Buffalo West Wing (A White House Chef Mystery #4)

Buffalo West Wing
by Julie Hyzy
Rating: ★★★★
Series: White House Chef Mystery #4
Publication Date: January 4, 2011
Pages: 305
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can’t afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a “no-wing” situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder. But when it turns out to be poisoned poultry, Olivia realizes the kids are true targets.

2022: I won’t say the best in the series now, because I know there are better coming, but the book held up really well.

2013: The best one in the series!

Buffalo West Wing was interesting from the first chapter. The plot took on a depth you don’t often find in cozy mysteries, and towards the end, I was so involved in the story, I found myself snapping at whomever interrupted my reading. The culprits were a bit of a surprise to me, which I always enjoy, and I love the re-introduction of Gavin. He was the only male character in this series that ever pricked my interest and I hope he’s back for the long haul. The romance between Ollie and Tom always left me totally flat, and I’m glad things have changed between them.

Why not 5 star? Virgil. He was immature, petulant and I don’t think his presence in the storyline added anything at all to the story. I can’t wait to open the next book and see what happens next.

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson #4)

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
by Darynda Jones
Rating: ★★★★
isbn: 9781250014467
Series: Charlie Davidson #4
Publication Date: November 4, 2012
Pages: 308
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Sometimes being the grim reaper really is, well, grim. And since Charley's last case went so awry, she has taken a couple of months off to wallow in the wonders of self-pity. But when a woman shows up on her doorstep convinced someone is trying to kill her, Charley has to force herself to rise above . . . or at least get dressed. It becomes clear something is amiss when everyone the woman knows swears she's insane. But the more they refute the woman's story, the more Charley believes it.

In the meantime, the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, is out of prison and out of Charley's life, as per her wishes and several perfectly timed death threats. But his absence has put a serious crimp in her sex life. While there are other things to consider, like the fact that the city of Albuquerque has been taken hostage by an arsonist, Charley is having a difficult time staying away. Especially when it looks like Reyes may be involved.

Just excellent. Have I mentioned how much I love this whole series? and this book was fabulous.

Truly great snark making for excellent readability. Fabulous characters with depth. No relationship in the book is perfect, but realistically messy – with the exception of Charlie and Cookie and, please, just don’t mess with that!

The main(ish) plot point of this book was an interesting one with a creepy twist at the end that I only half liked (and that’s all I can say without spoilers), but the entire story and all the plots had my undivided attention. I literally devoured this book in one sitting. It’s going to be a very long year waiting for the next book…

Eggsecutive Orders (White House Chef #3)

Eggsecutive Orders
by Julie Hyzy
Rating: ★★★
isbn: 9780425232033
Series: White House Chef Mystery #3
Publication Date: January 5, 2010
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

When NSA big shot Carl Minkus dies right after eating the dinner Olivia Paras’s staff had prepared, all forks point to them. Now the Secret Service is picking apart the kitchen-and scrutinizing the staff’s every move. The timing couldn’t be worse with the White House Lawn Easter Egg Roll to prep for without access to a kitchen. Olivia must find the real culprit-before she cracks under pressure.

2022: Wasn’t the interruptions, this is still my least favourite book in the series.

2012: I was reading this while I had a lot of stuff going on and kept getting interrupted, but I have to say this was just not my favorite of the series. It had elements I really liked, but also a lot of stuff I found myself skimming over.

The plot was strong and I didn’t see who did it until the end, but I guess I just can’t enjoy all the animosity Ollie is surrounded with – just way too much, although perhaps some of that was resolved towards the end of the story. I’m hoping the next book will pull me back in.

Death and the Girl Next Door (Darklight #1)

Death and the Girl Next Door
by Darynda Jones
Rating: ★★★★
isbn: 9780312625207
Series: Darklight #1
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Pages: 286
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

I don’t read a ton of YA, and I picked this one up especially because I’m a huge fan of Ms. Jones’ Charley Davidson series. I loved this book, I picked it up and did not put it down again until I’d read the last page and the excerpt from the next book.

All the great witty dialogue I’ve come to expect and adore from Ms. Jones writing, set in a teen universe. I love the strong focus here on the mythology of Angels, although I wouldn’t have normally picked up a book ‘about’ angels. All of the characters are just excellent, and the word play amongst them all is just a pure joy to read, although I worry about Glitch and his place in all of this.

I just had a really great time reading this story and I eagerly await the next book.

No Quest For The Wicked (Enchanted, Inc., #6)

This is such a great series for anyone looking for a light, fun, humorous read. No Quest for the Wicked is so action-packed it’s almost exhausting to read, but a lot of fun during the wild ride. I hope this is a series she continues to enjoy success with as I look forward to seeing all the great characters again soon.

Hail to the Chef (White House Chef Mystery #2)

Hail to the Chef
by Julie Hyzy
Rating: ★★★★
isbn: 9780425224991
Series: White House Chef Mystery #2
Publication Date: December 2, 2008
Pages: 328
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

White House executive chef Ollie Paras has to put her own interests on the back burner when a kindly electrician is electrocuted to death, and the First Lady’s nephew dies in an apparent suicide less than 24 hours after cleaning shrimp with Ollie. Ollie suspects something fishy is going on. She’ll have to watch her back—and find a killer unlikely to be pardoned.

Ok, in spite of the fact that I guessed everything from the start, I really enjoyed this book. There was a lot of action, very little inner dialogue (which drives me nuts) and the characters were very likeable.

I’d prefer more interaction between Ollie and Tom, her supposed boyfriend. I actually found myself wishing for some spark between her and Gav, just for a little zing in my mystery. But overall, it was a book I enjoyed and didn’t want to put down.

State of the Onion (White House Chef Mystery #1)

State of the Onion
by Julie Hyzy
Rating: ★★★
isbn: 9780425218693
Series: White House Chef Mystery #1
Publication Date: January 2, 0200
Pages: 325
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

Never let them see you sweat-that’s White House Assistant Chef Olivia Paras’s motto, which is pretty hard to honor in the most important kitchen in the world. She’s hell-bent on earning her dream job, Executive Chef. There’s just one thing: her nemesis is vying for it, too. Well, that and the fact that an elusive assassin wants to see her fry.

2022: I suddenly felt like binging on re-reads, and I started with this series. The first book actually improved upon my memory of the first read, if only because I know where the series is going now.

2012: Overall, a very good story. I was positive I knew who the killer was until the very end, when I was proved very wrong.

All the characters in the white house kitchen were likeable and I enjoyed reading about them. There were a couple of times when the main character waxed lyrical about the honor of working in the white house, and while I understood the feelings the author was trying to convey, it felt a bit over-the-top.

The only place I felt the author failed was the relationship between Ollie and Tom. His treatment of her throughout the story felt wrong for someone who was supposed to love her and didn’t endear me to him at all. And his complete 180 wasn’t explained at all – one minute he was so mad at her he couldn’t even talk to her, and the next, they’re hugging and he’s grinning and talking about never letting her go. huh?

Overall, though, I enjoyed this book and I’ll gladly pick up the next in the series.

Bone Appétit (Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries)

upgrade from paperback

Window on the Square

Window on the Square
by Phyllis A. Whitney
Rating: ★★★★½
Publication Date: January 1, 1962
Pages: 297
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
Publisher: Appleton-Century-Crofts

This was one of the first ‘adult’ books I’d ever read, one of my mothers favorites. I love the story, even though it’s not my usual fare.

Ms. Whitney does a brilliant job of writing characters that come alive – from the prim and proper Megan, to the mercurial Brandon, and the dark and forbidding Garth. I’ve read this story again and again over the years, wearing out the paperback until it is in pieces and held together with a rubber band. I upgraded to the hardcover version so I can keep on re-reading this book – it stands up very well over time.

If you like a ‘dark’ (kind of gothic) cozy, I think you’ll enjoy reading this oldie but goodie.

No Way to Kill a Lady (Blackbird Sisters #8)

No Way to Kill a Lady
by Nancy Martin
Rating: ★★★★
isbn: 9780451237057
Series: Blackbird Sisters #8
Publication Date: August 6, 2012
Pages: 310
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Obsidian

Great-aunt Madeleine Blackbird has died in a volcanic eruption on an Indonesian island and left her fabulous Bucks County estate to the three Blackbird sisters. But when Nora and her scandal-ridden sisters, Libby and Emma, go to claim their windfall, they find the house in decay and all of their aunt’s to-die-for treasures gone. They also find a woman’s body….

Nora feels compelled to seek out the truth, but even with help from her mobster boyfriend, Mick Abruzzo, who provides distractions both dark and delightful, solving this case proves challenging. Relatives are circling to claim a share of Madeleine’s property, the suspect list is growing, and Nora’s wild and wacky sisters are adding one surprise after another. It’s enough to put Nora’s couture undies in a serious twist!

I love this series and I was thrilled to see No Way to Kill a Lady published – I had thought Ms. Martin had killed the series with the last book.

The crazy sisters are back and as nuttier as ever, with Nora starting to embrace the dark side just a teeny tiny bit – only for a greater good, of course. The mystery surrounding the death of their great-aunt had an interesting cast of suspects, although not nearly so interesting as the life Aunt Madeline lived. A very short list of suspects meant that the ‘reveal’ at the end wasn’t shocking, but also wasn’t obvious.

I am happy to see that in this book, Michael finally pulled his head out of his nether regions and revealed a bit of the mystery that he is, as his refusal to share anything in previous books was wearing thin.

I genuinely hope to see more of Nora Blackbird in many future books – it’s truly one of my all-time favorite series, and with No Way to Kill a Lady, Ms. Martin has shown that she and Nora still have plenty of tales to tell.