What do you think?
Rate this book
Hemlock Falls Mysteries #7
A Steak in Murder
Having sold the Inn at Hemlock Falls, Sarah and Meg Quilliam find themselves returning to the scene of the crime when the new owner hosts a gathering of Texas cattlemen and one of the guests turns up dead. Original.
252 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1999
About the author
Claudia Bishop
52 books120 followersClaudia Bishop is the nom de plume of mystery & fantasy author Mary Stanton.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 6, 2012
Book was okay but this was an audiobook and the reader was terrible: voices not distinguishable enough and the accents were terrible.
January 25, 2026
I read this book out of order in the series (I've read the first two then skipped to this for a GR challenge that needed a cow on the cover) but I don't feel like I missed anything from the previous books even though the ladies have sold the inn and John has left town (and clearly there's a lot going on there!) There were no spoilers that will ruin previous books for me when I go back to read them.
The story itself was a good one, as always there was a LOT going on and the action was non-stop. I kind of miss this era of cozies where the story was pretty innocent and the mystery was the almost total focus. It might be the origin of the love triangle theme we see a lot in cozies, but the author wasn't trying to take the cozy genre and turn it into something it's not, which is something I think is happening a lot right now with authors like Gigi Pandian kind of taking over.
This series is not my favorite and I feel like there is a bit of something missing in terms of character development for the main characters. Overall it's a simple, enjoyable mystery with no frills that you could easily sit down and read in a day. I've listened to them all (at least partially) on audiobook and though the narrator's voice is a little strange I appreciate the different character voices she does.
The story itself was a good one, as always there was a LOT going on and the action was non-stop. I kind of miss this era of cozies where the story was pretty innocent and the mystery was the almost total focus. It might be the origin of the love triangle theme we see a lot in cozies, but the author wasn't trying to take the cozy genre and turn it into something it's not, which is something I think is happening a lot right now with authors like Gigi Pandian kind of taking over.
This series is not my favorite and I feel like there is a bit of something missing in terms of character development for the main characters. Overall it's a simple, enjoyable mystery with no frills that you could easily sit down and read in a day. I've listened to them all (at least partially) on audiobook and though the narrator's voice is a little strange I appreciate the different character voices she does.
November 1, 2017
Two sisters, Sarah Quilliam and her sister Meg (a well-known chef) have sold their beloved Inn because of financial problems and now run a small but charming restaurant in the town. Sarah dreams of being able to buy the Inn back. The Inn, meanwhile has changed from charming to pop-culture; from fine wine to beer, and the rose garden has been turned into a coral for long-horned cattle. A group of Texans are trying to make Long-horned beef a popular menu item. Unfortunately, people start dying…………. I thought the story a bit far-fetched, but an OK read.
March 6, 2018
Desperate to buy back the Inn at Hemlock Falls, the Quilliam sisters face a devastating setback when a TV producer is murdered on the premises.
A very interesting read. Loved the characters. I figured out who was the killer just by looking at all the players personalities. It was a no brainer. 5 stars.
A very interesting read. Loved the characters. I figured out who was the killer just by looking at all the players personalities. It was a no brainer. 5 stars.
September 9, 2018
Quite a few mistakes in this one. Within the first few pages it was June and July.
Quill went for a walk with her dog, shortly after drove home, no mention of dog.
Since when do apple trees bloom in July?
Distractions that interrupt the story and take some of the fun out of reading the book.
Quill went for a walk with her dog, shortly after drove home, no mention of dog.
Since when do apple trees bloom in July?
Distractions that interrupt the story and take some of the fun out of reading the book.
June 26, 2022
These characters grow on you (like a fungus) because I liked them better in this book than in a book I read from earlier in the series. But that said, the book was still not exactly my cup of tea. The series is just not very compelling, and this particular story had some racist elements to it that made me uncomfortable.
February 25, 2025
More of an experiment in borrowing an audiobook from the library's Palace Project app (where did they come up with this name?) than a serious read. The app worked fine, though limited to my phone rather than an MP3 player. The mystery was cozy; I thought the narrator was more than adequate.
April 11, 2025
Claudia Bishop’s A Steak in Murder, part of the popular “Hemlock Falls Mysteries” series, offers a delicious blend of cozy mystery, culinary charm, and small-town intrigue that will satisfy both mystery lovers and fans of foodie fiction.
August 20, 2018
I began this series on book #7 due to availability at my library. It was enjoyable and I recommend it, however I feel strongly it would be better to begin with book #1 in this series.
July 2, 2023
The plot was a little confusing. Lots of characters and confusing/too technical issues about cows. But, love the main characters and their relationships.
September 28, 2015
A good cozy. Meg and Quill have sold the Inn to Marge but Quill is now regretting doing so after seeing what changes Marge has made. After a convention of cattlemen from Texas come to town and start causing problems and one dies Quill gets involved solving the murder and two subsequent murders and helping figure out the reasons behind them. She also plots to get the Inn back while dealing with her boyfriend being away.
July 21, 2016
Book #7 of this cozy mystery series (Hemlock Falls) finds Sarah "Quill" Quilliam knowing she's made a big mistake in selling the inn that she owned with her sister, Meg. A group of Texas Longhorn cattleman are in town and when one dies of a heart attack and other strange things start happening, Quill can't help investigating. I wasn't too interested in the mystery this time around but there is an interesting romance going on that is enough for me to move on to book #8.
March 24, 2016
Hemlock Falls Mystery, Bk 7, Claudia Bishop, PB-B @ 1999, 2/08. The sisters have sold their Inn, and opened a restaurant, but decide they missed the Inn and want it back. Texas longhorn cattlemen are in town trying to get the locals to raise Texas longhorns, when several murders take place and the sisters get to work. Okay.
May 10, 2013
The plot was a little overcomplicated and not as plausible as it should have been in this otherwise delightful and entertaining series.
August 28, 2013
The steaks from Texas Long horn cattle are supposed to be really good for you. But in this case, they are leading to murder!
November 4, 2013
OK, easy listening, not totally believable, but still pretty fun
February 7, 2015
I love this series.
March 26, 2015
A fun cozy series.
January 22, 2016
Culinary cozy mystery, set in Hemlock Falls, interesting characters, good story line. A fan of cozies? Give it a try.
September 2, 2010
My first book from PBS. I'm glad I joined.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews