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Eat, Pray, Die Humorous Mystery #2
The Hunger Pains
Isobel Avery is on her second assignment as an undercover poison taster for Los Angeles's rich and famous. And she’s actually enjoying herself. Until her sweet, agoraphobic client mysteriously leaves the safety of his apartment and winds up dead.
When crucial evidence goes missing, investigator Connor Stiles will need Izzy's inside knowledge to help track down the killer. But despite three months of absence to make Connor’s heart grow fonder, he doesn't seem pleased to be working with her again. The LAPD commander is even less pleased to have Izzy on the case since he considers her a suspect and, even worse, a mere civilian. To top it all off, her least favorite relative in the whole wide world drops by for an unexpected visit.
Meanwhile, the killer is destroying anything that might link back to them. Including Izzy if she's not careful.
In this fun-packed romantic sequel to Eat, Pray, Die, join Izzy as she learns where she stands with the enigmatic Connor and tries to put another bad guy behind bars.
When crucial evidence goes missing, investigator Connor Stiles will need Izzy's inside knowledge to help track down the killer. But despite three months of absence to make Connor’s heart grow fonder, he doesn't seem pleased to be working with her again. The LAPD commander is even less pleased to have Izzy on the case since he considers her a suspect and, even worse, a mere civilian. To top it all off, her least favorite relative in the whole wide world drops by for an unexpected visit.
Meanwhile, the killer is destroying anything that might link back to them. Including Izzy if she's not careful.
In this fun-packed romantic sequel to Eat, Pray, Die, join Izzy as she learns where she stands with the enigmatic Connor and tries to put another bad guy behind bars.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2016
1342 people are currently reading
778 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea Field
11 books295 followersChelsea Field has lived an exciting life for an introvert.
She’s fallen off a galloping racehorse, faced down dozens of Australia’s most dangerous animals (including vicious roosters, for those of you who’ve read EAT, PRAY, DIE), and while she’s never sold buns or coffee for a living like her protagonist, she’s consumed plenty of both.
Yes, all of those points are about animals or food. I told you she’s an introvert.
After writing a romantic comedy (no, you can’t read it) where the hero was a photographer from Burnside and then meeting and marrying a photographer from Burnside a few years later, she’s a little worried her writing has weird prophetic fate-like powers. So she makes sure nothing too bad ever happens to her characters, just in case life decides to imitate fiction again.
You can get to know her better at http://chelseafieldauthor.com. As the middle child of five, she’s used to being ignored, though, so don’t sweat it.
She’s fallen off a galloping racehorse, faced down dozens of Australia’s most dangerous animals (including vicious roosters, for those of you who’ve read EAT, PRAY, DIE), and while she’s never sold buns or coffee for a living like her protagonist, she’s consumed plenty of both.
Yes, all of those points are about animals or food. I told you she’s an introvert.
After writing a romantic comedy (no, you can’t read it) where the hero was a photographer from Burnside and then meeting and marrying a photographer from Burnside a few years later, she’s a little worried her writing has weird prophetic fate-like powers. So she makes sure nothing too bad ever happens to her characters, just in case life decides to imitate fiction again.
You can get to know her better at http://chelseafieldauthor.com. As the middle child of five, she’s used to being ignored, though, so don’t sweat it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
September 10, 2017
Such a great book! I'm loving this series! It's like a romantic comedy cookie with a murder mystery inside. 🍪Or maybe like a murder mystery taco shell with a hilarious romantic comedy filling? 🌮
Ok. Now I'm hungry.
Anyway, this series has wonderful characters and a great storyline! I'm on to the next one! Yay!!!!
🤗📖💕
Ok. Now I'm hungry.
Anyway, this series has wonderful characters and a great storyline! I'm on to the next one! Yay!!!!
🤗📖💕
July 5, 2020
The Hunger Pains
By: Chelsea Field
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Izzy is food taster for clients. She tastes good and drink for poisons. Her current client just up and walked out and got himself killed. Izzy is now a suspect too. She tries to solve the crime and someone tries killing her. Her and Connor are at least working together again!
This is a great book to relax, feel good, giggle occasionally, and live vicariously through Izzy's romance!
Narrator performed very well!
By: Chelsea Field
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Izzy is food taster for clients. She tastes good and drink for poisons. Her current client just up and walked out and got himself killed. Izzy is now a suspect too. She tries to solve the crime and someone tries killing her. Her and Connor are at least working together again!
This is a great book to relax, feel good, giggle occasionally, and live vicariously through Izzy's romance!
Narrator performed very well!
September 6, 2019
Another fun read about a poison taster and the man she tends to keep getting caught up in mystery cases with!
When Izzy’s client is found dead she’s thrown back into contact with Connor whom she hasn’t see for the past three months. As they try to find evidence where there isn’t any, Izzy is trying to avoid annoying family who have come to visit, and help Etta with her new dog who has a phobia of stairs. Along the way, she also makes an enemy of the detective in charge of the case and has a few run-ins with Mr. Black.
While this one wasn’t as much fun as the first book, it was still full of humor, good friends, annoying characters and Connor. We get a little bit more of his background and it’s become a tad easier to discern what he might be thinking…but just a tad. This is very light on the romance, but it is moving along…slowly. Izzy is still as fresh and crazy as before and the case is another mind boggler. Additional characters are introduced and as before, they are all well developed and add to the overall enjoyment of the story, even the bad guy(s).
Like book one, I was engaged in this story from the first page. I adore Izzy and all her weirdness, her innate kindness and her thought processes. She keeps me smiling, if not outright laughing. I think it’s safe to say I will be continuing the series. It’s just too good to ignore!
Heroine POV
Safe
Triggers
When Izzy’s client is found dead she’s thrown back into contact with Connor whom she hasn’t see for the past three months. As they try to find evidence where there isn’t any, Izzy is trying to avoid annoying family who have come to visit, and help Etta with her new dog who has a phobia of stairs. Along the way, she also makes an enemy of the detective in charge of the case and has a few run-ins with Mr. Black.
While this one wasn’t as much fun as the first book, it was still full of humor, good friends, annoying characters and Connor. We get a little bit more of his background and it’s become a tad easier to discern what he might be thinking…but just a tad. This is very light on the romance, but it is moving along…slowly. Izzy is still as fresh and crazy as before and the case is another mind boggler. Additional characters are introduced and as before, they are all well developed and add to the overall enjoyment of the story, even the bad guy(s).
Like book one, I was engaged in this story from the first page. I adore Izzy and all her weirdness, her innate kindness and her thought processes. She keeps me smiling, if not outright laughing. I think it’s safe to say I will be continuing the series. It’s just too good to ignore!
Heroine POV
Safe
Triggers
November 7, 2019
This is one of those cute-fun series that you can read when you want something light and easy. The heroine is originally from Australia and I believe the author is to, even though it is set in Los Angeles. This causes there to be some of those language faux pas when people from L.A. are using terms like "house-mate" instead of "roommate" and saying things like "that was right good" which is not correct for the region either. I always notice that kind of thing, maybe because my hubs is British and it surprised me when we met just how different their English is from ours. It's almost like they are from a whole other country or something.
Oh no they didn't!!
In this book, Izzie (our heroine) has been working as a food taster for an agoraphobic nerd who runs a conspiracy website out of his home. And, let's just say - most accidents occur in the home, right? I don't want to spoil, but the Force may or may not have cried out all at once as if there was a great loss that day.
A Star Wars and physics joke? Nerd dream come true.
Because of reasons, Izzie ends up working with the guy from the first book, Conner, to solve a case. I'm guessing that since she solved the last one, unlike Conner the "expert" professional, he's just looking for someone else to do his work for him again. So actually, the author really did capture the American spirit in that. Passing off our work to schlubs we can boss around is the epitome of the American Dream.
Wow, way to drag Mexico into it. Haven't we given them enough shit lately?
But, the spirit of "can't someone else do it?" lives strongly in my country. It's our thing.
In this case there is also a police detective from the LAPD who is also supposed to be solving the crime.
Three guesses on who actually solves it!!??
Our little Aussie girl hasn't clued in to the fact that the two "professionals" are probably out at strip clubs laughing their asses off while she works her ass off to solve their cases.
Give her time. She'll learn.
God, I love this country!
Oh no they didn't!!
In this book, Izzie (our heroine) has been working as a food taster for an agoraphobic nerd who runs a conspiracy website out of his home. And, let's just say - most accidents occur in the home, right? I don't want to spoil, but the Force may or may not have cried out all at once as if there was a great loss that day.
A Star Wars and physics joke? Nerd dream come true.
Because of reasons, Izzie ends up working with the guy from the first book, Conner, to solve a case. I'm guessing that since she solved the last one, unlike Conner the "expert" professional, he's just looking for someone else to do his work for him again. So actually, the author really did capture the American spirit in that. Passing off our work to schlubs we can boss around is the epitome of the American Dream.
Wow, way to drag Mexico into it. Haven't we given them enough shit lately?
But, the spirit of "can't someone else do it?" lives strongly in my country. It's our thing.
In this case there is also a police detective from the LAPD who is also supposed to be solving the crime.
Three guesses on who actually solves it!!??
Our little Aussie girl hasn't clued in to the fact that the two "professionals" are probably out at strip clubs laughing their asses off while she works her ass off to solve their cases.
Give her time. She'll learn.
God, I love this country!
January 12, 2019
This book was a little more serious than the first, but it still made me giggle a lot. Izzy is a grown up Stephanie Plum, with a good heart. The characters are interesting, though we didn’t get to know Earnest very well before he was murdered. I’m looking forward to reading the next in this crazy series about poison tasters.
January 31, 2020
"How anyone preferred shopping over reading in bed with a cat for company was beyond my understanding."
This installment follows Izzy into a new assignment with a new client. This is three months later and unfortunately nothing sexy happened with Connor and Izzy. They've parted ways and haven't spoken to each other. Earnest, her new client is super nice but he has agoraphobia which is a form of anxiety disorder that causes him to stay in his house 24/7 with a tiny list of exceptions. He also runs BusiLeaks which is WikiLeaks in the fiction world and is the reason Izzy is pretending to be his bf so she can make sure his food isn't poisoned.
One day she's running behind but when she goes to Earnest's house he's not there and we later find out he's dead. It was made to look like a suicide but it was actually murder. This brings Connor and Izzy back together again to work together and figure out who murdered Earnest. Meanwhile, Izzy is juggling her relatives and Etta's new dog Dudley as well as the Commander in town who threatens her with jail at every moment and her growing feelings for Connor.
Once again I had a fun ride reading this. I learned that septuagenarian (don't ask me to pronounce it) is an actual word that means someone who is between the age of 70-79. I also learned that Etta is most likely a freak in the sheets even though she's a septuagenarian and I want to be her when I get older. I also loved that there was more emotion in this installment even from Connor and the buildup to the ending had me diving into book 3. Also, either my detective skills are crap or the author is just that good cause I haven't been able to guess these killers yet at all.
This installment follows Izzy into a new assignment with a new client. This is three months later and unfortunately nothing sexy happened with Connor and Izzy. They've parted ways and haven't spoken to each other. Earnest, her new client is super nice but he has agoraphobia which is a form of anxiety disorder that causes him to stay in his house 24/7 with a tiny list of exceptions. He also runs BusiLeaks which is WikiLeaks in the fiction world and is the reason Izzy is pretending to be his bf so she can make sure his food isn't poisoned.
One day she's running behind but when she goes to Earnest's house he's not there and we later find out he's dead. It was made to look like a suicide but it was actually murder. This brings Connor and Izzy back together again to work together and figure out who murdered Earnest. Meanwhile, Izzy is juggling her relatives and Etta's new dog Dudley as well as the Commander in town who threatens her with jail at every moment and her growing feelings for Connor.
Once again I had a fun ride reading this. I learned that septuagenarian (don't ask me to pronounce it) is an actual word that means someone who is between the age of 70-79. I also learned that Etta is most likely a freak in the sheets even though she's a septuagenarian and I want to be her when I get older. I also loved that there was more emotion in this installment even from Connor and the buildup to the ending had me diving into book 3. Also, either my detective skills are crap or the author is just that good cause I haven't been able to guess these killers yet at all.
August 25, 2019
I liked it.
The mystery was well developed and Isobel continues to grow as a novel sleuth. Her relationship with Connor is slowly growing and I love how even when he's being emotionless, he's not really a jerk to Isobel. He's caring and gentle. And we get to learn more about him in this one! I love me my Connor morsels.
We also get to meet some infuriating characters in this one. And to be honest, I strongly dislike Etta, that elderly, noisy, selfish neighbor of Isobel's. She doesn't seem loyal, helpful or even caring. Then there was the hardheaded, narrow-minded LAPD commander. Hated HIS guts.
On to the next one!
The mystery was well developed and Isobel continues to grow as a novel sleuth. Her relationship with Connor is slowly growing and I love how even when he's being emotionless, he's not really a jerk to Isobel. He's caring and gentle. And we get to learn more about him in this one! I love me my Connor morsels.
We also get to meet some infuriating characters in this one. And to be honest, I strongly dislike Etta, that elderly, noisy, selfish neighbor of Isobel's. She doesn't seem loyal, helpful or even caring. Then there was the hardheaded, narrow-minded LAPD commander. Hated HIS guts.
On to the next one!
March 7, 2023
Quick, fun, comforting read with some out loud laughs.
Another fun quick read.
Really enjoying the character development. Nice given that this is one of those comforting popcorn reads. Definitely interested in continuing and enjoying the mayhem that Field's interesting imagination is able to conjure.
3.5-4 stars
Another fun quick read.
Really enjoying the character development. Nice given that this is one of those comforting popcorn reads. Definitely interested in continuing and enjoying the mayhem that Field's interesting imagination is able to conjure.
3.5-4 stars
July 13, 2017
This series is just too good. I love the budding relationship between Izzy and Connor. I just want to smush the two together and let them at it. They balance each other so well. As for the rest of the story, it was spectacular. Hilarious, intriguing, and again I never wanted to put it down. I would sneak any chance I could to read it, even a few moments at work during lunch. I would reread in a heartbeat.
May 2, 2017
Am totally enjoying this series! An easy read with action and humor. I don't, however, envy the MC for her potentially deadly occupation. Already have book three downloaded.
September 4, 2016
Chelsea Field is another author on my no hesitation one click list. The Eat, Pray, Die series is one of my favorites now. Izzy & Connor are back trying to solve another mystery. I'm looking forward to more in this series!
October 15, 2020
This was very short, more a Novella than a novel. But I do enjoy the pacing a great deal and the secondary characters are marvelous! On to read book 3.
July 7, 2017
I enjoyed everything about this book except for the solve/resolution. The explanation for the murder was so unbelievably absurd to me that it also made the heroine's abilities to solve the murder seem impossible. In other words, the mystery cheats. I get all of the red herrings (necessary) and that you couldn't spend too much time focused on the real perpetrator, but due to the "unique" motivation of the killer, we really needed a lot more than we got to justify this motive. Maybe I was half asleep, but it also wasn't fully wrapped up how the victim was killed.
That said, I did stay up past my bedtime to finish it (hence my not being 100% sure whether the lack of explanation about how the murder was carried out was clearly explained lol). That was also partly motivated by the hope that Izzy and Connor would make out.
One other thing, I read two of these books back to back and while they were fun, I would not say they were funny. Seems many other people thought they are though, so that may just be my taste in humor.
That said, I did stay up past my bedtime to finish it (hence my not being 100% sure whether the lack of explanation about how the murder was carried out was clearly explained lol). That was also partly motivated by the hope that Izzy and Connor would make out.
One other thing, I read two of these books back to back and while they were fun, I would not say they were funny. Seems many other people thought they are though, so that may just be my taste in humor.
August 18, 2016
Picking up three months after Eat, Pray, Die Izzy is enjoying her latest assignment, where it seems like the only thing hazardous to her health (and figure) is likely to be the amount of junk food she has to taste for her client Earnest. His unexpected death changes all of that.
Connor is brought in to investigate the cause and once again he and Izzy work together to find out what happened. With plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing about who killed Earnest and why you also get to enjoy the slowly developing relationship between Connor and Izzy, and along with Izzy you get to learn more about him.
I really enjoyed this book and hope to spend more time with Izzy and Coonor in future books.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Connor is brought in to investigate the cause and once again he and Izzy work together to find out what happened. With plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing about who killed Earnest and why you also get to enjoy the slowly developing relationship between Connor and Izzy, and along with Izzy you get to learn more about him.
I really enjoyed this book and hope to spend more time with Izzy and Coonor in future books.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
May 23, 2017
7/10: Good solid read, something to get your teeth into.
I briefly entertained the thought that the telemarketer might have done it. I’d met a telemarketer-turned-hitman once, but his couldn’t be the normal career progression.
Another fun read. On to the next!
I briefly entertained the thought that the telemarketer might have done it. I’d met a telemarketer-turned-hitman once, but his couldn’t be the normal career progression.
Another fun read. On to the next!
March 21, 2017
Excellent
I love this series. It is well written, no bad language, no sex scenes. It is well plotted and humorous. The characters are appealing. Great stuff.
I love this series. It is well written, no bad language, no sex scenes. It is well plotted and humorous. The characters are appealing. Great stuff.
April 15, 2020
4
The Hunger Pains is the second book in the Eat, Pray, Die Humorous Mystery series by Chelsea Field.
The only reason I didn’t entirely enjoy this book and give it that final star was Earnest. The story would have benefitted from even a brief encounter with him, instead of just the second hand mentions we were presented with here.
Isobel Avery has moved on to a new client. The perfect client with his agoraphobia allowing them to keep their fake relationship behind closed doors and allow a true friendship to blossom. He’s quirky and sweet and a computer genius who’s dedicated his second chance at life to uncovering corporate conspiracies. It’s rather sad that he doesn’t have a star role in this book, and that only three months into this business arrangement he’s found dead in a heroin den.
Hunt was a character made to hate. He’s a blustering bully of a policeman. Probably with the right to be upset about the Taste Society solving his cases, but clearly going about his disappointment the wrong way.
Thankfully Connor’s back in the picture, investigating Earnest’s death and riding to Izzy’s rescue.
The Hunger Pains is the second book in the Eat, Pray, Die Humorous Mystery series by Chelsea Field.
The only reason I didn’t entirely enjoy this book and give it that final star was Earnest. The story would have benefitted from even a brief encounter with him, instead of just the second hand mentions we were presented with here.
Isobel Avery has moved on to a new client. The perfect client with his agoraphobia allowing them to keep their fake relationship behind closed doors and allow a true friendship to blossom. He’s quirky and sweet and a computer genius who’s dedicated his second chance at life to uncovering corporate conspiracies. It’s rather sad that he doesn’t have a star role in this book, and that only three months into this business arrangement he’s found dead in a heroin den.
Hunt was a character made to hate. He’s a blustering bully of a policeman. Probably with the right to be upset about the Taste Society solving his cases, but clearly going about his disappointment the wrong way.
Thankfully Connor’s back in the picture, investigating Earnest’s death and riding to Izzy’s rescue.
February 10, 2018
Fun, fast read
Love this series. The characters are in depth, 3 dimension, and very believable. The Taste Society is a crazy job but intriguing.
Love Etta the neighbor, what a sex pot of an older lady. Best read of a series in a long time
Love this series. The characters are in depth, 3 dimension, and very believable. The Taste Society is a crazy job but intriguing.
Love Etta the neighbor, what a sex pot of an older lady. Best read of a series in a long time
May 28, 2020
This book is a little more serious than the first book in the series. I did like the first book better than this one. Still enjoyed it, but no laughing out loud. There was less humor, but still a nice read.
July 18, 2021
A solid continuation for the series.
I still love Isobel so much. She has some really funny lines, and I like that she takes so much initiative.
However, I didn't feel like the mystery in this one was as believable. I definitely want to continue in this series though.
I still love Isobel so much. She has some really funny lines, and I like that she takes so much initiative.
However, I didn't feel like the mystery in this one was as believable. I definitely want to continue in this series though.
February 9, 2023
Another consistent installment, funny and cute at times with some more serious layers to mull over as well, even though the tone is definitely a lighter one.
I'm curious to see where this will go...
I'm curious to see where this will go...
December 10, 2017
This was a fun, albeit predictable, murder mystery with likable characters and romance
July 21, 2017
I love this serie. Love Izzie and Connor. Easy to read, light, good to de-stress. Iam beginning to read another one. Totally cooler and excelente to read as a Summer book
July 20, 2017
Entertaining Read
Good story and character development, and there certainly are some characters. Izzy is a great combination of strength and insecurity. And, funny.
Good story and character development, and there certainly are some characters. Izzy is a great combination of strength and insecurity. And, funny.
October 29, 2019
What a great book I am loving this series
July 6, 2017
As yummy as a raspberry white chocolate chip muffin
Izzy is at it again. This time she's on a real assignment for the Taste Society, the super secret organization that trains Shades--poison detectors to protect the rich and famous from toxic threats on their lives--which, it turns out, are a lot more common than we've been led to believe (all those drug overdose deaths? Yeah, most of them were really poisonings.)
When we meet up with Izzy in The Hunger Pains, it's just a few months after we left her in Eat, Pray, Die, and she's been working most of that time for a dream client--a sweet, brilliant agoraphobic named Earnest.
But when she shows up (late), something is off. Earnest isn't there! For a man who virtually never leaves his apartment, this is squirrelly, indeed...
Izzy heads off to search for him, leading us on a romp that involves murder, conspiracies, lots of espresso and cookies, handsome men, LA traffic, a newly liberated greyhound, Izzy's scary Aunt Alice and cousin Henrietta, and hardass Connor of the perfect hard ass.
Great fun.
Izzy is at it again. This time she's on a real assignment for the Taste Society, the super secret organization that trains Shades--poison detectors to protect the rich and famous from toxic threats on their lives--which, it turns out, are a lot more common than we've been led to believe (all those drug overdose deaths? Yeah, most of them were really poisonings.)
When we meet up with Izzy in The Hunger Pains, it's just a few months after we left her in Eat, Pray, Die, and she's been working most of that time for a dream client--a sweet, brilliant agoraphobic named Earnest.
But when she shows up (late), something is off. Earnest isn't there! For a man who virtually never leaves his apartment, this is squirrelly, indeed...
Izzy heads off to search for him, leading us on a romp that involves murder, conspiracies, lots of espresso and cookies, handsome men, LA traffic, a newly liberated greyhound, Izzy's scary Aunt Alice and cousin Henrietta, and hardass Connor of the perfect hard ass.
Great fun.
July 22, 2017
Another fun read in this series!
Isobel is quirky and so kind hearted. Connor is insufferable but a big teddy bear. The characters are fun and the storyline intriguing. Looking forward to starting the next book
Isobel is quirky and so kind hearted. Connor is insufferable but a big teddy bear. The characters are fun and the storyline intriguing. Looking forward to starting the next book
July 11, 2017
Just couldnt put it down. Keep writing please. The characters are also believable it was really fun read can't wait to start the next one.
It's amazing how the author brings you right into the middle of the story you almost feel like you're there with everyone else kind of like you make friends with the characters even though you know they're not real
It's amazing how the author brings you right into the middle of the story you almost feel like you're there with everyone else kind of like you make friends with the characters even though you know they're not real
July 9, 2017
Fun! Just an enjoyable read. Great for a summer day.
July 3, 2017
Poison
Izzy's client is a computer genius living in a rent controlled dilapidated apartment and suffers from agoraphobia. Of course he's murdered, but how and why was he outside after midnight? Many suspects and great characters in this 'Taster'.
Izzy's client is a computer genius living in a rent controlled dilapidated apartment and suffers from agoraphobia. Of course he's murdered, but how and why was he outside after midnight? Many suspects and great characters in this 'Taster'.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews