Book clubs from all over have descended on Crystal Cove to celebrate the library’s Book Club Bonanza week, and Jenna Hart has packed the Cookbook Nook with juicy reads and tasty cookbooks. But she’s most excited about spending an evening with the Mystery Mavens and their moveable feast, when they will go from house to house to share different culinary treats and discuss the whodunit they’re all reading. It’s all good food and fun for the savvy armchair detectives, until one of the members of the group is found murdered at the last stop on the tour.
As if that weren’t enough to spoil her appetite, Jenna discovers that all the evidence points to her friend Pepper as being the guilty party. And with Pepper’s chief-of-police daughter too close to the case to be impartial, Jenna knows she’ll have to step in to help clear her friend’s name before a bitter injustice sends her to jail. Sifting through the clues, Jenna unearths any number of possible culprits, but she’ll have to cook up a new way to catch the killer before Pepper’s goose is cooked . . .
Yet another brilliant visit with the characters in Crystal Cove, I really wish this was a real place so I could eat at the Cookbook Nook Cafe whilst reading the latest culinary cozy mystery! 8 out of 5 stars for this one!
We open with another busy week in Crystal Cove, the theme this week is Book Club Bonanza and the book club Jenna and Bailey belong to are planning on a feast in four places, each member is providing some food and 4 members are also providing the setting. It is going really well (although Bailey is a little miffed that she can't drink as she is pregnant) until they reach the final house, Ivy the house owner isn't greeting them but pretty much everything is set up apart from a last couple of platters needed for the desserts brought by the members. Assuming Ivy is just running late getting ready Jenna goes to get the platters, only to discover Ivy dead! The problem is that Pepper Prittchett seems to be the one most to gain from Ivy's death, which means her daughter (Cinnamon) the Chief of Police is torn between believing in her mother's innocence and following procedures.
Add in some rather creepy computer stuff and lots of suspects (other than Pepper!) and Jenna has her plate full trying to sort things out so she can help Pepper and not upset Cinnamon (too much!)
An Interview With A Character
What is your full name?
Jenna Hart
What is your Profession?
I run a culinary bookshop in Crystal Cove, California with my Aunt Vera.
What is your current favorite book or movie?
I loved the movie Romancing the Stone. I think I’ve memorized it. I have so many favorite books, I can’t count them. I’ve read all of Agatha Christie’s books. I also love cookbooks. Some of my favorites are Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten and I own lots of cookbooks by various test kitchens. I’m not a great cook (yet) but I am a foodie.
What is your go to comfort book or movie?
Romancing the Stone and Shakespeare in Love are my favorite movies. I’ll watch them over and over. As for a good book? I love reading Rebecca and the stories of Sherlock Holmes.
If someone was to play you in a movie who would it be? OR what would be the character you would want to be in a book?
To play me? Oh, my. Angie Harmon is perfect. She’s my height and is a bit of a tomboy. I like wearing sandals and casual clothes. She’s plucky and so am I, or so my father tells me. As for what character would I be in a book? Hercule Poirot. I’d love to be that brilliant.
What is your ideal evening?
I love playing with my cat Tigger or reading with a glass of wine. A crackling fire. A lit vanilla candle. I love the songs of Judy Garland. So did my mother. If Rhett is available—he’s my boyfriend-- would like him to be with me. We have varied schedules, but he’s the guy who understands me the best. He makes me laugh. And he can cook like a dream.
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 15 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
April 15 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
April 15 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
April 15 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW
April 15 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
April 16 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, GUEST POST – RECIPE – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 16 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW
April 16 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
April 16 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
April 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 16 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 17 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
April 17 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
April 17 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
April 17 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST – RECIPE – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 17 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
April 18 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 18 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
April 18 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
April 19 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST – RECIPE – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 19 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
April 19 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 19 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 19 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
April 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
April 20 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
April 20 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 20 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 21 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW, GUEST POST – RECIPE – INDIVIDUAL GIVEAWAY
April 21 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
April 21 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
April 21 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Thanks so much for sharing this chat. I really enjoyed it. ~ Daryl
Posted by: Daryl Wood Gerber | 04/17/2019 at 06:15 PM