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It is my pleasure to feature
Murder Is No Picnic by Amy Pershing today!
Murder Is No Picnic (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery)
by Amy Pershing
About Murder is No Picnic
Murder Is No Picnic (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Publisher : Berkley (June 7, 2022)
Mass Market Paperback : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593199189
ISBN-13 : 978-0593199183
Digital ASIN : B09K66BGZF
The Fourth of July is coming, and for professional food lover Samantha Barnes, it’s all about the picnic. Okay, and the fireworks. And the parade. But mostly the picnic. What could be better than a DIY clambake followed by the best blueberry buckle in the world? Sam has finally found the perfect recipe in the kitchen of Clara Foster, famed cookbook author, and retired restaurateur, and she’s thrilled when Clara agrees to a buckle baking lesson.
But when Clara dies in a house fire blamed on carelessness in the kitchen, Sam doesn’t believe it. Unfortunately, her doubts set in motion an investigation pointing to the new owner of Clara’s legendary restaurant—and a cousin of Sam’s harbormaster boyfriend. So, in between researching the Cape’s best lobster rolls and planning her clambake, Sam needs to find Clara’s killer before the fireworks really start…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Foodie Samantha Barnes has big plans for the 4th of July. A clambake on the beach outside the home she inherited from her Aunt Ida. She just needs the perfect dessert to serve and she finds it while out for dinner at the legendary Clara’s Place. The “Best Blueberry Buckle in the World!” and the famous cookbook author Clara Foster has agreed to give a buckle baking lesson. Sam is thrilled especially when she learns the recipe’s secret ingredient.
Sam is shocked when she learns Clara has died when her house caught fire shortly after she left. She is even more appalled when the fire is blamed on Clara’s carelessness. Sam saw the way Clara worked in her well-designed kitchen. There is no way Clara caused that fire. Thankfully Sam’s doubts get the police to open an investigation but they are focused on her boyfriend Jason’s cousin who just happens to be the new owner of Clara’s Place as their prime suspect.
So while Sam is firming up plans for her clambake she needs to come up with the perfect recipe to find Clara’s killer. She knows her friends are going to help her even though Detective Vivian Peters may not like it.
I have to start with the setting for this series. Every time I open a Cape Cod Foodie Mystery I am excited to arrive at Aunt Ida’s, now Sam’s home with the spectacular views. Ida had added a little ell to the house when she could no longer keep up with the huge place. That ell is the perfect place for Sam and her dog Dioge (D-O-G) and Jason’s visiting cat as she and Jason work to renovate the big house as time and money allow. Ms. Pershing describes everything so well readers can take a literary vacay to the Cape.
She has also created a wonderful cast of characters. A group of long-time friends that come together so naturally for fun and sleuthing all while usually devouring something that made my mouth water. Their dialogues are fresh and true to life including the inner dialogues of Sam as she tries to solve the mystery. This time Jillian took the lead but everyone stepped up to do whatever they could to catch the killer. What I really enjoyed was that the tricky relationship between Sam and Detective Vivian Peters, Vivvie to her friends, is starting to blossom into a real friendship. Vivien took time to listen to Sam’s theories and her “evidence” no matter how crazy they were. Again that big scene-stealer Dioge stole my heart. I do wish Jason hadn’t been out of town for most of the story but it added a little romantic drama to the story.
The author has blended a terrific mystery with the characters’ everyday lives that draws readers right into the story. She dishes up some well-placed twists and some nice red herrings that sure kept me guessing. My attention was glued to the pages as the killer was taken down and a favorite character was rescued. I was surprised by the way the capture played out but quickly realized it was a very satisfying way to wrap up the case. What happened after that was so nice. When I turned the final page I had a great big smile on my face.
I am so glad one of the recipes included in the book is for the Darn Fine Blueberry Buckle. People of my generation may remember feeding their infants Gerber’s, Blueberry Buckle. I am not a blueberry fan but when my husband would feed the kids it was 1 spoonful for him then one spoonful for the child until the jar was empty. I think he is going to enjoy this adult version a lot.
Murder Is No Picnic
I can’t wait for the next installment of this entertaining cozy culinary mystery series!
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About Amy Pershing
Amy Pershing, who spent every summer of her childhood on Cape Cod, was an editor, a restaurant reviewer and a journalist before writing the Cape Cod Foodie mysteries, including A Side of Murder — which Elizabeth Gilbert called “the freshest, funniest mystery I have ever read” — and An Eggnog to Die For — which Kirkus Reviews gave a starred review, saying, “A delightful sleuth, a complex mystery, and lovingly described cuisine: a winner for both foodies and mystery mavens.” The third book in the series, Murder Is No Picnic, also received a starred review from Kirkus, which wrote: “A clever, empathetic and totally believable heroine sets this fine cozy above the competition.”
Author Links
Website: AmyPershingAuthor.com
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Purchase Links
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Great Escapes Praise for Murder Is No Picnic (A Cape Cod Foodie Mystery)
by Amy Pershing
Murder Is No Picnic is a great addition to the Cape Cod Foodie series. I was entertained from page one with wonderful characters and a solid mystery. I can’t wait to continue this series and highly recommend it to cozy mystery fans—especially those who enjoy recipes and cooking tips thrown into the mix.
~Novels Alive
The author truly has some skill at describing the area allowing you to really feel like you are there. It sounds like a great place to be. Add in a murder and the story gets really good. Full of fun, intrigue, yummy food, and amazing characters we get a cozy mystery that will keep your attention to the very end. Makes for a great read. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
~Books A Plenty Book Reviews
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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 a fun mystery! My mom used to make blueberry buckle. I haven’t had it in decades.
Sounds like a great read.
What an intriguing book! Great cover too.