Final Sentence

Cookbook Nook Mystery #1

by Daryl Wood Gerber

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!
In need of a change, Jenna Hart leaves the high-pressure world of advertising to help her aunt, Vera, open a culinary bookshop and cafe. Back with her family in Crystal Cove, California, Jenna seems to have all the right ingredients for a fresh start—until someone adds a dash of murder.

As a marketing expert, Jenna wants to make sure the grand opening of the Cookbook Nook draws a crowd, and no one is better at getting attention than her old college roommate, celebrity chef Desiree Divine. But when Desiree arrives in quiet Crystal Cove to do a cookbook signing, the diva stirs up more trouble than business...especially when she turns up dead.

Known for stealing husbands and burning bridges, Desiree left behind plenty of suspects—including Jenna. Though the celebrity's life always appeared to be an open book, Jenna will have to read between the lines in order to clear her name, and catch a killer before another body is served cold. Includes recipes!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Books About Books, Food, Cooking

Audible Audio

First published July 2, 2013

About the author

Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author Daryl Wood Gerber writes the Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Literary Dining Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries, Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she pens the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries.

In addition, Daryl also writes suspense including the stand-alone novel, ACCIDENTAL MURDER, THE SON'S SECRET, the Aspen Adams novels of suspense, and two more stand-alone titles, DAY OF SECRETS and GIRL ON THE RUN.

She has recently delved into the realm of romance with her first Christmas romance, HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS and plans another in the near future.

Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, and she has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line!

click here to view Daryl’s website

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given I recently caught up on a few of Daryl Wood Gerber's other book series, and I enjoy her work a lot, I began reading the first in her Cookbook Nook Mysteries, Final Sentence, this week. Cozy mysteries comprise about a third of my regular reading, and when I connect with an author's style, I find myself eager to devour all their books. I am excited to share that this new one was a hit. Like all first in series, it has a lot more information to absorb that normal, and it takes a while to settle into the background of the setting. Starting from scratch always keeps me on my toes, as I don't want to skim or speedread, potentially missing important details.

In Final Sentence, Jenna has returned to her California hometown after her husband's and mother's deaths. Thought it's been two years, her aunt suggested the return, which included co-owning and managing a new cookbook store that offers everything from cooking demonstrations to baking lessons and delectable meals to fun book signings. Her somewhat wacky aunt owns a mini-mall of sorts, and her father can be a bit judgmental. Toss in two best friends and a whole new crop of townspeople she'd never met since she left town years ago, Jenna has her hands full. Then her college bestie, a famous chef and tv star, descends upon the town... and within days, she's bludgeoned to death on the beach.

The mystery is very strong. From the beginning, we have at least four potential suspects in the woman's entourage, including a younger sister with a chip on her shoulder. There's a rumor that she stole recipes too, so a few other people with connections to Jenna's hometown surface, adding sharp red herrings and blistery personality shake-ups. Then there's the Chief of Police, who is the daughter of Jenna's aunt's pseudo-enemy. As we learn the backstory, we see why the loon has it out for Jenna's family... and unfortunately, she does a lot to make poor Jenna look guilty of her friend's murder. When it all came together, I saw great potential in the series and I plan to read the rest this year until I'm current.

In a few instances, I felt some scene disconnects and a bit of jumping to conclusions in terms of connecting the dots on someone's guilt or potential clues. This has to happen in mysteries in order to further the story along... but there were a couple too many for me. All very minor... and it tends to happen in a first in series. I also think there's always something we can do differently or better in a book, so this is simply commentary on my preference, not a ding to the book or the author. It might even be a personality quirk of the protagonist that's intended. All that said, the other thing I'd note of interest is that Cinnamon, the Chief of Police, has a lot in common (personality-wise) with the Deputy Sheriff (Kanesha) in Miranda James's Cat in the Stacks series... so if you are a fan of those books, you might like these a lot too!

[Vicky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me begin by saying I read. A lot.

Chapter one had me hooked but then chapter two comes along with a jumble of characters and incidents that results in the 3rd chapter having Jenna in a haphazard rush, run and exhibiting totally rude behavior. The author fails to explain how "everyone else" knows that Jenna's husband was having an affair with Desiree. the author just puts things out there and the reader is supposed to swallow the illogical chain she is trying to devise. Random people showing up in random places.

Conversations between the characters are unrealistic. Timing is way off. Author is trying to make things happen with no solid ground to base those happenings on. The plot does not flow in any logical fashion.

the author puts random things out there without explanation i.e.: why would Jenna's father, "being the stand-up guy he is", offer financial support to another woman?

If the advertising genius is Jenna - who apparently can't cook but owns a cookbook store (logical huh?) - how can she market a cookbook store? How? Because it is Katie, her chef, with all the ideas.

Then having the author toot her own horn by referring to other novels she has written under a pseudonym is repulsive.

Things are assumed to the max in this novel. The author obviously creating character descriptions because so many just happen to look like someone famous i.e.: Jenna's father is Cary and looks like Cary Grant, and Rhett looks like Rhett Butler of GWTW.

Recipe stealing is a pure motive in Jenna's mind despite the fact that Desiree's is different that Tito's.

Jenna has no control over her business such that she doesn't even know what her own chef is serving, let alone her abilities.

I read enough of the book to the point that I have to trash it. So many ridiculous events and comments and childish behavior turns off readers.

By the way, a cookbook store - yeah, just not going to be that busy. Borders, Walden, even some Barnes and Nobles closed due to lack of business so a small town bookstore that has mostly cookbooks? It is just not going to be the bustling haven the author alleges.

No more of this series for me.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first entry in the series. I liked the characters and enjoyed the seaside town setting. The mystery was good and definitely kept me guessing. Recipes are included at the end, I always like that. #readforkimberly

[Melodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. I've read a couple of Ms. Gerber's Cheese Shop books written as Avery Aames and just can't tolerate them. They're very well written, but the extreme cheese talk just turns my stomach due to my cheese aversion. While this book didn't have that, it had some annoying problems. Let's see, Jenna owns a cookbook shop, but she can't cook? Why does this strike me as weird? Her dad looks like Cary Grant and his name is Cary? The love interest looks like Rhett Butler and his name is....wait for it.....RHETT! Seriously? How did EVERYONE know the rumor that Desiree had an affair with Jenna's husband?? Did Sabrina call a town meeting and say, "Oh, BTW, my sister was schtupping Jenna's husband??" Pepper had to be one of the most hateful, over-the-top characters I've read in awhile and someone should have shot her just to do the world a favor. And if Jenna's dad wasn't Cinnamon's dad why in the WORLD would he have offered them financial support when the person who was supposed to be Cinnamon's dad split? And lastly, and more of a nitpick than anything, Aunt Vera's habit of saying "too-ra-loo" just put my teeth on edge. The best parts of the book were the cookbook & foodie mystery talk. Maybe I was in a bad frame of mind while reading this and if my mind-set had been different the things that annoyed me wouldn't have bothered me so much. I will probably try the next one in the series......maybe. I would really like to like something Ms. Gerber (Aames) writes because she seems like such a nice, personable lady. I guess we'll see.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️… This is the first in the series. There were many annoyances for me, but I did like some of it. The aunt and the mother of the chief of police was just too much for me. I don’t wanna say much more other than I thought it would be more magical.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Sentence by Daryl Wood Gerber is a good start to this cozy series. I enjoyed meeting these new characters. The mystery was well crafted with twists and suspects to keep me guessing.

[Ell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the Cookbook Nook series. I read it out of order, starting with book 3, Stirring the Plot (my favorite) because it was fall and it had an awesome fall theme. I then read book 2 (Inherit the Word) and enjoyed it as well. When I came across the first in the series, Final Sentence, I of course had to purchase it. Jenna’s old college roommate, Desiree, is a well-known chef who comes to Crystal Cove for a book signing. Soon enough, Desiree’s death certificate is signed as well. The mystery is well plotted, but the constant mentioning of cookbook titles and descriptions made Final Sentence a bit dry at times for me. Nonetheless, this is a great series.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final Sentence by Daryl Wood Gerber is the first book in A Cookbook Nook Mystery series. It introduces us to Jenna Hart who moves back to Crystal Cove to help her aunt manage a cookbook shop and cafe after the death of her husband. Unfortunately the opening in marred when Jenna finds the body of her friend and celebrity chef, Desiree Divine, murdered on the beach and quickly becomes the prime suspect, forcing her to investigate the crime. I enjoyed the mystery although the characters were a bit strange and some annoying. The references to cookbooks and cooking programs and chefs were not known to me living in Australia and were distracting. I will probably continue reading the series to see if it improves as the characters develop. Recipes are included.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it's a case of wrong place, wrong time, but this book really rubbed me the wrong way. From a entrepreneurial heroine who doesn't ever seem to do much work, an amateur sleuth whose modus operandi is dashing up to people and accusing them of crimes, to a style that's speckled with grammatical errors, I just could not find myself liking this at all. Next time, I stop reading sooner if it seems unbearable. If you really must know, widowed Jenna goes into business with her psychic aunt opening a cookbook store, only to have her college roommate, now a celebrity chef who's come to the store opening, murdered. An embittered storekeeper constantly accuses Jenna of murder and other crimes; oops, her daughter is chief-of-police. What can Jenna do? Well, she can always find the real killer and clear herself that way.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good cozy, had a good plot and interesting mystery that had me guessing to the very end. But as far as character development even Jenna the main character isn't really developed much at all. We know she's widowed and returned home but really learn hardly nothing about her personality, hopes and dreams then she has a new shop to run. I'll probably read more books in the series but I'm not in a rush to binge read them.

[Kirsti · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable start, but I felt like that was the thing that was forgotten in this book; that it was the start. It felt like there were too many characters, too many clues, too much lying, too much questioning. Then it finally all comes out and the mystery wasn't as good as I'd hoped. Still though, there were enjoyable parts, and I do sympathize with Jenna's lack of cooking ability. I couldn't even make the 'simple' recipes she tries- I'm a defrost and reheat kind of girl.

The first in the series- I might have to look into reading more of them. Three stars.

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cozy mystery with many references that were thankfully if carefully spelled out for us. Musical references, and books, and history and lots more. The regrettable thing about this cozy is that interest was in short supply regarding the heroine's mind, past and present. We do know that she was widowed, but we rarely get to know more about her and the love of her life. I can't zoom on what can make a book interesting in its earlier chapters, but whatever it is, the beginning of Final Sentence didn't own it in abundance.

Now the last third of the book is where the author got inspired. The interrogation passages were very well written and they were prolonged to just the right length and the right amount of detail. I loved the fact that the Rhett character gets to have an impromptu picnic with Jenna and we come to imagine he is the culprit. I thought, like Jenna herself did, that the latter was paranoid. Like I said the earlier chapters were dull so interest had to be drummed up. However the hard hitting death of the victim painfully inspired her living sister to quote that she can start over again, get a new boyfriend. But her sister can't. She's dead. Altogether it's a book with a slow start and a satisfying last third and a pathos laden end.

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. What a great start to this new series. We get to meet Jenna as she moves back home and opens a cookbook store with her Aunt. They are gearing up for the grand opening so Jenna invites an old friend who just happens to be famous cookbook author to host a signing to draw in more people. Things are stressed when she arrives thanks to her behavior and it just gets worse when she is found dead with Jenna as one of the prime suspects. Well of course she has to clear her name and it was quite fun to follow her along on her adventures as she tires to discover the truth of what really happened. This author has a smooth writing style that will really suck you into the story until you find yourself unable to put it down until you know who did it. I highly recommend it to fans of culinary cozy mysteries and give it 4/5 stars since I enjoyed it so much.

[Nicky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish this book. I gave it the college try, but there was no flow and the dialogue was horrible. The Aunt has to be the most annoying character I've ever read. I normally try to plug through a book, but I just couldn't do it.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed the first half of this book. It was a quick, easy read with a nice light tone, and good characterization. I had read this author before under another name and wasn't impressed so I was happy that this book seemed a better match for me. But, some niggles from the first half and problems in the second half brought down my enjoyment of the book and in the end it was a struggle to finish.

There were some improbabilities - the supposed similarities between Jenna's father and actor Cary Grant; the intense hatred Pepper, a store owner and the police chief's mother, has for Jenna and her family; very convenient timing several times during the book; the conflict between Jenna and her father, honestly I thought it was a joke at first. Grief changes people and they do hurtful things to each other but I just couldn't buy it. Also, Jenna was remarkably unencumbered by her responsibilities as store owner; she has little to actually do with it except when it suits the story. The dialogue was occasionally stilted and some of the characters, such as Jenna's father and her aunt Vera, needed better fleshing out.

I did like the setting and Gerber's use of it, it was almost another character. I really liked the portrayal, for the most part, of Jenna's amateur investigation into the murder when she is the prime suspect. It felt like a realistic portrait of what the average person with no police or legal experience might do if they undertook an investigation. There were some unlikely coincidences but overall it was more realistic in that regard than most cozy mysteries. We see very little of the police investigation and Jenna feels utterly left out; which as a suspect, she would be. The chief is not one to conveniently share info, but neither does she she have an active dislike for our heroine, as you often see in cozies.

Still, the second half of the book dragged, the improbabilities piled up, and I rapidly lost interest. Gerber does give us lots of red herrings and false clues, but by the end I just didn't care anymore.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Sentence is the first book in the A Cookbook Nook Mystery series. Gerber also writes The Cheese Shop Mystery series as Avery Aames.

Jenna Hart has returned home to Crystal Cove to manage the Cookbook Nook for her Aunt Vera. There is also a quaint little café in the store.

To get started off right, Jenna has her college roommate and TV chef, Desiree Divine lined up for the grand opening. On the evening before, as Jenna is walking along the beach she finds what she believe to be a sand sculpture of a mermaid. It is fact turns out to be the lifeless body of Desiree. When a trowel that been in a display at the Book Nook is found close to the body, Jenna becomes a person of interest. Add to this, Pepper, the police chief's mother, is doing everything in her power to put the blame directly on Jenna. But it is soon learned that there are others that would like to see Desiree out of the picture and Jenna needs to find who that might be before she is railroaded into being the guilty party.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Jenna is having to deal with the loss of her husband and Aunt Vera wants to see Jenna get her life going and at the same time provide a successful business and a fun place to be. Police Chief Cinnamon Pritchett seems to be "good cop/bad cop" rolled up into one and am looking forward to reading more about her. Jenna's father, Cary, is retired FBI analyst, who doesn't want Jenna involved in the investigation, but at the same time wants her to be involved. And a possible romantic interest in Rhett Jackson who owns the Bait and Switch Bait Shop and who Jenna begins to learn is more that a handsome face. Hoo-boy, how could I forget Katie, the talented chef for the café.

I really enjoyed this new series and look forward to learning more about all the interesting characters. A great story and well told.

Recipes included and cookbooks mentioned through out the book.

Looking forward to the next book.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to start a new series with funny characters, a lovely new cookbook shop and a very famous celebrity chef.

Jenna has lost her husband in a tragic boating accident and decides she needs a fresh start. She finds herself at her hometown where she feels content with family and friends around her. The story focuses on Jenna and her aunt opening a cookbook shop. The author does a superb job of using real cookbooks in her story which helps readers connect to the storyline. After reading the vivid description of the new shop, it seemed to be a very inviting place to shop and get to know the locals of the town. For their grand opening, Jenna has lined up a very famous celebrity chef from the Food Network to make a grand appearance at the opening.

Desiree , the celebrity chef has it all. She is gorgeous, a fabulous chef and fame that others envy. The town is all abuzz about her appearance . But alas, there seems to be an untimely muder about to take place. Who will be the victim? Why do certain people point accusing fingers at Jenna as the suspect? The character development is good and introduces readers to a quirky assortment of townspeople who will have you intrigued.

The author's choice to have the setting in a small town is a welcome treat . She describes the town and the people much like those from Mayberry. It gives the reader a sense of peace and tranquility. If you are looking for a light hearted book with fun characters, gossipy noisy townspeople and a great murder mystery, this book is for you. I loved the banter between the characters and the drama surrounding who really committed the unthinkable crime. At the end of the book , the author has graciously included recipes and a snipet of her next book in the series, "Inherit the Word." I look forward to reading more cozy mysteries from this author.

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sorry to say that this book was a disappointment although the premise is a good one for a cozy. Jenna Hart, a young widow still in mourning for her husband who drowned, comes back to her home town to open a Cookbook shop and café with her aunt. She has left her former life as a prize winning advertising executive, and after two years of mourning the loss of her young husband, she wants to start over. Her old college friend, a cookbook diva, and a star on a foodie show, comes to town for the grand opening of the shop and is murdered. Her body is buried under a sand sculpture on the beach, and suspicion falls on Jenna because there was gossip that Desiree had an affair with Jenna's late husband.

Unfortunately, the good premise never really gets off the ground because of poor writing; the dialog is very stilted and the character descriptions lack depth. I found it a struggle to finish this book. Half way through it, I ceased to care about the murdered Desiree, or even whether her murderer is ever brought to justice.

However, there are a couple of nice things about the book, one is the descriptions of the many cookbooks that Jenna carries in the shop, some new, some vintage, and some collector's items. The other is the description of the shop and café, it sounds so warm and charming. I wish that the author could have given her characters the depth and charm that she gave to the shop and café.

I try to give new mystery series a second chance, so I'll read the next book in the hopes that there is improvement in the second book.

.

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars after reading this first instalment of a new series, so we'll go with 3.5. The beginning started off clunky for me - I really struggled the first few chapters to figure out the characters' voices and as a result, the dialogue really didn't flow at all. And the first half of the book was overly peppered (ha! cooking reference!) with specific examples of how Jenna was an ace marketing executive in her previous career. These stuck out and felt horribly awkward to me and were quite a turn-off. But about half to 2/3 of the way through the book, the story found it's groove, the dialogue started flowing better, the awkward horn-blowing stopped and I found myself really interested in the book. I'm withholding judgement on the characters until the next book, as their personalities didn't feel established. The two exceptions being Rhett and Tigger - both charmers from the get-go! Oh, and someone needed to drown Pepper before the book even started.

The plot of the murder mystery was well done: some symbolism, a few red-herrings, lots of suspects. I wasn't able to guess the murderer until the author wanted me to - right along with Jenna.

I'll also say that I found there to be too much internal dialogue, but I think that's just my personal cross to bear since I think just about every book has too much internal dialogue. :)

I'll be looking for the next book to see where things go from here.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daryl Wood Gerber's Final Sentence is a cozy with recipes included. There is a kitten on the cover, but this is not a cat mystery. Jenna Hart has returned home as a young widow with a recently deceased mother. Her aunt wants to help her restart her life by running a cook book bookstore. Her father is there to help too. Interesting family dynamics and lots of information about using cooking as a starting point for developing and managing a new business. Opening day comes with an unpleasant surprise- Jenna's close friend and celebrity chef Desiree Divine, there for the event, is murdered. The gruesome and sensational crime involves strangulation, a mermaid sculpture, and a piercing with a large fishhook. Jenna immediately becomes a suspect. But she is not alone. There are at least half a dozen others, each with unique ties to the victim. The police chief is an old friend whose mother hates Jenna. The book is a little heavy on friends and family issues. Everybody has an alibi, and most of them are lies. The motive remains a mystery for most of the book. Jenna is likeable, but is having a hard time dealing with the situation. Her father is goodhearted, but overly involved in family history. Her aunt's strength seems to rely too much on the belief that things will work out. Enjoy the recipes and have your own cat handy while you read it; otherwise you might find yourself wanting to eat too many cookies.

[Wulfwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but there were things that bothered me. I would actually rate this a 3.5 because of them. I didn't really understand the how and why of some scenes. I don't want to give away anything but there were 2 things that happened that needed better explanations. One involved Jenna's husband and the other her dad. Little by little I did understand it more but I think it started too vague.
I enjoy cooking and love cookbooks. This book has a lot of references to them. That was fun for me. I enjoyed trying to match mine with those mentioned. I thought it was funny that Jenna really has no idea about cooking. It just goes to show that partners in a business may have different roles and experience to offer in making a business successful. If you are the type of reader who wants their story absolutely grounded in reality, this might not be the best fit. I suspended reality and just enjoyed the story. I can't say if I really like Jenna or not. I think she needs a bit more development. However I love Aunt Vera who I thought was fun. I am looking forward to seeing this series develop. I liked the concept of the cookbook shop and the culinary classes. I enjoyed the references to the entertainment industry. That was fun to see. I had an enjoyable night with it.
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway on Facebook. A review was not required or requested.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got the first one in the series. I do so like starting at the beginning of a series. This one is combining cooking, a bookstore, and a bit of mysticism in it's stories. They fit together we'll. Also a kitten enters in to top everything off. Jenna is good at going around asking questions and stirring things up. I'm looking forward to the next one!

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna Hart lost her husband a year ago. She needs to start living again so she's opening a culinary book shop and café. Crystal Cove is the perfect place since her family lives here. For her grand opening she asks her old college roommate to appear. Desiree Divine is a celebrity chef. Things don't go as planned when Desiree is murdered and the police think Jenna did it. This is not the way to begin again. Jenna is a interesting character. She's smart and determined to find who killed her friend. Who knew that being a marketing expert would help her track down a killer? Her Aunt Vera is a great help with her psychic abilities. This character appealed to me. I liked that she lived life on her terms and didn't worry what others thought. Daryl Wood Gerber wrote characters that are unforgettable. I either liked them or wanted to kick them in the shins. It was so easy to be pulled into this cozy mystery. There are plenty of suspects who had reason to want Desiree dead. This is a well told story that had plenty of surprising twists. I was left guessing until the very end. Daryl Wood Gerber gave us a tale that was exhilarating and exciting. This is a great start to her new series. I can't wait to see what happens next in this small California town.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Final Sentence" is a great cozy mystery for those who love Avery Aames, Cleo Coyle, Krista Davis, Laura Childs and other writers of this genre. I fell in love with Avery Aames' Cheese Shop mysteries and am delighted that she has chosen to write a new series, focused on the proprietors of a cook book shop in a cozy coastal California town near San Francisco, under Daryl Wood Gerber!

In "Final Sentence" Wood Gerber takes us to the town of Crystal Cove, the hometown of Jenna Hart. After losing her husband in a tragic boating accident, Jenna comes home to help her aunt Vera launch a cooking book shop in the town's scenic shopping district. Before the opening day, her best friend from college, and a famous television cooking personality, Desiree Devine, is brutally murdered. The town's chief gossip, Pepper Pritchett has it in for Jenna due something that happened years ago, and Jenna gets the feeling that she is being pegged for the murder. In an effort to vindicate herself, she starts looking into suspects and finds plenty to choose from.

This zany cozy mystery is very entertaining, and I can't wait for the next one!

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINAL SENTENCE is the first book in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. It is also the first book I’ve read by Daryl Wood Gerber and it won’t be the last! (I did read the next book in the series – INHERIT THE WORD – you can find that review on the book’s page.)

I knew from page one that I was going to enjoy this book because I instantly fell in love with protagonist Jenna Hart and her Aunt Vera. I loved the surroundings of The Cookbook Nook, Jenna and Vera’s store, and the attached café. I could envision myself spending many hours lost there, just as I became wonderfully lost in the book. Indeed, I enjoyed my visit to Crystal Cove so much that I was disappointed when I closed the book and found myself back in my own town.

The mystery of who killed celebrity chef Desiree Divine was well written and I was left with plenty of suspects to throw me off the trail of the real killer. And no, I didn’t guess who did it.

If you like mysteries with cozy settings, memorable characters, and surprise endings, this is a must have book for you. And you’ll also be delighted with the fantastic recipes included. I sure was!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a bit disappointed in this book. I love the author's cheese shop series so I know her writing style could have been so much better. Scenes and dialogue were quite choppy. I also had a tough time getting behind the main character. How can you own a cookbook shop and not know anything about cooking?!? I was turned off by her obsessive paranoia. The accusatory Pepper was rather rude and annoying throughout the book as well. I did like Rhett, the love interest. He seemed to have a true connection with Jenna. Although I could have done without the guys being described exactly like their celebrity names. Rhett looked and acted just like Rhett Butler and Jenna's dad, Cary was a dead ringer for Cary Grant. Real original there! The mystery was okay and somehow kept me stumped until the end. However, once the culprit was unmasked it was rather anticlimactic. I did enjoy all of the foodie talk. I use to watch many cooking shows and recognized the majority of the cookbooks and chefs mentioned throughout the book.

[Carly Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Jenna. Her husband dies in a boating accident in San Francisco, and two years later she needs to get away, so she moves back to her hometown to start a cookbook shop with her aunt. Jenna’s college roommate has become a huge celebrity chef on the Food Network, and agrees to come into town for an appearance. However, before superstar Desiree can sign anything, she shows up dead on the beach. Jenna is named a prime suspect, and needs to clear her name and get to the bottom of the murder.
As someone just getting into cooking, I highly enjoyed this book. Gerber uses real cookbooks as examples, which was very helpful, and includes recipes in the back of the book. I also loved the references to her other cheese shop mystery series, and Jenn McKinlay’s cupcake shop murder series. The mystery kept me intrigued, and I honestly had no idea who the killer was. I enjoy a good amount of suspense, and this book lived up to that. This book made me want to get up and cook, and I highly recommend it.

I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest and fair review.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna Hart has returned home to Crystal Cove, California to help her aunt open a new cookbook bookstore. But their big guest for the grand opening - Food Network Star and Jenna's college roommate Desiree - is murdered before the store even opens. With local gossip making Jenna a suspect, can she prove her innocence?

This has many of the traits of a first in a series, but it is filled with warm characters and a sense of fun I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to many return trips. I did have a few niggles with the book - one weak character and a couple of timing issues - but they were minor overall.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jenna moves back to her hometown a couple years after her husband was lost at sea. She goes into business with her aunt, opening a cookbook store/café even though she can't cook. Not that it seems to matter as she is rarely at the business.

When she is accused of the murder by a neighboring business owner who is over the top with her contempt, Jenna decides to investigate to clear herself even though her exCIA father warns her not to. Her form of investigation seems to be to talk to a suspect and then accuse whomever that suspect pointed her at. Seriously, the police chief had to get sick of her calls accusing everyone.

There is a romance, but it sort of came from no where and I would have liked some more build up.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

HAHAHA the author references her other series (written under a pseudonym) as some of the heroine's favorite books in her bookshop! HAHAHAHA! Cozy mysteries, you never cease to amaze me with your antics.

Fun setting, ridiculous dialogue and character reactions, requisite tangential animal on the cover. Give me more!