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Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery #4
Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits
As the owner of Mahalia's Sweet Tea, Halia Watkins is famous in Maryland's Prince George's County for her down-home cuisine. But when she has the chance to showcase her talents on national TV, she becomes the star of a murder mystery that's too hot to handle!
When Halia is invited to serve as a guest judge on the popular cooking competition show Elite Chef, she's delighted to add some extra flavor to the mix. But as filming ramps up in Washington D.C., there are too many fiery personalities in the kitchen. Halia discovers that pulling off her small screen debut unscathed means contending with a longtime competing restaurant owner, an infamously crass hospitality mogul, and a group of cutthroat contestants vying for culinary glory . . .
The competition sizzles with only a few finalists left standing--and goes cold when the gorgeous young frontrunner is found dead. As murder accusations are slathered over a recently eliminated contestant, Halia, with some bungling assistance from her wise-cracking cousin Wavonne slides into an investigation of their own. A little snooping reveals the victim burned lots of bridges, leaving a slew of alleged affairs and stolen recipes in her wake. With a fast-rising list of potential suspects, Halia must sort through mindboggling clues to fry the flaky culprit before someone else gets baked to a crisp . . .
When Halia is invited to serve as a guest judge on the popular cooking competition show Elite Chef, she's delighted to add some extra flavor to the mix. But as filming ramps up in Washington D.C., there are too many fiery personalities in the kitchen. Halia discovers that pulling off her small screen debut unscathed means contending with a longtime competing restaurant owner, an infamously crass hospitality mogul, and a group of cutthroat contestants vying for culinary glory . . .
The competition sizzles with only a few finalists left standing--and goes cold when the gorgeous young frontrunner is found dead. As murder accusations are slathered over a recently eliminated contestant, Halia, with some bungling assistance from her wise-cracking cousin Wavonne slides into an investigation of their own. A little snooping reveals the victim burned lots of bridges, leaving a slew of alleged affairs and stolen recipes in her wake. With a fast-rising list of potential suspects, Halia must sort through mindboggling clues to fry the flaky culprit before someone else gets baked to a crisp . . .
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2020
48 people are currently reading
534 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 10, 2020
I know a new Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery means I’m in for a lot of laughs and some mouthwatering descriptions of delicious foods! In Book 4, Halia and her cousin, Wavonne participate in judging a cooking show. Hilarity abounds between the cousins repartee, and the cunning and sabotage between the contestants. However, it’s not funny anymore when a contestant perishes. The author is oh-so-clever building her plot and the true villain is hard to determine. MURDER WITH HONEY HAM BISCUITS is a delightful, fun, and easy read. I highly recommend this African American Cozy series.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington. Thank you.
May 12, 2020
Halia Watkins, who owns a soul food restaurant called Sweet Tea in Maryland, is invited to be a judge on a cooking show. She is reluctant at first, learning that she is not their first choice, but cousin Wavonne, really wants the opportunity to be on TV, so she agrees. There are 3 contestants, and when one of them is murdered, Halia feels as if she must help to solve the crime as she's done in the past, despite police department disapproval. I enjoy this series: it not only has likable characters, humor, and a well-constructed plot, but recipes are also included. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2020
This is a cozy mystery that is heavy on cozy and light on mystery. The murder mystery doesn’t occur until well into the second half of the book. There was so much build up to the murder that I wasn’t invested in who committed the murder or why when it occurred. The drama around the characters was more exciting.
Also, the dialogue in the book did not add to the coziness or mystery of the book. In one exchange a character refers to another character’s hair as a “dime store wig”. The book is set in modern day, dime stores are a thing of the past. The exchange seemed awkward.
Fans of cozy mysterious may enjoy this book. It has light humor based on overdone stereotypes.
I was given the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.
Also, the dialogue in the book did not add to the coziness or mystery of the book. In one exchange a character refers to another character’s hair as a “dime store wig”. The book is set in modern day, dime stores are a thing of the past. The exchange seemed awkward.
Fans of cozy mysterious may enjoy this book. It has light humor based on overdone stereotypes.
I was given the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.
October 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this book - though this is book #4, I really enjoyed this book a lot as a stand alone. This cozy mystery was a joy to read for its characters that I enjoyed reading about. Hali and her down home cuisine definitely had my mouth watering while reading this. Fait warning to all on this delicious book that will have you get up and get inspired to cook or order some nice soul food for take out. I digress, this book had a fun murder mystery component and some twists enough to get you guessing. Overall this was a fun read that I read in an afternoon and really enjoyed a lot. For cozy mystery fans, this is a series I recommend and had a great time reading. This was very entertaining.
