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Alaskan Diner Mystery #2
Fishing for Trouble
Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 24, 2020
37 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Logan
3 books94 followersA pseudonym used by Camille Minichino
Elizabeth Logan is also known as Margaret Grace, Jean Flowers, Ada Madison, and Camille Minichino.
Camille Minichino writes the Periodic Table mysteries under her own name, the Sophie Knowles mysteries under the pseudonym Ada Madison, the Miniature Mystery series under the pseudonym Margaret Grace, the Alaska Diner Mystery series under the pseudonym Elizabeth Logan, and the Postmistress Mystery series under the pseudonym Jean Flowers.
Elizabeth Logan is also known as Margaret Grace, Jean Flowers, Ada Madison, and Camille Minichino.
Camille Minichino writes the Periodic Table mysteries under her own name, the Sophie Knowles mysteries under the pseudonym Ada Madison, the Miniature Mystery series under the pseudonym Margaret Grace, the Alaska Diner Mystery series under the pseudonym Elizabeth Logan, and the Postmistress Mystery series under the pseudonym Jean Flowers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
January 8, 2022
This is a cozy mystery, and this is the second book in the Alaskan Dinner Mystery series. I have not read the first book in this series, but I also did not feel I was missing anything. I really love the characters, and this story was surprising suspenseful. I love the setting being in Alaskan, and the author does a great job putting in details to put the reader in Alaskan with the characters. I did find some of the pacing of this book off a little bit, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Berkley Books) or author (Elizabeth Logan) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
October 2, 2022
I mistakenly thought this was the first book in the Alaskan Diner cozy mystery series when I requested it for review. But, this is book 2. Thankfully the author does a great job of filling in details on characters and the setting so I followed along easily despite not having read the first book yet.
I'm a sucker for any story set in Alaska...so I knew I would love this story even before I read the first chapter. In addition to the setting (which is like auto-love for me), I liked Charlie (the main character) and all the side characters. The background diner theme was fun. Who wouldn't want to eat at a place called The Bear Claw Diner?? I know I would be in there and ordering immediately! :)
The plot moved at a nice pace and was suspenseful. The action and mystery start almost immediately, so the book kept my attention from start to finish.
All in all, a fun and entertaining cozy mystery! I already have the audio book of Mousse and Murder (book 1 in this series) checked out from my local library's digital site. I want to find out how this series starts! Can't wait for the next book!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
I'm a sucker for any story set in Alaska...so I knew I would love this story even before I read the first chapter. In addition to the setting (which is like auto-love for me), I liked Charlie (the main character) and all the side characters. The background diner theme was fun. Who wouldn't want to eat at a place called The Bear Claw Diner?? I know I would be in there and ordering immediately! :)
The plot moved at a nice pace and was suspenseful. The action and mystery start almost immediately, so the book kept my attention from start to finish.
All in all, a fun and entertaining cozy mystery! I already have the audio book of Mousse and Murder (book 1 in this series) checked out from my local library's digital site. I want to find out how this series starts! Can't wait for the next book!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
October 23, 2020
Charlie Cooke is the owner of the Bear Claw Diner in Elkview, AK. She used to attend law school in San Francisco until she left a cheating fiancé, decided to go to culinary school, and returned to her home state. While a group of students who work summers in a local fish processing plant are waiting to eat at the Bear Claw, one of them dies. Charlie and her friends Chris and Annie are deputized by the local state trooper to help investigate the suspicious death. Was there something untoward going on at the plant? And why is Charlie’s smarmy ex-fiancé sent in from California as the plant’s attorney? I enjoyed this fun cozy mystery with a great Alaska setting, likable characters, and recipes. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.
November 26, 2020
FISHING FOR TROUBLE is the second installment in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Chef Charlie Cooke has recently returned to her hometown of Elkview, Alaska, to take over the family business, the Bear Claw Diner. When a young man working at a nearby fish processing plant keels over in her restaurant, Charlie is horrified — both for the victim and her diner's reputation. Charlie is a kind soul, and wants to help the man's grieving friend, so she ends up neck-deep in the investigation.
This was a solid mystery that blends in life in small-town Alaska, this time during the summer months with sunshine 20 hours a day. I liked the inclusion of the state's fishing industry. I didn't realize billions (wow!) of pounds of fish were processed through Alaskan fisheries, which draws young people looking for summer jobs. Charlie is a great character, and this time around she has to deal with a dreadful person from her past in addition to solving a murder. Recipes from the Bear Claw Diner are included.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
This was a solid mystery that blends in life in small-town Alaska, this time during the summer months with sunshine 20 hours a day. I liked the inclusion of the state's fishing industry. I didn't realize billions (wow!) of pounds of fish were processed through Alaskan fisheries, which draws young people looking for summer jobs. Charlie is a great character, and this time around she has to deal with a dreadful person from her past in addition to solving a murder. Recipes from the Bear Claw Diner are included.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
September 1, 2021
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March 9, 2021
I was thrilled that I got to venture to Alaska in Fishing for Trouble. Charlie was loveable as a amateur sleuth. Charlie's diner The Bear Claw felt homey and the few characters that brought it to life. Charlie's over obsession with her cat was endearing.
Fishing for Trouble just fell flat. The plot was dull and uninteresting as with the murder and it's suspects. I was grossed out by the descriptions of of how the fishes were processed. More mentions of delicious diner food were needed. And Charlie's worry about her parents was a little juvenile to me.
Turning over the investigating right to Charlie and her friends who brought nothing to the story seemed too simple.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this book. This is a honest review
Fishing for Trouble just fell flat. The plot was dull and uninteresting as with the murder and it's suspects. I was grossed out by the descriptions of of how the fishes were processed. More mentions of delicious diner food were needed. And Charlie's worry about her parents was a little juvenile to me.
Turning over the investigating right to Charlie and her friends who brought nothing to the story seemed too simple.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this book. This is a honest review
November 28, 2020
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Summer in Alaska means delicious long days of sunshine. Charlie is looking forward to a diner full of regulars and tourists. It also means seasonal workers have come from the lower 48 to rough it and earn big bucks working at the local fish processing plant. A group of these workers came into the Bear Claw diner for a bite but before they could order one of them keels over. An ambulance arrives too late to save him and a dead body in a diner is never a good thing. Knowing her food didn’t kill him, Charlie thinks there may be something fishy behind his death.
When Charlie catches up with her pal Annie she learns a mom has arrived from Wisconsin because her son, also an employee of the fish processing plant, has not been in touch with her in a long time and she fears something bad has happened to him. She hopes Annie and Charlie can help her find her son. Since Charlie was going to be doing some sleuthing anyway she will try to find the guy from Wisconsin too. Hopefully, Trooper will approve her getting involved along with Annie and that they can pull local reporter, Chris into the investigation too.
The difference about a cozy set in Alaska is that are a lot of territories to cover and not a lot of deputies so the state trooper responsible for Elkview has deputized Charlie, Annie, and Chris before. He knows they have some good instincts if he can just keep them from going too far. Yeah, right. These core characters are developing nicely but I feel we have just scratched their surface.
Charlie is fun and still learning the ins and outs of being an amateur sleuth. She is obsessed with her cat Benny. She has a camera to watch him remotely and has truly gone overboard buying him toys. There may need to be an intervention. An unexpected visitor comes to town that causes some stress in Charlie’s life but her strength eventually comes out. I really enjoy the relationships she has with Trooper, Annie, and Chris. Chris really impressed me this time. The relationships she has with her staff are still evolving but she trusts them enough to leave the diner in their hands a majority of the time.
The author provided a nice variety of suspects but my focus was never really drawn to one individual. The method delivery was murky too. Ms. Logan delivers some nice twists. The real culprit seemed to come totally out of nowhere in a very exciting way, but it wrapped up almost too quickly.
Fishing for Trouble was an entertaining story. I do love the Alaska setting. I am looking forward to visiting Elkview and hanging out with Charlie again soon. Murphy’s Slaw hits shelves and e-readers on May 25, 2021.
Summer in Alaska means delicious long days of sunshine. Charlie is looking forward to a diner full of regulars and tourists. It also means seasonal workers have come from the lower 48 to rough it and earn big bucks working at the local fish processing plant. A group of these workers came into the Bear Claw diner for a bite but before they could order one of them keels over. An ambulance arrives too late to save him and a dead body in a diner is never a good thing. Knowing her food didn’t kill him, Charlie thinks there may be something fishy behind his death.
When Charlie catches up with her pal Annie she learns a mom has arrived from Wisconsin because her son, also an employee of the fish processing plant, has not been in touch with her in a long time and she fears something bad has happened to him. She hopes Annie and Charlie can help her find her son. Since Charlie was going to be doing some sleuthing anyway she will try to find the guy from Wisconsin too. Hopefully, Trooper will approve her getting involved along with Annie and that they can pull local reporter, Chris into the investigation too.
The difference about a cozy set in Alaska is that are a lot of territories to cover and not a lot of deputies so the state trooper responsible for Elkview has deputized Charlie, Annie, and Chris before. He knows they have some good instincts if he can just keep them from going too far. Yeah, right. These core characters are developing nicely but I feel we have just scratched their surface.
Charlie is fun and still learning the ins and outs of being an amateur sleuth. She is obsessed with her cat Benny. She has a camera to watch him remotely and has truly gone overboard buying him toys. There may need to be an intervention. An unexpected visitor comes to town that causes some stress in Charlie’s life but her strength eventually comes out. I really enjoy the relationships she has with Trooper, Annie, and Chris. Chris really impressed me this time. The relationships she has with her staff are still evolving but she trusts them enough to leave the diner in their hands a majority of the time.
The author provided a nice variety of suspects but my focus was never really drawn to one individual. The method delivery was murky too. Ms. Logan delivers some nice twists. The real culprit seemed to come totally out of nowhere in a very exciting way, but it wrapped up almost too quickly.
Fishing for Trouble was an entertaining story. I do love the Alaska setting. I am looking forward to visiting Elkview and hanging out with Charlie again soon. Murphy’s Slaw hits shelves and e-readers on May 25, 2021.
November 8, 2020
When Charlie Cooke left law school, a career as a chef, and a supercilious ex-boyfriend to go back home to Elkview, Alaska, she knew that she'd assume the running of the family diner but not the rest of it. The trooper in town is an old family friend, her parents are on errands out of state, and something really weird happens with a young customer who works at the fish plant. He suddenly dies of mercury poisoning and another summer help from the plant goes missing. Lots of misdirection and red herrings in this great story that is perfectly designed for cat lovers.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Thank you!
November 12, 2020
I read Mousse and Murder, book one in An Alaskan Diner Mystery and gave it a three star rating because Logan just listed facts about Alaska instead of weaving them into the story, and none of the characters were engaging.
But since it was the first in the series and the first that I had read by Elizabeth Logan, I wanted to give book two a read, just in case it had improved. Obviously by my two star rating it hasn’t.
I really would expect better from an author that has five other series out under the names of Camille Minichino, Margaret Grace, and Jean Flowers.
So why am I being so harsh to Fishing for Trouble, besides the fact that I expect more from an author that has so many books out? Logan talks about Charlie’s cat, Benny, a lot. Now I love cats and hope to one day be a crazy cat lady, but at least a fourth of the book was talking about feeding, playing, snuggling, talking to, or missing Benny.
That time could have been spent working on character development, which is once again, lacking. The only character that gets interesting towards the end of the book is Chris, who suddenly turns into someone with spy or special training knowledge. Cool. Completely out of left field though. And not enough to make me want to read book three.
In the first book I thought it was a fun change to have the local sheriff actually include Charlie and the gang in his investigation, instead of constantly telling her not to get involved. I realize it’s a work of fiction, but at one point Charlie and Chris have one of the witnesses write down their information, get it notarized, and send them back home. Um. Without putting it past the sheriff, and saying something like, “Well, if they have to come back and testify at least our part is done.”
If you read this series, or other books by the author, I honestly hope you enjoy them more than I did. That’s the nice thing about reading, there are so many books out there, everyone can find something they enjoy… although this is not the case here for me.
But since it was the first in the series and the first that I had read by Elizabeth Logan, I wanted to give book two a read, just in case it had improved. Obviously by my two star rating it hasn’t.
I really would expect better from an author that has five other series out under the names of Camille Minichino, Margaret Grace, and Jean Flowers.
So why am I being so harsh to Fishing for Trouble, besides the fact that I expect more from an author that has so many books out? Logan talks about Charlie’s cat, Benny, a lot. Now I love cats and hope to one day be a crazy cat lady, but at least a fourth of the book was talking about feeding, playing, snuggling, talking to, or missing Benny.
That time could have been spent working on character development, which is once again, lacking. The only character that gets interesting towards the end of the book is Chris, who suddenly turns into someone with spy or special training knowledge. Cool. Completely out of left field though. And not enough to make me want to read book three.
In the first book I thought it was a fun change to have the local sheriff actually include Charlie and the gang in his investigation, instead of constantly telling her not to get involved. I realize it’s a work of fiction, but at one point Charlie and Chris have one of the witnesses write down their information, get it notarized, and send them back home. Um. Without putting it past the sheriff, and saying something like, “Well, if they have to come back and testify at least our part is done.”
If you read this series, or other books by the author, I honestly hope you enjoy them more than I did. That’s the nice thing about reading, there are so many books out there, everyone can find something they enjoy… although this is not the case here for me.
November 23, 2020
When an ambulance pulls up to the doors of a diner, it's never a good sign.
This is the second book in the Alaskan Diner series. Charlie Cook has taken over the family's diner in Elkview, Alaska. When a young man dies after collapsing in the diner, Charlie investigates to clear the diner.
I enjoyed revisiting with Charlie and the gang at the diner. I'm sure it would be catastrophic for a small business to be under the pall of death when it pertains to food. It was interesting to learn about the local fishery and the "fishy" business going on there.
Charlie is a good strong character that tries to use common sense when sleuthing. Chris is a great addition to her investigation. Throw in a ex who just happens to be representing the fishery and you knw things are going to get interesting.
One of my favorite characters is Charlie's cat, Benny. I love how she uses technology to stay in touch with him while she is away from home.
There were a number of twists and turns as we wind our way to the culprit. There is also an additional story of another fishery employee who has gone missing. All in all the plot is well done.
I really enjoy the food talk around the diner. Recipes are always a nice touch. I'm not sure that I would try elk jerky but its nice to have the option. The salmon patties sound yummy and that may be a new addition to my kitchen.
This is an enjoyable series that has a wonderful backdrop of the beauty of Alaska. i look forward to reading the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is the second book in the Alaskan Diner series. Charlie Cook has taken over the family's diner in Elkview, Alaska. When a young man dies after collapsing in the diner, Charlie investigates to clear the diner.
I enjoyed revisiting with Charlie and the gang at the diner. I'm sure it would be catastrophic for a small business to be under the pall of death when it pertains to food. It was interesting to learn about the local fishery and the "fishy" business going on there.
Charlie is a good strong character that tries to use common sense when sleuthing. Chris is a great addition to her investigation. Throw in a ex who just happens to be representing the fishery and you knw things are going to get interesting.
One of my favorite characters is Charlie's cat, Benny. I love how she uses technology to stay in touch with him while she is away from home.
There were a number of twists and turns as we wind our way to the culprit. There is also an additional story of another fishery employee who has gone missing. All in all the plot is well done.
