality and is very bold and brash. Rena is the sort of person who has no qualms about poking her nose into other people’s business. I’m not entirely sure that Rena and I would get along well if we were to meet. I think I’d find her personality a bit overwhelming. However, Rena is a caring soul and she generally means well. At first I thought that Rena and Dinah might not get along, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly they bonded and how well they worked together to solve the murders.
Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah contains not one, but two mysteries. Dinah first begins looking into the murders, but as she begins digging up dirt on the inhabitants of Webb Key, she discovers a second puzzle surrounding her young friend, Amanda. As I read, I was constantly kept guessing as to whether or not the murders were connected to Amanda’s situation. I thought both mysteries were wrapped up well, if a bit too quickly for my taste. I especially wanted to know more about the plot surrounding Amanda. I felt that some events of the past were glossed over a bit too quickly and I was left wanting a bit more detail.
Dinah and Joe's budding relationship adds just the right amount of romance to this tale. Joe seems to be the complete opposite of Dinah’s ex-husband, so it was easy for me to see why she would be so attracted to him. I do think Joe could have been a bit more rounded. All I really know about him is that he is a very down to earth man with amazing blue eyes and a passion for architecture. Dinah and Joe develop feelings for each other quickly and it isn’t long before their relationship is on the fast track. I was a bit worried that things were moving too rapidly between them. However, Ms. Arau put together a wonderful “happy for now” ending that fit Dinah’s situation perfectly.
Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah is certainly a fun book to read. Dinah was easy to like and I truly enjoyed watching her tackle her first mystery. I look forward to reading about her adventures in the future.
All Dinah wanted was some time and space to pull herself together. She got a hurricane and a couple of murders instead.
Dinah earned my respect almost immediately. She demonstrated admirable strength and resilience after the death of her father and the collapse of her marriage by setting out on her own and moving on with her life. Even when her smooth talking ex-husband makes an unexpected and unwanted appearance, Dinah puts him firmly in his place. She is certainly not the sort of woman to let others run over her. As with many well rounded characters, Dinah has a softer side as well. She is a very compassionate person who makes friends easily no matter their background or what other people may think. Her relationship with Amanda, a young girl who doesn’t speak, is especially sweet.
Webb Key is home to many colorful characters, but Rena is by far the most developed. She has a larger than life personality and is very bold and brash. Rena is the sort of person who has no qualms about poking her nose into other people’s business. I’m not entirely sure that Rena and I would get along well if we were to meet. I think I’d find her personality a bit overwhelming. However, Rena is a caring soul and she generally means well. At first I thought that Rena and Dinah might not get along, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly they bonded and how well they worked together to solve the murders.
Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah contains not one, but two mysteries. Dinah first begins looking into the murders, but as she begins digging up dirt on the inhabitants of Webb Key, she discovers a second puzzle surrounding her young friend, Amanda. As I read, I was constantly kept guessing as to whether or not the murders were connected to Amanda’s situation. I thought both mysteries were wrapped up well, if a bit too quickly for my taste. I especially wanted to know more about the plot surrounding Amanda. I felt that some events of the past were glossed over a bit too quickly and I was left wanting a bit more detail.
Dinah and Joe's budding relationship adds just the right amount of romance to this tale. Joe seems to be the complete opposite of Dinah’s ex-husband, so it was easy for me to see why she would be so attracted to him. I do think Joe could have been a bit more rounded. All I really know about him is that he is a very down to earth man with amazing blue eyes and a passion for architecture. Dinah and Joe develop feelings for each other quickly and it isn’t long before their relationship is on the fast track. I was a bit worried that things were moving too rapidly between them. However, Ms. Arau put together a wonderful “happy for now” ending that fit Dinah’s situation perfectly.
Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah is certainly a fun book to read. Dinah was easy to like and I truly enjoyed watching her tackle her first mystery. I look forward to reading about her adventures in the future.
March 23, 2011
Dinah McKinnon is a cooking columnist. Her life seems depressingly on the downturn when her father dies and her marriage turns sour, both in short order. She decides to take a break, move into her father’s house on Webb Key, Florida and write the cookbook she has been promising a publisher. She hopes the calmer setting will help her to adjust to the curves life has been tossing her way.
Dinah soon discovers that Webb Key is not the calm, relaxing haven she had hoped for, when a new acquaintance turns up murdered. She begins to get involved to help discover information at the request of the man who is accused of the murder. She is pleased to find such colorful characters in this seemly tranquil spot. But she is also amazed to find so many mysteries and murders in the small town setting where nothing like this has happened before.
Ms. Arau has put together a very appealing story with a great deal of local history and flavor. The reader is carried along with the story while, at the same time, feeling an urgent need to find the pieces to solve the murders. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Dinah finds a new love interest. But this too turns into a mystery. Is it too soon to get involved again after her breakup and impending divorce? Is she simply on the rebound? Is he really what he seems or is he too good to be true?
This is Ms. Arau’s first novel but she is currently working on her second “Dinah” mystery. So, if you want to get in on the beginning of the series, perhaps you should start now by reading “Someone’s In The Kitchen With Dinah”. A good book and I am sure it will make a great series.
Dinah soon discovers that Webb Key is not the calm, relaxing haven she had hoped for, when a new acquaintance turns up murdered. She begins to get involved to help discover information at the request of the man who is accused of the murder. She is pleased to find such colorful characters in this seemly tranquil spot. But she is also amazed to find so many mysteries and murders in the small town setting where nothing like this has happened before.
Ms. Arau has put together a very appealing story with a great deal of local history and flavor. The reader is carried along with the story while, at the same time, feeling an urgent need to find the pieces to solve the murders. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Dinah finds a new love interest. But this too turns into a mystery. Is it too soon to get involved again after her breakup and impending divorce? Is she simply on the rebound? Is he really what he seems or is he too good to be true?
This is Ms. Arau’s first novel but she is currently working on her second “Dinah” mystery. So, if you want to get in on the beginning of the series, perhaps you should start now by reading “Someone’s In The Kitchen With Dinah”. A good book and I am sure it will make a great series.
May 9, 2012
I read a lot of mysteries. This is as good as any of them. Good characters that I can relate too. Having lived in th Florida Keys I can attest that she has given an accurate rendition of the place and the people who live there. While it has its share of edge of your seat romance and suspence. none is too heavy or offensive.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews