Why I Love Writing Cozy Mysteries - Lucy Burdette Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

Why I Love Writing Cozy Mysteries by Lucy Burdette


A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of teaching a class on writing a cozy mystery series. You could probably guess that that I love writing these books just from the fact that book number thirteen is out this month. But more on that in a little bit…

What attracts me (and maybe you) to this kind of story? The character lives by her wits and solves mysteries through her curiosity and her ability to observe things and understand the people around her. There’s no special assist from police tactics and training: no search warrants, no takedowns with guns or Tasers, no computer database to help sort out clues. The only real skills that my character brings to the series are her recipes!

So I have to tackle questions in each book: First, what business is it of Hayley's to get involved in solving a crime? What does she want more than anything? Why does she care? To put it another way, what’s her stake in the story? And yikes, who would ever listen to her when she does discover an important clue? That brings us to my favorite part of writing these books, relationships. When I think about developing a victim and possible suspects, I think about who knows who and what secrets they are hiding. And what's important to Hayley, and to her friends and her family.

The brand new book, the fifth book in the Key West food critic mystery series, is called Death with all the Trimmings. Hayley has landed the interview of her career as a food critic, talking with and observing a top chef who's moved from New York City to Key West. She soon discovers that the chef’s been experiencing sabotage in her kitchen. With a fire and a murder, things whirl out of control from there. As usual, there's lots of food and family, and in this case, the charm of a Key West Christmas, too. Hayley and I and the whole Key West gang hope you'll enjoy the read!

About Death with all the Trimmings: It may be Christmastime, but thoughts of peace on earth, good will toward men, don’t seem to extend to the restaurant business. Food critic Hayley Snow has been assigned to interview Edel Waugh, chef/owner of Key West’s hottest new restaurant. But off the record, Edel reveals that there’s been sabotage in the kitchen and asks Hayley to investigate. Things heat up fast when the restaurant is set on fire—and a body is discovered in the charred wreckage. Is someone out to destroy the chef’s business—or actually kill her? Amid holiday festivities like the lighted boat parade, and visiting relatives who stir up mixed emotions, Hayley needs to smoke out an arsonist and a killer before they turn up the heat again…on her!


Buy the Book: http://www.penguin.com/book/death-with-all-the-trimmings-by-lucy-burdette/9780451465900


Bio:

Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 13 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She's a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs about food and mysteries at Mystery Lovers Kitchen  and Jungle Red Writers. You can also find her on Facebook, and Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Review

Death with all the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette
The 5th Key West Food Critic Mystery

It's Christmastime in Key West and Hayley Snow has a lot on her plate. Hayley is dealing with the fact that her mom has decided that wintering in Key West is a great idea, a hiatus from a romance that was just starting to brew, and the fact that Ava, co-owner of the magazine, is still trying to get her fired. On the upside, Hayley has landed a great interview with the chef/owner of a new restaurant opening in town. What Hayley doesn't know is that the chef is hoping for more than an interview from Hayley-she needs her help. Someone is sabotaging the restaurant and Chef Edel has learned that Hayley has a nose for investigating. Things have just turned deadly on Key West-here's hoping that Hayley can find some peace this Christmas! 

The more I read this series, the more I love it. Lucy Burdette gives us Christmas in Key West featuring a Hometown Holiday Parade (where Hayley, Wally, and Danielle design their golf cart to look like a giant Key Lime pie pulled by reindeer), a town wide Christmas light competition, and the lighted boat parade, followed by the Dachshund Parade on New Years Day. The vivid descriptions transport me to the scene so that even I think a warm Christmas may be delightful. But there's more than Christmas ambiance to this book.

Lucy Burdette gives us a restaurant full of suspects, but what is the real motive? Was the kitchen sabotage perpetrated by the same person who killed Juan Carlos? Why kill him? Does it all have to do with a woman scorned? A business rivalry? Both? Hayley and Miss Gloria also have to deal with the consequences of getting involved in murder; possibly the most dangerous consequences they've ever faced! Death with all the Trimmings is a delightful read that kept me intrigued. We have a well thought out mystery enriched by characters who keep evolving, the uniqueness of Key West, the spirit of Christmas, and the promise that is a new year.

Recipes included.

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This book would make a perfect stocking stuffer! For a chance of your own print copy of Death with all the Trimmings leave a comment on this post describing your favorite holiday event no later than Saturday, December 6th at 11:59 pm EST. Sorry, US addresses only. Be sure to leave your e-mail address, so that I may contact you should you win.