July 8, 2020
They really make it look like this was written by a Black Woman but it’s by a Latino male (Patrick Sanchez) who wanted “to target an untapped niche”. Wtf
January 20, 2021
Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits earns 4.5/5 Soul Food Treats...Delicious Fun!
I love all kinds of murder mysteries from Agatha Christie to M.C. Beaton, but their work has something missing...food! “Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits” had my mouthwatering and my heart pounding with a cooking show, snarky chefs, cut-throat competition, and murder! It’s the finals of the Elite Chef and Halia Watkins, owner and cook and Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, has been asked to be a judge, replacing one, two, three, four choices who were no longer available. The last week of the competition will be highlighting “soul food” challenging a very diverse trio of finalists: a fifty-something food truck chef, a professionally-trained fusion fanatic, and one with more fluff than substance. It all makes for good TV, and add a murdered contestant, you’ve got GREAT television!
First, who would not be intrigued by the excellent artwork on the cover? I love creativity, but it doesn’t stop when you turn to the white pages. A.L. Herbert’s fourth book in her Mahalia Watkins Mystery had this newbie hooked. The well-plotted drama follows the traditional cozy formula that I enjoy: humor and wit, lots of suspects and motive to consider, some peril and a great conclusion. Although the murder investigation was slow to rev up, it did allow me time to catch up with the main characters and enjoy all the tasty talk and a fascinating look into black history. Halia, for short, is a delightful personality who just can’t keep away from a murder mystery, even when law enforcement demands it, and her family provides a nice contrast and lots of sassy banter. Am I selfish to want...recipes? Just saying. With “Honey Ham Biscuits” in the title along with the food talk and food competition, I thought I might be treated to a “soul food” speciality. However, I was totally entertained and can Google southern biscuits on my own.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from Kensington thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
I love all kinds of murder mysteries from Agatha Christie to M.C. Beaton, but their work has something missing...food! “Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits” had my mouthwatering and my heart pounding with a cooking show, snarky chefs, cut-throat competition, and murder! It’s the finals of the Elite Chef and Halia Watkins, owner and cook and Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, has been asked to be a judge, replacing one, two, three, four choices who were no longer available. The last week of the competition will be highlighting “soul food” challenging a very diverse trio of finalists: a fifty-something food truck chef, a professionally-trained fusion fanatic, and one with more fluff than substance. It all makes for good TV, and add a murdered contestant, you’ve got GREAT television!
First, who would not be intrigued by the excellent artwork on the cover? I love creativity, but it doesn’t stop when you turn to the white pages. A.L. Herbert’s fourth book in her Mahalia Watkins Mystery had this newbie hooked. The well-plotted drama follows the traditional cozy formula that I enjoy: humor and wit, lots of suspects and motive to consider, some peril and a great conclusion. Although the murder investigation was slow to rev up, it did allow me time to catch up with the main characters and enjoy all the tasty talk and a fascinating look into black history. Halia, for short, is a delightful personality who just can’t keep away from a murder mystery, even when law enforcement demands it, and her family provides a nice contrast and lots of sassy banter. Am I selfish to want...recipes? Just saying. With “Honey Ham Biscuits” in the title along with the food talk and food competition, I thought I might be treated to a “soul food” speciality. However, I was totally entertained and can Google southern biscuits on my own.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from Kensington thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
June 11, 2020
I loved this book! Halia and Wavonne are such delightful characters, and Wavonne kept me laughing throughout the book. Her sassy, saucy personality works so well with Halia’s quieter demeanor. I’ve read a few other books in this series, but this book is by far my favorite.
Things take a sudden turn for the worst when a tragic death takes place during the taping of a cooking show. Wavonne and Halia find themselves wrapped in the investigation when one of their new friends becomes a prime suspect.
I can’t wait to see what this fantastic duo get into next.
Things take a sudden turn for the worst when a tragic death takes place during the taping of a cooking show. Wavonne and Halia find themselves wrapped in the investigation when one of their new friends becomes a prime suspect.
I can’t wait to see what this fantastic duo get into next.
October 23, 2020
3.5 stars. In the latest installment of the Soul Food Mystery series, Halia and her cousin/sidekick are selected to be celebrity judges on a national cooking competition show. Three contestants are vying for a executive chef position as well as $50,000 prize. A refreshingly sassy, witty cast of characters make for a fun read.
September 2, 2025
Loved this mystery the characters are fascinating and the humour brilliant. The mystery was cleverly solved too.
August 9, 2020
Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits, the fourth book in the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food mystery series by A.L. Herbert. Everyone in Maryland knows Mahalia Watkins is known for homemade southern food. Her cooking skills are to be admired. Hence, why she is invited to serve as a guest judge on a cooking competition show to be aired on national TV. Throw in a longtime restaurant competitor, a crass mogul, shady production/film crew and cutthroat finalists. A whole slew of suspects when the frontrunner is found dead. Of course, Halia sorts through clues to identify the murderer.
I was on the fence about whether to continue reading this series. Certainly not because of the content. The storylines are anything but stale. However, I have a strong side-eye upon discovering the author is a Latino male writing a series featuring a black female. Suddenly the loud wig-wearing relative, soul food references and dialogue seemed stereotypical. The characters' names, Halia and Wavonne, were a little too cultural. The author not doing personal appearances and keeping his identity somewhat hidden seemed more misleading. Is this practice of tapping into a new market acceptable? But damn, are these stories good! So I chose to stick with the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food mystery series and was granted an advance readers copy.
Like most cozy mysteries, Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits is full of laughs, mouthwatering recipes and outlandish antics. Per usual, Wavonne still sees her way into conversation that is none of her business. Mahalia is still bossy, or as she prefers to be called, a strong leader and helluva amateur sleuth. My only con is how long it took for the murder to occur (at 53%). The opportunity was there but just didn't happen during the first half of the book. As a result, the murder solving was a bit rushed.
Just read it, bookhearts. All author issues aside, the mystery was revealed with twists and the main characters are still lovable. If you are new to the series, check out my previous reviews. If you are hesitant in continuing to read about Halia and 'nem, then let me nudge you towards picking this book up, brewing a pitcher of sweet tea and settling in for a good read.
LiteraryMarie
I was on the fence about whether to continue reading this series. Certainly not because of the content. The storylines are anything but stale. However, I have a strong side-eye upon discovering the author is a Latino male writing a series featuring a black female. Suddenly the loud wig-wearing relative, soul food references and dialogue seemed stereotypical. The characters' names, Halia and Wavonne, were a little too cultural. The author not doing personal appearances and keeping his identity somewhat hidden seemed more misleading. Is this practice of tapping into a new market acceptable? But damn, are these stories good! So I chose to stick with the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food mystery series and was granted an advance readers copy.
Like most cozy mysteries, Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits is full of laughs, mouthwatering recipes and outlandish antics. Per usual, Wavonne still sees her way into conversation that is none of her business. Mahalia is still bossy, or as she prefers to be called, a strong leader and helluva amateur sleuth. My only con is how long it took for the murder to occur (at 53%). The opportunity was there but just didn't happen during the first half of the book. As a result, the murder solving was a bit rushed.
Just read it, bookhearts. All author issues aside, the mystery was revealed with twists and the main characters are still lovable. If you are new to the series, check out my previous reviews. If you are hesitant in continuing to read about Halia and 'nem, then let me nudge you towards picking this book up, brewing a pitcher of sweet tea and settling in for a good read.
LiteraryMarie
November 10, 2023
Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits by A. L. Herbert
Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery #4
263-page Paperback
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Culinary
Featuring: Prince George's County, Maryland; Soul Food Restaurant, Quadragenarian MC, Cousins, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Cooking Show, Television Stereotypes, Judges, Drama, Stupidity, Contest Trope, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Washington, D.C., Investigation, Recipes
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for language and innuendos
Songs for the soundtrack: "Do-Re-Mi" by Julie Andrews, "Lady Sings the Blues" by Diana Ross, "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross, "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston, "If Looks Could Kill" by Heart
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¼🍽
My thoughts: 📖 Page 25 of 263 Ch. 4 - No you didn't talk about Mariah! I'm not petty enough to quit, but I thought about it by the end of the page(23).
📖 39 Ch. 6 - I'm going back to bed. He dissed my girl twice and the storyline is mediocre so far.
My motivation for finishing this book ASAP was I wouldn't start Resurrection Walk until I finished this book. It did that annoying thing where you make a dizzy character moronic and then add a new characters that's even denser. 🙄 If this series was a sitcom this would be the season where they try too hard and lose their audience. It got better I solved the murder in chapter 37 but Halia spent chapter 38 dragging out what we already knew and that got on my nerves.
Recommend to others: Sure. The series starts better than it ends.
Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery
1. Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles (2015)
2. Murder with Macaroni and Cheese (2016)
3. Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce (2019)
4. Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits (2020)
Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery #4
263-page Paperback
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Culinary
Featuring: Prince George's County, Maryland; Soul Food Restaurant, Quadragenarian MC, Cousins, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Cooking Show, Television Stereotypes, Judges, Drama, Stupidity, Contest Trope, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Washington, D.C., Investigation, Recipes
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for language and innuendos
Songs for the soundtrack: "Do-Re-Mi" by Julie Andrews, "Lady Sings the Blues" by Diana Ross, "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross, "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston, "If Looks Could Kill" by Heart
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️¼🍽
My thoughts: 📖 Page 25 of 263 Ch. 4 - No you didn't talk about Mariah! I'm not petty enough to quit, but I thought about it by the end of the page(23).
📖 39 Ch. 6 - I'm going back to bed. He dissed my girl twice and the storyline is mediocre so far.
My motivation for finishing this book ASAP was I wouldn't start Resurrection Walk until I finished this book. It did that annoying thing where you make a dizzy character moronic and then add a new characters that's even denser. 🙄 If this series was a sitcom this would be the season where they try too hard and lose their audience. It got better I solved the murder in chapter 37 but Halia spent chapter 38 dragging out what we already knew and that got on my nerves.
Recommend to others: Sure. The series starts better than it ends.
Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery
1. Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles (2015)
2. Murder with Macaroni and Cheese (2016)
3. Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce (2019)
4. Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits (2020)
August 8, 2020
I have truly fallen in love with this series. Mahalia Watkins is back solving murder mysteries, this time, she is a judge in a cooking reality show when tragedy strikes. Cousin Wayvonne is still up to her fashion disasters and sometimes too forward comments, and Momma is still trying to get Mahalia a man, ( because no woman over 40 can be happy without one, lol) and Mahalia keeps on cooking good food. As part of the show, the cast takes a visit to a particular museum I would love to visit one day, so it was nice to get a glimpse to what's inside of it. As for me, It's not confirmed who did it til the end. The story like kept me guessing. It is also full of colorful moments with a lot of laughs that will keep you in stitches. Although because of dietary restrictions, I also enjoy seeing some of the recipes included in the storyline, as well as written out so people can try them. I don't think I'd ever want this series to end, I enjoy it that much. Although it's a series, each book can be read as a stand alone, and there are no cliffhangers. Wonderful story.
I received a copy of this book via Netgally and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received a copy of this book via Netgally and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 20, 2020
Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits by A. L. Herbert is the 4th book in the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery series, and another fun addition. Halia owns Mahalia's Sweet Tea restaurant, her mother bakes all the yummy desserts, and her cousin, Wavonne, is a waitress. Halia gets an offer to judge on a cooking show, and Wavonne comes along. When one of the contestants is murdered Halia and Wavonne are determined to get to the truth. This series is so fun, I never get tired of the wise cracks thanks to Wavonne. I really enjoy Wavonne sticking up for Halia in this book. If you're looking for a well developed funny cozy mystery book/series, give this book a try. It will also make you hungry and laugh out loud. I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 17, 2024
Murder with Honey Ham and Biscuits
Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery, Book 4
I Picked Up This Book Because: Finish the series.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: AudiblePlus
Dates Read: 10/14/24 - 10/16/24
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Machelle Williams
The Characters:
Mahalia Watkins: Restaurateur and amateur sleuth.
Wavonne:
The Story:
Despite my issues with this author I felt like I needed to finish this series. A part of me is going to miss Halia and Wavonne. They make an interesting crime solving duo. I will not miss getting halfway through a murder mystery without a murder. Like, why? Overall, it’s been a pretty good time in a semi-local town.
Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery, Book 4
I Picked Up This Book Because: Finish the series.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: AudiblePlus
Dates Read: 10/14/24 - 10/16/24
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Machelle Williams
The Characters:
Mahalia Watkins: Restaurateur and amateur sleuth.
Wavonne:
The Story:
Despite my issues with this author I felt like I needed to finish this series. A part of me is going to miss Halia and Wavonne. They make an interesting crime solving duo. I will not miss getting halfway through a murder mystery without a murder. Like, why? Overall, it’s been a pretty good time in a semi-local town.
September 2, 2020
I listened to the audiobook and, I'm not entirely sure, but I think they used a different voice actor. She got better as she went but the beginning sounded really stilted.
Half of the book went by before the murder actually occurred. The first half was largely spent discussing a trip to the African American Museum in DC. The other books in this series relied heavily on certain stereotypes of African Americans to flesh out the characters. I couldn't help but think that this walk through the harsher realities of the African American experience was used to placate critics of the series.
Once the murder mystery part of the story actually began, the story got a bit more interesting. It was an 'okay' book and that's why I gave it 3 stars.
Half of the book went by before the murder actually occurred. The first half was largely spent discussing a trip to the African American Museum in DC. The other books in this series relied heavily on certain stereotypes of African Americans to flesh out the characters. I couldn't help but think that this walk through the harsher realities of the African American experience was used to placate critics of the series.
Once the murder mystery part of the story actually began, the story got a bit more interesting. It was an 'okay' book and that's why I gave it 3 stars.
July 18, 2020
The only thing that bothered me was putting the recipes within the book instead of at the end. The recipes are good, but I found it distracting and had to photo the recipe (and in one case begin it) before I could go onward with the story. Loved the characters and all the laughs as well as it being a good cozy. No spoilers here and the publisher's blurb is a good hook. I've not read any of the earlier books in the series, but i plan to because i'm sure that they'll be fun, not because this one left me guessing about anything important. I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
January 27, 2022
Even though this series is written by a white male, I still enjoy these cozies for what they are: lighthearted and easy foodie fiction. The Halia Watkins mysteries aren't stellar by any means, but I love the descriptions of food and restaurant scenes. I love watching cooking challenge reality shows, and this fourth book places Halia and Wavonne squarely right in one. The characters aren't complicated, but I still didn't guess the murderer. If you need a quick cozy mystery, then this series definitely fills the bill. It will have you craving soul food in no time. Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.
August 14, 2020
I’m quite partial to reading cosy mysteries and this book beckoned to me because of its unusual title, as well as having read and thoroughly enjoyed the third instalment in the series, Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce. I had no difficulty following the story even though I have yet to read books one and two.
One of my favourite things about cosies is that the setting is always given lots of attention as are the day-to-day lives of the characters and this novel is no exception to that. In Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits, the story is set in the world of reality tv cookery competitions.
The actual murder takes a while to happen, but it was worth the wait and I didn’t know the identity of the perpetrator so the ending was a huge surprise. As with most cosies, I enjoyed reading about the characters and their zany lives as much as the mystery. If you love twisty cosy mysteries with a fun group of characters, a slow-burning pace and some mouth-watering food, I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
One of my favourite things about cosies is that the setting is always given lots of attention as are the day-to-day lives of the characters and this novel is no exception to that. In Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits, the story is set in the world of reality tv cookery competitions.
The actual murder takes a while to happen, but it was worth the wait and I didn’t know the identity of the perpetrator so the ending was a huge surprise. As with most cosies, I enjoyed reading about the characters and their zany lives as much as the mystery. If you love twisty cosy mysteries with a fun group of characters, a slow-burning pace and some mouth-watering food, I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
July 11, 2020
I love this series. This is the fourth book in the series and my favorite one! The characters are funny and engaging. The books are fun and easy quick reads.
Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 28, 2020
7/28/2020 Terrific, as always! Full review tk at CriminalElement.com.
Read
February 1, 2022Decided not to read this one.
September 6, 2024
This was the worst of the series. It was a struggle to get through it and a lot of boring scenes.
September 15, 2020
This started out great with the descriptions of the food competition but fell apart once the murder occurred.
December 6, 2020
I liked the series at first because it was different that the norm.
It's a cozy mystery ~no gore, involved detail of the violence, no 4-letter words everywhere.
This is why I asked for this book for my birthday.
The last book was "iffy". It seemed to start going down the normative trail for cozy mysteries featuring female detectives.
Now they're describing every woman's physical features (what was the purpose of me knowing the camera staff woman was wearing jeans. How many 'attractive' women are there in this book? The sexism is glaring.)
And the sexist double standards for male and female conduct is now coming to light.
Heaven forbid a woman cougar (and you can tell the author is a man by the snide comment 'if a man was doing that, he'd be in prison . . . or was it a lawsuit or something? Uh, anyone heard of Cosby, Nassar, Epstein, etc. Those whores RAPED many women and got away with almost all of it.) Now one woman is cozying up to one boy and it's something to be slut-shaming about?
And yet, some old fat dude is banging a woman and, again, the woman gets blamed.
And the whole 'I'm leaving my wife for the secretary' thing NEVER happens. Yes, men AND women (does the author even realize wives cheat on husbands?) cheat on their spouse. But they NEVER leave their spouse for the extra-marital affair.
And women don't have this grand scheme of having an affair with a rich man just to get to his cash reserves.
This is obviously sexism at it's height. It was disturbing that this book was written in 2020 and there's still this 'helpless woman can't make it on her own and looks for a man for that financial stability' (and we'll slut-shame HER instead of the man WHO'S CHEATING ON HIS WIFE).
And there's no woman who would put up with, much less marry, a disgusting tramp just to get to some 0f his money. It's not worth the commitment.
And furthermore, the prenup covers ONLY what's accrued before the marriage. It has no bearing on what's accrued during the time of the marriage. And prenups vary state-by-state. My state (Michigan) is a 'community assets' state, which means there is no need for a prenup.
For those of you who don't know what a community assets state is: What is acquired before the marriage stays with the person who acquired it. Anything acquired in the duration of the marriage is split between the couple, according to means (which means the house would automatically be given to a capable party if the other was unable to pay the mortgage, bills, etc. but the other financial earnings would be split as evenly as possible.)
Now even legalzoom.com got this wrong. No prenup can override state laws. If I've said this once, I've said it a baker's dozen times: Google is NOT 'research' (if that, indeed is what he did). I have personal experience with prenup laws as I was going to get one a couple years ago prior to my current marriage.
[If anyone wants to know a little more about prenups in the state of Michigan, Comment below or try to send me a message. Michigan prenups are worthless. The state has air-tight divorce laws that make prenups moot.]
Let me add that the man, Russell , did his own dirty scheming with money just to get that hotel built. He didn't use 'wiles' but 'money' in the same underhanded manner to get what he wanted. Where's the shaming of that?
There was one memorable half quote in this: "Justice is for the rich". I think it's the only thing the author (who's a man) got right.
Wealth overrides blackness. BUT, blackness gets one killed by police.
I will buy the next book and see if the train is back on the tracks. It's not looking good though. Unless the author (did I mention the author is a WHITE man?) reads this review and takes it seriously, I doubt it. He just might have lost this fan forever.
It's a cozy mystery ~no gore, involved detail of the violence, no 4-letter words everywhere.
This is why I asked for this book for my birthday.
The last book was "iffy". It seemed to start going down the normative trail for cozy mysteries featuring female detectives.
Now they're describing every woman's physical features (what was the purpose of me knowing the camera staff woman was wearing jeans. How many 'attractive' women are there in this book? The sexism is glaring.)
And the sexist double standards for male and female conduct is now coming to light.
Heaven forbid a woman cougar (and you can tell the author is a man by the snide comment 'if a man was doing that, he'd be in prison . . . or was it a lawsuit or something? Uh, anyone heard of Cosby, Nassar, Epstein, etc. Those whores RAPED many women and got away with almost all of it.) Now one woman is cozying up to one boy and it's something to be slut-shaming about?
And yet, some old fat dude is banging a woman and, again, the woman gets blamed.
And the whole 'I'm leaving my wife for the secretary' thing NEVER happens. Yes, men AND women (does the author even realize wives cheat on husbands?) cheat on their spouse. But they NEVER leave their spouse for the extra-marital affair.
And women don't have this grand scheme of having an affair with a rich man just to get to his cash reserves.
This is obviously sexism at it's height. It was disturbing that this book was written in 2020 and there's still this 'helpless woman can't make it on her own and looks for a man for that financial stability' (and we'll slut-shame HER instead of the man WHO'S CHEATING ON HIS WIFE).
And there's no woman who would put up with, much less marry, a disgusting tramp just to get to some 0f his money. It's not worth the commitment.
And furthermore, the prenup covers ONLY what's accrued before the marriage. It has no bearing on what's accrued during the time of the marriage. And prenups vary state-by-state. My state (Michigan) is a 'community assets' state, which means there is no need for a prenup.
For those of you who don't know what a community assets state is: What is acquired before the marriage stays with the person who acquired it. Anything acquired in the duration of the marriage is split between the couple, according to means (which means the house would automatically be given to a capable party if the other was unable to pay the mortgage, bills, etc. but the other financial earnings would be split as evenly as possible.)
Now even legalzoom.com got this wrong. No prenup can override state laws. If I've said this once, I've said it a baker's dozen times: Google is NOT 'research' (if that, indeed is what he did). I have personal experience with prenup laws as I was going to get one a couple years ago prior to my current marriage.
[If anyone wants to know a little more about prenups in the state of Michigan, Comment below or try to send me a message. Michigan prenups are worthless. The state has air-tight divorce laws that make prenups moot.]
Let me add that the man, Russell , did his own dirty scheming with money just to get that hotel built. He didn't use 'wiles' but 'money' in the same underhanded manner to get what he wanted. Where's the shaming of that?
There was one memorable half quote in this: "Justice is for the rich". I think it's the only thing the author (who's a man) got right.
Wealth overrides blackness. BUT, blackness gets one killed by police.
I will buy the next book and see if the train is back on the tracks. It's not looking good though. Unless the author (did I mention the author is a WHITE man?) reads this review and takes it seriously, I doubt it. He just might have lost this fan forever.
December 2, 2020
So enjoyed reading this book, the recipes along the way and getting to know the characters.
January 26, 2024
Enjoyed laughing with Haila and Wavonne as I tried to guess whodunit and get hungry with each chapter. Lol! I've recommended this series to all my reader friends.
