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Key West Food Critic Mystery #1
An Appetite for Murder
Hayley Snow's life has always revolved around food, but when she applies to be a food critic for a Key West style magazine, she discovers that her new boss will be Kristen Faulkner—the woman Hayley caught in bed with her boyfriend!
Hayley thinks things are as bad as they can get...until the police pull her in as a suspect in Kristen's murder. Kristen was killed by a poisoned key-lime pie. Now Hayley must find out who used meringue to murder before she takes all the blame...
Hayley thinks things are as bad as they can get...until the police pull her in as a suspect in Kristen's murder. Kristen was killed by a poisoned key-lime pie. Now Hayley must find out who used meringue to murder before she takes all the blame...
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2012
344 people are currently reading
3603 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Burdette
24 books830 followersLucy Burdette is the author of the Key West food critic mysteries. Her first thriller, UNSAFE HAVEN, is out from Severn House this month. As Roberta Isleib, she has also written the golf lovers mystery series and the advice column mysteries. Her books and stories have been nominated for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She is the president of the Friends of the Key West Library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
June 3, 2013
This is the first in a series that takes place in Key West. Beautiful tropical setting and one would expect that there would be more details about that Oceanside vibe. Our main character does live on a boat with her girlfriend at a marina where Haley had to move after being dumped by her boyfriend shortly after arriving in Key West from New Jersey. Haley is hoping to get her dream job as a food critic at a new magazine that is called Key Zest. Unfortunate for Haley, the co-owner of said publication happens to be Kristen Faulkner. When Kristen ends up murdered in her ex's condo, all suspicion turns to Haley.
I found the character of Haley very annoying. She can't seem to think before she speaks. She is indecisive and seems somewhat lacking in adult life skills. With someone who only has a part time job helping her roommate in her cleaning business, she seems to have plenty of money to spend on Tarot readings at $20 a read, is able to buy high quality food to cook and is able to pay for large amounts of restaurant food to make her job-try-out food reviews. There is no mention of her using personal savings to finance these things. I am sure the author developed Haley's personality feeling that people would find her endearing and be amused by these traits. I did not. I may read the second book and if it is similar will not continue with this series. Oh, and not least, there seems to be a burgeoning love interest with the cop who investigated the case. What is it with main characters and cops in the cosy genre? This seems to be the formula for so many books.
I found the character of Haley very annoying. She can't seem to think before she speaks. She is indecisive and seems somewhat lacking in adult life skills. With someone who only has a part time job helping her roommate in her cleaning business, she seems to have plenty of money to spend on Tarot readings at $20 a read, is able to buy high quality food to cook and is able to pay for large amounts of restaurant food to make her job-try-out food reviews. There is no mention of her using personal savings to finance these things. I am sure the author developed Haley's personality feeling that people would find her endearing and be amused by these traits. I did not. I may read the second book and if it is similar will not continue with this series. Oh, and not least, there seems to be a burgeoning love interest with the cop who investigated the case. What is it with main characters and cops in the cosy genre? This seems to be the formula for so many books.
November 19, 2022
This book was so confusing. It started off so strong: a plucky, down-at-the-heels freelance writer living on a houseboat in Key West, applying for a food critic job, hanging out with her best friend, eating interesting things, kooky family thing going. Then BAM! The murder happens, the writer's suspected of it...and...the whole book...just...slowed...right...down.
And then worse than that, it got mean and expected its readers to be stupid.
To be clear: Hayley Snow, when framed for murder, recognizes that she's screwing up her friendships by her investigations into the crime then keeps right on investigating. On top of that, the solution didn't track for me, and the missing cat and tarot reading subplots felt jammed in for...some sake that I never quite understood?
Then at the end there's the obligatory Investigating Officer Asks Out Suspect After Apologizing Profusely For Doing His Job, which was so stiff and painful that it felt like poor Detective Bransford was being herded toward Hayley with a cattle prod. And it made even less sense given that there'd been zero romantic tension between them the entire investigation and the author had made a point of noting that Hayley's neighbor thought the detective was attractive and she didn't. ...Buh?
The Key West setting is richly detailed and exotic, but I had to force myself to finish this one.
And then worse than that, it got mean and expected its readers to be stupid.
To be clear: Hayley Snow, when framed for murder, recognizes that she's screwing up her friendships by her investigations into the crime then keeps right on investigating. On top of that, the solution didn't track for me, and the missing cat and tarot reading subplots felt jammed in for...some sake that I never quite understood?
Then at the end there's the obligatory Investigating Officer Asks Out Suspect After Apologizing Profusely For Doing His Job, which was so stiff and painful that it felt like poor Detective Bransford was being herded toward Hayley with a cattle prod. And it made even less sense given that there'd been zero romantic tension between them the entire investigation and the author had made a point of noting that Hayley's neighbor thought the detective was attractive and she didn't. ...Buh?
