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A review by meezcarrie
Honey-Baked Homicide by Gayle Leeson
5.0
“Like a good stew, the plot thickens.”
I can’t say enough how much I love this cozy mystery series. In fact, the Down South Cafe books are one of my go-to series in this genre. They are clean, entertaining, well-plotted and full of yummy food.
All the fave characters return to the Down South Cafe in Honey-Baked Homicide, plus a few new faces for flavor. Aunt Bess continues to be my favorite, with her feisty personality and her hilarious pinterest boarding. Her Lord Have Mercy and People I’ve Outlived boards are good examples of the humor potential here, and Leeson makes full use of it without it being overdone. Aunt Bess doesn’t take over the story – she just shows up when they need some spice. For that matter, Dilly (and her hearing-aid eavesdropping skills plus her raccoon) and Homer (and his hero of the day complete with always situation-appropriate quotes) add their own dose of humor and heart when needed as well. Never too much of these good characters, but just enough to keep us smiling – and waiting to see what they’ll do when they next pop in.
Amy is the perfect cozy mystery heroine because she’s completely relatable and doesn’t go asking for trouble (too much). Most of her investigating/snooping occurs while just chatting up guests at the cafe… or fielding suspects as they insert themselves into her life. It makes sense, it feels natural, and it keeps the peace in her romance with her detective boyfriend Ryan. Who, for his part, is protective without being hovering and really seems to value her input instead of begrudgingly tolerating her theories (as cozy mystery detective boyfriends seem to often do).
The case in Honey-Baked Homicide has lots of twists and turns and more suspects around every bend. I had my eye on a couple of strong possibilities as far as whodunit …. and I was completely wrong. Which is a testament to Ms. Leeson’s mystery-crafting skills because I grew up watching Murder She Wrote, y’all.
Bottom Line: If you haven’t yet started reading the Down South Cafe mysteries, you are missing out on some good reads. Each book can stand on its own, but I love the series so much I’d recommend you just go ahead and start at the beginning. The setting nicely supports the plot, and the supporting characters are both quirky and endearing. Amy’s relationship with her family is sweet and healthy, and there’s such a great mix of wit and suspense wrapped up in a cozy package. A great choice anytime you want an entertaining, clean, and well-written read with fun characters you’ll want as friends! (The recipes at the back are a nice bonus, too!)
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
I can’t say enough how much I love this cozy mystery series. In fact, the Down South Cafe books are one of my go-to series in this genre. They are clean, entertaining, well-plotted and full of yummy food.
All the fave characters return to the Down South Cafe in Honey-Baked Homicide, plus a few new faces for flavor. Aunt Bess continues to be my favorite, with her feisty personality and her hilarious pinterest boarding. Her Lord Have Mercy and People I’ve Outlived boards are good examples of the humor potential here, and Leeson makes full use of it without it being overdone. Aunt Bess doesn’t take over the story – she just shows up when they need some spice. For that matter, Dilly (and her hearing-aid eavesdropping skills plus her raccoon) and Homer (and his hero of the day complete with always situation-appropriate quotes) add their own dose of humor and heart when needed as well. Never too much of these good characters, but just enough to keep us smiling – and waiting to see what they’ll do when they next pop in.
Amy is the perfect cozy mystery heroine because she’s completely relatable and doesn’t go asking for trouble (too much). Most of her investigating/snooping occurs while just chatting up guests at the cafe… or fielding suspects as they insert themselves into her life. It makes sense, it feels natural, and it keeps the peace in her romance with her detective boyfriend Ryan. Who, for his part, is protective without being hovering and really seems to value her input instead of begrudgingly tolerating her theories (as cozy mystery detective boyfriends seem to often do).
The case in Honey-Baked Homicide has lots of twists and turns and more suspects around every bend. I had my eye on a couple of strong possibilities as far as whodunit …. and I was completely wrong. Which is a testament to Ms. Leeson’s mystery-crafting skills because I grew up watching Murder She Wrote, y’all.
Bottom Line: If you haven’t yet started reading the Down South Cafe mysteries, you are missing out on some good reads. Each book can stand on its own, but I love the series so much I’d recommend you just go ahead and start at the beginning. The setting nicely supports the plot, and the supporting characters are both quirky and endearing. Amy’s relationship with her family is sweet and healthy, and there’s such a great mix of wit and suspense wrapped up in a cozy package. A great choice anytime you want an entertaining, clean, and well-written read with fun characters you’ll want as friends! (The recipes at the back are a nice bonus, too!)
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower