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Sadie Kramer Flair #4
A Flair for Truffles
Sadie Kramer's friendly offer to deliver three boxes of gourmet Valentines truffles for her neighbor's chocolate shop, Cioccolato, backfires when she arrives to find the intended recipient deceased. Even more intriguing is the fact that the elegant heart-shaped gifts were ordered by three different men. With the help of one detective and the hindrance of another, Sadie will search San Francisco from the prestigious financial district to a low-life bar, to iconic Fisherman's Wharf, looking for clues. With the help of her trusted sidekick Yorkie, Coco, will Sadie manage to find out "whodunnit" before the killer finds a way to stop her?
131 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 8, 2019
234 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Garner
36 books883 followersDeborah Garner is an accomplished travel writer with a passion for back roads and secret hideaways. Born and raised in California, she studied in France before returning to the U.S. to attend UCLA. After stints in graduate school and teaching, she attempted to clone herself for decades by founding and running a dance and performing arts center, designing and manufacturing clothing and accessories, and tackling both spreadsheets and display racks for corporate retail management. Her passions include photography, hiking and animal rescue. She speaks five languages, some substantially better than others. She now divides her time between California and Wyoming, dragging one human and two canines along whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 12, 2019
A FLAIR FOR TRUFFLES, the fourth book in the Sadie Kramer Flair Mysteries by Deborah Garner, is a refreshing change to the lineup of cozy mystery young protagonists out there. Sadie Kramer is self-described as an “eccentric senior citizen who carries a dog around in a tote bag.” Despite her age, she is full of life, humor, and chocolate! I drooled over all the yummy sounding chocolate truffles she gets to sample whenever she visits her neighboring business, Cioccalato. I also appreciate that the author takes a moment to remind readers that chocolate and dogs don’t mix, especially during this holiday when chocolate gifts make the rounds. Coco, Sadie’s adorable Yorkie, adds her own brand of cuteness and humor to the story and fills in as a sidekick while Sadie investigates murder.
With San Francisco as a backdrop, the reader is treated to wonderful descriptions of the best that the city has to offer, along with a culinary tour of not to miss eats. It’s like a mini-vacation on the page. Despite the short length of this book, Ms. Garner manages to create a full-bodied mystery with fun characters, clues, and suspects, while throwing in entertaining humor!
With San Francisco as a backdrop, the reader is treated to wonderful descriptions of the best that the city has to offer, along with a culinary tour of not to miss eats. It’s like a mini-vacation on the page. Despite the short length of this book, Ms. Garner manages to create a full-bodied mystery with fun characters, clues, and suspects, while throwing in entertaining humor!
February 20, 2019
Sadie Kramer and her Yorkie, Coco, are getting ready to enjoy Valentine’s Day. As a favor to Matteo who owns the shop next to Flair, she agrees to deliver chocolates to a mutual customer. Unfortunately Sadie is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now she finds herself a person of interest in a murder. Never one to back down from a challenge she decides to find the killer? I enjoy Sadie. She has style, wit and determination. Her relationship with New Orleans Detective Broussard is fun and flirty. Their conversation made me smile. Not quite as humorous is her interaction with SFPD Detective Frogert. They rub each other the wrong way. I found A Flair For Truffles to be a fast pace, humorous cozy mystery. I enjoyed the characters, the witty and sometimes snarky dialogue and the well written mystery. Deborah Garner did an excellent job. She made me smile with contentment. All is well with Sadie and with Flair.
September 2, 2019
Loving each book more
Sadie once again finds herself mired in a murder case. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is Valentine's Day and love is in the air but so is death.
Sadie once again finds herself mired in a murder case. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is Valentine's Day and love is in the air but so is death.
October 22, 2021
Brilliant.
I love Sadie's enthusiasm to help others and solve the murder mysteries in which she unknowingly gets entangled. Her yorkie, Cocoa, is such a sweet adorable darling. I adore this entire series as it is light-hearted without the usual gory details of a murder. This story has humor, a tinge of romance and a nice twist to keep the readers guessing and thoroughly engrossed.
Sadie Kramer, the proud owner of Flair, a fashion boutique in San Francisco, finds herself involved in another murder as she tries to deliver the chocolates and clothes to Sue Bennett, the murder victim. Her nosy neighbor, Mags, and Linda are discussing the case when Sadie asks Mags about the presence of police. Mags tells her that Sue has been murdered. Sadie is stunned and returns to her boutique with the undelivered packages. She receives a call from SFPD detective, Frogert, asking her about her presence in the crime scene. Mags had given her car license plate number to the detective. She is worried about being suspected for a crime which she never committed. Determined to clear her name, she asks Matteo her chocolatier neighbor, for the details of the three clients who sent chocolates for Sue. She visits the office of Luke Manning, a real estate developer, like her deceased husband, Morris. However, she is unable to get an appointment. She is shocked to find Detective Frogert in the building. After exchanging a few words, she leaves. Later that evening, she calls her Detective Friend in New Orleans, Detective Broussard and briefs him on her predicament. He advises her to stay out of trouble and reassures her to straighten this issue with Detective Frogert. Unable to contain her curiosity, she visits another client Zane Grey at Zany Z, a shady bar. Once again Frogert finds her. This doesn't deter her from going in search of Bruno, the third client, from Fisherman's Wharf. When she makes inquiries about Bruno, a woman glares at her furiously.
She wants to stop getting involved but notices a woman from Luke Manning's office coming to her shop. Lila, the bartender from Zany's also enters her shop but accidentally drops some papers which is pointed out by another customer. She goes through some receipts for clues.She discovers one paper mentioning food bank. She receives a warning note to back off. But Sadie isn't scared. She goes to Fisherman's Wharf and is surprised to find three women, Lila, the woman from Manning's office and the woman who glared at her, having an argument, none of which she is able to hear.
She has another surprise waiting for her. Detective Frogert asks her help to question Luke Manning's involvement. She follows his instructions and after talking to Luke, clears him of any wrong doing. Sadie takes a box of chocolate truffles by Matteo for Valentine's Day celebration at Food Bank where Luke and his fiancee, Gerp, who visited Flair are volunteers. Lila and Gina are also present as volunteers. Sadie has six suspects, three men and three women. Who among them is the actual murderer? Why was Sue killed? What's the connection of Sue with all these people? Will Sadie help Detective Frogert catch the murderer or end up in a morgue? Highly enjoyable read.
I love Sadie's enthusiasm to help others and solve the murder mysteries in which she unknowingly gets entangled. Her yorkie, Cocoa, is such a sweet adorable darling. I adore this entire series as it is light-hearted without the usual gory details of a murder. This story has humor, a tinge of romance and a nice twist to keep the readers guessing and thoroughly engrossed.
Sadie Kramer, the proud owner of Flair, a fashion boutique in San Francisco, finds herself involved in another murder as she tries to deliver the chocolates and clothes to Sue Bennett, the murder victim. Her nosy neighbor, Mags, and Linda are discussing the case when Sadie asks Mags about the presence of police. Mags tells her that Sue has been murdered. Sadie is stunned and returns to her boutique with the undelivered packages. She receives a call from SFPD detective, Frogert, asking her about her presence in the crime scene. Mags had given her car license plate number to the detective. She is worried about being suspected for a crime which she never committed. Determined to clear her name, she asks Matteo her chocolatier neighbor, for the details of the three clients who sent chocolates for Sue. She visits the office of Luke Manning, a real estate developer, like her deceased husband, Morris. However, she is unable to get an appointment. She is shocked to find Detective Frogert in the building. After exchanging a few words, she leaves. Later that evening, she calls her Detective Friend in New Orleans, Detective Broussard and briefs him on her predicament. He advises her to stay out of trouble and reassures her to straighten this issue with Detective Frogert. Unable to contain her curiosity, she visits another client Zane Grey at Zany Z, a shady bar. Once again Frogert finds her. This doesn't deter her from going in search of Bruno, the third client, from Fisherman's Wharf. When she makes inquiries about Bruno, a woman glares at her furiously.
She wants to stop getting involved but notices a woman from Luke Manning's office coming to her shop. Lila, the bartender from Zany's also enters her shop but accidentally drops some papers which is pointed out by another customer. She goes through some receipts for clues.She discovers one paper mentioning food bank. She receives a warning note to back off. But Sadie isn't scared. She goes to Fisherman's Wharf and is surprised to find three women, Lila, the woman from Manning's office and the woman who glared at her, having an argument, none of which she is able to hear.
She has another surprise waiting for her. Detective Frogert asks her help to question Luke Manning's involvement. She follows his instructions and after talking to Luke, clears him of any wrong doing. Sadie takes a box of chocolate truffles by Matteo for Valentine's Day celebration at Food Bank where Luke and his fiancee, Gerp, who visited Flair are volunteers. Lila and Gina are also present as volunteers. Sadie has six suspects, three men and three women. Who among them is the actual murderer? Why was Sue killed? What's the connection of Sue with all these people? Will Sadie help Detective Frogert catch the murderer or end up in a morgue? Highly enjoyable read.
February 20, 2022
I read this not realizing it was book 4 in the series. It easily stands alone, so my impressions were not based on expectations of previous books.
This book reads as if the author really, really needed a reason to give his protagonist a mystery. The idea that a shop owner sharing customer lists with a neighbor would have any reason to get involved in this murder at all is a bit far-fetched, in my mind. Detective calls, she explains, done. I don't see the basis for Sadie sticking her nose in.
The story relies on the cliché of a shop owner with a single employee who can leave her retail business at any time to follow up on a clue or to do whatever needs done to advance the story. I find this technique unrealistic in the best-written stories. Of course, Sadie apparently doesn't need money, but one finds it hard to think Flair could be paying its expenses; perhaps this is explained in earlier books.
Not a bad book at all. The ending, while ostensibly humorous, simply doesn't work, in my mind, but the whole thing just rates an average rating.
This book reads as if the author really, really needed a reason to give his protagonist a mystery. The idea that a shop owner sharing customer lists with a neighbor would have any reason to get involved in this murder at all is a bit far-fetched, in my mind. Detective calls, she explains, done. I don't see the basis for Sadie sticking her nose in.
The story relies on the cliché of a shop owner with a single employee who can leave her retail business at any time to follow up on a clue or to do whatever needs done to advance the story. I find this technique unrealistic in the best-written stories. Of course, Sadie apparently doesn't need money, but one finds it hard to think Flair could be paying its expenses; perhaps this is explained in earlier books.
Not a bad book at all. The ending, while ostensibly humorous, simply doesn't work, in my mind, but the whole thing just rates an average rating.
February 20, 2021
A woman is murdered. As a favor to her friend who owns a Chocolateria, Sadie was delivering four boxes of chocolates to the woman, from four different people. She becomes a suspect since being spotted by a nosy neighbor at the scene of the crime when the body was found. She decides to investigate Sadie then uncovers the people who sent the chocolates, She was heading into what she herself called, a "motive mania". Each suspect could have possibly been the murderer. Each one had a motive. Sadie becomes determined to find the guilty party.
A good story. I liked all the characters, especially Coco, Sadie's precious little dog.
A good story. I liked all the characters, especially Coco, Sadie's precious little dog.
November 9, 2022
Sadie Kramer, owner of Flair boutique, offers to help out the owner of the chocolate shop next door by delivering several boxes of chocolate. She notices that all three boxes were ordered by different men but are all going to the same woman. Interesting! When the recipient of the chocolates is found dead Sadie does what she does best...investigates on her own. The characters are wonderful! Especially Sadie and her dog Coco. The mystery is well written and had me glued to the pages as Sadie navigates some of the seedier parts of San Francisco. I happily recommend this book!
March 2, 2019
Delightfully Cozy
I just love Sadie and Coco! A Flair for Truffles is a good, satisfying coz mystery. Sadie certainly does find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, but if she didn’t, where would the story be? Twists and turns and a bit of danger thread through the book, but, for me, the zaniness of Sadie and her escapades take the cake! Chocolate, of course! Satisfying till the end.
I just love Sadie and Coco! A Flair for Truffles is a good, satisfying coz mystery. Sadie certainly does find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, but if she didn’t, where would the story be? Twists and turns and a bit of danger thread through the book, but, for me, the zaniness of Sadie and her escapades take the cake! Chocolate, of course! Satisfying till the end.
June 6, 2021
Sadie is a widowed boutique owner & chocoholic with a flair for detective work. During the lead-up to Valentines Day, one of her customers is murdered and Sadie us drawn into the investigation. With help in the form of truffles from her neighboring business owner Matteo, her employee Amber, she falls into working the case. A delightful read. Not to be forgotten is Coco, her tote bag hanging Yorkie!
February 11, 2025
A set of yummy mysteries!
The forth book in a series that I thoroughly enjoyed! Animals always add a nice extra boost to books, and Coco, the Yorkie, doesn’t disappoint! Sadie is a hoot, and I can see us being friends if she was a real person! The only difficulty was being constantly reminded of Ciocclato and Matteo’s truffles - drool worthy. A great cast of characters. Now if someone can direct me yo Flair, a shop I think I’d enjoy shopping at!
The forth book in a series that I thoroughly enjoyed! Animals always add a nice extra boost to books, and Coco, the Yorkie, doesn’t disappoint! Sadie is a hoot, and I can see us being friends if she was a real person! The only difficulty was being constantly reminded of Ciocclato and Matteo’s truffles - drool worthy. A great cast of characters. Now if someone can direct me yo Flair, a shop I think I’d enjoy shopping at!
March 19, 2019
"A Flair for Truffles" by Deborah Garner is the fourth book in the author's Sadie Kramer Flair Mystery series and it was a delight to read. If you're looking for a book (or a series) with a unique main character - and her little dog too, a plot that will keep you turning the pages and lots of "feel good" humor, I recommend you read this book.
June 20, 2021
Chocolate
This was an interesting story. Sadie is a good character but her friends are a little bland. She sure can leave her business a lot especially with holiday shopping. Then it seemed she could accomplish a lot in one day with commuting to every location, her shop, the chocolate shop next door, and the wharf.
This was an interesting story. Sadie is a good character but her friends are a little bland. She sure can leave her business a lot especially with holiday shopping. Then it seemed she could accomplish a lot in one day with commuting to every location, her shop, the chocolate shop next door, and the wharf.
February 8, 2024
A complicated Valentine’s cozy
I loved the dog Coco. She was cute and adorable. I liked the Valentine’s vibes. It was the mystery that took me to get into. It just wasn’t grabbing me until the end where all the motives and puzzle pieces were put into place. Once it got going though, it was really good. It was just getting there was the struggle.
I loved the dog Coco. She was cute and adorable. I liked the Valentine’s vibes. It was the mystery that took me to get into. It just wasn’t grabbing me until the end where all the motives and puzzle pieces were put into place. Once it got going though, it was really good. It was just getting there was the struggle.
April 21, 2020
Cozy Chocolates and Crime
This is a cute little murder mystery cozy with a nod to chocolate fans. I enjoyed the humor of the candy love and cute banter between characters. Nice little read.
This is a cute little murder mystery cozy with a nod to chocolate fans. I enjoyed the humor of the candy love and cute banter between characters. Nice little read.
February 15, 2021
Mystery series
Sadie is crime solving again with her little dog in her tote bag. I think this was a good 4th in a series mystery, but it has left me craving truffles. I just might have to try the recipe at the end.
Sadie is crime solving again with her little dog in her tote bag. I think this was a good 4th in a series mystery, but it has left me craving truffles. I just might have to try the recipe at the end.
February 21, 2021
Enjoyed it.
This was different from so many cozy mysteries I usually enjoy. No twenty something's in desperate need of money or crazy old ladies. Sadie was very relatable and got the murder solved with a little help from those truffles. Will read more of her adventures.
This was different from so many cozy mysteries I usually enjoy. No twenty something's in desperate need of money or crazy old ladies. Sadie was very relatable and got the murder solved with a little help from those truffles. Will read more of her adventures.
May 30, 2021
No, just no!
Having thoroughly enjoyed Enid Blytons writing style as a child, this book sent me back there. The writing style is similar, in that this book seems to be written in a stilted, over explained exacting manner of long ago. Not enjoyable at all.
Having thoroughly enjoyed Enid Blytons writing style as a child, this book sent me back there. The writing style is similar, in that this book seems to be written in a stilted, over explained exacting manner of long ago. Not enjoyable at all.
June 23, 2021
If you like murder mysteries and love chocolate, you`ll enjoy this humorous story. Sadie along w/ her dog Coco are on the hunt for a killer (is it a man or woman?) Grab your favorite chocolates and get ready to enjoy this page turning story.
December 28, 2021
Chocolate for the masses…
Sadie was doing a good deed only to be snarled into a mishmash be cause some nosey parker couldn’t mind her own business. Seriously, Sadie needs no excuse to explore a mystery.
Sadie was doing a good deed only to be snarled into a mishmash be cause some nosey parker couldn’t mind her own business. Seriously, Sadie needs no excuse to explore a mystery.
December 18, 2022
Sadie
Sadie, and one detective she likes and one not so much. Plenty of chocolate in this story it is of course Valentines Day. A murder can’t stop Sadie, Ms Garner has taken such rich characters and woven them into one sweet story. You’ll be hooked till the end.
Sadie, and one detective she likes and one not so much. Plenty of chocolate in this story it is of course Valentines Day. A murder can’t stop Sadie, Ms Garner has taken such rich characters and woven them into one sweet story. You’ll be hooked till the end.
April 5, 2019
Fun, light and enjoyable
February 19, 2020
A flair for truffles
The characters were fun and quirky. The plot was good. It was an easy reading book. I enjoyed this book.
The characters were fun and quirky. The plot was good. It was an easy reading book. I enjoyed this book.
February 16, 2021
Loved it !
February 20, 2021
Truffles and Murder
This was a sweet story. A clean and fun cozy mystery - with a recipe at the end (which I can’t await to try!)
This was a sweet story. A clean and fun cozy mystery - with a recipe at the end (which I can’t await to try!)
February 14, 2022
Fun mystery
Sweet book with lots of chocolate and suspects. Fun characters and a little dog make an enjoyable mystery. No bad language.
Sweet book with lots of chocolate and suspects. Fun characters and a little dog make an enjoyable mystery. No bad language.
February 10, 2024
Fun to read
Cute and easy To read. Not real difficult to figure out the mystery but when truffles are involved you pay attention.
Cute and easy To read. Not real difficult to figure out the mystery but when truffles are involved you pay attention.
July 30, 2024
A Fun Mystery
Another enjoyable mystery. This is a fun series. Looking forward to the next one. Dogs and chocolates, a good combination.
Another enjoyable mystery. This is a fun series. Looking forward to the next one. Dogs and chocolates, a good combination.
June 5, 2022
I really enjoy this series and this one did not disappoint. Coco is my favorite character and a character she is. I love the mystery and the sleuth. Great story telling.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews