S'more Murders

A Five-Ingredient Mystery #5

by Maya Corrigan

Managing a fitness club café and collaborating on a cookbook with her gradfather are Val Deniston’s usual specialties, but she’s about to set sail into nearby Chesapeake Bay—straight into a murder case . . .

Since catering themed events is a good way to make extra cash, Val agrees to board the Titanic—or at least cater a re-creation of the doomed journey on a yacht. The owner of the yacht, who collects memorabilia related to the disaster, wants Val to serve the last meal the Titanic passengers ate . . . while his guests play a murder-mystery game. But it is the final feast for one passenger who disappears from the ship. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Now Val has to reel in a killer before s’more murders go down . . .

Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Cooking

279 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2018

About the author

Maya Corrigan blends her love of food and detective stories in her Five-Ingredient Mystery series set in a fictional historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The series begins with By Cook or by Crook. The latest books include The Tell-Tale Tarte, S'more Murders, Crypt Suzette, and Gingerdead Man, 7th in the series.

Before taking up a life of crime (on the page), she taught university courses in writing, detective fiction, American literature, and drama. She won the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Unpublished Mainstream Mystery / Suspense. Her short stories, written under the name of Mary Ann Corrigan, have been published in anthologies.

When not reading and writing, she enjoys theater, travel, trivia, cooking, and crosswords. Her website features trivia about food and mysteries.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val Deniston usually caters meals from a set list of menu choices. But when a wealthy man offers her a lot of money to recreate a 10-course meal served to first class passengers on the Titanic, she agrees. Bills gotta get paid...and the money is too good to refuse. At first the dinner aboard his yacht, the Abyss, is enjoyable for the eight people seated at the table. It quickly takes a bad turn when the captain is knocked unconscious and the host disappears off the boat. Was it an accident....or murder?

This is the first book in the 5-ingredient Mystery Series that I have read. S'More Murders is the 5th book in the series. I was easily able to follow the story and the characters without reading any of the prior books. There is some character development and background that I was lacking, of course, but I still enjoyed the story. I will definitely be backtracking to read this series from the start.

The mystery kept my attention. I liked the recreation of the Titanic dinner with a murder mystery game element added. There were plenty of suspects and sleuthing, and having the murder victim disappear off a ship at sea was a creative, interesting way to bump him off. Val and her grandpa are great characters, and I even liked all of the side characters. The fact that Val is helping her grandpa write a cookbook about old codger's favorite recipes made me smile. Cute! Plus, there are several yummy sounding recipes based on the Titanic cuisine in the back of the book! I love it when cozies include recipes that aren't all sugary desserts or cookies! An example of a first class dinner menu from the Titanic is included as well. I found it an interesting fact that none of the actual recipes for foods cooked on the Titanic still exist. Val had to wing it and create her own in the story. I'm surprised the White Star Line doesn't have a record of food preparation or recipes on its liners from that time....but I suppose the Chef also winged it and created his own versions of the foods. After finishing the book I did a little online research. Head Chef Charles Proctor and most of his staff did not survive the sinking. The ship's Head Baker, Charles Joughin, did survive, floating in the water in a lifebelt until rescue arrived. So, no wonder there are no authentic recipes for the foods served to first class on that fateful voyage. There are several restaurants around the world offering a recreation of the last meal served to passengers -- one even offers a 1907 vintage wine that was actually salvaged from the wreck (I find this morally wrong....but they didn't ask my opinion) for nearly $2,000 per person.

Enjoyable cozy! I will definitely be reading the rest of this series...and more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[Brithanie Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐


ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review


"He's making a party out of a tragedy. It's like dancing on someone's grave. Fifteen hundred graves."


S'more Murders by Maya Corrigan is the story of Val Deniston, and a re-creation of the last meal on the Titanic that starts off with a murder-mystery game, and ends with the disappearance of one of the passenger's on her client's yacht.

Pros:

-I was definitely intrigued by the synopsis of this novel, which is why I decided to request this on NetGalley, and I'm glad that I did.

-The characters were super interesting.

And, -the mystery was quite good. I wasn't able to figure it out on my own this time around.

Cons:

-There was something lacking in this for me personally. I did struggle to get through the last little bit, but I think that's only because I read a lot of mystery novels, and sometimes they all seem to blend together.

Final Thoughts/Comments:

This title is expected to release on the 31st of July, 2018. While this wasn't my favorite mystery ever, I am definitely open to reading more from this author in the future! ☺️❤️

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val Deniston has agreed to cater a dinner on a yacht meant to recreate the final dinner for the first-class passengers aboard the Titanic. The evening gets off to a rocky start, and Val begins to question how these particular guests were selected for the invitation. Then the host of the evening vanishes from the yacht. Was it murder? If so, will Val figure out what happened?

If, like me, you are wondering how S’mores got involved in this story, yes the title does make sense. Not that I’m complaining since that is such a wonderful pun. The mystery is strong, with plenty to keep us engaged. I feel like the ending was a little too twisty, and I think we have a question left opened, but that is minor. The big picture definitely comes together for us. The circle of returning characters is smaller, but that was good since it gave us time to focus on getting to know the suspects. We’ve got six more five-ingredient recipes at the end, including a savory take on a s’more. If you are a fan of this series, you’ll be happy with this visit with Val.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

I swear this series just keeps getting better and better. This time Val agreed to cater a fancy Titanic dinner on a yacht with grandpa's help. Things are going great with the mystery dinner until the host disappears and the person driving is knocked out. If course Val has to get involved along with her friends leading a story that will keep you hooked with the little clues plus details. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a culinary flair you have to try this one. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Against her better judgment, Val Deniston agrees to cater a the 10-course meal that was served to the passengers of the boat in the 5th book, that Titanic before it's the disaster for the millionaire, Otto Warbeck, a Titanic collector. He plans a murder mystery game and invited special guests. The dinner is scheduled for the anniversary of the Titanic catastrophes and one of the passengers is missing. Later his body is found in the bay. The turns that this book takes keep occupied until you finished it. Her love 💘 life has new problems. Will Val find a solution to the death of passenger? I highly recommend this book and series. Five ingredients recipes are included.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis:

Managing a fitness club café and collaborating on a cookbook with her gradfather are Val Deniston’s usual specialties, but she’s about to set sail into nearby Chesapeake Bay—straight into a murder case . . .

Since catering themed events is a good way to make extra cash, Val agrees to board the Titanic—or at least cater a re-creation of the doomed journey on a yacht. The owner of the yacht, who collects memorabilia related to the disaster, wants Val to serve the last meal the Titanic passengers ate . . . while his guests play a murder-mystery game. But it is the final feast for one passenger who disappears from the ship. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Now Val has to reel in a killer before s’more murders go down . . .

Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes! (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I thought that Val was a smart hardworking woman who has a brain in her head, which I enjoy. The relationship between her and her grandpa felt very genuine and that made them both seem more realistic to me. I like when the protagonist has a relationship with an older person, such as a grandparent. I also enjoyed getting to meet Val’s friend Bethany and I enjoyed their interactions.

I really liked the premise of this book. I liked the fact that it revolved around the Titanic. It was fun reading about the last dinner and some of the other memorabilia that was included in the book.

The mystery was well plotted and perfectly paced. I liked the fact that there were only a handful of suspects to consider because that was all that was on the yacht. There were enough clues to sift through and some twists and turns that I did not see coming. The mystery was not easy to solve and I was not one hundred percent sure of the culprit until it was revealed at the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. This is the first book in this series that I read and I did not have any trouble following the story and characters. I will be reading the other books in this series when I can.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book, I was truly bummed that I thought I could see where it was going. Boy, was I wrong and truly glad. After that was settled, I bedded down (literally) and got into the real gist of the book.

The plot twists were interesting and the suspects were numerous which definitely added to my entertainment enjoyment.

I loved the idea of a "Titantic last meal" on a yacht. That in itself was pretty creepy. The Titantic references were numerous and some were down right hilarious. The host went out of his way to make sure this trip was "a night to remember". There was even an old time "everyone meets in the parlor to find out if the "butler" did it. Ha!!!

I love just about any book where catering is involved and food is talked about in detail. This one definitely fit that bill.

Grandpa really cracked me up throughout the book. His insistence at the beginning that "that boat doesn't leave the dock unless it has enough life vests, life rings and lifeboats" really cracked me up.
I especially enjoyed how the title came up in the book. It made sense and a great title.

A really good read that I thoroughly enjoyed and was glad to have the chance to read.

Huge thanks to the author for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun murder mystery

This was an interesting story and I definitely never would have guessed how everything came together. I like the characters in these books especially granddad.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

S’more Murders by Maya Corrigan is the fifth novel in A Five-Ingredient Mystery series. Val Dennison has been hired to cater a special dinner hosted by Otto Warbeck who is a collector of Titanic memorabilia. He wants Val to recreate the last dinner served on the Titanic on his yacht, Abyss. It is a ten-course meal for eight guests and he insists it be held in a few days on Saturday, April 14 (the anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking). Val is reluctant to take this particular job, but the money she will earn will pay for the repairs needed to Granddad’s home (those blasted termites). On Saturday Val, Bethany and Granddad board the Abyss and begin their dinner preparations while the yacht heads out into open water. Bethany oversees the s’more appetizers requested by Otto’s wife, Cheyenne. After they sit down for dinner, Otto announces he has created a mystery game for them to play while they eat (he even has scripts). The water becomes choppy due to a storm, the pilot of the yacht is in distress and Otto cannot be found. Val, with the help of her friends, dives into the case. There are eight suspects with motive to harm the victim. Val wades through the clues with the hopes of spearing a killer.

S’more Murders is nicely written, and it has some interesting characters. I find that Grandad (Don Myer) steals the show from Val. He is an eccentric and gregarious older gentleman with a zest for life. Val came across as bland and I am not a fan of her boyfriend, Gunnar. Gunnar is an amateur actor who wishes to expand his skills. He is contemplating a change and Val wonders how she will fit in with his plans. Personally, I would wish Gunnar good luck on his new venture and look for a boyfriend who is more compatible. I would like to see the author flesh out Val’s character and have her grow as a person. The mystery was intriguing with multiple suspects and misdirection. I think that many readers will be surprised when the full solution is revealed. I could have done with less speculation and rehashing of the clues (it gets old). I did find the pace to be a little slow, and I had trouble staying invested in the story (my attention wandered). Val whips up some delectable foods in the story and the descriptions will have your mouth watering (and your stomach growling). I like how friends and family come together to help and care for each other. S’more Murders can be read alone if you are new to the series. Welcome aboard Val’s high seas adventure in S’more Murders.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 5 in the Five-Ingredient Mystery series. You can read it without reading the whole series. The idea of this story is when is it actually murder? Val and her grandfather are catering a dinner on a yacht recreating the last voyage of the titanic. When the client is killed while they are out on the Chesapeake Bay the police have a small group of suspects. Has overtones of water pollution and big agriculture. The recipes all sound yummy and the mystery is pretty good with clues to keep you interested. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book # 5 in the A Five-Ingredient Mystery series. I haven’t read any of the previous books, but the plot sounded promising. A murder mystery while aboard a recreation of the Titanic’s maiden voyage sounded too much fun to pass up just because I hadn’t read the previous books in the series. The murder-mystery enactment goes off the rails when a real dead body turns up and our main character and caterer Val becomes determined to find the killer. There were plenty of suspects and satisfying twists and turns. How would I describe this book in one word? FUN. I am looking forward to reading the first four in the series.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is number 5 in the series and the first that I have read. This can be read as a standalone book.

When I began reading this story, I thought “Uh-oh! This is going to be really dark.” I was never so glad to be wrong. The premise is interesting albeit creepy- a Titanic meal recreation onboard a sailing vessel. Hey the Titanic went down on its maiden voyage- why wouldn’t you think something bad was going to happen?

What I liked:
1. the characters- they were believable.
2. the author shows us that people in need will accept being bullied or enticed into things like catering an event they did not want to do despite warnings from others.
3. the police in this cozy were not treated as imbeciles or bumblers.
4. Recipes included. Even though not any I would want to make except the cheese s’mores.

It was sad that so many people had plausible motives to kill in this story and that people reap what they sew. Yes, it’s a mystery but there was so much going against the yacht owner.
I don’t know Val’s (our sleuth) complete romantic history but I don’t think Gunnar is the one for her. But I may be proven wrong in future episodes.

I recommend this book and will be looking for the previous four to catch up.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author and these are my own opinions.

[Marie McNary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was on vacation with my family and it was a great vacation read. It was easy to pick up and put down and still follow what was going on in the story. The characters were relatable, and I always enjoy when the protagonist has a strong relationship with one of their grandparents. The Titanic tie-ins were a lot of fun and left me craving more information about the historic voyage, as well as craving a s’more (or two)!

Full review here:
https://cozyexperience.com/smore-murd...

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Against her better judgment, Val Deniston agrees to cater a 10-course meal on a yacht belonging to Otto Warbeck, a rich, eccentric, Titanic collector and connoisseur. It was to be served on the anniversary of the Titanic Sinking. Her Grandfather was worried about the timing and jinx that might follow, but the money he was willing to pay convinced them to move forward with the job. They should have followed their hunches and murder occurs during the event, along with a story, and a drugged pilot. Will Val be able to figure out what happened?

3.5 Stars: I enjoy the Five-Ingredient Mystery series, although this was not one of my favourites in the series. Val, her grandfather and Bethany put their sleuthing skills to use trying to determine who the murderer is as well as who drugged the pilot and why. Asking questions, making friendly visits (always with cookies) and doing some internet research, they come up with a lot of information to assist the police. I like that the police are not bumbling idiots, but they don't seem to do a lot of active investigating. They don't get upset with Val when she brings them information and seems to actually want to her to nose around and help them out. The mystery itself was a good one. There were a few twists that surprised me and a whole boatload of suspects. The reveal was okay, a bit of a let-down after the investigation, but still a good conclusion. I will continue reading this series as I enjoy it, but this one didn't seem to have the same punch as previous books in this series.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: S'more Murders by Maya Corrigan
(A Five-Ingredient Mystery #5)

This engrossing Chesapeake Bay area cozy mystery contains more twists than a knotted-up python! The plot surely kept me guessing. Val Deniston operates a fitness cafe and caters for extra funds, so a request to cater a replica of the Titanic' s final Captain's Table dinner seems tasteless, but she and her grandfather need house repairs, soon. So better judgment aside, Val, Grandpa, and best friend Bethany cater the dinner, on a wealthy attorney's yacht, and he insists guests participate in a Titanic-themed murder mystery role-playing game. The object seems to be an opportunity for attorney Otto to reveal denigrating information about the guests; but then Otto disappears from the yacht. Not a dull moment is there, as everybody is suspect, then Val is endangered, and other dangers threaten. Val and Grandpa diligently research backgrounds of suspects and victims, and discover a manipulative killer hiding in plain sight.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val takes on a catering job on a re-creation of the Titanic with a menu close to the last meal on the Titanic. The host plans to have his guests play a murder mystery game. One passenger disappears from the ship and the host is found murdered. Val has to figure out who did it and why so she can prevent more murders and a young man’s life work.

[Sammm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so EFFING satisfied! This is so far the book I like the most from the series! I suspect I might have liked book #4 a little more had it not been the first book I read in the series (therefore not clued-in on previous incidences and was still getting familiar with the characters,) but that's neither here or there. I do think this series gradually improves, and I'm super psyched that two more Five-Ingredient Mysteries are in the works for publication in 2019 and 2020. (source) I have to admit, because it's Five-Ingredient Mystery, I actually briefly worried that this book would be the last, so I'm glad it's not!

Enough irrelevant stuff. In short, when I read mystery, I like it when I get it just around the time the truth was revealed, and while that's definitely going to be different for everyone, this book and I? The tempo was spot-on. I LOVE it when the convo was still saying someone was the killer and I was already like, but wait, that other someone though... and was soon to be proven correct, with extra crazy yet believable-ish reasoning behind it. Satisfaction. Mmmmm. The food mentioned sounds great as usual. And one of the best part? While grandpa still threw in some annoying comments, he's finally less annoying in this book to me!


P.S.: I am in a little dilemma, I feel like I've been rating this series overall a little bit high than my liking, but it's mostly due to the current averages influencing my ratings. For example, I def. think 3.48 for the first book is on the low side, hence I'd try to balance out with my own rating, and since GR doesn't effing do half-stars, it's sometimes a bit hard to tell which book I like more.

So if anyone's interested to know, my thoughts:
#1 By Cook or by Crook 3.5~3.75
#2 Scam Chowder 4~4.25
#3 Final Fondue 4.75
#4 The Tell-Tale Tarte 4.7 (could go up; plan to reread this)
#5 S'more Murders 5

A digitized ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[RO G'ma · Rating 5 out of 5]

S’more Murders is the fifth book in Maya Corrigan Five-Ingredient Mystery series. Ms. Corrigan provides enough character background that this book can be read as a standalone. The storyline is well thought out and this is a clean read. The characters are well developed and there are lots of twists and turns and suspects to keep the reader engaged.

Val Deniston lives in Bayport in Chesapeake Bay area, manages the Cool Down Café, at the Bayport Racket and Fitness Club with her assistant, Bethany, and caters on the side. She lives with her granddad, Don Myer, who’s taken an online private investigator course, is writing a recipe column for the local newspaper, and plans to publish The Codger’s Cookbook. Otto Warbeck wants Val to recreate the Titanic’s maiden voyage ten-course final dinner for eight passengers on board his yacht on the Chesapeake Bay on the anniversary of its sinking. She negotiates a few changes to the menu and Otto agrees that her granddad and Bethany can assist her. The guests prove to be an odd assortment and when one of the guests is a no-show, Otto insists Bethany take her place. While Otto is acquainted with all the guests, none of them knew anyone other than him and their plus one. Cheyenne, Otto’s trophy wife, doesn’t know any of the guests and certainly wasn’t aware he’d invited his ex-wife, Stacy. Otto had downloaded and modified a Titanic mystery game, including a character sketch and script. Before the main course is served, they experience rough waters and other problems, forcing them to contact the Coast Guard. One of the passengers, Otto, doesn’t survive the evening and after his body is recovered, it’s determined he died from being shot in the head, and was either a suicide or murder. Cheyenne wants Val to prove her husband didn’t kill himself, telling her he had a secret agenda for the dinner party, and offering to tell her what he told her about his six guests. Val and her granddad ask questions. Research people’s pasts, and do a little snooping around and share their findings with Chief Earl Yardley. Val’s boyfriend, Gunnar, decides to move to D.C. to pursue his dream of being an actor, and asks Val to accompany him.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val, along with her grandfather, is asked to cater a dinner party on a yacht with a Titanic themed dinner and mystery game. During the affair, the host disappears and is presumed to have possibly fallen over the side of the boat. When it is found that it was a murder and he had been shot before going over the side, Val takes it upon herself to do some investigating. I really enjoyed this book it was both fun and Interesting. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Colleen Shogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific story and I loved the premise of the Titanic. I read this is two days!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

S'More Murders is the fifth installment in the A Five-Ingredient Mystery series featuring Cool Down Cafe owner, Val Deniston and set in the Chesapeake Bay town of Bayport. The house she shares with her grandfather, Don, has some serious termite damage and the repairs will be costly, so when Val is approached by the wealthy Otto Warbeck to cater a dinner aboard his yacht she can hardly turn down the additional income.

Otto is an avid collector of Titanic memorabilia, and he wants to host a ten course dinner party for eight people on the eve of the historic sinking of the massive ocean liner. Val, Don and her best friend Bethany climb aboard the luxurius, Abyss and begin the dinner preparations. An eclectic bunch, the guests include Otto's much younger wife Cheyenne, his ex wife Stacy Turnstone and step son Trey, Louisa and Damian Brown, lobbyists for the poultry industry and Homer Huxby a local antiques dealer.

Otto decides that the guests will play a mystery game during dinner that will revolve around the death of a Titanic passenger. One of the dinner guests will be the murder according to the pre-written scripts that Otto passes out to each person. Things take an even stranger turn when suddenly the yacht is caught up in a violent storm, the boat's captain is discovered drugged on the bridge and Otto has gone missing.

Despite warnings from her boyfriend Gunnar and Chief Earl Yardley to stay out of the investigation, Val can't help but find herself caught up in the hunt for a killer. With Bethany by her side, Val soon discovers that each of the dinner guests had a secret they'd prefer to keep hidden and Otto knew them all.

A fast moving plot somewhat similar to the famous And Then There Were None. With only a handful of possible suspects that were aboard the yacht when Otto went missing, the character pool is limited. I really do not like one of the main characters of this series and am hoping that with this addition this will be the last we see of them.

I received an advanced copy of S'More Murders from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maya Corrigan has done it again! These books and the characters get better each time.

Val has a meeting with a yacht owner and collector of Titanic memorabilia, he would like Val to do a re-creation of the final dinner served to the first class passengers, which is a little above Val's usual offerings! Otto Warbeck is a man who gets what he wants though and whilst Val manages to talk him down from the full menu she still is going to cater 10 courses ... on the yacht! (luckily a lot can be pre-made and just re-heated or even served cold), her Grandfather is acting as sous chef and waiter and Bethany is going to be serving savoury s'mores as an icebreaker.

One of the guests hasn't managed to make it and as the evening also consists of a Murder Mystery game, based on the Titanic, Bethany is asked to make up the number and play the part (which Val understands but has left her and her Grandfather doing even more work!), everything is smooth sailing until they run into a squall, the person steering the ship has been drugged and Otto has disappeared!

Now Val, her Grandfather and Bethany end up looking into what happened and why, hopefully before anyone else goes under.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author and in this series. Instant connection. I really thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the storyline was fun. Val, her grandfather and best friend were all great. None of them played secondary roles in the story. They worked well together to help solve the mystery at hand. Boy was it a mystery too.

It seems that the host of the Titanic themed party has gone missing. How rude. Once Val starts investigating, she realizes that something is a foul. With so many suspects; Val will need all the help she can get to solve the case.

Readers of cozy mysteries will enjoy this book as I did. It has charming characters as well as some laughs. As the story goes it might not be hard for readers to solve the case but that is not the point of these types of books anyways. I know that after reading this book, I want to go back and check out the prior books. A s'more read that is so tasty.

[Janet Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val Dennison is manager of a café at a tennis club, and in her off-time she caters meals and helps her grandfather test recipes for his Codger Cooks column in the local newspaper. Since they need repairs done on his old Victorian home, Val agrees -- against her grandfather's advice -- to re-create as close as possible the original meal served to the first-class passengers on the fatal night that sunk the Titanic.

When she's approached by Otto Warbeck, she's taken aback by the request, and the fact that it has to be done in little time. But she's agreed to it because she needs the money, and he's offered her a good amount of it. She's also being helped in the kitchen by her grandfather and Bethany, her assistant at the café. The dinner will be held on Otto's yacht, which will be sailing, so that's one more thing Val needs to worry about.

When a guest doesn't show up, Bethany is coerced into acting a role in the game that Otto has planned for his guests, supposedly about a passenger who disappeared the night before the ship hit the iceberg. But during courses, someone goes missing and they run into a squall, so when they check on the pilot, it's discovered he's asleep, and it's up to her grandfather to get the boat back to shore while they call the Coast Guard.

But all is not well -- with the passenger missing, Val finds out that Jerome Young, the young pilot, might be charged with a crime, she finds out his aunt is an attorney that she knows from the club. She's also asked to try and find out what happened by someone on the boat. To make matters more troublesome, she's having problems in her relationship with her boyfriend Gunnar, who doesn't seem to care about anything but his new 'career' as an actor. Val certainly has her hands full, and if she doesn't watch it, she might be the next person to go permanently missing...

This is the fifth book in the series and I've read every one of them. While I like how things have progressed (I didn't care for her grandfather at all in the beginning, but he's changing and not taking advantage of Val any more), I still don't care for Gunnar. On his list of things that matter to him, Val is probably at the bottom. Enough said about that.

The plot is a very good one -- it appears on the surface to be a mini-play about what might have happened to a missing person on the Titanic but soon becomes something different. And it is this nuance that makes all the difference. You don't notice it happening, but a clue is given almost immediately, and it causes everything to move in the direction it is supposed to. When Val starts looking into the murder, she learns things about the various guests that make her wonder if the missing man didn't plan things this way all along. And when she starts to put it all together, along with the help of her grandfather, it soon begins to make sense.

But it isn't until the last third of the book that you start to see what is going on all along, and it's this that makes you continue reading. When the murderer is discovered, it's not so much a shock, but more that you already know and expected it; yet Val finds a clue that we never even thought to look for, and that makes the book worth reading. I can't wait to dig into the next in the series. Recommended.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the premise for the plot of S’MORE MURDERS, the fifth book in the Five-Ingredient Mystery series by Maya Corrigan! Who can resist a re-creation of the last dinner served on the doomed Titanic? Throw in a murder mystery game for the invited guests to participate in aboard a luxurious yacht and it sounds like an ideal evening. Protagonist Val Deniston was given an offer she couldn’t refuse (although she’d have liked to) by the yacht’s owner, Otto Warbeck, to prepare the ten-course dinner for his guests that he has meticulously researched. Needing help to make the dinner a success, she drags her granddad, Don Myer, and her best friend, Bethany, to the yacht to help out. Instead of a fun-filled evening, Val is greeted by a group that doesn’t like each other. The author weaves together an unlikely group of a chicken industry lobbyist, an animal’s right activist, an older ex-wife and a new young wife along with a Titanic enthusiast. When the host disappears from the boat during dinner, Val has a real-life mystery on her hands and soon finds out that the dinner party mystery could have been based on an unsolved murder from long ago.

Ms. Corrigan has created an intriguing plot that is well-paced with well-developed characters. Her twists and turns that incorporate details from the Titanic captured my imagination and I was pulled into the story, unable to put the book down. As a fan of Agatha Christie, I appreciated the author’s use of the ‘closed room’ style of mystery. The suspects were limited to the dinner guests and the yacht’s captain, but as Val digs deeper, finds they all had reasons to commit a crime. I’ve always enjoyed Val’s granddad, also known as the Codger Cook, because he adds both humor and chances for banter which allows the nature of the characters to be shown. The suspenseful conclusion wraps up the threads of both mysteries in a satisfying way which left me wanting to read more by this author.

The Codger Cook writes a newspaper column that features five-ingredient recipes. Val’s granddad might “borrow” her recipes to write his column but she doesn’t complain. She also includes the menu of what was actually served at the Titanic’s last dinner along with what Val tweaked to serve aboard the yacht. While s’mores weren’t served aboard the Titanic, the new Mrs. Warbeck insisted that this casual fun-filled dessert be served at the party. Ms. Corrigan includes several five-ingredient recipes with delightful twists to this yummy campfire classic at the back of the book.

I was provided an arc with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best written mystery books I've read in a very long time. The author is creative and I loved the theme of having a dinner party on a yacht. I have always been fascinated by the Titanic. It was so full of promise on that fateful day and many lives were lost. There have been sightings of the lost ship in the sea and artifacts recovered to keep the intrigue of the Titanic going.

Val is one sharp person. She is busy with her granddad and his cookbook while also running a fitness cafe. Wen Val is offered the opportunity to cater a dinner party with the Titanic as the theme, she decides to take the job. I was hooked as soon as Titanic was mentioned in the book. The host wants her recreate the last meal served on that fateful night. What a big chore Val has taken on. Thank goodness she gets help to pull the dinner off. After changing the menu a bit, the party is booked. I loved that the guests were going to be playing a murder-mystery game during the evening. I have always wanted to attend something like that. It would be fun to play detective for one night.

As the evening goes along, the game begins and that is when the real mystery starts. it seems the host has met with an unfortunate accident . The author is good at leaving subtle hints in the story of what happened and I tried so hard to figure out who went off script and killed the host. Val finds herself deep in the investigation and has a list of suspects that all look guilty. There are unexpected twists in the story that heightened my suspicions, but I was never able to figure out who the killer was until the author revealed it.

I admire the way the author cleverly put together a story that was intriguing, wonderful characters and an ending that was very satisfying. The author has included the menu from that horrific night aboard the Titanic along with recipes from the famous Codger Cook's recipe that Val and her granddad were working on. I love how knowledgeable the author was about the Titanic and how masterfully she wove an historical event into a story that was one of my favorite books this year.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

S'More Murders is the 5th installment in this fabulous cozy series and my favorite of all the series to date. This book can be read as a stand alone. I highly recommend the entire series for your reading enjoyment. I love everything about this series . The setting is Chesapeake Bay and its so richly described to the readers that you feel as if your at the bay.
In this next "A Five-Ingredient Mystery" our protagonist Cool Down Cafe owner, Val Deniston is concerned about necessary repairs to the house she shares with her Grandfather.. She cannot afford the repairs and neither can her Grandfather. With the repairs looming over them she then decides to accept a job by the wealthy Otto Warbeck to cater a dinner aboard his fancy yacht Little does she know she is heading straight into a disturbing evening that he wanted to create based on the last meal of the Titanic. She finds it extremely creepy but goes ahead with her job. Smore's are part of the evening as the featured dessert.

Val, Don and her best friend Bethany begin the dinner preparations. The guest seem all well to do and excited about a mystery game during dinner about the death of a Titanic passenger.
Things take a strange turn when suddenly a violent storm occurs and the boat's captain is discovered drugged on the bridge. Otto is now missing and not to be found on the yacht . Is he overboard or is he drugged and hidden on the boat. No one knows what to do and the guests are panicking so Val takes on the task of piecing together the evening events.

Val wants to solve the mystery of what happened to Otto and who drugged the captain as she is skilled at solving mysteries. As she closes in on suspects she may be putting herself in danger as well as everyone on the boat. What a fascinating mystery this was !
This was a fast paced mystery with a great sleuth. I loved the twist and turns of the well crafted clues which kept me guessing until the very end. I look forward to the next in series and hope the publisher will continue this series. Each book is better and better.
Thank you for the ARC . My opinion is my own. I find this authors writing very reminiscent of Agatha Christie and enjoy each of the series.

[Tracy Condie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozys and catering, cozys and chocolate, cozys and characters! This book was S'more much fun that I can't wait to read the next installment! I for one LOVE a good meal and when it is incorporated into a murder mystery dinner party it is even BETTER! Unless of course the host of the party dies....That is not how the game usually goes and this one is a little tricky but Val Deniston is ready to take on this Titanic mystery. So many guilty parties to choose from but which one fired the fatal shot and why? A young widow, the ex wife and former stepson, and new neighbors, What is the connection and how does the host's obsession with all things Titanic play a part in this catered playacting party. They didn't even get to finish the main course let alone dessert and these were exquisitely created meals from the original Titanic dinner menu. Val, her friend and expert S'more maker Bethany, and Val's Granddad this mystery is sure to be unraveled faster than an iceberg can melt. Best of all each of the featured recipes only requires 5 ingredients to create a YUMMY meal.

[Biljen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book. A good mystery. I really enjoyed it since it had the feel of Clue or Murder by Death. Dinner mystery party gone deadly.