Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Review and Giveaway: Killer in the Kitchen

Killer in the Kitchen (Murder She Wrote - Book 43) by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

Publication Date: 04/07/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 272
ISBN-100451468384
ISBN-13978-0451468383

(Received for an honest review from Obsidian Mystery)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, itunes

Donald Bain on the WEB: websitefacebook, goodreads

Books in the Series:

Murder She Wrote

  1. Gin and Daggers
  2. Manhattans and Murder
  3. Rum and Razors
  4. Brandy and Bullets
  5. Martinis and Mayhem
  6. A Deadly Judgement
  7. A Palette for Murder
  8. The Highland Fling Murders
  9. Murder on the QE2
10. Murder in Moscow
11. A Yuletide Murder
12. Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch
13. Knock'em Dead
14. Trick or Treachery
15. Blood on the Vine
16. Murder in a Minor Key
17. Provence - to Die for
18. You Bet Your Life
19. Majoring in Murder
20. Destination Murder
21. Dying to Retire
22. A Vote for Murder
23. The Maine Mutiny
24. Margaritas and Murder
25. A Question of Murder
26. Three Strikes and You're Dead
27. Coffee, Tea, or Murder
28. Panning for Murder
29. Murder on Parade
30. A Slaying in Savannah
31. Madison Avenue Shoot
32. A Fatal Feast
33. Nashville Noir
34. The Queen's Jewels
35. Skating on Thin Ice
36. The Fine Art of Murder
37. Trouble at High Tide
38. Domestic Malice
39. Prescription For Murder
40. Close-Up on Murder
41. Aloha Betrayed

42. Death of a Blue Blood
43. Killer in the Kitchen

Coverart:



Synopsis:


In the latest in the USA Today bestselling series, someone writes a recipe for murder.…
Jessica loves the Fin & Claw restaurant, owned by young couple Brad and Marcie. And the restaurant is the couple’s dream come true. But when famed chef Gerard Leboeuf decides to open an eatery right next to theirs, tensions rise fast and hot—and lead to a nasty confrontation between Leboeuf and Brad. So when Leboeuf is found dead with a knife planted in his chest, Brad becomes suspect number one. But plenty of others had a motive to kill Leboeuf, and it’s up to Jessica to uncover who really added murder to the menu.

Thoughts:

If you are a fan of the Murder She Wrote television show you would probably love the Murder She Wrote book series by author Donald Bain. Readers and fans of the series both tv and books, love Jessica Fletcher, a writer from Cabot Cove who tends to find herself in the middle of just about every murder investigation that turns up in the area. Bain does an amazing job of keeping Jessica's voice alive, long after the tv show has ended. Killer in the Kitchen is the 43rd book in the series and Bain shows no sign of slowing down. A well written addition to the series!

There's a new chef in town and he is ruffling a lot of feathers. Pepe Leboeuf has had a house in Cabot Cove for awhile but when he decides to start a new restaurant to compete with the others in town, he ends up dead. It's up to Jessica to prove that it is not one of the owners of her favorite restaurant, Leg and Claw, who did it. As always Donald Bain does an amazing job of writing Jessica. She is just the same inquisitive and plain spoken as she was in the tv show. I like the way she investigates. Straightforward and to the point. She isn't afraid to put herself in hot water to find a killer and she proves that in Killer in the Kitchen.

The mystery aspect of this book was really interesting. I found myself captivated by Brad and Marcie and their struggle to make the Leg and Crab a great restaurant. Though Leboeuf may have been a threat to their livelihood, the reader knows that Brad was not the killer from the beginning. Finding out who really did it was the challenge. I liked the fact that Bain gives the readers good motives and good suspects in this one. It wasn't easy to figure out who did it, but it was fun to go from clue to clue and try to put the puzzle together. 

Cabot Cove is a great small town for a mystery series. Maybe not a great place to live since the murder count continues to grow, but still a great place to read about. I like the fact that Bain continues to figure out new ways to make this series seem new and inviting. That is something really difficult to do 43 books in. I think that speaks a lot to the writers versatility and imagination. Jessica is a great character to work with, but I think it takes a lot more than just a blueprint to go from to make a series great, regardless of whether or not readers are familiar with the show.
Bottom Line:

This book was a true cozy mystery. It was clue based and the reader could follow along just like the lead characters in figuring out whodunit. Bain was able to draw the reader in with a good hook and keep them on the line until the very end. I liked the fact that this one was set in Cabot Cove. Some of the books that Bain writes for the series that take Jessica out of her niche seem to fall a little short. But when she is in her hometown, Jessica and the story shines. I thought this one was particularly interesting. Readers who are mystery lovers and foodies can't go wrong with this one!

Killer in the Kitchen is available in hardcover, NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




About the Author: 


Jessica Fletcher is a bestselling mystery writer who has a knack for stumbling upon real-life mysteries in her various travels. Donald Bain, her longtime collaborator, is the writer of more than one hundred other books, many of them bestsellers.


Donald Bain, her longtime collaborator, is the writer of more than one hundred other books, many of them bestsellers.





Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Killer in the Kitchen by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, April 21st.

1. Please leave a comment. What is your favorite bird? and why?

2. Please fill out the FORM.

16 comments:

rubynreba said...

I like robins because they are a sign here in Iowa that spring has to be close!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

traveler said...

Doves because they represent peace. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Our neighbors put out jelly that attracts orioles. It's fun to see them and they are a little different that what we usually have around here.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

(although I agree in principle with rubynreba about robins being good because it's means spring here in the North!)

Michelle F. said...

I like flamingos because of the pink color, but I like lots of birds and have some stuffed animals that are birds, such as penguins, a puffin, an eagle, and Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig. I like Donna Andrew's bird mysteries. I have about half of the Murder, She Wrote books.

Anonymous said...

I would say pigeons.

Grandma Cootie said...

My favorite bird is the hummingbird. I could sit for hours and watch them hover and then dart in to the feeder, and then dart back out again.

Rita Wray said...

I love the macaw, they are beautiful and very smart.

lag123 said...

The Blue Heron because they are so regal.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

Nancy said...

I love robins because they are a sign that spring is not far away.

bn100 said...

no fav one; they're all interesting

Sue Farrell said...

I love crows because they are so smart---and can be very funny. I had a pet crow when I was a child---he was a great pet.

Mama Cat said...

I've not had a favorite, but very much miss some of the birds from back home - their colors and personalities are so unique! Missing most the robins (first sign of spring), seagulls (beautiful!) and the blue jays & cardinals (very opinionated)!

jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com

Elizabeth Schroedle said...

I love bluejays probably because my favorite color is blue. For as long as I can remember, there has been a bluejay nest in the tree in my backyard. I also like cardinals as there are always a pair of them hanging out in my yard too.

cyn209 said...

my favorite bird is a cockatiel, as I used to have one many years ago...her name was Pepper......

TAMMY CUEVAS said...

I guess the hummingbird would be my favorite.

tcuevas@iccable.com

Anonymous said...


I love Murder shows way back and now again.
I love Red Birds. Just think they are pretty and mean Spring. Maxie ( mac262(at)me(dot)com )