What do you think?
Rate this book
A Culinary Mystery #11
Fortune Cookie
Sadie Hoffmiller has always liked things to be just so. A place for everything and everything in its place. Order over chaos. And of all things Sadie should be able to control, her own wedding is at the top of the list. With the big day just three weeks away, Sadie is busily adding the perfect final touches to her wedding plans.
But the arrival of a mysterious letter that bears a San Francisco postmark and no return address could change everything. The only person Sadie knows in San Francisco is her older sister, Wendy, whom she hasn't seen or heard from since their mother's funeral nearly fifteen years ago. Sadie has faced off with murderers and crooks in recent years, yet the potential of her sister reentering her life is both overwhelming and frightening. But, as Sadie soon discovers, the letter is just the beginning. Wendy's world turns out to be a place of unanswered questions, twisted truths, and more than one motive for murder.
Includes eight new mouth-watering recipes, tested and approved by the official bakers of Sadie's Virtual Test Kitchen.
But the arrival of a mysterious letter that bears a San Francisco postmark and no return address could change everything. The only person Sadie knows in San Francisco is her older sister, Wendy, whom she hasn't seen or heard from since their mother's funeral nearly fifteen years ago. Sadie has faced off with murderers and crooks in recent years, yet the potential of her sister reentering her life is both overwhelming and frightening. But, as Sadie soon discovers, the letter is just the beginning. Wendy's world turns out to be a place of unanswered questions, twisted truths, and more than one motive for murder.
Includes eight new mouth-watering recipes, tested and approved by the official bakers of Sadie's Virtual Test Kitchen.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
19 people are currently reading
1172 people want to read
About the author
Josi S. Kilpack
82 books2,053 followers I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child in 1998 and haven't stopped. My most recent books have been Historical Romance through the Proper Romance line with Shadow Mountain Publishing.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
June 3, 2016
It is really nice to see growth in a writer and I really could see it in this 11th of the series. One of her better mysteries as I was perplexed about who had committed the murder. I appreciated the insights into bipolar disorder and Chinese-American culture, as well as the visit to San Francisco. And the book made me hungry for Chinese food, and other yummy goodies for which recipes are supplied. Beyond the mystery, Sadie shows us some of the problems that can occur in a real life romance.
February 17, 2017
Fortune Cookie by Josi S. Kilpack is the 11th book in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series. Three weeks before her wedding, Sadie finds out that her estranged sister has died in suspicious circumstances and she travels to San Francisco to investigate. Another interesting book in the series which is best read in order. I enjoyed reading about Sadie's discovery of family that she was not aware of. Lots of delicious sounding recipes are also included.
May 21, 2014
What a great book! Sadie is getting ready for her wedding when she finds out that her sister Wendy died. Wendy's son, Ji, has requested Sadie's help in clearing out her belongings. Sadie hasn't seen Wendy in fifteen years and has never met her nephew, Ji. Sadie and Pete take off to help clean out her belongings.
Ji isn't very welcoming towards Sadie and she realizes what she's missed out on by not trying harder to find him when he was younger. She finds out that Wendy may have been murdered. Wendy has been living a different life than what Sadie imagined and she doesn't seem to have made many friends, which makes the suspect list pretty lengthy.
Sadie deals with quite a bit in this book. She's trying to learn more about her sister and the kind of woman she turned out to be. She's also trying to start a relationship with Ji and help him with his family issues. Then, Pete is dealing with letting go of his past. His home that he shared with his late wife has a potential buyer and they took trips to San Francisco so he's working through his memories.
There are some great characters and their relationships are realistic and complicated. There's a lot of sadness in this book, but it didn't feel depressing. There were a lot of moving parts that came together nicely in the end. Some issues were resolved and hopefully one other one will be in the next, and final, book! We get a sneak peek at the end of this book (the title is, appropriately enough, Wedding Cake.) Sadie's wedding is getting even closer but there are still bumps in the road. I've only read some of the books in this series but if you like a good mystery, this is a great series to check out! And the recipes are a fun bonus, too.
Mel's Shelves
Ji isn't very welcoming towards Sadie and she realizes what she's missed out on by not trying harder to find him when he was younger. She finds out that Wendy may have been murdered. Wendy has been living a different life than what Sadie imagined and she doesn't seem to have made many friends, which makes the suspect list pretty lengthy.
Sadie deals with quite a bit in this book. She's trying to learn more about her sister and the kind of woman she turned out to be. She's also trying to start a relationship with Ji and help him with his family issues. Then, Pete is dealing with letting go of his past. His home that he shared with his late wife has a potential buyer and they took trips to San Francisco so he's working through his memories.
There are some great characters and their relationships are realistic and complicated. There's a lot of sadness in this book, but it didn't feel depressing. There were a lot of moving parts that came together nicely in the end. Some issues were resolved and hopefully one other one will be in the next, and final, book! We get a sneak peek at the end of this book (the title is, appropriately enough, Wedding Cake.) Sadie's wedding is getting even closer but there are still bumps in the road. I've only read some of the books in this series but if you like a good mystery, this is a great series to check out! And the recipes are a fun bonus, too.
Mel's Shelves
April 10, 2014
This is the first of two books in the next week up for review that have a fortune cookie on the front. It sort of puts me in the mood to eat Chinese food. :)
First off, I love the setting of this book in San Francisco. I love that city. There is so much diversity and life pulsing all around you. I love the hills and the houses and the water. Hanging out along the pier is one of my favorite things to do. And if you haven't ever caught a baseball game there- you should.
In this book, Sadie's murder adventure turns more personal as it involves her sister. Given it's a sister she hasn't seen in a very long time, and a sister that has caused a lot of grief and heartache, but it's still hits close to home. This brings up old insecurities and memories that Sadie hasn't thought of or dealt with in a long time.
One of the things I love about this series is that even after so many books, I feel as though I am still discovering layers to Sadie. I'm getting to know her. That's quite a feat in a series this big. Even though I'm always learning more about Sadie, she is still Sadie. Although over the many books, she has matured and learned things too. These books are easy to read. The thought process of the characters just makes sense. The dialogue is natural and easy. These are awesome books to curl up with. They are clean and fun.
As much as I love this series, I am really looking forward to the next book which is also the last, I hear. I'm hoping that Sadie and Pete finally, finally, get their happily ever after. Obviously, it can't be that easy, but I'm hoping it will come. I'm ready for that.
First off, I love the setting of this book in San Francisco. I love that city. There is so much diversity and life pulsing all around you. I love the hills and the houses and the water. Hanging out along the pier is one of my favorite things to do. And if you haven't ever caught a baseball game there- you should.
In this book, Sadie's murder adventure turns more personal as it involves her sister. Given it's a sister she hasn't seen in a very long time, and a sister that has caused a lot of grief and heartache, but it's still hits close to home. This brings up old insecurities and memories that Sadie hasn't thought of or dealt with in a long time.
One of the things I love about this series is that even after so many books, I feel as though I am still discovering layers to Sadie. I'm getting to know her. That's quite a feat in a series this big. Even though I'm always learning more about Sadie, she is still Sadie. Although over the many books, she has matured and learned things too. These books are easy to read. The thought process of the characters just makes sense. The dialogue is natural and easy. These are awesome books to curl up with. They are clean and fun.
As much as I love this series, I am really looking forward to the next book which is also the last, I hear. I'm hoping that Sadie and Pete finally, finally, get their happily ever after. Obviously, it can't be that easy, but I'm hoping it will come. I'm ready for that.
April 7, 2014
This is a continuation of Josi Kilpack's culinary mystery series with Sadie Hoffmiller, and I have to say, I have loved reading this series and will be sorry to see it end. (There's one book left, sniff.)
This book really delved into Sadie's personal life and childhood and yet kept a great pace with the mystery. I really thought I had the killer pegged about halfway through the book, and let's just say Ms. Kilpack has a few surprises up her sleeve. I loved that Sadie has grown so much over the course of this series. She is such a believable character and really resonates with me in her insecurities and how hard she tries to do the right thing.
In this book there are so many memorable characters and the mystery is one of the best yet. The pacing was great, the setting of San Francisco was really well done, and of course, having my favorite characters in the thick of everything felt like I was back among friends. I haven't tried the included recipes, but they all sound yummy. A highly recommended mystery novel that will keep you guessing until nearly the last page!
This book really delved into Sadie's personal life and childhood and yet kept a great pace with the mystery. I really thought I had the killer pegged about halfway through the book, and let's just say Ms. Kilpack has a few surprises up her sleeve. I loved that Sadie has grown so much over the course of this series. She is such a believable character and really resonates with me in her insecurities and how hard she tries to do the right thing.
In this book there are so many memorable characters and the mystery is one of the best yet. The pacing was great, the setting of San Francisco was really well done, and of course, having my favorite characters in the thick of everything felt like I was back among friends. I haven't tried the included recipes, but they all sound yummy. A highly recommended mystery novel that will keep you guessing until nearly the last page!
May 14, 2024
Great book! After Sadie finds out that her estranged sister,Wendy was murdered and burned. Sadie goes immediately to San Francisco to investigate her murder. Pete comes with her and they investigate together. Sadie finds out more about Wendy’s life there, and how everyone couldn’t stand her. So while Sadie’s list of potential murderers grows longer, the more she has to confront the vicious things that Wendy did to her in her past. While she is distracted by her other suspects, she accidentally comes into contact with the real criminals work hard to kill her. She almost dies until Pete comes with firefighters to save her from dying in the same way her sister did!
March 17, 2019
I found this better than most of the series. I liked the family connection, the setting, and the relationship between Sadie and Pete. A good mystery that kept me guessing.
April 5, 2014
When this book came up for review, I had to grab it. Who doesn't love a mystery, and then a mystery involving food. Yes, Please..hehe! I didn't realize this was a series, until I started reading more about it. I don't think I would consider it a true "series" because it can be read as a stand alone. I wasn't lost or confused by anything happening. I was pleasantly surprised by the book and especially about how clean it is for a mystery. It's fantastic. Now, onto my thoughts.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I think that at the beginning it moved a little slow, but it was interesting enough I wanted to know what happened. When Sadie and Pete travel to San Francisco to go through the boxes that were Saides estranged sisters life the book got really interesting. I love mystery books. I love trying to figure out who the bad guy is before it is revealed. I cannot say I did that in this one. Which, means (to me) that the author did a great job of hiding the "criminals". It was fantastic.
When Sadies sister Wendy ends up dead things are a little sketchy. I thought the story between Sadie and her sister was so sad. Wendy was messed up. Really messed up. Sadie was the sister with her head on her shoulders. When Sadie is forced to go through Wendy's things at the request of Wendy's son Ji, the story really begins to come to life.
There are a lot of twits and turns in this book, which made it exciting for me to read. We learn that Ji suffered horribly at the hands of his neglectful mother. He was a little bitter when Sadie showed up, and I don't blame him. His life had sucked living with an emotionally unstable mother for way too long. He was bitter at the fact that Sadie and his grandparents didn't do more to help him. It really turns out to be a fascinating story. When it all comes together I was like "how did I not see that coming"? Having said that I don't think I would have seen the ending. It still is surprising to me. Which is awesome.
Sadie and Pete have such a sweet, complicated relationship. Pete is such a great character. You cannot help but love him, and feel sorry for him. Sadie is also a great character. She is a strong, complicated woman. She is torn between finding the truth behind her sisters death, and dealing with the feelings Pete is having for his dead wife.
This is a great mystery/love story. If you like that kind of thing, pick this book up, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did. The book has a few recipes in it and I think I am going to have to try. Although I think they are over my head..hehehe. I am not a good cook, but the things they had in the book made my tummy growl a few times just thinking about them. A book, and food. What an awesome combination.
In San Francisco we are introduced to more characters, and each one comes with a story. I love how it all comes together. I love it when there are a lot of characters in a book and the process of connecting them becomes just as interesting as the story. Or, when the connections come to light and you have that "AH HA" moment. I love that. This was such a fun read.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I think that at the beginning it moved a little slow, but it was interesting enough I wanted to know what happened. When Sadie and Pete travel to San Francisco to go through the boxes that were Saides estranged sisters life the book got really interesting. I love mystery books. I love trying to figure out who the bad guy is before it is revealed. I cannot say I did that in this one. Which, means (to me) that the author did a great job of hiding the "criminals". It was fantastic.
When Sadies sister Wendy ends up dead things are a little sketchy. I thought the story between Sadie and her sister was so sad. Wendy was messed up. Really messed up. Sadie was the sister with her head on her shoulders. When Sadie is forced to go through Wendy's things at the request of Wendy's son Ji, the story really begins to come to life.
There are a lot of twits and turns in this book, which made it exciting for me to read. We learn that Ji suffered horribly at the hands of his neglectful mother. He was a little bitter when Sadie showed up, and I don't blame him. His life had sucked living with an emotionally unstable mother for way too long. He was bitter at the fact that Sadie and his grandparents didn't do more to help him. It really turns out to be a fascinating story. When it all comes together I was like "how did I not see that coming"? Having said that I don't think I would have seen the ending. It still is surprising to me. Which is awesome.
Sadie and Pete have such a sweet, complicated relationship. Pete is such a great character. You cannot help but love him, and feel sorry for him. Sadie is also a great character. She is a strong, complicated woman. She is torn between finding the truth behind her sisters death, and dealing with the feelings Pete is having for his dead wife.
This is a great mystery/love story. If you like that kind of thing, pick this book up, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did. The book has a few recipes in it and I think I am going to have to try. Although I think they are over my head..hehehe. I am not a good cook, but the things they had in the book made my tummy growl a few times just thinking about them. A book, and food. What an awesome combination.
In San Francisco we are introduced to more characters, and each one comes with a story. I love how it all comes together. I love it when there are a lot of characters in a book and the process of connecting them becomes just as interesting as the story. Or, when the connections come to light and you have that "AH HA" moment. I love that. This was such a fun read.
April 14, 2014
Josi Kilpack has written another wonderful book in the Culinary Mystery Series. It astounds me how cleverly this book is written. She is able to take several characters and situations and unexpectedly tie them all together into a story that is credible and feels realistic.
This is not the first book featuring Sadie Hoffmiller. She is a fun character. She is full of spunk and carries a natural curiosity that tends to get her in trouble. Her fiance, Pete, is a grounding force for her. They are a great team, but in this story the past comes to the front of their minds as deceased spouses cause some friction weeks before their wedding.
The majority of the story takes place in China Town, San Francisco. I loved reading about the Chinese Culture in modern America. Sadie learns that she has a nephew who is half Chinese. Her sister dies under suspicious circumstances and Sadie goes to take care of her sisters belongings and try to make a connection with her nephew. This is not an easy task, Sadie's sister was not a nice lady and her son paid the price and carries emotional scars. Sadie carries an emotional burden, her sister walked out of her life when she was young and she hadn't reached out to her nephew. It's a tough relationship to read about and you can't help feel compassion for everyone involved.
There are several characters who had a motive and means to kill Sadie's sister, Wendy. As I stated above, she wasn't nice or lovable. It could be said that she went out of her way to push people away.
It is very interesting to read Sadie's efforts to learn more about her sister and why she died the way she did. I found myself thinking several times that I had it all figured out, then the next chapter more was revealed that had me second guessing what I thought to be the resolution.
If you love clean mystery and like trying new recipes, this is a great book to pick up. You don't need to start at book one, each story has it's own plot line. It's easy to pick up on family and friend relations in the book, Josi Kilpack does a wonderful job at seamlessly bringing them into the book and letting you know where they fit in.
This is not the first book featuring Sadie Hoffmiller. She is a fun character. She is full of spunk and carries a natural curiosity that tends to get her in trouble. Her fiance, Pete, is a grounding force for her. They are a great team, but in this story the past comes to the front of their minds as deceased spouses cause some friction weeks before their wedding.
The majority of the story takes place in China Town, San Francisco. I loved reading about the Chinese Culture in modern America. Sadie learns that she has a nephew who is half Chinese. Her sister dies under suspicious circumstances and Sadie goes to take care of her sisters belongings and try to make a connection with her nephew. This is not an easy task, Sadie's sister was not a nice lady and her son paid the price and carries emotional scars. Sadie carries an emotional burden, her sister walked out of her life when she was young and she hadn't reached out to her nephew. It's a tough relationship to read about and you can't help feel compassion for everyone involved.
There are several characters who had a motive and means to kill Sadie's sister, Wendy. As I stated above, she wasn't nice or lovable. It could be said that she went out of her way to push people away.
It is very interesting to read Sadie's efforts to learn more about her sister and why she died the way she did. I found myself thinking several times that I had it all figured out, then the next chapter more was revealed that had me second guessing what I thought to be the resolution.
If you love clean mystery and like trying new recipes, this is a great book to pick up. You don't need to start at book one, each story has it's own plot line. It's easy to pick up on family and friend relations in the book, Josi Kilpack does a wonderful job at seamlessly bringing them into the book and letting you know where they fit in.
April 18, 2014
Fortune Cookie is another fabulous addition to the Sadie Hoffmiller culinary mystery books. This one is set in San Francisco and is more personal to Sadie. She is there to pack up her older, estranged sister's apartment. Of course there is a mystery involved around her death. Sadie and Pete, three weeks before their upcoming wedding, go to help and investigate. There are also some struggles between our future newlyweds as old memories surface for them about their former spouses. This made me quite anxious wondering if there would be a wedding.
This series has proven itself to be one of my favorites and Sadie is one of my all-time favorite characters! As I've said before, these books could be stand alone reads, but I strongly recommend reading them in the order they were written. It will be a more satisfying experience. This series has one more book to go, Wedding Cake, and I'll be so sad to see it end. But, as the beauty of books go, you can always go and dive back into the mysteries of Sadie Hoffmiller again and again. Fortune Cookie is right up there with one of my favorites and the ending is a nail-biter that will leave you breathlessly reading until the end!
This series has proven itself to be one of my favorites and Sadie is one of my all-time favorite characters! As I've said before, these books could be stand alone reads, but I strongly recommend reading them in the order they were written. It will be a more satisfying experience. This series has one more book to go, Wedding Cake, and I'll be so sad to see it end. But, as the beauty of books go, you can always go and dive back into the mysteries of Sadie Hoffmiller again and again. Fortune Cookie is right up there with one of my favorites and the ending is a nail-biter that will leave you breathlessly reading until the end!
October 31, 2014
Fortune Cookie takes place in San Francisco. I've only been there once, but I was fascinated with the city--so much diversity and so much to see and do. I loved visualizing where this was all taking place. As mentioned in the book description, Sadie was here because of her sister's death. I love the way Sadie gets characters to open up and the way she tries to worm her way into relationships and situations. She is definitely not as pushy as she was in the beginning and she has a way about her of drawing important information out.
Pete, her fiance, came along. He's one of my favorite characters and really had to deal with some complex emotions while here. He's such a calming influence on Sadie and they balance each other well.
I really felt bad for Ji, Sadie's nephew. His whole situation was very complex and evoked some emotions that were hard to deal with. It was sad, yet the story didn't come off as depressing.
Content: no language; murder and crimes--hey, it's a murder mystery--but no graphic details; mild romance/kissing. I would consider if clean.
Pete, her fiance, came along. He's one of my favorite characters and really had to deal with some complex emotions while here. He's such a calming influence on Sadie and they balance each other well.
I really felt bad for Ji, Sadie's nephew. His whole situation was very complex and evoked some emotions that were hard to deal with. It was sad, yet the story didn't come off as depressing.
Content: no language; murder and crimes--hey, it's a murder mystery--but no graphic details; mild romance/kissing. I would consider if clean.
May 5, 2014
FORTUNE COOKIE gives us a glance into Sadie's past when she receives a letter from her nephew--one she wasn't sure existed. This begins Sadie's desire to find out what happened to her estranged sister, Wendy. Having read all of the Sadie Hoffmiller culinary mysteries, I loved this glimpse into Sadie's past. I also loved how Sadie could see herself in her sister, despite all of the hard times they went through. Pete's character is also given more depth as he travels with Sadie and revisits parts of his past in San Francisco. Also, I just love San Fran. The city, the food, the sites. My favorite part of this series besides having an older heroine that's delightfully quirky, is that the author gives all of the characters strong motivations to be the killer. It's difficult to figure out whodunit in advance, and I love the suspense that creates. FORTUNE COOKIE is another winner in the series, and I'll definitely be sad when it next with the next installment, #12. Maybe I'll just start all over with LEMON TART when that happens.
September 1, 2022
The mystery kept my attention but over all I didn’t enjoy it. I was anxious to finish it to resolve the mystery and to be done reading it. I feel bad saying anything negative about it because there isn’t anything really wrong with the story and I could certainly never write something. But it had too many details that felt forced and it didn’t have a natural flow. I also didn’t love the characters or feel that connected to them.
November 7, 2017
November 2017-
Such a fun book, I loved the setting, San Francisco seems like such an interesting place. Poor Sadie and the crazy stuff she gets caught up in, even though it's mostly her because she's a busy body. :)
March 2014-
though this wasn't my favorite, I still loved it. Sadie is such a fun character and I hate to see the series end. Can't wait for the final book this fall.
Such a fun book, I loved the setting, San Francisco seems like such an interesting place. Poor Sadie and the crazy stuff she gets caught up in, even though it's mostly her because she's a busy body. :)
March 2014-
though this wasn't my favorite, I still loved it. Sadie is such a fun character and I hate to see the series end. Can't wait for the final book this fall.
October 14, 2014
I know is kind like a book record, but wow! Loved it. Only one more Sadie book to go. Loved it. (Wait I said that) Josi is a master. I never knew what was going to happen next. I was guessing up until the last second! Full review coming April 9
September 21, 2016
Another fun mystery in this series.
August 22, 2017
The book was long and too "wordy" in the description.
I could have skipped entire chapters and not missed anything.
I could have skipped entire chapters and not missed anything.
June 22, 2014
I think this is one of the better in this series. Quick read
November 14, 2020
3.5
I think this had one of the best stories / mystery plot lines, but it was rather graphic/gory. I generally avoid psychological thrillers or murder mysteries like this one because they mess with me, but I'm working my way through the Sadie series because I LOVE this author, I love new and yummy recipes and because I do enjoy puzzling out mysteries (though more of the classic nancy drew or sherlock holmes variety). But this one was a bit uncomfortable for me with the violence and twisted history.
*SPOILERS*
The emotional upheaval didn't help. Pete usually balances Sadie out and I appreciate that, but not this time. I was pretty irritated with him most of the time and his explanation at the end was not enough for me. I thought his words early on were thoughtless and insensitive, and his actions later selfish and neglectful. I understand if things caught him off guard and he needed more time - Sadie did too; she was willing to give it to him. My problem was, given the magnitude of what Sadie was there to deal with, his focus and priority should have been Sadie 100% of the time. If you need to take time to work things out when you get back, then you do. But Sadie's loss is a LOT more recent and traumatic, and that is what you are THERE for. Be there for her as a friend at the very least, and don't make things so much harder for her during an already intense, stressful and emotional time. This isn't about you or your feelings Pete, geez.
I also get that his situation was more recent than Sadie's, but they've been dating for years at this point. Admittedly, I have no personal experience in this realm, and I try to have compassion because there isn't a road map for this kind of thing, but Pete seems like an intelligent, responsible, and emotionally aware guy. I would have expected him to sort through his complicated feelings, and all aspects of his life that his wife touched -before- he started dating again, certainly before proposing and DEFINITELY more than three weeks before the wedding. I don't know how he thought listing his home for sale and not having gone through any of his first wife's things in the midst of his wedding to his new wife would be a good idea. How could it not trigger things? How could it not interfere with the new life you are trying to build? Aye yai yai. / Rant over.
Anyway, though this story was a bit too graphic for me and Pete non stop bugged me, the plot line was excellent, layered and so well done. I was impressed with the way Sadie handled herself in the myriad of awkward and sensitive family situations, as well as under duress. What a bummer this series is coming to a close just as Sadie is growing on me. Perhaps a spin off for Shawn?
I think this had one of the best stories / mystery plot lines, but it was rather graphic/gory. I generally avoid psychological thrillers or murder mysteries like this one because they mess with me, but I'm working my way through the Sadie series because I LOVE this author, I love new and yummy recipes and because I do enjoy puzzling out mysteries (though more of the classic nancy drew or sherlock holmes variety). But this one was a bit uncomfortable for me with the violence and twisted history.
*SPOILERS*
The emotional upheaval didn't help. Pete usually balances Sadie out and I appreciate that, but not this time. I was pretty irritated with him most of the time and his explanation at the end was not enough for me. I thought his words early on were thoughtless and insensitive, and his actions later selfish and neglectful. I understand if things caught him off guard and he needed more time - Sadie did too; she was willing to give it to him. My problem was, given the magnitude of what Sadie was there to deal with, his focus and priority should have been Sadie 100% of the time. If you need to take time to work things out when you get back, then you do. But Sadie's loss is a LOT more recent and traumatic, and that is what you are THERE for. Be there for her as a friend at the very least, and don't make things so much harder for her during an already intense, stressful and emotional time. This isn't about you or your feelings Pete, geez.
I also get that his situation was more recent than Sadie's, but they've been dating for years at this point. Admittedly, I have no personal experience in this realm, and I try to have compassion because there isn't a road map for this kind of thing, but Pete seems like an intelligent, responsible, and emotionally aware guy. I would have expected him to sort through his complicated feelings, and all aspects of his life that his wife touched -before- he started dating again, certainly before proposing and DEFINITELY more than three weeks before the wedding. I don't know how he thought listing his home for sale and not having gone through any of his first wife's things in the midst of his wedding to his new wife would be a good idea. How could it not trigger things? How could it not interfere with the new life you are trying to build? Aye yai yai. / Rant over.
Anyway, though this story was a bit too graphic for me and Pete non stop bugged me, the plot line was excellent, layered and so well done. I was impressed with the way Sadie handled herself in the myriad of awkward and sensitive family situations, as well as under duress. What a bummer this series is coming to a close just as Sadie is growing on me. Perhaps a spin off for Shawn?
October 10, 2022
Sadie’s latest story is much more personal this time around. Her estranged sister Wendy, who was mentally ill and of whom Sadie has no fond memories, has been found dead in her San Francisco apartment. Wendy’s adult half-Chinese son, Gi, whom Sadie meets for the first time, also has no kind words for his mother. Furthermore, Gi is resentful that Sadie did not seek him out earlier and rescue him from the hands of an unfit parent. Amid her feelings of guilt, Sadie must try to unravel the mystery of her sister’s death (the coroner’s report was inconclusive, but the body was set afire several weeks post-mortem). If we know Sadie, she will get to the bottom of the conundrum with its characters and their various quirks and ethnicities and try to put the situation right with her nephew as well. Oh, and she has her own wedding to plan and must deal with the fact that being with fiancé Pete in San Francisco is giving him melancholic memories of his late wife. Awkward! Maybe I was just particularly hungry at the moment I was reading Chapter 5 and Sadie’s description of a restaurant meal in Chinatown (I love Chinese food anyway), but the details made me salivate and almost cry. There is also a luscious narrative about Sadie savoring triple chocolate cookies from Ghirardelli Square. But amid the culinary delights is a scary and tangled web of lies and homicide. Sadie is lucky to have survived this one!
September 15, 2018
3.5 rating. I enjoyed reading this - my first Josi Kilpack mystery. I needed a quick read. Sadie was a fun personality to get to know. There were enough plot twists that I hadn't figured out the killer until it was nearly told to the reader. The family aspects of this book were very different from my life so I learned some things. It is sad to glimpse families that are estranged from each other. Just as bad was a marriage without love. As a nearly-to-the-wedding-day engaged woman, Sadie sees and reflects on much in the few days she spends in San Francisco. Despite the negative situations, I thought it was a fun read.
May 6, 2025
DNF 40%. This book did not hold my interest whatsoever, so I just decided it wasn’t worth wasting any more of my time by continuing to the end.
The main character was so bogged down by spewing incessant, unnecessary nonsense (that I think was supposed to be funny/anecdotal/interesting??) the whole book! It was SO dull!!
And the characters felt so old and unrelatable…. I understand they literally are older, but it didn’t resonate for me. I was so bugged by how they were struggling and wouldn’t ever talk about it!
Sorry if this is your jam, but this book seemed a little too niche for a broad audience to enjoy in my opinion.
The main character was so bogged down by spewing incessant, unnecessary nonsense (that I think was supposed to be funny/anecdotal/interesting??) the whole book! It was SO dull!!
And the characters felt so old and unrelatable…. I understand they literally are older, but it didn’t resonate for me. I was so bugged by how they were struggling and wouldn’t ever talk about it!
Sorry if this is your jam, but this book seemed a little too niche for a broad audience to enjoy in my opinion.
September 17, 2020
Sadie goes to San Francisco to help box up her estranged sister's apt, after she was found dead under rather bizarre circumstances. In doing so, Sadie discovers she has a nephew she knew nothing about who hates his mother. As she begins to piece together her sister's life she feels that her sister was murdered and Sadie set about to uncover the truth.
I must say for a 50-something woman she get battered around in all the novels in a way I can only wonder how she recovers
I must say for a 50-something woman she get battered around in all the novels in a way I can only wonder how she recovers
January 30, 2022
This one was pretty good. It dealt some with Pete's grieving process, which seemed realistic to me, but made the book a little heavier than I was looking for right now. My favorite part of this was having Sadie and Pete work together on the investigation. I do wish Kilpack hadn't gone to a life-or-death situation in this one. I guess it helped with the relationship resolution, but I enjoy mysteries that don't involve someone nearly dying.
Overall, though, it was a fun read.
Overall, though, it was a fun read.
January 31, 2024
It was a good one! The conflict with Pete was uncomfy but it was also really cool to see them working through grief and love after loss.
Also really interesting to learn more about Sadie’s childhood and troubled relationship with her sister who we never met. I liked that Sadie was able to have contact with her nephew.
Excited for the grand finale in the next book! (Also sad because I don’t want it to end)
Also really interesting to learn more about Sadie’s childhood and troubled relationship with her sister who we never met. I liked that Sadie was able to have contact with her nephew.
Excited for the grand finale in the next book! (Also sad because I don’t want it to end)
June 7, 2017
Once I got into this book, it didn't turn out too bad. I had looked ahead and saw who had set the body on fire, but was still surprised at the other person who was involved. I really enjoy Chinese food, and thought for sure that Sadie was travelling to China for this story. Now maybe I'll have to check out Chinatown in San Francisco.
June 26, 2017
I had bought this book a while ago, because it was cheap. When I read it I was pleasantly surprised that is was also a very fun "who-done-it" book! I didn't know the guilty party till the very end.
The author did a great job weaving food and recipes into the story.
Also refreshing was that the main character is in her 50's as opposed to the usual 20's.
3.5 stars
The author did a great job weaving food and recipes into the story.
Also refreshing was that the main character is in her 50's as opposed to the usual 20's.
3.5 stars
August 20, 2019
This is the first one of the Culinary Mysteries I have read. It is obvious I need to go back and start from the beginning. However, this was a good story and while I guess correctly on who the guilty party was fairly early in the book, I must admit I was only partially right! I will admit I'm hooked enough to want to read the others. If for no other reason than I really do like the recipes!
November 11, 2020
I have seen these delicious looking books for years but never read one until my mother-in-law had this one at her house. I was impressed with the quality of writing and characters. It was light reading, didn't cause any triggers for me, and I really enjoyed having recipes scattered throughout. I am going to go back and start with number one.
August 17, 2021
Picked this up while waiting for another book that was on hold. I know this may seem like fluff reading, but I am invested in the main character and determined to stay with her until the end (which I think is just one more book). I enjoyed this one more than the last one. It had some unexpected plot twists and dealt with some real emotional issues as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews