At Death's Dough - A Review

 Review

AT DEATH'S DOUGH by Mindy Quigley
The Fifth Deep Dish Mystery 

The winter cold and snow makes the offseason difficult for businesses in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. Restaurant owner, Delilah O'Leary is evening struggling to get reservations for the Valentine's Day holiday. That's one reason she jumps on board the town council's idea of a Gangsters of Geneva Bay tour, although she knows her boyfriend Capone, yes, related to that Capone, will not be happy. She has staff to pay, however, and if that means highlighting the fact that her restaurant was a mob front for Rocco Guanciale and featuring Rocco's Guanciale on the menu, so be it. But slow business isn't the only thing worrying Delilah. Several women are aglow with new mysterious romances, even Great-Aunt Biz. And then, of course, there's the dead body she, Sonya, and Biz found while ice fishing. Not to mention Capone's ne'er do well cousin whose visit Capone's mom wants to keep quiet. Will Delilah be able to make it through the offseason without losing her business or her boyfriend? 

Pride, hope, and love make the gears grind and shift in the fifth Deep Dish Mystery. I love how the Delilah and Son family is just that, a family. They may bicker, but ultimately will do anything for each other. I love how they work together like a well oiled machine, whether it's dinner service or solving a mystery. I loved the historical aspect, a favorite subject of mine, if not Delilah and especially loved how everything came together. 

AT DEATH'S DOUGH runs the gamut from romantic, family, and business problems, community involvement, and social class treating each with varying degrees of humor and gravitas. When one of the family is taken hostage I was horrified; it's a personal nightmare for me. Thank goodness for the resourcefulness, bravery, and determination of everyone!

There's also food. I loved the descriptions, even Harold's feast of reconciliation and am pleased that there are recipes included, though not for Harold's feast. Even if you have no intention of making any of the recipes found at the end of the book, you still need to read them! Written from the point of view of different characters each recipe is a story in itself...and a very funny one at that! 

A wintry mystery filled with gangsters, good food, and great friends AT DEATH'S DOUGH is a laugh out loud mystery with heart and a special cat named Butterball.