The Key West setting is richly detailed and exotic, but I had to force myself to finish this one.
December 18, 2012
I loved Lucy Burdette's An Appetite for Murder. Its ingredients are among my favorite things--Key West, food, cats and a book that sets its terms and meets them perfectly. Burdette knows exactly what she's about in this genre. She creates an appealing, somewhat ditzy (but not too) protagonist in Haley Snow, whose life, despite getting stirred up by an accusation of murder, seems believable, sympathetic, and multi-dimensional. She's young, trying to make her way, a good soul and a spunky spirit. I can just see her riding around Old Town on her scooter, and fluffing up her hair when she removes her helmet to go in to angle for a position as a food critic for a KW magazine called Key Zest. On the way she'd probably stop for something to eat! If you're visiting KW, you can use An Appetite for Murder as a great local restaurant guide and get a real feel for the wide range of life and people on the island. Burdette will keep you guessing and turning the pages to find out who done it, but in as pleasant a way as eating a piece of Key Lime Pie - the non-poisonous kind . . .
January 11, 2012
Great setting, interesting plot with nice twist. But the characters all needed work, in my opinion. The main character, Hayley, was portrayed as such a ditz, and so dysfunctional it was off-putting to me, although the scenes with her involving food showed her in a much more competent light. Her friends were portrayed as a bit insincere, though the author did a divine job portraying the ex as an ass. The detective never shows Hayley an ounce of kindness throughout the book, but at the end we're to believe they have an instant friendship.
I gave the book two stars because I really didn't like many of the characters much and cozies depend on a connection to place and people as much as a good mystery. But I could see the author working things out as the book progressed. Enough so that I'll read the next book in the series to see if the characters become worthy of their Key West setting.
I gave the book two stars because I really didn't like many of the characters much and cozies depend on a connection to place and people as much as a good mystery. But I could see the author working things out as the book progressed. Enough so that I'll read the next book in the series to see if the characters become worthy of their Key West setting.
November 20, 2019
I've been reading and reviewing the ARCs of this series as they came out, but I finally took time to go back to the first book and read it. It was good to get Hayley's background story and meet all her friends for the first time, or how it would have been the first time meeting them.
While trying to land a food critic job, Hayley was determined to prove herself innocent of her ex-boyfriend's current girlfriend's murder. It was definitely a tangled path of red herrings with a little danger thrown in. I knew that in the more current books, Hayley had been living on Miss Gloria's houseboat, so I loved reading the story behind how that came into play. I hadn't really guessed the killer, and the showdown was very exciting! The ending was sweet too with Hayley making Thanksgiving plans and accepting a date with a handsome detective!
While trying to land a food critic job, Hayley was determined to prove herself innocent of her ex-boyfriend's current girlfriend's murder. It was definitely a tangled path of red herrings with a little danger thrown in. I knew that in the more current books, Hayley had been living on Miss Gloria's houseboat, so I loved reading the story behind how that came into play. I hadn't really guessed the killer, and the showdown was very exciting! The ending was sweet too with Hayley making Thanksgiving plans and accepting a date with a handsome detective!
September 19, 2021
Hayley Snow moved from New Jersey to Key West because of a man. It's not long until she finds him in bed with another woman. He left most, but not all of her belongings on the sidewalk, and she and her cat moved in with her best friend on a houseboat. Hayley is trying to recover the remainder of her possessions--especially some knives and a box of her grandmother's recipes. When Kristin Faulkner, "the other woman," turns up dead, Hayley becomes one of the leading suspects. Hayley applied for a position as food critic for a new magazine Kristin and another man are launching. For someone unemployed, Hayley spends a lot of money. She spends part of it purchasing food for her food critic writing auditions, but she wastes a lot on tarot readings. I love the cat, and I love that she cares for the neighbor's cat when the need arises. Hayley's character was weaker than that of most cozy sleuths. Although I like some characters and think the series shows promise, I won't be reading more. The frequent tarot readings are more occult than I will tolerate.
January 31, 2018
This was a great book. It was so good I took extra time at lunch so I could finish it. This is the first book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery and I can't wait to read the next book. Hayley moved to Key West to be with her boyfriend Chad until he decided after a couple months to move on so when his new girlfriend gets killed Hayley is the number one suspect. Not only did he kick her out of his apartment with no where to go he also didn't give her back all of her belongings like her grandmother's handwritten recipes. And things just seem to go from bad to worse from her causing her roommate to lose a very good client to her wrecking her best friend's car. On top of all of this she has applied for a job at the local food magazine which was co-owned by Chad's now deceased girlfriend. Everything points to Hayley being the killer and the cops don't seem to be looking at anyone else. This book will keep you turning the page with one event after another. Great read.
March 26, 2015
Where have I been for so long? I just read the first book in Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic Mystery series and loved it. While Key West or any of the keys for that matter are somewhere I have never visited, I could feel the Florida air and smell the ocean. This series is sure to be one of my favorites for the simple fact I love food. Lucy writes in a way that you can experience what she is telling you. You kind of feel for the main character because she has nothing but bad luck in this first book. It’s a series that I will be reading until the end. And here I said I wasn’t going to start any more new series.
February 26, 2024
Why have I not read this series before?? I loved this book! I was hooked from the beginning and did not want to put it down. (I read WAY past my bedtime). I think a food critic would be such a fun profession. Haley has applied to be a critic for a new magazine... the problem is that the owner is the reason she is no longer with her ex. Then the owner is found dead and Haley is a suspect. I just loved how this story came together and kept me drawn in the entire time.
April 5, 2023
Avevo avvistato questa serie diversi mesi fa e quando ho trovato alcuni libri scontati ho deciso di provarla. La storia è buona ed è ben scritta; avrei dato una mezza stella in più se non fosse che per metà del tempo avrei voluto dare una bella scrollata alla protagonista. Trovo quest'ultima troppo impulsiva (e quando non lo è, basa le sue decisioni sulla lettura dei tarocchi da parte di un tizio) e spesso un po' infantile. E poi trovo del tutto irrealistico il fatto che il detective, dopo aver trattato la protagonista come una assassina per tutta la storia, la inviti a cena subito dopo la risoluzione del caso...
July 1, 2021
Feeling queasy, I stopped reading and flipped over the living section pages and found my blaring byline: “Key West Confidential: Key Lime Pie to Die For” by Hayley Snow.
February 6, 2017
This book was a successful read for me, I’m glad I read it, like a lot of books I preferred the ending to the beginning/middle. I gave it three stars and three stars, for me, is a good rating: it means I liked the book and enjoyed it (four being REALLY liked and five being adored!) There are reasons I haven’t given a higher rating: I had both positive and negative thoughts about this book.
This book at various points focused a lot on reviewing which I enjoyed because that is, essentially, one of the things I like to do. It has a lot of glorious touches to do with cooking and food, including cooking quotes said by famous people inserted at the beginning of each chapter. However, what I didn’t like was when this theme didn’t particularly vary. It never got boring and it most of the time applied to the story but it never particularly changed: it was always just explicit descriptions of food and eventually, not much was new about it and as such, I didn’t feel a lot from reading those bits as it just felt like I was reading something that was good and interesting but quite frankly, I could have been doing better things.
The development of the entire thing was quite variable: this book reminded me a lot of The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn Brown (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) in the sense that the protagonist of the story was developed really well but then the other characters were just a bit left behind and not particularly developed. I felt the same way about this book: Hayley was developed well, I thought, and I liked her character but then all the others just felt a bit forgettable and seeing as I read this on a Kindle, there were a lot of times when I had to look at the ‘X-Ray’ function and see who some of the characters were because I had completely forgotten what their role was in the story. A lot of the characters were just too forgettable and didn’t have enough development.
Plot development was another thing I had mixed opinions on. I thought this book was structured really well and each plot element was developed and proposed well. However, the first half of the book is pretty much just this modern novel that focuses on cooking with a murder storyline running alongside it and all in all, the themes are just the same pretty much all the way through, it’s not particularly emotion-provoking. But then it reaches the halfway point and it gets better. I have seen a lot of Goodreads reviews which say that the first half is very structured and a good, strong novel and then in the second half it falls to bits and gets a bit slapdash. For me, it was the other way round. In the second half, the book improved: we got to know the characters better, there were fewer dull moments and all in all, the story had more flavour and it was moving more fluently.
I liked the murder solution, thought it was really good. (No spoilers, promise!) What I liked about it was that the murderer was seen as quite a tragic murderer which loads of murder mysteries do but this one was done in such a way that really suited the story and it linked up back to themes that had gone on before which was clever and I liked that aspect.
It is a good book and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries and to anyone who enjoys books related to food and criticism and recipes. I gave it three stars, it’s not a spectacular book: the themes did blend into each other a bit and did not elicit a lot of emotion, it’s just a book you read and like but that’s all you really take away from it and after a while, you forget about it. But it is good and I would recommend!
This book at various points focused a lot on reviewing which I enjoyed because that is, essentially, one of the things I like to do. It has a lot of glorious touches to do with cooking and food, including cooking quotes said by famous people inserted at the beginning of each chapter. However, what I didn’t like was when this theme didn’t particularly vary. It never got boring and it most of the time applied to the story but it never particularly changed: it was always just explicit descriptions of food and eventually, not much was new about it and as such, I didn’t feel a lot from reading those bits as it just felt like I was reading something that was good and interesting but quite frankly, I could have been doing better things.
The development of the entire thing was quite variable: this book reminded me a lot of The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn Brown (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) in the sense that the protagonist of the story was developed really well but then the other characters were just a bit left behind and not particularly developed. I felt the same way about this book: Hayley was developed well, I thought, and I liked her character but then all the others just felt a bit forgettable and seeing as I read this on a Kindle, there were a lot of times when I had to look at the ‘X-Ray’ function and see who some of the characters were because I had completely forgotten what their role was in the story. A lot of the characters were just too forgettable and didn’t have enough development.
Plot development was another thing I had mixed opinions on. I thought this book was structured really well and each plot element was developed and proposed well. However, the first half of the book is pretty much just this modern novel that focuses on cooking with a murder storyline running alongside it and all in all, the themes are just the same pretty much all the way through, it’s not particularly emotion-provoking. But then it reaches the halfway point and it gets better. I have seen a lot of Goodreads reviews which say that the first half is very structured and a good, strong novel and then in the second half it falls to bits and gets a bit slapdash. For me, it was the other way round. In the second half, the book improved: we got to know the characters better, there were fewer dull moments and all in all, the story had more flavour and it was moving more fluently.
I liked the murder solution, thought it was really good. (No spoilers, promise!) What I liked about it was that the murderer was seen as quite a tragic murderer which loads of murder mysteries do but this one was done in such a way that really suited the story and it linked up back to themes that had gone on before which was clever and I liked that aspect.
It is a good book and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries and to anyone who enjoys books related to food and criticism and recipes. I gave it three stars, it’s not a spectacular book: the themes did blend into each other a bit and did not elicit a lot of emotion, it’s just a book you read and like but that’s all you really take away from it and after a while, you forget about it. But it is good and I would recommend!
August 22, 2014
This is the very cute beginning to a cozy mystery series. The main character, Hayley, is pretty flighty in many ways, living a loosey-goosey lifestyle (and by that I mean that she's bumming a room from a friend, borrows another friend's car, and seems to need a lot of personal handholding--actually she's pretty high maintenance), but she's talented in cooking, eating, and food reviewing. Only a few months ago she moved from NJ to Key West to live with her boyfriend, and though some reference is made to how different he was in NJ from what he turned out to be in real life, there's not much of an explanation. Suffice to say that their relationship falls apart after a few weeks when she finds him in bed with another woman. Unfortunately (or fortunately), this woman is killed shortly thereafter which means the cops are looking at Hayley as the possible murderer. She does some sleuthing, which actually doesn't seem too over-the-top (although I might not have done quite as much as she did) and she finds some answers but gets into some danger as well. While all this is going on, she's also juggling the application process for the food critic job with a new magazine. The murder victim was actually one of the founders of the magazine so there was some conflict of interest stuff going on there as well. What's fun is that we follow Hayley as she visits local restaurants and we can enjoy her reviews, both her personal comments and her submittals. There's a vague sense of a budding relationship between Hayley and the cop on her case, but it doesn't really develop. That may have been a set-up for future books in the series. I liked the free and easy lifestyle of Southern Florida, where a motor scooter is a common mode of transportation. And the food sounded great. A couple of recipes are included at the end.
April 19, 2019
Number one in a new series starring Hayley Snow, food critic wannabe in Key West, Florida. She’s moved there to be with her new love, only to find him in bed with another woman. When the position of food critic for a new magazine, Key Zest, opens up she applies. Then Hayley discovers that her potential new boss is Kristin Faulkner, the woman who stole her boyfriend. Bad luck turns to worse when Kristin dies under suspicious circumstances, and the police turn to Hayley as their prime suspect.
Sounds promising for a new cozy mystery. It certainly seems to have all the elements for success: an amateur sleuth, foodie culture, a friend who lets her bunk on her houseboat, another gay best friend, a charming elderly neighbor, a victim with plenty of enemies, a slug of an ex-boyfriend, and a potential new love interest. Not to mention the tropical paradise setting and a loveable cat.
But Hayley is irritatingly immature and just plain too stupid to live. She’s prone to histrionics and doesn’t have the sense to come in out of the rain. Oh well … It was a fairly quick read, and Burdette definitely knows something about food as the descriptions make for some delicious reading. I also enjoyed the food-related quotes that started each chapter, and the recipes included at the end.
Despite the below average rating, I won’t dismiss the series just yet. Cozy mysteries, especially food-related ones, are my reading comfort food. Pass the key lime pie ….
Sounds promising for a new cozy mystery. It certainly seems to have all the elements for success: an amateur sleuth, foodie culture, a friend who lets her bunk on her houseboat, another gay best friend, a charming elderly neighbor, a victim with plenty of enemies, a slug of an ex-boyfriend, and a potential new love interest. Not to mention the tropical paradise setting and a loveable cat.
But Hayley is irritatingly immature and just plain too stupid to live. She’s prone to histrionics and doesn’t have the sense to come in out of the rain. Oh well … It was a fairly quick read, and Burdette definitely knows something about food as the descriptions make for some delicious reading. I also enjoyed the food-related quotes that started each chapter, and the recipes included at the end.
Despite the below average rating, I won’t dismiss the series just yet. Cozy mysteries, especially food-related ones, are my reading comfort food. Pass the key lime pie ….
March 12, 2023
An Appetite for Murder is book one in the Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdette. Hayley Snow loves the lifestyle of Key West, so she decided to apply for the food critic position at the local Key West, unbeknown that her new boss would be Kristen Faulkner, who is having an affair with her boyfriend. However, Hayley becomes the prime suspect when Kristen dies. To clear her name, Hayley decided to investigate. The readers of An Appetite For Murder will continue to follow Hayley to discover what happens.
An Appetite for Murder is the first book I have read by Lucy Burdette, and it is a lovely cozy mystery. I had a bad day when I started to read this book, and the stress of the day left me soon as I started reading this book. I love Lucy Burdette's portrayal of her characters and their interactions with each other throughout this book. An Appetite for Murder is well-written and researched by Lucy Burdette. I like Lucy Burdette's description of the settings of An Appetite for Murder which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of An Appetite for Murder will understand the role of a food critic in the food industry. Also, the readers of An Appetite for Murder will learn about living in Key West.
I recommend this book.
An Appetite for Murder is the first book I have read by Lucy Burdette, and it is a lovely cozy mystery. I had a bad day when I started to read this book, and the stress of the day left me soon as I started reading this book. I love Lucy Burdette's portrayal of her characters and their interactions with each other throughout this book. An Appetite for Murder is well-written and researched by Lucy Burdette. I like Lucy Burdette's description of the settings of An Appetite for Murder which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of An Appetite for Murder will understand the role of a food critic in the food industry. Also, the readers of An Appetite for Murder will learn about living in Key West.
I recommend this book.
abandoned-dnf
May 17, 2023Dnf @ 38%. I suppose that if this wasn't a library download I would have forced my way through it.
Hayley is a self absorbed, insipid twit and there is nothing else in the book to keep me going.
She's good at describing food, but I have cookbooks and Pinterest for that.
There is no wit, no depth, no likeable characters. Done.
Btw- sometimes an author CAN keep you going with a horrible human being as the protagonist. Agatha Raisin is a prime example. Part of the appeal of those books is that we are brought along on her journey of self realization. Hayley is just a bubble headed ditz-not much hope for her.
Hayley is a self absorbed, insipid twit and there is nothing else in the book to keep me going.
She's good at describing food, but I have cookbooks and Pinterest for that.
There is no wit, no depth, no likeable characters. Done.
Btw- sometimes an author CAN keep you going with a horrible human being as the protagonist. Agatha Raisin is a prime example. Part of the appeal of those books is that we are brought along on her journey of self realization. Hayley is just a bubble headed ditz-not much hope for her.
November 29, 2017
Best tour guide to Key West yet. This is a mystery, but it provided a scooter-eye view of the streets, piers, and especially the eateries of Key West.
Reads quickly. I like the main character and wish her all the happiness in the world. She has a lot of growing up to do, but she's a good egg. The plot had holes I could drive that scooter through. But, I got the motive and got the evil-doer on the second try.
Reads quickly. I like the main character and wish her all the happiness in the world. She has a lot of growing up to do, but she's a good egg. The plot had holes I could drive that scooter through. But, I got the motive and got the evil-doer on the second try.
December 8, 2019
This is the first book in this series. I was looking through used books and found it and was reading it on Fridays. I liked the way that the cats in the book are not forgotten and get feed. Sometimes, it seems that the author forgets to tell you that the animals in the book are cared for and loved. I enjoyed the story and the eventual outcome. I will have to find the other books in this series.
March 21, 2014
OK I confess I didn't read the whole book. This girl annoyed me so much. She was childish and stupid. Wow, really you move to be with a guy you only been with for a couple months. That's beyond stupid. Now she just ruined her friends business, the friend who let you move in after said boyfriend kicked you to the curb literally. I had enough after chapter 7. What a waste.
June 6, 2021
I was vacationing in Key West while I read this book. I loved the references to places I had seen and visited.
I enjoyed Haley and her friends and the ending did surprise me.
Great read during vacation.
I enjoyed Haley and her friends and the ending did surprise me.
Great read during vacation.
July 3, 2018
Hayley Snow made the mistake of following a man she barely knew, Chad Lutz - yet thought she was in love with - to Key West, Florida. Weeks after moving in, she caught him in bed with Kristin Faulker and Chad promptly threw her things out on the street. Now she's living in a tiny room on a houseboat with her friend Connie, without a job and working part time for Connie in return for free rent.
What she really wants to do is get the job as food critic for a magazine called Key Zest, but the downside is Hayley discovered that she'd be working for Kristin. She's out one evening with her friend Eric when she sees Chad and Kristin dining at the same restaurant and decides to ask her about the job. It's not long after that confrontation when police arrive at the boat and take her down to the station for questioning.
It seems Kristin is dead - murdered - and they want to know just how well Hayley knew her and what she knows about the crime. Hayley tries to convince them she'd only seen Kristin twice in her life, but whether they believe her or not is yet to be seen. Then she discovers that it was probably Chad who told the police she murdered Kristin, and now it's all she can do to stay out of jail and try and find the killer, since it's obvious to everyone that they're trying to pin it on her...
This seemed like it might be a nice book to read since it's about a wannabe food critic who's accused of murder. But there were several things wrong with it, and I just couldn't get past them:
What she really wants to do is get the job as food critic for a magazine called Key Zest, but the downside is Hayley discovered that she'd be working for Kristin. She's out one evening with her friend Eric when she sees Chad and Kristin dining at the same restaurant and decides to ask her about the job. It's not long after that confrontation when police arrive at the boat and take her down to the station for questioning.
It seems Kristin is dead - murdered - and they want to know just how well Hayley knew her and what she knows about the crime. Hayley tries to convince them she'd only seen Kristin twice in her life, but whether they believe her or not is yet to be seen. Then she discovers that it was probably Chad who told the police she murdered Kristin, and now it's all she can do to stay out of jail and try and find the killer, since it's obvious to everyone that they're trying to pin it on her...
This seemed like it might be a nice book to read since it's about a wannabe food critic who's accused of murder. But there were several things wrong with it, and I just couldn't get past them:
July 24, 2023
A solid start to a PERFECTLY set cozy mystery! Let me grab my shades 😎 and settle into Key West, please and thank you! Perhaps a little less dramatically than our MC, Hayley, though!
Lots and lots of characters to keep track of (typical in the first series) but I’m so looking forward to diving into their backstories more and more as the series continues. Gloria, Rain’s neighbor, was probably my favorite secondary character and I look forward to seeing that friendship grow!
Chad -you are a PUTZ!!! Ugh! At least he got Hayley to Key West but I really could have kicked him in the shins….several times.
I also just want to point out that Pollyanna is the best movie ever and I 100% got ALL the Hayley Mills references. She’s always been a favorite of mine! 🥰
Lots and lots of characters to keep track of (typical in the first series) but I’m so looking forward to diving into their backstories more and more as the series continues. Gloria, Rain’s neighbor, was probably my favorite secondary character and I look forward to seeing that friendship grow!
Chad -you are a PUTZ!!! Ugh! At least he got Hayley to Key West but I really could have kicked him in the shins….several times.
I also just want to point out that Pollyanna is the best movie ever and I 100% got ALL the Hayley Mills references. She’s always been a favorite of mine! 🥰
May 16, 2024
Key Lime Pie and Murder 😬
I be read bits and pieces of this series in no particular order. What better time than summer to start from the beginning.
Key Lime Pie is a favorite dessert that I don’t get much of since being in a landlocked state they don’t do it as well as Florida.
I enjoyed learning how Hailey came to Key West and ultimately ended up living with her neighbor.
The mystery was top notch and enjoyable. I’m ready for book two.
I be read bits and pieces of this series in no particular order. What better time than summer to start from the beginning.
Key Lime Pie is a favorite dessert that I don’t get much of since being in a landlocked state they don’t do it as well as Florida.
I enjoyed learning how Hailey came to Key West and ultimately ended up living with her neighbor.
The mystery was top notch and enjoyable. I’m ready for book two.
January 20, 2019
I am going to give it a 3, for personal peeves that bother me about main character otherwise it is a 4 book.
Problems with Haley, on a whim she decides to relocate to Key West where she follows a boyfriend of a few weeks. It doesnt work out as he is a cheater. So she is homeless and jobless. She does stupid things that could get her seriously hurt. She is needy and whiny. That is the 3 rating.
Haley is living on her college friend's boat and competing to be a writer for a new magazine that is launching all about what Key West has to offer. Only problem is the owner of the magazine is the woman she caught the boyfriend with. After her snarky conversation with the couple in public the next day the woman is dead. Haley is quickly the only suspect the cops are working to pin the murder on and she becomes at times woe is me how did this happen and other moments I will solve this murder and prove I am not guilty. This gives it a 4 rating.
It was a good attempt for a first in a series, setting up characters and giving us a background for future stories. By the end of the book Haley has become less whiny and more confident in herself. Hopefully that carries on in the next book.
Problems with Haley, on a whim she decides to relocate to Key West where she follows a boyfriend of a few weeks. It doesnt work out as he is a cheater. So she is homeless and jobless. She does stupid things that could get her seriously hurt. She is needy and whiny. That is the 3 rating.
Haley is living on her college friend's boat and competing to be a writer for a new magazine that is launching all about what Key West has to offer. Only problem is the owner of the magazine is the woman she caught the boyfriend with. After her snarky conversation with the couple in public the next day the woman is dead. Haley is quickly the only suspect the cops are working to pin the murder on and she becomes at times woe is me how did this happen and other moments I will solve this murder and prove I am not guilty. This gives it a 4 rating.
It was a good attempt for a first in a series, setting up characters and giving us a background for future stories. By the end of the book Haley has become less whiny and more confident in herself. Hopefully that carries on in the next book.
January 8, 2020
A cozy, foodie, mystery set in Key West. What better way to spend time in Key West?! I'll definitely read another in the series.
January 16, 2016
Hayley Snow leaves New Jersey to follow the man of her dreams to Key West, Florida. Things don’t go as planned when Hayley learns she’s not the only woman in his life. She is determined to stay in Key West and since her entire life has revolved around food, cooking it, eating it, and writing about it, she decides to apply to be the food critic for a brand new magazine. Sounds good until Hayley learns her new boss would be the other woman in her ex-boyfriend’s life. Things get crazy when the police show up at her door to question her about a murder. The other woman is dead and Hayley’s career as a food critic could be over before it has even begun.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Key West – Paradise – The perfect setting!! for mystery and mayhem!!!
Lucy Burdette weaves us through the streets of this small island, a popular tourist spot, and a place loved by both Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams. Key West’s culinary influences and offerings are as diverse as its population. Hayley has a variety of eateries to critique. I have absolutely fallen for this character. I want to be this character. Even with the suspicion of being a murderer. She lives in a beautiful place, has wonderful friends and even lives on a boat. Her days are filled with eating yummy food, visits with chefs, a cat herder, a tarot card reader and did I mention she lives on a boat!
The mystery is divine, it is perfectly paced and the ending is a surprise. I have an appetite for much more from Lucy Burnette and the awesome life of Hayley Snow. This is very delicious debut of what will definitely be a delectable series.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Key West – Paradise – The perfect setting!! for mystery and mayhem!!!
Lucy Burdette weaves us through the streets of this small island, a popular tourist spot, and a place loved by both Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams. Key West’s culinary influences and offerings are as diverse as its population. Hayley has a variety of eateries to critique. I have absolutely fallen for this character. I want to be this character. Even with the suspicion of being a murderer. She lives in a beautiful place, has wonderful friends and even lives on a boat. Her days are filled with eating yummy food, visits with chefs, a cat herder, a tarot card reader and did I mention she lives on a boat!
The mystery is divine, it is perfectly paced and the ending is a surprise. I have an appetite for much more from Lucy Burnette and the awesome life of Hayley Snow. This is very delicious debut of what will definitely be a delectable series.
November 23, 2015
3.5 Stars
Hayley Snow loves to cook and eat, so a food critic job at a new magazine in Key West seems perfect. That is until she learns that the woman who is one of the co-owners is THAT woman she found in bed with her divorce lawyer boyfriend. Conflict there, anyone? Then this same woman is murdered, and Hayley is the police prime suspect. In reality, she is their only suspect, but of course Hayley didn't do it. But who wanted Kristen dead? Hayley must find out who the killer is before she ends up in jail.
An Appetite for Murder is the first in the cozy mystery series Key West Food Critic Series. So, we know that Haley does get the job. Hayley is a character! She eats when she's happy, sad, or stressed. You can imagine she constantly eats in the novel. Some of her recipes are at the end, and they look good. She is also a talker, needy, and high maintenance. High maintenance in a different way. If you read the novel, you'll find out what I mean.
Lucy Burdette does a fine job with her depictions of Key West. You'll find many places that are real. She does a great job at setting different scenes. I loved Hayley's Tarot card readings and when Hayley would go to any place that served food, Hayley immediately started to write reviews, photo shooting her food. These snippets were fun to read. Looks like I have a new series to read!
Hayley Snow loves to cook and eat, so a food critic job at a new magazine in Key West seems perfect. That is until she learns that the woman who is one of the co-owners is THAT woman she found in bed with her divorce lawyer boyfriend. Conflict there, anyone? Then this same woman is murdered, and Hayley is the police prime suspect. In reality, she is their only suspect, but of course Hayley didn't do it. But who wanted Kristen dead? Hayley must find out who the killer is before she ends up in jail.
An Appetite for Murder is the first in the cozy mystery series Key West Food Critic Series. So, we know that Haley does get the job. Hayley is a character! She eats when she's happy, sad, or stressed. You can imagine she constantly eats in the novel. Some of her recipes are at the end, and they look good. She is also a talker, needy, and high maintenance. High maintenance in a different way. If you read the novel, you'll find out what I mean.
Lucy Burdette does a fine job with her depictions of Key West. You'll find many places that are real. She does a great job at setting different scenes. I loved Hayley's Tarot card readings and when Hayley would go to any place that served food, Hayley immediately started to write reviews, photo shooting her food. These snippets were fun to read. Looks like I have a new series to read!
January 14, 2012
Lucy Burdette's debut novel in the Key West series gives us a delightful picture of Key West and its food, alongside a puzzling murder and the protagonist who is accused of the killing. Burdette obviously knows Key West well, including its geography and its food,though here she mostly avoids high-end places and gives us what everyday folk eat. She is also frank about tourists, the homeless, and the privileged--Key West is a multilayered society.
Hayley Snow follows Chad Lutz there--a case of sheer lust since he soon kicks her out and resumes his former affair. When his new love is murdered, all signs point to Hayley who meantime is applying for the job as food critic for a new local magazine--co-owned by the murder victim. So Hayley has to clear herself of murder and get the job--and for a large part of the novel it looks like both are impossible.
This is a great cozy, complete with recipes. I only hope that in future outings Hayley gets herself togther a bit more and has more self confidence, takes control of her life. Too often here, she is buffeted by the fates--including her divorced parents. Still I rate this one high.
Hayley Snow follows Chad Lutz there--a case of sheer lust since he soon kicks her out and resumes his former affair. When his new love is murdered, all signs point to Hayley who meantime is applying for the job as food critic for a new local magazine--co-owned by the murder victim. So Hayley has to clear herself of murder and get the job--and for a large part of the novel it looks like both are impossible.
This is a great cozy, complete with recipes. I only hope that in future outings Hayley gets herself togther a bit more and has more self confidence, takes control of her life. Too often here, she is buffeted by the fates--including her divorced parents. Still I rate this one high.
September 15, 2013
Perhaps I was spoiled by my last cozy mystery series, but this book left me with a sense of...oka-a-a-a-ay.
The main character, Hayley, in my mind, spent most of the entire book having one situation after another thrown at her - which is the whole point of the mystery, of course, but - perhaps it was because her character was so young that it took her nearly two-thirds of the way through the book to even do any sleuthing. Until then it seemed she babbled and stammered her way through the narration and the story took on an almost "woe-is-me" feeling to it. Again, I'm sure that was the whole point, that she was so young. I also personally am not a fan of first-person narration when it comes to cozys. All in all the book ended with a satisfying ending, all being wrapped up a little too neatly at the end for my tastes.
All together, it's a decent enough mystery, still written well enough, but to use a phrase that the main character, food critic Hayley Snow, would use: "It left me filled, yes, but unsatisfied."
The main character, Hayley, in my mind, spent most of the entire book having one situation after another thrown at her - which is the whole point of the mystery, of course, but - perhaps it was because her character was so young that it took her nearly two-thirds of the way through the book to even do any sleuthing. Until then it seemed she babbled and stammered her way through the narration and the story took on an almost "woe-is-me" feeling to it. Again, I'm sure that was the whole point, that she was so young. I also personally am not a fan of first-person narration when it comes to cozys. All in all the book ended with a satisfying ending, all being wrapped up a little too neatly at the end for my tastes.
All together, it's a decent enough mystery, still written well enough, but to use a phrase that the main character, food critic Hayley Snow, would use: "It left me filled, yes, but unsatisfied."
March 24, 2012
Normally when I read cozy mysteries, if the characters are well written and I enjoy them, I will stay with the series even if the mystery is on the weak side. In the case of this book, the mystery was very well written, but I didn't love the characters as much. While the book was enjoyable, I found the heroine to be on the annoying side and her sidekick characters not to be very interesting, except Jerry the homeless guy. Because I enjoyed the setting, and her career choice as a food critic and again because the mystery really kept me guessing, I will be giving this series a second shot. Let's hope the characters become as good as the plot!
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