Dial M for Meat Loaf

Sophie Greenway #6

by Ellen Hart

As Minnesota housewives race to meet the deadline for the Times Register's meat loaf contest, an unsavory small-towner named Kirby Runbeck is blown to smithereens by a car bomb.

Days later, the town's former mayor, John Washburn, near death from a stroke, confesses to the killing. His wife and two children vehemently deny it, but when Sophie Greenway, food maven and friend of the family, happens upon an old snapshot, a bundle of letters, and a tattoo of a red-eyed snake, she wonders about Washburn's innocence. Unlike the recipe for a prize meat loaf, this murder is seasoned with spicy secrets and a generous portion of scandal, which Sophie dares to bring to a roiling boil...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Ellen Hart is the author of twenty-eight crime novels in two different series. She is a five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Popular Fiction, a three-time winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award in several categories, a recipient of the Alice B Medal, and was made an official GLBT Literary Saint at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans in 2005. In 2010, Ellen received the GCLS Trailblazer Award for lifetime achievement in the field of lesbian literature. For the past fourteen years, Ellen has taught "An Introduction to Writing the Modern Mystery" through the The Loft Literary Center, the largest independent writing community in the nation. Ellen's latest Sophie Greenway mystery is No Reservations Required (Ballantine). Rest for the Wicked, the twentieth Jane Lawless mystery, will be released by St. Martin's/Minotaur in October 2012. Bella Books has recently revived the out-of-print books by publishing them in both trade paperback and E-book. Ellen lives in the Minneapolis area with her partner of over 35 years.

Reviews

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dial M for MeatLoaf by Ellen Hart is the sixth Sophie Greenway cozy mystery. It was a decent cozy but I probably should have started with the first book of the series as knowing the characters and their backstories would definitely have increased my enjoyment. That said, I enjoyed this book and its characters enough to plan to begin the series at the beginning and do it right.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A choppy read. Felt like there were different narrators throughout, who had not been writing for long; like a class project. Then there were occasional glimpses of 'brilliant' descriptions, that stood out so blatantly, that they seemed lifted/plagiarized or put in by a well-meaning editor.
I expect more, given that there were prior books in the series.

The protagonist is ...not interesting to me. Honestly, I didn't care. She seemed skeevy, unlikable. And who waits over a hundred pages to mention they have a dog? which they never walk! or feed!

I get that people have pasts and that no age means you are resigned and have given up, but I don't understand some rich busybody getting holier than thou when she's got skeletons galore in her closet, and those have not made her more human/e, just extremely judgmental.

The 'bad guy' comes out of left field, without coherent or understandable conviction, but the entire cast of characters is so devoid of decency that it makes me want to avoid Minnesota. The author lacks real life experience with the work involved running a farm/ milking/livestock, and no, cows do not take cookies with their teeth, they lack upper teeth, and use their lips or tongue. Hardly anyone keeps a Holstein as a family cow (where was her calf?), when there are better breeds for the purpose.

The characterization of couples who are married for a lifetime as "odd" who "lacked imagination or courage" by a cheating wife leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Yes, there are few fairy tale endings in real life, but that doesn't preclude the existence of love, decency, commitment.

The story could have been interesting, if framed differently, and seen as a 'family history'. I did not appreciate the red herrings (the 'mafioso') that could easily have been explained but were not, or the astonishing amount of coincidences that got the protagonist involved. Just too much, considering the two women had barely a working relationship. Got this book free off a bargain table, not worth more.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hotelier and restaurant critic Sophie Greenway offers a ride to Bernice, her newspaper's food editor, and becomes involved with the strange Washburn family. Bernice's father just had a stroke, and suddenly confesses to the recent murder of a crooked handyman. Unfortunately, the Washburns can't keep it in the family because a doctor sees the scrawled message and reports it to the police. Sophie learns that one of the family is a bigamist, and possibly a murderer as well--but which one? Minnesota setting.

[Andrea]

Between the title and the fact that the word 'smithereens' is used in the description (a word that cracks me up for some unknown reason), HAD to have it. Thankfully, it seems like a well-received book. :)

[Mercedes · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite cozy mystery writers who always delivers a clever story. Also included a few good meatloaf recipes.

[Andrea Noren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps because I jumped in on book six of a series, but this book had so many red herrings, complications and side plots that I felt like I was reading a satire of a murder mystery. The setting was interesting - small town Minnesota, with a bit of city and backwoods thrown in along with a radio show and *two* newspapers in the mix. Oh and of course a woman who lived for her cat. The book was enjoyable, but I won't be looking for the rest of the books in this series, or even for other books by this author.

[Noelle Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh...it was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read anything else by this author. Sophia, the supposed main character, wasn't even in about half of the book, instead it went into detail about the history of the Washburn family, and people associated with them. The chapters that Sophia was in seemed like mostly telling us what happened in the other books, and bringing in people who had absolutely nothing to do with the plot. The ending seemed like it was rushed, and the epilogue was a total info dump.

I don't usually read crime novels, and this is perfect example of why.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seemed like there were a lot of characters and there were and then throw in the tats to add to the confusion. Took a while to figure out what was going on and realizing that some of the characters added nothing to the plot.

[Shayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Culinary mystery

Kept me guessing all the way through the end of the epilogue. So many twists, turns, mysteries and plot twists in one short book. All of that in under four hundred pages is remarkable. I can't wait to read more

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it !

[Nancy Higgs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy mystery. Set in Minnesota. I have read a few of Ellen Hart’s books. I wanted something light and fun while on my trip in Alaska!

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

#6 in the Sophia Greenway, Minneapolis hotel owner-manager and food critic for the city's paper, mystery series. Sophia becomes involved with her editor and her family when the editor's father has a stroke and confesses to a car bomb murder. Sophia soon discovers that the father has a checkered pass that she decides to investigate and tries to discover who is responsible for the bombing and the mystery surrounding the father.

The supporting characters Cora Runbeck and Angelo Falzone are the best characters in the story.

The meat loaf in the title refers to a very limited sub plot regarding a contest by the newspaper for the best meat loaf recipe.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is pretty good at juggling all of her complicated plots and subplots with twists that keep the reader engaged. She leads you down a long pathway then lets you go over the cliff at the end.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book with unexpected twists.

[Mich · Rating 3 out of 5]

not a bad book at all for a quickie mystery
kept my attention. would read more by this author

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

n easy read.

[GIZMO · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting plot twists in this fun read