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Kat Calloway Cozy Mystery #1
A Dash of Death
A flawless night of fine dining. A deadly twist. Now, Kat Calloway with a little help from her new furry feline friend, Tux is scrambling to clear her name before she’s served up as the prime choice.
Kat Calloway, the rising star chef at Larkspur, is living her dream—until the unthinkable happens. Harrison Vaughn, a cruel, self-important food critic, drops dead after devouring her perfectly plated meal. What was supposed to be a night of culinary perfection crumbles into a hellish disaster.
With Vaughn’s death pinned on her, Kat becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation. The problem? Everyone ate the same meal, but only Vaughn is dead. Someone served up poison —but who? And how?
Ben, her loyal maitre d’ who has a knack for dark humor, also falls under suspicion with his flippant remark of wishing Vaughn a "final course." Together, they dig into the chaos, sifting through half-baked lies and undercooked truths from staff and guests, uncovering a deadlier plot than they ever imagined.
As the pressure rises like a soufflé, Kat must crack open the case before she’s locked up—or worse, becomes the next to bite the bullet.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ L.B. Dayton’s writing is brisk, vivid, and atmospheric. The opening chapters crackle with tension, mixing fine-dining detail with escalating suspense. The dialogue sparkles, the pacing rarely lags, and the plot delivers satisfying twists without losing its cozy charm. The novel’s greatest strength lies in its vibrant voice and well-developed characters. A Dash of Death is a flavorful, character-rich mystery that will delight fans. It’s the perfect bite-sized crime for foodies and armchair detectives alike. I can’t wait for the next course.
A Dash of Death grabbed me immediately with how it blends the high-stakes tension of fine dining with the playful twists of a cozy whodunit.
Kat Calloway is such a refreshing protagonist, an ambitious chef suddenly caught in a nightmare where her perfect dish turns into the centerpiece of a murder investigation. The way you contrast the glamour of haute cuisine with the menace of poison is brilliant. I especially liked how Tux, her feline sidekick, adds warmth and charm amid the chaos, while Ben's dark humor brings a witty balance to the suspense. It is this mix of flavor, tension, and personality that makes the book feel both sharp and comforting.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It is rare to see a cozy mystery that captures the sensory richness of the kitchen while keeping the reader hooked with escalating twists. That combination gives A Dash of Death huge potential to resonate with food lovers and cozy fans alike.
Kat Calloway, the rising star chef at Larkspur, is living her dream—until the unthinkable happens. Harrison Vaughn, a cruel, self-important food critic, drops dead after devouring her perfectly plated meal. What was supposed to be a night of culinary perfection crumbles into a hellish disaster.
With Vaughn’s death pinned on her, Kat becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation. The problem? Everyone ate the same meal, but only Vaughn is dead. Someone served up poison —but who? And how?
Ben, her loyal maitre d’ who has a knack for dark humor, also falls under suspicion with his flippant remark of wishing Vaughn a "final course." Together, they dig into the chaos, sifting through half-baked lies and undercooked truths from staff and guests, uncovering a deadlier plot than they ever imagined.
As the pressure rises like a soufflé, Kat must crack open the case before she’s locked up—or worse, becomes the next to bite the bullet.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ L.B. Dayton’s writing is brisk, vivid, and atmospheric. The opening chapters crackle with tension, mixing fine-dining detail with escalating suspense. The dialogue sparkles, the pacing rarely lags, and the plot delivers satisfying twists without losing its cozy charm. The novel’s greatest strength lies in its vibrant voice and well-developed characters. A Dash of Death is a flavorful, character-rich mystery that will delight fans. It’s the perfect bite-sized crime for foodies and armchair detectives alike. I can’t wait for the next course.
A Dash of Death grabbed me immediately with how it blends the high-stakes tension of fine dining with the playful twists of a cozy whodunit.
Kat Calloway is such a refreshing protagonist, an ambitious chef suddenly caught in a nightmare where her perfect dish turns into the centerpiece of a murder investigation. The way you contrast the glamour of haute cuisine with the menace of poison is brilliant. I especially liked how Tux, her feline sidekick, adds warmth and charm amid the chaos, while Ben's dark humor brings a witty balance to the suspense. It is this mix of flavor, tension, and personality that makes the book feel both sharp and comforting.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It is rare to see a cozy mystery that captures the sensory richness of the kitchen while keeping the reader hooked with escalating twists. That combination gives A Dash of Death huge potential to resonate with food lovers and cozy fans alike.
- GenresMystery
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2025
82 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 27, 2025
Kat Calloway is a professional chef. She takes her job very seriously. She’s a perfectionist. Then tragedy strikes at an important dining event. After eating one of her meals, a nasty food critic drops dead. Of course, Kat is the number one suspect.
The police temporarily close the restaurant while they investigate. Kat does a bit of investigating of her own. She gets some help from her friend and maître d’ Ben, who also hated the deceased and is under suspicion.
Together they discover there are many suspects. They just need to figure out who actually committed the crime.
To add to Kat’s crazy day, a cute kitty shows up on her doorstep and has decided to make Kat’s home his home too. She names him “Tux” and he immediately wins her heart. The kitty doesn’t have any supernatural powers, but he's important to the story.
As for the plot, it’s a fast-paced mystery with many twists, turns, and a number of potential suspects. I loved the camaraderie between Kat and Ben. They make a great sleuthing team. Kat is a strong lead character. Ben brings much humor to this disastrous situation.
This is the first book in the series and it’s off to a great start. It kept me guessing until the very end. I’ll definitely be reading the rest of this series.
The police temporarily close the restaurant while they investigate. Kat does a bit of investigating of her own. She gets some help from her friend and maître d’ Ben, who also hated the deceased and is under suspicion.
Together they discover there are many suspects. They just need to figure out who actually committed the crime.
To add to Kat’s crazy day, a cute kitty shows up on her doorstep and has decided to make Kat’s home his home too. She names him “Tux” and he immediately wins her heart. The kitty doesn’t have any supernatural powers, but he's important to the story.
As for the plot, it’s a fast-paced mystery with many twists, turns, and a number of potential suspects. I loved the camaraderie between Kat and Ben. They make a great sleuthing team. Kat is a strong lead character. Ben brings much humor to this disastrous situation.
This is the first book in the series and it’s off to a great start. It kept me guessing until the very end. I’ll definitely be reading the rest of this series.
May 28, 2025
Who Killed the Critic ? . . .
Everyone is enjoying their meal when Chef Kat Calloway, rising star chef at Larkspur, hears a man loudly say, “Honestly, I expected better.” Harrison Vaughn III sees himself as a restaurant critic, and he continued to criticize the food. Others around him and at his table have only complimentary things to say, so he backs off… but Kat can see he isn’t done with insulting her yet. Ben, the maître d’, quietly tells her that if Vaughn chokes on what he claims is ‘overcooked’ duck, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen tonight; then he walks away. Suddenly they hear a choked sound and silverware clattering as Harrison Vaughn III slumps forward over his plate, fingers twitching, mouth opened and wheezing as his eyes roll back and his body convulses before going still. People were panicking as they realized they had been eating the same meal! And it looks like this is a result of poison.
Detective Alvarez and his officers begin questioning the diners while the staff is put in another room to wait for their turn. Kat becomes the primary suspect in the resulting murder investigation. Who had put poison in the victim’s food? And when could it have been done? Even maitre d’ Ben comes under suspicion after the comments he had made about the rude man which were overheard by several guests. Will he and Kat begin some investigating of their own to find the murderer? It’s unlikely anyone else will step forward to defend them once they are put under arrest! When Viv points out a stranger who was there that night, a well-dressed woman named Geneva, will she point Kat in the right direction?
Everyone is enjoying their meal when Chef Kat Calloway, rising star chef at Larkspur, hears a man loudly say, “Honestly, I expected better.” Harrison Vaughn III sees himself as a restaurant critic, and he continued to criticize the food. Others around him and at his table have only complimentary things to say, so he backs off… but Kat can see he isn’t done with insulting her yet. Ben, the maître d’, quietly tells her that if Vaughn chokes on what he claims is ‘overcooked’ duck, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen tonight; then he walks away. Suddenly they hear a choked sound and silverware clattering as Harrison Vaughn III slumps forward over his plate, fingers twitching, mouth opened and wheezing as his eyes roll back and his body convulses before going still. People were panicking as they realized they had been eating the same meal! And it looks like this is a result of poison.
Detective Alvarez and his officers begin questioning the diners while the staff is put in another room to wait for their turn. Kat becomes the primary suspect in the resulting murder investigation. Who had put poison in the victim’s food? And when could it have been done? Even maitre d’ Ben comes under suspicion after the comments he had made about the rude man which were overheard by several guests. Will he and Kat begin some investigating of their own to find the murderer? It’s unlikely anyone else will step forward to defend them once they are put under arrest! When Viv points out a stranger who was there that night, a well-dressed woman named Geneva, will she point Kat in the right direction?
May 31, 2025
This was my first book from this author and It starts out dramatic from the first chapter. And stayed interesting thru out the book. Twists and turns and unexpected suspects really did the trick. Kat was clever, skilled when it came to being a chef, charming when she wants to be, but also tough when needed. But then a cat that just happens to sit at her back door "adopts"her. She doesn't want a cat, but that doesn't matter to Tux who she later gives him that name. Her friend and co-worker Ben, was hilarious, charming and sometimes rude but also a "I stand with you" friend.
There's also a charming baking man whose shop is so often crowded because of his genius with pastries. Plus he's well know in pastry circles, and not hard on the eyes. And as her friend Ben not so delicately tells Kat, Bash Laurent has his eyes on you. She doesn't want a romance either, but there is an attraction there.
The mysteries come to a great conclusion leaving me very satisfied with how it all turned out ! I also have to add that the people were so well fleshed out that I could see someone of them like Ben, doing some of the things mentioned. 5 Stars from me.
There are some recipes in the back of the book after the really good Epilogue.
There's also a charming baking man whose shop is so often crowded because of his genius with pastries. Plus he's well know in pastry circles, and not hard on the eyes. And as her friend Ben not so delicately tells Kat, Bash Laurent has his eyes on you. She doesn't want a romance either, but there is an attraction there.
The mysteries come to a great conclusion leaving me very satisfied with how it all turned out ! I also have to add that the people were so well fleshed out that I could see someone of them like Ben, doing some of the things mentioned. 5 Stars from me.
There are some recipes in the back of the book after the really good Epilogue.
May 25, 2025
This story serves up a delectable blend of culinary flair and cozy mystery.
Anchored on the interesting Kat Calloway, a head chef with a sharp tongue, a sharp mind, and a mess of murder on her plate.
When a rude supper club guest drops dead during dinner, Kat and her witty maitre d’, Ben, find themselves suspects in a poisoning that turns their beloved restaurant into a crime scene.
L.B. Dayton’s writing is brisk, vivid, and atmospheric.
The opening chapters crackle with tension, mixing fine-dining detail with escalating suspense.
Kat is a capable and layered protagonist, while Ben offers humour and support.
The dialogue sparkles, the pacing rarely lags, and the plot delivers satisfying twists without losing its cozy charm.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its vibrant voice and well-developed characters.
However, a few supporting characters. like sous chef Jamie, could benefit from deeper development to match Kat and Ben’s.
Still, A Dash of Death is a flavourful, character-rich mystery that will delight fans.
It’s the perfect bite-sized crime for foodies and armchair detectives alike. I can’t wait for the next course.
Anchored on the interesting Kat Calloway, a head chef with a sharp tongue, a sharp mind, and a mess of murder on her plate.
When a rude supper club guest drops dead during dinner, Kat and her witty maitre d’, Ben, find themselves suspects in a poisoning that turns their beloved restaurant into a crime scene.
L.B. Dayton’s writing is brisk, vivid, and atmospheric.
The opening chapters crackle with tension, mixing fine-dining detail with escalating suspense.
Kat is a capable and layered protagonist, while Ben offers humour and support.
The dialogue sparkles, the pacing rarely lags, and the plot delivers satisfying twists without losing its cozy charm.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its vibrant voice and well-developed characters.
However, a few supporting characters. like sous chef Jamie, could benefit from deeper development to match Kat and Ben’s.
Still, A Dash of Death is a flavourful, character-rich mystery that will delight fans.
It’s the perfect bite-sized crime for foodies and armchair detectives alike. I can’t wait for the next course.
May 28, 2025
Larkspur, is an upscale restaurant located in Dallas and Kat Calloway is the head chef and making quite a name for herself. An obnoxious food critic, Harrison Vaughn III, decides to check out the restaurant and has nothing but criticism while he is served a beautifully plated dinner. Even the Maître d’ Ben has had enough of this critic and told Kat that choking on his food would be too good for him. Even Harrison's tablemates thought the food was great. But then all of a sudden, Harrison started choking and he face plants into his plate. He was poisoned and of course, Detective Alvarez has Kat and Ben as his number one suspects. They have to clear their names and save the restaurant's reputation so they decide to investigate on their own. We are treated with great descriptive scenes as well as some humor along the way. I can't wait to see what Kat gets into next. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for more. Great characters in Kat and Ben too. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
May 24, 2025
Kat Calloway is the head chef at Larkspur, an upscale restaurant in Dallas. Her reputation is rising quickly until a harsh food critic drops dead during his meal. She becomes the main suspect when it is determined that he was poisoned. Kat and her friend, maitre d’ Ben work together to clear their names and save their reputations.
This book is an engaging cozy that held my interest throughout. The author, Dayton, does a good job of weaving mystery and suspense into the plot, making it difficult to figure out the culprit. While I found the ending to be a little underwhelming, I won’t give anything away. That said, I enjoyed this read and believe that cozy mystery fans who are foodies will find this book interesting.
*I received a free ARC from the author and BookFunnel. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book is an engaging cozy that held my interest throughout. The author, Dayton, does a good job of weaving mystery and suspense into the plot, making it difficult to figure out the culprit. While I found the ending to be a little underwhelming, I won’t give anything away. That said, I enjoyed this read and believe that cozy mystery fans who are foodies will find this book interesting.
*I received a free ARC from the author and BookFunnel. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 2, 2025
Murder on the menu?
I think a chef’s worst nightmare is someone getting poisoned during their meal. Unfortunately for Kat Calloway that’s exactly what happens during her supper club night at her restaurant. Doubly unfortunate is the patron died and it was murder. Now the future is all up in smoke and she’s trying everything to clear her name, reputation and get her restaurant back by finding a murderer. Along for the ride her snarky and amusing sidekick and Maitre’d Ben, and a few of the core staff members. Fun subplots the cat who adopts her in her time of need and the flirty new banter with a local pastry chef Bash. Good mystery, good food, good sense of humor and a great twist. I’m definitely eager for another course!
I think a chef’s worst nightmare is someone getting poisoned during their meal. Unfortunately for Kat Calloway that’s exactly what happens during her supper club night at her restaurant. Doubly unfortunate is the patron died and it was murder. Now the future is all up in smoke and she’s trying everything to clear her name, reputation and get her restaurant back by finding a murderer. Along for the ride her snarky and amusing sidekick and Maitre’d Ben, and a few of the core staff members. Fun subplots the cat who adopts her in her time of need and the flirty new banter with a local pastry chef Bash. Good mystery, good food, good sense of humor and a great twist. I’m definitely eager for another course!
July 17, 2025
Wonderful Start
Set in the busy, snobbish setting of a world class 4 Star restaurant, A Dash of Death introduces us to Kat, and her crew at Larkspur. When an ultra rich oil man drops dead after loudly complaining about his meal, Kat’s restaurant is shut down. As she worries about her career, she decides to figure out for herself who killed her hated customer. Well written, with an easy to follow plot, the character’s are well rounded and interesting. The staging in a busy kitchen, and bar are described wonderfully, Any foodie will love this book. This introduction is a fast, very easy read and I liked the strength Kat and her crew displayed. I only wish I didn’t have to wait for the next one.
Set in the busy, snobbish setting of a world class 4 Star restaurant, A Dash of Death introduces us to Kat, and her crew at Larkspur. When an ultra rich oil man drops dead after loudly complaining about his meal, Kat’s restaurant is shut down. As she worries about her career, she decides to figure out for herself who killed her hated customer. Well written, with an easy to follow plot, the character’s are well rounded and interesting. The staging in a busy kitchen, and bar are described wonderfully, Any foodie will love this book. This introduction is a fast, very easy read and I liked the strength Kat and her crew displayed. I only wish I didn’t have to wait for the next one.
May 23, 2025
Don’t ever give the chef a bad review!
This starts off with excitement at a supper club meal. Kat Calloway and her staff need to solve this murder to save their jobs and reputations. Since the police consider each of them a suspect, they do it without police help or “interference.” The group is extremely glad, however, to have police help as the guilty party(ies) realize Kat and her friends have the evidence to prove who decided murder was the answer to their desperation. Will people ever return to Larkspur?
This starts off with excitement at a supper club meal. Kat Calloway and her staff need to solve this murder to save their jobs and reputations. Since the police consider each of them a suspect, they do it without police help or “interference.” The group is extremely glad, however, to have police help as the guilty party(ies) realize Kat and her friends have the evidence to prove who decided murder was the answer to their desperation. Will people ever return to Larkspur?
May 29, 2025
Kat Calloway runs the kitchen at an exclusive restaurant in Dallas that serves the elite in the area. One of the special diners that evening is Harrison Vaughn who is one of those people that think they are the only people that matter in the area. He is a rude, overbearing man that says the food is not good to get a rise out of the chef, after he berates her, he falls dead in his food. Poison! So the restaurant is closed while the police work on the case. Kat and Ben work the case and figure it out long before the police do. Good story!
I received an arc and this is my review.
I received an arc and this is my review.
May 30, 2025
Kat Calloway is chef at her restaurant where a culinary chef is poisoned. She also gets chosen by a cat she names Tux, who moves in and makes himself at home! Lots of twists and turns to find out who committed this murder in her full restaurant and why. Ben, her loyal maitre d’ helps her in the search. Interesting complex quirky characters and a fast paced story make this a real page turner and a must read! I loved the ending, and the recipes!
May 27, 2025
The murder of Harrison Vaughn 111 disturbs the Supper Club night at head chef Katherine Calloways restaurant. Someone had taken matters into their own hands to create havoc. Secrets , threats, betrayal complicated matters. A captivating read from the start with a nail-biting finish. I received this ARC via Booksprouts and recommend this book to other readers.
May 30, 2025
Kat becomes a suspect when the food critic is killed by the food she cooked for him. Now she and her friends have to figure out what really happened. A fun cozy mystery with great and engaging characters, including Tux and a storyline that will keep you guessing with the team. Just a fun book to read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 31, 2025
When a rich over the top critical patron dies at Supper Club, Kat and the rest of the crew scramble to clear their names and save the reputation of their restaurant. I enjoyed the characters very much and am looking forward to more books in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by booksprout.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by booksprout.
December 5, 2025
This is a very good story, with the potential of being great. A very good chef gets her cooking trashed by a pretentious billionaire, and then the guy dies from poisoning. Before they know it, both the chef and her Matre'd is accused of murder. Then she gets a note warning her off, and a few days later is almost run off the road. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the next one.
May 26, 2025
The first book in a new series by Dayton is an enjoyable read. I thoroughly enjoyed her “Art Gallery”/ Sadie Stewart series. This cozy deviates slightly from the usual culinary closed door murder, and it really does cleverly keep you guessing right to the very end!
May 28, 2025
When a particularly mean food critic dies after having a meal at Kat's restaurant, Kat & her employee are both accused of poisoning him. They must follow the clues to solve mystery before they end up in jail. I recommend this book and have posted this voluntary review after receiving an Arc
May 28, 2025
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It is a great start to a new series. I liked Kat and her maître d, Ben. I liked how they solved a very public murder.
June 16, 2025
I really enjoyed reading a Dash of Death and found it a very good, entertaining and well written story. I fully recommend this book to anyone and I will definitely be reading all future books that the author writes in this series.
May 28, 2025
Dayton hits a home run with this cozy.
May 29, 2025
Well written, fast paced, and an ending I didn't guess. Plus an adorable tuxedo cat, but I won't say any more about him. No spoilers!
May 30, 2025
Wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed following along as Kate and Ben cleared their names. Will be looking for more of their adventures.
June 1, 2025
This was cute. I loved Tux!
June 28, 2025
A dash of death
Good book only not enough of the cat. Maybe her next one will have more kitty's. One can hope for it.
Good book only not enough of the cat. Maybe her next one will have more kitty's. One can hope for it.
November 10, 2025
Great book
Lots of suspense drama and laughter.
Who was the killer? There was so many people who could of done it
Lots of suspense drama and laughter.
Who was the killer? There was so many people who could of done it
June 3, 2025
This book was hard to put down! A man died in an exclusive restaurant. That restaurant got shut down. It is a great read!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews