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There’s nothing worse than anchovies on pizza. Except for murder…

Gina Romano has finally settled into her new life in small town, Lake Basil, New York. Her uncle’s pizza parlor is thriving, she’s starting to make friends, and she might even have a crush on a certain special someone.

With summer on the horizon, it’s the perfect time for love.

Until a local ice cream shoppe owner is murdered right before the summer celebrations. And Gina’s best friend is the last person seen with the victim.

Gina’s got to keep her friend out of prison and figure out who committed the crime, all while keeping her “unique” uncle out of trouble, and the pizza parlor running smooth as mozzarella cheese.

Can Gina solve the case and save her friend?

95 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2022

123 people are currently reading
91 people want to read

About the author

Rosie A. Point

138 books603 followers
Rosie A. Point is a USA Today Bestselling cozy mystery author who loves writing about food, small towns, and cats. Her favorite books are ones you can snuggle up with under a cozy blanket on a winter's day. Born and raised in South Africa, her books are all set in small towns in the United States. She dreams of visiting the places she writes about in her books.

Rosie wants to hear from you. Whether it’s about a recipe or one of her books, you can contact her on her website. Join her reader club today!

https://www.rosiepointbooks.com/

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5 stars
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89 (34%)
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51 (19%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Obsidian.
3,232 reviews1,145 followers
September 8, 2024
Wow this was really short and it just didn't even make sense in the end. It just felt very much like a filler book. Full review to come.

Full review: This was only 95 pages and read like it. I didn't even get a chance to figure out who did it, since Point only introduces 4 people so just pick one and you may guess who did it. The main character of Gina is beyond annoying in this one. Either stay or leave, but quit acting like you left a huge life behind when we never hear about anyone ever calling you from the "city". Also, I hate having Gina say "Uncle" to her Uncle Rocco all of the time. Who calls their aunt and uncle, just uncle? It started to read weird to me and I see the fourth book keeps doing it too.

We jump right to the guilty party who did it for a really dumb reason and boom ending. I think there's supposed to be a love triangle, but one wonders how since you barely have Gina talking to the two love interests and her acting annoyed by the one who dares to like her. Bah.
Profile Image for Amy .
324 reviews107 followers
August 10, 2022
This is the third book in The Pizza Parlor Mystery series by Rosie A Point. In this installment, we find that Gina is taking a break from running her uncle Rocco's pizza parlor while the place is undergoing a remodeling project. Early one morning when waiting on the contractor, Gina has the bad luck of witnessing a murder right in broad daylight! The owner of the new ice cream parlor, Jessa, was shot down by a man on a dirt bike shortly after she had been seen talking with bakery owner, Matilda. However, Gina is determined to make sure that Matilda is not found guilty because she knows that her friend would never do anything like this...

With twists and turns and Gina landing herself in lots of trouble, you just can't help but enjoy these short mysteries. I really loved this third book and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next in the series soon!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Melinda.
807 reviews4 followers
July 29, 2022
I had a hard time caring what happened to any of these people. I will read the next in series, but this one was lukewarm.
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,539 reviews13 followers
August 2, 2022
short but sweet!

Gina has some rare time off from the pizzeria so she accepts a date to go on a picnic with Jacob. They had a good coffee one, then and awkward dinner so the picnic is a surprise. Gina is still conflicted on her future and leery of men after her ex and his machinations. As she contemplates her future and watches over some minor renovations at the pizzeria Gina goes to introduce herself to the new owner of the ice cream parlor. They chat and as Gina walks back towards her place she sees a motorbike gun down Jessa. Matilda is in the crosshairs as she was one of the last people to see the victim Jessa alive. Gina frustrated and annoyed that her friend is under suspicion for something she didn’t do decides to put her detective cap back on and dive into investigating. Gina finds many things odd about the situation not the least of which is the behavior of Jessa’s sister. On top of that she is struggling with plans for her future. Should she stay in Lake Basil and take over the pizzeria or does she try for something bigger in The City. Lots of things are up in the air but one thing is certain Gina won’t let Matilda take the fall.
This is absolutely a quirky book but it’s a fun lighthearted story. I like the characters and the humor. Gina’s lightbulb moment of revelation and growth made me laugh out loud. A bit on the short side but other than that a very good book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Merry Chapman.
2,561 reviews23 followers
August 4, 2022
This is a fun must read that you just can't put down! Finally, Gina has her uncle's pizzaria making money; enough that she can start renovating the shop. When she is walking back from the new ice cream parlor, she sees Jessa gunned down in the street and Gina's best friend, Matilda is arrested. With time on her hands, Gina has to prove Matilda is innocent. But who is the murderer. With many twists and turns and a surprise ending this is a must read. It is short and fast paced. Add to this, you have Gina going out with Jacob for a surprise picnic since their dinner date didn't go so well. What is in store for them as awkward as it may be. And once the pizza parlor is renovated and in good shape, will she leave Lake Basil as she keeps saying? I love this series and I love Gina's and Matilda's characters and who can forget Matilda's cat, Jumbo who always seems to bring Gina back to calm. With a great whodunit and some laugh out loud moments this is a must read! I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
1,178 reviews
August 14, 2022
This is fun book to read. Gina is doing well with the pizzeria and has even made some money to start renovating the place. Her relationship with Jacob is still unclear but he likes her a lot and wants to protect her. When Jessa, who owns the ice cream shop is murdered in front of Gina she feels the need to who would do such a thing. Gina and Matilda were the last two people to see her and rumors are floating around pointing the finger at Matilda. Join Gina as she pokes her nose into the investigation, gets into trouble and wonders about her future. As Gina tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together with plenty of twists, turns and secrets, will she discover who murdered Jessa? Will Gina and Jacob have a future together?

What a delightful read Everything about this book appealed to me. The plot and characters were well-written, making you feel like you are friends. This was a perfect cozy mystery with just the perfect amount of humor, mystery, intrigue, and adventure that will keep any reader completely engaged. I highly recommend the series.
Profile Image for Tari.
3,634 reviews103 followers
August 3, 2022
Gina was finally getting some success and good numbers from the pizzeria, so it was time to do a little renovating. Which gave her time for, you guessed it...sleuthing another murder. This was a little worse than usual because the victim was killed as poor Gina just stood there.

It was cute to see Jacob and Gina spending time together. She still doesn't seem to know how long she's staying, but while she's there, at least she's got a nice guy to hang out with. I love it when Gina and Matilda discuss the case along with good old Jumbo the comfort kitty. I definitely hadn't guessed the perp at all this time! I'll be a little sad when the next book comes out because I read it's the last in this little series. But this author has a good way with both short and long series, and they always end great!
Profile Image for Debbie Orazi.
1,755 reviews26 followers
August 9, 2022
This book was the third installment of the cozy mystery series.

Romano's Pizzeria is closed for some cosmetic repairs so Gina finds herself with free time on her hands. She has a do to list she wants to work on but gets distracted by another murder. Jesse Walters the owner of the ice cream shop is gunned down right in front of Gina by a masked person riding a blue dirt bike. After being interrogated by Detective Shawn Carter she stops by to see her bestie Matilda and get snuggles from Jumbo the cat. Gina tells Matilda she is pretty sure she will be brought in for questioning next. Gina is compelled to find the killer to clear her and Matilda's names. She finds out who the killer is before he/she can hurt another person.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.7k reviews359 followers
August 9, 2022
Who Killed Jenna ? . . .

Now living in Lake Basil, Gina Romano has finally made Uncle Rocco’s pizza parlor profitable. But she needs to decide whether she will continue to live here or move back to the city. When she begins renovations on the pizzeria, she has some time for visiting and wants to stop in to the ice cream shoppe to visit Jenna. She hears a motorbike, finds it has no license plate so she can report it to the police, then watches in horror as Jenna is gunned down by the rider! Unfortunately, Gina’s best friend Matilda was the last person seen with the victim, so she becomes the prime suspect.

Gina switches to detective-mode to investigate the murder and find who really killed Jenna. Can she find out who did it and why? And will Gina and Jake be going on more dates since the picnic date was a success? Or won’t Gina be staying there long enough for another date?
2,648 reviews12 followers
August 4, 2022
Face to face with murder!

Now that her uncle’s pizza parlor is back on the road to success, it is time for Gina to decide if she is going to remain in her hometown or return to the big city. She is emotionally traumatized when a brutal murder occurs in front of her and her friend is a prime suspect. She is determined to uncover the real murderer.

This is a fun cozy mystery and I love the recipes included at the end of the book. What a good series! The Brittany and the sheriff are characters you love to hate and Jumbo is the friendliest cat ever. I’m also curious to see where romance takes Gina. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
6,020 reviews45 followers
August 8, 2022
Gina has managed to produce a bit of money for a cosmetic update to the pizza parlor

An old rival seems to have developed stalker tendencies. A new beau might be a bit more invested than Gina is ready for.

Uncle Rocco is more ready to retire than return to work. Does Gina want to stay, or pursue other dreams?

Anger makes people more than a little crazy. Can Gina and the restaurant survive the fallout? Matilda and her beauty of a cat too?

Murderous mayhem meets small town growing pains.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,372 reviews8 followers
August 6, 2022
This series is really taking off and with the pizzeria finally making some money and Gina met Jacob but had an awkward dinner so they are opting for a picnic will it work out of will she let her ex's manipulations keep her from finding someone new. Then Gina sees Jessa killed and Matilda arrested, Gina has to put her detective cap back on to solve the crime and help Matilda. Then Gina has to decide if she will stay in lake Basil or go back to the city, so many decisions. I received this book as an arc and these opinions are mine alone.
Profile Image for Bev.
3,271 reviews98 followers
August 6, 2022
The pizza shoppe is closed for a week--Gina is finally able to get somethings done to inside to make it look cleaner and better. While talking with Jessa one morning a dirt bike comes by and shoots Jessa dead! Now her sister, Bella, who didn't get along with Jessa will inherit Jessa's ice cream shoppe. But Bells is planning of selling it--there were problems with the equipment and there was no profit. But was that enough of a reason to kill Jessa? Did her own sister have her killed? I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
186 reviews2 followers
March 12, 2023
This is the third book in this series and the third book I have read. Gina is working so hard on getting her uncles Pizzeria back in shape and up and running again but murders just keep happening. This time the murder happened right before her eyes. She works hard and fast to catch the murderer and save her best friend that the cops are trying to pin the murder on.
Each of these books have gotten better than the last. Can’t wait for the next book, even though it the final in the series. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
709 reviews5 followers
August 4, 2022
Another great bite sized cozy from Point when Gina again shows her loyalty in trying to clear her friend who is a suspect in a recent ride by shooting.

The ending with the revelation of the motive and capture of the culprit did seem too abrupt considering the amount of investigating and questioning done throughout.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Amary Chapman.
1,665 reviews27 followers
August 6, 2022
A short culinary cozy
Gina is still back in Lake Basil helping her uncle run the pizzeria when she witnesses a friend's murder and another friend is implicated. She snoops around to try to prove her innocence and gets herself embroiled in a few 'situations'. The book contains humor and a romantic interest and a few recipes at the end. It's a fun read
I received an ARC gratis and offer my opinion in the same.

Profile Image for Priscilla Oliveira.
329 reviews4 followers
August 8, 2022
I really enjoyed Hold the murder. Gina is very funny and clumsy. She always gets into trouble when she tries to solve a murder to protect the ones she loves! I think she should give up going back to the big city and become a detective in lake Basil! A very fun read! I'm already looking forward to seeing what she decides to do about her career and her crush!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3,352 reviews18 followers
August 10, 2022
No spoilers here.

Never disappointed with Rosie's cozy mysteries. Her writing pulls you in and holds your attention from beginning to end. Suspense and mystery grab you and keep you turning the pages while you try to solve the mystery of who dun it. The characters are enjoyable and work well together to solve the mystery.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kat M.
5,189 reviews18 followers
August 12, 2022
this was another great entry in the A Pizza Parlor Mystery series, it had what I enjoyed from Ms. Point and her mystery novels. The characters were what I enjoyed and I had a good time trying to solve this mystery myself. The cover looks so good and I liked the cartoony cover to help deal with darker themes. This was a great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Larry.
3,036 reviews17 followers
August 2, 2022
This was a decent story. The main character is a bit pushy and gets herself into unnecessary trouble, but her intentions are honorable. She just has to back off sometimes. The plot is easily followed and the characters are interesting. I would like the stories to be tightened up a bit more, though. I do recommend this book and the other two.
Profile Image for Lee Brothers.
1,370 reviews14 followers
August 3, 2022
It’s been fun to watch Gina go from her painful break up that led to her coming back to Lake Basil to even considering sticking around. I did not suspect the person who killed Jessa, her murder was so violent! The author did a good job of wrapping all the layers together. I can’t wait to read the next book!
Profile Image for  Sophie.
2,003 reviews
August 9, 2022
I liked Gina and her friends. The small town feeling was well developed. I liked the mystery and all the questions that went along with it. Rosie makes you think about all the suspects until you figure out the right one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
136 reviews
September 13, 2022
I Wish This Series Was Longer!

This third book of the Pizza Store series was the best of the three, but only because it was so full of suspense! I know the next book is the last in the short series, but now that I've gotten to know the main characters, I wish Rosie would flesh them out a bit more. Happy reading!
Profile Image for Dwayne Keller.
1,009 reviews13 followers
September 25, 2022
Gina is enjoying the pizza shop running well. There is a summer festival about to start and the ice cream vendor is murdered. Gina's best friend is accused of the murder so Gina starts to investigate. Of course the police doesn't want her involved. Can she solve the murder and stay out of trouble? Read the story to find out what happens. Another great story in the Pizza Parlor mysteries.
155 reviews
July 30, 2022
I'd like a pizza with extra murder!

I liked this book. It was short
but fast-moving. It had quirky new characters and interesting returning characters. Lots of laugh out loud humor. With some romance thrown in! And a mystery that kept me guessing till the end!
71 reviews4 followers
August 4, 2022
Rosie Pointe has done it again. This is another cozy mystery that keeps you guessing all the way through the book. I must admit I was very surprised and taken back when the murderer was revealed. Great book.

I was given an ARC copy to read. The opinion here is my own.
Profile Image for Heather W.
4,065 reviews35 followers
August 9, 2022
Hold the Murder is the third book in the Pizza Parlor Mystery series. The story has great characters, humour, murder, and twists and turns.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Carolyn Valdez.
500 reviews14 followers
August 10, 2022
This is the third installment in the series and just like the other two it was just as interesting and exciting to read. I can’t wait to read more about Gina and the rest of the gang.


I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Jennifer Laird-Lord.
410 reviews4 followers
August 12, 2022
Gina is trying to get the pizzeria ready to open in the midst of another murder. Will she get it solved? It's a fun read with good characters. I would recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,170 reviews
March 1, 2024
Gina witnesses a murder, is questioned for two hours about what she witness by Detective Carter who shows compassion but then stands up to Sheriff Gill (Yay) who lacks compassion towards a witness 🤦‍♀️. Gina has a love interest that throws her
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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