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Café La Femme #1
A Trifle Dead
This is an alternate cover edition of ASIN B00D09W7P4
Tabitha Darling has always had a dab hand for pastry and a knack for getting into trouble. Which was fine when she was a tearaway teen, but not so useful now she’s trying to run a hipster urban cafe, invent the perfect trendy dessert, and stop feeding the many (oh so unfashionable) policemen in her life.
When a dead muso is found in the flat upstairs, Tabitha does her best (honestly) not to interfere with the investigation, despite the cute Scottish blogger who keeps angling for her help. Her superpower is gossip, not solving murder mysteries, and those are totally not the same thing, right?
But as that strange death turns into a string of random crimes across the city of Hobart, Tabitha can’t shake the unsettling feeling that maybe, for once, it really is ALL ABOUT HER.
And maybe she’s figured out the deadly truth a trifle late…
Tabitha Darling has always had a dab hand for pastry and a knack for getting into trouble. Which was fine when she was a tearaway teen, but not so useful now she’s trying to run a hipster urban cafe, invent the perfect trendy dessert, and stop feeding the many (oh so unfashionable) policemen in her life.
When a dead muso is found in the flat upstairs, Tabitha does her best (honestly) not to interfere with the investigation, despite the cute Scottish blogger who keeps angling for her help. Her superpower is gossip, not solving murder mysteries, and those are totally not the same thing, right?
But as that strange death turns into a string of random crimes across the city of Hobart, Tabitha can’t shake the unsettling feeling that maybe, for once, it really is ALL ABOUT HER.
And maybe she’s figured out the deadly truth a trifle late…
241 pages, ebook
First published March 1, 2013
359 people are currently reading
948 people want to read
About the author
Livia Day
7 books27 followersPseudonym of Tansy Rayner Roberts
Livia Day fell in love with crime fiction at an early age. Her first heroes were Miss Jane Marple and Mrs Emma Peel, and not a lot has changed since then!
She has lived in Hobart, Tasmania for most of her life, and now spends far too much time planning which picturesque tourist spot will get the next fictional corpse.
Livia Day fell in love with crime fiction at an early age. Her first heroes were Miss Jane Marple and Mrs Emma Peel, and not a lot has changed since then!
She has lived in Hobart, Tasmania for most of her life, and now spends far too much time planning which picturesque tourist spot will get the next fictional corpse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
September 17, 2013
Tabitha Darling is the daughter of a recently demised, much missed police superintendent and his wife, a recently moved to Queensland, much missed cook for the local police station. She's trying to run her own dessert destination café in the centre of Hobart, but no matter how hard she tries to adjust the menu to suit the sort of clientele she'd like to be attracting, the place is overrun with police nostalgic for canteen style pies.
She's also only slightly reluctant to leap into the role of accidental detective when a rather bizarre death is discovered in the flat upstairs from her café. Which is further complicated by the discovery that her landlord (and obviously that of the band renting the flat where the dead body was found), Darrow, seems to be flying under the radar. Maybe because Darling's old school-friend, and Darrow's recent girlfriend, Xanthippe is in town and not amused with him at all. Of course Tabitha can't help but assist, what with her combined superpowers of gossip, custard production and being irresistible to Police Sergeants she is obviously destined to be of huge assistance to the local constabulary. If only they realised.
At some time in the not too distant future I'm going to go out and glare at the first cute puppy I see. Well a photo of one anyway. Because I'm not getting soft in the head. Although I wouldn't exactly call this cosy, it's definitely one of those mildly daft central female characters doing the whole accidental detective thing, getting all distracted by manly men standing way too close, and obsessed with Trifle production. Which I, somewhat surprisingly, liked a lot.
Part of the reason it was so enjoyable is that there's nothing maliciously daft about Tabitha. In fact there's a distinct feeling that her tongue is quite firmly placed in her cheek. She's surrounded by a fabulous cast of supporting characters, including blogger Stewart McTavish (yes even the character names... ), a bit of romantic tension that's not really all that tense and some utterly fabulous household goings on. I will confess that most of the brand names and obsessions with fashion wizzed past in a blur of "no idea" whatsoever, but at the same time there were points when I found myself laughing.
None of which would mean a thing if there wasn't also a good, twisty plot with plenty of deducting opportunities and a nice sense of realness about everyone. Which was helped a lot by a clever writing trick giving the community of characters a back-story without having to spell it out. Which shouldn't be surprising as even though this is a "debut" novel, the author is writing under a pseudonym.
Somebody recommended A TRIFLE DEAD to me, and at the time I did wonder about their sanity because it sounded a lot like everything I don't like. Turns out I was wrong, even though it did come with recipes... On second thoughts make that a puppy and a kitten...
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
She's also only slightly reluctant to leap into the role of accidental detective when a rather bizarre death is discovered in the flat upstairs from her café. Which is further complicated by the discovery that her landlord (and obviously that of the band renting the flat where the dead body was found), Darrow, seems to be flying under the radar. Maybe because Darling's old school-friend, and Darrow's recent girlfriend, Xanthippe is in town and not amused with him at all. Of course Tabitha can't help but assist, what with her combined superpowers of gossip, custard production and being irresistible to Police Sergeants she is obviously destined to be of huge assistance to the local constabulary. If only they realised.
At some time in the not too distant future I'm going to go out and glare at the first cute puppy I see. Well a photo of one anyway. Because I'm not getting soft in the head. Although I wouldn't exactly call this cosy, it's definitely one of those mildly daft central female characters doing the whole accidental detective thing, getting all distracted by manly men standing way too close, and obsessed with Trifle production. Which I, somewhat surprisingly, liked a lot.
Part of the reason it was so enjoyable is that there's nothing maliciously daft about Tabitha. In fact there's a distinct feeling that her tongue is quite firmly placed in her cheek. She's surrounded by a fabulous cast of supporting characters, including blogger Stewart McTavish (yes even the character names... ), a bit of romantic tension that's not really all that tense and some utterly fabulous household goings on. I will confess that most of the brand names and obsessions with fashion wizzed past in a blur of "no idea" whatsoever, but at the same time there were points when I found myself laughing.
None of which would mean a thing if there wasn't also a good, twisty plot with plenty of deducting opportunities and a nice sense of realness about everyone. Which was helped a lot by a clever writing trick giving the community of characters a back-story without having to spell it out. Which shouldn't be surprising as even though this is a "debut" novel, the author is writing under a pseudonym.
Somebody recommended A TRIFLE DEAD to me, and at the time I did wonder about their sanity because it sounded a lot like everything I don't like. Turns out I was wrong, even though it did come with recipes... On second thoughts make that a puppy and a kitten...
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
September 23, 2013
I had no idea that Livia Day is the alter ego of Tansy Rayner Roberts who is an award winning Australian fantasy author, this year receiving The Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. A Trifle Dead is her first delightful Australian cosy mystery and I am hoping it won't be her last.
Set in Tasmania, A Trifle Dead introduces twenty something cafe owner Tabitha Darling. Café La Femme attracts a wide clientele from urban hipsters to the entire local police force determined to keep an eye on the late police superintendent's daughter. When a body is found hanging from netting in one of the upstairs flats, the police are convinced it was an accidental death, linking the man to a number of recent bizarre crimes around town. Tabitha isn't so sure though and with the assistance of blogger Stewart McTavish, much to the chagrin of Detective Leo Bishop, finds herself right in the middle of a sticky situation.
Tabitha is feisty, stubborn and funny with an obsession with food and vintage clothing. She has a complicated relationship with just about everyone in her life from her head baker Nin, to her best friend, Xanthippe and the long term object of her affection, the handsome yet taciturn detective Bishop, which leads to great banter, loaded with snark and sparks. The sense of community established by the author is appealing and I really enjoyed being introduced to the slightly weird yet wonderful characters that are connected to Tabitha, such as her cross dressing roommate and her enigmatic landlord.
The mystery twists nicely and though I made the connections early on, I didn't really mind at all. The plot generates plenty of tension as the villain moves in on Tabitha and the pace is comfortable. A Trifle Dead is well written and though I wasn't keen on McTavish's accented dialogue (he is Scottish), it was only a minor distraction.
A Trifle Dead is a light, funny and enjoyable read blending mystery, humour and a touch of romance. Oh and there are delicious recipes on the final few pages, ideal for an aspiring foodie or any reader with a sweet tooth. I am looking forward to the next installment.
February 17, 2017
Delightful! Stewart is my favorite.
May 20, 2020
This is a brilliant example of the Cozy Mystery genre, with a cast of appealing characters, a wonderful setting (a hipster cafe in Hobart) and a murder mystery at the heart with twists and turns but still enough evidence for the reader to know whodunnit before the big reveal (I got the 'who' at about 65%, but had no clue on the 'how' until the denouement). Highly entertaining with a protagonist who isn't actually investigating, she's just nosy - and snarky, which always helps with this sort of genre.
April 15, 2013
Daughter
My mum and I don't share books all that often. Not for any good reasons, but just... because. She is still game to buy books for me, all of which I read and enjoy, even if (like Amazons of Black Sparta) it sometimes takes me a while. She has promised me that when she can get her hands on it she will read China Mieville's The City and the City; when that happens I may re-read and do another of these conversational reviews.
Mother
You need to get with my reading program. I read C and the C many books ago - and loved it!
Daughter
... MA!! You need to tell me these things!!
ANYWAY. A Trifle Dead is the first book I've bought for her in a looong time, and I was really hoping it would up her alley...
Mother
And it was. Can't beat the crime and food combo.
Daughter
Phew.
I've been looking forward to A Trifle Dead for a long time now, and except for about four chapters - which I read one evening and then had to exercise a great deal of will-power to put down - I read it in one sitting. It's a classic crime novel in that way, because it just kept on sucking me on.
My limited exposure to crime fiction means I think of them being set either in picturesque country towns or big cities. And I'm sorry Tasmania, but Hobart is no New York. I don't know Hobart, but I still got a sense that the book is set in the real town - and PLACE is a really important part of the whole story, given that proximity matters a lot. I'm almost tempted to take a copy of the book with me to Hobart sometime and try to match up bits of the plot. That could be a bit freaky though.
Mother
I'm right into setting and atmosphere at the moment (writing an essay on its place in Henry James' Turn of the Screw) and as I HAVE been to Hobart I was very impressed with its realism as regards setting. Not so sure I came across anyone who was nearly as interesting as these characters though.
Daughter
Day has made Hobart seem waaaay more interesting than most mainlanders would assume. I think my favourite bit is the Botanical Gardens description - and if she made up those bits, I'm going to be very cross.
Mother
My recollection is that the gardens are very lovely but it's been a long time since I was there. Salamanca Place is fantastic if my memory serves me correctly.
Daughter
I'm still tossing up whether I most enjoyed the characters or the plot. I think the characters might be winning. Tabitha is an unlikely detective, no matter how much she like gossiping and prying and despite (really because of) being the child of a policeman. This aspect - her ambivalence towards the police force because of her father is totally believabe, as is her attitude towards her parents' divorce and career changes. Mum, are you running away to a hippy commune any time soon?
Mother
I think I like my home comforts too much to do that.
Daughter
And hippies don't play golf.
Mother
That hadn't occurred to me, but is probably true as would be too busy tie dying or growing stuff. Nothing like a good bit of generalisation!
Daughter
It's a really strong part of the whole novel, actually: complicated families and unconventional characters in general written with honesty and love and just a dash of slapstick. Many of the characters fit very broadly into general categories, but they also keep slipping out of them, refusing to be buttonholed. The female friends? Well, one keeps judging Tabitha with her eyebrows, and another hasn't spoken to her for years and could break her with a little finger. The love interests? One is on the dark and brooding end but that's because he's a cop, and he's more exasperated and brooding; the other is Scottish. And the housemate, Ceege, absolutely refuses buttonholing and I LOVE HIM A LOT I WANT MORE CEEGE. Because, fashion from an eng student will never cease being hysterical. Also I'm now inspired to have my own Oscars party.
Mother
I found all the characters highly entertaining and wish I knew a few people like them. Only in books, I fear. Ceege is definitely a winner. If you hold an Oscars party you'll have to frock up pretty early in the morning.
Daughter
I know a lot of Engineering students, but I don't think any of them could get away with the clothes Ceege does. If I had an Oscars party I would do the same thing as Tabitha - ignore Twitter and the news, and have it in the evening!
The plot would, I think, meet the requirements of the crime lover - do you agree Mum? It's got a slow unravelling of clues, and tantalising hints of what's going on and who might be involved and then POW something completely unexpected happens. Because I definitely did not suspect the true culprit.
Mother
It's a good plot. I found the book a really entertaining read which met the requirements of a crime novel lover like me and gave me a welcome break from Dickens, James and Woolfe!
Daughter
Um yes. Which is good because otherwise your brain might EXPLODE.
Also I liked the food.
Mother
Me too.
Daughter
And if nothing else, the book does convey two essential truths: it's all about food. And never try to outdrink engineering students.
You can get A Trifle Dead over at Twelfth Planet Press. Buy one for your mum, or your grandad, or your neighbour while you're there.
My mum and I don't share books all that often. Not for any good reasons, but just... because. She is still game to buy books for me, all of which I read and enjoy, even if (like Amazons of Black Sparta) it sometimes takes me a while. She has promised me that when she can get her hands on it she will read China Mieville's The City and the City; when that happens I may re-read and do another of these conversational reviews.
Mother
You need to get with my reading program. I read C and the C many books ago - and loved it!
Daughter
... MA!! You need to tell me these things!!
ANYWAY. A Trifle Dead is the first book I've bought for her in a looong time, and I was really hoping it would up her alley...
Mother
And it was. Can't beat the crime and food combo.
Daughter
Phew.
I've been looking forward to A Trifle Dead for a long time now, and except for about four chapters - which I read one evening and then had to exercise a great deal of will-power to put down - I read it in one sitting. It's a classic crime novel in that way, because it just kept on sucking me on.
My limited exposure to crime fiction means I think of them being set either in picturesque country towns or big cities. And I'm sorry Tasmania, but Hobart is no New York. I don't know Hobart, but I still got a sense that the book is set in the real town - and PLACE is a really important part of the whole story, given that proximity matters a lot. I'm almost tempted to take a copy of the book with me to Hobart sometime and try to match up bits of the plot. That could be a bit freaky though.
Mother
I'm right into setting and atmosphere at the moment (writing an essay on its place in Henry James' Turn of the Screw) and as I HAVE been to Hobart I was very impressed with its realism as regards setting. Not so sure I came across anyone who was nearly as interesting as these characters though.
Daughter
Day has made Hobart seem waaaay more interesting than most mainlanders would assume. I think my favourite bit is the Botanical Gardens description - and if she made up those bits, I'm going to be very cross.
Mother
My recollection is that the gardens are very lovely but it's been a long time since I was there. Salamanca Place is fantastic if my memory serves me correctly.
Daughter
I'm still tossing up whether I most enjoyed the characters or the plot. I think the characters might be winning. Tabitha is an unlikely detective, no matter how much she like gossiping and prying and despite (really because of) being the child of a policeman. This aspect - her ambivalence towards the police force because of her father is totally believabe, as is her attitude towards her parents' divorce and career changes. Mum, are you running away to a hippy commune any time soon?
Mother
I think I like my home comforts too much to do that.
Daughter
And hippies don't play golf.
Mother
That hadn't occurred to me, but is probably true as would be too busy tie dying or growing stuff. Nothing like a good bit of generalisation!
Daughter
It's a really strong part of the whole novel, actually: complicated families and unconventional characters in general written with honesty and love and just a dash of slapstick. Many of the characters fit very broadly into general categories, but they also keep slipping out of them, refusing to be buttonholed. The female friends? Well, one keeps judging Tabitha with her eyebrows, and another hasn't spoken to her for years and could break her with a little finger. The love interests? One is on the dark and brooding end but that's because he's a cop, and he's more exasperated and brooding; the other is Scottish. And the housemate, Ceege, absolutely refuses buttonholing and I LOVE HIM A LOT I WANT MORE CEEGE. Because, fashion from an eng student will never cease being hysterical. Also I'm now inspired to have my own Oscars party.
Mother
I found all the characters highly entertaining and wish I knew a few people like them. Only in books, I fear. Ceege is definitely a winner. If you hold an Oscars party you'll have to frock up pretty early in the morning.
Daughter
I know a lot of Engineering students, but I don't think any of them could get away with the clothes Ceege does. If I had an Oscars party I would do the same thing as Tabitha - ignore Twitter and the news, and have it in the evening!
The plot would, I think, meet the requirements of the crime lover - do you agree Mum? It's got a slow unravelling of clues, and tantalising hints of what's going on and who might be involved and then POW something completely unexpected happens. Because I definitely did not suspect the true culprit.
Mother
It's a good plot. I found the book a really entertaining read which met the requirements of a crime novel lover like me and gave me a welcome break from Dickens, James and Woolfe!
Daughter
Um yes. Which is good because otherwise your brain might EXPLODE.
Also I liked the food.
Mother
Me too.
Daughter
And if nothing else, the book does convey two essential truths: it's all about food. And never try to outdrink engineering students.
You can get A Trifle Dead over at Twelfth Planet Press. Buy one for your mum, or your grandad, or your neighbour while you're there.
June 12, 2017
Fun and quirky mystery!
March 16, 2019
A delightful palate cleanser of a novel, sweet and moreish
April 20, 2020
What a super fun book! It flowed and was funny and sweet and quirky.
September 8, 2021
Tabitha Darling owns a cafe in Hobart, Tasmania. A dead body in her building and many many coincidences convince her to investigate this suspicious death.
I loved the title! It made me really want to read the book. Alas, the characters and I were not a good fit. They were all too-too.
I loved the title! It made me really want to read the book. Alas, the characters and I were not a good fit. They were all too-too.
May 19, 2013
This review forms part of my contribution to the Australian Women Writers 2013 Reading Challenge. All my 2013 AWWC reviews can be found here.
I know, I know. I said I'd only review speculative fiction books this year. I extolled the virtues of purity and staying faithful to the one true genre. I disparaged my own ability read anything else. And now I'm reviewing a crime novel.
I can hear what you're all thinking. "Where are your ideals now, Webb?", "So much for your love of speculative fiction, you'll just wander around after any old book as long as it has a dessert on the cover won't you?"
These are all well reasoned and valid criticisms, for which I have only one response, and a fairly poor one at that.
Pppppfffffffftttttttttttttttt.
You heard me. (1)
Livia Day is the crime alter-ego of fantasy writer Tansy Rayner Roberts, whose Creature Court trilogy I enjoyed very much. I was interested to see what she'd done with the crime genre (and I've also been really liking the work coming out of publisher Twelfth Planet Press recently).
Lets start with what I liked about A Trifle Dead. The writing is enviably tight, with good attention to detail. Pacing was excellent, although overall the book seemed a little long I couldn't fault the pace of the individual chapters.
I loved the use of Hobart as a character in the book (and I could only think of it as a character). Day does an excellent job conveying the sense of the city, and for those of us on mainland Australia used to thinking of Tasmania as some kind of backwater, it was a real eye opener. I would imagine that the Tasmanian Tourism Board (if such an entity exists) would be promoting the hell out of this book. It made me want to visit (and I didn't even go to Hobart when good friends were on assignment down there for a few years. I just always assumed they'd prefer to return to civilisation for any catch up, and only saw them when they visited Sydney. I missed an opportunity I think).
But this is where I came a bit unstuck - Hobart was the only character I built any kind of relationship with. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Day's writing of the characters. I just didn't like any of them much. The protagonist was a bit irritating, the love interests a bit dull, the best friend a bit meh. There were a couple of minor characters that were vaguely interesting (the protagonist's house mate for instance), but they were few and far between. I just couldn't connect.
I found myself rooting for the bad guy, and unless there was a level of plot subtlety that I missed, I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to.
Now, I'm not a "foodie" and I don't usually read crime, so I 100% admit that I am not the target audience here. My wife, for example, is a foodie and does read crime and I have had absolutely no hesitation in recommending the book to her - I think she'll love it. But for me the characters all seemed a bit… well, if I'm honest, silly.
From that base, things went off track. Because I couldn't connect with the characters, I didn't like the dialog, despite it having an excellent level of snark. The plot twists, in as far as they pertained to the main character, didn't hold any emotional resonance, despite being quite clever.
I won't labour the point, basically this is a well constructed book that just didn't hit the mark for me. I still rate it reasonably well, because of the excellence of craft. But it's not a series I'll be following on from here (although I suspect my household will end up owning copies if I am any judge of my wife's tastes).
However, if you love food, you are fond of Tasmania and you're partial to a bit of crime, ignore my recommendation above and get yourself a copy of A Trifle Dead. And leave me a comment telling me what you think!
(1) OK, I'm not sure of the phonetic representation of a raspberry. That's going to have to do. I'm sure you got the general idea.
I also reviewed this book on my website.
I know, I know. I said I'd only review speculative fiction books this year. I extolled the virtues of purity and staying faithful to the one true genre. I disparaged my own ability read anything else. And now I'm reviewing a crime novel.
I can hear what you're all thinking. "Where are your ideals now, Webb?", "So much for your love of speculative fiction, you'll just wander around after any old book as long as it has a dessert on the cover won't you?"
These are all well reasoned and valid criticisms, for which I have only one response, and a fairly poor one at that.
Pppppfffffffftttttttttttttttt.
You heard me. (1)
Livia Day is the crime alter-ego of fantasy writer Tansy Rayner Roberts, whose Creature Court trilogy I enjoyed very much. I was interested to see what she'd done with the crime genre (and I've also been really liking the work coming out of publisher Twelfth Planet Press recently).
Lets start with what I liked about A Trifle Dead. The writing is enviably tight, with good attention to detail. Pacing was excellent, although overall the book seemed a little long I couldn't fault the pace of the individual chapters.
I loved the use of Hobart as a character in the book (and I could only think of it as a character). Day does an excellent job conveying the sense of the city, and for those of us on mainland Australia used to thinking of Tasmania as some kind of backwater, it was a real eye opener. I would imagine that the Tasmanian Tourism Board (if such an entity exists) would be promoting the hell out of this book. It made me want to visit (and I didn't even go to Hobart when good friends were on assignment down there for a few years. I just always assumed they'd prefer to return to civilisation for any catch up, and only saw them when they visited Sydney. I missed an opportunity I think).
But this is where I came a bit unstuck - Hobart was the only character I built any kind of relationship with. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Day's writing of the characters. I just didn't like any of them much. The protagonist was a bit irritating, the love interests a bit dull, the best friend a bit meh. There were a couple of minor characters that were vaguely interesting (the protagonist's house mate for instance), but they were few and far between. I just couldn't connect.
I found myself rooting for the bad guy, and unless there was a level of plot subtlety that I missed, I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to.
Now, I'm not a "foodie" and I don't usually read crime, so I 100% admit that I am not the target audience here. My wife, for example, is a foodie and does read crime and I have had absolutely no hesitation in recommending the book to her - I think she'll love it. But for me the characters all seemed a bit… well, if I'm honest, silly.
From that base, things went off track. Because I couldn't connect with the characters, I didn't like the dialog, despite it having an excellent level of snark. The plot twists, in as far as they pertained to the main character, didn't hold any emotional resonance, despite being quite clever.
I won't labour the point, basically this is a well constructed book that just didn't hit the mark for me. I still rate it reasonably well, because of the excellence of craft. But it's not a series I'll be following on from here (although I suspect my household will end up owning copies if I am any judge of my wife's tastes).
However, if you love food, you are fond of Tasmania and you're partial to a bit of crime, ignore my recommendation above and get yourself a copy of A Trifle Dead. And leave me a comment telling me what you think!
(1) OK, I'm not sure of the phonetic representation of a raspberry. That's going to have to do. I'm sure you got the general idea.
I also reviewed this book on my website.
September 19, 2022
A frivolous slapstick romp through the sandstone rentals of Hobart, featuring the Botanical Gardens, ABC Gardening Australia’s “The Patch” and other Hobart landmarks. Conversational tone and vintage fashion. I disliked the characters I think I was supposed to like. They annoyed me. A lighthearted read.
June 24, 2013
A Trifle Dead by Livia Day is the first crime book by renowned fantasy author Tansy Rayner Roberts. Since I love her fantasy books, I was expecting to enjoy A Trifle Dead. What I didn't particularly expect was to read it in a single evening (including staying up in bed until it was over). And I don't even like food.
Needless to say, I really loved A Trifle Dead. Tabitha is plucky and keeps sticking her nose into police business. It's just as well that she knows just about all of the police force, thanks to her father being the former superintendent, and can ply them with delicious café food.
I really loved the picture the author painted of Hobart. I've only visited Hobart once, but I had no difficulty imagining the various settings. It also made me want tomove to visit Hobart again. The setting also extended to numerous pop-culture references, from obscure super heroes to Tumblr and Twitter. They made me smile many times. It's also this aspect of geek culture that I think makes this crime novel particularly accessible to a lot of spec fic fans (compared with some other miscellaneous crime novel). It also makes it a very "now" book, but I'm not convinced that's a bad thing.
There's a bit of a love triangle in A Trifle Dead but unlike in many other books (admittedly many of which are YA, but still), Tabitha does not spend very much time angsting about boys, or even thinking that much about them while more important things are happening. And the love triangle wasn't used to generate tension — that's what the plot was for. I was left with the overwhelming sense that this is how actualadults people might behave. This is how you love triangle.
On the topic of the crime aspect, I didn't guess whodunnit before it was revealed, although once it was, all the hints from earlier fit nicely into place. Which is mostly what I want out of a mystery. (It's no fun if you work it out far earlier than the characters and then have to heckle the page over their slowness.)
