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Carolyn Blue Culinary Mysteries #10
Turkey Flambé
Food writer Carolyn Blue's book launch goes up in smoke when her turkey flambé results in two flaming birds getting tossed out the window-leading to a young woman's death. Now it's up to Carolyn to restore her reputation and find out who sabotaged her poultry party. And she thought flambéing was hard...
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 6, 2007
9 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Fairbanks
15 books55 followersA pseudonym used by Nancy Herndon.
Series:
* A Culinary Mystery with Recipes
Series:
* A Culinary Mystery with Recipes
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 3, 2023
As a publicity stunt, food writer Carolyn Blue tries to make a turkey flambe. Things go very wrong. The turkeys are thrown out on the street, where one injures her publisher, and the other causes a car accident. Now suspected of a terrorist attack, Carolyn tires to clear her name.
Not bad, but a little time in Supermax might do her some good.
Not bad, but a little time in Supermax might do her some good.
September 9, 2010
Turkey Flambe (Nancy Fairbanks)
Carolyn Blue is a food writer , she has a gig in New York where her publisher decides to pull a publicity stunt. To have her turkey recipe flambe. Things go wrong and the turkeys blow up, explode , literally.
It sounds funny but it is not, people get hurt during this stunt, one ends up in a coma. Soon Carolyn is the number one suspect. With her friend and side kick Luz, an ex cop they decide to investigate and clear Carolyn's name. Several people have the motive to ruin Carolyn's name and things get a bit tense.
Fast pace and funny, Turkey Flambe will keep you guessing until the end. Also some very interesting recipes, for those who like to cook.
Carolyn Blue is a food writer , she has a gig in New York where her publisher decides to pull a publicity stunt. To have her turkey recipe flambe. Things go wrong and the turkeys blow up, explode , literally.
It sounds funny but it is not, people get hurt during this stunt, one ends up in a coma. Soon Carolyn is the number one suspect. With her friend and side kick Luz, an ex cop they decide to investigate and clear Carolyn's name. Several people have the motive to ruin Carolyn's name and things get a bit tense.
Fast pace and funny, Turkey Flambe will keep you guessing until the end. Also some very interesting recipes, for those who like to cook.
August 1, 2011
This one was better than many of the past volumes. Carolyn didn't whine as much and Luz was enjoyable. Also, her husband Jason, wasn't present either for her to whine about. Flaming turkeys tossed on unsuspecting Manhattan passers-by with resulting chaos and criminal charges.
The only thing I can say is I'm glad this series is over because Carolyn is the most annoying, uptight prissy main character I've read in a while and can only think of a few who would compete with her ability to turn off a reader by her attitudes and behaviors.
It's a shame because the books are well-written at a much higher academic vocabulary level with excellent research, but Carolyn just kills the books. You find yourself ENJOYING her getting injured because she's just so self-righteous and snobby. If I hadn't bought them all beforehand, I never would have continued past the 3rd book.
The only thing I can say is I'm glad this series is over because Carolyn is the most annoying, uptight prissy main character I've read in a while and can only think of a few who would compete with her ability to turn off a reader by her attitudes and behaviors.
It's a shame because the books are well-written at a much higher academic vocabulary level with excellent research, but Carolyn just kills the books. You find yourself ENJOYING her getting injured because she's just so self-righteous and snobby. If I hadn't bought them all beforehand, I never would have continued past the 3rd book.
June 25, 2011
Carolyn Blue is a forty something wife and mother who has decided to take on her dream job of being a food writer, now her life is filled with travel and exotic foods. Now at her first book launch in New York everything has gone up in smoke. When she flambe,s the turkeys at her editor,s urging two of the turkeys go up in flames. People panic. Someone throws the turkeys off the balcony into traffic causing an accident one hits the publisher.Suddenly Carolyn is accused of a terrorist attack on lower Manhattan. Now its up to Carolyn to find out who sabotaged her turkeys and restore her reputation. I really enjoyed this book a real laugh a minute. If you like food mystery,s you,ll love this one.
October 1, 2018
The book was quite amusing. Some realism, some enjoyment. An optimist, a pessimist taking turns being the main character of that chapter. And of course another delicious mystery
February 15, 2021
Rating of two was generous.
January 1, 2023
this was a funny, delightful read. the 2 main characters are the best friends you wish you had. i will look for other books by Nancy Fairbanks for sure.
May 15, 2008
Typically I like it when the bodies are human, not fowl, in my mysteries. But Nancy Fairbanks provides us with turkey bodies all gussied up for the publish party held for Carolyn Blue's cookbook Eating Out in the Big Easy. Pettigrew Publishing had taken its time getting the book out, so throwing the party to celebrate seemed like a good idea. Although she wasn't very excited about the publisher's idea to flambé the turkey at the party, Carolyn decides to go along and ignite the two turkeys soaked in cognac. She touched the lighter to the first turkey, and it flamed toward the ceiling and set fire to the second turkey and the tablecloth.
Quick-thinking employees tossed the flaming birds out the window and created havoc below. One turkey blew up a car and the other hit a windshield and injured a Chinese crime boss's granddaughter. All of this created an international incident as the authorities looked into arson, first-degree assault, and terrorism possibilities.
Things get a bit extreme when the feds (in the forms of the FBI and the State Department) get involved. They decided the flaming turkeys were hurled from the window to attack an Arab politician below.
Of course, Carolyn is the prime suspect since the police think she was negligent. She's not sure the police will consider anyone else, so she calls on her sidekick Luz to help her investigate. Luz is a retired El Paso cop with speech a bit on the earthy side. Still, Luz digs up some interesting supporting characters to help investigate who set up the turkey explosion.
As you wade through the maze of suspects with Carolyn and Luz, you get treated to recipes you'll consider making, which is a bonus. Sometimes the humor is a bit off, but overall the book is a fun afternoon read
Quick-thinking employees tossed the flaming birds out the window and created havoc below. One turkey blew up a car and the other hit a windshield and injured a Chinese crime boss's granddaughter. All of this created an international incident as the authorities looked into arson, first-degree assault, and terrorism possibilities.
Things get a bit extreme when the feds (in the forms of the FBI and the State Department) get involved. They decided the flaming turkeys were hurled from the window to attack an Arab politician below.
Of course, Carolyn is the prime suspect since the police think she was negligent. She's not sure the police will consider anyone else, so she calls on her sidekick Luz to help her investigate. Luz is a retired El Paso cop with speech a bit on the earthy side. Still, Luz digs up some interesting supporting characters to help investigate who set up the turkey explosion.
As you wade through the maze of suspects with Carolyn and Luz, you get treated to recipes you'll consider making, which is a bonus. Sometimes the humor is a bit off, but overall the book is a fun afternoon read
March 1, 2017
A thoroughly enjoyable, delightfully silly, series. The protagonist is a housewife-turned-food-writer, who started her new career when she went to New Orleans with her husband, a university professor going to a chemistry conference. Carolyn becomes a columnist, getting recipes wherever she goes, bringing in food history trivia, making it all entertaining. In this book, the last (I assume, since there hasn't been a new one in over 5 years), she goes to NYC for the launch of the book started in New Orleans 9 books ago. Her editor insists she flambe her 3 turkeys, but someone has tampered with what is supposed to be plain cognac, the accelerant setting the room on fire. Two burning turkeys are thrown over the 12th-floor balcony, causing 2 traffic accidents, one involving a UN diplomat > international incident and fears of terrorism. FBI, State Department, NYC police all collide around Carolyn. Her good friend Luz, a retired police lieutenant from El Paso, and Abe, the detective on staff at the publisher, help her find out who is responsible, but Carolyn is the necessary ingredient in this brouhaha, accent on the "haha."
March 27, 2012
This was a lot better than I expected. The story took place in NYC and with Carolyn Blue the recipe and cookbook writer who writes about recipes she finds during her travels. This one was set at a book publishing house where she was launching her new cookbook. She begins by flambeing her turkeys but they catch fire and burn the tablecloths and the ceiling and are thrown over the balcony into the streets causing accidents and international terrorism. She must find out why that happened with the help of her friend an ex ElPaso policewoman and a detective and assorted friends. It all works out and she and Luz can't wait to get out of the winter in NYC and back to ElPaso, Texas. Kept my interest while solving the mystery and traveling all over NYC in all the boroughs and to restaurants everywhere. Good choice for mystery lovers and readers who like recipes to be included.
August 7, 2012
#10 in the Culinary Food Writer series - not #11 as shown in the title list. Three-Course Murder shown as #9, is actually an omnibus of series entries 1-3. At the moment, August 2012, it appears that Turkey Flambe is the final series entry. Blood Pudding, shown as #12, has not been published; Amazon indicates that publication date has not been announced and the author's website says that her torn ankle ligaments (2007) have delayed completion of the book.
Culinary Food Writer series - Food writer Carolyn Blue's book launch goes up in smoke when her turkey flambe results in two flaming birds getting tossed out the window-leading to a young woman's death. Now it's up to Carolyn to restore her reputation and find out who sabotaged her poultry party. And she thought flambeing was hard ...
Culinary Food Writer series - Food writer Carolyn Blue's book launch goes up in smoke when her turkey flambe results in two flaming birds getting tossed out the window-leading to a young woman's death. Now it's up to Carolyn to restore her reputation and find out who sabotaged her poultry party. And she thought flambeing was hard ...
May 21, 2008
I enjoy the writing of these books, and the plots, even if a bit unbelievable. It's the recipes which are reallyannoying me. A blintz casserole recipe that starts by saying one should get two boxes of frozen blintes is just condescending. And since we don't have frozen blintzes here, it's also annoying.
The mystery this time takes place at the pre-launch party for Carolyn Blue's oft dealyed cookbook, set in the pre-Katrina New Orleans. She's worried that the delay will cause people to avoid her book. Her publisher requests that she flambe her signature tury and hi-jinks ensue...
The mystery this time takes place at the pre-launch party for Carolyn Blue's oft dealyed cookbook, set in the pre-Katrina New Orleans. She's worried that the delay will cause people to avoid her book. Her publisher requests that she flambe her signature tury and hi-jinks ensue...
November 16, 2009
I love cozy mysteries, especially culinary ones, but this one was rather lacking for me. First off, the crime was incredibly far-fetched. Secondly, the main heroine, Carolyn Blue, was way too ditzy and annoying for me. I did like her sidekic, Luz, and she was what saved this for being too over the top.
October 23, 2012
The first few chapters of this novel were so funny I was laughing out loud. The full on belly laughs that make people look strangly at you. As for the rest of the novel.....it was so so. The story is told from the view points of several main characters changing "voices" every chapter or so. I am not sure if I will seek out more in this series or not.
November 21, 2016
I would like these books a lot more if it was just Luz and not Carolyn. She is a naive priss. Anyone going around saying "Language" to adults who cuss is someone I don't want to read about. I classified this as "Thanksgiving" because it takes place in Novemeber and is about turkeys, but it doesn't actually take place on Thanksgiving.
April 5, 2009
This was a great, fun read with some fun recipes included. While I am not completely enamored of Fairbanks' style, I really love her plots and her characters. Carolyn Blue is outrageous, and yet somehow, very authentic.
November 29, 2010
Carolyn can be so clueless about some things and trusting of some of the most unsavory characters you wonder how she manages to not be seriously hurt. This doesn't make you dislike her or anything, you just kind of shake your head and keep reading to see what will happen next.
May 12, 2012
I liked the book
January 20, 2013
WBC: Read a book with a purple cover
March 9, 2013
The first chapter had me giggling out loud! LOVE the characters!
May 11, 2013
a silly little book, a few recipes i wouldn't use
March 7, 2014
funny!
May 14, 2014
This book was great!
May 15, 2013
I remember it as being quite funny. Going back to see what I have read in this series.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews