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Southern Pasta Shop #1
Murder al Dente
From the bestselling author of The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag series comes a new mystery series of mouthwatering proportions...
Pretty please with spaghetti on top?
Andy Buckland has always dreamed of being a chef. But after a live studio audience is stricken with food poisoning during her debut cooking show, she finds herself blacklisted in the culinary community. The only job open to her is working in her family's southern pasta shop, and, to make matters worse, her first assignment is serving baked ziti to her former lover and his spoiled bride-to-be at their engagement party!
But a broken heart and a bruised ego are the least of Andy's troubles when she discovers a dead body at the party with the words "welcome home" written in flour next to it. Is it a warning? A threat? Or a frame-up job? Andy is determined to find out.
With the help of her over-the-top Italian family, Andy will prove that she has what it takes to not only cook the best dish in town but also catch a killer, too!
**Recipes included!**
Pretty please with spaghetti on top?
Andy Buckland has always dreamed of being a chef. But after a live studio audience is stricken with food poisoning during her debut cooking show, she finds herself blacklisted in the culinary community. The only job open to her is working in her family's southern pasta shop, and, to make matters worse, her first assignment is serving baked ziti to her former lover and his spoiled bride-to-be at their engagement party!
But a broken heart and a bruised ego are the least of Andy's troubles when she discovers a dead body at the party with the words "welcome home" written in flour next to it. Is it a warning? A threat? Or a frame-up job? Andy is determined to find out.
With the help of her over-the-top Italian family, Andy will prove that she has what it takes to not only cook the best dish in town but also catch a killer, too!
**Recipes included!**
236 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2014
237 people are currently reading
1231 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer L. Hart
73 books479 followersSign up for my author newsletter and never miss a new release at authorjenniferlhart.com
USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Hart writes about characters that cuss, get naked, and often make poor but hilarious life choices. A native New Yorker, Jenn now lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her imaginary friends. Her works to date include the Cougars and Cauldrons series, the Silver Sisters series and the upcoming Legcay Witches of Shadow Cove.
USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Hart writes about characters that cuss, get naked, and often make poor but hilarious life choices. A native New Yorker, Jenn now lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her imaginary friends. Her works to date include the Cougars and Cauldrons series, the Silver Sisters series and the upcoming Legcay Witches of Shadow Cove.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
November 4, 2016
A fun read. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Poor Andy, short for Andrea, Buckland is all set to make it big on a cable food network.
The studio audience gets food poisoning from the dish she has prepared.
She ends back home to help her great aunt and grandfather run the family pasta shop.
While she is catering a local event for her family business, she discovers a dead body with the words "Welcome Home" written in flour which has spilled on the floor near the body.
Poor Andy, short for Andrea, Buckland is all set to make it big on a cable food network.
The studio audience gets food poisoning from the dish she has prepared.
She ends back home to help her great aunt and grandfather run the family pasta shop.
While she is catering a local event for her family business, she discovers a dead body with the words "Welcome Home" written in flour which has spilled on the floor near the body.
March 31, 2015
Andy almost made it to the big time as a celebrity chef. Then on live TV she prepared a meal that left her audience literally throwing up in the aisles. Disgraced she returns to her home town with her tail between her legs only to find the family pasta shop in financial dire straights...and with her reputation as the 'death chef' there isn't much she can do to help out.
Then another celebrity chef, the man who she suspects sabotaged her food turns up dead in the kitchen of an event she was catering and things go from bad to worse. With the help of an old friend and a mysterious outsider she starts investigating the crime.
If I was going to write a book, it wouldn't be a cozy mystery. It's a well defined sub-genre with well defined rules. The thing is, those rules are quite restrictive. You can change the curtains, you can move around the furniture, but that's about it –– you really do break those rules at your peril. And because of that, cozy mysteries often feel the sameish.
Well, thank the lord for Jennifer L. Hart. She's one of the few authors of cozy mysteries who can keep my attention. She follows all the rules, but her characters have an intelligence that is refreshing and she avoids all the usual potholes. Add a lively sense of humor and you have a book which kind of works on every level.
Then another celebrity chef, the man who she suspects sabotaged her food turns up dead in the kitchen of an event she was catering and things go from bad to worse. With the help of an old friend and a mysterious outsider she starts investigating the crime.
If I was going to write a book, it wouldn't be a cozy mystery. It's a well defined sub-genre with well defined rules. The thing is, those rules are quite restrictive. You can change the curtains, you can move around the furniture, but that's about it –– you really do break those rules at your peril. And because of that, cozy mysteries often feel the sameish.
Well, thank the lord for Jennifer L. Hart. She's one of the few authors of cozy mysteries who can keep my attention. She follows all the rules, but her characters have an intelligence that is refreshing and she avoids all the usual potholes. Add a lively sense of humor and you have a book which kind of works on every level.
February 23, 2025
Cute, light, cozy mystery with quite a few LOL moments (at least for me) Very nicely narrated.
May 21, 2016
I read this thinking that I was going to get a mystery with some light romance. What I got was ALL romance and the tiniest amount of the most uninteresting murder mystery ever. The main character is in no way a sleuth. She investigates nothing; there are multiple chapters in which the case is never mentioned or even thought about. Halfway through the book, I'd begun to believe that the author had forgotten she was writing a mystery. The conclusion was clunky, rushed, and completely devoid of tension. And despite the lack of any clues, suspect interviews, or other typical amateur sleuth investigation, it was painfully obvious who the killer was by the middle of the book. We learn nothing about either the victim or the murderer, so there is no emotional connection to solving the case. The "sleuth" herself doesn't seem all that interested in it. In other words, it fails as a mystery novel.
Unfortunately, even as a romance it falls flat. The main character seems to believe that everyone is talking about her (they're not) or out to get her (they're not), and she has this weird fixation on arch-enemies and old high school nemeses. I found it really difficult to like her, her love interest (an accent on legs, apparently, but that doesn't make him interesting), and her family and friends.
Definitely not the "mystery" series for me.
Unfortunately, even as a romance it falls flat. The main character seems to believe that everyone is talking about her (they're not) or out to get her (they're not), and she has this weird fixation on arch-enemies and old high school nemeses. I found it really difficult to like her, her love interest (an accent on legs, apparently, but that doesn't make him interesting), and her family and friends.
Definitely not the "mystery" series for me.
December 18, 2014
Jennifer L. Hart's Murder Al Dente is a mouth-watering murder mystery combining wit, humor, and romance; one of my favorite books of the summer by far.
After a disastrous debut on a television food channel, Andrea Buckland returns to her family-run pasta shop, The Bowtie Angel, in North Carolina. But her road home isn't smooth sailing. A car crash, some hard financial facts, and discovering a dead body litter Andy's first few days back in Beaverton. On the plus side, there is Malcolm Jones - a handsome new guy in town with surprising connections to the community.
In a very short amount of time, I've really fallen for Jennifer L. Hart's writing. From cozy mysteries and romance, to science fiction and fantasy, she masters is all. Her stories are always funny, captivating, and attention-grabbing. In addition to all of that, Murder Al Dente includes some seriously appetizing pasta recipes that enhance the story that much more. I'm very impatient for more from Andy, Jones, and Jennifer!
After a disastrous debut on a television food channel, Andrea Buckland returns to her family-run pasta shop, The Bowtie Angel, in North Carolina. But her road home isn't smooth sailing. A car crash, some hard financial facts, and discovering a dead body litter Andy's first few days back in Beaverton. On the plus side, there is Malcolm Jones - a handsome new guy in town with surprising connections to the community.
In a very short amount of time, I've really fallen for Jennifer L. Hart's writing. From cozy mysteries and romance, to science fiction and fantasy, she masters is all. Her stories are always funny, captivating, and attention-grabbing. In addition to all of that, Murder Al Dente includes some seriously appetizing pasta recipes that enhance the story that much more. I'm very impatient for more from Andy, Jones, and Jennifer!
April 16, 2023
After a disastrous tv debut, celebrity chef Andy Buckland flees to her hometown where her Pops and Aunt Cecily operate a pasta shop. A road mishap leads to a new man in her life while another man, a previous competitor, is murdered leaving Andy with a mystery on her hands.
Depending on your reading habits, the recipes interwoven throughout the story will either delight you or drive you to distraction. Unfortunately for me, I fall into the latter case. (There was one recipe, though, that I'm itching to try so perhaps it wasn't all bad.) Leaning heavily on the romance side of the coin, this romantic suspense had the earmarks of a good read. The characters were all unique and had their own voices and the plot twisted delightfully keeping the action moving along. I did feel that the motive came out of the blue and also felt a little cheated that there were no clues for the reader to untangle. The doer literally could have been anyone right up to the reveal moment.
Depending on your reading habits, the recipes interwoven throughout the story will either delight you or drive you to distraction. Unfortunately for me, I fall into the latter case. (There was one recipe, though, that I'm itching to try so perhaps it wasn't all bad.) Leaning heavily on the romance side of the coin, this romantic suspense had the earmarks of a good read. The characters were all unique and had their own voices and the plot twisted delightfully keeping the action moving along. I did feel that the motive came out of the blue and also felt a little cheated that there were no clues for the reader to untangle. The doer literally could have been anyone right up to the reveal moment.
September 21, 2020
This was a good start to a new cozy mystery series. I loved the fact that Andy really had a past, and not one like she’d done a bit of travelling and met so and so while doing this and that. No I mean past with a capital P, as in teenage pregnancy, feuds/bullying, loss of a parent and so on. Don’t get me wrong it was never heavy, it just added flavour and letting the reader or listener get to know who she was, and why she did certain things. Oh, and I like that everything isn’t always easy. And when you add the great performance by Suzanne Cerreta I have to say that I had a very pleasant afternoon.
October 19, 2016
Murder Al Dente by Jennifer L. Hart is the first Southern pasta Shop Mystery. Andrea Buckland returns to har family's pasta shop after a disastrous television debut when the audience is afflicted with food poisoning. Unfortunately the disasters keep piling up culminating in finding a dead body during her first catering assignment. A fun, enjoyable book with likable quirky characters. The book mainly focused on saving the pasta shop rather than investigating the murder and the ending seemed rushed with the murderer only being caught by chance. A light, entertaining book.
February 11, 2016
More pitfalls that the 'Perils of Pauline'. Lots of fun and good recipes included.
March 14, 2023
When I was prompted to read a cozy with a yellow cover, I knew just what to grab. The first book in the Southern Pasta Shop has been on my shelf for quite some time. It actually surprised me by how much I enjoyed this super light, yet very entertaining mystery.
The story kicks off with Andy debuting a new cooking show. She seems to be doing great until she accidentally feeds the audience bad clams. With her reputation tarnished, she reluctantly returns to her hometown full of drama from her past and quickly finds herself mixed up in a murder investigation.
Andy was a hoot, along with many others in the supporting cast. Her Grandpa and Aunt Cecily run the family owned pasta shop, The Bowtie Angel, and they are a whole vibe themselves. I liked watching Andy come up with ideas to revive the business, but most of all I loved all of the cooking!! Thankfully sandwiched between all of the chapters were numerous recipes that were mentioned throughout the story. They all sounded easy and delicious to attempt.
I also really liked Andy’s real estate friend, Donna. Her love interest, Malcolm Jones, was easy to adore. This story includes more romance compared to most cozies, but I don’t mind seeing the flirtation and innuendos with the couple has such great chemistry together.
The mystery seemed a bit of an afterthought towards the end and definitely felt rushed. I was surprised by the culprit though since there were a couple of good red herrings.
The story kicks off with Andy debuting a new cooking show. She seems to be doing great until she accidentally feeds the audience bad clams. With her reputation tarnished, she reluctantly returns to her hometown full of drama from her past and quickly finds herself mixed up in a murder investigation.
Andy was a hoot, along with many others in the supporting cast. Her Grandpa and Aunt Cecily run the family owned pasta shop, The Bowtie Angel, and they are a whole vibe themselves. I liked watching Andy come up with ideas to revive the business, but most of all I loved all of the cooking!! Thankfully sandwiched between all of the chapters were numerous recipes that were mentioned throughout the story. They all sounded easy and delicious to attempt.
I also really liked Andy’s real estate friend, Donna. Her love interest, Malcolm Jones, was easy to adore. This story includes more romance compared to most cozies, but I don’t mind seeing the flirtation and innuendos with the couple has such great chemistry together.
The mystery seemed a bit of an afterthought towards the end and definitely felt rushed. I was surprised by the culprit though since there were a couple of good red herrings.
October 23, 2022
This is a 3.5 for me. I listened to the audio book. The reading was excellent, the story....meh. it started out great and then after a while, I didn't care anymore. Then it picked up again slightly. It was not bad and not exceptional. I will try the author again.
January 21, 2020
4.5 stars
September 11, 2020
Andy Buckland, chef, makes a debut on a cooking show, but people are poisoned & she is black listed by the community. She resorts to working at the family pasta shop & is engaged to cater to her ex's engagement party. But a dead body is found with 'welcome home' written in flour. Enamoured with a sexy New Zealander & British accent, they strive to catch the killer & restore her reputation.
September 7, 2023
I enjoyed much of Murder al Dente, including the fact that the "victim" was a bad guy who had lots of enemies - one cozy trope of which I highly approve. Plus, it was a quick read and the main character Andy isn't too annoying or tstl.
I look forward to reading book two.
I look forward to reading book two.
May 1, 2018
More love story than mystery I found Murder Al Dente a book that held my attention. And that is surprising. Romance is not my thing, but I was pleasantly surprised by this read. So much so, I’m going to read book 2 and hope that it is disappointing. I don’t want another Jennifer L Hart series to read. I enjoyed Two Guys Detective Agency and I am eagerly awaiting Part II Second Helping
The beginning of the story will prick your curiosity. And very quickly you will find yourself investing in Andy Buckland, protagonist and would be TV chef star. After a public disaster, Andy returns home. Andy's homecoming is a difficult one partly because it is born of failure. So she is a little paranoid. There are a series of events, twists and turns, that keeps your attention but the book often cuts to scenes and that can feel disjointed. And perhaps strangely, it’s the murder that seems out of place.
The characters are all charming, even the wrongdoer. But I think it’s the subplots that made this book. It neatly takes unexpected and sometimes humorous very human turns.
Take it as read, that the author Jennifer L Hart knows how to write. Hart is an experienced author. So the story, for the most part, flows and was not flawed by grammatical error.
If you want something different and romance is not your thing. Then this difference might be right for you.
Connect with me on Twitter and FB
See all my reviews
Check out my blog on imjussayin
Book Rating
Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next oneor reread?: Yes
My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A great read. A prominent example of the genre.
The beginning of the story will prick your curiosity. And very quickly you will find yourself investing in Andy Buckland, protagonist and would be TV chef star. After a public disaster, Andy returns home. Andy's homecoming is a difficult one partly because it is born of failure. So she is a little paranoid. There are a series of events, twists and turns, that keeps your attention but the book often cuts to scenes and that can feel disjointed. And perhaps strangely, it’s the murder that seems out of place.
The characters are all charming, even the wrongdoer. But I think it’s the subplots that made this book. It neatly takes unexpected and sometimes humorous very human turns.
Take it as read, that the author Jennifer L Hart knows how to write. Hart is an experienced author. So the story, for the most part, flows and was not flawed by grammatical error.
If you want something different and romance is not your thing. Then this difference might be right for you.
Connect with me on Twitter and FB
See all my reviews
Check out my blog on imjussayin
Book Rating
Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one
My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A great read. A prominent example of the genre.
February 18, 2017
Murder al Dente, the first in the Southern Pasta Shop Mysteries by Jennifer L. Hart, begins with good promise as Andy Buckland debuts her own live cooking show when the entire TV audience doubles over with food poisoning. With no one willing to hire her now, Andy must return to her small hometown from Atlanta and live with her grandfather while helping out in the family's dying pasta shop.
Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
Read the rest of this review, more reviews, and other wonderful, geeky articles on FangirlNation
August 16, 2014
Murder Al Dente
Jennifer Hart
Spoiler Free Review
Murder Al Dente is the start of a new series for talented author Jennifer Hart. In it she serves up her own recipe for mystery and it is a tasty one at that. Pull up a chair and get ready to dig in.
In Murder Al Dente we are introduced to Andrea (Andy) Sofia Buckland. She is a thirty something chef who’s dream of hosting her own TV show was crushed when the audience got food poisoning. She has returned to her hometown and the family pasta shop to regroup and to help her grandfather and her great aunt save the business oh, and to solve a murder as well.
Jennifer has a light hand with her books writing well crafted, well-paced books with interesting characters and inventive plots. Murder Al Dente is no different. She has populated Andy’s home town with some interesting characters as well as created a family for her with quite a few quirks and an interesting backstory. As the book progresses we find Andy’s backstory is also complex.
I found Jennifer when I started reading her “Laundry Hag” series. While I am probably not her usual target audience I was hooked. She has a wonderful sense of humor and the books are the light and humorous stories that I have gravitated to in recent years.
She also recently introduced another series called “Damaged Goods” set in Miami. An experienced author with a quite a few books under her belt this new series adds to her range. Murder Al Dente straddles the traditional cozy genre and the romantic suspense genre. I think fans of both will be pleased.
So for a light fun and entertaining read give this one a taste. I think you will be glad you did.
Now for the disclaimer: I was given an advance copy for an honest and fair review.
Jennifer Hart
Spoiler Free Review
Murder Al Dente is the start of a new series for talented author Jennifer Hart. In it she serves up her own recipe for mystery and it is a tasty one at that. Pull up a chair and get ready to dig in.
In Murder Al Dente we are introduced to Andrea (Andy) Sofia Buckland. She is a thirty something chef who’s dream of hosting her own TV show was crushed when the audience got food poisoning. She has returned to her hometown and the family pasta shop to regroup and to help her grandfather and her great aunt save the business oh, and to solve a murder as well.
Jennifer has a light hand with her books writing well crafted, well-paced books with interesting characters and inventive plots. Murder Al Dente is no different. She has populated Andy’s home town with some interesting characters as well as created a family for her with quite a few quirks and an interesting backstory. As the book progresses we find Andy’s backstory is also complex.
I found Jennifer when I started reading her “Laundry Hag” series. While I am probably not her usual target audience I was hooked. She has a wonderful sense of humor and the books are the light and humorous stories that I have gravitated to in recent years.
She also recently introduced another series called “Damaged Goods” set in Miami. An experienced author with a quite a few books under her belt this new series adds to her range. Murder Al Dente straddles the traditional cozy genre and the romantic suspense genre. I think fans of both will be pleased.
So for a light fun and entertaining read give this one a taste. I think you will be glad you did.
Now for the disclaimer: I was given an advance copy for an honest and fair review.
September 30, 2015
Three months ago, Andy Buckland botched her big break. She gave a live television audience food poisoning. Now, after being blacklisted by most of the food industry, Andy’s back working at her family’s failing pasta shop. Unfortunately, her first job is to cater her ex-boyfriend’s engagement party. When a chef from her past is murdered at the event, it’s up to Andy to figure out who really did it. With the help of a hot private investigator, who just happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s fiance’s half-brother, she looks into the chef’s past. Some things, however, are better left buried and someone is trying real hard to keep it that way. Can Andy solve the case before it’s too late? Can she save he family’s pasta shop?
Narrator, Suzanne Cerreta brings a humorous touch to Hart’s food mystery. The well-developed characters are brought to life with Cerreta’s unique voices and intonations. She easily navigates the author’s mix of action, internal dialogue, intrigue, and humorous scenes with ease. The plot is well developed and engaging. Readers who like humorous food mysteries with a little bit of romance will have a hard time putting this audiobook down.
Narrator, Suzanne Cerreta brings a humorous touch to Hart’s food mystery. The well-developed characters are brought to life with Cerreta’s unique voices and intonations. She easily navigates the author’s mix of action, internal dialogue, intrigue, and humorous scenes with ease. The plot is well developed and engaging. Readers who like humorous food mysteries with a little bit of romance will have a hard time putting this audiobook down.
Read
December 4, 2015I wasn't prepared for the humour in this romance novel. I read the audio version and found it absolutely delightful. The author depicts her characters with beautiful quirks and the narrator picks them all up and turns them into gems. I especially enjoyed the way the narrator handled the Italian and New Zealand accents, as this really added something special to the reading experience.
Jennifer L Hart is a talented author and I will certainly look out for other books by her. A great holiday read, perfect for escaping the stress of work life and ideal for fanning into flames the spark of feminine longing!
