"The Fourth of July is coming, and for professional food lover Samantha Barnes, it's all about the picnic. Okay, and the fireworks. And the parade. But mostly the picnic. What could be better than a DIY clambake followed by the best blueberry buckle in the world? Sam has finally found the perfect recipe in the kitchen of Clara Foster, famed cookbook author and retired restaurateur, and she's thrilled when Clara agrees to a buckle baking lesson. But when Clara dies in a house fire blamed on carelessness in the kitchen, Sam ...
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"The Fourth of July is coming, and for professional food lover Samantha Barnes, it's all about the picnic. Okay, and the fireworks. And the parade. But mostly the picnic. What could be better than a DIY clambake followed by the best blueberry buckle in the world? Sam has finally found the perfect recipe in the kitchen of Clara Foster, famed cookbook author and retired restaurateur, and she's thrilled when Clara agrees to a buckle baking lesson. But when Clara dies in a house fire blamed on carelessness in the kitchen, Sam doesn't believe it. Unfortunately, her doubts set in motion an investigation pointing to the new owner of Clara's legendary restaurant--and a cousin of Sam's harbormaster boyfriend. So, in between researching the Cape's best lobster rolls and planning her clambake, Sam needs to find Clara's killer before the fireworks really start"--
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Foodie Samantha Barnes has big plans for the 4th of July. A clambake on the beach outside the home she inherited from her Aunt Ida. She just needs the perfect dessert to serve and she finds it while out for dinner at the legendary Clara's Place. The Best Blueberry Buckle in the World! and the famous cookbook author Clara Foster has agreed to give a buckle baking lesson. Sam is thrilled especially when she learns the recipe's secret ingredient.
Sam is shocked when she learns Clara has died when her house caught fire shortly after she left. She is even more appalled when the fire is blamed on Clara's carelessness. Sam saw the way Clara worked in her well-designed kitchen. There is no way Clara caused that fire. Thankfully Sam's doubts get the police to open an investigation but they are focused on her boyfriend Jason's cousin who just happens to be the new owner of Clara's Place as their prime suspect.
So while Sam is firming up plans for her clambake she needs to come up with the perfect recipe to find Clara's killer. She knows her friends are going to help her even though Detective Vivian Peters may not like it.
I have to start with the setting for this series. Every time I open a Cape Cod Foodie Mystery I am excited to arrive at Aunt Ida's, now Sam's home with the spectacular views. Ida had added a little ell to the house when she could no longer keep up with the huge place. That ell is the perfect place for Sam and her dog Dioge (D-O-G) and Jason's visiting cat as she and Jason work to renovate the big house as time and money allow. Ms. Pershing describes everything so well readers can take a literary vacay to the Cape.
She has also created a wonderful cast of characters. A group of long-time friends that come together so naturally for fun and sleuthing all while usually devouring something that made my mouth water. Their dialogues are fresh and true to life including the inner dialogues of Sam as she tries to solve the mystery. This time Jillian took the lead but everyone stepped up to do whatever they could to catch the killer. What I really enjoyed was that the tricky relationship between Sam and Detective Vivian Peters, Vivvie to her friends, is starting to blossom into a real friendship. Vivien took time to listen to Sam's theories and her "evidence" no matter how crazy they were. Again that big scene-stealer Dioge stole my heart. I do wish Jason hadn't been out of town for most of the story but it added a little romantic drama to the story.
The author has blended a terrific mystery with the characters' everyday lives that draws readers right into the story. She dishes up some well-placed twists and some nice red herrings that sure kept me guessing. My attention was glued to the pages as the killer was taken down and a favorite character was rescued. I was surprised by the way the capture played out but quickly realized it was a very satisfying way to wrap up the case. What happened after that was so nice. When I turned the final page I had a great big smile on my face.
I am so glad one of the recipes included in the book is for the Darn Fine Blueberry Buckle. People of my generation may remember feeding their infants Gerber's, Blueberry Buckle. I am not a blueberry fan but when my husband would feed the kids it was 1 spoonful for him then one spoonful for the child until the jar was empty. I think he is going to enjoy this adult version a lot.
Murder Is No Picnic was a grand read with characters I love to visit, delectable food, and a fun mystery to solve. This is a perfect book for the upcoming holiday when you need to escape the heat of the day or come up with a dish for your own family picnic.
I can't wait for the next installment of this entertaining cozy culinary mystery series!
Kristina
Jun 15, 2022
A fun summer cozy mystery novel
Murder is No Picnic by Amy Pershing is the third A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the authorââ?¬â?¢s descriptions of Cape Cod. The food depictions will have your mouth watering. I just loved hearing about Claraââ?¬â?¢s wonderful cookbook collection. It contained one-a-kind cookbooks that collectors would kill to own. The mystery was interesting. There were some good clues at the scene, and it was interesting how the crime was set up. A foodie was definitely needed to discern the crime scene. There are a handful of suspects along with a red herring. There are clues to help readers identify the guilty party before the unique reveal. I like that we get all of our questions answered regarding the crime. Samantha, though, does need to work on her questioning technique. She lacks subtlety. I was surprised when the mystery was solved with about twenty percent of the book still to go. There was one item about this whodunit that was left up in the air. I wonder if it will be revisited in future books. I like the inclusion of the cat and dog in the story. I just love Diogi. He is such a sweetie. Samanthaââ?¬â?¢s relationship with Jason is suffering while he is away in Santa Barbara. Sam worried about Jason and his feelings frequently while he was away. If Jason misses a call, Samantha worries that he is breaking up with her (or no longer cares about her). I wish there had been less focus on the romance and more on the mystery. I did feel that Samantha was a little ââ?¬Å"Samââ?¬Â? centric this time around. She was focused on her life, romance, house, etc. (and we get to hear all of her thoughts). I had to laugh at Samanthaââ?¬â?¢s reaction to the news about the clock found in her attic. The whole world gets to enjoy her response since it was filmed for Antiques in the Attic. We are left with a cliffhanger at the end. I thought the question could easily have been solved before the end of the book. We will have to wait until next time to find out what happens. There are recipes at the end of the book for a summer picnic including one for a delectable blueberry buckle. Murder is No Picnic is a fun summer cozy mystery with blueberry buckle, a killer cookbook collection, an amazing art collection, a demanding dognapper, a beautiful boat, a curious crime, a Cape Cod clam bake, and fun Fourth of July festivities.
