Cook's Night Out

Angie Amalfi #5

by Joanne Pence

Foodie Angie Amalfi has decided to make her culinary name by creating the perfect chocolate angelinas. Donating her delicious rejects to the Random Acts of Kindness Mission in San Francisco, Angie meets the jittery minister in charge. Soon she volunteers to help organize their first fund-raiser, despite the fact that her beau, police detective Paavo Smith, has warned her away from the place. Before Paavo can stop her, he finds himself facing charges that he's a murderous cop on the take. He suspects a "reformed" sinner at the mission is setting him up but Angie refuses to believe it. Then, faster than you can beat egg whites to a peak, she discovers that the mission harbors more than the needy, and that it's up to her to save not only Paavo's reputation--but his life, too.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 21, 1997

About the author

Joanne Pence is a USA Today best-selling and award winning author of two mystery series, contemporary and historical romance, fantasy and thrillers. She is the author of the Angie Amalfi culinary mystery series, which is still in print after twenty years, and now has 15 books (the latest, COOKING SPIRITS was an April 2013 release), and a novella (Cook's Christmas Capers, Dec. 2013). She has just begun a new series, the Rebecca Mayfield mysteries. ONE O'CLOCK HUSTLE is the first full-length novel, and THE THIRTEENTH SANTA is a novella which shows how the two main characters met.

Joanne's books have won many awards and honors, including RWA's Golden Heart and Rita Award nominations, the Independent Book Seller's Golden Quill, the Daphne du Maurier award, the Willa Cather Literary Award in Historical Fiction (for DANCE WITH A GUNFIGHTER), and the Idaho Top Fiction Award for ANCIENT ECHOES.

Joanne was born and raised in San Francisco and now makes her home in the foothills of Boise. She has been president of the Boise chapter of Sisters in Crime, a founder and board member of the Popular Fiction Association of Idaho, and founding member and current board member of the Idaho Writers Guild. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a master's degree in journalism, Joanne has written for magazines, worked for the federal government, and taught school in Japan.

Reviews

[Deb Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the books in this series in a day or two, as I can't put them down once I start reading them :)

[Camilacabello71]

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[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never read any of the books in the series, perhaps I should have started with number one. I may have felt a stronger connection to the main characters. It was a decent book. Development of some of the side characters could have been better, but not bad overall. A say- solid 3 stars.

[Lynn Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun. Easy reading. Great parody of the Lucy and Ethel working in a chocolate factory episode. Made me laugh.

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second Angie Amalfi mystery I’ve read. There are at least 15 books in the series. They stand alone so you don’t have to read them in order. (The first one I read was #14.) They are good mysteries with humor and suspense. In this one (#5) Angie is trying to create her own perfect chocolate confection. She decides to give her “rejects” to a rescue mission. She soon becomes involved in helping organize an auction for the mission. This mission seems to attract a high society group and the auction is to be held at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. The soft-spoken head of the mission is charismatic and many society people are attracted to his cause….. including a “reformed” crook who seems to be the major backer of the mission. However, this same man,,Axel Klaw, is under suspicion of being involved in the “numbers racket” as well as several murders. Angie’s boyfriend, Paavro is a homicide detective and is deeply suspicious of Klaw and warns Angie to stay away from the mission … but of course she doesn’t follow his suggestion.

[Fmorlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Amalfi is no stranger to murder. With Paavo Smith, her homicide detective boyfriend. Angie wants to do something with her life - she finds a mission and decides this is a good cause. She starts volunteering there while Paavo is being suspected of dealing with runners for a betting scheme. His favorite enemy Axel Klaw shows up to add spice to the picture. And Angie has decided to make chocolate for her career. Each piece in this mystery comes together.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't that fond of this one - I skipped to the end about a third of the way in, skimming my way through. The main female character is an odd wash of clingy and independent, naive and intelligent. The main male character seemed rather flat - there was more about his actions than his interactions with people and with himself. Interesting premise but not that interesting.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another good entry in the series. I can't wait to see where it goes next.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I've read by this author. Interesting. Maybe I should have given it 3 1/2 stars? It was good.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting talk of food. Recipes would have been nice. Takes a while to get through to the main story.

[Kathy Fong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I need to get caught up on the series