Delicious and Suspicious

A Memphis BBQ Mystery #1

by Riley Adams

Welcome to Aunt Pat's barbecue restaurant, which serves up Memphis fun with a side order of murder. Recipes included. Named in honor of Lulu Taylor's great aunt, Aunt Pat's family-run Memphis restaurant is known for its ribs and spicy cornbread. But now the Taylor family will be known for murder... Rebecca Adrian came to Memphis to suss out the best local BBQ for a prominent Cooking Channel Show. Trouble is, a mystery ingredient has killed her-and now all fingers are pointing to Aunt Pat's restaurant. Horrified that her family is being accused of murder, Lulu fires up her investigative skills to solve the crime before someone else gets skewered.

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

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 26, 2010

About the author

Elizabeth Spann Craig/Riley Adams writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin/Signet, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink. She blogs at Mystery Writing is Murder, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010-2013.

Riley’s latest book is Rubbed Out: book four of the Memphis Barbeque mysteries. Her next book, Quilt Trip (written as Elizabeth Craig) releases December 2013. Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently. Find out more about her books on her website: http://elizabethspanncraig.com .

Reviews

[Andrea Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book really annoyed me. I had to finish it just because I wanted to know who the killer was. However, there were too many characters and the author wrote from all of their viewpoints. Lulu annoyed me, and absolutely no one would just tell the cops what they knew but they were more than happy to open up to Lulu. If the cops had just asked the right questions, the second person wouldn't have been dead...

And let's just face it, once you found out who did it, it was just lame...

I will not be reading the rest of this series.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I don't know much about Memphis, and not really that much about Southern-style BBQ, but unlike some of the other reviewers, I did really enjoy this book. I liked the characters, and the fact that they both had an emotional reaction to the murder other than "I've got to find out who did this before they arrest me". Lulu seemed a lovely, warm character, with a definitely "friendly grandmother" approach to people, and there was just a feel-good vibe throughout, while still managing to not shy away from the overall plot.

Memphis isn't somewhere I'd ever thought of going, but Beale Street sounds like it would be a fun place to visit. Also, the red beans and rice recipe at the back is pretty good.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I debated giving this a one star, but gave it two. It's got some good points in that there are a few scenes that I liked. On the other hand, most of the book is filled with stereotypes, far too many characters, and too many obvious clues.

Worst of all, I really didn't like Lulu. I know she was supposed to be the likable Southern cooking mom, but I found her overbearing and bossy. I just found it muddled and not very interesting, which was disappointing. I really wanted to like it.

[Nancy H · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first entry in the barbecue restaurant mystery series, this book tells the story of what happens when a food critic suddenly dies in her hotel room after eating barbecue at a local restaurant. The critic turns out to be a nasty person who has criticized and humiliated many people, so there are a plethora of suspects who may have wanted to do her in. This is a good book for readers who like cozy foodie mysteries.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delicious and Suspicious was a light, fun cozy mystery with all the Southern charm you'd expect from a Memphis barbecue setting. Lulu Taylor made a great amateur sleuth, loyal to her family, sharp enough to follow the clues, and not about to let Aunt Pat's reputation get dragged through the mud. I enjoyed the food-filled atmosphere and the quirky cast of characters, even if the mystery itself was a little predictable. Overall it was a quick, entertaining read, perfect if you like cozies with a strong sense of place and plenty of mouthwatering food talk.

[Softness · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know what in the world I just read. At first I thought it might be a slice of life murder mystery, but it became a little ridiculous after awhile. I did enjoy the setting of the BBQ restaurant and all the talk about ribs. Most of the characters were nosy and annoying, and it took forever for the murders to be solved. I only finished the book because I started it. If this is a series - I won't be looking for book #2. Just isn't my style of story.

[Allison Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Hated all the characters, won't be continuing.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cozy mystery, nothing particularly special ... but the bbq ribs sure did sound delicious!!!

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry, folks, but I could not read this book. I will admit, I only got to page 35 but there was nothing about the plot or the characters that could hold my attention. When it comes to short books...this one is only 288 pages, if a reader isn't into the story pretty quick, it just isn't going to happen. I am sure a lot of folks will enjoy this book...and the rest of the books in the series, but I am not one of them.

[Pam · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this one. Not the story or the characters.

[BibliofiendLM · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. Boooooorrrrring. Lacked any punch that most fun food cozy mysteries have. Not my thing.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would start and stop on this book as I came across other books and I just felt the pressure to read what my girls were reading and just trying to find something to get them excited about the reading. I also could not find an audio version of this book, so I was stuck with hardback or Kindle borrows from the library.



Lulu is the owner of Aunt Pat's, an old BBQ place in Memphis, TN. It used to be her aunt's place and then it became hers. Her oldest son, Ben, helps run the kitchen, while her dil, Sarah, and others help with waitressing duties. Her youngest son, Seb, has returned to the family business but is unreliable at best and uncaring at the worst. A food channel has sent some people to look at the two BBQ places in town to showcase on their show. The person sent to meet and greet is Rebecca and she is not a very nice person and wrecks havoc all around as she goes around the town. When she ends up dead in her room following a tasting at Aunt Pat's, Lulu feels the pressure to find out who really killed her and made it look like her family is to blame.



There were some moments where there seemed to be too much happening in the story and yet the story didn't seem to be going anywhere. There are lots of people in the story who come in later that will help the story move along. I did enjoy the story once I was able to just sit and enjoy the story.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tasty lip-smacking mystery

3.75 stars for me. The mystery was good but getting there was a tad bumpy.

There a slew of characters to keep straight. Almost too many for the short length of the book. Most of the characters are enjoyable. I think some have a lot of potential to be fun and interesting if handled correctly.

A few scenes were unnecessary as they drug out the book for no reason other than to show some normalcy to the characters.

I will say the food descriptions made me hungry as all get out for some red beans and rice and spicy cornbread. Plenty of recipes are included at the end of the book and I plan on making a few.

I will give book two a try when I need a southern or culinary book for my cozy mystery book bingo.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some great characters in it and most of them with quirky behaviors that make them really special. You have our MC Lulu and her family members Ben and Sebastian and Ben's wife Sara and their daughters and nephew Derrick. Plus then you have the Graces a group of women who are Elvis Presley fans. On top of that you have three old guys who just add flavor to this really great book. I have to admit it was a slow start and way to many characters to try and keep up with but as the book progressed I was engrossed. There are a lot of side stories and secrets to be uncovered and some great recipes at the back of the book. A really good read.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very readable book that is set in Memphis. The main character appears to be Lulu Taylor but all of Lulu's family and friends play central parts in the story. The book was an easy read.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Culinary Cozies thinks DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS is a “Satisfying Read.” This first book in the Memphis BBQ series, by Riley Adams, dished up platefuls of southern goodness.

The story centers around Aunt Pat’s BBQ. It’s a family owned restaurant in the heart of Memphis filled with lovable regulars and known for its stick-to-your ribs food. So well known, in fact, that it draws the attention of the Cooking Channel.

Unfortunately, the Cooking Channel scout turns out to be a hateful woman with the ability to insult everyone. So when she is found murdered, everyone seems to have means and motive.

I believe there are 4 major ingredients to any culinary cozy. Let’s break this one down and see how the recipe holds up.

1.Culinary Flavor – The mixing in of BBQ, red beans & rice, and spicy cornbread was throughout. I was continually wishing I could pull up a seat and have a plateful of Aunt Pat’s southern cookin’. And did I mention, there are 7 fabulous recipes in the back?! Yum.

2.Cozy Setting – The family restaurant was a great setting for a cozy. The cooking staff and the quirky regular customers made it a comfortable and fun read. (I will note, if you have difficulty with a big cast of characters this might be troublesome in the first couple of chapters.)

3.Amateur Sleuth – Lulu, the family matriarch, runs Aunt Pat’s and is supposed to be our amateur sleuth. However, I never really had a connection with her. I felt the author spent more time developing her secondary characters.

4.Mystery – Overall I enjoyed the mystery. It was fun to see how everyone was in the right place at the wrong time … with a sizable enough grudge to possibly want the Cooking Channel scout dead. Regrettably though, the unraveling of this mystery plot was a little slow.

As you can see, some of our culinary cozy ingredients were better supplied than others. But for a first book in the series, I still think DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS by Riley Adams should be given a solid 3 out of 5.

[Jenne · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the book was good, it was not great and wasn't a smooth reading. It was a lot harder to finish this book than it usually takes when it comes to cozy mysteries, but the first book in a new series is just the start of something that could end up better.

In the very beginning I was overwhelmed with different characters, many not relating to the mystery at all. It got the point where I would forget who was who and what was what. The main character LuLu irked me at times. She was always trying to turn a wrong into a right even if it had nothing to do with her. At times, she would involve her young grand-daughters into her meddling ways of snoopy around to find clues to solve a mystery (pretty low in my opinion). The other characters were too weird in my opinion. I'm used to characters from "A Southern Beauty Shop Mystery" and "Tea Shop Mystery" and these characters were more bold than what I'm used to, but they didn't kill the story.

I also noticed that certain lines were repeated throughout the whole book. That bothered me a little bit since it seemed as though the author couldn't express herself in different ways. I also didn't like how some sections strayed away from the main character (LuLu) and sometimes the whole mystery case. I've always looked forward to getting recipes from the back of the book, but this one disappointed me. Not because they didn't sound good, but I'm not a pork eater and spicy cornbread and potato salad are not up my alley.

Despite struggling to get through this book, I will give it another shot and read the second book in the series.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lulu Taylor is matriarch of a family that runs Aunt Pat’s barbeque restaurant, a favorite eatery in Memphis, TN. Hoping to win a spot on the Cooking Channel show, Lulu intends to wow the show’s scout, Rebecca Adrian, when she visits. But Rebecca is arrogant, rude, and not so easily impressed with the food or colorful characters gracing Aunt Pat’s. Rebecca manages to insult most of the people she meets, and when she’s found dead in her hotel room from food poisoning, all eyes turn to Aunt Pat’s, the last place she ate. In hopes of saving her restaurant’s reputation, Lulu turns amateur sleuth, but suspects keep adding up, most of whom are patrons of Aunt Pat’s, some of whom are members of Lulu’s own family.

Readers who enjoy eccentric characters will not be disappointed with Adams’ first book in her Memphis BBQ mystery series. Adams places the series against an appealing backdrop: Memphis, Tennessee, with its gentle Southern charm, charming vernacular and mouth-watering food. Although the plot at times takes a second seat to a plethora of zany characters, Adam’s witty narrative and dialogue move the story along in a fun, entertaining way. An added bonus: great recipes at the end of the book.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but I had some problems with it, mostly the number of characters and how they all related. Aunt Pat's Barbeque is the center of the story, and Aunt Pat is no longer with us - so the woman she willed it to, LuLu Taylor, is the main character. Her family consists of two sons, one daughter-in-law, two granddaughters (twins who are *very* different) and a "shirt-tail" relative who is actually the nephew of the DIL. Then you come to the regular customers of Aunt Pat's, three elderly black men who eat there daily and also play the blues. Four females who work as docents at Graceland and the owner of a local bookstore. In other words, a lot of people to get to know!

Now that I know them and know how the relationships work I'm hoping the next book will read a little easier (I admit to having a problem with books with tons of characters who all have significance to the story).

Having said that, I liked Lulu and her family, I love one of the twins (we get to know her better) and I enjoyed the mystery.

I will keep reading because I want to find out more about Lulu and her family.

[BJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Delicious and Suspicious" is the first in a new series, complete with recipes by Riley Adams. Most of the action takes place in Aunt Pats BBQ restaurant located on Beale Street in Memphis. The story revolves around family matriarch and restaurant owner Lulu Taylor and her family, two sons, Ben and Seb, Ben's wife Sara, Ben and Sara's twin girls, Coco and Ella Beth and Sara's nephew Derrick. All spend lots of time at the restaurant along with many restaurant regulars/characters such as the Graces and Buddy, Morty and Big Ben. This first installment revolves around a Cooking Channel Regular, Rebecca Adrian, who comes to town looking for the Best BBQ in Memphis for a new Cooking Channel Show. In the process, she is poisoned and the story revolves around the search for her killer. Unfortunately, most of the family and regulars at Aunt Pat's become suspects in the murder. The book was a little slow to start, but the characters were likeable and I think if Ms. Adams, continues to write this series the characters will evolve and I'll be looking for the next this in this series, to see what she does with them.

[Judy Iliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delicious and Suspicious by Riley Adams was an fun cozy. The main character did remind me of Paula Dean, and that bothered me initially; but as the story went on, it wasn't as disconcerting.

Lulu is the owner of a Memphis ribs place called Aunt Pat's, working with her are her older son Ben, his wife Sara, and Lulu's younger son Seb. Everyone is excited because a scout from the Cooking Channel is coming to check out the barbeque. Unfortunately this scout, Rebecca, is rude with a capital R. She manages to insult many of Lulu's friends and family. Even more unfortunately, she's found dead in her hotel room the day after the tasting. Lulu decides she needs to find the murderer because her friends and family are the prime suspects.

As I said in the beginning, this was a fun and fast read. I will read others in the series, if there are others, but this won't be a back-to-back read.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay mystery. Lots and lots of suspects (basically the whole town), but I guessed the main culprit pretty quickly. There's no way I thought one of the family or "friends who were like family" murdered Rebecca. I didn't expect Seb to be so deep into it though. Hopefully he goes to jail and either turns his life around OR just isn't in this series anymore. He's a dope and an idiot and I really hated him a lot. Other than him, I liked the characters well enough, but I just wasn't totally sucked into this town and it's story. Lulu was nice, but spent most of the time fixing everyone's problems and investigating very little. A lot of personal problems for characters that we just met. I wonder what is left for drama in future books. The mystery was okay, but not spectacular. Not sure if I will continue with this series or not. I might give it another try, but when I don't fully connect with characters I lose interest quickly.

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

New mystery series set at a BBQ restaurant in Tennessee.

What I liked:
* I was surprised by the ending.
* The characters were interesting, especially the Graceland docents.

What I didn't like:
* The beginning of the book was confusing, especially as it kept shifting between Lulu's and Sara's POV. I wasn't sure which was going to be the main character.
* Sara doesn't seem to be a very good mother.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this first installment was very, very good. Just when you think the murder(s) been found, a new unexpected twist comes to your attention. The recipes are mouthwatering and since I am in Memphis this very moment, I could definitely get into this series. Love Lulu Taylor.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interlibrary loan courtesy of the Everett Public Library.

An excellent debut mystery! I was very impressed with the characters and the extent of the ensemble. None of the suspects were truly hateful and the inclusion of the food wasn't overdone.

I will definitely read book #2.

[Larry B Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read and kept my interest with believable characters and a delicious plot. I think I gained 5 pounds while reading it. Love that BBQ.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed my first visit to Aunt Pat's and I hope to become a regular. I liked the characters and they seemed very real and not sugar coated. The mystery was well done too. #readforkimberly

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery set in Tennessee. It was well-written, and the characters were well drawn, some of whom were highly amusing. I look forward to reading more of the series.

[Elaine Penn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy, cozy mystery that has very good timing for me. I wanted something that would keep me turning the pages, but wouldn't be too intense

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious and Suspicious is the first part of the "Memphis BBQ" cozy mystery series by Riley Adams. Story is in third person pov, and it mainly follows Lulu, the owner of Aunt Pat's BBQ place in Memphis, TN.

When a representative from the Cooking Channel comes to Memphis in search of the best place to get BBQ, everyone at Aunt Pat's is excited. They are known for their ribs, red beans and rice, and spicy cornbread. Unfortunately, Rebecca Adrian turns out to be a shrew. When she dies shortly after eating at Aunt Pat's, suspicion quickly falls on the food. Desperate to prove that her food didn't kill Rebecca, Lulu tries to unravel Rebecca's movements in Memphis to learn who may have had a reason to do her in. What she learns is that most everyone who came into contact with Rebecca was angered by her. Now it's up to Lulu to find out not just who had motive, but opportunity.

There were aspects of this story I liked, and others I didn't like. It was funny; I got a chuckle out of some of the downhome colloquialisms. I didn't care for how many points of view we ended up following. Lulu's regulars were a colorful and entertaining bunch, and there were some interesting plot twists thrown into the mix.

This was one of those odd books that I didn't enjoy so much as I was invested in it. Would I read another in the series? Sure, if I can snap it up at a used bookstore for a little bit o' nothing. Eh, I'll give it four stars.