The Corpse in the Gazebo (A Food Blogger Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder
About The Corpse in the Gazebo
The Corpse in the Gazebo (A Food Blogger Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Connecticut
Publisher : Kensington (September 28, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback : 368 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496728939
ISBN-13 : 978-1496728937
Digital ASIN : B08RWQYH54
Food blogging is turning Hope Early into a household name. But the dead body down the block makes her a #1 suspect . . .
It seems everyone loves Hope’s blog these days, and she’s busier than ever volunteering to help other women create their own paths to success. So she’s shocked when a neighbor petitions to run Hope right out of her small Connecticut town! Set in her ways, apparently, Birdie Donovan doesn’t like the chaos Hope’s sleuthing creates, the police activity and crime scenes, and it’s happening way too often lately. Eager to make amends, Hope bakes Birdie a batch of her best muffins. The delicious treats might have smoothed things over—until Hope discovers Birdie dead in her gazebo the very next day . . .
Now instead of worrying about holding on to her beloved home, Hope is trying to stay out of jail. Because suddenly she’s the lead suspect in the case. Not even her boyfriend, Police Chief Ethan Cahill, is promising he can clear her name, much less discuss the investigation with her. It’s up to Hope to get to bake new ground on the case before the lifestyle brand she’s created—and her whole life—crumbles . . .
Includes Recipes from Hope’s Kitchen!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Birdie Donovan loves to create chaos. She believes everything should be done her way or not at all. Her latest victim is our Hope Early. She has started a petition to move Hope right out of her own home. She has also brandished her trimmers to cut back a neighbor’s bush to the extreme for encroaching on her property, the bush probably won’t bloom again. She has caused havoc at the library and several other places around town. Hope hopes that bringing Birdie a peace offering of a batch of muffins will defuse the situation. Sadly, Birdie takes the muffins and slams the door in Hope’s face.
The next day Hope returns to Birdie’s house to try again. When Birdie doesn’t answer the door Hope ventures into the yard to see if Birdie is working in her beautiful garden. She does find Birdie but she is dead in her gazebo with Hope’s muffins beside her. Hope’s boyfriend Police Chief Ethan Cahill knows there is no way she could kill anyone but the evidence points directly at his girlfriend. He also can’t share any of the police’s investigation with her. She could lose everything she has worked so hard for. Her sponsors quickly put their funding on hold, even the new one that just signed on. If Ethan can’t save her she is going to have to save herself but may die trying.
These characters just keep getting better and better. Hope has become a very capable amateur sleuth. Birdie was a bully in need of an intervention but she didn’t have to die. Hope’s relationship with Ethan was moving along nicely until Hope was framed for a crime she didn’t commit. It caused a few tense moments for the couple. The relationship with her sister Claire is strong and Claire comes into contact with people Hope doesn’t so she learns more about Birdie’s reign of terror. I love the way Jane and Drew rallied to help Hope too in her investigation. An investigation that really pushed Hope to her limits and almost over the line. The animal characters always make me smile too.
I do enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at how Hope manages her blog and love that she is healing women by helping them to start blogs which can help them strike out in new directions the way it helped Hope turn her life around. She always has a tidbit or two that has me looking critically at my own blog and making tweaks here and there.
Ms. Sennefelder has written a very compelling mystery. Clues were dropped judiciously throughout the story and I definitely fell down the rabbit hole of this story. Hope tried so hard to narrow down the suspects and she may have lost a few friends with her leading questions. I tried hard to find the right recipe for the killer but I could not mix the clues together right at all. I was totally gobsmacked when the killer was actually revealed. I was holding my breath throughout the entire scene and still couldn’t believe what I was reading leading me to read it again and again. Wow, the author got me good.
The Corpse in the Gazebo
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
About Debra Sennefelder
Debra Sennefelder is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery.
Her first novel, THE UNINVITED CORPSE (A Food Blogger mystery) was published in 2018.In addition to writing the Food Blogger mystery series, she writes the Resale Boutique Mystery series. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.
Born and raised in New York City, where she majored in her hobby of fashion buying, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in retail and publishing before becoming a full-time author. Her writing companion is her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu, Connie.
Author Links
Purchase Links – AMAZON – BARNES & NOBLE – KENSINGTON – KOBO – GOOGLE – INDIEBOUND –
Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Kensington – Kobo – Google Play
Also by this Author
![]("https://ir-na.amazon</p)
TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
September 21 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 21 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST
September 22 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE
September 22 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 24 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
September 25 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 25 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
September 26 – Brooke Blogs – RECIPE POST
September 26 – Lisa Ks Book Review – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 27 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
September 27 – I Read What You Write – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 28 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
September 28 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 29 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
September 29 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT
September 30 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 30 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 1 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
October 2 – Laura’s Interests – GUEST POST
October 3 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – GUEST POST
October 3 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT
October 4 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
October 4 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This sounds like such a good book. Thanks for the article. I used to wonder what to read next until I found your blog. Now I have a whole list of series to read.
Sounds like a good read.
Love book cover and excerpt and title. It’s intriguing, mysterious and makes me want to read book right away. Would love to read & review it.
How did you come up with title and setting and why?
Hope I Win
What an intriguing book! Great cover and review. I’d love to read more.
I have an Instagram account but I don’t use it.
Thank you for your review on “The Corpse in the Gazebo” by Debra Sennefelder.
On my TBR list and can’t wait for the opportunity to read. Always enjoy this author’s books.
2clowns at arkansas dot net