I really enjoy the food talk around the diner. Recipes are always a nice touch. I'm not sure that I would try elk jerky but its nice to have the option. The salmon patties sound yummy and that may be a new addition to my kitchen.
This is an enjoyable series that has a wonderful backdrop of the beauty of Alaska. i look forward to reading the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 27, 2020
After enjoying Mousse and Murder so much, I was really looking forward to book two. I’m pleased to report that Fishing For Trouble didn’t disappoint at all. I got to spend time with Charlie and Chris and Trooper and Benny the cat (all my faves from the first book) and visit Alaska again through the pages of a book. Combine that with a well-plotted mystery and I’m a happy camper!
The book starts off with a bang, as an ambulance carries off a young man who has just keeled over in Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner – never great for business lol but, fortunately for Charlie, he hadn’t even been served yet. Still, she’s involved now so she might as well see it through, right? And it helps that she’s still technically deputized and that the understaffed Trooper could use her assistance anyway. The more she finds out about the local fish processing plant, the more the unusual vibes pile up, including at least one summer student worker who has mysteriously disappeared. I enjoyed learning about this key element of Alaskan industry (though sometimes the information dumps lagged the pace a bit), and the mystery kept me engaged. I also loved the continued dash of romance – not enough to overwhelm the story at all but a nice nod to those of us who think nearly every book is better with a little love story.
Bottom Line: Fishing For Trouble is just as enjoyable as its predecessor. I still loved Trooper but I also enjoyed getting to know Chris better too. And of course Charlie who adds lots of wit and insight with her narrative. Logan does a great job of setting the Alaskan scene & weaving a clever plot throughout the story – lots of intriguing twists with this one! This is definitely a series to add to your TBR list!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first appeared on Reading Is My SuperPower
The book starts off with a bang, as an ambulance carries off a young man who has just keeled over in Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner – never great for business lol but, fortunately for Charlie, he hadn’t even been served yet. Still, she’s involved now so she might as well see it through, right? And it helps that she’s still technically deputized and that the understaffed Trooper could use her assistance anyway. The more she finds out about the local fish processing plant, the more the unusual vibes pile up, including at least one summer student worker who has mysteriously disappeared. I enjoyed learning about this key element of Alaskan industry (though sometimes the information dumps lagged the pace a bit), and the mystery kept me engaged. I also loved the continued dash of romance – not enough to overwhelm the story at all but a nice nod to those of us who think nearly every book is better with a little love story.
Bottom Line: Fishing For Trouble is just as enjoyable as its predecessor. I still loved Trooper but I also enjoyed getting to know Chris better too. And of course Charlie who adds lots of wit and insight with her narrative. Logan does a great job of setting the Alaskan scene & weaving a clever plot throughout the story – lots of intriguing twists with this one! This is definitely a series to add to your TBR list!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first appeared on Reading Is My SuperPower
March 8, 2021
Review to follow
June 29, 2021
2.5 stars
Summer has come to Alaska bringing more tourists and even college students working at the fish processing plant across the river. When one of the students died at the diner before eating anything, Charlie worries about her reputation. She takes an interest in Ethan's friend Zoe, a fragile-looking young woman who was next to Ethan when he died. Troop also takes an interest in Zoe but not in the same way as Charlie. Charlie calls Chris and Annie to help her prove Zoe's innocence. Annie has a mystery of her own to solve relating to the same fish processing plant. It seems another student has gone missing and his mother is terribly worried. Could there be a connection? Meanwhile, Charlie's ex has come back to town and she wants to know why. Could he be somehow connected to the fish processing plant? It sure seems like somethin FISHY was going on there.
While I couldn't put this book down because I had to know what happened, I thought the final bit of action was unnecessary. Charlie and Chris had the information to solve the case but neither of them seemed to remember what they had been told. I understand Charlie's motivation but it was kind of dumb and dangerous. This story contains FAR too many details about processing fish for canning and too many mentions of Charlie buying some new fancy toy for Benny. I had to speed read and skip over all the fish stuff. One reader of the library book I checked out, wrote some angry notes in the margins noting errors in geography (no fish processing plant nearer than Anchorage), the murder and the Alaskan weather. I kind of ignored the one about the murder because people were just gossiping and this person didn't seem acquainted with cozy mysteries that are not logical. I'm going to take exception at the Boston accent. First, I need to know specifically where Ethan is from because there's no such thing as one Boston accent. Second, most of the college kids I knew away from home didn't have New England accents and by the time I returned home, I had a hard time understanding people. The word Charlie thinks Ethan uttered as he died doesn't make sense because it does not sound like harbor even with a Boston accent. Ethan's accent is all over the place. "Hoss" is Worcester, adding the r on the end is Rhode Island. Where is he from exactly? I kept thinking that was a clue that he had been lying about something! Guess not. Faulty research on the part of the author.
I like Charlie well enough but she's a bit of a wimp. She feels guilty for not spending enough time with her cat and overcompensates by buying him fancy new toys. Then she has the gall to freak out when she thinks her parents are moving to San Diego permanently. Well, you can barely spend time with your cat so how much time will you spend with your parents if they stick around? They deserve to retire someplace warm near friends and activities. Charlie also can't state her feelings to Chris or even ASK what his intensions are. "So... is this a date?" or "To be clear, I'm not ready to date yet. Once bitten, twice shy." Charlie is supposed to be an amazing chef but she has Victor do all the cooking. They changed the menu (why?) and the changes seem to be a hit. She still hasn't shared her recipe for bear claws yet. Benny is a cute cat with some incredible talents but I got tired of all the Benny in this book. See also Yulie who is not as cute as Benny. Also Cutaway... TOO many cats in this book. Bleh. Chris is an interesting guy. He's growing on me. I think he's into Charlie but he too needs to be clear about his feelings and intentions. He's smarter than Charlie and his military experience has made him cautious. I can't stand Annie, Charlie's best friend, who somehow runs an entire inn. She's super flaky and ditzy. While I appreciate her compassion and concern for Irene, she should have called Trooper and not Charlie.
J&M, a small food company, seems to be up to something shady. The HR guy Preston, is slimy and sketchy. He may be responsible for Ethan's death. This place overworks kids and makes them do disgusting, horrible, smelly, difficult jobs. They get "overtime" yet they're forced to work 12-14 hour days to get it. They live in primitive barracks with bad food. This does not sound like a desirable job to me! Ethan seems like he was a good kid. We never really learn that much about him. The other boy who is missing is Noah and he's a bit of a nut. His mother is weird and a little creepy. She's suspicious for sure. Her story lacks logic without knowing what she did. Zoe is a timid young woman who wants to forget about murder and get back to normal. Unfortunately, she's involved somehow and Troop thinks she's a suspect. I think Charlie is way too trusting and naïve and Zoe is up to something. The pockets of her parka contain some interesting things. The other kids who were with Ethan when he died were Kevin and Garrett. Neither of them seem to know much about what Ethan was up to. Kevin comes across as kind of creepy and threatening at times but Charlie concludes she's overreacting. I think both boys know more than they're telling. They were a close foursome and spent their limited down time together. Perhaps they know more than they realize.
The diner crew scenes are limited here which is too bad because I liked them a lot in the first book. Bert and Tammy finally speak and make a suggestion for the diner. Charlie is worn out and gives in when she gave Victor more of a hard time. Troop is a good guy but overworked. Why is the state trooper the only one investigating a suspicious death? Shouldn't there be someone from the state or a larger regional division? Deputizing civilians and relying on volunteers seems odd but at least it's an excuse for Charlie to investigate and not the usual trope of fighting against the police. We finally meet Ryan, Charlie's ex. He's just as slick as she portrayed him to her friends. He seems arrogant, like he just as to lift a finger and Charlie will come running back because he's God's gift to women. What is he doing there? Is he trying to use Charlie for information? If so, why? That wasn't ever really explained.
I don't think I'll be reading more of this series. It's just not my thing.
Summer has come to Alaska bringing more tourists and even college students working at the fish processing plant across the river. When one of the students died at the diner before eating anything, Charlie worries about her reputation. She takes an interest in Ethan's friend Zoe, a fragile-looking young woman who was next to Ethan when he died. Troop also takes an interest in Zoe but not in the same way as Charlie. Charlie calls Chris and Annie to help her prove Zoe's innocence. Annie has a mystery of her own to solve relating to the same fish processing plant. It seems another student has gone missing and his mother is terribly worried. Could there be a connection? Meanwhile, Charlie's ex has come back to town and she wants to know why. Could he be somehow connected to the fish processing plant? It sure seems like somethin FISHY was going on there.
While I couldn't put this book down because I had to know what happened, I thought the final bit of action was unnecessary. Charlie and Chris had the information to solve the case but neither of them seemed to remember what they had been told. I understand Charlie's motivation but it was kind of dumb and dangerous. This story contains FAR too many details about processing fish for canning and too many mentions of Charlie buying some new fancy toy for Benny. I had to speed read and skip over all the fish stuff. One reader of the library book I checked out, wrote some angry notes in the margins noting errors in geography (no fish processing plant nearer than Anchorage), the murder and the Alaskan weather. I kind of ignored the one about the murder because people were just gossiping and this person didn't seem acquainted with cozy mysteries that are not logical. I'm going to take exception at the Boston accent. First, I need to know specifically where Ethan is from because there's no such thing as one Boston accent. Second, most of the college kids I knew away from home didn't have New England accents and by the time I returned home, I had a hard time understanding people. The word Charlie thinks Ethan uttered as he died doesn't make sense because it does not sound like harbor even with a Boston accent. Ethan's accent is all over the place. "Hoss" is Worcester, adding the r on the end is Rhode Island. Where is he from exactly? I kept thinking that was a clue that he had been lying about something! Guess not. Faulty research on the part of the author.
I like Charlie well enough but she's a bit of a wimp. She feels guilty for not spending enough time with her cat and overcompensates by buying him fancy new toys. Then she has the gall to freak out when she thinks her parents are moving to San Diego permanently. Well, you can barely spend time with your cat so how much time will you spend with your parents if they stick around? They deserve to retire someplace warm near friends and activities. Charlie also can't state her feelings to Chris or even ASK what his intensions are. "So... is this a date?" or "To be clear, I'm not ready to date yet. Once bitten, twice shy." Charlie is supposed to be an amazing chef but she has Victor do all the cooking. They changed the menu (why?) and the changes seem to be a hit. She still hasn't shared her recipe for bear claws yet. Benny is a cute cat with some incredible talents but I got tired of all the Benny in this book. See also Yulie who is not as cute as Benny. Also Cutaway... TOO many cats in this book. Bleh. Chris is an interesting guy. He's growing on me. I think he's into Charlie but he too needs to be clear about his feelings and intentions. He's smarter than Charlie and his military experience has made him cautious. I can't stand Annie, Charlie's best friend, who somehow runs an entire inn. She's super flaky and ditzy. While I appreciate her compassion and concern for Irene, she should have called Trooper and not Charlie.
J&M, a small food company, seems to be up to something shady. The HR guy Preston, is slimy and sketchy. He may be responsible for Ethan's death. This place overworks kids and makes them do disgusting, horrible, smelly, difficult jobs. They get "overtime" yet they're forced to work 12-14 hour days to get it. They live in primitive barracks with bad food. This does not sound like a desirable job to me! Ethan seems like he was a good kid. We never really learn that much about him. The other boy who is missing is Noah and he's a bit of a nut. His mother is weird and a little creepy. She's suspicious for sure. Her story lacks logic without knowing what she did. Zoe is a timid young woman who wants to forget about murder and get back to normal. Unfortunately, she's involved somehow and Troop thinks she's a suspect. I think Charlie is way too trusting and naïve and Zoe is up to something. The pockets of her parka contain some interesting things. The other kids who were with Ethan when he died were Kevin and Garrett. Neither of them seem to know much about what Ethan was up to. Kevin comes across as kind of creepy and threatening at times but Charlie concludes she's overreacting. I think both boys know more than they're telling. They were a close foursome and spent their limited down time together. Perhaps they know more than they realize.
The diner crew scenes are limited here which is too bad because I liked them a lot in the first book. Bert and Tammy finally speak and make a suggestion for the diner. Charlie is worn out and gives in when she gave Victor more of a hard time. Troop is a good guy but overworked. Why is the state trooper the only one investigating a suspicious death? Shouldn't there be someone from the state or a larger regional division? Deputizing civilians and relying on volunteers seems odd but at least it's an excuse for Charlie to investigate and not the usual trope of fighting against the police. We finally meet Ryan, Charlie's ex. He's just as slick as she portrayed him to her friends. He seems arrogant, like he just as to lift a finger and Charlie will come running back because he's God's gift to women. What is he doing there? Is he trying to use Charlie for information? If so, why? That wasn't ever really explained.
I don't think I'll be reading more of this series. It's just not my thing.
December 5, 2020
Synopsis:
Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Charlie and Chris spend a lot of time together, trying to figure out who killed a young man working in the summer at the fish processing plant. They get along well and things may get a little more serious between them. Between Charlie, Chris and Annie, a friend, they may be able to helper Trooper solve the case. Benny, Charlie’s cat, was very involved in the book. I think we got too much description on how much Charlie missed Benny, but that is only my opinion and others may not agree with me.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through most of the book, I felt like I was right there in Elkview, Alaska, watching all of the action taking place and listening in in conversations. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and I did not know who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I wonder what’s next for Charlie and her friends?
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Charlie and Chris spend a lot of time together, trying to figure out who killed a young man working in the summer at the fish processing plant. They get along well and things may get a little more serious between them. Between Charlie, Chris and Annie, a friend, they may be able to helper Trooper solve the case. Benny, Charlie’s cat, was very involved in the book. I think we got too much description on how much Charlie missed Benny, but that is only my opinion and others may not agree with me.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through most of the book, I felt like I was right there in Elkview, Alaska, watching all of the action taking place and listening in in conversations. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and I did not know who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I wonder what’s next for Charlie and her friends?
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
December 22, 2020
This is the second book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. I enjoy this series setting of small town Alaskan life in the fictional town of Elkview Alaska. I have read the first in series and found this a fun series to read with a fast pace sleuth, likable charcters and the pleasing setting of Alaska. Thank you to Net Galley and to the Publisher. My review opinions are my own.
We return to the cafe run by Chef Charlie during the busy summer tourist season. I find it fascinating to learn about Alaskan life during the long weeks of sunshine 20 hours a day. The author does a fantastic job of writing about the life style of Alaska . Charlie has a young man die in the cafe that is a very suspicious death. She cannot help but feel she must find out what really happened to him. When she finds out that he worked at a plant where another employee disappeared she involves herself in both cases with the local police . Her friend join in and she has red herrings abound as she discovers clues to both crimes.
I enjoyed this sleuth and and the fast pace of the story. The charcters are all likable and the author has included a sweet cat and good friends for Charlie. This is a series I will return to and highly recommend.
We return to the cafe run by Chef Charlie during the busy summer tourist season. I find it fascinating to learn about Alaskan life during the long weeks of sunshine 20 hours a day. The author does a fantastic job of writing about the life style of Alaska . Charlie has a young man die in the cafe that is a very suspicious death. She cannot help but feel she must find out what really happened to him. When she finds out that he worked at a plant where another employee disappeared she involves herself in both cases with the local police . Her friend join in and she has red herrings abound as she discovers clues to both crimes.