July 26, 2020
Top Pick - 4.5 Stars
A.L. Herbert, Author of the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food series, knocks it out of the park with this delectable, highly entertaining murder-mystery story. A true gem, ingeniously the author takes it one-step further and provides you with delicious recipes of food featured throughout the book!
Mahalia “Halia” Watkins, local favorite restaurant owner of Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, has a knack for solving local mysteries. Alongside her mom, Celia, her cousin Wavonne and her mouth-watering recipes, Mahalia’s Sweet Tea has become an esteem and prominent staple within the community. But when a national TV show comes knocking at her door with an engaging offer, Halia must decide if she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone and step onto the national spotlight.
In the competitive restaurant world, where all bets are off, a last-minute opening as a guest judge on the TV Program Elite Chef, has just opened up and Halia is reluctantly up for the challenge. Determined to gain more exposure for Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, Halia decides to partake in the chaotic, contentious, Elite Chef competition. After all, a couple of days of filming, a luxurious stay at a nearly completed hotel and a spot on a national TV show, sounds easy enough…
Animated characters moved this story along in its measured set-up for mystery. Artfully developed range of characters were a joy to experience, along with their quick quip dialogue. A bit winded before the murder occurs, the author takes you along and gently lets you become acquainted with the characters; thus, ensuring you see their potential for murder. From the ever funny Wavonne, the ruthless restaurant mogul, Russell Mellinger, his wife Cynthia, the competitive contestants, flirty-judge Twyla Harper and even Detective Hutchins, it was hard for me to choose a favorite character. I loved them all!
A delightful and delicious murder-mystery will have you highly engaged in its clever and elaborate plot. Meanwhile, you’ll want to take a break and run to the grocery store to find all the right ingredients for the recipes included. Soon, though, you’ll be second guessing yourself as the mystery unravels until the murderer is finally revealed at the very end. Funny banter, a twisty plot and delicious food made for me the perfect combination and an immediately approved recommended read! So, start reading and get cooking (just make sure you check your expiration dates)!
~ Patricia
A.L. Herbert, Author of the Mahalia Watkins Soul Food series, knocks it out of the park with this delectable, highly entertaining murder-mystery story. A true gem, ingeniously the author takes it one-step further and provides you with delicious recipes of food featured throughout the book!
Mahalia “Halia” Watkins, local favorite restaurant owner of Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, has a knack for solving local mysteries. Alongside her mom, Celia, her cousin Wavonne and her mouth-watering recipes, Mahalia’s Sweet Tea has become an esteem and prominent staple within the community. But when a national TV show comes knocking at her door with an engaging offer, Halia must decide if she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone and step onto the national spotlight.
In the competitive restaurant world, where all bets are off, a last-minute opening as a guest judge on the TV Program Elite Chef, has just opened up and Halia is reluctantly up for the challenge. Determined to gain more exposure for Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, Halia decides to partake in the chaotic, contentious, Elite Chef competition. After all, a couple of days of filming, a luxurious stay at a nearly completed hotel and a spot on a national TV show, sounds easy enough…
Animated characters moved this story along in its measured set-up for mystery. Artfully developed range of characters were a joy to experience, along with their quick quip dialogue. A bit winded before the murder occurs, the author takes you along and gently lets you become acquainted with the characters; thus, ensuring you see their potential for murder. From the ever funny Wavonne, the ruthless restaurant mogul, Russell Mellinger, his wife Cynthia, the competitive contestants, flirty-judge Twyla Harper and even Detective Hutchins, it was hard for me to choose a favorite character. I loved them all!
A delightful and delicious murder-mystery will have you highly engaged in its clever and elaborate plot. Meanwhile, you’ll want to take a break and run to the grocery store to find all the right ingredients for the recipes included. Soon, though, you’ll be second guessing yourself as the mystery unravels until the murderer is finally revealed at the very end. Funny banter, a twisty plot and delicious food made for me the perfect combination and an immediately approved recommended read! So, start reading and get cooking (just make sure you check your expiration dates)!
~ Patricia
July 31, 2020
It's good to be back at Mahalia's Sweet Tea in Prince George's County, Maryland. Just the thought of spending with time with the wonderful combination of soul food and the local culinary delights of Maryland - think lump crab for starters, be still my heart, I drool at the thought of Halia's seafood quiche. Well, here we are in the 4th mystery for Halia and her outlandish cousin Wavonne and a cooking contest tv show has come to town, focusing on local soul food. The producer's assistant shows up at Mahalia's Sweet Tea to hire her as a judge. Then it becomes clear that Mahalia wasn't their first choice and the filming is set for the next day. Halia says no thank you but the conversation is overheard by Wavonne and she is all for it, big time. The offer includes $3K for Halia, money for the charity of her choice and free lodging at a new swanky hotel. Before she knows it, both of them are on their way to make their tv debut. One big hitch turns out to be one of Halia's former employers who has very hard feelings after Halia left her restaurant to open Sweet Tea.....and lots of customers followed her.
The filming starts out fine but soon it becomes clear that there is no love lost between the contestants and one of them winds up dead. With Halia and Wavonne on the scene the killer will soon be unmasked. Along the way the reader is treated to not only a very good puzzle to unravel, lots of good food to dream about enjoying and a whole lot of laughs. The banter between Halia and Wavonne is great and, even with their very different personalities, they make quite a team.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
The filming starts out fine but soon it becomes clear that there is no love lost between the contestants and one of them winds up dead. With Halia and Wavonne on the scene the killer will soon be unmasked. Along the way the reader is treated to not only a very good puzzle to unravel, lots of good food to dream about enjoying and a whole lot of laughs. The banter between Halia and Wavonne is great and, even with their very different personalities, they make quite a team.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 28, 2020
This is book four in the fun cozy series "Mahalia Watkins" by cozy author A.L. Herbert. I have read the previous in series and highly recommend this series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My personal review opinion is my own. I love the setting of this series in Prince George Maryland and that they travel to D.C. for this next in series. The addition of the visit to the African American museum was truly wonderful and beautifully descriptive.
We return to our protagonist and owner of Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, Halia Watkins. She is quite is famous in Maryland’s Prince George’s County for her comfort cuisine. I love the descriptions of the soul food in this series and our wonderful Halia. She has the chance to showcase her talents on national TV but trouble is ahead. She is asked to judge a nasty group of chefs for the contest and much dissension goes on a among judges and contestants. When a murder occurs Halia knows she must figure out the true suspect and add her investigative savvy to help.
As always wonderful descriptions of locations and food. i love Halia as a smart independent talented cook who has a knack for solving crimes. This is such a fun series that I highly recommend.The food descriptions and receipes are divine. I look forward to the next in series.
We return to our protagonist and owner of Mahalia’s Sweet Tea, Halia Watkins. She is quite is famous in Maryland’s Prince George’s County for her comfort cuisine. I love the descriptions of the soul food in this series and our wonderful Halia. She has the chance to showcase her talents on national TV but trouble is ahead. She is asked to judge a nasty group of chefs for the contest and much dissension goes on a among judges and contestants. When a murder occurs Halia knows she must figure out the true suspect and add her investigative savvy to help.
As always wonderful descriptions of locations and food. i love Halia as a smart independent talented cook who has a knack for solving crimes. This is such a fun series that I highly recommend.The food descriptions and receipes are divine. I look forward to the next in series.
June 21, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first time reading from this series, and I am glad that I was given this opportunity. I loved the slower pace of the first part of the book, which is used to put all the necessary elements and characters in place. The dynamics between the characters is well established, and it did help to better appreciate the second part of the book, once the murder has been committed. It might feel too slow for some readers, but in my opinion, it allowed me to fully savor the story. I was in a relaxed mood while I read Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits.
I really loved Halia and Wavonne, they are wonderful characters. Wavonne has absolutely no filter when she talks, much to the reader's delight. I was very happy to read a cozy mystery featuring African American characters, as I like to have diversity in what I read. I always welcome the opportunity to expand my horizons, and reading is a wonderful way to do so.
Also, the pineapple and red pepper jelly is on my list of recipes to try, although I think I will add a special ingredient to it.
In conclusion, if you have not given this series a try yet, please pick up this book. Enjoyment guaranteed!
This was my first time reading from this series, and I am glad that I was given this opportunity. I loved the slower pace of the first part of the book, which is used to put all the necessary elements and characters in place. The dynamics between the characters is well established, and it did help to better appreciate the second part of the book, once the murder has been committed. It might feel too slow for some readers, but in my opinion, it allowed me to fully savor the story. I was in a relaxed mood while I read Murder with Honey Ham Biscuits.
I really loved Halia and Wavonne, they are wonderful characters. Wavonne has absolutely no filter when she talks, much to the reader's delight. I was very happy to read a cozy mystery featuring African American characters, as I like to have diversity in what I read. I always welcome the opportunity to expand my horizons, and reading is a wonderful way to do so.
Also, the pineapple and red pepper jelly is on my list of recipes to try, although I think I will add a special ingredient to it.
In conclusion, if you have not given this series a try yet, please pick up this book. Enjoyment guaranteed!
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