Review of "Cheddar Late Than Dead: A Grilled Cheese Mystery" by Linda Reilly

 

In this 3rd book in the 'Grilled Cheese Mysteries' series, restaurateur/amateur sleuth Carly Hale gets involved in two investigations: a murder and a missing person. The book works fine as a standalone.



*****

When thirtysomething Carly Hale's husband died in a tragic accident, she moved back to her hometown of Balsam Dell, Vermont and opened Carly's Grilled Cheese Eatery.



Carly's restaurant has become quite popular, and she now employs assistant manager Valerie Wells;



part-time server Suzanne Rivers;



and grill cook/aspiring chef Grant Robinson.



It took time for Carly to move past her grief, but she's now dating electrician Ari Mitchell.....and things might be getting serious.



As the story opens, two women Carly hasn't seen since high school, Dawn Chapin and Klarissa Taddeo, drop in to Carly's eatery for lunch.



Carly and her old acquaintances hug and catch up and Carly learns Klarissa is engaged to marry Tony Manous, head of Balsam Dell's Grounds and Recreation Department. Klarissa is excited about her upcoming wedding shower, which is scheduled to take place at Balsam Dell Inn in twelve days.

During lunch Klarissa gets a phone call and learns that Balsam Dell Inn is no longer available for her shower because the deposit was late. Though Klarissa herself failed to pay the deposit, she loudly blames Dawn, who's her maid of honor and wedding planner. Hearing the commotion, Carly sidles over to calm the waters.



The situation is resolved when Klarissa - who's something of a bridezilla - announces she'll have her wedding shower in the toney home of Dawn's mother, and Carly is recruited to cater the affair. On party day Carly serves the guests three versions of grilled cheese donuts: plain, with crisp bacon, and with thin-sliced tomatoes, all of which are successful.



After the food is eaten, Carly is brought to the drawing room to be thanked by the attendees. As Carly is returning to the kitchen she comes across Tony Manous's stepmother, who's alone and crying because of Klarissa's mean behavior. Afterwards, Carly overhears an agitated conversation among Dawn Chapin, Tony Manous, and videographer Ron Benoit, who's filming the party. Tony then goes upstairs, and shortly later is found dead at the bottom of the steps.....murdered.



Though Police Chief Holloway tells Carly to keep her nose out of the investigation, Carly's a natural born busybody and can't help but make inquiries.



The situation is complicated when town manager Gretel Engstrom - who had a business disagreement with Tony - disappears. Carly makes up excuses that give her the chance to question people, hoping to gather information that exposes the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, in Carly's personal life, she's dating Ari; worrying about her assistant manager Valerie, who's being harassed by an ex-boyfriend; talking to Grant about his ideas for healthy school lunches; visiting her landlady Joyce who has multiple sclerosis; playing with her cute dog Havarti; and more.



I enjoyed this cozy mystery, which has appealing characters and an interesting plot.

Lots of delicious food is served in the story, and recipes for grilled cheese donuts and Grant's tomato soup are included.

Grilled Cheese Donuts with Bacon


Tomato Soup


Thanks to Netgalley, Linda Reilly, and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Jimmy Dean's Last Dance: A Novel" by A.K. Alliss

This fictional story is a work of alternative history set in 1962 when (real life) Hollywood actor Jimmy Dean was already deceased. The author A.K. Alliss notes that the novel contains many splits from the real world timeline in the areas of music, movies, people, and events 'to highlight the spirit of the early sixties and the celebrity and political culture of the time.' So readers who like to reconcile historical fiction with real life are out of luck. 🙂

*****

As the story opens Jimmy Dean and his pal Elvis Presley are in Mexico, having been sent by a Vegas gangster called Dominic Frazini to bring back a shipment of money and weed.



Things go badly wrong and the partners decide to go home, lie low, and try to keep off Frazini's radar.

Skip ahead five years and Elvis is a truck driver in Mississippi.....



.....and Jimmy is a small-time actor in Hollywood.



Jimmy is friends with Marilyn Monroe, a troubled actress whose private life has been the subject of catty gossip for years.



Over drinks one evening, an anxious Marilyn tells Jimmy the studio is trying to fire her....but she won't say why.



The next morning Marilyn is found dead in her house, and the authorities announce that she killed herself. Jimmy is skeptical about the alleged suicide and decides to investigate. He finds Marilyn's diary, but is soon mugged and beaten by thugs who take the journal, and the message is clear: 'Stop diggin' kid, or you'll end up dead.'



Jimmy knows he needs help and calls his friend Elvis in Mississippi, saying he's in trouble and it's worse than Mexico. Elvis immediately leaves for Los Angeles, and Jimmy and Elvis's adventures begin.



Jimmy is chased by a Secret Service agent sent by President Jack Kennedy, with whom Marilyn was having an affair; and Elvis is abducted en route to L.A. and brought to Dominic Frazini, who says Elvis owes him for Mexico, and he has to kill Jimmy. Elvis can't help but think, 'Why now?'



As Jim and Elvis look into Marilyn's death they're repeatedly followed and attacked and even find a Hollywood bigwig murdered in his home. Finally, a man named 'Hank' - purportedly with the CIA - grabs Jim and Elvis, and says they'll be framed for murder if they don't assassinate President Kennedy.



There's a lot going on in the book with blackmail, murder, and suggestions of a huge conspiracy involving government agencies and the mob. There are also appearances by Dean Martin, George Cukor, Harvey Weinstein, a man called Lee, a woman named Priscilla, Fidel Castro, and more. Jim and Elvis know they're in WAY over their heads, and will need to be clever and lucky to survive.



I enjoyed the story, which is action-packed, with break-ins, kidnappings, brawling, wrestling, martial arts, shooting guns, and more. There's also plenty of humor, and a little bit of nooky as well.



I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Johnny Heller, Neil Hellegers, Bill Lord, Joya Colucci Lord, Jo Anna Perrin, and Anneliese Rennie, all of whom do a good job.

Thanks to Netgalley, A.K. Alliss, and Spectrum Publishing for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Drift: A Novel" by C.J. Tudor

In an interview C.J. Tudor said she got the idea for The Drift in 2019, thinking of the book as a mosaic of locked room mysteries. Then the Covid pandemic hit, and the entire plot came together. The book is a page-turner with 'thrills, twists, and turns, and edge of your seat tension'.....perfect for mystery fans.

*****

The story takes place in the not-too-distant future when a virus pandemic has devastated the world.



An especially ghastly viral variant called Choler turns victims into creatures called Whistlers, who look like skeletons sheathed in skin. Whistlers have black gums, blood red eyes, and pitted scarred lungs that cause a whistling sound when they breathe.



The only reliable vaccine against the virus is blood plasma taken from living victims of infection. Therefore survivors - such as Whistlers - are isolated in rural seclusion centers, called Farms, where they're milked for plasma 'for the greater good.'



Patients who don't survive the infection are incinerated, to help contain the spread of the pathogen.



To try to get the virus under control, a research center, run by a scientist called Professor Grant, is built on the campus of a school named The Academy.....



.....and a nearby abandoned ski resort is converted into a facility called The Retreat, to house medical personnel and research subjects.



Much of the story takes place during a raging blizzard with massive snowfall and gale force winds. The book has a large cast of characters, but there are three main protagonists: Hannah, Meg, and Carter.

⦾ Hannah

During a huge snow storm, a coach carrying twelve students from The Academy to The Retreat overturns into a large snowdrift, and the occupants are trapped inside.



A medical student named Hannah, who happens to be Professor Grant's daughter, assesses the situation and determines that about half the occupants are dead, one is seriously injured, and the rest are relatively alright.



The survivors find the coach was sabotaged, since the exits are jammed shut and the hammers to break the windows are missing.

The passengers' cell phones and duffel bags are locked in an outside luggage compartment, and the students know they're doomed if rescue doesn't come soon. Fresh discoveries make the situation even more dire, and the survivors take measures to try to save themselves. This is especially risky with hungry wolves sniffing and creeping around the coach and someone out to kill everyone on board the bus.



⦾ Meg

A former cop named Meg wakes up in a ski lift cable car that's stalled on it's way up a mountain. Meg realizes she was drugged, and looking around, observes five additional doped passengers, most of whom are beginning to stir.



Meg understands she and the others are trapped in the small swaying cable car, buffeted by the howling wind, with the windows caked with snow.



As the roused passengers introduce themselves, they realize they're all volunteers on their way to The Retreat. One rider remains still, however, and when Meg tries to awaken him, discovers that he's dead....stabbed.

Meg determines someone on board must have committed the homicide, and unease escalates when another person is killed. The remaining passengers feel helpless, knowing the situation is futile if they're not rescued, or if the car doesn't make it to the cable-car station, a few hundred yards away.



Meg hardly cares about being saved, since she's been inconsolable since her daughter succumbed to the virus. However, the ex-cop feels compelled to help the volunteers and to discover the murderer.

⦾ Carter

Carter, half of whose face was eaten away by frostbite, is currently residing at the old ski resort that's now The Retreat.



The former ski chalet, which once housed a fair number of medical personnel, research subjects, and staff, now contains seven people and a dog. The Retreat is relatively comfortable, with a gym, a pool, a community room, a barbecue grill, and bedrooms for the residents. The Retreat also has a basement with locked cubicles that are carefully secured. Things are shaky though, because the power fails periodically, leaving the cubicles unsafe.



On a rotating basis, a resident from The Retreat skis down the mountain to the one open store, to pick up groceries and send a package. Carter grumbles when it's his turn to go down the mountain.....



......and as Carter is climbing back up with the provisions strapped to his skis, he's stymied by whipping snow and fierce winds.



When Carter finally gets back to The Retreat he finds one resident dead in the swimming pool and another resident who's dying. Things go from bad to worse as more people are killed and Whistlers in the surrounding woods make their presence felt.

The three story lines intertwine as the book approaches it's climax, and the denouement is clever and engaging in this smartly constructed novel.

I don't often find it hard to put down a book, but I found myself anxious to get back to this one, to see what happens in the freezing coach, icy cable car, and decaying ski lodge.



Highly recommended to fans of thrillers and suspense stories.

Thanks to Netgalley, C.J. Tudor, and Ballantine Books for a copy of the manuscript.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "Desert Star: A Harry Bosch/Renée Ballard Mystery" by Michael Connelly

In this 24th book in the 'Harry Bosch' series, Detective Bosch and his sometimes partner Detective Renée Ballard look into cold cases. The book would be best enjoyed by readers familiar with the series.

*****

Retired Los Angeles police detective Harry Bosch, now seventy-years-old, likes to listen to jazz, schmooze with his police detective daughter, and mull over haunting cold cases, like the brutal murder of the Gallagher family.



Contractor Stephen Gallagher, his wife, and two children disappeared in 2013, and their bodies were discovered a year later, buried in the desert. By then Gallagher's business partner Finbar McShane had sold off all the company's assets and disappeared. Harry is certain McShane killed the Gallagher family and still hopes to bring him to justice.



Harry gets the chance to do just that when his former partner, Detective Renée Ballard, offers him a volunteer position in her new Open-Unsolved Unit (cold case squad).



The squad is being sponsored by Los Angeles Councilman Jake Pearlman, who hopes the cold case detectives will solve the rape and murder of his 16-year-old sister Sarah in 1994. Renée entices Bosch to join the cold case squad by promising he can investigate the Gallagher homicides, but she expects Harry to look into Sarah's rape and murder as well.

The cold case squad includes Renée, Harry, a former FBI agent, a retired deputy district attorney, an ex-Santa Monica cop, and a genetic genealogist (GG) who uses DNA to trace perpetrators. The GG also considers herself a psychic, which adds interest to the investigations. The unit has regular meetings to discuss ongoing cases, and everyone gets a chance to contribute.



Bosch studies the murder books associated with Sarah Pearlman and suggests that, with modern technology, the palm print of Sarah's killer may yield DNA.



This turns out to be the case, and even more notably, points to a serial killer. These revelations yield fresh clues, and Harry and Renée's continuing inquiries hone in on a surprising murderer.

Harry also delves back into the Gallagher family tragedy. One of Bosch's first moves is to re-interview Stephen Gallagher's assistant Sheila Walsh. Walsh's house was burgled after the Gallaghers disappeared, and Harry thinks this is relevant to the homicides.



The book is part police procedural/part thriller, and despite being a septuagenarian, Harry shows he can power through painful injuries and handle himself in a pinch - be it with fists or a weapon. Ballard also demonstrates she's not a woman to be trifled with, though manipulative politicians and the Police Chief may try to bend things their way.

It appears Harry may be coming to the end of his detective career, but I hope he doesn't hang up his credentials just yet.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to Harry Bosch/Renée Ballard fans.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Promise Me: A Myron Bolitar Mystery" by Harlan Coben

In this 8th book in the Myron Bolitar series, the professional rep/amateur sleuth searches for missing girls. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Myron Bolitar was set to be a professional basketball player when a knee injury scuttled his career.



So Myron went to law school and is currently the co-owner of MB Reps, a New York agency that represents sports figures, actors, and musicians. Myron is aided in this endeavor by two former professional wrestlers: his business partner Esperanza (who wrestled as Little Pocahontas).....



.....and his office manager Big Cyndi.



Myron is also assisted by his best friend/financial advisor Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win), who's among the toughest dudes on the planet. All three helpers are VERY colorful characters.



Myron is a nice guy with a savior complex that compels him to help people in trouble. So when Myron overhears his girlfriend's 18-year-old daughter Erin Wilder and her friend Aimee Biel talk about catching a ride with buzzed friends, his inner rescuer kicks in. Myron makes the girls promise to call him if they ever need a safe ride, and he'll come to their aid, no strings attached.



A couple of nights later, at around 2:00 A.M. Aimee calls Myron and asks him to pick her up in midtown Manhattan. When Aimee gets in the car she requests that Myron take her to a friend's home in New Jersey, where Aimee's spending the night. Aimee then directs Myron to a house on a quiet cul-de-sac and demurs when Myron tries to see her inside. Instead, Aimee gets out, walks down the driveway, waves goodbye....and disappears.



Aimee's parents report her missing, and phone records lead the police right to Myron's door. The cops badger Myron about picking up teenage girls in the middle of the night, which DOES look suspicious. Without further evidence, though, the police have to let Myron go.



The plot thickens, however, because Aimee is the second girl to go missing from her high school. A few months before, a senior named Katie Rochester vanished, and her parents are frantic. Katie's father is a mobster, and when he hears about the Myron-Aimee connection, Mr. Rochester decides that Myron abducted Katie as well. So Mr. Rochester sics a couple of thugs on Myron, to make the rep reveal Katie's location.



The ensuing conflict is vicious, and comes to include Myron's friend Win, who's an expert in firearms and martial arts.

The police conclude that both Katie and Aimee are runaways, and since the girls are legal adults, the cops can't do much more. So Myron decides to search for Katie and Aimee himself, and he unearths clues that aid his endeavors.



Meanwhile Myron experiences some drama with his former girlfriend Jessica Culver - a gorgeous free-spirited writer.....



......and his current girlfriend Ali Wilder - an attractive settled mother of two.



Will Myron ever settle down?  Time will tell.

I enjoyed the mystery aspects of the novel, but the story is overly contrived with unrealistic plot points. Still, the fun recurring characters make it a pleasant book for suspense fans.

Rating: 3 stars