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A Callie's Kitchen Mystery #4
A Stew to a Kill
Trouble is brewing in this Halloween culinary cozy mystery with a Greek twist!
A packed week of Halloween celebrations promises to be a treat for Callie’s Kitchen in scenic downtown Crystal Bay, Wisconsin. Greek-American eatery owner Callie Costas and her hard-working crew are gearing up for a charity costume gala, Halloween walk and spooky skeleton contest. But treats turn to tricks when a new employee at a friend’s tea shop is found dead, and Callie finds herself drawn into a murky brew of motives and murder suspects.
As if things weren’t scary enough, Callie’s old flame turns up and stirs the pot with a plan to develop a sprawling shopping mall that could threaten not only Callie’s Kitchen, but the town’s entire small business scene.
Will Callie help save her business and uncover a stew of simmering secrets before she becomes the killer's next victim?
Scroll up to download this page-turning Halloween cozy mystery! Traditional Greek and comfort food recipes from Callie’s Kitchen are included, including delicious fall treats!
A packed week of Halloween celebrations promises to be a treat for Callie’s Kitchen in scenic downtown Crystal Bay, Wisconsin. Greek-American eatery owner Callie Costas and her hard-working crew are gearing up for a charity costume gala, Halloween walk and spooky skeleton contest. But treats turn to tricks when a new employee at a friend’s tea shop is found dead, and Callie finds herself drawn into a murky brew of motives and murder suspects.
As if things weren’t scary enough, Callie’s old flame turns up and stirs the pot with a plan to develop a sprawling shopping mall that could threaten not only Callie’s Kitchen, but the town’s entire small business scene.
Will Callie help save her business and uncover a stew of simmering secrets before she becomes the killer's next victim?
Scroll up to download this page-turning Halloween cozy mystery! Traditional Greek and comfort food recipes from Callie’s Kitchen are included, including delicious fall treats!
219 pages, ebook
First published October 9, 2018
220 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Kales
8 books284 followersJenny Kales is the author of The Callie's Kitchen Mystery series.
Kales is an avid reader, cook and baker and she's addicted to mystery TV, especially anything on Masterpiece Mystery or BBC America. She lives in the Midwest, is the mother of two beautiful daughters, and is hard at work on her next book, including a new mystery series and other projects.
You can follow her on Facebook at Jenny Kales Author and on Instagram at Jenny Kales_Author.
Kales is an avid reader, cook and baker and she's addicted to mystery TV, especially anything on Masterpiece Mystery or BBC America. She lives in the Midwest, is the mother of two beautiful daughters, and is hard at work on her next book, including a new mystery series and other projects.
You can follow her on Facebook at Jenny Kales Author and on Instagram at Jenny Kales_Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 9, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Plans are underway for Crystal Bay’s first Halloween Walk. All sorts of fun activities are planned and they will wrap up with a huge gala all to support the local food pantry. The shop owners are excited to participate and have placed unique skeletons in their businesses for a #selfie challenge for prizes to bring more customers in. Callie has her hands full with Callie’s Kitchen, but she is also helping with the gala. Having an ex-boyfriend show up touting the idea of a shopping mall on the outskirts of town is the last thing she needed. But the entire town is thrown for a loop when Henry, who works at Tea for Two across the street is murdered. The tragic death is sure to dampen the festivities especially when the police start looking at the shop owners as suspects. With Sands out of the country, Callie tries to stay out of the investigation but again finds herself right in the middle of another murder case.
This is another delightful cozy mystery from Jenny Kales.
Callie is on her own this time. Detective Sands is away, Sam is buried in work, Hugh and Raine are expecting a baby. Her father steps in to help with 11-year-old Olivia when needed, but he and his lady friend seem to be getting serious. The wonderful thing about these characters is that they are relatable and believable. The Greek heritage shines within the pages. I love the relationship Callie has with her dad and how she has taken what he started and ran with it.
The mystery was intriguing. Henry was a quiet man and no one knew much about his past. Callie’s ex Ben is in town pushing hard for a new mall that scares all the business owners. Can the murder and the mall be connected? When another person is attacked more questions arise? The officer in charge of the case has not impressed Callie or the other merchants. I understood Callie’s need to keep asking questions and was really surprised when the real culprit was revealed. Ms. Kales really twisted my thinking with some great red herrings.
Of course, I love the Wisconsin setting, and it is truly portrayed. All the nuances and places felt like home. The author really brings out the small town life of Crystal Bay.
The bonus is the authentic Greek recipes at the end of the story. My mouth was watering throughout the whole book. The stews, the cookies, everything made in Callie’s Kitchen sounded good to me.
A terrific addition to this series!
Plans are underway for Crystal Bay’s first Halloween Walk. All sorts of fun activities are planned and they will wrap up with a huge gala all to support the local food pantry. The shop owners are excited to participate and have placed unique skeletons in their businesses for a #selfie challenge for prizes to bring more customers in. Callie has her hands full with Callie’s Kitchen, but she is also helping with the gala. Having an ex-boyfriend show up touting the idea of a shopping mall on the outskirts of town is the last thing she needed. But the entire town is thrown for a loop when Henry, who works at Tea for Two across the street is murdered. The tragic death is sure to dampen the festivities especially when the police start looking at the shop owners as suspects. With Sands out of the country, Callie tries to stay out of the investigation but again finds herself right in the middle of another murder case.
This is another delightful cozy mystery from Jenny Kales.
Callie is on her own this time. Detective Sands is away, Sam is buried in work, Hugh and Raine are expecting a baby. Her father steps in to help with 11-year-old Olivia when needed, but he and his lady friend seem to be getting serious. The wonderful thing about these characters is that they are relatable and believable. The Greek heritage shines within the pages. I love the relationship Callie has with her dad and how she has taken what he started and ran with it.
The mystery was intriguing. Henry was a quiet man and no one knew much about his past. Callie’s ex Ben is in town pushing hard for a new mall that scares all the business owners. Can the murder and the mall be connected? When another person is attacked more questions arise? The officer in charge of the case has not impressed Callie or the other merchants. I understood Callie’s need to keep asking questions and was really surprised when the real culprit was revealed. Ms. Kales really twisted my thinking with some great red herrings.
Of course, I love the Wisconsin setting, and it is truly portrayed. All the nuances and places felt like home. The author really brings out the small town life of Crystal Bay.
The bonus is the authentic Greek recipes at the end of the story. My mouth was watering throughout the whole book. The stews, the cookies, everything made in Callie’s Kitchen sounded good to me.
A terrific addition to this series!
June 18, 2020
It's time to return to Crystal Bay Wisconsin for the Halloween Themed fourth book in Callie's Kitchen Cozy Mystery series. This was a quick, fun, enjoyable read that will be sure to please fans of this series. Once again Callie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. This time, one of the employees of the downtown shops is killed and with Sands visiting his mother in England Callie is left to her own devices to solve this one.
I love this series. At its heart, it is about family with a lot of delicious Greek food thrown into the mix. With this installment we see Callie's family grow and change a bit, just like any family. These characters are well written and jump off the page. As a reader, I can really fee the sense of family and the love between them. Being 1/2 Italian, these types of stories really hit home for me. At the center of life is family and great food. The recipes sound delicious and while not terribly culinary inclined, when the weather turns a bit cooler here I am really tempted to try one of the ones included in the back of the book.
The mystery, like those in prior books, is well done. The author provides plenty of suspects and clues that could point to anyone of them. I did not expect the identity of the culprit. It came as a surprise because I was really focused on other suspects.
If you enjoy culinary cozy mysteries that are set in a quaint town, are populated with a wonderful gregarious family led by a protagonist with a penchant for finding dead bodies and solving engaging mysteries then you should pick up this series and give it a try. I think you will enjoy it as much as I do.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy provided to me by the author.
I love this series. At its heart, it is about family with a lot of delicious Greek food thrown into the mix. With this installment we see Callie's family grow and change a bit, just like any family. These characters are well written and jump off the page. As a reader, I can really fee the sense of family and the love between them. Being 1/2 Italian, these types of stories really hit home for me. At the center of life is family and great food. The recipes sound delicious and while not terribly culinary inclined, when the weather turns a bit cooler here I am really tempted to try one of the ones included in the back of the book.
The mystery, like those in prior books, is well done. The author provides plenty of suspects and clues that could point to anyone of them. I did not expect the identity of the culprit. It came as a surprise because I was really focused on other suspects.
If you enjoy culinary cozy mysteries that are set in a quaint town, are populated with a wonderful gregarious family led by a protagonist with a penchant for finding dead bodies and solving engaging mysteries then you should pick up this series and give it a try. I think you will enjoy it as much as I do.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy provided to me by the author.
November 8, 2018
I've loved the Callie's Kitchen mysteries right from the get-go, but in this installment Callie has really hit her stride. As if preparing her eatery for Crystal Bay’s first Halloween Walk isn’t enough, a nasty murder has once again rolled into Callie’s path. With her family issues growing ever more complicated, a pushy ex-boyfriend dogging her, and her significant other out of the country, Callie’s culinary and personal plates are both overflowing. Callie handles every challenge with grace and gusto, and never lets the small stuff weigh her down. As insightful and logical as she is kind, she has all the ingredients for creating the recipe to nail down a cunning killer.
Every scene in this cozy was steeped in the Halloween season. The food prep descriptions were so tantalizingly fun that I could almost smell the tangy spices wafting over me. Jenny Kales has nailed the art of the culinary cozy, from her sweet paxemathia to her spicy beef stew. With so many tasty red herrings swimming in the stew, I didn’t even come close to guessing the killer! The ending held the promise of future delights, making me already hungry for the next book in the series.
Every scene in this cozy was steeped in the Halloween season. The food prep descriptions were so tantalizingly fun that I could almost smell the tangy spices wafting over me. Jenny Kales has nailed the art of the culinary cozy, from her sweet paxemathia to her spicy beef stew. With so many tasty red herrings swimming in the stew, I didn’t even come close to guessing the killer! The ending held the promise of future delights, making me already hungry for the next book in the series.
May 23, 2020
I'd been wanting to get caught up with this series for a long time and decided that now was as good of a time as any to visit Crystal Bay around Halloween. Callie was up to her ears in work due to a community Halloween Walk event and Halloween Gala, both of which were big fundraisers for the local food pantry, one of her favorite charities. She really didn't need a murder to investigate in the middle of all that, but as always, she couldn't help herself, especially since it seemed to be connected to the threat of a new mall opening up nearby. Callie felt like she was tossed into the case by herself, since her boyfriend Det. Sands was visiting his mother in England, and a new detective was on the case.
I love the camaraderie of Callie with her employees. They're more than just workers to her, she treats them like family. I was really wrong when I guessed the killer. The showdown was exciting, and the ending was awesome! I really can't wait now for the next book, hope it comes out soon, but I haven't heard anything about it.
I love the camaraderie of Callie with her employees. They're more than just workers to her, she treats them like family. I was really wrong when I guessed the killer. The showdown was exciting, and the ending was awesome! I really can't wait now for the next book, hope it comes out soon, but I haven't heard anything about it.
October 25, 2024
It’s Halloween in Crystal Bay and while Callie was prepared for skeletons 💀 she wasn’t prepared for another dead body.
Once again Callie finds herself knee deep in an investigation she has no business being part of. 👀 That doesn’t stop her as she works to untangle the mystery and save the downtown small businesses from the shopping mall trying to hit town.
I definitely enjoyed this one just as much as the other ones, even if I did miss having Sands on the scene.
As always the cast of characters adds so much to the story. They have depth and make me love them more with each new book.
There is one left and I have put it off because I simply don’t want the series to end. 🙈
Once again Callie finds herself knee deep in an investigation she has no business being part of. 👀 That doesn’t stop her as she works to untangle the mystery and save the downtown small businesses from the shopping mall trying to hit town.
I definitely enjoyed this one just as much as the other ones, even if I did miss having Sands on the scene.
As always the cast of characters adds so much to the story. They have depth and make me love them more with each new book.
There is one left and I have put it off because I simply don’t want the series to end. 🙈
November 7, 2018
Great cozy mystery and yummy sounding recipes!!
October 25, 2018
“A Stew to a Kill” earns 5+/5 Chai-spiced Bundt Cakes…Engaging Fun!
“How spicy do you want it?” Calliope “Callie” Costas’ life has been all degrees of “spicy” with the ups and downs of running her Mediterranean Meets Midwest Callie’s Kitchen, dealing with her eleven-year-old daughter Olivia, widowed father, a delightful Grandma Viv, and well-meaning friends Max, Piper, and Josh, navigating an evolving romance with local detective Sands, and…murder. Yes, Callie has unfortunately found herself in the middle of more than a few suspicious deaths often putting her in conflict with law enforcement. In “A Stew to a Kill,” fourth book in her Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series, Jenny has penned another entertaining and clever mystery set at the Halloween season. Callie is excited about the Halloween Walk and Gala set to commence, a plan to highlight local businesses, entice regular customers, and support the local food pantry. But, Callie gets the “trick” in the trick-or-treat when her ex Ben shows up unexpectedly with a new, controversial, business venture of a new big mall project for Callie to get in on the ground floor. Then, the tea shop employee Henry, who earlier seemed suspiciously out of sorts, is found dead. His connection to Ben’s business deal puts Callie having to take a closer look at another murder.
I am an eager devoted fan of Jenny Kales’ Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series, and I highly recommend this fourth book as it joins the others as my Top Ten favorite. Her murder mystery is engaging with lots of suspects and motives, and someone always ending up in a nail-biting finale. My inner Sherlock is delightfully challenged. Jenny’s third-person narrative is filled with descriptions to delight the senses along with laying out Callie’s informal investigation, evidence, and scenarios. But it's the banter I really enjoy. She illustrates tone and personality well and makes her characters, especially Callie, memorable. And straight from Callie’s Kitchen? Jenny Kales shares Greek Chicken Stew with Orzo, Greek Beef Stew (Stifado), Cheese Biscuits, Two Ways (Biskotakia Me Feta), Chai Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze, Pumpkin Scones, and the very apropos “Sticky Situation” Toffee Pudding and Quick Clotted Cream. This is one reason culinary-themed cozies are my favorite. This mini cookbook is always a delicious addition, and with Jenny’s Greek touch it is very authentic!
"Disclosure: I received an ARC. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments."
“How spicy do you want it?” Calliope “Callie” Costas’ life has been all degrees of “spicy” with the ups and downs of running her Mediterranean Meets Midwest Callie’s Kitchen, dealing with her eleven-year-old daughter Olivia, widowed father, a delightful Grandma Viv, and well-meaning friends Max, Piper, and Josh, navigating an evolving romance with local detective Sands, and…murder. Yes, Callie has unfortunately found herself in the middle of more than a few suspicious deaths often putting her in conflict with law enforcement. In “A Stew to a Kill,” fourth book in her Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series, Jenny has penned another entertaining and clever mystery set at the Halloween season. Callie is excited about the Halloween Walk and Gala set to commence, a plan to highlight local businesses, entice regular customers, and support the local food pantry. But, Callie gets the “trick” in the trick-or-treat when her ex Ben shows up unexpectedly with a new, controversial, business venture of a new big mall project for Callie to get in on the ground floor. Then, the tea shop employee Henry, who earlier seemed suspiciously out of sorts, is found dead. His connection to Ben’s business deal puts Callie having to take a closer look at another murder.
I am an eager devoted fan of Jenny Kales’ Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series, and I highly recommend this fourth book as it joins the others as my Top Ten favorite. Her murder mystery is engaging with lots of suspects and motives, and someone always ending up in a nail-biting finale. My inner Sherlock is delightfully challenged. Jenny’s third-person narrative is filled with descriptions to delight the senses along with laying out Callie’s informal investigation, evidence, and scenarios. But it's the banter I really enjoy. She illustrates tone and personality well and makes her characters, especially Callie, memorable. And straight from Callie’s Kitchen? Jenny Kales shares Greek Chicken Stew with Orzo, Greek Beef Stew (Stifado), Cheese Biscuits, Two Ways (Biskotakia Me Feta), Chai Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze, Pumpkin Scones, and the very apropos “Sticky Situation” Toffee Pudding and Quick Clotted Cream. This is one reason culinary-themed cozies are my favorite. This mini cookbook is always a delicious addition, and with Jenny’s Greek touch it is very authentic!
"Disclosure: I received an ARC. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments."
October 4, 2018
A STEW TO A KILL, the fourth book in Callie’s Kitchen Cozy Mystery series by Jenny Kales, brings the reader to Crystal Bay, Wisconsin, just in time to get into the spirit of Halloween festivities. Protagonist Calliope “Callie” Costas owns Callie’s Kitchen, which is a Mediterranean-meets-Midwest eatery. She and her shop are actively (and very busily) supporting the town’s Halloween Walk and Gala, to raise both food and money for the local food pantry. I enjoyed the small-town dynamics between Callie, her employees and the other local downtown shops surrounding Callie’s Kitchen. Callie shows her caring personality by trying to help them be successful. When one of her friends finds an employee murdered in her shop, Tea for Two, Callie knows she needs to ask a few questions so her friend doesn’t lose any business. Callie is also drawn to helping find the real killer because her boyfriend, Detective Ian Sands, is in England and she’s not liking how the stand-in detective has their eye on her friend for the crime. The murder mystery plot is well-paced and Ms. Kales weaves in plenty of suspects and clues which kept me guessing. The exciting conclusion was a nail-biter and wrapped up the threads of the plot in a satisfying manner.
One of the things that keeps me anticipating and coming back to read this series is the character development. Callie has a wonderful family in her 11-year-old daughter, her widowed Greek father and his girlfriend. They are close knit and I’ve enjoyed seeing how they’ve grown from the first book through this fourth book. Ms. Kales also includes a bit of humor by including some Midwest personality and amusing references to the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’ It gives the book a good feel of what Callie’s eatery is trying to accomplish with fun results.
And speaking of Callie’s Kitchen, be prepared to drool as you read through the mouthwatering passages detailing Callie’s delectable treats coming out of her kitchen. Fortunately for the reader, Ms. Kales provides several recipes at the back of the book, with many being traditional Greek dishes.
I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
One of the things that keeps me anticipating and coming back to read this series is the character development. Callie has a wonderful family in her 11-year-old daughter, her widowed Greek father and his girlfriend. They are close knit and I’ve enjoyed seeing how they’ve grown from the first book through this fourth book. Ms. Kales also includes a bit of humor by including some Midwest personality and amusing references to the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’ It gives the book a good feel of what Callie’s eatery is trying to accomplish with fun results.
And speaking of Callie’s Kitchen, be prepared to drool as you read through the mouthwatering passages detailing Callie’s delectable treats coming out of her kitchen. Fortunately for the reader, Ms. Kales provides several recipes at the back of the book, with many being traditional Greek dishes.
I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 20, 2023
Halloween has hit Crystal Bay Wisconsin and all the stores are decorating and has a skeleton that people can take selfies with. A big gala to help the food pantry is happening at the end of the week.
With Ian Sands away Callie is busy busy cooking and prepping all that she needs to help with the gala. Of course when a worker from her friend's store is killed Callie feels the curiosity to find out what happened.
I really like Callie, her Dad, Ian and the rest of the crew at Callie's Kitchen. I really love the setting small town but unique stores. I would love to take a wander through but not in winter when it will be cold.
I missed that Sands wasn't in this as much because I like him and feel like he is a good fit for Callie.
The story line was kind of confusing and the reason behind the murder seemed to come out of nowhere to me.
All in all a great book and series.
With Ian Sands away Callie is busy busy cooking and prepping all that she needs to help with the gala. Of course when a worker from her friend's store is killed Callie feels the curiosity to find out what happened.
I really like Callie, her Dad, Ian and the rest of the crew at Callie's Kitchen. I really love the setting small town but unique stores. I would love to take a wander through but not in winter when it will be cold.
I missed that Sands wasn't in this as much because I like him and feel like he is a good fit for Callie.
The story line was kind of confusing and the reason behind the murder seemed to come out of nowhere to me.
All in all a great book and series.
October 23, 2018
Jenny Kales' A Stew to a Kill is set, once again, in picturesque Crystal Bay, Wisconsin, as Callie and her fellow small business owners prepare for Halloween and the big benefit gala for the local food pantry. New arrival Henry is found murdered at his place of employment across the street from Callie's Kitchen, Sands is out of the country, Hugh and Raine are expecting a baby, and Ms. Kostas has her hands full preparing for the gala! Another winner in the Callie's Kitchen series, A Stew to a Kill is an enchanting read for cozy mystery lovers. A+++
March 23, 2019
Altra buona storia, ma questo mese ho letto altri cozy mysteries che mi hanno intrigato di più.
October 10, 2022
A Stew to a Kill by Jenny Kales leads up to Halloween and the big Halloween Gala while Callie is solving a murder.
Who hated Henry Worthington so severely that they wanted him dead?
Callie Costas
Callie Costas has a busy holiday season awaiting her and is missing her boyfriend, who is taking care of his mum in Europe. She might have too much on her plate, and then her friend, Christy, wants her to find out why anyone would kill the part-time employee in her shop. I wouldn't mind trying any of Callie's recipes, as they all sound so delicious when you read about them throughout the book. Callie would make a great partner in crime to someone who needed it and probably someone to help her solve the crimes or at least someone to help keep her out of them. Despite how bad everything started to become throughout the book, I think that Callie kept her cool, which is something that I admire about her.
The Victim
Henry Worthington was a part-time employee at Tea for Two before he was killed there on the eve of the Halloween Walk in Crystal Bay. Callie gets wrapped up in solving his mystery thanks to Christy, who wanted to know. She finds out through different people that she knows a lot about the victim and Callieworriesd about why he came. I didn't get who the murderer was until he was spelling it out for Callie. Poor Mr. Worthington just wanted a fresh start and to live with people who didn't know what had happened before he moved.
Five Stars
A Stew to a Kill by Jenny Kales is the fourth book in Callie's Kitchen Mysteries, and loving these stories a lot. Ms. Kales has a great series in her hands, and I can't wait to read the first three now, along with any others she puts out. I am in love with this series and the recipes she showcases throughout the books. I am giving A Stew to a Kill by Jenny Kales five stars and recommending it to anyone that wants a great Halloween read this year!
Here are the recipes for this book: Greek Chicken Stew with Orzo, Greek Beef Stew (Stifado), Cheese Biscuits, Two Ways (Biskotakia Me Feta), Chai Spice Cake, Cream Cheese Glaze, Pumpkin Scones, Sticky Situation Toffee Pudding, and Quick "Clotted Cream." All of these recipes sound so good.
Callie's Kitchen Mysteries
Who hated Henry Worthington so severely that they wanted him dead?
Callie Costas
Callie Costas has a busy holiday season awaiting her and is missing her boyfriend, who is taking care of his mum in Europe. She might have too much on her plate, and then her friend, Christy, wants her to find out why anyone would kill the part-time employee in her shop. I wouldn't mind trying any of Callie's recipes, as they all sound so delicious when you read about them throughout the book. Callie would make a great partner in crime to someone who needed it and probably someone to help her solve the crimes or at least someone to help keep her out of them. Despite how bad everything started to become throughout the book, I think that Callie kept her cool, which is something that I admire about her.
The Victim Henry Worthington was a part-time employee at Tea for Two before he was killed there on the eve of the Halloween Walk in Crystal Bay. Callie gets wrapped up in solving his mystery thanks to Christy, who wanted to know. She finds out through different people that she knows a lot about the victim and Callieworriesd about why he came. I didn't get who the murderer was until he was spelling it out for Callie. Poor Mr. Worthington just wanted a fresh start and to live with people who didn't know what had happened before he moved.
Five Stars
A Stew to a Kill by Jenny Kales is the fourth book in Callie's Kitchen Mysteries, and loving these stories a lot. Ms. Kales has a great series in her hands, and I can't wait to read the first three now, along with any others she puts out. I am in love with this series and the recipes she showcases throughout the books. I am giving A Stew to a Kill by Jenny Kales five stars and recommending it to anyone that wants a great Halloween read this year!
Here are the recipes for this book: Greek Chicken Stew with Orzo, Greek Beef Stew (Stifado), Cheese Biscuits, Two Ways (Biskotakia Me Feta), Chai Spice Cake, Cream Cheese Glaze, Pumpkin Scones, Sticky Situation Toffee Pudding, and Quick "Clotted Cream." All of these recipes sound so good.
Callie's Kitchen Mysteries
This series is available on Kindle Unlimited.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of A Stew to Kill by Jenny Kales.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
January 18, 2019
A STEW TO A KILL by Jenny Kales is the 4th book in the A Callie's Kitchen Mystery series.
A STEW TO A KILL takes place during the Halloween activities in Crystal Bay, Wisconsin including the Halloween Walk and Gala which are designed to collect food and raise money for the Crystal Bay Food Pantry. Calliope “Callie” Costas local owner of Callie’s Kitchen is determined to help both with donation, ideas and hands on helping to make these events successful.
Crystal Bay’s downtown district is close knit group looking out for one another and lending a helping hand where needed. When fellow store owner, Christy Strouse, owner of Tea for Two, finds one of her part time employees, Henry Worthington, dead in her shop early one morning prior to opening, Callie was the first to show up to assist her, called 911 and was there for her with emotional support. This isn’t the first brush with dead bodies or the law that Callie has had. She knows first-hand how accusations can cause harm both financially and emotionally and is determine to help Christy figure out what happened.
When they find out for sure it was murder and method used, there seem to be even more questions than answers. Detective Ian Sands, Callie’s boyfriend, is out of town visiting his ailing mother back in England and his replacement Detective Diane Wilson seems set on looking only at Christy as a suspect. Callie has her hands full between her normal work, planning and preparing for the Halloween Walk and Gala and doing her sleuthing. Thanks to her close knit employees, Max, Piper and Josh who are more like friends/family, she’s able to keep it all running including running down leads.
Also in the mix, you have Callie’s ex announcing that his new wife is expecting their child, Ben Lucas - a man she made the mistake of dating after her divorce shows back up in town bugging her to sell out and join him in promoting the controversial projected new mall, Olivia her 10 year old daughter is growing up, and George - her Dad is very seriously dating Kathy. On top of this, Chuck from Dean’s Dairy was attacked outside Sweet Dreams. Was it somehow connected to the death of Henry??? Was he victim number two?
The author has a way of pulling it all together having you guessing and then second guessing everyone connected to Crystal Bay as you read and swiftly turn the pages. She dishes our clues just like she does delicious sounding food keeping the reader hungering for more of each. She satisfies both – one with a surprise ending that I personally didn’t see coming which I love in a cozy mystery and the other with great recipes at the back of the book for some of the dishes talked about in the book.
Although the fourth in a series, A STEW TO A KILL can definitely be read as a standalone. This was my first book in this series for me and I had no problem following along or knowing who was who. I recommend A STEW TO A KILL to anyone that loves a great cozy mystery with wonderful and colorful characters that you are bound to fall in love with. Jenny Kales with her skillful writing will NOT disappoint you!
A STEW TO A KILL takes place during the Halloween activities in Crystal Bay, Wisconsin including the Halloween Walk and Gala which are designed to collect food and raise money for the Crystal Bay Food Pantry. Calliope “Callie” Costas local owner of Callie’s Kitchen is determined to help both with donation, ideas and hands on helping to make these events successful.
Crystal Bay’s downtown district is close knit group looking out for one another and lending a helping hand where needed. When fellow store owner, Christy Strouse, owner of Tea for Two, finds one of her part time employees, Henry Worthington, dead in her shop early one morning prior to opening, Callie was the first to show up to assist her, called 911 and was there for her with emotional support. This isn’t the first brush with dead bodies or the law that Callie has had. She knows first-hand how accusations can cause harm both financially and emotionally and is determine to help Christy figure out what happened.
When they find out for sure it was murder and method used, there seem to be even more questions than answers. Detective Ian Sands, Callie’s boyfriend, is out of town visiting his ailing mother back in England and his replacement Detective Diane Wilson seems set on looking only at Christy as a suspect. Callie has her hands full between her normal work, planning and preparing for the Halloween Walk and Gala and doing her sleuthing. Thanks to her close knit employees, Max, Piper and Josh who are more like friends/family, she’s able to keep it all running including running down leads.
Also in the mix, you have Callie’s ex announcing that his new wife is expecting their child, Ben Lucas - a man she made the mistake of dating after her divorce shows back up in town bugging her to sell out and join him in promoting the controversial projected new mall, Olivia her 10 year old daughter is growing up, and George - her Dad is very seriously dating Kathy. On top of this, Chuck from Dean’s Dairy was attacked outside Sweet Dreams. Was it somehow connected to the death of Henry??? Was he victim number two?
The author has a way of pulling it all together having you guessing and then second guessing everyone connected to Crystal Bay as you read and swiftly turn the pages. She dishes our clues just like she does delicious sounding food keeping the reader hungering for more of each. She satisfies both – one with a surprise ending that I personally didn’t see coming which I love in a cozy mystery and the other with great recipes at the back of the book for some of the dishes talked about in the book.
Although the fourth in a series, A STEW TO A KILL can definitely be read as a standalone. This was my first book in this series for me and I had no problem following along or knowing who was who. I recommend A STEW TO A KILL to anyone that loves a great cozy mystery with wonderful and colorful characters that you are bound to fall in love with. Jenny Kales with her skillful writing will NOT disappoint you!
October 21, 2018
Delicious mystery
This series just keeps getting better. I love the characters, the awesome food, the camaraderie of the townspeople and the mystery in each book. Callie Costas runs her bakery/eatery called Callies Kitchen and baked as well as cooks traditional Greek pastries and food that make my mouth water just reading about them. In this book all of the small town businesses are being threatened by a possible mall being built. Callies old boyfriend is right in the middle of the mall project and he tries to get her on board. When an assistant at the local tea shop across the street is found dead Callie wonders if it has something to do with the mall. All of the small shop owners seem to be acting strange causing Callie to wonder what could be going on and who could have murdered the kind old man. Before long a local delivery man is assaulted and hospitalized making everyone afraid of losing business. Callie and some of the other owners feel that someone is sabotaging their business so that the mall will be voted in. All along Callie has been trying to keep up with work and also help with a fundraiser for the soup kitchen along with make food for the gala also for the soup kitchen. Will the fundraiser and gala be successful or will the murderer ruin the party and the business district? You will have to read the book to find out. Great cozy mystety.
This series just keeps getting better. I love the characters, the awesome food, the camaraderie of the townspeople and the mystery in each book. Callie Costas runs her bakery/eatery called Callies Kitchen and baked as well as cooks traditional Greek pastries and food that make my mouth water just reading about them. In this book all of the small town businesses are being threatened by a possible mall being built. Callies old boyfriend is right in the middle of the mall project and he tries to get her on board. When an assistant at the local tea shop across the street is found dead Callie wonders if it has something to do with the mall. All of the small shop owners seem to be acting strange causing Callie to wonder what could be going on and who could have murdered the kind old man. Before long a local delivery man is assaulted and hospitalized making everyone afraid of losing business. Callie and some of the other owners feel that someone is sabotaging their business so that the mall will be voted in. All along Callie has been trying to keep up with work and also help with a fundraiser for the soup kitchen along with make food for the gala also for the soup kitchen. Will the fundraiser and gala be successful or will the murderer ruin the party and the business district? You will have to read the book to find out. Great cozy mystety.
April 27, 2019
Another humdinger of a story by Jenny Kales!
Business is booming in Crystal Bay, especially for Callie and her staff (Max is back, Josh is learning well, Piper is great at the front of house and social media), they are supplying the cakes etc for the tea shop Tea for Two which means the owner, Christy, and her part time employee (Henry) can concentrate on the tea side. As well as this the street is gearing up for Halloween with skeletons dressed up (people can take selfies with them), a Halloween Walk and finally a Gala, all of which are raising funds for the food pantry. All of this could get derailed though when Henry is found murdered (and Sands is away in the UK!) and a company wants to open a mall which would kill the local independent shops (it doesn't help that the person in charge of the Mall development is an ex boyfriend of Callie's who seems to think they can get back together again!)
Now Callie needs to save her friend Christy from brewing tea in prison, help save the local shops and make sure that Ben gets the idea that she isn't available! Oh and keep cooking and looking after her daughter, the heat is on but Callie will keep her cool.
Business is booming in Crystal Bay, especially for Callie and her staff (Max is back, Josh is learning well, Piper is great at the front of house and social media), they are supplying the cakes etc for the tea shop Tea for Two which means the owner, Christy, and her part time employee (Henry) can concentrate on the tea side. As well as this the street is gearing up for Halloween with skeletons dressed up (people can take selfies with them), a Halloween Walk and finally a Gala, all of which are raising funds for the food pantry. All of this could get derailed though when Henry is found murdered (and Sands is away in the UK!) and a company wants to open a mall which would kill the local independent shops (it doesn't help that the person in charge of the Mall development is an ex boyfriend of Callie's who seems to think they can get back together again!)
Now Callie needs to save her friend Christy from brewing tea in prison, help save the local shops and make sure that Ben gets the idea that she isn't available! Oh and keep cooking and looking after her daughter, the heat is on but Callie will keep her cool.
August 1, 2019
Halloween is approaching and all the shops in the picturesque town of Crystal Bay, Wisconsin are decorating and gearing up for the Halloween Walk and Gala which will raise funds for the local food pantry. Callie Costa, owner of Callie's Kitchen, is cooking up a storm as usual and missing her boyfriend who is in England visiting his mother. When an employee of a neighboring business, Tea for Two, is found murdered it threatens to play havoc with all the Fall festivities that are planned. Callie, being Callie, starts investigating on her own. Added to that is the assault of a delivery man and when an ex-boyfriend makes an unwelcome appearance things don't go quite as planned. What do all three have in common? Or is it just coincidence? The list of suspects changes daily and the motive remains unknown. I love how descriptive the writing is..you can close your eyes and picture Crystal Bay and the characters. Have a snack at hand while reading because the delicious food mentioned will make you hungry. There are several delicious recipes included in the book. I highly recommend the series and this book!
October 25, 2018
Loved the latest book in the Callie’s Kitchen mysteries! It’s time for Halloween and Crystal Bay is having a Halloween Walk and Gala to benefit the local food pantry. When her friend Christy’s part-time employee, Henry, is found dead in Christy’s tea shop, it puts a damper on the Halloween fun. Callie’s ex-boyfriend, Ben, is in town with plans to build a big shopping mall, which would take business away from a lot of the downtown businesses. No one is happy about this. It seems there are plenty of suspect, but most of them have a motive to kill Ben and not Henry. Can Callie figure out who killed Henry? I love the characters in this series as they all feel like family to me. The town of Crystal Bay sounds so charming that I wish I could visit it! I’m hoping to see a lot more books in this fantastic series and hopefully someday see Callie and Sands get married and maybe have a kid of their own and a sibling for Olivia. Excited to see what’s next for Callie and the gang!
October 31, 2018
As much as I love Callie, I think its all her friends and family that make me love this series so much. Callie is a hard working Greek bistro owner as well as a single mom, so of course she has time to be a sleuth as well. Callie has a knack for finding dead bodies. She also has a successful mystery solving rate, so it only makes sense that she is in a relationship with the lead homicide detective.
With her boyfriend visiting his mum across the pond, Callie is burying herself in her work and preparing for the Halloween Gala for the local food pantry. Sounds like a great way to keep busy until a dead body turns up in her friend's tea shop. There is also a large corporation trying to bid to build a mall in town and threatening all the local shops in Crystal Bay. Could there be a connection? Can Callie figure out what's going on before someone else suffers the same fate?
Read on to find out. I highly recommend this series and cannot wait for a Book 5!
With her boyfriend visiting his mum across the pond, Callie is burying herself in her work and preparing for the Halloween Gala for the local food pantry. Sounds like a great way to keep busy until a dead body turns up in her friend's tea shop. There is also a large corporation trying to bid to build a mall in town and threatening all the local shops in Crystal Bay. Could there be a connection? Can Callie figure out what's going on before someone else suffers the same fate?
Read on to find out. I highly recommend this series and cannot wait for a Book 5!
May 10, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this 4th in the series.
Callie and the town are getting ready for the Halloween walk which benefits the local food pantry. Deocrations, take a selfie with a skeleton, a dead body...the body was not planned. When fellow shop owner is looked at with suspicion when her employee ends up dead, Callie steps in to help. With her boyfriend out of town and a new sheriff handling the case, it adds a slight problem. When her ex-boyfriend comes around only for her to find out that he is building a mall that could ruin the town, Callie has her hands full.
I love these characters, I adore the relationship that Callie has with her family and friends, not perfect but real. I was kept guessing, I did figure out who but not why until Callie did. I love being led along with the protagonist. I will definitely continue on with this series.
Callie and the town are getting ready for the Halloween walk which benefits the local food pantry. Deocrations, take a selfie with a skeleton, a dead body...the body was not planned. When fellow shop owner is looked at with suspicion when her employee ends up dead, Callie steps in to help. With her boyfriend out of town and a new sheriff handling the case, it adds a slight problem. When her ex-boyfriend comes around only for her to find out that he is building a mall that could ruin the town, Callie has her hands full.
I love these characters, I adore the relationship that Callie has with her family and friends, not perfect but real. I was kept guessing, I did figure out who but not why until Callie did. I love being led along with the protagonist. I will definitely continue on with this series.
September 24, 2019
Autumn in Crystal Bay, Wisconsin is simply delightful! I enjoyed the Halloween theme for the downtown business district. This is the first book in the series that I read, but I recommend reading them in order so that you get the benefit of characters , their relationships with each other, the town, and Callie's family. There is more drama with the ex, a slower economy ,an old boyfriend, and her fledgling relationship with Ian. I love to see how she juggles her roles, her ability to stand up for herself and those she cares for. There are times when she does dumb things, but that just "humanizes" Callie, as far as I am concerned.
The recipes look so yummy! I am cooking the lemony chicken soup, tomorrow.
The recipes look so yummy! I am cooking the lemony chicken soup, tomorrow.
November 7, 2020
While the story, if you could get to it with the Greek cooking and other superfluous meanderings, could have been a good one, it just did not grab me and call on me to continue reading. Personally, I put the book down quite a few times and this is unusual for me, as I read a book straight through, but for a while there I was beginning to think I had inadvertently picked up War and Peace, it was soooo long.
And, I kind of got sick of the Greek cooking. If I was interested in that, I would get a Greek cook book, but I was interested in reading a murder mystery and this book left much to be desired.
And as for supplying recipes, I repeat, if that is what I wanted, I would have picked up a cook book.
All in all, I doubt I will be reading anything more in this series.
And, I kind of got sick of the Greek cooking. If I was interested in that, I would get a Greek cook book, but I was interested in reading a murder mystery and this book left much to be desired.
And as for supplying recipes, I repeat, if that is what I wanted, I would have picked up a cook book.
All in all, I doubt I will be reading anything more in this series.
May 18, 2021
Callie owns a Greek bakery/take out restaurant in a small town in Wisconsin and has a knack for stumbling into mysteries! She tends to find dead bodies and her boyfriend is a police detective who wants her to stop getting into trouble. In this case there are more than one mystery to solve and they need to find a way to prevent a large shopping mall from going up that would put many local small businesses out of business. I loved the book and the delicious sounding foods and the Halloween events planned for this small town. The cast of characters kept growing which had me stumbling a bit at first to keep track of all of them. The recipes sound awesome and I can't wait to try some of them! Enjoy this good read!
October 15, 2018
Another fun read
I have enjoyed the previous books in this series and was happy to see another book. If you enjoy cozies, then the Callie's Kitchen series is a fun read.
In "A Stew to Kill," the 4th in series, Callie is going about her incredibly busy life as normal, when a murder, old flame, thrwat of a new mall, and personal events make life even crazier.
Halloween in the Midwest is the backdrop, so was fun to read at this time of year. The recipes included look amazing, and I plan to try a couple, as the descriptions in the book made my mouth water.
I hope there are more coming in this series!
I have enjoyed the previous books in this series and was happy to see another book. If you enjoy cozies, then the Callie's Kitchen series is a fun read.
In "A Stew to Kill," the 4th in series, Callie is going about her incredibly busy life as normal, when a murder, old flame, thrwat of a new mall, and personal events make life even crazier.
Halloween in the Midwest is the backdrop, so was fun to read at this time of year. The recipes included look amazing, and I plan to try a couple, as the descriptions in the book made my mouth water.
I hope there are more coming in this series!
November 3, 2018
Besides the delicious Greek dishes Callie serves at her restaurant, the mystery is enticing too. Someone poisons an employee at Tea for Two and then injures one of the other locals. Callie has her hands full with the annual Halloween Walk and Gala and murder has a way of scaring away customers. With her detective boyfriend away, not urging her to mind her own business, she dives right in. With a threatened mall being planned not far from the downtown shops. Callie and her fellow business owners are worried about more than the murder.
April 19, 2019
This was another great cozy book by Jenny Kales. Callie is the main character in the book. She’s known in her quaint town for her scrumptious Greek food. She is the owner of Callie’s Kitchen. There is a murder in Crystal Bay. Callie is warned by local police to stop sleuthing. Of course Callie can’t help it. She wants to find out who the killer is. It was a fun book. I also enjoy the scrumptious recipes at the end of the book.
November 2, 2020
This was a fairly good cozy mystery. Callie the owner of the restaurant gets involved in trying to solve a murder. In Crystal Bay, WI, the small business owners are gearing up for a Halloween celebration. A dead body is found in the tea shop. In addition, an ex boyfriend of Callie's has shown up with plans to build a mall which would hurt the small business owners. I would read more by this author.
November 7, 2020
This is the 4th in the series. The main character is Callie. She owns a Greek food store where she makes Greek food for sale. Whole meals and cookie and pastries and all the ingredients. It is almost Halloween and there is going to be all kinds of things going on. Ending with a big old fashion gala. A week before Halloween Henry who soprked across the street is murdered. Can Callie figure out who did this before it's too late?
November 24, 2020
A true sense of community
Lovely story with engaging characters and a murder mystery that is well thought out. You feel like you are there in Calli's kitchen smelling the delicious scents of her cooking and baking! I enjoyed the recipes at the end very much and will be trying my hand at the beef stew for certain. I like the little side stories within the book as well, especially with her family. Such a pleasant read for any age.
Lovely story with engaging characters and a murder mystery that is well thought out. You feel like you are there in Calli's kitchen smelling the delicious scents of her cooking and baking! I enjoyed the recipes at the end very much and will be trying my hand at the beef stew for certain. I like the little side stories within the book as well, especially with her family. Such a pleasant read for any age.
March 20, 2019
Another really good mystery from Jenny Kales. I love Callie and Max and the rest of the gang. When a employee at the nearby tea shop is killed, callie try to help out Christy who the police are looking at. Meanwhile swarmy ex Eric shows up with a plan for a new mall that could destroy Callie's Kitchen . A very good read.
October 31, 2020
A fun fall read.
I enjoyed this new Callie's kitchen novel. Ms. Kales writes fun novels with believable characters. Like one of her characters said: I now want cake. After reading about chai cake I want to go make the recipe. I was given this book in a giveaway and I plan on reading more by Ms. Kale.
I enjoyed this new Callie's kitchen novel. Ms. Kales writes fun novels with believable characters. Like one of her characters said: I now want cake. After reading about chai cake I want to go make the recipe. I was given this book in a giveaway and I plan on reading more by Ms. Kale.
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