A Trifle Dead is a delightful read. I enjoyed it immensely and could not put it down. I highly recommend it to pretty much everyone. I'm sure crime fans will enjoy it if the blurb appeals, but because of the pop culture references I suspect it will have higher appeal to spec fic fans than other crime novels. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
Needless to say, I really loved A Trifle Dead. Tabitha is plucky and keeps sticking her nose into police business. It's just as well that she knows just about all of the police force, thanks to her father being the former superintendent, and can ply them with delicious café food.
I really loved the picture the author painted of Hobart. I've only visited Hobart once, but I had no difficulty imagining the various settings. It also made me want to
There's a bit of a love triangle in A Trifle Dead but unlike in many other books (admittedly many of which are YA, but still), Tabitha does not spend very much time angsting about boys, or even thinking that much about them while more important things are happening. And the love triangle wasn't used to generate tension — that's what the plot was for. I was left with the overwhelming sense that this is how actual
On the topic of the crime aspect, I didn't guess whodunnit before it was revealed, although once it was, all the hints from earlier fit nicely into place. Which is mostly what I want out of a mystery. (It's no fun if you work it out far earlier than the characters and then have to heckle the page over their slowness.)
A Trifle Dead is a delightful read. I enjoyed it immensely and could not put it down. I highly recommend it to pretty much everyone. I'm sure crime fans will enjoy it if the blurb appeals, but because of the pop culture references I suspect it will have higher appeal to spec fic fans than other crime novels. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
April 27, 2013
Just like a good trifle, a good mystery has several different layers so that when you dig into the concoction it is full of the flavour and the texture that makes the whole spoonful taste delicious. For my Weekend Cooking post this week, I thought I would do a comparison of the components that make up a good trifle and a good mystery while talking about Livia Day's A Trifle Dead.
Firstly, there is the cake which in this analogy is the mystery that forms the basis of the book. Let's face it, if you say you are writing a mystery it doesn't really matter how good your characters are, or how unusual your setting because if the mystery is too weak then the rest can't wholly make up for that.
In A Trifle Dead, the cake layer revolves around cafe owner Tabitha Darling who is at the centre of a very eclectic group of people. She has been running her cafe for a year, and during that time she has built up a solid clientele. Among them are lots of members of the Tasmanian police force. They used to get their food at the police cafe when it was run by Tabitha's mother, but since she left town, they now gravitate to Tabitha's cafe. It also gives them an opportunity to keep protective watch over Tabitha, who seems to have a knack for getting herself into interesting situations. First and foremost on the list of police who seem to keep an eye on Tabitha is Leo Bishop, gorgeous and long the object of Tabitha's daydreams.
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March 3, 2016
In Tabitha Darling’s first outing as an accidental detective, we get to meet a great cast of supporting characters, from the policeman Leo Bishop, who insists on treating her like she’s still 16, to her old friend (or frenemy?) Xanthippe, who seems half Emma Peel, half Catwoman, and the new guy in town, Stewart McTavish, the blogger with the sexy Scottish accent and a secret.
Tabitha is practically an adopted daughter to Hobart’s police, being the daughter of a policeman and the woman who ran the police canteen. The association is not a universally happy one, and she’s determined to be her own woman. Her own woman with her own restaurant, a gift for really good salads, dressing with flair, and for getting into a ridiculous amount of trouble.
The trouble starts with an unexpected body in a net, and what appears to be an accidental death. It builds slowly, with strange practical jokes that become much more serious. At the same time, Tabitha’s personal life gets… complicated.
A Trifle Dead is a fabulous confection of a crime novel! I love books that use Australian locales well, and bring in a certain tactile freshness with the details. It paints a gorgeous picture of Hobart, sparks up the senses with lush descriptions of food and fashion, and is peopled with dashing characters. It’s funny, twisty and with a satisfying conclusion that leaves room for more.
Tabitha is practically an adopted daughter to Hobart’s police, being the daughter of a policeman and the woman who ran the police canteen. The association is not a universally happy one, and she’s determined to be her own woman. Her own woman with her own restaurant, a gift for really good salads, dressing with flair, and for getting into a ridiculous amount of trouble.
The trouble starts with an unexpected body in a net, and what appears to be an accidental death. It builds slowly, with strange practical jokes that become much more serious. At the same time, Tabitha’s personal life gets… complicated.
A Trifle Dead is a fabulous confection of a crime novel! I love books that use Australian locales well, and bring in a certain tactile freshness with the details. It paints a gorgeous picture of Hobart, sparks up the senses with lush descriptions of food and fashion, and is peopled with dashing characters. It’s funny, twisty and with a satisfying conclusion that leaves room for more.
December 2, 2015
Tabitha Darling runs a coffee cafe called Cafe La Femme in Hobart, Tasmania. Her father, a former police superintendent who recently died, asked all the cops to watch out for her so she's trying to re-arrange her menu so the cops don't want to come in and hang out around her shop all day. She takes some bright blue pastries to the rock group upstairs and walks into a dead body. Senior Constable Leo Bishop wants her to stay out of the investigation but she teams up with blogger Stewart McTavish to figure out who is the murderer called The Trapper. Plus, she has many quirky friends who look out for her too. And she will eventually need lots of help.
I enjoyed this light and funny book and loved reading about all the food. The characters are all quirky and unique. I believe this book is a cozy mystery and I want to point out there are a few F words. I simply ignore such but I know some readers are more sensitive than I am. The bad guy turned out to be a bit of a surprise.
I enjoyed this light and funny book and loved reading about all the food. The characters are all quirky and unique. I believe this book is a cozy mystery and I want to point out there are a few F words. I simply ignore such but I know some readers are more sensitive than I am. The bad guy turned out to be a bit of a surprise.
May 10, 2015
A Trifle Dead is the debut crime novel by Livia Day, and while it certainly hits all the right beats for a strong suspenseful story, the best bits are the sass!
Protagonist Tabitha Darling is fun and a little fancy-free, but when a body turns up in the apartment above her cafe, things turn serious (though that doesn't stop the snark, the sexual tension or the superb food taking centre stage!). While Tabitha tries not to get involved, events conspire to keep her firmly in the middle of the drama and threaten a deadly conclusion.
A Trifle Dead has dollops of laugh-out-loud glee alongside huge helpings of hold-your-breath tension, with hearty lashings of banter to bind the mix together. With a vivid depiction of Hobart as the backdrop and characters you'll wish you knew in real life, A Trifle Dead tops my list of best books of 2013 so far!
Protagonist Tabitha Darling is fun and a little fancy-free, but when a body turns up in the apartment above her cafe, things turn serious (though that doesn't stop the snark, the sexual tension or the superb food taking centre stage!). While Tabitha tries not to get involved, events conspire to keep her firmly in the middle of the drama and threaten a deadly conclusion.
A Trifle Dead has dollops of laugh-out-loud glee alongside huge helpings of hold-your-breath tension, with hearty lashings of banter to bind the mix together. With a vivid depiction of Hobart as the backdrop and characters you'll wish you knew in real life, A Trifle Dead tops my list of best books of 2013 so far!
May 1, 2016
This book takes us to Hobart, Australia. The story centers
on Tabitha Darling who runs the Café La Femme. Tabitha
is the daughter of the late police superintendent. Tabitha’s
late mother ran the police canteen.
Her clientele ranges from the entire local police force trying
to keep an eye on her to a wide variety of zany, quirky vivid,
colorful and well defined characters.
Description is deftly woven into the story. You will feel as if
you are part of the mystery, mayhem, suspense, parties and
shenanigans occurring from the first to the last page.
You will enjoy a trifle blend of romance, adventure, twists
and turns throughout the story. Even the Tabitha’s cat ,
Kinky Boots is a hoot!!!
Good recipes at the end of the story.
on Tabitha Darling who runs the Café La Femme. Tabitha
is the daughter of the late police superintendent. Tabitha’s
late mother ran the police canteen.
Her clientele ranges from the entire local police force trying
to keep an eye on her to a wide variety of zany, quirky vivid,
colorful and well defined characters.
Description is deftly woven into the story. You will feel as if
you are part of the mystery, mayhem, suspense, parties and
shenanigans occurring from the first to the last page.
You will enjoy a trifle blend of romance, adventure, twists
and turns throughout the story. Even the Tabitha’s cat ,
Kinky Boots is a hoot!!!
Good recipes at the end of the story.
July 3, 2013
Firstly, thanks to Goodreads and Twelfth Planet Press for my freebie copy of A Trifle Dead :)
The first in the series of Cafe La Femme books, sees Tabitha Darling who runs a urban cafe, playing detective, much to the annoyance of the local constabulary. Set in Hobart, this was an entertaining read, great to curl up with numerous cups of coffee and sweet treats because you'll be craving them while reading with the foodstuff's being mentioned quite regularly!
My only gripe as I mentioned before in an update, is the book is so tightly bound that it's a bit awkward to read, but worth it in the end!
Oh and it's a nice touch having a few recipes in the back of the book.
The first in the series of Cafe La Femme books, sees Tabitha Darling who runs a urban cafe, playing detective, much to the annoyance of the local constabulary. Set in Hobart, this was an entertaining read, great to curl up with numerous cups of coffee and sweet treats because you'll be craving them while reading with the foodstuff's being mentioned quite regularly!
My only gripe as I mentioned before in an update, is the book is so tightly bound that it's a bit awkward to read, but worth it in the end!
Oh and it's a nice touch having a few recipes in the back of the book.
April 6, 2013
A not-overly gruesome murder mystery with Hobart beautifully rendered by someone who clearly loves it. And coffee. And trifle, which is not my favourite, but hey - maybe with biscuits instead of cake it would be OK (this is a suggestion in the recipe included at the end of the book...)
I really enjoyed reading this - finished it in less than 24 hours - the characters seemed to have relationships that started before the book began and that creates a sense of community and realism and also makes it harder to know who to suspect.
Looking forward to the next in the series.
I really enjoyed reading this - finished it in less than 24 hours - the characters seemed to have relationships that started before the book began and that creates a sense of community and realism and also makes it harder to know who to suspect.
Looking forward to the next in the series.
February 28, 2021
Oh My Goodness!
I was really looking forward to this book, enough that I set aside my Saturday to read it.
3 1/2 hours later and it had completely delivered on my anticipation.
I lived in Hobart for 8 years, so the setting was both familiar and humourously drawn. In fact I found the whole book an hysterically funny mix of food, pop culture, glitter and of course, dead bodies. I am now waiting on tenter hooks for the next of Tabitha Darling's adventures in cookery and crime.
I want to hug this book to death. I may end up stuffing it down the throats of everyone I know.
I was really looking forward to this book, enough that I set aside my Saturday to read it.
3 1/2 hours later and it had completely delivered on my anticipation.
I lived in Hobart for 8 years, so the setting was both familiar and humourously drawn. In fact I found the whole book an hysterically funny mix of food, pop culture, glitter and of course, dead bodies. I am now waiting on tenter hooks for the next of Tabitha Darling's adventures in cookery and crime.
I want to hug this book to death. I may end up stuffing it down the throats of everyone I know.
July 17, 2014
I loved the sheer exuberance and fun of this mystery novel, from Tabitha's fabulous voice to her endless energy, love for glitter, nail polish and vintage frocks, her experimental desserts and the fantastic cast of characters around her. The sense of place was also so great - I actually feel like I've visited Hobart, Australia after reading this novel! It's so vividly and lovingly described, it's almost a character in its own right. This was the most sheerly FUN mystery I've read in a long time, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!
June 14, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are fun, easy to get to know without telling you all their secrets on the first page. The plot was just complicated enough to keep me guessing to the end, and it does all come together. It moves very fast, there is always something happening. I felt vaguely concerned that not enough sleep was being had by anyone, but I guess they can sleep now that I've finished reading.
October 5, 2015
Finished this ages ago, didn't realise I'd not marked it. Whoops! This is one of the BEST mystery series I've read in a long time. Absolutely worth a read. Funny, engaging, with characters you can't stop enjoying. And a special shoutout to the incredible dialogue. Lovelovelove this book!
September 27, 2019
If you like your contemporary mystery novels in vintage fashion and with a predilection for sweet treats, this is just the book for you. I loved the Tasmanian setting. The love triangle between the passionate police officer, the sexy Scotsman and the main character didn't hurt either.
May 2, 2013
A very fun and enjoyable armchair mystery set in Hobart.
Full review here: http://inkashlings.wordpress.com/2013...
Full review here: http://inkashlings.wordpress.com/2013...
June 17, 2015
Loved this book - lots of fun, great mystery.
Want to read
March 17, 201699 cents at Weightless Books and Amazon 3/17/16
October 23, 2015
A slight mystery filled with characters who are supposed to be quirky but instead come across as stereotypical. It had enough good moments that I finished the book.
May 13, 2013
Lots of fun - easy to read, an engaging heroine and well-realised plot. 4.5 stars
October 31, 2019
I have a soft spot for lovable heroines who have a knack for getting in trouble, double points for curiosity killed the cat detective tenancies. Then came the addition of a cute Scottish side kick and I was all in!
Mind you it seem inevitable that the daughter of an ex-police chief would manage to get drawn into the investigation of a dead musician in an apartment three floors above her cafe. Even if she does try overly hard to attract a clientele of non-police to even out the boys and gals in blue scaring other customers away.
Tabitha was a fabulous character, I loved her obsession with her profession (God this book made me hungry!), the way she always happened to be in the right place for the right confession, her bold fashion sense, and she let herself have fun being attracted to different men rather than falling into that 'agonizing over a love triangle' trope you see so much these days. It was healthy and so refreshing to see. Also refreshing was her gender fluid room mate, and her enigmatic, not interested in pleasing people for the sake of making them feel comfortable, high school friend X. Oh, did I mention there was an intriguing Scotsman? And a brooding yet good looking cop? It's the base for any cosy mystery recipe really.
It was also delightful to get an Australian setting in the genre, it's so nice to not be in LA or NYC or London for a change. And from my visits to Hobart previously Livia Day really gets that balance of place, plot, and pacing right. The writing had just the right note of humour in it too (which I promise you don't need to be Australian to get!).
The ending I really did not see coming, it was much creepier than I anticipated yet fit in so well with the ground work and red herrings laid by the author.
If you're into cosy mysteries, I highly recommend this fun, light-hearted novel full of cake and other delicious baked goods.
Mind you it seem inevitable that the daughter of an ex-police chief would manage to get drawn into the investigation of a dead musician in an apartment three floors above her cafe. Even if she does try overly hard to attract a clientele of non-police to even out the boys and gals in blue scaring other customers away.
Tabitha was a fabulous character, I loved her obsession with her profession (God this book made me hungry!), the way she always happened to be in the right place for the right confession, her bold fashion sense, and she let herself have fun being attracted to different men rather than falling into that 'agonizing over a love triangle' trope you see so much these days. It was healthy and so refreshing to see. Also refreshing was her gender fluid room mate, and her enigmatic, not interested in pleasing people for the sake of making them feel comfortable, high school friend X. Oh, did I mention there was an intriguing Scotsman? And a brooding yet good looking cop? It's the base for any cosy mystery recipe really.
It was also delightful to get an Australian setting in the genre, it's so nice to not be in LA or NYC or London for a change. And from my visits to Hobart previously Livia Day really gets that balance of place, plot, and pacing right. The writing had just the right note of humour in it too (which I promise you don't need to be Australian to get!).
The ending I really did not see coming, it was much creepier than I anticipated yet fit in so well with the ground work and red herrings laid by the author.
If you're into cosy mysteries, I highly recommend this fun, light-hearted novel full of cake and other delicious baked goods.
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