I enjoyed this sleuth and and the fast pace of the story. The charcters are all likable and the author has included a sweet cat and good friends for Charlie. This is a series I will return to and highly recommend.
October 6, 2021
Well-written cozy packed with interesting characters with a fresh and different locale. While the first in the Alaskan Diner Series was good, the second is even better with more assured plotting. When a young summer fishery employee takes ill at her diner, Charlie Cooke must protect the reputation of the Bear Claw or those bus loads of tourists will quit stopping there. After the diner's food is cleared, the death turns into a murder. Charlie and her friends Annie and Chris are unofficially deputized to help investigate due to Trooper's limited resources. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2020
The second book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery Series was just as fun as the first! This mystery has more twists than I usually expect from a cozy and it was fun to see Charlie unravel it. After finishing the book I'm craving one of the diner's famous bear claws! If you're interested in Alaska or love cooks who solve crimes this would be a perfect mystery for you! It felt fresh and I learned more about Alaska than I expected.
November 28, 2020
Originally published at Reading Reality
Whenever someone’s ex shows up in a story, it always means drama. Not always trouble – although usually trouble – but always drama.
In romance, when an ex shows up with whom the protagonist has unfinished business, there’s the possibility of a second-chance-at-love story. But there are always other possibilities, especially in a mystery series like the Alaskan Diner series.
When Charlie’s (let’s call him emotionally abusive – as well as unfaithful) ex turns up in tiny Elkview, Alaska, it certainly wasn’t to deal with any unfinished emotional business between them – no matter what the lying, cheating asshole pretended.
Oh, he’s still emotionally manipulative and abusive – just for kicks. It was enough to make me think that Ryan Jamison was going to turn out to be an EvilEx™ but he wasn’t nearly that important.
He was just a sleazy lawyer on retainer for a local fish processing plant. The very same fish plant that employed a summer worker who had just died in Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner – before his order had even been delivered.
Which doesn’t let food poisoning out as a possible cause of the young man’s death – but certainly absolves the Bear Claw of any possibility of being the agency of the poison. But Ethan Johnson is still dead, his girlfriend tried to skip town and one of his friends is missing.
There’s clearly something rotten in the village of Elkview, and the advent of Charlie’s ex just adds to the stink already coming from the fish processors. Especially when the cause of death turns out to be, not food poisoning, but mercury poisoning – and mercury that was administered over a long-term at that. Mercury that could have been in the fish that was being processed. Or part of an experiment. Or some other cause yet to be determined.
The Alaska State Trooper stationed in Elkview, Cody Graham, is as overworked as he was in the first book in this series, Mousse and Murder, leading him to re-activate his gang of volunteer sleuths – a gang that includes both Charlie and the local newspaper reporter Chris Doucette.
Charlie, both with and without Chris’ assistance – but definitely more with – has to discover out what’s really going on at the secretive fish processing plant – and why so many of its summer workers are going missing, getting into trouble or ending up dead.
And figure out who is leaving Charlie threatening messages – before she ends up in the same boat!
Escape Rating B: This is turning out to be a comfort read series for me. It reminds me just enough of the Alaska I used to live in, although this is certainly a more idealized version of life in the Great State than real life. Even in Anchorage the winter weather is both long and brutal, and the feeling of isolation can be overwhelming. (January generally sucks. Period. Exclamation point.)
But the summers can be glorious, and that is portrayed very well in this second entry in the series, including the strangeness of trying to go to sleep when it’s still light out and getting to be out until midnight while it’s daylight.
So part of what I read this series for is that lovely small-town vibe with a special Alaskan flavor.
That being said, this is a cozy mystery series, and it may eventually run into the conundrum that all such series face – that the population is too small to support the number of murders that will eventually ensue. But that’s for another day, far down the road. For this one, we have students on summer jobs to provide both the corpses and the murder suspects.
This is a story where the red herrings, the many, many red herrings, are particularly tasty – and not just because they’re nestled among the absolutely mouth-watering descriptions of all the yummy things that Charlie cooks, bakes and serves at the Bear Claw Diner.
Charlie and her friends are extremely amateur sleuths. They wander down a lot of dead ends to reach the killer – who in the end reaches out for them because, well, they are so not professional about any of this.
This was a story of multiple misdirections, as none of what looked like clues in the beginning turned out to be germane in the end – at least not to the murder. Not that they didn’t uncover plenty of other skullduggery being processed along with those fish.
The identity of the murderer came a bit out of left field, and it felt like Charlie’s ex exited in that direction. We don’t get near enough clues about the real identity of the murderer or his motives, and Charlie’s EvilEx™ turned out to be a Chekhov’s Gun ex. He hung on the proverbial mantlepiece and wasn’t nearly as involved as it looked like he would be at the beginning.
On the other hand, the tentative beginnings of Charlie’s relationship with Chris became a bit less tentative over the course of the investigation, while Charlie’s frankly adorable relationship with her cat Benny continued to provide just the right amount of sweetness to this story without spoiling the story. Benny on the other hand is VERY spoiled.
In the end, this was as light and fluffy as one of the omelets served at the Bear Claw Diner. I’ll be back for another delicious treat when the author returns to this series with Murphy’s Slaw in May 2021!
Whenever someone’s ex shows up in a story, it always means drama. Not always trouble – although usually trouble – but always drama.
In romance, when an ex shows up with whom the protagonist has unfinished business, there’s the possibility of a second-chance-at-love story. But there are always other possibilities, especially in a mystery series like the Alaskan Diner series.
When Charlie’s (let’s call him emotionally abusive – as well as unfaithful) ex turns up in tiny Elkview, Alaska, it certainly wasn’t to deal with any unfinished emotional business between them – no matter what the lying, cheating asshole pretended.
Oh, he’s still emotionally manipulative and abusive – just for kicks. It was enough to make me think that Ryan Jamison was going to turn out to be an EvilEx™ but he wasn’t nearly that important.
He was just a sleazy lawyer on retainer for a local fish processing plant. The very same fish plant that employed a summer worker who had just died in Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner – before his order had even been delivered.
Which doesn’t let food poisoning out as a possible cause of the young man’s death – but certainly absolves the Bear Claw of any possibility of being the agency of the poison. But Ethan Johnson is still dead, his girlfriend tried to skip town and one of his friends is missing.
There’s clearly something rotten in the village of Elkview, and the advent of Charlie’s ex just adds to the stink already coming from the fish processors. Especially when the cause of death turns out to be, not food poisoning, but mercury poisoning – and mercury that was administered over a long-term at that. Mercury that could have been in the fish that was being processed. Or part of an experiment. Or some other cause yet to be determined.
The Alaska State Trooper stationed in Elkview, Cody Graham, is as overworked as he was in the first book in this series, Mousse and Murder, leading him to re-activate his gang of volunteer sleuths – a gang that includes both Charlie and the local newspaper reporter Chris Doucette.
Charlie, both with and without Chris’ assistance – but definitely more with – has to discover out what’s really going on at the secretive fish processing plant – and why so many of its summer workers are going missing, getting into trouble or ending up dead.
And figure out who is leaving Charlie threatening messages – before she ends up in the same boat!
Escape Rating B: This is turning out to be a comfort read series for me. It reminds me just enough of the Alaska I used to live in, although this is certainly a more idealized version of life in the Great State than real life. Even in Anchorage the winter weather is both long and brutal, and the feeling of isolation can be overwhelming. (January generally sucks. Period. Exclamation point.)
But the summers can be glorious, and that is portrayed very well in this second entry in the series, including the strangeness of trying to go to sleep when it’s still light out and getting to be out until midnight while it’s daylight.
So part of what I read this series for is that lovely small-town vibe with a special Alaskan flavor.
That being said, this is a cozy mystery series, and it may eventually run into the conundrum that all such series face – that the population is too small to support the number of murders that will eventually ensue. But that’s for another day, far down the road. For this one, we have students on summer jobs to provide both the corpses and the murder suspects.
This is a story where the red herrings, the many, many red herrings, are particularly tasty – and not just because they’re nestled among the absolutely mouth-watering descriptions of all the yummy things that Charlie cooks, bakes and serves at the Bear Claw Diner.
Charlie and her friends are extremely amateur sleuths. They wander down a lot of dead ends to reach the killer – who in the end reaches out for them because, well, they are so not professional about any of this.
This was a story of multiple misdirections, as none of what looked like clues in the beginning turned out to be germane in the end – at least not to the murder. Not that they didn’t uncover plenty of other skullduggery being processed along with those fish.
The identity of the murderer came a bit out of left field, and it felt like Charlie’s ex exited in that direction. We don’t get near enough clues about the real identity of the murderer or his motives, and Charlie’s EvilEx™ turned out to be a Chekhov’s Gun ex. He hung on the proverbial mantlepiece and wasn’t nearly as involved as it looked like he would be at the beginning.
On the other hand, the tentative beginnings of Charlie’s relationship with Chris became a bit less tentative over the course of the investigation, while Charlie’s frankly adorable relationship with her cat Benny continued to provide just the right amount of sweetness to this story without spoiling the story. Benny on the other hand is VERY spoiled.
In the end, this was as light and fluffy as one of the omelets served at the Bear Claw Diner. I’ll be back for another delicious treat when the author returns to this series with Murphy’s Slaw in May 2021!
November 29, 2020
FISHING FOR TROUBLE by Elizabeth Logan
The Second Alaskan Diner Mystery
When a young diner collapses at the Bear Claw Diner, owner Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke is concerned. Part of a group of summer workers at the J and M Fish Processing Plant enjoying a break at the diner, Ethan's order hadn't even arrived before his collapse, so Bear Claw food wasn't to blame for his death. Still feeling partially to blame, Charlie takes his distraught female friend under her wing, but once Ethan's death is declared murder the young woman takes off. With her lawyer ex in town, her parents on vacation, and her relationship with a journalist in flux, Charlie is unsettled. Something fishy is going on and Charlie's going to get to the bottom of it.
Friendships, romantic entanglements, and the ramifications of love highlight the second Alaskan Diner Mystery. I appreciate how Charlie and her crew of employees and friends gather together to solve a complex puzzle. Charlie's ex is a great new character to hate. His behavior is so scuzzy I wanted to take a shower after each of his appearances! I adore Benny, but am not a fan Charlie's high tech relationship with him, although as Miko (one of my cats) is so engaged with my keyboard as I try to type, perhaps I should be more open minded.
FISHING FOR TROUBLE had me scratching my head wondering just what was going on and who was to blame. Interesting characters and the Alaskan setting kept me engaged, hungry, and glad I don't work at a fish processing facility.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The Second Alaskan Diner Mystery
When a young diner collapses at the Bear Claw Diner, owner Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke is concerned. Part of a group of summer workers at the J and M Fish Processing Plant enjoying a break at the diner, Ethan's order hadn't even arrived before his collapse, so Bear Claw food wasn't to blame for his death. Still feeling partially to blame, Charlie takes his distraught female friend under her wing, but once Ethan's death is declared murder the young woman takes off. With her lawyer ex in town, her parents on vacation, and her relationship with a journalist in flux, Charlie is unsettled. Something fishy is going on and Charlie's going to get to the bottom of it.
Friendships, romantic entanglements, and the ramifications of love highlight the second Alaskan Diner Mystery. I appreciate how Charlie and her crew of employees and friends gather together to solve a complex puzzle. Charlie's ex is a great new character to hate. His behavior is so scuzzy I wanted to take a shower after each of his appearances! I adore Benny, but am not a fan Charlie's high tech relationship with him, although as Miko (one of my cats) is so engaged with my keyboard as I try to type, perhaps I should be more open minded.
FISHING FOR TROUBLE had me scratching my head wondering just what was going on and who was to blame. Interesting characters and the Alaskan setting kept me engaged, hungry, and glad I don't work at a fish processing facility.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
December 1, 2020
This is the second book in the Alaskan diner series. Charlie runs the Bear Claw diner. A group of workers from the fish processing plant come into the diner for some food. Before any of them are served, one of the workers slumps over in his chair and is pronounced dead when the ambulance arrives. Charlie teams up with her friend Annie and local reporter, Chris to look into the death with the police's permission. I really liked this book. Charlie is fun and likeable. She is still new to sleuthing so she doesn't always have the best plan of action. I thought Charlie and her sleuther team of Annie, Chris, and Trooper were great. The mystery was well done and kept me guessing. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book. I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2021
Diner owner Charlie (female) and newspaper reporter Chris (male) once again find themselves assisting Trooper in his investigations when a college age boy who came to help at an area fishery for the summer dies before ever getting his food at the diner. The local doctor/medical examiner discovers he died by gradual mercury poisoning. One college intern (a friend of the deceased) has not been seen for a few days, and his mother flies in from Wisconsin to track him down. I found it implausible Trooper would leave the area in the midst of a murder investigation, leaving much of the work to his unofficial deputies, rather than to his real one. In spite of that, I really enjoyed this installment. Charlie's parents are visiting friends in San Diego in this installment, and Charlie worries they'll move there. Charlie's extremely spoiled cat Benny shows his intelligence by drawing attention to things. I feel the characters are beginning to gel a little better, and Elkview makes a great mystery setting. (3.5 stars)
November 23, 2020
3.5 stars
FISHING FOR TROUBLE is much better than the first book in the series. There is much more of an Alaskan feel to the setting this time, and the characters are growing into their own. The mystery is interesting, if a bit repetitive.
FISHING FOR TROUBLE is much better than the first book in the series. There is much more of an Alaskan feel to the setting this time, and the characters are growing into their own. The mystery is interesting, if a bit repetitive.
June 26, 2025
Charming seriees
Just an enjoyable fun read. Great characters interesting setting and a mystery that befits the location. Looking forward to their next adventure
. I must add that author has depicted a rather idealistic picture of running a diner, wonderful employees plenty of free time, not exactly realistic but nice to dream about.
Just an enjoyable fun read. Great characters interesting setting and a mystery that befits the location. Looking forward to their next adventure
. I must add that author has depicted a rather idealistic picture of running a diner, wonderful employees plenty of free time, not exactly realistic but nice to dream about.
November 23, 2020
It's summer in Elkview, Alaska, which means almost perpetual sunlight – and a busy tourist season. Charlie is grateful for the business, but when a young man dies soon after entering her diner, she is drawn into the investigation in order to protect her name and the reputation of her business.
This is the second book in this series, and I enjoyed it as much as the first book. The descriptions of the town make me feel like I'm there, and they reinforce my wish to visit Alaska soon – but definitely in the summer season :) Most of the characters feel like people I would like to spend time with, and the mystery was good. I had a few suspicions, but I wasn't sure about the identity of the villain until just before it was revealed in the story. I look forward to reading the next book in the series when it is released next year.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is the second book in this series, and I enjoyed it as much as the first book. The descriptions of the town make me feel like I'm there, and they reinforce my wish to visit Alaska soon – but definitely in the summer season :) Most of the characters feel like people I would like to spend time with, and the mystery was good. I had a few suspicions, but I wasn't sure about the identity of the villain until just before it was revealed in the story. I look forward to reading the next book in the series when it is released next year.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
November 30, 2022
This is a fun read that keeps you guessing. Lost a star from me for Alaskan inaccuracies - this is written for people Outside who just went to Alaska on a cruise or want to go on a cruise, not for people who live here. But hey, who doesn’t like Talkeetna.
A fish processing plant in the interior and Aurora viewing jn June- Eesh. Also I’d have to look up if you can tour processing plants. Just came off as unbelievable-“if you know you know”.
Good plot just needs some retooling to make it more legit.
A fish processing plant in the interior and Aurora viewing jn June- Eesh. Also I’d have to look up if you can tour processing plants. Just came off as unbelievable-“if you know you know”.
Good plot just needs some retooling to make it more legit.
December 2, 2020
https://openbooksociety.com/article/f...
Fishing for Trouble
Alaskan Diner Mystery, Book #2
By Elizabeth Logan
ISBN#9780593100462
Author Website: minichino(.)com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)
Review:
Fishing for Trouble, the sophomore entry in the Alaskan Diner Mystery Series by Elizabeth Logan, is a step above the series debut Mousse and Murder. Alaska details are better woven into the story giving it a better sense of place, and readers get to know the characters a bit better. Of course, there is a murder to solve, and the State Troop’s honorary deputies do their best to unravel the clues even as Charlie faces threats.
When one of the summer employees at the local fish processing plant becomes ill at Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner then dies, Charlie feels invested in solving his murder. When she learns that another worker, Noah, associated with Ethan, the deceased, has gone missing, all eyes turn to J and M Fish Processing for answers. To make matters worse, Charlie’s former fiancé from California is in town representing J and M, and Charlie does all she can to avoid him. Danger mounts for Charlie the closer she gets to finding answers.
I was lukewarm about the first book in the series, but Fishing for Trouble is better. I am able to buy into the Alaskan setting in this entry as it is much more than moose meatloaf this time around. The characters are still rather shallow, but there is some growth. I especially like Chris, local journalist and Charlie’s potential love interest. He morphs from bland sidekick to an interesting man with a military past and spy-like skills. I hope the author lets us learn more to learn about him. Protagonist Charlie is likable enough, but part of the story involves her assuming something about her parents with no real evidence, and this assumption influences far too many of her thoughts and actions. Pet peeve. Also, she does not tell Troop, the state trooper in charge of the investigation, about the perceived threats against her. Stupid.
The premise of the murder mystery is strong, but it is also pretty predictable. It moves along at a relatively good pace, but it is repetitive. There is a great deal of rehashing what they already know over and over again without adding much new each time. The local law department is, as expected, very small and short staffed. This provides a plausible opportunity for Charlie and her friends to get involved and investigate without interfering (as is often the case with amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries). The puzzle is easy to figure out, and the book could have been so much better if there had been a secondary plot to mull over. Charlie spends a lot of time looking at her cat Benny through her camera app, buying toys for him, and spending quality time with him. Don’t get me wrong, I adore pets in cozy mysteries, but this all felt like overblown filler that took away from the mystery.
I hope other cozy readers enjoy Fishing for Trouble much more than me. I still think there is a lot of potential for this series to be original and great reading; I am just not sure it will ever get there.
Fishing for Trouble
Alaskan Diner Mystery, Book #2
By Elizabeth Logan
ISBN#9780593100462
Author Website: minichino(.)com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
Something fishy is going on at a local seafood processing plant, and Charlie Cooke is on the hook to solve the case in this new Alaskan Diner Mystery.
Summer has come to Elkview, Alaska, bringing twenty hours of sunlight every day, not to mention a surge of tourists and seasonal workers. Chef Charlie Cooke is eager for a busy yet relaxing season, but when a young man working a summer job at the local fish processing plant dies moments after walking into the Bear Claw Diner, she’s quickly swept into the investigation.
Soon, through her best friend Annie Jensen, Charlie learns that another student worker at J and M Processing has disappeared, leaving more questions and fewer answers. The near-endless sunlight gives plenty of time to search for clues, but Charlie will have to work with Annie and local reporter Chris Doucette to net the killer before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)
Review:
Fishing for Trouble, the sophomore entry in the Alaskan Diner Mystery Series by Elizabeth Logan, is a step above the series debut Mousse and Murder. Alaska details are better woven into the story giving it a better sense of place, and readers get to know the characters a bit better. Of course, there is a murder to solve, and the State Troop’s honorary deputies do their best to unravel the clues even as Charlie faces threats.
When one of the summer employees at the local fish processing plant becomes ill at Charlie’s Bear Claw Diner then dies, Charlie feels invested in solving his murder. When she learns that another worker, Noah, associated with Ethan, the deceased, has gone missing, all eyes turn to J and M Fish Processing for answers. To make matters worse, Charlie’s former fiancé from California is in town representing J and M, and Charlie does all she can to avoid him. Danger mounts for Charlie the closer she gets to finding answers.
I was lukewarm about the first book in the series, but Fishing for Trouble is better. I am able to buy into the Alaskan setting in this entry as it is much more than moose meatloaf this time around. The characters are still rather shallow, but there is some growth. I especially like Chris, local journalist and Charlie’s potential love interest. He morphs from bland sidekick to an interesting man with a military past and spy-like skills. I hope the author lets us learn more to learn about him. Protagonist Charlie is likable enough, but part of the story involves her assuming something about her parents with no real evidence, and this assumption influences far too many of her thoughts and actions. Pet peeve. Also, she does not tell Troop, the state trooper in charge of the investigation, about the perceived threats against her. Stupid.
The premise of the murder mystery is strong, but it is also pretty predictable. It moves along at a relatively good pace, but it is repetitive. There is a great deal of rehashing what they already know over and over again without adding much new each time. The local law department is, as expected, very small and short staffed. This provides a plausible opportunity for Charlie and her friends to get involved and investigate without interfering (as is often the case with amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries). The puzzle is easy to figure out, and the book could have been so much better if there had been a secondary plot to mull over. Charlie spends a lot of time looking at her cat Benny through her camera app, buying toys for him, and spending quality time with him. Don’t get me wrong, I adore pets in cozy mysteries, but this all felt like overblown filler that took away from the mystery.
I hope other cozy readers enjoy Fishing for Trouble much more than me. I still think there is a lot of potential for this series to be original and great reading; I am just not sure it will ever get there.
December 3, 2020
Fishing for Trouble is a wonderful follow up to Mousse and Murder, the first book in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series. If you've been around my blog for a while, you know about my obsession with Alaska! It's like the last great frontier right? That pioneer spirit of my ancestors calls to me and tries to trick me into believing that living in Alaska would be life-changing. Sure it would, ancestors. I'd probably get eaten by a grizzly or lose a toe to frostbite! (Yes, I'm dramatic. I even have the t-shirt...) But, seriously, I know that it is a beautiful state with a lot of brave and adventurous people. It's the perfect setting for this series!
Charlie's diner, given to her by her mom, is a popular place. The food is amazing, and tour groups, after having stayed at Charlie's BFF Annie's inn, often eat there on the way to their adventures. Unfortunately for Charlie, a group of college students working at a fish processing plant decide to eat there when one of them falls over dead. Thankfully, they hadn't even gotten their food, so Charlie knows it's not food poisoning. But through circumstances beyond her control, Charlie's caught up in another murder. Yes, murder! Though the young man didn't die of food poisoning, he was murdered.
The author does such a remarkable job of laying out clues throughout Fishing for Trouble. I think a good cozy mystery book is one in which you can pick up on all of the clues yet still be mostly clueless as to who the murderer is. This one fits that criteria very well.
As in Mousse and Murder, I absolutely love these characters. The recurring characters feel like they're my old friends. I could walk into the diner, order the special, and catch up on the latest gossip. The camaraderie among the characters is evident in Fishing for Trouble even more so than in the first book....which is as it should be. These characters are well-developed, and I love being able to gain more insight with each book. I'm already excited for book 3!
Fishing for Trouble is such an entertaining book. I'm sure you'll enjoy the mystery, the characters, the cats, and of course, the setting! Wishing you had a bear claw while you're reading is inevitable. You might want to pick some up before you start reading! I highly recommend both books in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series.
Charlie's diner, given to her by her mom, is a popular place. The food is amazing, and tour groups, after having stayed at Charlie's BFF Annie's inn, often eat there on the way to their adventures. Unfortunately for Charlie, a group of college students working at a fish processing plant decide to eat there when one of them falls over dead. Thankfully, they hadn't even gotten their food, so Charlie knows it's not food poisoning. But through circumstances beyond her control, Charlie's caught up in another murder. Yes, murder! Though the young man didn't die of food poisoning, he was murdered.
The author does such a remarkable job of laying out clues throughout Fishing for Trouble. I think a good cozy mystery book is one in which you can pick up on all of the clues yet still be mostly clueless as to who the murderer is. This one fits that criteria very well.
As in Mousse and Murder, I absolutely love these characters. The recurring characters feel like they're my old friends. I could walk into the diner, order the special, and catch up on the latest gossip. The camaraderie among the characters is evident in Fishing for Trouble even more so than in the first book....which is as it should be. These characters are well-developed, and I love being able to gain more insight with each book. I'm already excited for book 3!
Fishing for Trouble is such an entertaining book. I'm sure you'll enjoy the mystery, the characters, the cats, and of course, the setting! Wishing you had a bear claw while you're reading is inevitable. You might want to pick some up before you start reading! I highly recommend both books in An Alaskan Diner Mystery series.
November 9, 2020
Charlie has returned to her hometown of Elkview, Alaska and taken over the family diner. She has made some serious changes to the menu and has connected with a local tour guide to be the meal stop on their way to Fairbanks and Denali National Park. As the story opens, there is a mixed group of diners present - a tour group and some seasonal employees from the local fishery. Before their order arrives, one of the student employees collapses at his table. He is taken by ambulance to the nearest medical facility but later pronounced dead. Of course, the first thought in everyone's mind is, what did he eat? And so the rumors start and Charlie has to protect her diner by investigating the young man's death. It's refreshing that she has no need to be a nosy nuisance to the local law. She has a great relationship with Trooper Cody Graham, but known to all as just Trooper. He has known her all of her life and he knows, too, that she can be a great help to him. He was happy to deputize Charlie and her friend, Chris in the first book and, as Charlie says "Who says there is an expiration date to the last time he did?" There is a lot to uncover when the cause of death is mercury poisoning - from long term exposure.
If death at her diner wasn't enough to juggle along with keeping it running, along comes her creepy ex-fiance, Ryan. Coming all the way from San Francisco didn't bode well for Charlie's juggling skills. Turns out he has been hired by the fishery. Things really do get complicated for Charlie but with the help of her friends, the mystery will be solved.
I like everything about this series - the setting is one of my favorite states, the characters are well developed, their relationships with each other are strong and there is a sweet cat, as well. Benny (short for Eggs Benedict), is a great character in his own right. Add to that a well crafted puzzle to solve and it's a winner of a series. I have already added the third in the series, Murphy's Slaw, which will be published May 25, 2021.
My thanks to the publisher, Berkley Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
If death at her diner wasn't enough to juggle along with keeping it running, along comes her creepy ex-fiance, Ryan. Coming all the way from San Francisco didn't bode well for Charlie's juggling skills. Turns out he has been hired by the fishery. Things really do get complicated for Charlie but with the help of her friends, the mystery will be solved.
I like everything about this series - the setting is one of my favorite states, the characters are well developed, their relationships with each other are strong and there is a sweet cat, as well. Benny (short for Eggs Benedict), is a great character in his own right. Add to that a well crafted puzzle to solve and it's a winner of a series. I have already added the third in the series, Murphy's Slaw, which will be published May 25, 2021.
My thanks to the publisher, Berkley Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 13, 2020
How far does a girl have to go to get away from her former cheater of a fiance'? You would think that returning to one's hometown and running the family diner in Alaska would be far enough, apparently, it is not. Charlotte "Charlie" Cooke, law student turned classically trained professional chef is a character whom you instantly like. Plus this story throws you right into the middle of the action with an ambulance showing up at the diner, which is never a good sign. Turns out that the kid who fell ill (before he had even ordered) was working a summer gig for the J and M fish processing plant. The plant pays big bucks and works college age kids round the clock as well as giving them room and board in a dormitory fashion. So when did Ethan have time to be poisoned by mercury if he was always working? Ryan Jamison, the cheater, is sent by his firm to act as legal counsel for the fish company. Elkview is a small town and the state troopers double as local police meaning that they are spread pretty thin. Trooper Cody Graham aka Trooper, who's like an uncle to Charlie, "deputizes" both Charlie and local reporter Chris Doucette to gather intel and report back while he attends to a training session out of town. I do prefer a cozy where local law enforcement values the efforts of the hard working ametuer sleuth. So in addition to the poisoning, there is a missing person, an unwanted ex-finace', several tour groups, uncooperative company types, and the posibility of her parents retirement relocation. That is a lot for one girl to handle but she does have Benny her cat whom she spoils rotten, and I thought I was bad, well apparently they have an app for that LOL. Great story and awesome recipes to try at the conclusion. I am looking forward to making the salmon cakes and jerky, although I don't have access to elk and will be making do with the local grass fed beef.
November 25, 2020
Summer has arrived in Elkview, Alaska and with it comes seasonal workers at J& M Fishing, a local seafood plant. When one of those seasonal workers collapses and dies in her diner, Charlie Cooke knows she can't just leave this mystery alone. When the manner of death is revealed, Charlie also discovers another worker has disappeared. Is the missing worked involved, guilty, or another victim?
Charlie intends to find out how the death and disappearance relates to J & M Fishing, and why on earth her ex-boyfriend, Ryan is in town. Charlie also has other fish to fry. Even though her diner isn't responsible, the bad press could shutter her doors. Charlie, her side kick, reporter Chris Doucette, and her bestie Annie Jensen, team back up in another installment of Elizabeth Logan's Alaskan Diner Mystery series.
Fishing for Trouble is another wonderful book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Set in the Alaskan summertime, I enjoyed how the author delivers a book showing readers what the weather is like in Alaska during that time. It's not as warm as some states in the lower 48 but temps are mild. The clothing required for summers doesn't generally include shorts but you don't need to be bundled up in a polar suit either. The author does a great job weaving several storylines together, steeping the story in reality.
The path to discovering the real murderer is twisted and bumpy, leading Charlie in several directions that are dead-ends or just lead to more questions. The book is full of surprises and twists in the plot the reader will never see coming. The author does a great job with the mystery, the character development, and providing the reader vivid imagery allowing the story to played out like a movie as you read along. The book also has some pretty amazing characters, ones I enjoy learning more about in each book.
Charlie intends to find out how the death and disappearance relates to J & M Fishing, and why on earth her ex-boyfriend, Ryan is in town. Charlie also has other fish to fry. Even though her diner isn't responsible, the bad press could shutter her doors. Charlie, her side kick, reporter Chris Doucette, and her bestie Annie Jensen, team back up in another installment of Elizabeth Logan's Alaskan Diner Mystery series.
Fishing for Trouble is another wonderful book in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Set in the Alaskan summertime, I enjoyed how the author delivers a book showing readers what the weather is like in Alaska during that time. It's not as warm as some states in the lower 48 but temps are mild. The clothing required for summers doesn't generally include shorts but you don't need to be bundled up in a polar suit either. The author does a great job weaving several storylines together, steeping the story in reality.
The path to discovering the real murderer is twisted and bumpy, leading Charlie in several directions that are dead-ends or just lead to more questions. The book is full of surprises and twists in the plot the reader will never see coming. The author does a great job with the mystery, the character development, and providing the reader vivid imagery allowing the story to played out like a movie as you read along. The book also has some pretty amazing characters, ones I enjoy learning more about in each book.
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