Sympathy for the Devil

Madeline Bean #1

by Jerrilyn Farmer

Madeline Bean, caterer to the stars, is in the middle of the biggest job of her career. She and her partner Wesley have pulled off Hollywood's most outrageous A-list Halloween party for notorious producer Bruno Huntley, complete with an eerie fortuneteller who is astonishingly accurate, and exotic food that's to die for. Before long, Bruno is thrashing and writhing out on the dance floor. Just one problem: he's not standing up, And soon, he's not even breathing.

The newly late Mr. Huntley was poisoned, that's certain. But the number of suspects with a yen to send Bruno to the devil could fill an audition for extras in the next Quentin Tarantino flick. When Wesley is arrested for the murder because of a long-standing dispute with the maniacal mogul, Madeline knows he couldn't be guilty. But to prove it, she has to wade through the muck of a mudslinging family, outrun a pair of crazed canines, dodge a pair of well-aimed bullets, and expose a slew of secrets that could put a soap opera to shame. Somebody's cooked up a murder, and it's up to Madeline to find out who--before she faces a fadeout of her own.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Culinary, Halloween

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1998

About the author

Jerrilyn Farmer, the author of the acclaimed, award-winning Madeline Bean novels, is a TV writer who has written for game shows such as Jeopardy! and Supermarket Sweep, and sketch comedy specials for Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, Timothy Stack, Cheri Oteri, Tim Meadows, and others. Farmer also teaches mystery writing at the UCLA Extension's Writers Program.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. It was the first of the series and I am glad it wasn't the first one I read or I might not have read some of the others in the series. I think her writing style and character development is better in the later books!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok read. Mystery was ok the characters were under developed. So didn’t register much with me.

[Caroline Kopko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Occasionally I need a bad book to break a dry spell. I was drawn to Sympathy for the Devil specifically because it's so - of it's time? Reminding me of the kind of books my Grandma would browse on the rack near the register at Publix in 1997. Frivolous books for bored ladies. Like a Lifetime movie in the form of a culinary themed murder mystery. The first thing I noticed was how dated everything is. Over-complicated pesto abominations, food towers, constant cappuccino references, shit like mandarins in salad (I may have made that up, but that's very 90's and fuck fruit in salads other than FRUIT SALAD), the language of the South Beach Diet and Atkins permeating pop culture. Posh trendy expensive descriptors that sound like they were written by someone who didn't know much about food to begin with; naming things they saw on a light pasta menu at Cheesecake Factory. These were my favorite details of the experience. This and recognizing Los Angeles locations that I am familiar with. You'd think the novelty of ,"Oh, I know where that is!", would have worn off by now but it hasn't.

Cliche whodunnit game of baker's Clue. It could have been anyone, and sometimes that's just not interesting to me. When I read an entire book and in the last ten pages I realize that the author could choose any character and still tie up the story effortlessly, I don't feel satisfied. When the identity of the killer is revealed, I was ready to for it to be over. I sped through the last chapter and a half because, who cares?

Oh well, I knew what I was getting myself into. At least it appears the dry spell may have been successfully broken.

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympathy For The Devil by Jerrilyn Farmer is the first in the Madeline Bean mystery series. For a culinary cozy mystery there isn't much about food in this story. I enjoyed the somewhat convoluted mystery, the character development, or lack of it - not so much. For an intelligent man, Wes (here I am guessing because not much is told to the reader about him) definitely isn't playing with a full deck (especially if the first thing he does after being suspected of murder is to hightail it out of town - stupid move). I understood Graydon, his personality and motivation, much more than that of the main characters. A tad darker than most of the cozies I have read.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very surprised several chapters deep into this book to find it was the first of the series. There was no background story, except for a little bit in chapter 15. While I found the mystery good, a few things bothered me. There was more swearing that I am used to in a cozy, one character was very unlikeable, and some of the comments left me wondering if I had missed things. Maybe this series is a spinoff of another, which would explain the lack of background? I already own the second in the series so I'll give it a chance before deciding if I'll read the rest of the books

[Corinne Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a bit to get into but picked up towards the end. I really like the character of Bruno. He was a prankster up to the day of his death, and beyond. I also liked that he took care of his friends and true family. Madeline Bean is a caterer and amateur detective with best friend Wes. This is my second book by this author and i plan to read more.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of a wonderful series that for some reason was cut short. Madeline Bean is a caterer in Los Angeles and is always finding herself in a mystery. This series was very funny and cute.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Madeline Bean #1

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely reading more in this series!

[Renee Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Maddie Bean!

[Shalina H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda forgettable. Like I cannot remember the plot a few months later.

[Joanne Craig · Rating 1 out of 5]

superficial in characterisation and setting. Interesting in terms of the genre. I would not rush to read another. It was fine for the holiday.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy mystery with a culinary slant circa 1990s. Cute story, good characters, I'm interested to see where the series goes..

[HatGirl8]

8/19/2005

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a fun read for the book in the series. Now, let's see what happens to the characters!

[Sasha Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

...meh.
(Minus points for being mildly sexist even though it was written by a women)

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Madeline Bean owns a catering business that caters to the rich and famous. She and her partner, Wes, have a huge job with a Halloween party for producer, Bruno Huntley. The novel is not as well written or Elizabeth George or Tess Gerritsen. The book is mostly fluff, like the people living in Los Angeles. There are no detailed autopsy reports or gory murder scenes. The reader does not learn any earth shattering knowledge from reading this book. The book is just a simple beach read.

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madeline Bean is catering the Hollywood party this Halloween. But things take a bad turn when the host, producer Bruno Huntley, dies in the middle of the festival. This debut features great characters and lots of fun twists to the plot and started what is still a top notch series. I just wish there were more than seven books.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book in a cozy mystery series about a caterer who gets caught up in a murder investigation. It was cute and entertaining, but there wasn't much of a backstory or character development. Still, I enjoyed reading it and will probably read more of the series to see how things continue to develop for the characters, especially the protagonist Madeline.

[Muriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book in a cute series of a caterer who gets mixed up in a murder mystery. It's been a long time since I read this but I have a vague recollection of enjoying it and picking up a couple of more books in the series.

[Cindi Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like it but what I was really unsure of was did I want to read this or a different book. I'm very glad I convinced myself to keep reading it. Zit was good and look forward to the rest of the series.

[Hil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this mystery. I liked the main character, Madeline Bean (wish she would get out of her convenient relationship!), and I enjoyed the mystery. It wasn't too easy to figure out and wasn't so boring that I read the end to figure it out! I will read the rest of the books in this series.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice new cozy to enjoy with colorful food analogies, similes and metaphors for a breezy read. This is a must read for the summer and a good one to enjoy.

[Vanessa Opal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Madeline Bean mysteries. They are funny, give great Old Hollywood trivia and, of course, she cooks.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this! Loved Madeleine and Wes, great mystery, fun setting. Can't wait to read more!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good "whodunnit".

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a diverting mystery. I would read another in her series.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting start to the series. A fun read.

[Douglas Eboch]

An easy read, fun setting and world. The wit is a bit forced and the mystery not that special.

[Anne-Marie]

Can get from the library using LINK plus