Author: Mindy Quigley
Publisher: St. Martin’s
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 320
Date of Publication: August 23, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
Delilah O’Leary can’t wait to open her new gourmet deep-dish pizzeria in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin―a charming resort town with a long history as a mobsters’ hideaway, millionaires’ playground, and vacation mecca. Engaged to a hunk with a hefty trust fund, Delilah is poised to begin a life that’s just about as delicious as one of her cheesy creations.
Just before opening night, though, Delilah’s plans for pizza perfection hit the skids when her fiancé dumps her and leaves her with a very large memento from their relationship―Butterball, their spoiled, plus-sized tabby cat.
Delilah’s trouble deepens when she discovers a dead body and finds her elderly aunt holding the murder weapon. Handsome local police detective Calvin Capone, great grandson of the legendary gangster, opens an investigation, threatening to sink Delilah’s pie-in-the-sky ambitions before they can even get off the ground. To save her aunt and get her pizza place generating some dough, Delilah must deliver the real killer.
MY THOUGHTS:
Delilah O’Leary is very excited to be opening her new gourmet pizzeria. However, finding a dead body right at the time she is opening is not the way to start a new business. What’s more is her elderly aunt is the one that was found holding the murder weapon. The victim was her aunt’s caretaker. Will the detective on the case, Calvin Capone, who just happens to be the great grandson of legendary gangster Al Capone, be able to find the murderer and help prevent Delilah’s business from crashing even before it even gets started?
Delilah really needs this fresh start. She has just broken off her engagement to and now they are sharing custody of their hefty cat Butterball. Meanwhile, not only is Delilah concerned about her business, and the murder that has occurred, but also she’s concerned for the health and safety of her aunt. Managing everything is important to Delilah because she wants to move forward in her life.
Since Delilah has so much at stake, she involves herself in the investigation, because for one thing, she knows her aunt has not killed anyone. Meanwhile, she is still navigating her relationship with her ex, as well as the possibility of moving on to another romantic entanglement. This book has a bit of humor, especially when we read of the exploits of her plus sized cat.
What an enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series by Mindy Quigley. This engaging read concludes with several delectable recipes.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Author: Mindy Quigley
Publisher: St. Martin’s
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 320
Date of Publication: April 25, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust is the second book in Mindy Quigley's delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.
Newly single pizzeria owner Delilah O’Leary is determined to keep her restaurant afloat in the picturesque resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. To boost her bottom line, she sets her sights on winning the hefty cash prize in the town’s annual “Taste of Wisconsin” culinary contest. In her corner, she’s got her strong-willed, “big-boned” cat Butterball, her wisecracking BFF, her cantankerous great-aunt, and a nearly -flawless recipe for Pretzel Crust Deep-Dish Bratwurst Pizza. But while Delilah and her team have been focused on pumping out perfect pizza pies, her ex-fiancé has cozied up to a new squeeze, juice bar owner Jordan Watts―Delilah’s contest rival.
When one of Jordan’s juice bar customers is poisoned by a tainted smoothie, Delilah lands deep in the sauce. Accusations fly, suspects abound, and a menacing stranger turns up with a beef over some missing dough. Between kale-juicing hipsters and grudge-bearing celebrity chefs, Delilah must act quickly before another one bites the crust.
Newly single pizzeria owner Delilah O’Leary is determined to keep her restaurant afloat in the picturesque resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. To boost her bottom line, she sets her sights on winning the hefty cash prize in the town’s annual “Taste of Wisconsin” culinary contest. In her corner, she’s got her strong-willed, “big-boned” cat Butterball, her wisecracking BFF, her cantankerous great-aunt, and a nearly -flawless recipe for Pretzel Crust Deep-Dish Bratwurst Pizza. But while Delilah and her team have been focused on pumping out perfect pizza pies, her ex-fiancé has cozied up to a new squeeze, juice bar owner Jordan Watts―Delilah’s contest rival.
When one of Jordan’s juice bar customers is poisoned by a tainted smoothie, Delilah lands deep in the sauce. Accusations fly, suspects abound, and a menacing stranger turns up with a beef over some missing dough. Between kale-juicing hipsters and grudge-bearing celebrity chefs, Delilah must act quickly before another one bites the crust.
MY THOUGHTS:
The second book in this tasty cozy mystery series has new pizzeria owner Delilah O’Leary set for another adventure. With a delightful secondary cast, including her aunt Biz, her ex Sam, the hunky detective Calvin Capone and others, as well as her chunky cat Butterball, this story is a great second book in a great new series.
An apparent poisoning has garnered everyone’s attention, including the ever curious Delilah. Although Capone is more than qualified to work the case, Delilah is determined to help him and steps in time and again. Meanwhile, Delilah has a chance to be a part of the Taste of Wisconsin. To say she has a lot on her plate is a great understatement.
Delilah is a great character. I really love her wit and her connection to the other characters in this series so far. The mystery is great, and fits right in with what promises to be a delightful cozy mystery series. I cannot wait for the next installment.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Her short stories have won awards, including the 2018 Artemis Journal/Lightbringer Prize. Her non-writing career has been stranger than fiction, taking her from the US to the UK, where she worked as the personal assistant to the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, and as project manager for a research clinic founded by the author J.K. Rowling.
She lives in Virginia, with her Civil War history professor husband, their children, and their idiosyncratic miniature Schnauzer.
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