Stevie‘s review of Murder on the Menu (Nosey Parker, Book 1) by Fiona Leitch
Cozy Culinary Mystery published by One More Chapter 15 Jan 21
I’ve mentioned before that I’m a great fan of novels with recipes in them. While most of those I’ve read have been women’s fiction or romance, I also like the idea of cosy mysteries with associated cookery and/or baking. So obviously I was keen to look into the first book in this new series, especially given that I’m also partial to books set in Cornwall. Jodie Parker is the daughter of a popular and well-known senior police officer, who followed her dad into the force, but then moved away to avoid being compared to him. After a longish stint with the Met, she leaves the police to take up what she expects to be a less risky career as a baker and chef, returning to her old hometown with her daughter to be close to her now widowed mum. Of course, mysteries immediately spring up around Jodie.
Jodie’s first big catering job is a last minute rescue of the wedding reception for her old friend Tony and his soon-to-be second wife, which she offers to take on for whatever the previous company was going to charge, plus the sofa she had her eye on in Tony’s family’s department store. The wedding party includes several other old friends, plus their families, and is gatecrashed by Tony’s first wife – and the story of their break-up is fun in itself. When the first wife is found dead and the second one disappears, Jodie finds herself investigating – much to the disgust of the man now installed in her dad’s old post.
Fortunately Jodie knows far more of the locals than the incomer DCI, and can use her charms on her dad’s former colleagues to find out just what the police know. She also has help from her mum, her daughter, and the adorable fluff-ball of a dog they’ve managed to take on in the course of the investigation.
I liked this book a lot. The characters were well described and suitably over the top without being unbelievable. The settings were also very vivid, and the whole plot made sense in the context of the story. I definitely need to track down more books in the series.
Grade: A
Summary:
Still spinning from the hustle and bustle of city life, Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is glad to be back in the Cornish village she calls home. Having quit the Met Police in search of something less dangerous, the change of pace means she can finally start her dream catering company and raise her daughter, Daisy, somewhere safer.
But there’s nothing like having your first job back at home to be catering an ex-boyfriend’s wedding to remind you of just how small your village is. And when the bride, Cheryl, vanishes Jodie is drawn into the investigation, realising that life in the countryside might not be as quaint as she remembers…
With a missing bride on their hands, there is murder and mayhem around every corner but surely saving the day will be a piece of cake for this not-so-amateur sleuth?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
