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Murder on the Rocks–serving up a satisfying mystery on a base of cuisine with a dash of tennis
Murder on the Rocks
by Shawn Reilly Simmons
Murder on the Rocks is an engaging and relaxing cozy mystery. It begins with a motorcycle chase and moves on to a relaxing gathering of friends for brunch at a Glendale, New Jersey, café. Violent crime enters the picture and follows Penelope all the way to Vermont where her catering company has been hired to provide food for a movie production. The movie stars her friend and roommate Arlena for whom Penelope also acts as personal chef. Arlena portrays Helen Mills, tennis star from the 1930’s and 1940’s.
I have read another mystery in this series and from a comparison of the types of services provided in the two books and a short Internet search, I discovered that the sorts of food and service provided by companies like Penelope’s vary widely depending on the event, location, and needs and desires of the hiring group. That part of the story is almost as fascinating as the mystery. Penelope and her crew necessarily display a huge amount of professional flexibility. I recommend this book for both the mystery and the culinary background.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery
Notes: # 5 in the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series
Publication: February 6, 2018—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
Francis shifted his weight and Lewis cleared his throat, the universal signs of being witness to an uncomfortable encounter.
“You’re here because Arlena believes you’re up to the challenge of nurturing our crew, providing our film family with life-sustaining fuel, nourishing our bodies and souls while we embark on this artistic venture together.”
Penelope’s thoughts drifted and grew soft around the edges as she fell asleep.
In Cave Danger–pink froufrou in the great out of doors
In Cave Danger
by Kate Dyer-Seeley
I found In Cave Danger interesting, but I didn’t love it. A lot of the reason is just personal taste. To start, the main character, Meg Reed, is just too froufrou, too much of a girly pink lover to be believable in her job as an adventure writer. I admire her independent fashion sense and love of vintage clothing, but even a “twenty-something” should understand that for most jobs there is a specific type of dress appropriate for the position and task. On your own time, you dress to please yourself.
My next problem with the book structure is the emphasis on beer. The craft beer culture in Oregon is interesting, but I honestly don’t admire a main character whose social life on a daily basis centers around beer.
Another problem is the choices and actions of the main character. Meg persists in doing obviously dangerous things. Things others have warned her not to do. Things she states are not smart to do. She also volunteers to cover a story on caving when she is a self-professed claustrophobic.
Lastly, I am sure there are people who give thanks to the Universe for the good things that happen, literally hug trees, and carry stones around to protect themselves. Those people would probably enjoy In Cave Danger much more than I did.
The initial mystery focuses on the murder of a forest ranger and the battle of environmentalists versus a politician and a rancher who have other plans for land use. Later the author makes a rather sudden jump back to events in a previous book that involve Meg’s deceased father, a newspaper reporter who was obsessed with researching a piece on meth. This abrupt plot switch is smoothed out as the author fills in the back story. Amazingly the two plot lines intersect.
On the positive side, the plot is engaging and the setting is interesting. The author offers closure to what appears to have been an old mystery. The book concludes with sections on tips for exploring caves and information for a scenic tour of Oregon’s high desert country where In Cave Danger takes place.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #5 in the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series; works as a standalone
Publication: November 28, 2017—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
The tips of old oak leaves faded into golden yellows, and red twinges glinted in the sunlight. Soon organic farm stands would pop up on street corners, where artisans would sell homemade apple and pear butter and carved festive gourds. The breweries would release their fall lines featuring pumpkin ales and hoppy Oktoberfest brews.
My past blunders were all my own doing, usually because I had overestimated my skill level or downplayed the danger. This felt different. This felt out of my control. I couldn’t shake the ominous cloud hovering over me.
I’m so claustrophobic that I refuse to ride in elevators. I’d rather huff and puff up twenty flights of stairs than be stuck in a moving coffin.
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