Jennifer L Hart is a talented author and I will certainly look out for other books by her. A great holiday read, perfect for escaping the stress of work life and ideal for fanning into flames the spark of feminine longing!
July 23, 2018
Pasta pasta pasta
I really liked this fun dysfunctional story of Andrea or Andy, her crazy grandaunt, grandfather , Malcom her boyfriend, Donna her best friend and Lizzy, her high school personal bully and arch enemy. Throw in the sheriff her ex boyfriend whom she had a child with at 16. She’s grown up, is a chef, and on a tv show, someone messed with her dish and made people sick. The story has more plots, turns, and adventure. Each chapter has a recipe, all that I want to try. It’s a fun summer read.
I really liked this fun dysfunctional story of Andrea or Andy, her crazy grandaunt, grandfather , Malcom her boyfriend, Donna her best friend and Lizzy, her high school personal bully and arch enemy. Throw in the sheriff her ex boyfriend whom she had a child with at 16. She’s grown up, is a chef, and on a tv show, someone messed with her dish and made people sick. The story has more plots, turns, and adventure. Each chapter has a recipe, all that I want to try. It’s a fun summer read.
August 25, 2014
Another great book by Jennifer Hart! This is the first in a new series, Andy was really hoping her TV show would take off and be a hit, but the audience wound up with food poisoning, so she has no choice but to go back home and work in her familys restaurant/pasta shop. This book is a fun read, lots of twists and turns, and a touch of romance. And the recipes throughout the book will really have you craving Italian food! I loved it, and am looking forward to the next in the series!
October 24, 2016
Andy Buckland was loving life as she debuted in her own cooking show. When the entire audience got sick from a dish she cooked, she figured her cooking career was over and returned to help out her family's pasta shop. As if that isn't bad enough her first job is catering her ex's engagement party! When she stumbles upon a dead body at the engagement party she's not sure how things can get much worse, but she's determined to clear her name.
October 28, 2016
Enjoyable! Entertaining mystery with some corky humor and a little love interest to move the novel through the plot.
I listened to this using Audible. I enjoyed the narration quite a bit, but I can't say I'd get as much out of only reading the book, only because the accents and charm wouldn't come to my mind as well.
May read another in this series, but a long list of books a head of it in the meantime!
I listened to this using Audible. I enjoyed the narration quite a bit, but I can't say I'd get as much out of only reading the book, only because the accents and charm wouldn't come to my mind as well.
May read another in this series, but a long list of books a head of it in the meantime!
February 6, 2016
This was a pleasant mystery centered all around food. There are many pasta and sauce recipes throughout the book that made me hungry while I was reading. I may even have to try one or two of them sometime. The mystery wasn't obvious and kept you guessing until the end. This is the first time I have read anything by this author and it wasn't bad. I enjoyed it immensely.
March 13, 2021
I mean... yeah. You pretty much know what you're getting into when you read the title. It's a cheesy cozy mystery with a heavy romance element (lots of hot loins), but light on the mystery. Maybe it's just that my calorie counting has starved me of pasta and it's broken my mind but I kinda enjoyed it. The main character is simultaneously coy, quippy, and naive. She's got a pretty dark history but also an interesting one, particularly her Italian heritage and relatives juxtaposed against the southern setting. Her reaction to romance made her read more like a horny teen than a grown ass woman, but I can sympathize.
I had more trouble getting on board with the central romance. I have a particular dislike of romances that rely on magnetism in spite of a billion red flags. I guess at least he's hot?
The mystery was definitely secondary to the romance. Even though it seems like the main inciting event, by the end of the book it's kind of tied with the general "gotta save the pasta shop" plot for screen time. The reveal of the murderer at the end kind of comes out of nowhere. That said, because it didn't have complete focus in the plot, it didn't bother me terribly that it wasn't a super fleshed out mystery.
I can see myself listening to this or other entries in the series if I want a lightweight read that I don't need to devote my entire attention to, or to serve as a pallet cleanser to heavier books. I also REALLY want to eat some goddamn pasta right now.
I had more trouble getting on board with the central romance. I have a particular dislike of romances that rely on magnetism in spite of a billion red flags. I guess at least he's hot?
The mystery was definitely secondary to the romance. Even though it seems like the main inciting event, by the end of the book it's kind of tied with the general "gotta save the pasta shop" plot for screen time. The reveal of the murderer at the end kind of comes out of nowhere. That said, because it didn't have complete focus in the plot, it didn't bother me terribly that it wasn't a super fleshed out mystery.
I can see myself listening to this or other entries in the series if I want a lightweight read that I don't need to devote my entire attention to, or to serve as a pallet cleanser to heavier books. I also REALLY want to eat some goddamn pasta right now.
March 9, 2019
Audiobook
Story: C, Narration: A-
Not a review, just some thoughts for personal reference. Spoilers.
It was OK. I liked Andy and most of the supporting cast. The setup was interesting--failed tv chef returns to her small hometown and the family pasta shop. But the details were pretty unbelievable. She was accused of giving the studio audience food poisoning during a live show of her debut. A live show? They do those as talk show/morning news segments, but they're rare on food/cooking networks, so it's unlikely the episode would ever see the light of day. And health inspectors would do an investigation. And the network go into damage control. Hard to believe they'd can the chef and not blame any of the production assistants. Lawsuit in the making there.
Second, a pasta shop? This is addressed in the book, but not convincingly.
And the top chef Andy was working with on the ill-fated show just turns up in her hometown on a gig she's catering? Then gets murdered and it's not national news right off the bat? (Some media coverage started after a few days, but it was pretty low-key.)
There were several mysteries, and I pretty much guessed two right off. I have to admit that, if we were told the truth about how the food poisoning occurred, I totally zoned out and missed it. Did the nasty chef do it? I figured it was either him or the assistant and the assistant was pretty much ruled out. Oh, well. I don't care enough to go back and check.
The second mystery, of course, was who killed the chef. I correctly guessed almost from the start that it was the mother of the bride. I was off on the motive, tho, since I thought he was the bride's bio father and was going to spill the beans and ruin the wedding.
A third mystery was why Andy and Kyle broke up. Again, I guessed a baby was involved. I did suspect a miscarriage rather than an adoption, tho.
My point being that the whole book was both unbelievable and predictable at the same time. It had some good points, but I'll have to think about whether I want to use my time on ant of the other books in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2022
I enjoyed this book. This book has a little bit of everything and a lot of everything else. There was romance, family drama, old school rivalry, recipes after every chapter oh and a murder. The murder was a little bit on the back burner as the author developed the characters and the relationships between them. I liked this because the characters were interesting the more you learnt about them and there past. It will be interesting to read the next book to see if the author gets the right balance of drama and mystery and to see how things change for the characters. The mystery wasn't to complicated and I easily guessed the killer, there was also a major question that went unanswered but I enjoyed the book and finished it within a couple of days.
Andy dream of being a celebrity chief ends disastrously and she returns to her home town with her tail between her legs. Before she even crosses the town limits she is in a car accident that leaves her relying on Her elderly relatives. Her aunty soon puts her to work in the family pasta shop, which is in trouble and might need to close for good. Andy is worried her notoriety might do more harm than good, especially when she is put in charge of catering a engagement party for her ex boyfriend and her high school nemesis. Trying to be the bigger person Andy does her best, especially when she meets her nemesis step brother and sparks start to fly. When she finds a dead chief in the kitchen, the one who possibly cost her the celebrity job, she is worried she is going to be the prime suspect. Can she help save the family business, find a killer and maybe the right guy?
Andy dream of being a celebrity chief ends disastrously and she returns to her home town with her tail between her legs. Before she even crosses the town limits she is in a car accident that leaves her relying on Her elderly relatives. Her aunty soon puts her to work in the family pasta shop, which is in trouble and might need to close for good. Andy is worried her notoriety might do more harm than good, especially when she is put in charge of catering a engagement party for her ex boyfriend and her high school nemesis. Trying to be the bigger person Andy does her best, especially when she meets her nemesis step brother and sparks start to fly. When she finds a dead chief in the kitchen, the one who possibly cost her the celebrity job, she is worried she is going to be the prime suspect. Can she help save the family business, find a killer and maybe the right guy?
December 1, 2020
I started not liking this one but admit it grew on me. I didn’t quite immediately like the main character, but I enjoyed the mystery. Andy finally grew on me once she stopped feeling sorry for herself. The supporting characters are fabulous especially Donna and Andy’s relatives.
This didn’t quite feel like your standard cozy as it had more depth, more romance and little more intensity to the story. I also think it had some great humorous spots but those didn’t level out the story as I seen in other cozies. The mystery didn’t really grab me but Andy’s story did.
This book was full of my least favorite trope – I call it the “murphy’s law” trope. Nothing goes right for the main character except the “hottie” likes her and she stumbles upon the solution to the mystery. The rest of the book is full of “everything” going wrong for the main character.
OMG – I loved I mean loved the character of Donna. I think she was the right character at the right time for reducing my stress and giving the book a great bit of comic relief. I adored her and her antics even made me laugh out loud which is rare for an audiobook.
The only issue with the narrator I have is as Malcolm’s voice sounded painful and I can’t wonder if the narrator can keep it up. Malcolm’s voice is great I just wonder if it is going go change throughout the series.
This didn’t quite feel like your standard cozy as it had more depth, more romance and little more intensity to the story. I also think it had some great humorous spots but those didn’t level out the story as I seen in other cozies. The mystery didn’t really grab me but Andy’s story did.
This book was full of my least favorite trope – I call it the “murphy’s law” trope. Nothing goes right for the main character except the “hottie” likes her and she stumbles upon the solution to the mystery. The rest of the book is full of “everything” going wrong for the main character.
OMG – I loved I mean loved the character of Donna. I think she was the right character at the right time for reducing my stress and giving the book a great bit of comic relief. I adored her and her antics even made me laugh out loud which is rare for an audiobook.
The only issue with the narrator I have is as Malcolm’s voice sounded painful and I can’t wonder if the narrator can keep it up. Malcolm’s voice is great I just wonder if it is going go change throughout the series.
August 9, 2017
I really liked this book.
Pretty please with spaghetti on top?
Andy Buckland has always dreamed of being a chef. But after a live studio audience is stricken with food poisoning during her debut cooking show, she finds herself blacklisted in the culinary community. The only job open to her is working in her family's southern pasta shop, and, to make matters worse, her first assignment is serving baked ziti to her former lover and his spoiled bride-to-be at their engagement party! But a broken heart and a bruised ego are the least of Andy's troubles when she discovers a dead body at the party with the words "welcome home" written in flour next to it. Is it a warning? A threat? Or a frame-up job? Andy is determined to find out. With the help of her over-the-top Italian family, Andy will prove that she has what it takes to not only cook the best dish in town but also catch a killer, too!
Pretty please with spaghetti on top?
Andy Buckland has always dreamed of being a chef. But after a live studio audience is stricken with food poisoning during her debut cooking show, she finds herself blacklisted in the culinary community. The only job open to her is working in her family's southern pasta shop, and, to make matters worse, her first assignment is serving baked ziti to her former lover and his spoiled bride-to-be at their engagement party! But a broken heart and a bruised ego are the least of Andy's troubles when she discovers a dead body at the party with the words "welcome home" written in flour next to it. Is it a warning? A threat? Or a frame-up job? Andy is determined to find out. With the help of her over-the-top Italian family, Andy will prove that she has what it takes to not only cook the best dish in town but also catch a killer, too!
May 16, 2017
This was a fun light read, the perfect "distraction" mystery. I'm not a big fan of recipes in books (though I did appreciate the extra notes meant to build on character development in each recipe) and I knew who had done it by the half way point, but I devoured the whole book in a matter of a few hours and just enjoyed the whole thing.
The characters were interesting and believable (for the most part, I take issue with the Molly character but anyway), the story had nice pacing, and the perfect amount of light mystery mixed with chick-lit relationship stuff. The book I finished right before this was super disappointing and full of little writing flaws so I was mostly grateful to have a well--paced, well-written book to indulge in while I was sick in bed.
It's nothing ground breaking, but I plan to keep reading the series for the fun of it.
The characters were interesting and believable (for the most part, I take issue with the Molly character but anyway), the story had nice pacing, and the perfect amount of light mystery mixed with chick-lit relationship stuff. The book I finished right before this was super disappointing and full of little writing flaws so I was mostly grateful to have a well--paced, well-written book to indulge in while I was sick in bed.
It's nothing ground breaking, but I plan to keep reading the series for the fun of it.
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